Spuds, straight from the garden!
Here they are! The first ‘crop’ of potatoes from my garden! Very exciting!
Although I don’t have very green fingers, I love the outdoors and if nothing else – have plenty of motivation for growing my own. Lettuce and rocket are the main growers in the mini greenhouse and I’ve got 4 tomatoe plants on the go (no actual tomatoes yet.) Apart from Lettuce my main success so far has been 5 weenie, but extremely tasty strawberries.
I don’t have a big garden and it’s all patio so everything is dotted around in pots and tubs. Many months ago some potatoes we had got left over and started to sprout, so I stuck them in the bottom of a big tub and as the leaves grew up, I kept adding soil to grow the plant right up to the top. After months of foliage a couple of flowers appeared and then dropped off so I thought it must be time to take a look. And here are the results! Enough for me and H2B for dinner and lots left for lunch as well! result!
After a quick wash – they came out of the soil practically clean – I boiled them and served just with some butter melted in and a few spring onions sliced on top. Absolutely declicious!
I’ll definitely be bunging a few more left over spuds in pots next year!
Bake-o-rama!
This Saturday sees the return of a fantastic annual event – ‘Olney 7s’ – at our beloved Olney RFC. With loads of teams entered and a big turnout expected (especially if the weather stays this good) the Ladies team are planning to quench thirsts, fill appetites and send the crowd wild with our ‘Tea Room’ style baked goods. Just in case the weather turns nasty we’ll be running round under umbrellas with flasks of hot tea and coffee!
My contribution is going to be two treats which I baked and took into work a few weeks ago for my birthday. First up in the oven will be ‘Carrott Cake’ (a la Delia Smith) which initially looked a disaster (left out Bicarbonate of soda – oops!) but eventually after a bit longer cooking it did rise up and tasted fantastic.
And followed by Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies which are a little bit of chocolate heaven, rich, dense and all gooey!
As well as all the tasty cakes and treats on offer we’re also going to be selling strawberries and cream to compliment our ‘Team Room’ style stall, fingers crossed that the weather holds out and we have a great sunny day!
I’ll remember to post up pictures of my tasty delights!
Venue Shopping
Over the last few weeks I’ve finally been getting round to a bit of wedding planning. With a rough idea of the date as May/June 2011 there’s plenty of time and neither H2B or I have been that fussed about serious wedding plans. (Plus my sisters wedding is just 4 weeks away now so we’re all focusing on that for now) But, at said sisters dress fitting a few weeks ago I quickly had a go trying on a couple of dresses – as we were there, it’s got to be done! And that really started the wedding ideas off!
So then last weekend me and H2B sorted out a joint account (serious enough) and then went off to Bletchley Park to meet the Event Co-ordinator for Zest (the contractors) and have a look around the mansion house as a potential wedding venue.
With a lot of tour groups milling around I intially thought that this isn’t the best ‘intimate’ wedding venue, but, and it’s a fairly big but – we were totally taken with the Library room where you can have a ceremony. Its so full of character and has that age old charm that most modern civil ceremony venues seriously lack (not that we’ve seen loads though) It’s quirky and a bit of a marmite decor, but it’s just the sort of unique and atmostpheric place we felt comfortable to get married in – yipes!
Then onto the Ballroom suite and billard room – there was a wedding that afternoon so it was all set up which was fantastic as sometimes it’s really hard to image what these places will be like. High celings, panelled walls and wooden floors – the rooms are fabulous, grand and elegant. So I said to myself – don’t get over excited all this grandure = massively over budget. Yet with a bit of haggling me and H2B agreeded it’s totally do-able AND within our budget – crikey!
As H2B hasn’t been overly enthusiastic until now with regards to wedding stuff, so I was doubly surprised (and mega excited) when he was really interested in the place! Blimey!
The old saying is true…
time does absolutely fly by!
I can’t belive it’s been almost 3 months since my last post (sorry if there are any avid readers out there, probably not!) I’m now totally stuck in my new job as Production Manager at The Creation Agency, the people I work with are ace and there are a few massive projects on the go – one going live tomorrow – eepps!
Amongst other things over this barren blog period I have:
- been to 2 great weddings and got some fab ideas for mine
- had a birthday – which I conveniently managed to spread out for a whole week and eat a lot of cake
- bought a bike and now cycle to work most days (minimum of 3 times a week – extra money saved from not buying petrol going straight into the wedding fund) The first few times it took about 30 mins but I’ve now found a few short cuts and must be getting better as it’s nearer 20 mins now. (Don’t worry I take a safe route to avoid the Redway attacker in MK – no scaremongering please)
- had a fantastic weekend in Skegness on my sisters hen do – highlights include the comedy of ‘Graham Gold’ providing entertainment for 2 coach loads of grannies . Grab a Granny dancing follwed and included one 82 year old who said it was the first time she’d been on a hen doo! bless! The weather was also very kind to us for a morning at the beach – including a swim in the sea!
It’s all action and adventure!
My life has been very full the past week, make that two weeks, with lots of activities, action and adventures, here’s a brief low down and the highlights of a very fun and packed few days:
- It was my last few days at Melon, and we had a little mini celebration/leaving thing at GBK in the Hub in Milton Keynes, very yummy burgers!
