But I'm not like So And So

I'm pretty much a free spirit but then I think I'm not like so and so who has the word at that feet and everything they post , everything they do everywhere they go it's like they're a mini celebrity , and I think I just mentioned that yonks ago. They've been to the same places I've been perhaps but them going is so much cooler and I think I'm not like so and so.

I feel perhaps of late I've been a right misery duck.

But to Get Ahead you get a hat ...

 

Or a new haircut at least , and that's all I've done today that and made some hoisin duck and noodles , I'm jolly well trying to do more excercise and I've done that today . Some days I feel too tired to excercise but pacing myself allow me I hope more energy and then I'll get to excercise , I can't pound the pavements as I'll have to accommodate anything I've got with a proper excercise regime with advice from the hospital . And come February I hope I'll get a diagnosis , see I always knew I had special blood , they testing for Lupus , far from thinking my life is on hold till I go find out I'm adjusting my living style in preparation so less chocolate , less wine ( I don't over do ) more brown bread . Don't tell the doctor but I had some white bread the other day ooooh I'm a rebel without a Jam sandwich and I kept the crusts on.

Blogging is therapy I think we'll it is to be anyhow .

I wouldn't have the friends I have without social media .

 

and though I'm an introvert I like it .

So you see I'm not like so and so 

I'm me

How Might You Spend £50 At Amazon ?

Now I really really struggle to spend money on myself I really do unless it a cup of tea and perhaps some cake , then maybe if I have a look and browse in a charity shop then maybe I might spend something on myself . This is something of such value that the family will find useful and derive joy from ! As they say a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush , now treating yourself can be hard , the last time I had treated myself previous was when I went to York for the day and went to Bettys tea rooms , I pushed the boat out and enjoyed a Kir Cocktail. This I hasten to say was in October( Bettys tearooms ) so you can see it is a jolly long time since I treated myself!

Now when I was lucky enough to win £50 of Amazon thanks to ChelseaMamma blog and Kinfo the winning email told me I must spend the money on myself , this is where I was really racking my brains as to what I could buy myself.

Now as I child I love listening to War of the Worlds on vinyl , after all I am I am a child of the 70's and this was pure joy especially when it was dark , I used to put the chunky headphones on and then scare myself witless.

Another flashback to the 1970's comes in the shape of Doctor Who , and for me my most beloved Doctor Who my hero my saviour of the Cosmos was Tom Baker . Back in the day the episodes were longer and one of my most favourite epsidosdes was over 2 hours split into several programs. The Doctor Who program in question is

Doctor Who - The Talons of Weng-Chiang

The cat needed a treat as well so I ordered a mouse come octopus toy but when it arrived the cat was sacred witless of it , so I had to return it and order the cat a play mouse instead .

What would you order from Amazon for £50 ?

Malteser Cheesecake

When you need a sweet fix but you don't want to overload on calories .

I suppose you do a deconstructed cheesecake if you wish it's the posh thing to do but I rather mostly that things are together .

Ingredients 

Pinch of Ginger

4 Digestives biscuits (crushed)

150 g of low fat cheese

150 g of  low fat creme fraiche 

2 tablespoons of Icing sugar

A bag of Malteser 2 normal sized bags should do it 

Zest and juice of an orange , though you can use Lime as well .

Method 

Put the digestive biscuits in a bag and bash into a crumb ( it's a great stress reliever ) 

Mix in with the pinch of Ginger .

Divide the mixture between 4 glass ramekins .

In another bag place the Malteser and press each one by hand or bash . In crushing each one I shouted out a worry to crush .

In a mix mix the cream cheese or quark till smooth ten add in the orange or lime juice aling with the zest . Add in the icing sugar and crem fraiche mix throughly .If you wish for a more tart taste then lessen the amount of icing sugar or leave out.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins and then top with the crushed Malteser .

My son suggested that you couid mix the cream cheese mixture with the crushed Maltesers.

This recipe allows for any change of topping .

 

 

How Would You Start Your Novel ?

They say that there is a novel burning inside of all us just bursting to get out and this is something I have thought about , perhaps not entirely about writing about a book , I mean what on earth would little old me write about . I write I blog but I don't suppose I can stretch to writing an inspirational high living pat on the back book resulting in all those book awards and being on all those chat shows * note to self get your hair dyed and nails done , ditch the Minnie mouse socks and bobble hats . Otherwise I would be be looking like a character out of an Alan Bennett play ...

