I've been so busy reading other people's wonderfully funny and informative blogs since I started this blog of my own, I've neglected to blog myself since 2010 began! However, I am here now.

I baked a fair bit over Xmas and New Year cos I worked in a clinic setting rather than on a ward. The most popular, was a slice I found on a blog here that went 'like snow aff a dyke' as they'd say back home. I tried museli muffins too but not sure I'll make them again.

I don't know what I do, or maybe more accurately don't do, when it comes to making fudge or tablet but I just don't seem to have the knack. I made several batches from the same recipe and they all turned out different! It was eaten but I feel that was more because it's sugary sweet than for it being delicious. I think I'm gonna have to admit defeat with this particular kind of confectionery.

I dragged out my card making stash too over this last week. Sorted some stuff out into my recently purchased wheelie drawer unit and bought shit loads of new bits n bobs too *hangs head in shame* Really, I think Spotlight and Lincraft should come with a government warning for those of us too weak to resist the shiny, pretty things they sell. Given all the stuff I haven't used, I really shouldn't have bought more but hey it was soo pretty and I could see all the cards I could make and....I won't continue to embarass myself by trying to justify my expenditure!

I did have to buy some templates for my cuttlebug though or else my partner's lovely Xmas gift would have gone unused and that would be very rude ;-p I'm enjoying the technical edge the cuttlebug has given me instead of just matting and layering. I can emboss designs onto card to add interest or use templates to cut out shapes. I'm having fun playing with it.

I'm not the best card maker in the world and the finish tends to be a little messy sometimes (which bugs the Virgoan in me no end) but I do try. I need to keep going with it but could probably simplify my designs and use different papers. I'm not a girlie pink gal so tend not to use those colours. Expanding my repetoire but not my stash of supplies is the name of the game I think hehe!

The other project I must finish is a stitched gift I began around this time last year... I know it's pitiful isn't it?! I bought another one for someone else and that needs done pretty sharpish as a birthday present in the next couple of months.

Where am I going to find all the time? I could spend less time on the computer but then I'd miss reading the wonderful blogs I've been following and all the tips and recipes I've picked up. *sigh* Nevermind, I'll survive.

A new regime

Having just ingested half a pizza cos I was too lazy to cook something to eat, *blush* I've decided on a new regime for my partner and I. Now I have consulted him on this regime and he is in agreement, despite his initial eye rolling on my opening statement of "I've had an idea" (he hates when I say this cos it usually involves him having to do something he reeally doesn't wanna do!)

I was gifted a book by Santa, that's written for people who are a bit tight on cash and looking to eat cheaply but healthily. My idea is to use recipes from this book to expand our repertoire and try to be a little more organised with our food shop. We might also try a weekly meal planner but one step at a time.

Frozen foods are handy and easily cooked but not always the most nutritious option. Cooking from scratch is an art really. I watched my partner's mum do a whole big spread for Xmas dinner at the weekend and it was all ready at the same time and tasted wonderful. I was a smidgen in awe of how it all came together.

We both need to lose a kilo or 10 so this plan can only be a good thing. I'm kinda looking forward to it. A new venture to improve my (our) culinary skills and my (our) diet seems like a win-win situation to me.

I'll keep you posted.

body betrayal cont...

I've had to go to the GP today as I have been off work since Monday with this bloody head cold thingy. As I had a temperature and I'm all inflammed in there, he's given me antibiotics for my nose/sinuses and signed me off work for the rest of the week. I'm also no longer sounding like Marge which is an improvement.

GP told me to take double iron tabs too but only for a month then go back to just one a day. This should hopefully help to boost my stores a bit quicker. *fingers crossed*

I was gonna go back to work as was feeling a lil better but you know what? If my body is having issues at the moment then I'm going to try and listen to it and maybe treat it nicely for the next few days and see if it'll come good. I'm not going to get better sooner by going back to work and being all stressed out etc.

So, if the GP thinks I need the time to rest up, I'm not going to argue with him. I only get one of these bodies and I have to start taking a bit more care of it before it gives up on me completely.

I'm not getting any younger you know....but that's a whole other story!

body betrayal

I've got this stupid bloody head cold thingy again! There's some unpleasant ick lurking behind my nose and in my sinuses and it won't come out damnit. I'm speaking like Marge Simpson tho maybe an octave lower. Even my own mother thought she'd rang the wrong number last night when I answered the phone.

My body is falling apart at the moment. It's probabaly fighting back against some wrong doings I have inflicted upon it. Having given up the cigs almost 9 months ago, I thought I'd be starting to feel the benefit but nooooo. Wonky knees, snotty nose, iron deficient yadda yadda yadda.

It's getting old now, oh body of mine. I'd like for you to get back into some kind of order so that I am able to slowly return you to a slimmer fitter self through torture sessions at the gym. I know I have neglected you somewhat over the last 20 years but please just hang on in there and I'll come thru for ya, I promise I will. All you gotta do is stop falling to pieces on me in the meantime.

Now that's not too much to ask for is it?

Staff Xmas party

Staff Xmas parties are always interesting.

You are in a social situation with people you work with. These people may be very pleasant colleagues in the 9-5 setting but things can change when you add alcohol and dancing into the mix.

People sit with the workmates they are most friendly with at work or with their 'group within the group'. It doesn't really make for widespread interaction unless you're willing to get up off your arse and go to talk to someone specific at another table.

You can also find out things about colleagues that you may either find extremely enlightening, resulting in you seeing them in a totally different light OR they give waaaay too much information leading to embarrassment the next time you see them at work.

Given all of the above, it makes me wonder why we feel the need to celebrate with the people we work with. Is it because we may spend more time with them collectively than our partners? We feel that it's like a family situation and you should? Is it a way of bonding? Or is it just another excuse to go out at Xmas and have a drink and a dance? Who knows?

There's always someone having shagged someone inappropriate or gotten so totally blitzed that they've made a complete arse of themselves. It's just the way of the staff Xmas party. Nothing will ever change that. It's like a right of passage maybe.

I attended my work night out last night and it went OK. That's all...just OK. I'm not a very good mixer in social situations but I'm alright with that.

That's just me.

asking questions

Has it ever occurred to you after a while, that you don't really know the people you work with?

That very realisation came to me tonight.

I don't want to know their inside leg measurement or anything but it is interesting to know what's goin on in their lives.

I'm led to believe that it's all to do with asking questions then paying attention to the answers rather than waiting to jump in and have your turn to speak. (I picked up that little nugget from listening to an audio book while wandering around K-Mart last week.) It seems very straight forward and forehead slappingly simple but few of us practice it...and I include myself in that group.

So, I might give this 'question asking' thingy a whirl. You never know what you might find out about someone.

Jx

infomercials

aaaaaah the joys of the infomercial.

How did we survive without these products before the late night infomercial told us in just 30 minutes, exactly what we were missing? I have no idea...really.

Kitchen gadgets, cleaning machines, beauty products and exercise equipment. It's all there for you if you are willing to pay in easy installments and are one of the first 500 customers to receive an extra special free gift. To get these things, all you need do is pay the P+P and it'll arrive on your doorstep with a 30 day free trial. It's kinda scary.

They even use 'famous' faces to sell this stuff e.g. Cindy Crawford, Delta Goodrem and the likes. These stars witter on about the change this product has made to their lives in the hopes that some poor schmuck with a credit card and itchy phone finger will believe the hype and dial that number.

The fact that I know all of this information just shows that I need to go to bed muuch earlier than I do now. I also need to put away my purse and find a cure for the itch in my phone finger ;-)

Jx