- I then went off to the back of beyond in Wales for a mates Hen doo. Comedy hotel (our bunk beds were in what appeared to be the annex/conservatory of the bar) and we did loads of crazy activities - first up was Coasteering (clamber along the cliff then fling yourself of and into the sea – 2 hours of freezing water and brain freeze was well worth it!) followed by a high ropes course and then a mud assault course – all ace fun, I still have the bruises to prove it!
- Me and the H2B went off down to the new forest and stayed in a lovely b&b in Lyndhurst. He wanted to go to Beaulieu motor museum, I wanted to see the ponies!
- We then had a day in Bath at the Therma spa. The roof top terrace pool was very lovely and warm despite the overcast weather but the steam rooms were particularly nice – especially the lemon-grass flavoured one!
- Then back home and I went for a Body Polish Treatment - full exfoliation and then a delicious mosituriser – my skin has never been so smooth!
- Boy then decided that as we had time off that we should do the high ropes Aerial extreme course in MK – it was windy and a bit damp but surprisingly scary and good fun all at the same time!
- Followed by dinner at The Inn at Woburn for a friends b’day – very yummy sea bass and the best goo-ie chocolate brownie pudding ever! Highly recommend this place, it feels really posh but the prices are surprisingly reasonable.
- Sunday played rugby – a league game against Stoneygate, the ground was solid we all got our knees and elbows shreaded but won 10-0 fab game!
Now I’m in my new job at the Creation Agency and trying to learn the ropes and remember peoples names! Just finished baking a lemon curd layer sponge cake, which unfortunately is a bit flat, but, never-the-less I think it’s going to be yummy!
What to do in my last working week?
Not my last working week forever but my last at my current job. Then I’ll be enjoying a nice mini-break in the New Forest and Bath for a couple of days before preparing for the start of the new job.
So what to do? They’ve not got a replacement for me yet so I’m writing detailed handover notes of basically everything and anything I do currently, which surprisingly is quite a lot when you have to list it all down! So, from my point of view it’s all there for who ever needs or wants to know.
But then what? I’ll probably have the last 2 or 3 days faffing and tidying maybe… any suggestions? I do need to finish planning CK’s hen doo…
I’m both anxious and excited and sad all at the same time to be leaving my current work. I’ve been here just under two years and have learnt an awful lot – this place has actually helped me to focus on a career path which I enjoy and really get me going on it. Of course I’ll miss the crazy, slightly strange people here (you’ve got to be a bit odd to work in the creative industry, I know I am!) especially as we’re just a small unit (small business with only 8 employees) so when people leave, I know from experience that it makes a big difference.
However, I’m keeping focused on my new role which is at a bigger agency with a lot more responsibility. I thank fate for finding this job for me. The short story is – I almost got made redundant/asked to go part time, so I updated my CV and started writing to companies I liked the look of, these guys replied and asked me to come in for a chat. No job was advertised but they thought I’d fit in well and I was the ’sort of person’ they like at their agency, so it’s a new role that I can totally make my own. A daunting but incredibly exciting prospect!
So, any tips on how to prepare for starting a new job? I’ve only thought of two – updating my wardrobe and spending a few hours in Paperchase deciding on which new notepad will most suit my new job.
A secret, stu-pendous surprise!
And so, here is the story of one of the very happiest of days. I must warn you, my hubby-to-be has brought tears to the eyes of grown women re-telling our story.
For me, it was a regular Friday at work, busy finishing things for the week and looking forward to dinner out in celebration of 10 years together with my boyfriend. I’d always thought we’d get married at some point, but just not really actually thought it would ever happen. Little did I know of the events that would soon unfold….
A car arrives at work to collect someone. My boss says, pack up your things Mary, that car is for you. Of course I didn’t believe him at first but then realisation set in and off I go. Theres a note with the driver.
“Don’t Panic, Brian knows where to take you. See you soon.”
So, dinner out then? my brain is on overdrive working out what is going on… we’re off to London Brian tells me, and no we’re not picking Stu up on the way. hmmm whats going on, I’m in jeans and trainers and am in no state for anything fancy in London.
I get a text: “how you doing?” …..Well being sneaky and wanting to get my own back for the surprise I reply “busy at work, might be late home. see you soon” Very soon after though I gave in (I couldn’t spoil a perfect plan) and sent an update: “I’m in a car with Brian, whats going on?” The reply: “Enjoy the journey, see you soon”
We arrive in good time at The Raddisson Hotel off Oxford Street. More instructions to call the room and go up to 314. I’m in the lift, putting on some lip balm thinking this is crazy.
And then I get to the door and go in. There he is on one knee. Out pops the question. In floods of tears I manage to blurt out a ‘yes’
It was private, special and totally us. However, what will always stick in my mind is that he had a smart suit on, half an ironed shirt and no shoes or socks. Apparently as I had been taken up in the lift and not the stairs I had arrived at 314 slightly sooner than expected.
