YOLO

Not quite the title most would expect.....but there is so much truth in that word (if I can call this a word) I can't help but remind myself - 'Lady, YOLO!!!'

YOLO - You Only Live Once.

And here lies the 'thing' that underlies my recent decisions/choices.

You see, unlike a cat with 9 lives, I have one. And I owe it to myself to live this one to the fullest.
Mohatma Gandhi once said,

'The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others'

So when I say YOLO, it is a reminder to myself that I owe it to myself to live a live that serves :D 

I am sure someone's wondering - 'Why so serious?'. It's nothing like that. However, as I countdown to the end of 2013 I cannot help but count my blessings. Man! What a year this has been! It's easy to get lost in all the things we are yet to achieve and in the process ignore all the things we did achieve, All the friends and family still hanging around to share these moments of love, laughter and tears.

And even when there are no friends or family, the fact we can experience love, laughter and tears is evidence that we can stay fighting, stay dreaming and stay learning from our experiences. And for that, there is reason to be hopeful indeed!

It's with this realisation that I signed up to volunteer with Crisis UK, taking care of the homeless over Christmas. I am looking forward to spending at least 2 days with rough sleepers, attending to their needs, providing food and a listening ear.

I do it because I love it! It is such an amazing feeling being able to smile at someone and they smile back. Being able to share moments of joy and festivities with people all over. Afterall, isn't that what this season is all about?

I am also writing a list of things I need to do next year! This Womble is a dreamer.....as you may have noticed! My blog persona itself is a dream *chuckle. Although it would be lovely to live wombly free on Wimbledon Commons - no rent! no bills! no taxes! *FingerSnapToReality

I am not going to share what I have written out for myself - Sorry lovelies! *hehe. but rest assured this blog is high on that list! So much to do, so little time......Where to start? Here. When to start? Now.

P.S.

Did I tell you I haven't been cooking a lot lately! I know right! All my random kitchen experiments and hastily taken photographs - no more! Oh but I did attend an Intro to Photgraphy course in September. Maybe I shouldn't have said that because now you'll expect some quality shots next time I post pictures *gulp. Definately no pressure there!

Another 'disaster' is the fact I haven't had the chance to explore this beautiful city like I would love to. I have deliberately gotten myself lost by taking walks down streets, corners and sometime alleys I have no clue about. Things have to change #YOLO

Until next time, take care lovelies!!!! :D

Lady xx

April's the month.....

Yes, it all started in April...

I left my old role on 29th March and headed down to London in a Taxi on 30th March with every single thing I own and could carry....everyone seems to have a laugh when they hear I moved in a Taxi.

Don't be fooled, Lol! I wasn't cash rich. I was just blessed that the taxi driver who came to pick me to the train station was kind enough to realise the stupidity of my intentions and actually do something about it!

I mean, how did I expect to get all my stuff on the train and then on the underground and then to where I was going to live? I know!!! At this point you can probably see how much crazy goes on in my head sometimes *coversface. Well I don't apologise for it....life is for the living. And if I have to be a bit 'crazy' to realise things won't work.....no regrets here :D

Where was I? Yes, so I ended up in a taxi to London with a driver who hadn't driven there before. I promised to stay awake and navigate the route on his iPhone for as long as the low battery would permit. I must say, the ride was interesting. He just gave me jokes. Till date my only regret is I didn't take his number to ring him afterwards and say, 'Thank You'. Maybe even send some Christmas cheer to him and his family eii....Lesson learnt.

He kept asking me if I was running away from a boyfriend. Because in his head he couldn't understand why I was leaving an empty house on a Saturday with all my stuff. According to him, that was the only explanation he could give. I convinced him it was none of that.....this Womble was moving to the big city.

And so began what was to be the biggest roller coaster ride and adventure of my life.....at this point feel free to call me a Londoner. For I am hopelessly in love with this city....

Speak soon

 Lady Womble xx

....thanks to Rum-Punch Drunk

I'll be the first to admit I haven't been blogging like I would love to. Honestly, I wish I did. No excuses here......I should find time for things I love.

