Open apology

Dear Nicky,

I am sorry I have not made it to one meeting regarding Soul Mates 09. As you might have been aware, I was quite ill just before the last one. That has been well documented on here (or at least as well as it should be for any bokeaphobes).

However, today you had organised a prayer meeting for the event and my presence might have been missed. I did intend to go (even though it was at the rather premature time of 2.00pm) so let me explain why I was not there. 

I have taken to cooking, but sadly not like a duck to water. Last week was my first week of trying recipes from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food. I made griddled fillet steak with horseradish sauce, new potatoes and green beans with garlic and parmesan.

I think you'll agree it turned out quite well. And yes, you are right, that is fresh rosemary on the fillet steak. How very astute of you to recognise it.

Last week had been so successful that I was encouraged to make another recipe this week. Put off somewhat at the cost of fillet steak (the credit crunch claims another victim) I thought I might go for a cheaper meat such as mince. Lo and behold, there was a recipe for lasagne right there on P169. It looked a fairly complex recipe for a novice like myself, but stirred on by the triumph of griddled steak I proceeded to amass the ingredients.

This morning I awoke ready to start in to the chopping and simmering as directed. There was a brief hiatus as I checked my email, but it was more the chopping that got me late. I had to chop a lot of things and not being quite adept with a knife I was slower than I had allowed for. There was also a short delay as I glanced the knife with my thumb but it didn't bleed too much and I was quick with the kitchen roll and plaster.

The dish progressed from that point on fine, all until I had to blanch the pasta. Jamie said to do it for 3-4 minutes in water and oil, then drain in a colander and pat dry with kitchen roll. This is where the whole thing became unstuck. Well, actually stuck. In the blanching, the pasta had stuck to each other and was ripping apart. There's no denying that this is when the possibility of me even leaving for the meeting slipped away. More boiling of the pasta didn't help and I had to call in rescue services to go down the road to get more. So the lasagne was in the oven late, out of the oven late, served late and because we were only finished lunch at 3.10pm I never made it.

That said, it does look exactly like Jamie's one on P168 (although much less burnt that his). And again you are right, fresh basil leaves on top. Your herb recognition is really top notch!

This is the Mediterranean chopped salad (P123) I made as well. Although it should not receive any of the blame for my no show. It was nothing but a joy to work with.

Once again, I am terribly sorry for not making it today. Please know that I am praying for the event and the children that go. Do not take my, thus far, non-involvement as a sign that I do not want to be involved. Probably best not to have me cook for the children though.

Hopefully I'll see you and the family soon. Maybe I should have you round sometime, although I don't see a recipe for Enchiladas in Jamie's book.

Warm regards and kind thoughts,

Tina xxx

Anyone bokeaphobic?

If I had been on Facebook this weekend these might have been my status updates:

Tina had dinner in O'Briens.

Tina doesn't feel so good.

Tina has been sick out loud.

Tina thinks that maybe the chicken wasn't so good afterall.

Tina can multitask - she can throw up and hold her own hair back.

Tina can't decide between Pepto Bismol and Milk of Magnesia.

Tina decided on Pepto Bismol. It doesn't smell.

Tina actually cannot multitask. Oh dear.

Tina is being a hero and not waking her parents.

Tina was not cured by Pepto Bismol, bring on the Milk.

Tina found her hair ties.

Tina thinks maybe the Milk of Magnesia is making her more sick. Maybe she should stop?

Tina cannot take it anymore and wakes her mum.

Tina's mum cannot take it anymore and wakes Tina's dad.

Tina's dad encourages her to get up off the bathroom floor and back to bed.

Tina is either moaning in pain or throwing up.

Tina is very glad to have woken her parents.

Tina finds it easier to sit up and be sick.

Tina may finally have stopped being sick.

Tina discovered that was a false alarm.

Tina thinks it may now be over and might get some sleep.

Tina aches all over.

Tina has bucket and will travel. Only to the sofa though.