Stu tells me later over dinner that he left for work as normal to keep up the surprise, even taking his lunch box (which was empty) with him so I didn’t notice. After parking a little way away and walking the dog, waiting for me to leave for work, he returns home, packs a suitcase and is off to London. Amazingly he packs my favourite dress, a selection of shoes and a matching handbag (nice Radley one) and remembers make-up, hair stuff and a selection of clothes for the next day for me!
Our dinner at Gordon Ramseys at Claridges was totally amazing, not only was the food incredible (I never imagined Cauliflower soup would taste so good) the service was fantastic and made the whole evening really memorable and special. After the taste sensations of 8 courses, including Pigeon, Scallops, Veal and John Dory we were invited into the kitchen before retiring to the lounge for coffee. We met the head chef Tim (no sign of Gordon) and saw where it all happens, an amazing experience that will not be forgotten.
So here it is:
The ring we chose together. It took a lot of looking to find the perfect one and it is true, I did get that warm fuzzy feeling as I looked down at the sparkly diamond and thought, this is the one.
25 Things…
I hardly ever do these things ( honest!) but a lot has happened over the last week or two (more blogs on that later) so I though I’d give this ago, thanks CK!
1. My brother always says that I’m ‘the adopted one’ despite us all looking like clones of each other. One Christmas I almost believed him.
2. I’m a grade 8 pianist and played Cello at school to Grade 7. Once, at an orchestra practice I accidentally dropped my bow onto someone else’s cello and it made a massive hole in the side.
3. I always insist I have no middle name and that my real name is Mary-Louise (with a hyphen) but I just prefer Mary. In fact I don’t actually think its true (although I will check my birth certificate) and I believe it because if I was ever in trouble mum would shout “Maaaaaryyyylouuuuiiiseeee”
4. I sometimes hated being the youngest sibling and would refuse to go to bed. My two sisters and brother would take turns each night carrying me up like an aeroplane.
5. Laughing is the best feeling in the world. I’m sure me and my fella have a very odd sense of humour, luckily we both get each others jokes.
6. I was going to be called Louise, but my cousin got in a month before me.
7. My parents are the best at fancy dress. Dad once dressed me up as a Dice.
8. I used to have a high bed as a kid with a desk underneath. I used to crawl under the desk into the foot wide cavity behind where I would sit with a torch for hours reading The Beano.
9. I wish I had more time for hobbies like painting and playing the piano.
10. When I was 18 I entered some competition and won a sky dive. It was brilliant!
11. I love animals and wanted to be a vet.
12. I didn’t like reading much so I used to make my sister CK read to me at night and would prod her if she stopped.
13. My right knee is particularly knobbly due to Osgood-Schlatter disease when I was a teen.
14. My mum recently told me, as I put a toy hedgehog out in the pile for car boot, that my Dad scoured the whole country for that toy and eventually got it from Harrods. Apparently I was adamant that I wanted a toy hedgehog.
15. I was an accident prone child and once fell back on one of my brothers toy aeroplanes and got it stuck in my head. The 999 staff thought my mum was a hoax as we lived near an airfield.
16. I used to go horse riding every week and would fall off a lot (because I liked going fast, too fast!) but always seemed to catapult myself when my parents were watching!
17. I have an old suitcase full of pony magazines, posters and rosettes.
18. I spent whole weekends lining up all my soft teddies (school photo style) across my bed. They all had names and some would refuse to sit nicely next to each other.
19. I love stationary and would love to work for Paperchase.
20. I got my belly button pierced whilst on a group holiday in Newquay. It grew out and now I have the holes and a slightly strange scar where the skin went really thin.
21. I am totally useless at remembering what films I have seen, who was in it and also the names of bands/music that I like.
22. I had a massive toy soft dog called Mutsey (thats what it said on his collar). Years later Dad got me the same make of soft toy which looked exactly the same but minature, he is also called Mutsey.
23. I like knitting, making stuff and hobby-craft.
24. My favourite Toy is a bear called The Fonze or Fonzy. I had to perform many operations on his seams to keep him together as a child, he is probably the reason I am quite good at sewing. I still keep him in my wardrobe.
25. My boyfriend planned a massive surprise and proposed on our 10th anniversary (on 27th Feb) and took me to Gordon Ramseys at Claridges for dinner.
Rocky n rolly dog
The novelty of the weather hasn’t worn off for us just yet, our dog Rocky seems to love rolling in the stuff! see for yourself here:
fabulous snow…
As with most of the country we’ve enjoyed a fair amount of snow this week.
Made it into work on Monday – we’re lucky here that the MK grid roads clear fairly quickly. It was only the last turn into the car park where I discovered going straight was the only option – turning the steering wheel had none of the usual directional effect you would normally expect. This snowman was started by some young boy who looked quite tired out after rolling the body, so when he left we finished it off with a head and leaf bikini, much to the boys surprise on his return! Magic!
Then this morning theres a fresh 5 inches both on my car and all over the garden - which the dog enjoyed immensely. So as the office is closed today, I’m going to make the most of the opportunity to get the wellies on a enjoy a walk in the fresh air and make the most of my favourite sound – the crunch of soft snow underfoot.
Also best use the time wisely to get going on my revision for my first CIM exam next month….