So why haven't I been blogging? I started this blog wanting to share my life and the experiences I encounter. But along the line I was mainly sharing randoms on what I loved most - FOOD!! You see, I am not a girly girl. I would love to be - if only I could spare the time and money *cue :D
When it comes to fashion, beauty and all that seems to sell and ramp up blog views, I don't match up.

And so I was torn between what direction this blog should take but kept at it any way.

Along the line, life really happened for me. Lol. I cannot even begin to go through the list of things this year had in store for me. I can boldly admit it has been one of my toughest years ever!

Also, my laptop gave up on me. Lol. Yes people, after 2 years of not doing much, my screen decided to abandon yours truly just when I needed it most. This was in October just before my birthday. I was given a 'ridiculous' quote and frankly could not afford to spare the cash so that wasn't happening! Apparently, my laptop is an expensive piece of work - I was given for my birthday 2 years ago so have no way of knowing what it cost.

Now where is this going? Well, between not being here for so long and taking a step back to assess how recent happenings have changed the content I want to write about, I decided to start another blog.

Basically archive this one which I thought was a bit of a mess and start all over - new direction, new everything.

This has been playing on my mind for at least a month and finally, I logged in to take the step and there it was, a comment from Rum-Punch Drunk under my last post.

I guess the title of this post is a big giveaway because reading that comment was a major 'awww' moment for me (Thanks Rum-Punch)

So dearies, I have decided to just continue my story here.

Forgive me in advance if this becomes a mash of thoughts, this, that and everything in between.

I'll do my best to make it work.

On that note, as we countdown to the holidays......may you have a happy one :)

Lady xx

Guess who's back?

I am finally writing a new post.........and if I was a dog I'ld have my tail between my legs right now.

Life has been crazy and so much has happened the past few months I don't even know where to start from!

Bottomline is I finally braced myself and decided to blog. I have come to the point where I think I need to blog. Need an outlet to stay sane.

When I started this, I had no idea what I was doing or what I was going to write. One year later it feels like I'm all grown up (yeah, right!). Like I'm a growwwwwwwwwwwwwn womble! And maybe that will be reflected here, we'll see.

Hopefully the past year has taught me a few things.

I'll just write as I go along. Write what I feel like and maybe share a few womble survival tips.

If I didn't do this today, I don't know if I ever will :)

I've logged in so many times and stopped short of posting an new entry.

It's taken a while, lots of tears, disappointments, fears and heck I've been rendered homeless at some point but guess what......I'm back in the building!

Speak soon lovelies! Love you much and missed this! Missed you! :)

Lady Womble

Nigella Lawson's Coconut and Cherry Banana bread

Hey people! It's been ages! Lol. I know I sound excited and all but it's a new month and so I get a new budget to spend on food *whoop whoop!

I won't lie, it was harrrrrrrrd sticking to my £30 food budget last month. As the month of February drew to an end, I started counting down and working out what recipes I want to try. The good news is, I did it. Yup! Yup! I stuck to my budget. To be fair, I had a lot of things in my shelf and freezer. Having a budget makes me realise just how much food I have even when I think I need to go shopping and also helps me creatively combine ingredients.

Anyway, I found this recipe by Nigella Lawson and have been aching to try it since forever! Lol. Right now, my bread's in the oven and I won't get to try just how well I did till tomorrow :-P but I am quite impressed with what it looks like so far.

You will need:

125g soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing

4 small-medium bananas (approx. 500g with the skin on)

150g of caster sugar

2 eggs

175g plain flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100g of dried cherries

100g of desicated coconut

1 x 900g (2lb) loaf tin

Preheat your oven to  170 C or Gas mark 3. Line your loaf tin with a liner or grease your tin with the extra butter.

Melt your butter, remove from the heat and leave to cool

Peel and mash the bananas 

Beat the sugar into the cooled, melted butter, then beat in the bananas and the eggs. Fold in the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda. Finally, add the cherries and coconut.

 Fold well so everthing is combined, then pour into the lined loaf tin. Bake for 50 mins, but check after 45minutes. When ready, the bread will come away from the sides of the tin and will be bouncy on top. Leave it in the tin for 10 mins before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

I just checked mine and will update this post with the final outcome if I can hold out long enough to take a picture :D

Meanwhile, in other news......I made this before I started with my bread

Sneak Peek........