But perhaps that would would be my mystique naturally surreptitiously I would have have to a nome de plume ( gosh doesn't than sound better than a pen name , I have always thought that a lot of things sound better in French . Look even the humble pea sounds romantic 'petit pois' , you purse your lips to say it  . Yes all the attention seekers would be out to say how they knew me at school how we played marbles , how quiet I was , eating my packet of wotsits away from the bullies , wearing my bobble hats , lost in the library with my nose in a book , only a handful would know the real me . Those who knew me really would know how kind I was how random I was how me I was , never one to compare myself to others.


I have been musing long and had over this , had a hissy fit and all that Greta Garbo hipster millennial touchy feeling mumbo jumbo.

SO here is my the opening line to my novel the one that I haven't even written yet , the one that I am writing this blog post about .


"The 3 seconds as I poured the milk on my Weetabix were the best 3 seconds of my life .."

 


Disclosure other similar products are available they aren't quite Weetabix . The Weetabix is my own purchased at a rather nice supermarket I mean you wouldn't purchase Weetabix at a horrible supermarket would you now ...

Mini Office Workout

Though I don't work in a office as I work in a school exercise is still important to me as I have to be limber to keep up with 4 to 7 year olds. I was discussing exercise at work with my husband as to what he does to help maintain his fitness regime at work :


1. Taking the stairs instead of taking the lift which is breast for your cardio.


2. Tapping is toes under the desk is brilliant as it's  just using the furniture at work ! he taps as quietly as he can as he has to wear steep capped boots as he works in an engineering environment.

3. Wandering around work , working on computer a lot it is essential that he takes break so he takes in a little walk in his breaks away from the computer.

4.Raising his legs under the desk , while he is seated he straightens either one or both legs and holds in place for a for 5-10 seconds. Then he lowers his legs to floor without his feet touching the floor , he repeats for about 15 repetitions , of course you can do the legs serpately.


5. Leaning against a wall ! no honestly this is exercise and one my husband does when he is waiting for one of his many meetings he has to attend ! It allows your upper arm to have a work out without anyone noticing ; infract people will probably think you lazy for leaning against a wall. Firstly find a wall to lean against, stand at a tilted angle and with your lower arm support yourself , with this arm you can do mini 'push ups ' achieved by leaning in and out on the arm . You can also do thus but nit moving the arm and see how long you can lean on the arm

This is a collaboration post.

Relaxed Decluttering

I am not one for minimalistic living , how I live is pretty much how am I am very relaxed despite being a very shy and an introvert , and I panic ( and my words and thoughts just run away with me ) see what I mean <<<<<

I have tried Kon Marie in some form or another , you don't if it doesn't spark joy it goes , I really did I even tried applying this technique when I was trying to buy a watch for myself at Christmas


"It's not sparking joy " I declared at every single jewellery shop that we visited resulting with me with my nose pressed up against the window , and you know what I still haven't managed to buy myself a watch I am going to have to relay on an old fashioned method of telling time by yourself:

"A freckle just past a hair " *


* It's a sayings thing


 

 The kitchen is just one area I've to tackle a bit more that's when I'm not battling against Rollie about where he should be sleeping ~ he's a rebel bless him ( grits teeth )  and see yet again I've got distracted by something else , let's blame the cat ~ yes let's .

Another area is sorting out the living room ...

 

Arrrrgh the cat again thwarting me at every turn , dust sort and tidy !

Right let's get this post back on track to relaxed decluttering rather than a comatose day one !

I've placed a box in the hall way which I'm going to take to the charity shop at the end of the month , it's full of the stuff I'm not putting on EBay . 

 

Don't let it be said I won't spark a tidying revolution ..

 

  

Right I'll just wait to tidy the table ~ 

10 Amazing Craft Ideas for Your Old Lottery Tickets

10 Amazing Craft Ideas for Your Old Lottery Tickets

If you have a lottery hobby, then you surely have quite a few old lottery tickets lying around the house. Instead of binning them directly, you could try out some lottery ticket crafts and put them to good use. In this article, we will tell about the 10 best craft ideas for your used lottery tickets to give you some insight into what you could do with all of those old lotto tickets and scratch-offs. Take a look!

1. Lottery Origami

Origami is the single best way to turn those used lottery tickets into charming decorations. Depending on how many lottery tickets you have played lately, you can take on simple origami projects or you could try your hand at complex models, such as the one in the picture above. Let your creativity roam free and you will get to see just how relaxing origami can be.     

Source

2. A Good Luck Flower Pot

This model combines a little bit of basic origami with some simple crafting techniques to create a wonderful good luck charm. Remember to make the flowers first to find out exactly how many stems you need. Then you can glue them together and place them in a flower pot to get a wonderful decoration.

