Mrs M plus one

A new chapter

2012-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

Since having a baby in September 2011 I've not done much in the way of reading, gardening and have had to give up our allotment :(

There will be a change of direction for this blog now. I'm hoping to chart the challenges of baby led weaning and review/comment on all things baby.

Here we go on a new journey...

merry crimbo

2011-12-24T08:09:00.001-08:00

Hope you all have a good one!

New gardening programme - sounds right up my street!

2010-04-02T23:50:00.000-07:00

Must remember to catch this next week! Looks fab and scarily exactly what I'm trying to do. Can the BBC read my mind...

The Edible Garden - BBC 2, Wednesday, 8pm

Elderflower cordial recipes?

2010-04-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

I have just fallen in love with some elderflower cordial I purchased from IKEA. My parents have an elderflower tree so I'm sure I could knock a batch up fairly easily. I've found loads of recipes but has anyone tried to make their own before? When is the best time to harvest the flower heads?

Dig in

2010-03-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

My seeds arrived from the BBC dig in campaign yesterday. I was so excited I went out and purchased some tomato, spinach and broad bean seeds as well. I'll get cracking with this little lot next week.

The first two egg day

2010-03-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had our first two egg day. Both our girls are now laying regularly! There is quite a difference in size between them but hopefully they will be full size very soon...

We were greeted this morning by another two egg day. My girlies are clever, now where is my egg cook book...

The first egg

2010-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

I don't think we'll be making cakes, scrambled egg or egg custards just yet but here is the first egg from our girls. Clever ladies...

Chooks - two weeks on...

2010-03-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to report that the chicken/human relationship is going well. Despite the chooks usually being in bed when I get home from work they are now taking treats out of my hand and I have been able to handle Beryl a couple of times (eek!). I am finding my own methods of putting the chooks back into the run once we have let them out - it mostly consists of me standing next to the open cage door and herding them in with the bright blue line prop. They seem to be taking offence at the line prop (!) but it is a method that works at the moment so I'm sticking with it! Can't wait for the lighter nights so I can spend more time with them in the evening...might even be able to pick Hilda up soon...

The fun continues...

The chooks have arrived!

2010-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here are the girls who arrived yesterday. The black one is Beryl and the ginger one is Hilda (don't ask). Everything seemed to be going smoothly until it came to bedtime. Beryl would not put herself to bed in the coop and I had to stand out in the pouring rain until lots of coaxing (i.e. a broom handle) made her retire for the night. We were at it for about an hour.

This morning I made sure I opened the door nice and early (6.30am!) so they could get out and about but they refused to come out! I can see this is going to be a difficult relationship....

Reading - with gusto!

2010-02-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

2010 seems to have rekindled my reading mojo. I have been devouring books quicker than ever and have been perusing book blogs to find inspiration for new material. Here's a quick update:

To be read

The Angel's Game - Carlos Riuz Zafon
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
Brick Lane - Monica Ali
Then We Came to the End - Joshua Ferris
The Mist in the Mirror - Susan Hill
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
A Murder is Announced - Agatha Christie
On Beauty - Zadie Smith

Finished

January

The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
The Jewel Garden - Monty and Sarah Don
The Guernsey Literary and Potato peel pie society - Mary Ann Scaffer

February

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie
Divas Don't Knit - Gil McNeil

Currently reading

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle

Chickens and allotmenting!

2010-02-21T11:52:00.000-08:00

Finally, it is all coming together. The chickens are arriving next week (eekk!) and I've emailed the local parish council who said they should be in touch with me about an allotment very soon as they have been clearing some land. I've been on the waiting list for nearly three years so I'm very excited. I've been gazing longingly at seed catalogues and now I can start my planning and ordering for real!

Updating 'About me'

2010-01-09T00:56:00.000-08:00

Eeeekkk! Just had to change my 'About me' section of my blog. Gone is 'approaching 30' to be replaced by 'thirty something'. Feels somehow significant...

Reading material for 2010!

2010-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

With one thing or another I have well and truely let my reading slip. Now I have my very own 'reading room' (picture to follow soon!) I have no excuse and need to get through the piles of books I have accumulated over the last couple of years. Anyway, here is my (very unambitious) list of books for 2010 - I figure that I can always add more in if I should finish this little lot!

The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
The Angel's Game - Carlos Riuz Zafon
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
Brick Lane - Monica Ali
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle
The Jewel Garden - Monty and Sarah Don
Then We Came to the End - Joshua Ferris
Divas Don't Knit - Gil McNeil
The Mist in the Mirror - Susan Hill
The Guernsey Literary and Potato peel pie society - Mary Ann Scaffer
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
A Murder is Announced - Agatha Christie
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie
On Beauty - Zadie Smith

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I am delighted to announce that I am the VERY proud owner of a green Eglu - a combined Christmas and 30th birthday present from my friends and family - Thanks everyone!!!!

I'm sure there will be plenty of posts to follow on the trials and tribulations of chicken keeping!

It's ccchhhhrrrrriiiiiisssstttttmmmmmmaaaassss! Part three

2009-12-09T03:47:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Kirstie Allsop so her Christmas programme is almost too much for me to bear! What a wonderful way to spend last week's evenings. More fun to look forward to next week with Jamie Oliver!

It's chhhrriiiissstttmmaaasss! Part two!

2009-12-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

Phew - 50 mince pies made and cranberry and popcorn garlands for the tree. I'm getting in the swing of this Christmas business now!

It's Chhhhrrriiiiiiisssstttmmmmaaaasssss!!!!

2009-12-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

And how do I know?

I've just purchased the Christmas edition of the Radio Times...now where's my highlighter?

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a hectic few days at Centre Parcs and starting my Postgrad marketing qualification and also an exercise class. Things are going to be hectic up until Christmas so I think blogging and reading will probably take a back seat for a while. You never know though..the more I have to do the more I seem to get done!! I think it must be all the pressure!!

Good news on the building works front. We have a man coming from EON this week to have a look at the electric cable (yes, it is STILL running through the middle of our new extension) and to make plans for when it can be moved. We've only been waiting since May so it can't come soon enough so we can finally finish the decorating and get some carpet!

Postcrossing - it's brilliant!

2009-09-04T02:41:00.001-07:00

A while ago apieceofwood blogged about a website called postcrossing. I was fascinated by the concept of getting postcards from all around the world so I promptly joined a couple of weeks ago and two of my postcards have been received already!! One in Germany and one in the Netherlands!

I haven't received any cards myself yet but I'm hoping postie will have something for me very soon...

What to do next - decision is made...

2009-09-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I seriously considered what I should do next I had been scarred by three horrendous days of exams for my CIM Professional Diploma AND major building work to my house. I got my results last week and passed so I've decided to carry on and complete the CIM Postgraduate Diploma. I figured it is now or never and the decorating can wait....

I might regret it but the course starts next week.

Economy Gastronomy

2009-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Is it me or is this programme a bit of a con? I really enjoy watching Economy Gastronomy and love some of the recipes they do. But I think I could save a family who spend £1200 per month a bit of cash on their shopping! Have these people never heard of a shopping list or checking their cupboards?? The woman this week had 6 separate jars of mustard open! But then again she did have 5 children....

The REAL challenge would be for them to save money for people who have much more modest food budgets. I wonder what they would make of my rather stingy, but necessary £200 per month??

Exam results hurrah!

2009-08-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

My exam results arrived when I was at work yesterday. There were loads of emails bouncing around during the day from people on my course who had already found out their grades. I was in a bit of a tizzy by the time I got home but I'm proud to say I passed all the modules and have now got my Professional Certificate in Marketing at the first attempt (no mean feat as the pass rate is about 50%). I'm going to spend the Bank Holiday deciding if I want to move onto the Postgraduate Diploma in September or postpone studying for a year and concentrate on the house.

Yey!

Exam results due on Friday - eeeeek!

2009-08-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

The results of my Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) are due on Friday. I've managed to forget all about them for the past few weeks but now I cant stop checking the website to see if they have released the results early!

The 14lb challenge - week 3

2009-08-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

I well and truly fell off the wagon several times this week - a friend came over for dinner bringing a large cake and a bottle of wine, I went for a couple of drinks with another friend and then a cinema and dinner visit with work and that is before the little treats I had at work because I had to work on Saturday (boo!). I tried to stick to my healthy eating and portion control the rest of the week (what was left of it!) and managed to lose a pound!