Homemade Popcorn

Soooo it's Valentine's day tomorrow and I am guessing movie night as well?

If you are anything like me then you probably love to eat at the movies. Lol. I will eat anything - ice cream, sweets, popcorn. Yup, popcorn, the most common movie night snack.

We all know I am on a budget so any valentine plans for me, myself and I will have to be budget-based. I have been a good girl and of my £30 I still have £5 to spend for the rest of the month. Lol.....that's £5 for 2 week *gulp.

My plan this year is for a home-based Velentine's day. I am trying to play around with standard ideas using what I have at home. Afterall, nothing beats a home-cooked meal from a loved one...I hope *side eye

I think this recipe will be useful for mums as well as it is cheap and you are able to control what goes into your kid's snack. Here is my recipe for just 1 person. It took less than 10 minutes from start to finish.

I am using just these ingredients. You can use butter instead of oil. You can also add sugar and/or salt. I usually keep my meals simple and as fat-free as possible. It was still tasty without the extras! I promise :)

Gently pour in your oil so it completely covers the bottom of your pot with a very thin layer.

Add your corn to the pot and spread evenly so it completely covers the bottom like this. Turn on your cooker

Replace the lid and cover the hole. Be VERY CAREFUL as the lid and pot will get quite hot. I suggest folding the napkin multiple times before you cover.

You can see the steam trapped in the pot because the hole is covered

Corn is starting to pop

Once your corn is popped, remove your finger and napkin. DO NOT OPEN IMMEDIATELY!! WAIT FOR THE STEAM TO ESCAPE!!!!!!!

 

Every single one went - POP!

I just made this and headed straight to my computer to blog about it and it's already gone! All of it *coversface

.....Ah well, it was made to be eaten :-D
Take care lovelies,
LW xx

The Guardian features the Wombles

Whoop Whoop!

Yesterday evening, I was going about my business oblivious of the fact that the Guardian newspaper had released a feature on me and mine. Apparently, the world wants the Wombles back! It's ok world, I'm here! *hehehehe

Here's the feature and you can link in to the actual publication by Stuart Jeffries here

                      The Wombles at 40 – why we need them more than ever

They play golf, live for three centuries – and turn 40 this week. Here's to the gang of stuffed raccoons from 1970s kids' TV who showed Britain how to recycle

Time for a party … Wombles showed selflessness and community spirit, writes Stuart Jeffries. Photograph: ITV/Rex

Who would win a fight between a Womble and a Teletubby? Why did the Wombles' 1970s mission to teach a nation not to litter fail so abjectly? How did they, as Marvin Gaye would put it, get it on? Forget about the wonders of the ice age: as the Wombles of Wimbledon Common celebrate their 40th birthday, these are the questions that need answering.

Let's tackle the first question. Obviously your Teletubby, while having much the same BMI as your mature Womble, is bigger and thus more terrifying in a smackdown scenario. That said, the former's gaudy colour scheme (Tinky Winky purple, Laa-Laa yellow) would make a surprise attack unlikely on even a very slow-witted Womble (I'm thinking of Tomsk, who has the lowest womble IQ and, as axiomatically follows, likes golf). Plus, because each Teletubby contains a sweating actor who's going to sack their agent as soon as they get out of their fur suit, they aren't exactly going to chase down their preys like cheetahs. Wombles are stuffed, and have no such motivational issues. Wombles, unlike Teletubbies, have vicious little eyes and snouts that suggest powerful teeth – both good in a scrap. They also have retractable claws, decisive in close combat – and definitive proof that 1970s kids' TV is better than today's.

Wikipedia puts about the nonsense that wombles are raccoons. Do raccoons wear scarfs, spectacles and hats? Aren't raccoons, in fact, known for tipping up bins rather than initiating community-wide, proto-recycling initiatives? A Womble's life span, unlike a raccoon's, may be as long as 300 years (the Womble song Minuetto Allegretto refers to Great Uncle Bulgaria as being a lad in 1780: you do the maths). This may explain how Great Uncle Bulgaria beat Britain's fascistic immigration system. Long-lived, species-non-specific stuffed animals rarely require visas, even when travelling from outside the EU. The great tragedy of the Wombles is that their mission to make Britain tidier now looks like a sick joke. The concept was dreamed up in 1968 by the late children's author Elisabeth Beresford, and later adapted for TV by means of Ivor Wood's brilliant stop-motion animation, an adorable Bernard Cribbins' narration and Mike Batt's undying theme music. It is as laughable as the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. Think of how last month's snow encouraged some dog owners to believe they had a free pass to let their pets befoul the pavements, rather in the way that Mike Batt's Wombling Merry Christmas befouled the singles chart in December 1974. Actually, that's unfair: there was much worse stuff (Mud's Lonely This Christmas, for one).