Tina finds some sort of comfort in moaning.

Tina is drifting in and out of sleep.

Tina's face is burning up while the rest of her shivers with cold.

Tina was not done being sick afterall.

Tina's dad arrives home with miracle cure tablets.

Tina thinks her parents are not funny and should be careful about mentioning O'Brien's chicken wraps around her.

Tina finds even walking to the bathroom requires 5 minutes of catching her breath back and moaning because of the pain.

So that was my Saturday. Sunday and Monday were recovery days and today I found out that I wasn't the only one to be struck down with it over the weekend. Still, can't see me go back to O'Briens this side of...well ever.

Comedy hats

Last month I ordered some hats for my classes to use when explaining things like Alliances and what not. But when they came I knew I had to try them on first of all!

Rarr! This is one of my favourites! Not sure Norman soldiers had glasses though.

This is the German hat, and what pose do Germans do? That's right, they ponder!

Bonjour!

I'm a knight!!

The Royal wave.

Ok, this one's use is a bit more difficult to shoe horn in as I don't think Mexico is on any syllabus this side of the Atlantic. But I just thought it was fun!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's classes on the Feudal System! I may be the only one though.

Review

Saturday 3rd January 2009. The past two weeks did go pretty fast. I took a little blogging holiday over the festive season! It wasn't planned, I thought of blogging and even took photos for you but never made it. I was sick for a while and so lost energy. Good Christmas though, quiet. Well whose isn't? 

Last night I was catching up on blogs and this questionnaire changed my mind on doing a review of 208 so here we go.

1) What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
-went to Colorado
-completed 360 degrees round the world
-went to Wimbledon

2) Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, I don't really make them. If you don't make them, then you can't be annoyed you didn't keep them.

3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Heidi!

4) Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

5) What countries did you visit?
Well I was in America when it started and then I came home to NI. I also went to Ireland and England.

6) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A job.

7) What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 2nd - my return home
July 22nd - my birthday
November 4th - new President

8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Oh I don't know. What did I achieve?!

9) Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. Just the average colds and sore throats.

10) What was the best thing you bought?
Nike + maybe, so cool! Oh no, my new computer. V. cool.

11) Whose behaviour merited celebration?
That sounds like I should write something profound, but I don't know.

12) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Shannon Matthew's mother.

13) Where did most of your money go?
Stuff. Where does anyone's money go?

14) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
-Being an auntie.
-Jose and Lindy getting engagaed.

15) What song will always remind you of 2008?
-Fascination by Alphabeat
-Violet Hill by Coldplay
-Everything by Lifehouse
-The Stand by Ben Cantelon
-From the Inside Out from Hillsong

16) Compared to this time last year, are you:
Wiser? Yes.
Healthier? About the same, I did have a fitness peak in the middle of the year.
Richer? Yes. But not travelling the world helped with that.

17) What do you wish you’d done more of?
Emm...travelling. Always.

18) What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time.

19) How did you spend Christmas?
At home with the parents.

20) Did you fall in love in 2008?
Nope.

21) What was your favorite blog post that you wrote?
Not that many really. Maybe this one, or this one, or this one.

22) What were your favorite TV programmes?
Grey's Anatomy, Strictly Come Dancing. Ashamed to say Gossip Girl too. Oh and The Daily Show! Love Sky+.

23) Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate? No...maybe like less.

24) What was the best book you read?
I can't think of one book I even read.

25) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Elliot Minor.

26) What did you want and get?
More time with my family.

27) What did you want and not get?
A job.

28) What was your favorite film of this year?
Oh flip. I can't hardly remember. Maybe 27 Dresses. Oh I liked Leatherheads, although I did fall asleep the first time. Sex and the City was better than I expected.

29) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 and was in London Baby.

30) Which celebrity/public figure do you like the most?
I like John Stewart from The Daily Show a lot. I think he's very funny and very smart.

31) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
KTW. That's Keep Tina Warm.