Week 3/7 - 5/14

ID'd at 29

2009-08-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Just purchased a bottle of wine at my local co-op and was asked for ID - winner!!

Cinema-tastic

2009-08-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't been to the cinema since January and then I went twice in one week - crazy! On Sunday I went with OH to see the new Harry Potter film. I had forgotten what had happened as I read the book such a long time ago. The film is quite dark but Luna Lovegood is excellent in it!

Then last night I did what I said I wouldn't....I went to see the Time Travel(l)er's Wife (the whole one 'L' or two is driving me crazy!). I loved the book and didn't want the film to ruin it. I went with a group of ladies from work and to be honest it was quite good. It wasn't too long and perfect for a girlie night out.

Beach hut festival!

2009-08-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE a beach hut! Ever since I visited Wells-next-the Sea a few years ago and saw all their lovely huts I have been hooked! Imaging my delight when I found out about the Beach Hut Festival in Lincolnshire! Not too far away from us! I think we may combine with a picnic on the beach for OH birthday!

Let's hope all I take away from the festival is inspiration (and not a hut!).

Time Warp Wives

2009-08-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

I can't remember who blogged about this TV programme recently but thank you very much - I loved it! Although I think they are a bit out of touch with reality on some things!

My boy is back!

2009-08-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

After 10 days my naughty little boy, Hobbes, returned last night. OH was out posting lost notices and found him on a garage roof a couple of streets away! He doesn't look like a cat that has spent a week on the streets but he was mighty hungry and polished off a bowl of tuna and a bowl of cat meat. Looks like he has been lodging with someone else, I want to find out who it is and pop a note through the door to ask them not to feed him etc as he is being looked after. But I suppose that is the nature of a cat....

He did spend all night curled up on our bed. I didn't get much sleep but I don't care - I've got my boy back!

Has anyone seen my cat?

2009-08-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

My oldest cat, Hobbes, has been missing for over a week now. We regularly don't seem him for a couple of days but a whole week is quite unusual for him. I am hoping he will come back soon and check the cat flap every time one of the other cats come in but I am trying to prepare myself for him not coming back....

Sniff

The 14lb challenge - week 2

2009-08-16T00:24:00.000-07:00

Well, this week has seen an ENORMOUS pub meal with a side order of onion rings and a work BBQ with a slice of cake. So I am chuffed to lose another pound! I have got two nights out planned this week and I am cooking for a friend tomorrow night so this week is going to be tough. I think I need to introduce some aerobic exercise to help me along a bit.

One thing I have found incredibly easy is to have one slice of toast for breakfast instead of the usual two and then have fruit when I get to work to stop the 10.30 hunger pangs. My water consumption is also up and my alcohol down (more to do with cash flow than diet though!).

Week 2/7 - 4/14

The 14lb challenge - week 1

2009-08-11T00:16:00.000-07:00

The first week was all about trying to establish good habits - drinking more water, not snacking on biscuits at work and having smaller portions for dinner.

I am pleased with the result and have lost 3lb! Although we went out for a meal last night with friends and am feeling fat and full as a result (this technically counts as week 2 so I'm not worried yet!).

Week 1/7 - 3/14

Lilac is not a good bathroom look!

2009-08-08T01:59:00.000-07:00

The bathroom is the first room we are tacking with the decorating. We tried several tester pots and decided on frosted steel from dulux. It looked like a quite funky colour which would go with the cream bathroom tiles and the duck egg blue towels.

Two hours later and the bathroom looks like a child's bedroom from the late 80s - not a good look! I hated it straight away but OH said it looked ok. Fast forward to the next morning an a phone call at work from OH saying he doesn't like it either!! The paint was a pricey £19 but I'll never be happy with it so we are going to paint it white for now. (the offending paint had been used up in the large computer cupboard). Photos to follow when the camera is charged up!

Random acts of kindness - part two!

2009-08-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

I got a flat tyre at lunch time today and just managed to pull into a car park. My RAC cover ran out last week and my new cover that is free with my car insurance doesn't start until next week (grrrrr). There was nothing else for it, I had to change the tyre myself (with lots of whinging on the phone to OH). I just managed to get the spare tyre out (Ford KAs are veerrrryyyy complicated!) when a lovely elderly couple who had just had their lunch stopped to help me out. 20 minutes later I was on my way and they were late for the dentist.

Thank you whoever you were!

The 14lb challenge

2009-08-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

I need to lose some weight. There, I've said it! It is part of my 101 in 1001 and it has always been my attention to 'sort it out' before I am 30 in January.

The plan is that OH and I both want to lose a stone before his birthday in exactly 7 weeks from today. I know it is going to be tough and if I'm exercising a lot I might be building muscle etc etc

So here goes:

Day 1/49 - 0/14
Exercise: 3 August- 15 minute ab workout (there are loads of free fitness videos on this site - it's fab!)

Sunday - progress report and the weekend round up!

2009-08-03T00:20:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've had quite a productive weekend and have achieved quite a lot (not much resting or pampering was done...must factor that in next weekend!). Here is a run down of what has been going on (Blogger seems to have an aversion to bullet points this morning!).

Friday
Food shopping - Done
Washing - Done
Undercoat window ledges in two new bedrooms - Done (On Sunday!)
Sort out paperwork (the pile had been building since the work started 11 weeks ago - will probably find some horrendously overdue bill lurking somewhere!) - Done
Move my craft stuff out of my chest of drawers and into my Ikea shelving unit - Done
Work on mood boards if there is time - Done

Saturday
Prime plaster in two new bedrooms - 1 bedroom done
Washing - Done
take spare lights and tile trims back to Wickes (just need to find that pesky receipt!)
Get another tin of primer, sandpaper and tester pots from B&Q (don't forget to use credit note!) - Done
Sort out old paint in the shed and see what we can use - Done
Work on mood boards

Sunday (definitely NOT a day of rest!)
Undercoat living room woodwork - Done
Take cardboard which wont fit in the recycling bin to the recycling point at the supermarket - Can't do cardboard recycling at Morrison's so I'm going to have to wait until Friday when our recycling bin is emptied
Ironing - - Done
Clean house up!! - Done

Not to much stuff left in red still to be done and we did do some stuff which wasn't on the list:

Bathroom ceiling painted
Moved dining table and welsh dresser into kitchen
Undercoated cupboard door in new bedroom 2

The builders have now finished until we get the electric cable moved so we can crack on with painting and decorating.

Just one small job for tonight - Give cupboard ceiling first coat of white paint

Saturday - Progess report

2009-08-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Have had a fairly productive couple of days...let's hope it continues on Sunday!

Friday

Food shopping - Done

Washing - Done

Undercoat window ledges in two new bedrooms

Sort out paperwork (the pile had been building since the work started 11 weeks ago - will probably find some horrendously overdue bill lurking somewhere!) - Done

Move my craft stuff out of my chest of drawers and into my Ikea shelving unit - Done

Work on mood boards if there is time - Done

Saturday

Prime plaster in two new bedrooms

Washing - Done

take spare lights and tile trims back to Wickes (just need to find that pesky receipt!)

Get another tin of primer, sandpaper and tester pots from B&Q (don't forget to use credit note!) - Done

Sort out old paint in the shed and see what we can use - Done

Work on mood boards

Friday - progress report

2009-08-01T01:26:00.000-07:00

A fairly productive Friday evening. Lots more to be cracking on with though...just off to undercoat my window ledges...

Friday

Food shopping - Done

Washing - Done

Undercoat window ledges in two new bedrooms - not done yet!!

Sort out paperwork (the pile had been building since the work started 11 weeks ago - will probably find some horrendously overdue bill lurking somewhere!) - Done

Move my craft stuff out of my chest of drawers and into my Ikea shelving unit - Done

Work on mood boards if there is time - Done and may have decided on the colour for the bathroom!!

To do this weekend

2009-07-31T00:41:00.000-07:00

The house renovations are nearly done (still got a pesky electric cable to be moved and Eon are being painfully slow about the whole thing! grrr) so we can start to piece our house back together and stop living out of one room. To keep me motivated here is this weekends to do list...

Friday

Food shopping

Washing

Undercoat window ledges in two new bedrooms

Sort out paperwork (the pile had been building since the work started 11 weeks ago - will probably find some horrendously overdue bill lurking somewhere!)