Did the Wombles clean up their own mess? A rhetorical question: of course they did! When they went for a walk, Tobermory would lead the way, followed by Orinoco, who carried a bag for Tobermory's waste, followed by Bungo, who was tasked with bagging Orinoco's. Tomsk, Wellington, Madame Cholet, Stepney and even Cousin Cairngorm McWomble the Terrible would follow in orderly fashion. Otherwise, Wimbledon Common would have become a vast Womble latrine. Who bagged Tobermory's waste? We may never know.

The selflessness and communal bonds that the Wombles demonstrated weekly from 1973 to 1975, the basic respect they urged for our streets, commons, one another and by extension, the planet, are widely missing from our age. We need Wombles in 2013 – but where are they? The likely truth is that the Wombles have retreated underground for good, never again to shake their snouts at the overground mess we have made. The same is true around the world: Elisabeth Beresford imagined that each country would have a Womble colony, but they are now nowhere to be found. Apart from the Singapore Wombles, who can and often do eat their dinners off the city's pavements, so clean is it there. (True story.)

Finally, how do Wombles get it on? Well, first they retract their claws. Empathetic in so many ways, they are, we must suppose, thoughtful lovers. And then? None of your business.

Hair update

'A mind is a terrible thing to waste
......a waist is a terrible thing to mind'


I dunno why I wrote that? Maybe because I can? Lol. Happy new month everybody! I am just so excited I finally get to go grocery shopping. Lol. I said I was sticking to a budget in this post and so far I have spent £12.27 on items with long shelf lives.

I have been getting tons of private emails about my hair. Lol. I have stuck to my deep conditioning method I blogged about on this post and I took some pictures of my hair on Sunday. The only change has been to omit the Avocado. Avocados are no longer in season and so are hard to find. That means if I do find them they will cost me an arm and that I am not willing to pay!

I tweaked my 'recipe' and I have omitted avocados ever since. I have also trimmed my ends 4 times since that post. WAIT! Before you scream, 'that's a lot', I haven't had a trim in forever! The first couple of times was me trimming my ends equally and the other 2 were 'search and destroy' missions where I trimmed strands that looked......should we say distressed? Lol.

Look at all that shrinkage! Lol. My hair is now BS length and I can tell it has grown since my last post which was also the last time I bothered to check the length. Bear in mind I have trimmed it 4 times and this is what's left. Lol

I have a jar of Mayo I use exclusively for my hair and this cost me 45p. My jar of honey cost 99p and my hair still grew. Do the maths and give your verdict. Lol

I finally finished my Boots shampoo on Sunday! Whew! Now I can hunt for a sulphate-free alternative that's better for my hair. I have some Lush bars I have decided to try. We will see how it goes when that happens. Lol.

And I have to mention I finally succumbed and installed a weave! The last time I did that was in July of 2011. I gave them up because the stylists I went to always competed to see who could pull my brains out of my scalp! I am not even joking! They braided my hair so tight my edges were non-existent! This one time, my scalp actually bled from the middle *shudders. I just got tired of the whole thing and decided to never subject my hair to all that torture.

It hasn't been easy keeping up with my hair and I admit I still don't do it as much as I should. Well on Sunday I caved in. I remembered this abandoned pack of weave from back when I used to have them, sat in front of my laptop and put the thing in myself! No aches, no pains, no breakage, my scalp's fine and my hair's protected. Lol.