Source

3. A Lottery Flower Bouquet

If you’re looking for an innovative idea for your next gift to your significant other, then look no further because a lottery ticket flower bouquet is bound to make an excellent impression. As for the previous model on our list, we recommend you start by making the origami flowers. Use the lottery tickets as your base paper because these will provide you with an impressive colour mix. When you have enough flowers for your bouquet, you can use wires or skewer sticks for the stems. The final result will be a charming paper flower bouquet that will look fantastic.    

Source

4. A Lottery Love Handmade Gift

This is an adorable gift idea for your significant other. If you’re trying out handmade gifts, then this is an excellent idea to try out. You can combine the used lottery tickets with colourful candy or paper hearts to add a bit of diversity, but the key element is the card that says “I won the lottery when I met you”.  

Source

5. Lottery Ticket Wrapping Paper

If you are tired of the generic wrapping paper you find in stores nowadays, you can try making your own gift-wrapping. Lottery tickets are excellent for this project because they are brilliantly colourful. As far as lottery ticket crafts go, this one is unbelievably simple. All you have to do is use some transparent scotch tape to put them together in a large rectangular shape and, in a matter of minutes, you will have a piece of lovely wrapping paper.     

Source

6. Lottery Ticket Wrapping Ornaments

When it comes to gift-related ideas, there is even more that you can do with your used lottery tickets than wrapping paper. Instead of using traditional ribbons, you can use your scratch-offs to make some colourful wrapping ornaments that will make your gift-wrapping style unique.

Source

7. A Lottery Ticket Christmas Wreath

If you want to make a different type of Christmas wreath this year, then you can make use of all your used lottery tickets. Follow the model in the picture below and you will get a wonderfully colourful wreath that is bound to impress your friends.

Source

8. A Lottery Ticket Christmas Tree

If you want a small Christmas tree this year, then you should consider using your old lottery tickets to make a very special model. As you can see in the picture below, it is extremely easy to put the lottery tree together and we guarantee that you are going to have fun making it.

Source

9. Money Tree

A money tree is an excellent luck charm to have in your home. You only need a flower pot, some sand or pebbles to fill it, a few tree branches, and your used lottery tickets. Put the branches together to build your tree and then hang the colourful lottery tickets like Christmas ornaments.

Source

10. Lottery Ticket Art

If you have a longstanding passion for playing the lottery, then you could consider starting a long-term lottery art project. You will need lottery tickets of various colours that you can combine to create pattern-based models. The picture below should give you some idea of the complexity that your art project could reach if you are willing to put in the time.

Source

As you can see in the pictures above, there are so many things that you could do with your old lottery tickets. Explore your creative side and try out these amazing craft ideas. We guarantee that you will have a lot of fun with them!

This is a collaboration post 

My Sunday Photo My Pashley

 

It's been 3 months since I've ridden my Pashley and anyone 'who ' knows me knows I love my Myfanwy ( so name after a John Betjamin poem ) . The reasons for not writing my bicycle were illness and an accident , I wasn't harmed but a car so intend on not driving into myself instead drove into a parked car. Then yesterday at the same spot my inhaler dropped out my pocket and a car crushed the plastic casing , luckily I managed to rescue the inside bit before that bit the dust.

So it was only a little cycle but it means more to me than you could possibly know.

Win A Champagne Afternoon Tea Taste Box From Keelham Farm Shop

At Christmas my very good friend Jane who blogs over at Onions and Papers gave me a Yorkshire Tea Taste Box from Keeham Farm Shop for Christmas  and I was so impressed I in turn send one to my mother. My mother was over the moon with her Yorkshire Tea Taste Box and if my 'mother' is impressed then you know you are onto a good thing.



So thanks to Keelham Farm Shop you have the opportunity to win a very special prize , oooh I am excited for you ! you will invite me to tea won't you now !

Photo credit thanks to Onions and Paper Blog 

Keelham being featured on next Tuesday’s (17^th Jan) episode of ‘Our Dancing Town’ on BBC 2 at 9pm

Keelham’s Champagne Afternoon Tea Taste Box contains:

Champagne Lallier Grand Cru Granade Reserve Brut 

Taylor's of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea Gold 

Cream mug & mini cake stand

Keelham Raspberry Jam 

Monty Bojangles Choccy Scoffy Truffles 

Cartwright & Butler Strawberry and White Chocolate Biscuits 

Botham’s of Whitby Rich Butter Fruit Cake 

Keelham’s Taste Boxes can be ordered online on www.keelhamfarmshop.co.uk with next working day delivery anywhere in the UK on orders made by 2pm Monday to Thursday (£6.99).