Move my craft stuff out of my chest of drawers and into my Ikea shelving unit

Work on mood boards if there is time

Saturday

Prime plaster in two new bedrooms

Washing

take spare lights and tile trims back to Wickes (just need to find that pesky receipt!)

Get another tin of primer, sandpaper and tester pots from B&Q (don't forget to use credit note!)

Sort out old paint in the shed and see what we can use

Work on mood boards

Sunday (definitely NOT a day of rest!)

Undercoat living room woodwork

Take cardboard which wont fit in the recycling bin to the recycling point at the supermarket

Ironing

Clean house up!!

If I get 75% of this done I'll be chuffed!

Supersizers go....

2009-07-29T00:46:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank the BBC for this wonderful little programme, Supersizers go..... It is funny yet educational and well worth the TV licence fee!

If you haven't had chance to see this series which has just finished you can catch up on iPlayer (another of the BBC's miracles!)

Time to move on

2009-07-28T00:40:00.000-07:00

Made a decision to 'park' The Ressurectionist for a while and start The diving bell and the butterfly which I won from the June giveaway on the BookItList. This book is just the antidote I need. It is quick to read and is interesting and thought provoking. I should have it finished by the end of the week and I can move onto something else.

The Ressurectionist still sits on my bedside cabinet with my Harry Potter book mark stuck firmly about a third of the way though. I will finish it...one day....

Struggling with July's bookgroup book

2009-07-23T00:36:00.000-07:00

After a promising start The Resurrectionist is proving to be hard going. I love the atmosphere but I am about 100 page in and nothing appears to be happening! I'm never going to finish it by the end of the month...can't decide if I should abandon it (I hate giving up on a book!) or stick with it and acknowledge that it will be hard going.

I have read the August book before (The Timetraveller's wife) so I don't have any pressure to read that.

The wrong colour grout

2009-07-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought we were on the home straight with the (never ending) building works the builder hasn't listened to what I asked and used the wrong colour grout in the new bathroom. It is no problem to change it but it will put the work back another day and the toilet can't go in until Saturday. I am completely fed up with the whole thing now and told them to carry. I might regret it a few months down the line but I just want my house back!!!

What to do next?

2009-07-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Now I have finished my CIM course my thoughts have turned what to do next. Do I continue to do the Postgraduate Diploma (another two years of study!!) or put all my efforts into doing up the house (extension due to be completed next weekend!). My bookgroup seems to have given up the ghost so I'm feeling at a bit of a loose end for extra curricular activities at the moment.

Decisions, decisions...

Thank you!

2009-07-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

My giveaway prize from the BookIt list arrived today. I can't wait to get stuck into it. It looks like a book that will be pretty quick to read so I'm going to save it for a precious day when I haven't got anything to do...

What to read next - My Sisters Keeper?

2009-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

...got a copy of My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult from my friend. Not usually my kind of read but I have heard some really good stuff about it despite the fact I usually steer clear of any book that has been made into a film. Here goes....

Pimp my house - update 5 July 09

2009-07-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

What can I say? 6 weeks in and the house is still like a building site. No water, electricity or gas and so much rubble and mess on our driveway that it is getting hard to see the (now damaged) front door. I know it is going to look great when it is finished but the whole thing is a bit depressing at the moment.

I purchased some rather lovely duck egg blue towels for my lovely and soon to be upstairs bathroom. It is still and empty shell at the moment but the plaster is coming next week (we have been waiting for him to get back from his cruise - what credit crunch??) and then the tiles can go on - hurrah! Progress will be made.... (many) more house flavoured updates to follow...

To piano or not to piano?

2009-07-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

As the house renovations are drawing to a close my mind has turned to what to do with the extra space we are left with. By creating a larger kitchen we are going to move our dining table into it leaving quite a bit gap in our living room. I want to create a cosy reading/knitting/chilling area but then I got the idea of having an upright piano in this space.

I can't play a piano or know anyone who does but I really, really want one - crazy huh? To add to my pain there is one for sale on eBay and is only a couple of miles away from us. I keep checking the bidding but no one seems to want it except me. Oh what shall I do??

50 books to go!

2009-07-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit slack on the 101 in 1001 list since I have been studying for my CIM exams (thankfully all exams are completed now and I am just waiting for the results at the end of August). I have tried to keep up with my reading during my studies and have managed about a book per month - largely due to my book group (who I think now have sadly disbanded due to lack of interest and new members) and also the monthly book from the BookitList blog.

I have now clocked up a healthy 14 books and just have 50 to go to reach my 101 target! Still tons I want to read and I keep buying more books from charity shops (they are sooo cheap, how can I resist?).

Also many thanks to the lovely people from the BookitList who have sent me The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (I was randomly selected for the June giveaway) which I have been wanting to read for ages.

Random act of kindness

2009-06-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

I had to share this with someone as I was so touched by it - it restores your faith in humanity when something like this happens! We were doing a 'big' shop in Morrison's last night when a love lady with two little children joined the queue behind us. She kept looking at us and then at a bunch of papers in her hand. I didn't really take any notice and just thought she was a big odd.

She then produced a £5 off voucher and said - 'Do you want this - I've got a few spare'. We thanked her a lot and then she disappeared to another checkout. I can't believe how incredibly happy this made me all evening!

Mrs M

The Apprentice: Nick Vs Margaret - The Final!

2009-06-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

We see precious little of the lovely two during the final two episodes so didn't think it would be fair to judge them. I am gutted, however, to hear that Margaret is leaving the show to pursue her PhD in ancient scrolls?! She will be a tough one to replace - how about Karen Brady? She is the queen of business but without Margaret's expressive eyebrows...

Anyway, down to business...

Episode 11 & 12
The trusty 2 are almost nowhere to be seem in the last 2 episodes (except for scoffing chocolates!). I don't feel I can pass judgement on this performance so the final winner is.....

Nick!

The Apprentice: Nick vs Margaret - episode 10

2009-06-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

I'm in the midst of my CIM exams this week and the laptop has been out of action so I'm a bit late on the Apprentice update! I didn't manage to hold out until Thursday night to find out who was fired (grrrr - Thank you very much Handbag.com - on their homepage!). I loved the shopping channel task last year and this years didn't disappoint! As much as I don't like Debra (I'll never forgive her for being rude to Nick!) she did do a cracking job of selling those ridiculous scarf-things!

Episode 10
Surallen didn't need his trusty aides this week as he watched it all for himself! However, for her appearance on 'Your Fired' the award goes to Margaret this week.
Winner - Margaret

Total: Nick 5: 4 Margaret

Can't wait for tonight - the interview episode is always great! Anyone remember the reverse pterodactyl??

Bank holiday bliss!

2009-05-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

What are Bank holidays for? Camping of course!

We stayed at a campsite in Derbyshire at the weekend with the most amazing pub on site. The meals we had were one of the best we had ever tasted. I had game pie and chips and MrM had beef and Stilton pie and chips. Well worth a visit for the food alone!

We also went for a looonnngggg walk around Lathkill Dale which had stunning views. There wasn't enough time to see everything so I hope to return again someday to do another walk here.

Mrs M
x

The Apprentice - normal service will resume shortly!

2009-05-27T01:53:00.001-07:00

Pesky football on the TV tonight so wont be able to get my usual Apprentice fix until Thursday evening at the earliest. Hmmmppphhh. That means I will have to avoid all radios, TVs and news websites for the foreseeable future.

The Apprentice: Nick vs Maragret - episode 9

2009-05-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we have been watching The Apprentice for almost two months now and thoughts are inevitably turning to the final in whatever shape that will take this time. Although I began to loathe Ben towards the end (and even regretted picking him for my fantasy Apprentice team at work) I didn't think he was the right one to go this week. Debra is so slippery she would give an eel a run for his money. The rocking horse was clearly her decision but she wouldn't take any blame. She has definitely go to be the next one to go...

Down to the serious stuff.

Episode 9
Winner - Nick
'Horlicks!'

Total: Nick 5: 3 Margaret

As for me, during my many years...

2009-05-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

...living abroad, I had been struck every time I had returned to London by how many of my childhood peers seemingly led such socially monochrome lives (segregated drinks with colleagues excluded), despite no Richard Curtis Notting Hill movie being complete without Hugh Grant having a gay, a black, a disabled and a working class friend.