Quite proud of my closure. This was my first look in the mirror and I went back to 'fill in the blanks' Lol

Some parts needed attention and I fixed that after taking these shots. I was quite proud of my work at the end of the day and will probs be doing this again. Lol

 Finally, my jar of honey is empty and before I recycle, I had to pay tribute to the Tesco value brand. Lol. This was replaced by the Tesco Everyday value brand and I will never see this label on the jars again. Quite sad. Tesco value and I have history mehn! Emosh! Lol.....plus I prefer the old brand on the honey jars! Yes! I said it! I don't always like change :-(

Gone but not forgotten........*throws into the recycle bin

P.S

Happy World Nutella Day!!!

I was going to post a recipe, I promise but in the end I started with this one and ran out of nutella :-(

You will need:

A teaspoon

1 jar of nutella

A mouth full of 'sweet teeth'

Method:

Unscrew your jar of nutella.....easy, easy does it, you have to coax the lid off like you are soothing a baby.

Grab your spoon, climb into bed and stab that jarful of chocolatey brown goodness......because in life, everyone deserves a break.

Love you darlings! xx

LW

Ox Cheek Curry

I can barely breathe.

Just finished washing up after dinner and all I can say is there will be a repeat performance of this masterpiece.

I have never cooked with this cut of beef before but when I saw it at my local supermarket, I couldn't resist picking it up. I decided to make a curry with it and ended up having 2 platefuls of food for dinner.....I know right, so bad! The beef was ooo so tender and moist and I absolutely loved it. Anyways, I've packed up the rest and it's sitting in the fridge. Thankfully I barely resisted picking at the chunks of tender beef just sitting there, drowning in the curry. Key word -  barely because I am certain I heard them calling out to my mouth for help!
You will Need:

500g of meat of choice. I am using Ox cheek.

1 medium onion

1 table spoon of tumeric powder

1 tablespoon of mild curry powder

2 stock cubes

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

3 cloves of fresh garlic or 1 tablespoon of pure garlic pure

2 potatoes

3 carrot sticks
Pinch of salt to taste. 

Water

24 hours*hehehe

My meat in the pack

Cut your meat into bite-sized chunks and place in a bowl. My meat came fresh from the supermarket's sterile counter and it wasn't sitting in any moisture so I did not wash. Also, I am going to marinate for 24hrs and washing would introduce moisture which means my meat will be a breeding ground for bacteria after 24hrs. I also use the red board which is clearly marked to cut meat. A different board for fish and a different one for vegetables. Tell me what you think.

Chop your onions and add. The green board is strictly for vegetables.

Add all your spices and seasonings as listed above

Mix thoroughly with a spoon.

 At this stage, cover your bowl with cling film and  leave to marinate overnight

After a good night's rest and a hard day's work, 'dump' your meat into a pot. Lol

Fill the pot with water till it is just above the meat

 Leave to boil, occasionally checking the contents of your pot and topping up the water.

When your meat is almost ready top up with water and add salt to taste

Slice your carrots and potatoes

Add these to your pot. Make sure you place them on top and do not mix through. Cook for 30 mins

.....and there you have it. Me and my dinner, sitting cheek to cheek

 Whilst this was cooking I was busy baking a cake. The contents of my fridge tend to dictate what I do these days and since I had some things that needed eating I decided to 'throw' them together and make a cake.

Take care lovelies xx

L.W.

......Horses, Eating-Out and a Budget

Will I eat a horse? I don't know
Can I eat a horse? I don't know
Have I eaten a horse?......I don't know.

That's the situation the recent horse meat in burger scandal left me in even though I can't remember the last time I bought a frozen burger. I remember my last burger though. It was made with beef from the Royal Farms and I covered it in this post . I have no problem with people eating exotic meats or trying new dishes. But introducing large amounts of pork and horse meat into the beef supply chain is ..... interesting?

I have always been aware of what I eat. Growing up, I was never a pork eater and I don't remember eating pork actually. However, a change in environment to the land where pork is in practically everything meaty has meant that I end up eating and buying dishes with pork without realising. And you know me, I won't throw it away. Lol. When I spend, I make it worth every while.

Anyway, the recent 'horse-meat in beef burger' scandal sent my 'spidey sense' tingling. Well maybe not exactly 'spidey senses', more like 'mousey senses' seeing as I've been told I can be nosey. Ok, let's forget I said anything *wide grin

I started thinking a lot about my food and what goes into it and watching episodes of Food Inspectors didn't help as I was left dazed at the state of some restaurant kitchens.......think ants, roaches, rats, the whole lot! I hear over a million people fall ill yearly from eating dodgy meals.