Twitter: @KeelhamFarm

Facebook: /Keelhamfarmshop

Instagram: @keelhamfarmshop

Website: www.keelhamfarmshop.co.uk

Taste Boxes: www.keelhamfarmshop.co.uk/collections

This competition is just my cup of tea , it's a real shame I can't enter !

And you must be 18 or over to enter 

Entry is via rafflecopter 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are the Terms and Conditions.

1. The promoter is Keelham Farm Shop

2. Employees of Keelham,Ninjakillercat blog or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter the competition.

3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.

4. Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via Ninjakillercat blog

5. Closing date for entry will be 28th January 2017 After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.

6. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.

7. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.

8. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.

9. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.

10. Winners will be chosen by the use of Rafflecopter

11. The winner will be notified by email and/or letter within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.

12. The promoter will notify the winner when the prize will be sent.

13. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

14. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

15. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by [English] law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of [England].

16. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current [UK] data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party.

17. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

18. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to Keelham Farm Shop and not to any other party.

19. Uk only.

20. You must be 18 or over to enter this competition

Disclosure : I have not been compensated for this post in anyway , thank you to Keelham farm Shop for allowing me to run this competition.

King Prawn Tomato Pasta

WHEN you need to do tea in about 15 minutes then this is recipe is ideal , it will keep those hungry wolves from the door.

Ingredients

200g of Spaghetti

2 packs of King Prawn

Chopped red onion

Either a jar of Passata or a tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tea spoon of chipotle

a squeeze lime

2 cloves of garlic ( crushed ) 



Method

Boil enough water to cover the spaghetti , boil for 10 -12 minutes

While this is doing fry a chopped red onion


Next add the King prawns , teaspoon of chipotle , cloves of garlic , squeeze of lime

Also add the  tin of chopped tomatoes of passata ( with passata you will get a smooth sauce either than or you can blend the tin of chopped tomatoes before you add the pawns )

Drain the pasta and add the sauce / prawns .

 

I've Planned My Big Escape

I've not told you about my planned big escape .

I adore travelling , I would just spend all the time in the world travelling if I could , I'm a seeker of travel and I always look at travel differently to other people I think . I've a romantic notion to travel which is quite odd as I've a practical soul that misbehaves . I'm off to Rome of course I'm going to take the family it's the last big Hurrah before the teen goes off to University ~ blows nose .

We are travelling with British airways from Heathrow ~ I love flying from Heathrow I'm always excited to fly from there , I'll let you into a little secret I'm petrified of flying ~ well the take off that is and maybe some of the flight depending on the turbulence levels.

Do you have some where you 've been longing to fly to ?


When ever I go someone where I view the place as an explorer , as if I am the first one to see the majesty of a place , to see the sights , the colours and the smells , I translate my assault upon my visual cortex in the pictures I take and the words I write , although I am not as lyrical as I wish I could be.

Striving to be better is part of travelling and part of ones self.

Last summer it was Amsterdam and Fuerventura , and 2015 it was Washington D.C

AWWWH travel how I love thee let me travel your ways .

Blog Commenting Does It Really Matter.

I don't think blog commenting matters as it did.

I admit I've been quite relaxed on the blog commenting front , but it's not blog adulation I'm seeking basking in the sunlight of comments . It's really about documenting how I feel on my blog , I share stuff my husband or son wouldn't share that's me .

And for me to feel relaxed and not beholden to commenting is a release.

That's not to say I won't comment on blogs , I certainly rt them.

What matters to me is me .

What matters is cake.

 

What matters is the cake is a #randomnactofkindness

What matters is the cake is a gift from a neighbour whose husband is poorly .

What matters is my husband was able to help the neighbour.

What's matters is life .

To Get Ahead Get A Hat By Rollie The Cat

Silly human bean putting me in a hat over Christmas , I mean honestly I'm not sure that red is even my colour but you have to work with what you've been given.

 

 

I've haven't been the same since they plonked this on my head as a kitten ....

 

You just can't get the staff nowadays ...

Sometimes you just have to express yourself through imperative dance ...

 

 

I think of myself a Thespian , I'm just waiting in my Oscar really , I'm the cat very version of Simon Callow .

I know I was overlooked in the New Years Honours but it will be my turn soon ..

 

I 'm preparing to audition to be a Bond villain cat I've nailed it don't you think ?!

 

Star Wars film not a problem , I can do that .