Phew - I was tagged by the Book-It list to:

Grab the nearest book to you
Turn to page 56
Post the text of the 5th sentence as a post title and pass this meme on to who you like

This must be the longest sentence known to man! Feel free to play along with this meme if you are reading this post.

Mrs M
x

Pimp my house - day zero

2009-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Apprentice: Nick vs Margaret - episode 8

2009-05-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

The classic 'great idea but they didn't quite execute it' episode. The leaflet was hilarious - 'intentionally' left blank for advertising?!

Episode 8
Winner - Margaret
Her face was a picture when Kate and Yasmina asked the models to take their tops off!

Total: Nick 4: 3 Margaret

Too many plates spinning...

2009-05-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Exams first week in June. Builders start 18 May for 8 weeks.

Madness....

The Apprentice: Nick vs Margaret - episode 7

2009-05-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Wow - week 7 already! Doesn't time fly?? Once again the candidates seemed to completely miss the point of the task. They had pitches set up with some of the biggest retailers in the ares - candidates pick completely inappropriate products. Either it is very clever editing or they are just that stupid!

Episode 7
Winner - Nick
Nick in the boardroom to Philip - 'Do you remember Pants Man?' Surely the final nail in his coffin. Joke!

Total: Nick 4: 2 Margaret

Literary Meme

2009-05-03T12:17:00.001-07:00

I spotted this on my newest favourite blog The Book-It list. I think it is WAY too highbrow for my reading exploits but one day I want to say with confidence that I have a favourite poet! So here goes...

1. What author do you own the most books by?
The most prolific author on my book shelves is Daphne Du Maurier closely followed by Agatha Christie.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Erm, I only feel the need to own one copy of a book. Is that strange?

3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?

Nope - I'm not hung up on getting things grammatically perfect. Language is here to evolve I say! lol!

4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?

Ohh, good question! I'm quite partial to Lockhart from Harry Potter...

5. What book have you read the most times in your life?
As a rule I don't read books more than once - life is too short and there are so many great books out there to be read. As a child I read all of Roald Dahl books over and over again.

6. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Apart from anything by Roald Dahl, I loved The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse by Vivian French.

7. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?

Being a member of a book group makes this question simple! I am torn between Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella and Elleander Morning by Jerry Yulsman (definitely the most bizarre book I have ever read!)

8. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
The one I have just finished 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen. Again this is a book group book but sadly it was not my choice.

9. If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
The Shadow of the Wind - I loved that book!

10. Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for Literature?
I don't think I'm the right person to ask about that!

11. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
See question 9

12. What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
See question 9 also! Films are never as good as the book and as a rule I try to read the book BEFORE I see the film.

13. Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
None I remember

14. What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
Plenty but the Shopaholic series must be up there!

15. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Difficult because of it's sheer length not because it was difficult to understand - Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

16. What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
Richard the third - only because I did it for English Literature A-level

17. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
I have no preference at all.

18. Roth or Updike?
Ekk - no idea! Should I stop right here?

19. David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
As above!

20. Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Shakespeare - he is the only one I have read.

21. Austen or Eliot?
Austen - definitely. And is this the right place to say that I loved the TV programme Lost in Austen??

22. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
A large proportion of the classics. I am more embarrassed and have bigger gaps now I have completed this!

23. Is it better to read broadly—a few books from a country and time period—or deeply?
Definitely broadly - you might just discover something new.

24. What is your favorite novel?
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

25. Play?
Pass

26. Poem?

Pass again - I really need to broaden my horizons!

27. Essay?
?!

28. Short story?
Ahh, here is more comfortable territory. Daphne Du Maurier's short stories are cracking, especially The Birds volume (not at all like the film).

29. Work of nonfiction?
I really love reading gardening and eco books. My favourite recently is A life Stripped Bare by Leo Hickman.

30. Who is your favorite writer?
Daphne Du Maurier

31. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
Hmmmmm. I would dare say that anyone is overrated. If they have the guts to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) then they have done something amazing - who are we to comment?

32. What is your desert island book?
Definitely the Lord of the Rings books. My husband is obsessed with them and keeps nagging me to read them. To be honest I don't know when I would ever find the time or the inclination to start such a lengthy book other than if I was on a desert island.

The Apprentice: Nick Vs Maragret - episode 6

2009-05-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

This week saw the candidate valuing antiques - a disaster just waiting to happen! I would love to know if they are given the rules of the task to read. It occurred to me this week that if one of the teams didn't sell anything and just sat in the pub for the whole day then they would have ended up winning the task! What would Alan have said about that I wonder??

I think a new campaign needs to be started to get Debra out of the show. Did you see how she spoke to Nick?? Shocking - she has to go!

Episode 6
Winner - Margaret
For the Cassandra quote and also the 'never before has anyone done something so stupid for so long'

Total: Nick 3: 2 Margaret

The Apprentice: Nick Vs Margaret - episode 5

2009-04-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Great episode this week. Such a contrast between the two teams and the quality of their work. However, the clever editing kept us on the edge of our seats until the last minute! Noorul yet again escaped by the skin of his teeth - nice chap but surely he has got to go.

Episode 5
Winner - Nick
I can't remember the exact line Nick said but it was something along the line of 'they took an idea and murdered it'

We did get some very rare footage of Margaret smiling. Once I saw that I knew her team had won!

Total: Nick 3: 1 Margaret

The Apprentice: Nick vs Maragret - episode 4

2009-04-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Wow - I can't believe it is week 4 already! A highly cringeworthy episode this week just like we love from The Apprentice. Sadly for me one of my picks for my fantasy Apprentice team, Paula, was fired this week. I still believe it was the wrong decision from S'rallen but she had the moral victory in the end because she is a nice person!

Episode 4
Winner - Nick
The dynamic duo are coming into their own now. Nick has to win this week for the way he delivered the devastating news of the price of sandalwood 'I'll leave you to get on with it'. Class.

Total: Nick 2: 1 Margaret

Kirstie's homemade home

2009-04-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am officially in love with this programme. Despite the press slagging it off for being twee I loved every minute of it and cant wait to she the rest of the series. This has reignited my interest for interior design - as Kirstie says 'If you love it have it in your home'. My philosophy indeed. As much as I love Grand Designs and the like many of the interiors do end up looking open plan and essentially the same to me.

I'm just off to run up a quick cushion cover...

BBC Dig in campaign

2009-04-12T13:56:00.001-07:00

The lovely BBC are giving away free seeds as part of their new Dig in campaign. I've dabbled in growing my own veggies for a few years now and am following Gardeners' World avidly (well I have set it on 'series link' on my digibox). I love it when they feature veg growing especially the feature on allotments last series. I am loving the new Dig in campaign and will be planting my new seeds as soon as they arrive! Lets hope (if all goes well) that the builders are kind to my seedlings....

Send for your seeds now and join in!

A new bathroom - the saga begins

2009-04-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

First we were going to move our bathroom upstairs but a hefty quote (£5k!) and digging up a concrete floor downstairs made up rethink the whole situation.

The house came with planning permission which expires in 2010 so we have taken the plunge and have got 2 plumbers coming round to give us quote not only to move the bathroom but to build a second floor extension too! Ekkk - this could be expensive!

Watch this space for updates!

The Apprentice: Nick vs Margaret - episode 3

2009-04-09T03:17:00.000-07:00

DISAPPOINTING!! Where were they this week? I feel there was so little coverage of N&M this week it would be unfair of me to pick a winner this week.

Boo - I should start a campaign for more Nick and Marge!

The Apprentice: Nick vs. Margaret - episode 2

2009-04-05T00:57:00.000-07:00

We are still getting to know the candidates. Some of them have hardly had any airtime at all making it difficult to gauge at this point who the winners are likely to be. This made my choosing of my fantasy apprentice team at work even harder! (in the end I chose Kate, Philip, Ben and Paula - Paula was a last minute addition because I liked her hair).

Anyway onto the important stuff:

Episode 2
Winner - Nick
Again we saw very little of Nick and Marge. Nick just managed to edge it for me this week with his comment about the boys with spotty backs in togas and his winning performance on The Apprentice: You're Fired. Although Margaret had a very strong performance especially the shot with her head in her hands!