32) What kept you sane?

My family probably. And Megann.

33) Who did you miss?
Megann. And lots of people in Singapore surprisingly.

34) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Try not to fall down the stairs.

35) What did you gain in 2008?
A lot of things, none of which I can think of right now.

36) What did you lose in 2008?
My Brazil team keyring. Sniff.

37) Who was the best new person you met?
Best new person? Maybe Kristi or Luis.

38) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Big wheels keep on turning.

38 questions is an odd amount isn't it. Not sure it was entirely worth it but hey ho. 2008 was alright, not my most favourite year really. So here's to 2009...

Bets on the next two weeks going at double speed?

Made it to Christmas! There were a few times back there that I thought I wouldn't but here I am. I'm slowly getting over my bad mood that my darling form class managed to put me in today and I am very excited about the next two weeks. We have some good YF stuff coming up, there's Coldplay to see, and of course Christmas. Right now I'm watching 'Walk the Line', it is one of my most favourite films ever. Although I did just have to fast forward through the bit with the saw.

Anyway here are the two 'cultural' events of late.

1. The Feeling

Who doesn't like this band? Who doesn't get into a better mood when a song of theirs come on? It was a brilliant gig. Oh I sound like a Radio 1 DJ! They played all the songs I knew and a few bonus extras, and they finished with my most favourite song, 'Love It When You Call'. For the encore, with it being Christmas and what not, they did a few Christmas songs. And there was a surprise 'special guest'. Who did they manage to get for this special performance?! Sinead Quinn! No really, the actual runner up to Fame Academy a billion years ago! It made more sense when they explained she was about to marry the drummer from the band. They sang the Pogues 'Fairytale of New York' which was brill!

The only bad thing about the whole thing was the fact one of the fellow concert goers had obviously eaten something entirely disagreeable a few hours beforehand and keep letting the most gut wrenching sulphuric farts every ten minutes or so. One woman in front of us kept on turning around and we were at pains to show disgust on our faces so she wouldn't think it was us.

One thing I did forget to do was bring ear plugs. I know, so rock and roll, me. But for most of the next day I couldn't hear anything my students said. I felt like I was underwater or something. 

See, it's so loud my mobile couldn't cope with it.

The drum proves it was The Feeling. But really, who else could pick them out of an identity parade?

2. Sex Bombs

I get emails from the BBC about audiences for their shows. They're always, always in London. Except for the odd Ulster Orchestra one which are usually full up. The exception to this was 'Sex Bombs', a pilot panel show of men against women hosted by Ed Bryne. Ed Bryne is funny so I thought I'd apply. 

It really wasn't what I expected. For one they expected audience participation in the form of voting on little key pads. Then they would potentially come to you and ask you why you voted the way you did. Oh. Die. But worse still, because of all that they wanted us to sit alternate boy-girl. 'Fine', I thought, 'sure it'll be a bit of craic'. That was until I ended up at the end of a row, with the world's biggest man sitting up between me and Ruth. Seriously, and I really don't want to be rude, but he blocked me off from seeing three quarters of the audience. Half the joy of a joke is sharing it with someone else but I felt like I was watching on my own.

This was my first 'recorded' TV show. 'The Kelly Show' was live, and 'The Daily Show' was as live, straight through, no retakes. To be honest, it would put me off another one. There was lots of Ed having to say certain lines again, the autocue messing up, us having to laugh at the same line, applaud at the same point, don't applaud, vote again...you name it we did it twice. By the end of the 2 hour record (for presumably a 30 minute show) my butt was d.e.a.d.  But still a free night out and reasonable craic!

Even with the retakes and the dead butt though, it did make me want to go see 'Have I Got News For You' because it's actually funny. I'm no TV exec but I wouldn't commission 'Sex Bombs'. I can't see where they can go with it. There's only so many jokes about men being lazy or women gossipping. Although, now that I've said that, it'll be the TV sensation of 2009.