Cupcake Love

Sang to the tune of that popular ditty, Facebook Love.

 

Dance along if you must

I mentioned yesterday that my Mum wanted Carrot Cake Cupcakes for her birthday.

The cupcake recipe was taken from one book and the icing from another. Half-way through getting the ingredients together I broke my kitchen scales and had to nip round to Mum’s to borrow hers. She very kindly said she would buy me a set of digital ones for taking good care of her hens last week! I’m excited as I’ve wanted some digital ones for ages.

When I bake for other people, which is usually the case, I tend to stick to full-sugar/ full-fat recipes. I very rarely bake for myself but I’d like to start baking healthier alternatives for myself to keep in the freezer.

Must be the Music

The youtube clip above was taken from the Sky1 talent show. Have you been watching? If you have- what’s your favourite act? Mine might be Pepper and Piano. My eyes fill with tears every time I hear it!

 

If you like the song you can download it on itunes now. All profits got to the artist and not the show or judges.

Anyone for a cupcake?

Cupcake love . . .

In all seriousness I had one with my Mum yesterday and left them all round at her house, no more cupcakes for me. I must healthify that recipe!

I am woman, hear me . . .

Roar!

I had a great gym work-out this morning, and felt majorly smug to have my name appear first on the sign-in sheet. On a Sunday morning at that!

Look at how red my face was! Before my, much needed, bath I had a green smoothie. By the time it was ready I was a more normal colour!

My work-out consisted of 20 minutes of intervals on the elliptical, 20 minutes of hill intervals on the treadmill and an upper body strength routine. 

After this post on green smoothies I was asked what they taste like, and if the taste of spinach is masked. I can assure you that the smoothie just tastes of banana and any other fruit you’ve added. You do not taste spinach. I would be the last person to drink one if you could!

It’s my Mum’s birthday today. Happy Birthday Mum! She doesn’t read the blog but I’ll tell her I wrote it anyway! She has requested Carrot Cake Cupcakes (actually she asked for muffins but I just love alliteration) for her birthday. A non-healthy variety. It is her birthday so I’m happy to oblige, but if I grate my fingers in the process she’ll hear about it!

Have a great day people! XOXO

Life’s a Beach

I have the best beach in the world about 5 minutes drive from my flat. I’ve been going there since I was little. There are lots of other great beaches nearby but this one is closest, and is about 4 miles long so you can get a great walk.

That’s me with my Mum. As a child I swam in the sea every year. Nowadays I stick to paddling. These pictures may look tropical but I can assure you that Scottish water is bracing!

My friend Catherine and I went for a walk here on Tuesday.

 

As you all know there are health benefits to walking.

• It’s low impact so good for joints.
• It burns calories.
• It strengthens lower body muscles.
• It reduces stress.
• It’s been claimed to elevate mood.

However, walking in nature is reputed to bring even greater benefits, ‘Research has shown that walking in an environment that has water, trees and open space promotes the greatest feelings of wellbeing, and this goes back to our ancestors roaming the plains of the savannah,’  Dr William Bird, GP. Source.

Ooh and walking on sand is a great exfoliater for the feet!

Do you have a beach nearby that you take walks on? If not, are there nature walks? Do you prefer to walk or run?

As summer is nearly over I promise to quit harping on about the beach, I just love it so much!

Hen Update

I know some of you were worried about one of the hens dying on my watch. No? Oh. I guess that was just me then.

In case any of you were worried, take a look at the picture I snapped today.

Can you spot them both?  Do you remember Where’s Wally? I think in America you called it Where’s Waldo? I always got bored before I found him!

Just to make sure the hens were going to be okay, I stuck around in the garden for a little while, reading my Mum’s magazine and eating grapes.

Oh the burden.

Now I’m going to go pick up Cara, also known as Yoga Baby or Squeak (because she sounds like a happy guinea pig most of the time).

Have a great day everyone!

Do’s and don’ts

Socks and sandals

It’s a don’t.

Deep fried Mars Bar (A Scottish delicacy?)

It’s a don’t. I haven’t tried it but I haven’t tried a heart-attack either and still know I don’t want one.

Going in the Big Brother house with John McCririck?

It’s a DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Spinach in your smoothie?

It’s a do!

In my smoothie:

2 handfuls of the green stuff (If it’s good enough for Pop eye . . .)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 cup unsweetened soya milk

4 tsp chocolate nesquik

half a frozen banana

Method

Put spinach and milk into the vitamix smoothie2go and whir on low.

Continue adding ingredients on low.

Put up to high.

And back to low.

Pour.

I promise it doesn’t taste healthy!

What do’s and don’ts do you live your life by?

The phone rang!

And I got 2 mornings of supply next week, teaching Primary 1! I love Primary 1.

In other news, what happened to Summer? I was so tempted to put my heating on yesterday. I refuse. I absolutely refuse to put my heating on before September. And invited a wee hot water bottle friend to play:

Running around after this little one will keep anyone warm. She’s only 7 months but she’s climbing on the furniture already.

In sadder news, one of my Mum’s hens died.

I know what you’re thinking.

But no, those muffins had nothing to do with it.