Total: Nick 1: 1 Margaret

The Apprentice: Nick Vs Margaret - episode 1

2009-04-01T02:02:00.000-07:00

You know spring is here when the Apprentice is on the TV. I have been eagerly awaiting the new series, not to see 14 new candidates make fools of themselves or to see Srallen's cutting comments but to see the real stars of the show...Nick and Margaret.

They come up with the best lines, they don't have to pretend to like the candidates and best of all they can play a blinder in the boardroom by revealing a shortcoming of one of the condemned candidates just at the right moment.

Let's make things more interesting I thought. Why not see each week which of Srallen's aides is the best (most amusing comment, facial expression etc) and then tot them up at the end of the series to see who the REAL winner of the Apprentice 2009 is....

Episode 1
Winner - Margaret
We saw very little of Nick and Marge this week but Margaret's 'Never before have so few cars been washed by so many' just edged it for me.
Total: Nick 0: 1 Margaret

Earth hour 2009

2009-03-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

We took part in the WWF's Earth hour on Saturday. It was a global campaign where everyone was invited to turn off their lights for one hour to signify the rising problem of climate change.

The picture is of our living room during the Earth hour - doesn't it look pretty?

It really made me stop and think about the energy we consume in our homes but did also think that it wasn't sustainable to have 5 candles burning all the time either.

We whiled away a very pleasant hour listening to our (wind up) radio! I can also cross another item off my 101 in 1001.

You can read more about Earth hour here.

Do you need planning permission to move your bathroom?

2009-03-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

We have decided to move our bathroom from downstairs in the extension to upstairs into the box room. We have already started stripping woodwork, wallpaper and generally turning the place upside down only to hear a rumour that we might need planning permission!

It had never crossed my mind to be honest. I quickly popped an email to the planning department and have an agony of a 10 day wait before they reply to me IN WRITING! How old fashioned??

UPDATE 29/03/09 - Still no word from the council but have asked around at work and apparently I just need the work signing off by the council once it has been completed. No excuses now!

Let down by Cath...

2009-03-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

I love Cath Kidston stuff sooo much. I read her catalogue over and over again. I even had 'to visit a Cath Kidston shop' as part of my 101 in 1001!

So imagine my delight when I had the opportunity to buy my (heavily pregnant) sister a nappy bag from Cath Kidston! She could share my love too and even pass it on to her unborn child.

The delight, alas, was short lived. Four failed payments (on their behalf, not mine!), three emails, two lost credit card details and I'm still not sure if the item has been dispatched. Whilst always polite I find the customer services somewhat inadequate. I wrote an email of complaint but stressed how much I loved the CK brand and was disappointed with the service.

Come on Cath, you can do better than this!

Mrs M
x

eco caravanning

2009-03-08T00:56:00.000-08:00

Just watched the latest episode of 'It's not easy being green' on iplayer. They had a feature on eco caravanning (Eco + caravans - two things close to my heart - although I don't have a caravan or have spent any time in one I just know it's my destiny - ok?!). The airstream is the daddy of all caravans - think big, American and shiny! I would assume it would be impossible to made this beast eco but I was wrong!

The programme showed the caravan with a wood burning stove and solar panels and all the recycled materials made the interior look pretty cool! Check it our here.

Oh how I want one! But surely with such luxury Lauren Laverne shouldn't need to wear her coat and gloves for the entire show? and what about the 4-wheel drive Jeep they needed just to pull the thing along?

Perhaps I should stick with my humble tent for now....

Mrs M
x

Charity shops are the best!

2009-03-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Just look at these cute little pillows I got from our local charity shop for £3. They don't appear to be washable so I'll have to keep little muddy cat paws away...

Mrs M
x

The great chicken debate

2009-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm consumed by all things chicken at the moment. I have wanted an eglu for ages but have been put off by the price and the fact that our garden is the size of a postage stamp. However, Mr M has treated himself to an xBox 360 (second hand of course) so the agreement is that I get something too (previously - new laptop = two cats).

I reaaallllllyyyy want some chickens but don't know if I can cope with the extra hassle at the moment. I'll keep doing the Internet research on them until I get bored (this has happened before) or I take the plunge. I wonder how long delivery would take.....?

Mrs M
x

Woo Hoo - I've passed!

2009-02-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hurrah - got home from work this evening to find a letter from CIM. I nervously opened it to find I had got a B in my Marketing Research module! Checking the CIM website all day did me absolutely no good at all!

Just another three to pass and I'm all done.

I'm off to have a celebratory cuppa...

Mrs M
x

Exam results - eeekk!

2009-02-26T00:46:00.000-08:00

The exam results for the CIM exam I took in December should be out tomorrow. But our lecturer said last night they could appear online anytime now. I wont be able to concentrate and will be check the website every five minutes. I feel sick!

Mrs M
x

Amazon - too much of a good thing?

2009-02-25T01:22:00.000-08:00

Now, don't get me wrong. I love Amazon. They have made the last two Christmases soooo simple and their Wish List is a genius idea!

So why do they think they need to email me EVERY DAY with special offers? At first I would open the email and have a quick look and perhaps even click on a couple of items to have a better look. Then I moved on to quickly scanning the email before deleting. Now I just delete them without even looking at the title of the email. And recently I have started to become angry when I open my email in the morning and low and behold every day there is a fresh, new email from them!

I work in marketing and understand the theory behind building customer relationships, getting current customers to buy is easier than recruiting new ones etc, etc. But I still think daily emailing is too much and I am sorry Amazon, I am going to have to unsubscribe.

Mrs M
x

2009 - Getting our finances in order

2009-01-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

After achieving the goal in 2008 (two months early!) to pay back my sister the £5k we owed her from a previous property, I feel it is time to set another goal or two to keep our eyes on the (financial) prize.

Goal one - £5k emergency fund
With the current economic climate I think it would be most prudent for us to have an emergency fund. This could only be touched if one of us lost our jobs or we had a major disaster e.g. needing a new roof . Although Mr M and I both have pretty stable public sector jobs I don't think we can be too careful and it would make me much more confident about the second financial goal.

Steps to achieving goal one:

Set up automatic monthly DD for £200 to ISA
Any underspend for the month e.g. mobile phone bill, council tax etc, send straight to ISA
Research new ISA for April for new allowance and move account over
If the £5k is achieved before December 2009 then begin saving to pay off car loan.

Goal two - reduce mortgage term to 15 years or shorter
We need to remortgage in February and it is an ideal time for us to assess how much we can actually afford to pay on our mortgage each month. Our circumstances have changed quite a lot since the original mortgage so we should be able to comfortably afford to pay more than we currently do. Reducing our current mortgage to 15 years should see an increased monthly payment which we can afford but taking 8 years off our term. My long term aim is to pay the mortgage off before I am 40. 11 Years to go!

Steps to achieving goal two:

Look in depth at current monthly outgoings and work out the maximum we can afford each month. (This amount should stretch us a little but still allow for a few luxuries/emergencies)
Book appointment with financial advisor to look at remortgage options.
Look at mortgage calculators online to get an idea of monthly payments and terms.

Both goals take us closer to financial freedom and seem quite achievable. I'll be reassessing every couple of months to make sure we are on track.

Mrs M
x

So many books, so little time

2009-01-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

Reading is one of my big passions and I have amassed a large number over the years. I am a member of a book group which meets once a month. While I really enjoy reading new authors and things I would have never picked for myself, I do feel it hinders me ploughing through my own stash. This is especially true since I have been studying for my CIM exams.

As a lover of lists I thought I would record all my unread books on here - perhaps it will motivate me to read them all!

