Year of @Typhoo_Tea giveaway

Typhoo have been very generous and given me a years supply of Typhoo Tea  sadly its not for me . You can visit Typhoo at their website, become a fan on Facebook and follow them on twitter. They are always running competions so make sure you do check them out.

You can read about how tea calms all evils here.

This giveaway is very simple to enter no selling your granny or endless task just a few simple steps. Life's too short to have it further complicated by endless requests to jump through hoops.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Silent Sunday 4/11/2012

Caption Saturday #satcap 3/11/2012

If this isn't evil then I don't know what is!

Beef and Honey Slow Cooker Stew

Ingredients
30g/ 1 oz Plain flour
450g/ 11lb braising steak cut into 2.5cm /1in cubes
3tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2leeks roughly chopped
1/2 medium turnip
1tbsp honey
550ml/ 1 pint beef stock
2large potatoes cut into chunks sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preperation

Place the flour in a freezer bag then add the cubes of meat and shake well to coat.


Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the meat on all sides.(Do this in batches as adding too much meat at once makes the meat steam rather than brown.


Heat the oil in the same pan you used for the meat, adding more oil if needed. Once the onion is browned.

Get your slow cooker out

Add the carrots, leeks,turnip, honey and beef stck and return the meat to the slow cooker.

About 20 minutes before serving add the potato to the stew ( adding them at this point means they keep their shape). Season to taste , with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.


Serve with crusty bread or dumplings.

Sure flap :Micro Chip Cat flap

In our household we have been known to be greeted by a sabre tooth beastie with half an ear missing. A  mass of  fur and claws has entered  your house your "Englishman's Castle", Nothing is too small to argue with . You stagger into the gloomy, waving your fluffy bunny slipper, ready to challenge the sabre tooth beastie to a duel, It makes good its escape. Its mass of fluffiness slinking back into the night: you know he'll be back. Life in Suburbia is a battle which is really seen, Why then do you think I send Mr T to make a drink each morning.

Rollie sulking on the decking.

We had a cat flap and yes it function the cat came in and guess what the cat went out, genus don't you agree. Except it was meant to be one of those cat flap that excluded all other cats from getting it. This was achieved by it wearing a little sensor which was mounted on its collar. Nice idea but our two cats got wise to this losing their collars on a regular basis and making us buy new collar and sensors. I think it could have been revenge for making Rollie "Psycho Ninja " cat pretty collars. I think his evil minions were basically laughing at him behind the shed. The only situation Rollie can't avoid was being mirco chipped by the vet "mwahh mwahh "

It didn't take much for Mr T to install the new Sure Flap Micro Chip cat flap.

The pet chip is a tiny glass tube with a microchip which contains a unique identification number. This chip is implanted in your cat's skin and entered on a database, together with its name and your address. Using a chip reader, a vet can then identify the owner of, for example, a lost cat. SureFlap cat flap saves your cat's chip number with just one push of a button. It is possible to programme in up to 32 different chip numbers. Once saved, the SureFlap cat flap will only open for your cat, stray cats or other unwelcome visitors will stay outside. The special design also ensures the cat has no chance to violently force the flap open. 

The antenna that reads the chip is inside the tunnel, giving it exceptional range. Also, if the chip happens to slip from its position, it can still be easily recognised. The flap overs inwards after a fraction of a second and closes automatically a few seconds after your cat has passed through the tunnel. The SureFlap also has a manual 4-way locking system, which comes into effect when chip recognition is not functioning correctly and works without the need for excess effort. SureFlap is easy to install.

 Its measurements fit into many existing holes from other cat flaps. An optional window adaptor can be bought separately for installation in windows; it is also very suitable for covering larger holes. You will find detailed installation instructions in the user manual. Important: Please check the construction of your door before ordering The SureFlap cat flap can be easily installed into any kind of door.

 Mr T had taken the previous step of teaching the cat flap the cats mirco chip. This consisted of basically enticing the cat  through the cat flap. Black cat jack no problems... Rollie well ... was not best pleased.

Jack had no problems with the Sureflap Mircochip Cat flap.

Jack going out the cat flap.

Jack as you see had no problems what so ever dealing with the cat flap. Rollie on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. And has sulked over the new installation of the cat flap, this may be due the the fact that that we didn't consult him.

Rollie sulking on the fence.

I think Rollie is spooked by the noise the car flap makes when it comes in it did sulk for a whole day before eventually coming in and if you look at the the below photo I think you will agree its not best pleased.

Moody Kitty is not pleased.

If  I had any small  criticism, its that I would like to see a snugger fit of draught excluder round the cat flap. But as my husband pointed out the moneys in the technology so all in I am really pleased with the new cat flap. Rollie will come around eventually and the wounds   husbands arms will heal as he tried to help Rollie through the cat flap for fifteen minutes.....

Disclosure ( I  Rollie & jack were sent the Sure Flap Mirco Chip Cat flap for review all opinions are theirs and mine )