Clothing Experiments that put Mr Him to Shame

Dear reader, my oldest and I have separately and coincidentally taken part in clothing experiments.  Now I know its normally Mr Him that partakes of this sort of sedentary activity as he finds it less exhausting then jogging but oldest and I decided to find out what he sees in such occupations.

My clothing experiment activity took place at the black tie dinner last week.  When I say black tie I mean black jackets, black trousers,  black dresses. Yes 499 of the attendees wore black. 

The 500th, me, wore sparkling bright red.  Chris De burgh rather came to mind.  

Following in my footsteps the young online shopping genius one woman Thunderbird Team  (my oldest daughter) came home from work the next day dressed as Wonder Woman. As she's a dental nurse we at first thought this a major work attire faux pas, until she showed us the photos. 

Mr Him immediately sent off an email to the dentist requesting suppliers of such work based apparel. He has plans to fly to work in future.  

The trains have been diabolical recently, I do agree, so I can see why he's tempted. Below are queues and crowds I have experienced in the last 2 weeks alone. 

 

 Today we drove as there was signal problems. We rallied up one of his colleagues and one of mine so we had a matching pair and headed to work motor vechularly.  When his outfit arrives he's going to carry us on his back as he swoops across southern England.  We look forward to that.  He's working on his pricing tarrif as I type. 

A Year On and On Repeat

Dear reader, a funny thing happened on the way to the bank.

Last year I wrote  about a man I met outside our office.  You will need to either press control and click or copy and paste into a browser, but it will be worth it.  

http://tvshopaholic.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/halloween-man-with-walker-and-pumpkin.html

In that write up I mention that I hadn't seen him for a day, well over the last year I haven't seen him nor have my colleagues.

Last week, 3 days after Halloween, I left the office at one to go to the bank.  There he was.  Leaning on a trolley basket.  He called me over.  I suspected how the conversation would go, and it did.

'do you work there?'
'Yes.'
'is it very stressful?'
'not too bad.'
'I worked there, don't let it get to you.' 

We said goodbyes and I moved on.  As conversations go its taken a year to find out the next part of his story. He had been a security guard. So I am left wondering, who or what is he. 

Talking of older blogs.  I am off to a black tie dinner tonight.  I wrote about this same event also last year. Out will come the same dress, evening bag and shoes.  I wonder whether there will be the same warrior attitude.

http://tvshopaholic.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/a-glamourous-night-out-in-london.html

Remembrance Parade, mostly.

Dear reader,  you had a near disaster I'm afraid to tell you.  My laptop charger broke.  I felt for you, dear reader. I felt for you to such an extent I took my laptop to town and charged it in a pc shop! They've ordered me a new charger to be delivered to my home and totally free of charge.   I stressed the importance of keeping you up to date.  I really stressed it, to such an extent they felt your pain and rang a helpline.  The kindly young man was on the line for 20 minutes trying to obtain support for me, you and himself.  He got there in the end. I'm back and you can breathe easy. 

Other than solving my laptop problem for you what have I done?  In my distress for you I put on 3 pounds in weight by over eating. Pasta and dessert on Friday night at a family dinner in Zizzis then fish and chips and dessert at a meal at home for friends.  Yes, I confess,  if i invite friends over for a meal I sneak out for fish and chips takeaway.  The paper wrapping and grease, I insist, gives it authenticity.  Still its generally enjoyed by all.  

On Sunday my oldest, the one woman  team Thunderbird took to driving Thunderbird 1 as 2 was low on fuel.  She went to the Remembrance Day parade. I was very proud that she felt it was important for her generation to attend.  She dressed smartly and wore her best cream overcoat with a poppy.  She took the below pic.

 

In the meantime I went to the mall with my 17 year old who wanted to spend her birthday money (good old Primark). The 2 minutes silence occurred in the car for all (radio, me, cd player)  except her, and I couldn't speak to tell her to be quiet!  Once we were in the mall she said, 'oh we missed the 2 minutes silence, 'to which I said ' well, you did.'