The poor hen was just getting old

Plans for today:

• Tesco
• Update blogroll (if you’re not on there, or are on there under an old url, let me know)
• Writing
• Tennis
• Hen duty (My parents left for holiday today, I’m terrified another hen will die while I’m in charge!)

A Breakfast Date

I had company for breakfast today.

2 hot drinks.

2 bowls of banana porridge.

All the fixings.

Perfect Porridge.

Who was my date?

It was the witch in this photo:

Otherwise known as my sister Caroline! We found this picture at the weekend but don’t remember these costumes, we only know they are us because those are definitely my ears! I have no idea why my trousers are hanging out below my bum, unless maybe I’m ahead of my time and trying out this look:

Either way it’s not a look I intend to model again!

Caroline stopped in for breakfast on her way home, it was lovely to have her in town for the weekend. Come back soon Sis! xx

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

What was the first Halloween costume that you remember rocking? Counting the Halloween pictured above I think I’ve been dressed as a cat on at least 5 different occasions!

Warning!

The following is not a health food!

My sister and I arrived at my Mum’s at lunch-time today, after a long walk on the beach.

We were on the hungry side. There had been surfing . . . we were only spectators but that’s hungry work you know . . .

So, anyway, my Mum very kindly offered to make us lunch. Well we begged but she said, ‘I’ll do anything for my girls.’ She made us an epic lunch!

I’d suggest that you don’t start taking photos of your camera-shy Mum as she’s holding a sharp knife. I assured my very generous Mum that I would only take photos of her hands and the food.

Check out my parents’ hens’ eggs. If they were Cadbury I’d be thinking it was Easter.

 

Eggy (French) Croque-Monsieur

Ingredients

2 slices of bread (go with seeded and all is forgiven)

1 egg (or 2 mini eggs)

Tbsp milk

Cheese

Ham

Cooking oil

How to do it

Make a regular cheese sandwich, dip it in egg and milk mixture and fry in a hot oiled frying pan. Continue to flip until cheese is melted. Devour.

Helene is this a French recipe really? What would you call it?

I’m having a really busy and fun weekend, lots of family time and live music. Just what I need!

**Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post- lots of ideas about what people would do if they had extra time on their hands. Today I took Anne’s advice and spent time with the babies around me (while listening to live music on the green)

The baby in green is yoga baby! Love!

I hope you guys are having a lovely weekend. XOXO

I’m scared of . . .

Putting my feet into my slipper boots when there’s a spider in one,

Running out of marmite,

Returning overdue library books (I might get a row!),

The phone never ringing. Schools went back today so I have glued myself to my phones, hoping they will ring with news of supply work. It hasn’t happened yet. In truth it probably won’t happen until flu season hits around November time.

My instincts are telling me to wallow. I feel like getting into bed with some DVDs and chocolate but really I know better. I know that the way to feel happier, more useful, more valuable is to stay busy. Stay busy and accomplish things, whether that’s getting the dishes done, learning to play Chopsticks on the piano or writing the synopsis for a novel. Productivity is vital for self-esteem, I know this through experience (remember I mentioned I have seen a lot of Buffy, can you imagine how many hours that took? No, I don’t consider sitting around for hours watching vamp ass kicking to be productive).

If you had a lot of time on your hands, what would you like to accomplish?

I hope you’re all having a great day, please excuse me while I study the insides of my slippers, it’s getting nippy around here! I may also put on some Bubbles

Versatile Blogger

 

I was nominated for this award the other day by Laura and Neen, thanks girls! 

The rules that are tied in with the nomination are

• Thank the person who gave you the award.
• Share seven things about yourself.
• Nominate fifteen newly discovered blogs.
• Let your nominees know about the award.

7 Things about me

1. When I was a teenager I was in the Joey Lawrence fan club. Whoa!

Joey then:

Joey now:

He still has it!

2. I have had over 50 different flatmates/housemates in my life, even though I’ve lived alone (off and on) for 4 years.

3. In my first year of teaching I became the 150th resident of a small island.

4. My Dad calls me Joey. My childhood best friend called me Jojo, then Jee Jo, then G I Jo. Most of my friends call me Joanne.

5. I have read every Harry Potter book 4 times and seen every Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode at least 4 times.

6. I once kissed (properly snogged) the winner of a t.v. singing talent show, before he was famous, I won’t tell you which one!

7. I went to New York on my own, 2 years ago, when I was staying with my cousin in RI. I got off the bus in Times Square without a map or a plan . . .

I went to see Legally Blonde on Broadway, and was sat in the very last row next to 2 retired teachers from Long Island who invited me to tea in Central Park.

I went to the Museum of Sex and got hit on by 2 security guards, I guess being around all the exhibits was making them randy . . .

I got cupcakes from the famous Magnolia bakery

and stayed in Rye (Home of the amusements in the film ‘Big’) with friends of my cousins who took me yachting on the Long Island sound:

Sorry I was on a reminiscing tangent there!

I have chosen not to nominate more bloggers as all my favourites have already been nominated!

In other news, the poll (on how people like me to respond to their comments) came back tied 3 ways! My plan is to reply to questions on your blogs (unless I get a question from a non-blogger when I would reply here).