I have never been a fan of eating out or pre-packed meals but I must confess you can find solace in these simple pleasures especially when you want to add variety to your affairs. And variety is the spice of life - so I've been told.

Between this happening to supermaket supply chains and freaking out at the way people handle food, I think I will pass on eating out. I admit, it will be hard to completely rule this out but hey, it's worth a try. For starters, I can rule out eating at certain places. I am not one to call names but I think I have an idea of things to watch out for when choosing a restaurant and what questions to ask.That said, if you ever want to take me out to dinner and pay, I might consider *hehehehe.

Finally, I am returning to my monthly budget of  £30 on grocery shopping. I know some people will say that's unreal but just 3 years ago, that's how much I spent on food. Seeing as that was before the VAT increase and the food price hike, it might be a challenge but we'll see how I survive.....if I survive. Lol. I usually give myself an allowance of + or - £10 so I am not completely stranded and starving.....don't expect any more shopping from me this month. Will be nice to see how this goes. *hehehe


In the meantime, here are some basic tips to consider.

Picture Source: http://www.canfightbac.org/cpcfse/en/safety/logos_images/library/

Later Lovelies,
LW xx

First Snow of 2013

I spent my weekend in bed cos I was ill. I haven't exactly been eating in the past week so when I fell ill, my goodness! I alternated between being dizzy and being unable to stand. Trust me, you don't want to be sick on an empty stomach.

I made up my mind I had to be ok by today so I can make it to work and that's exactly what happened. Lol. I woke up at 5am and force fed myself half a pear. Then on my way to work I grabbed 2 slices of white bread and continued the force feeding. I could not finish it and had to throw the rest in the bin. Ah well, at least I managed to keep some food down.

I wasn't too surprised to see snow as I was expecting it all weekend. I loved the freshness of the air and the fact it wasn't too cold. I even went out without my scarf and gloves *smug

I have always wanted to take pictures of my trip to work in the morning and I was glad I finally did. Lol

 

Hello Everybody! :-)

A Womble’s Musings…..

I remember a conversation I had some months ago about the rise in divorce rate. I wondered what was responsible as in the past, people stayed together longer. The reply I got was, “People put up with a lot of nonsense back then and they shouldn’t have. They didn’t have options”.

I also remember seeing a video on Facebook. Basically, someone had secretly recorded a family’s private conversation on a train – complete with audio. His friend made a comment about how she would not appreciate if he did that to her. Others applauded his ability to record the video without detection. His argument was, 'It is perfectly legal to record people in public without their consent”.

Why do I remember so much all of a sudden? Well I read a publication that touched on the legality of restraining passengers on planes. Seeing as the captain has a major say on this, it made me wonder who restrains the captain or even decides if he is disruptive? ….. I really don’t want an answer to that.

Web Image

I am no expert and you can argue that I am not even human (seeing as Wombles are imaginary. Lol) but here’s what I think.

Society has advanced to a point where people are becoming extremely selfish. Man/Woman/Not Gender Specific is inherently selfish. I know I am and I don’t deny it. We have always been, are and will always be so. What has changed? We are evolving our selfishness to extremes and I worry what legacy we will leave for our future generations. But then again, do we really care (selfishness)? And will they care what they leave for their future generations (advanced selfishness)?......and thus continues the viciously degrading cycle.

I think people are less willing to ‘walk in another’s shoes’. Let me explain. I am selfish but before I do anything involving another person I ‘walk in their shoes’. For example, I want to meet up with you, I’ll consider your location, schedule and current situation to make sure what I propose is convenient for you. I’ll plan well in advance in case we have to commute to the venue. This will ensure it’s cheaper. If I will be in your area anytime soon, I can arrange our meet up to coincide with my visit…….you get the drift? That’s what I call ‘walking in another’s shoes’.

Now, back to my conversation on divorce. I don’t entirely agree that people who stayed together through thick and thin did that because they had no options or put up with ‘nonsense’. Surely there are people out there who are happy in their marriages and have always been. Maybe people were: More considerate? More tolerant?  More willing to ‘walk in their spouse’s shoes’? More understanding of the fact that although we are selfish, we should learn to accommodate others and treat them well? …………maybe, just maybe people were less selfish?