Adrian Mole - Weapons of Mass Destruction - Sue Townsend
The Subtle Knife - Philip Pullman
Talk to the Hand - Lynne Truss
Eats shoots and leaves - Lynn Truss
The Man in the Iron mask - Dumas
Animal Instincts - Alan Titchmarsh
A Briefer History of Time - Stephen Hawking
Bigger then Hitler, Better then Christ - Rik Mayall
Facing the Music - Mary Sheepshanks
Perfume from Provence - Lady Fortescue
Shuttlecock - Graham Swift

The Debt to Pleasure - John Lanchester

The Dead School - Patrick McCabe

Unreliable Memoirs - Clive James

Enigma - Robert Harris

A Perfect Arrangement - Suzanne Bene

Mostly Harmless - Douglas Adams

Life, The Universe and Everything - Douglas Adams

The Restaurant at the end of the Universe - Douglas Adams

Company of Liars - Karen Maitland

Fatherland - Robert Harris

Treasure Island - R L Stevenson

Children of Chance - Elisabeth Revsey

Coming through Slaughter - Michael Ondatje

Elegance - Kathleen Tessaro

The Scapegoat - Daphne Du Maurier

How to be good - Nick Hornby

Pompeii - Robert Harris

Blackeyes - Dennis Potter

Finelines - Simon Beckett

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - RL Stevenson

Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

The Time Machine - HG Wells

Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

Cat among the pigeons - Agatha Christie

The Secret Adversary - Agatha Christie

Around the World in 80 days - Jules Verne

Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie

5 Children and it - E NEsbitt

Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

The Bird Artist - Howard Norman

The Stars' Tennis Balls - Stephen Fry

C'est la foile - Michael Wright

French Revolution - Tim Moore

Made in America - Bill Bryson

Tales of Narnia - CS Lewis

Alice's adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carol

Through the looking glass - Lewis Carol

Neither here nor there - Bill Bryson

The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson

Consequences of marriage - Isla Dewar

Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith

The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillen

Dracula - Bram Stoker

To the Lighthouse - Virginia Woolfe

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin

A Thousand Splendid suns - Khaled Hosseini

Saturday night, Sunday Morning - Alan Sillitoe

Narrow Marsh - AR Dance

The Truth about Lorrin Jones - Alison Lorie

Finbar's Hotel - Dermot Bolger

Blackberry Wine - Joanne Harris

Are you Dave Gorman? - Dave Gorman

Emma - Jane Austin

The Last Empress - Anchee Min

Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

Divas don't knit - Gill McNeil

Ghost - Robert Harris

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

Imperium - Robert Harris

The Complete Father Brown stories - GK Chesterton

A Place in my Country - Ian Walthew

Tales of the Beadle the Bard - JK Rowling

The house on the strand - Daphne Du Maurier

Don't look now - Daphne du Maurier

The Frenchman's Creek - Daphne Du Maurier

The Interpretation of Murder - Jed Rubenfeld

Marley and Me - John Grogan

Down under - Bill Bryson

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt kid - Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

Remember me? - Sophie Kinsella

Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes

Phew!

Red = in progress

Blue = read!

Brighton - London by the sea?

2009-01-04T05:22:00.000-08:00

As a little New Year treat we have just come back from a couple of days in Brighton. On paper Brighton had everything I love - a beach, arcades, quirky, independent shops and most importantly, a Cath Kidston. In reality, it was a bit tatty and full of high street shops.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the mini break. We had lots of delicious food and went to see the Wizard of Oz at the theatre but it somehow lack the sparkle I thought Brighton would have. I am glad to be back home in the peace and quiet but glad I have my purchases from the Cath Kidson shop (and another item ticked off my 101 list!).

Mrs M
x

2009 101 in 1001 list

2008-12-31T03:13:00.000-08:00

Here is my updated list for the 101 in 1001 challenge due to end on the 31 May 2011:

In progress
Read 64 books (15/64) - two per month
Watch 32 films (14/32) - one per month
Go to the cinema 15 times (1/15) - once every two months
Go for a meal one a month (5/32)
Go to Am Dram twice a year (0/5)
Pass CIM Professional Diploma (1/4)
Get an allotment - number 11 on allotment list June 2009
Make a cake every month (6/32)
Get a new and more Eco friendly central heating system
Change all light bulbs in the house to energy saving ones
Stop using chemicals for cleaning
Knit a patchwork blanket for sofa (6/100 squares knitted)
Make £300 from mystery shopping, surveys, quidoco etc (46.09/300)
Learn the location, capital cities and flags of every country in Europe

Still to start
Play more scrabble - aim for once a month (0/32)
Have a picnic (2/5)
Go to one football match per season (1/3) - Hollyoaks V.s AC Broxtowe
Brew own beer
Make homemade wine
Try scallops
Put up lined curtains at front and back door
Decorate living room - done April 09
Decorate hall
Replace fence in back garden with a hedge
Chop down tree in front garden
Change house energy rating from D to B
Get a water meter fitted
Get bus to work once a week for a month (0/4)
Get a shower timer (and use it!)
Don't use a supermarket for a month
Drink no alcohol for one month
Be vegetarian for one month
Fill ISA for 2009 and 2010 (0/2)
Pay off student loan
Climb Ben Nevis
Climb Scarfell Pike
Visit Holy Island
See the Northern Lights
Go boating on Highfields lake
Build a sandcastle
Use watercolours to paint a picture for house
Go camping twice a year (1/6) - 25/05/09 Sparklow, Derbyshire
Make and wear one item of clothing (0/1)
Knit one item of clothing (0/1) - not a scarf!
Sell one Christmas pudding tea cosy (0/1)
Lose half a stone a keep it off for 6 months (0/6)
Run 5k
Drink 8 pints of water a day for one week (0/7) - see if it has a positive effect
Have a 30th birthday party
Give blood 7 times (2/7)
Do a detox
Do not use nail varnish (look for alternatives to make my nails look beautiful!)
Try skiing or snowboarding
Go horse riding
Replace cleanser and moisturiser with natural alternatives
Paint decking
Learn to juggle
Start my family tree
Learn to use chopsticks
Use the farm shop
Go to an art gallery

Completed
Go to a Christmas carol concert
Get a local dentist
Get a set of thermal underwear
Start a donation to a charity
Pay sister back the money we owe her
Start using washable make up pads - stop using cotton wool which can't be recycled!
Insulate loft
Start veg box again
Go to a classical concert (1/1)
Make jam
Swap one car for a more Eco model
Go to Brighton - 2/1/09
Go to a Cath Kidston Shop - 3/1/09
Go ice skating - 8/1/09
Take part in Earth Hour 2009 - 28/3/09
Find and use a local butcher - found a butcher a few miles away. He even does a collection service from a farm in the next village.

No longer on the list!
Buy and read Sunday paper once a month (2/32)
Be self sufficient for salad items for July, August and September 09 & 10 (0/6)
Throw a party using only homegrown produce
Review progress and blog once a week (4/142)
Take a photo of each challenge (0/101)
Learn to crochet
Make homemade ice cream
Send a postcard to myself from every new place I visit
Be in the audience for a TV or radio show
Volunteer
Only send handmade cards for Christmas 2008
No flying
Run 10k
Run half marathon
Have one TV free evening per fortnight (3/71)
Eat one meal a week at the dining table (3/142)
Do yoga once a week (1/142)
Go swimming once a month (7/32)
Go to a spinning class (0/1)
Do jigsaws and take to charity shop (0/8)
Only eat free range chicken
Overpay mortgage by £4800 (0/4800) - £150 per month
Handwash car once every two months (1/16)
Go for a walk once a week (10/142)

Review of 2008

2008-12-31T03:04:00.000-08:00

In terms of my 101 in 1001 list things have been going ok-ish but I did under estimate how much time and energy studying for my CIM qualification would take. I have lost valuable time to spend on reading (which I am really missing) but am enjoying learning new things.

I have also reevaluated the list. There are entries on there which I simply wont do but are on there to make up the numbers. I feel like a bit of a failure when I look at the list when I am not achieving most of the items. Therefore I am going to edit the list to make it a bit more manageable (but still challenging). On a similar note I have decided to cancel my gym membership. Not enough time to go often enough - feeling guilty for not going - not wanting to go because I feel guilty and so on...

Going to go away now and edit my list and also set myself some goals for 2009.

Happy new year!

Mrs M
x

# 94 - Learn the location, capital cities and flags of every country in Europe

2008-11-13T05:38:00.000-08:00

Useful in quizzes and good for a bit of kudos with your mates - the location of the countries in Europe is sadly lacking in my knowledge.

To put this right I have a quest to learn all the countries, capital cities and flags of all the countries in Europe. I have found this snazzy little website that should help. I will track my progress here:

13 November - 50% - pathetic!
21 November - 53%

#82 - Make £300

2008-11-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

8 November 2008 - £16.09 (£16.09/£300)
Easy money from Quidco, mainly due to a free DVD rental from LoveFilm. Promptly transferred this money into the ISA to help with #43. Don't have enough time for mystery shopping at the moment as I am studying for my CIM exams (1st Exam on the 1 December - eek!).

