Saturday, 14 September 2013

Kennedy Space Centre To The Moon And Back

We have been to Kennedy Space centre the last time being when several military men with flat haircuts questioned me about my metal water bottle ....I digress . Having been before we had met an astronaut , got his autograph so this time was exploring . At Kennedy it's not a case of why did the chicken cross the roads it's more of why did the alligator. Kennedy Space centre sits on a nature reserve, a visit here a full day, it's suitable for all ages.

Kennedy Space Centre


Kennedy Space Centre



Kennedy Space Centre




Atlantis Space Shuttle

Kennedy Space Centre

And since the inclusion of the Atlantis space shuttle housed within a world class exhibition Kennedy Space Centre doesn't hold back in fuelling your interest. 

Saturday Caption #satcap

 Travelling on the best airline in the world ....

Friday, 13 September 2013

Ranty Friday School cost

Yes its that subject again.

Schools cost.

Sigh.

This week its a French book, Cookery stuff, cookery text books, finishing off paying for Paris , music lessons, PE activities.

Granted there was a free option with PE which was fitness and bouncing on a trampoline, but my child wanted the football option at £17

The rugby tour is £499 and the music lessons are £8 a week , the cookery books are £8 and the French books £2.50.

Then there is the special PE kit you have to wear when doing your GCSE's all good stuff. I only hope he get a jolly good job after University has bled me try in the years to come. And that in doing all that I hope he will put me into a nice care home after all as he says....

"Be nice to me I get to choose your care home"

Suppose its my fault for living in a nice area but a top notch state school. I've not added the costs up because I think if I did I would fall down and never recover. Hats off to parents who have more than one child and juggle costs .. I have a feeling deep in my bones there is going to be another French trip. I could say no that would be the sensible thing to do but I remember not going on a trip my parents or rather my mum wouldn't let me. I was sure they could afford it as we weren't poor it was one of those trips that not going on broke my heart as it was a trips that all my school mates bonded on and pushed me further away from them.

SO you see I may rant but I letting J live his dream because not letting go I clip his wings.





Thursday, 12 September 2013

Tapping At Shadows


Tapping at shadows that's what I have been doing for a long time now chasing people,things and situations I can not change. The weather I find is like that do but you know what you just have to push yourself through that situation otherwise you'd never live life.

Of course that's not to say there won't be things ,people and situations to dent you upon your way but when you just do and put a little effort into life that you and people round you are so much better for it.

So in making sense of my surroundings I make sense of myself (trouble is it takes more than 10 years but less than 41 and a true lady never gives her age away * )wipes nose on hand*

My humour is returning or lack of perhaps to some people also my enthusiasm for life , people and etc. I still managed to crack a smile when I decided to break free Mr T Nikon Ds3100 (what's mine is yours and yours is mine) its like setting free a caged animal. And I mean by that the camera and not Mr T though he may beg to differ.

I knew there searching on that tinernet that there was another farm house in my village hiding , trapped by time resisting for now the encroachment of the somewhat unwanted  toxic progress of time.

I really , really ,really should get some walking boots shoes again as it seems that Birkenstock sandals are not the required garb of a seasoned novice explorer. Seeking out the farm house I wandered this way and that I got lost so I had to get out my smart phone and check the maps . Technology can’t live with and can’t live without it , it appears!

I passed by what appeared some rather on the outside were unassuming houses until I hid a dusty track , which I followed up. I stopped , I waited and then I took it in . It had by this point had started to rain but that didn’t bother me my tootsies were well and truly wet due to my excellent choice of foot wear. A moment is not just a moment it can be one that is etched forever on the brain if you so wish.

This can be for personal reasons or in this case because I love the countryside and views , also they are going to build on the surrounding land soon. And when they build the views will be lost forever walking through I got a feel for the social history of the farm it had stopped being a farm some twenty years ago.

I will go up again and take some more pictures when the light is better and I have the other lens on the Nikon but for now …..

This is my perfect moment in time … for now ...



Countryside view
Countryside on lead up to hidden farmhouse.


Hidden Farmhouse
Hidden farmhouse.

Farmhouse trapped in time
Farmhouse trapped in time.
Secret garden.
Secret garden gate of hidden farmhouse.

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Cooking With Kids : Homemade Beef Burgers With Apple and Marmite

3 Simple & Unusual Ingredients

1 Apple
500g minced beef
1tsp marmite

Instructions

Mix a Peeled grated apple with 500g of lean mind beef and a teaspoon of marmite

Shape and firmly press into around 10 burgers -squeeze the mixture together so they don't fall apart during cooking.


Brush both sides with oil and grill, barbecue or fry until cooked through .. about 10 minutes each side.

Serve with a bun and salad or with baked beans, broccoli and chips.

For homemade chips, cook too many boiled potatoes one day and use the leftovers to make wonderful homemade chips the next nigh, slice them up and shallow fry them in a few tablespoons of oil oil for a few minutes until they are heated through and slightly crispy on the outside.



Good Food Tips:

Add in Worcestershire sauce, sauteed onions and even a crumbled up stock cube to add more flavours to your burgers.

You can use any sort of mince for this recipe - if you have a food processor you can even buy beef steak and mince them up yourselves.

The apple is from my own tree and mincer is an old one I found one day while rumbling in a charity shop. And I took my very first macro shot on my Nikon DS3100