And for our secret cameraman, my question is: Why did you have to hide the camera? Surely you could have let them know or asked them before you started filming? Maybe a part of you was unsure? Did you suspect they would not be entirely happy to let you film them? I think your need to do something like that secretly says it all – you probably shouldn’t have filmed that family. Whether it was legal or not, was it the proper thing to do? Hmmmmmm…..

As for passenger restraining, all I can say is I owe it to myself and other passengers to ensure I am well-behaved. Whenever I am in a public place, I am aware that I should treat it better than I would treat my private space. It is public and I need to maintain/use the facilities or area with the awareness that it belongs to the community/people – don’t even get me started on people who put the sole of their shoes on bus seats or office chairs!!!! Or people who spit/pee in the streets!!!!! :-O

Ah well, I don’t reckon anyone will spare a dime for my thoughts but there. All this musing ‘has me knackered’ so I’m off to my burrow where it’s warm :-P

Do let me know what you think.

Love Always,

L.W           

P.S

Happy 150th Birthday London Underground :-)

Roast Chicken anyone?

Here's my (easy) method for creating this masterpiece :-D

1 cooking bag

5 carrot sticks

2 tubers of sweet potatoes

1 small onion

1 red pepper

1 tbl spn of thyme

1 tbl spn of curry

1 tbl spn of ground black pepper

1 stock cube

Chill flakes and salt to taste (optional)

Place your chicken in cooking bag and add your ingredients

Cook at 180 degrees till golden brown and juices run clear. I like my meat to fall off the bone so I cooked for 2 hours.

Done!

Takes about 15 minutes to prepare and you can 'forget' it while it cooks in the oven. Lol. Delish yet a wonderful time saver. You can serve this with steamed veggies, rice, in a sandwich, with cous cous - basically, as you like it.

Do try and let me know.

Love ya! xx

Lentil, Coconut, Aubergine & Zuchini Curry

My darlings! I think I am doing quite well as per my resolve to eat more. It is therefore with great pleasure and a rotund belly that I scribble this post.

First up! My recipe! Yes! Lol. I measured for you all today. It's not that bad, just wierd. I worked with ingredients I have never used before and to be honest, it was fun. I believe the secret of good cooking is - Let your imagination lead the way........and if everything goes horribly wrong, do what I do - don't tell anyone about it *hehehe

You will need

200g of Lentils

 2 decent sized Zuchinis or Courgettes (Medium to Large)

1 decent sized Aubergine (Medium to Large)

4 large tomatoes or 8 small ones, diced

1 tablespoon of Vegetable oil

3 onions (1 red and 2 white) - sliced, diced or both

2 cloves of fresh garlic

20g of grated ginger if fresh. If frozen, 2 blocks

150g dessicated or grated coconut

2 litres of hot water or stock

2 teaspoons of Soy sauce

Fresh chilli or dried chilli flakes (optional)

Rice to serve (optional)

 This recipe is for 4 portions if eaten alone and 8 if served with rice.

Measure out your lentils, rinse and boil in water till soft. I cooked at high heat for 10 mins and left to simmer for 35mins whilst i got up to other things

 

I can'r get over the beauty of this veg! Lol.

Heat your oil in a pot. I don't have my large pots here so used a pan

Pour in your onions

Add your ginger and garlic. I am using frozen ginger. Leave to fry for 5 mins

Pour in your Lentils

Add your coconut and pour in your stock or hot water. Stir

Leave to boil for 5minutes

Pour in your diced Aubergine. I diced this just before I put it in as they tend to discolour quickly once exposed to air

Stir and leave to boil for 10minutes. At this point, I had to change my pan as my dish outgrew the first. Lol

Add your tomatoes

Add your diced Zuchini (Courgette)

Add your Soy sauce

Sprinkle in your chilli if using

Stir and add salt to taste. Leave to simmer for 10 mins

 served mine with rice although on hindsight, I shouldn't have. Lol. the dish is filling on it's own and I am stuffed!

Serve after plating.......like a boss :-D