Have just started using a cashback credit card for everything we buy to help with this challenge. At just 1% of purchase price this will never make me rich but nice be a nice small earner when we have finished with Christmas. Can't take the cashback out until Jan/Feb 2010 so should have at least £100 by then!

Progress - week seven and eight

2008-10-27T03:39:00.000-07:00

In progress

#20 - Make a cake every month
This week I made a very seasonal pumpkin pie for our Halloween party - yum!
#25 - Insulate loft
Have made an appointment for Scottish Power to give us a quote tomorrow. Will see how that goes but B&Q have some very good deal on at the moment so it might be cheaper to do it ourselves!
#50 - Go to Brighton
Tickets are booked for January. Good old Travelodge - £19 per night!
#96 - Learn to use chopsticks
Chopsticks are listed on by Christmas list - just need someone very kind to buy them for me...
#93 - Learn to juggle
See #96

Current progress
In progress - 20.8%
Completed - 6.9%

#16 - Start veg box

2008-10-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

This week saw us restart our veg box from a local farm. I am very impressed with the quality of the contents but not too sure how we are going to eat it all before the next delivery on Friday. I have been frantically scanning the vegbox recipes site for inspiration (although I am a little disappointed to see that some of the content is now for members only - I found the beauty of this site was that it was building a community of people interested in trying our new recipes with their weird and wonderful veg. Now all the popular recipes need a subscription to be viewed. I understand why this is being done but it is a shame as the site was such a wonderful free resource.)

In the box this week:

Celeriac
Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Cauliflower
Kale
Lettuce
Pears
Apples
Grapefruit
Oranges

Progress - Week five and six

2008-10-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

#44 - Pay sister back the money we owe her

We finally paid my sister the £5000 we owed her for the previous house we owned. It has taken us over 4 years to do it and the feeling of finally doing it is great! The money we were paying her with is now going towards the new car (payments start next month - eek!) and into my ISA (see #43).

# 54 - Start a donation to a charity

I started not one but two donations to charity this week. I couldn't decide between the Cats Protection League (Where cat #1 comes from) or Friends of the Earth. I considered the merits of each long and hard then decided to donate the minimum amount to BOTH - hey it is charity after all. Mr M donates to Cancer Research already so I feel between us we have the important bases covered. I can't wait to receive my Cats Protection League car sticker - I shall wear it with pride!

#58 - Get a set of thermal underwear

Purchased a thermal vest today from the lovely people at M&S. Not tried it out yet but to the uninitiated it just looks like a vest... we shall see...

Current progress
In progress - 14.85%
Completed - 6%

#4 - Go to the cinema 15 times

2008-09-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

#1 - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
A harrowing tale of an unlikely friendship during the Holocaust. I have also read the book of this film and thoroughly enjoyed them both. This is the only film I have seen where when the credits appear at the end nobody moves to leave the theatre - it was strangely poignant.
#2 - Harry Potter and the Half blood prince
#3 - The Time travel(l)ers Wife

Progress week three and four

2008-09-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Had a week off work last week so here is the update for the last 2 weeks.

In progress:
#11 - Pass CIM Professional Diploma
Started the CIM Professional Diploma last week. Looks like it will be a year of hard work and will probably be the most challenging part of the 101 in 1001 as it will impact on the time I will be able to spend on the other parts of the challenge.

#17 - Get an allotment
Forgot to list this one as 'in progress'. I have put my name down for an allotment in the village but to my dismay I am number 22 on the list. Perhaps this is a good thing, especially with #11 underway! By my calculations it should be about 18 months to one year before I can actually get my hands on one and the nice lady at the Parish Council said I could call her from time to time to check on the progress of my application!

#67 - Go swimming once a month (2/32)
This is probably going to be quite easy now. I have joined the local gym which has a great pool (and jacuzzi and steam room!) and and planning to go a couple of times a week. Both for some exercise and so I can use the gym showers and save some water and energy at home!

Completed!
#85 - Get a local dentist
Managed to find a 'local' dentist- still about 10 miles away but more local than an hours drive away like our current dentist! First check up in November.

Current progress
In progress - 14.85%
Completed - 2.97%

Progress - Week two

2008-09-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

In progress
#23 - Swap one car for a more Eco model
Placed an order for a brande new Grande Punto yesterday. Not as Eco as I would have liked (Toyota Prius was WAY out of our price range) but defo more eco friendly than our old Corsa. I'll consider this one completed once we get the car and see how efficient it is.

#2 - Watch 32 films

2008-09-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

#1 - Signs
#2 - Captain Corelli's Mandolin
#3 - The Red Shoes
#4 - Tea with Mussolini
#5 - The Brothers Grimm
#6 - Napoleon Dynamite
#7 - Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
#8 - Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights
#9 - The Weatherman
#10 - Starter for 10
#11 - The Football Factory
#12 - The Bourne Identity
#13 - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
#14 - The Bourne Supremacy
#15 - The Bourne Ultimatum
#16 - Picture Perfect
#17 - Jane Eyre
#18 - Babel
#19 - The Eagle has landed
#20 - Gran Tourino
#21 - Mama Mia!

#1 - Read 64 Books

2008-09-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

#1 - The Outcast by Sadie Jones.
The book was brilliant, if not a little sinister. Our book group book for September and I'm hoping the other members of the group liked it as much as I did!
#2 - 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A charming real life story of an American writer who strikes up a long lasting friendship with the members of an English bookshop.
#3 - The Island by Victoria Hislop
This was the Book Group book for October. I have finished this one by the skin of my teeth for the meeting this week. It was very readable but not something I would have chosen to read myself. It is the story of the island of Spinalonga in Crete where a Lepers were sent and the relationship of the inhabitants with the mainland.
#4 - Elleander Morning by Jerry Yulsman
November book for the book group. This book is out of print so some of the group struggled to get copies that weren't too pricey. The concept of the book is that the Second World War didn't happen. It was an interesting concept but I don't think the author went far enough with it.
#5 - Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell
The book group takes a break in December so I decided to use this spare time to tackle the longest unread book on my book shelves. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it a cross between Harry Potter and a Jane Austin novel. A little slow to get going but once you are familiar with the characters (and reading the numerous footnotes) then it is a cracking read!
#6 - Tales of Beedle the Bard
A little book in the style of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Thoroughly enjoyable and I found the commentary by Dumbledore my favourite bit of the book. JK Rowling couldn't resist a few HP references!
#7 - The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
Book group book for January and picked primarily because it was short so we could get back into the swing of things after the Christmas break. An interesting and alternative look at the Holocaust. I want to see the film now but will it be the usual story that the film is never as good as the book?
#8 -The house on the strand - Daphne Du Maurier
Book group book for February chosen by me! Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favourite authors and she did not disappoint with this book. My only criticism is the number of characters introduced in the time travel section of the book. I spent more time referring to the family tree at the beginning of the book trying to figure out who everyone was than reading the book!
#9 - Remember me? - Sophie Kinsella
Book group book for March and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to it one bit, chick lit is not really my thing. It only took me a couple of days to read and I found it was a nice change to read something quick and not particularly taxing on the brain. I enjoyed it a bit more than I thought I would (and probably more than I would want to admit to other people!)
#10 - Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
I found this book incredibly hard to read at first and thought I would struggle to finish it. However, when Charlie's IQ begins to increase the story starts getting good. I would have been put off this book by its science fiction classification had it not been a book group choice and once again I am glad I tried it!
#11 - Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
This is a beautifully written book about a circus during prohibition. The underlying theme of the book is a love story but there are lots of historical references and subplots to keep everyone interested.
#12 - A Place in my Country - Ian Walthew
I thought this book would be much more twee than it was. I was expecting the usual tale about a couple moving from the big city to the countryside and the 'hilarious' stories that evolve as they get used to rural life. This was quite the opposite and the couple fit in to the community almost straight away but their finances and lack of jobs in the area mean that they have to make a heartbreaking decision.
#13 - Behind the Scenes at the museum - Kate Atkinson
I was vaguely aware of this book but had never got round to reading it. Prompted by the book of the month on the Book It List I got myself a copy and lapped it up! I enjoyed this book immensely and think it might be my favorite book of the year (although it is hotly contested with Water for Elephants).
#14 - Pompeii - Robert Harris
After honeymooning in Italy last year and visiting Pompeii we were recommended this book by virtually everyone who went on the trip. I thought the book would bring to life the everyday life in Pompeii but it was little more than a glorified love story. I didn't connect with the main character and didn't care if he lived or died during the eruption. I know lots of people love Robert Harris but I'm afraid for me he is just another Dan Brown (I can hear the tuts from here!!). I have a couple of his other books but I wont be rushing to read them after this disappointment.
#15 - My Sisters Keeper - Jodi Picoult
After posting a few days ago about starting this book I got some very positive responses from other people about it. I decided to go for it and ended up ploughing through it in 4 days - pretty quick for me! This book wasn't as twee and soppy as I thought it would be (I didn't cry once!) and on the whole the story was good. I really liked the way the each chapter was written from a different characters point of view. I'm not sure I will be watching the film but I enjoyed the book for what it was.
#16 - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby
After winning this book on the BookIt list blog I put aside The Ressurectionist that I had been struggling with for a couple of weeks and got stuck into this. It only took a couple of evenings to read and it was very thought provoking. Bauby talks of his loneliness in the hospital but it is far from being a sad story. It was much more uplifting than I could ever imagine...
#17 - Elegance - Kathleen Tessaro
I picked this book up from our accommodation when we were in Italy last year (don't worry, I replaced it with one of my own!). This book was just what I needed - a quick bit of chick lit to get me back into the swing of reading again. I read it in less than a week and the story was enjoyable if not a little predictable at times.
#18 - Saturday Night Sunday Morning - Alan Sillitoe
Have wanted to read this for ages as it is set in Nottingham where I live. The book is about working all week and blowing all your money in the pub at the weekend...very little has changed there then...
#20 - Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
To put it bluntly, this book was hard work. In places it was brilliant but unfortunately in others it was slow going and a bit difficult. I really wanted to enjoy this as it won the Booker of Booker prizes.
#21 - The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - Kate Summerscale
I really enjoyed the first part of this book about the murder and the detective elements of the novel. However, I lost interest a little bit when the book started going into great detail about other crime novels - I thought it ruined the flow of the novel. Overall, I did enjoy this book.
#21 - The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
Enjoyable mystery with a twist at the end. Reminded me a bit of Romeo and Juliet?