Mr Him and I walked in the afternoon to the village with the dogs and watched the afternoon parade. We I then  discovered Blue moon beer which was served with a slice of orange.  Mr Him had already discovered beer.

One Woman Team Thunderbird

Dear reader, my oldest has sent a shockwave through my motherstolic system. Whilst I was causing havoc in the kitchen on Saturday with my Welsh cake making she was out causing havoc on the roads taking her motorbike test.  Motorbike!  She doesn't have a darn motorbike and has only rode pillion a couple of times on her dad's.  Now she's got a flipping licence!  What's a mother to do! !  I was in ignorance of this plan.  

When she powered her way home in the evening our drive was mostly taken up with her vehicles.  She rather fancies herself as a one woman Thunderbirds team it seems.  She spent Sunday out on Thunderbird 3 practicing all she learnt.  Dear reader,  my motherstolic system was so out of balance i forgot to take photos of Thunderbird 3 whilst it was in our drive.  She took it back to the bike hire on Sunday. 

However here are pics of Thunderbirds 1 and 2. 

Mr Him was so taken aback by all of this that he did some DIY. Yes, dear reader. Now you realise the shockwave  this bike scenario caused to the Himostolic system too.  Mr Him mended one toilet seat, he WD40'd door handles and he took a hammer to the  oldest's door frame (her door sticks and she has to slam.)  The latter  (door handles and frame) were in the hope we can get a full night's sleep. The Young online shopping genius tends to be noisy when she comes in at night.  That's before bringing a flipping motorbike home. 

I meanwhile headed for the kitchen and made a chilli for Mr Him and I. We needed distraction from the one woman Team Thunderbirds. It happens that I had been lectured by a colleague at work that I wasn't eating properly. With the kids now adult and adultsish they fend for themselves.  Mr Him and I are also fending for ourselves.  I've been eating weightwatchers ready meals  and salad when I get home from work.  Mr Him has tuna or some such salad.  The concern to my colleague is that I'm eating so much processed food so regularly.  She told me what I really know but gave up practicing.  Cook batches at the weekend.  Real food and freeze. With that in mind I spent time on a chilli going back to basics and wholesome ingredients.  I served it with corn on the cob and rice.  Four portions went in the freezer too.  

I admit that due to the imbalance of my motherstolic system I did hit the red wine whilst I cooked. Mr Him thinks this bottle is decoration.  If he were to look closely he'd see the damage

.

How not to make Welsh Cakes

Dear reader, Hasting Battleaxe seems to think my life is a whirligig of outings and frivolity.  As such I have decided to bore you with this blog.  So settle yourself in bed and think of this as your lullaby.

On Saturday I adventured in the kitchen with Welsh Cake making.  We cannot buy these in Sussex and liked them so much I had to dabble with the Kitchenaid. So here dear reader, is how not to make Welsh cakes.

Now I would describe welsh cakes as flat scones or flat biscuits to the Americans but sweet. I have had Chicken and biscuits in the US and these are a similar texture.

Welsh cakes are cooked on a griddle, apparently, there being a difference with scones and American biscuits. My griddle is ridged.  This is not ideal but adds a rustic burnt affect that I will come onto later.

Do not look at the amount of butter. Its a horror story appropriate for Halloween.  This is 175g.

I put all of the ingredients, most of the ingredients into my electric mixer bowl, one egg from our Flopsy, 350 g self raising flour, 115 g caster sugar, the aforementioned butter and 2 tablespoons of milk.

 Then I added 100g of currents.  The mix was rolled and cut with a cookie cutter.

a few were put on the griddle....

  
and charred as the heat was too high.

Luckily I had plenty of mix left.

Not too bad.

I eventually made 36 from the mix and they are in the freezer with a few exceptions that the family ate over the weekend.

These do need a careful adjustment on the stove.  Too high and they burn and too low they won't cook in the middle.  At the ideal heat they take 3mins one side then you turn them for another 3 on the other side. These tasted great but I must try harder.  Notice the rustic griddle affect. 

Tomorrow I will show you Mr Him doing hammering...