Progress - week one

2008-09-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Week one on the 101 in 1001 challenge and things are progressing well.

# 36 - Start using washable make up pads - stop using cotton wool which can't be recycled!
I purchased some organic cotton squares and have started using them and have dumped the cotton wool. I am VERY impressed, I didn't think they would remove make up as well as traditional cotton wool but have been pleasantly surprised with the results. Best of all once all 10 pads are dirty you can pop them in the washing machine and you can use them over again!

# 14 - Make jam
I made jam at the weekend using the blackberries picked from near our house and some bramley apple (not grown by me but purchased from the co-op!). The whole process what really easy, just heat the blackberries and apples and then pour in the jam sugar. Sterilising the jam jars was a scary experience - putting them in the oven at 130 degrees, I was convinced they were going to explode! Had it on toast for my breakfast this morning and I can say that it is yummy!

In progress
Lots of the other items on the list are in progress e.g. buying Sunday newspapers and knitting the blanket but these are long term projects so I need to stick with them.

101 in 1001 - the list! (In progress)

2008-08-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Here is my list for the 101 in 1001 challenge due to end on the 31 May 2011:

Read 64 books (4/64) - two per month
Watch 32 films (5/32) - one per month
Buy and read Sunday paper once a month (2/32)
Go to the cinema 15 times (1/15) - once every two months
Go for a meal one a month (3/32)
Go to Am Dram twice a year (0/5)
Go to a classical concert (1/1)
Play more scrabble - aim for once a month (0/32)
Have a picnic (0/5)
Go to one football match per season (0/3)
Pass CIM Professional Diploma (0/4)
Brew own beer
Make homemade wine
Make jam
Make homemade ice cream
Start veg box again
Get an allotment
Be self sufficient for salad items for July, August and September 09 & 10 (0/6)
Throw a party using only homegrown produce
Make a cake every month (3/32)
Only eat free range chicken
Try scallops
Swap one car for a more Eco model
Handwash car once every two months (1/16)
Insulate loft
Put up lined curtains at front and back door
Decorate living room
Decorate hall
Replace fence in back garden with a hedge
Chop down tree in front garden
Get a new and more Eco friendly central heating system
Change house energy rating from D to B
Get a water meter fitted
Take part in Earth Hour 2009
Change all light bulbs in the house to energy saving ones
Start using washable make up pads - stop using cotton wool which can't be recycled!
Get bus to work once a week for a month (0/4)
Stop using chemicals for cleaning
Get a shower timer (and use it!)
Don't use a supermarket for a month
Drink no alcohol for one month
Be vegetarian for one month
Fill ISA for 2009 and 2010 (0/2)
Pay sister back the money we owe her
Pay off student loan
Overpay mortgage by £4800 (0/4800) - £150 per month
Climb Ben Nevis
Climb Scarfell Pike
Visit Holy Island
Go to Brighton
See the Northern Lights
Go boating on Highfields lake
Build a sandcastle
Start a donation to a charity
Use watercolours to paint a picture for house
Do jigsaws and take to charity shop (0/8)
Go to a Cath Kidston Shop
Get a set of thermal underwear
Go camping twice a year (0/6)
Knit a patchwork blanket for sofa (6/100 squares knitted)
Make and wear one item of clothing (0/1)
Knit one item of clothing (0/1) - not a scarf!
Sell one Christmas pudding tea cosy (0/1)
Have one TV free evening per fortnight (3/71)
Eat one meal a week at the dining table (3/142)
Do yoga once a week (1/142)
Go swimming once a month (7/32)
Go to a spinning class (0/1)
Go for a walk once a week (10/142)
Lose half a stone a keep it off for 6 months (0/6)
Run 5k
Run 10k
Run half marathon
Drink 8 pints of water a day for one week (0/7) - see if it has a positive effect
Have a 30th birthday party
Give blood 7 times (1/7)
Be in the audience for a TV or radio show
Volunteer
Only send handmade cards for Christmas 2008
No flying
Send a postcard to myself from every new place I visit
Make £300 from mystery shopping, surveys, quidoco etc (31.09/300)
Do a detox
Do not use nail varnish (look for alternatives to make my nails look beautiful!)
Get a local dentist
Try skiing or snowboarding
Go ice skating
Go horse riding
Learn to crochet
Replace cleanser and moisturiser with natural alternatives
Go to a Christmas carol concert
Paint decking
Learn to juggle
Learn the location, capital cities and flags of every country in Europe
Start my family tree
Learn to use chopsticks
Use the farm shop
Find and use a local butcher
Go to an art gallery
Take a photo of each challenge (0/101)
Review progress and blog once a week (4/142)

Achievements - July 08

2008-07-27T03:16:00.000-07:00

Just reviewing my first post has inspired me that I have actually done quite a few things in order to be debt and mortgage free and have a altogether simpler life. So far this month I have:

Got cheaper deals on my and OH car insurance. Saving about £150 per year
Fixed our gas and electricity prices with Scottish Power. Savings unknown - we are at the mercy of energy companies!
Joined the local Eco team in our village to find out more about greener options
Done some research into bus vs car to work (but not actually gone the whole hog and tried it out yet!)
Joined Quidco and have payments pending from my car insurance, DVD rental trial and hotel booking
Put my name down with the Parish Council for an allotment. Very excited at the prospect of having an allotment as our back garden is v small but going to have to be patient as I am currently number 22 on the list!

Confessions for the month

Booked a 2 night stay in Oxford for OH birthday in September. Did use Quidco and got a bargain deal of £29 per night
Perhaps the biggest blip for the month is ...ermm... buying a Nintendo Wii. But I do love it a lot and I would like a Wii fit for Christmas now I have cancelled my gym membership, so potentially saving us money?

July has been a good month, lets hope the motivation stays high for August!

A nice cuppa tea and a sit down

2008-06-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my shiny new blog!

In the coming weeks (hopefully soon) I will be blogging about the important things in life:

Books - including reviews from my book group
Gardening - hoping to get an allotment soon
Going green - always looking for new green ideas
Cooking - yum yum!
Saving cash - my cash to be debt and mortgage free to spend more time on the above
Anything else which takes my fancy!

Mrs M
x