Ring Bling

This is it, the ring I will wear for the rest of my life as of the 13th September. 

I didn't mean to pick one with quite so many diamonds, it just happened. We were just looking around local jewellers in Hastings for ideas and we stumbled upon this beauty. I didn't try it on straight away, first we had some lunch and a spot of window shopping, but this little sparkler just kept popping into my head. So I decided I wanted to try it on and see what I thought, get it out of my system as it were. So we walked into the friendly little family run jewellers, and pointed out the ring. The shop lady then told us that it was second hand, and because the diamonds go all the way round (yes, all the way round!!) if it didn't fit they couldn't resize. I held my breath as I slipped it on.... and would you believe, it fit like a glove. In my head that was fate giving me a sign that Adam needed to get out the credit card. 

So that's it, the story of how I got my bling. Cute ain't it?

Lunch on the Bus

Lucky for me the company I work for has just relocated, and we just happen to be next door to this beauty. 

Bacon sarnie, mine didn't last long enough to take a pic, this is half of the take away I got Adam. The bus in the car park of an industrial bakers, and the bread is awe-some. 

They also make a pretty mean custard danish. (Other cakey goods are available)

Boy Jumper

I have been knitting this jumper for my love for what seems like months, and to be fair it probably has been.

He had better wear it!

The last month or so I have been slowly getting through the sleeves, both at the same time but usually only 6 rows in a sitting so I don't lose my place in the pattern. Although the colour is dark, and the pattern simple those sleeves have helped me pull my shizknit together. I got a little overwhelmed recently and everything seemed to be getting on top of me. You know that feeling you get when it's 2 steps forward and 1 back, I was feeling like I had to get so much done and was drowning in self inflicted lists and projects. So I made a conscious decision to stop, just stop. So I put down all other hobbies, fledgeling and established and focused on those sleeves.

Best thing ever, not only did it mean that I actually got to finish one of my biggest knitting projects to date. It also meant I could give my poor frazzled brain a rest. Now I am ready to get back on it, I am just going to be aware to tackle one thing at a time, and not let it all get on top of me again. Do you ever feel like you take on too much?

Think I got a bit carried away on the sleeves...

Wedding Cake

I don't know how you feel about wedding cake, but personally I think they are overrated. I love cake as much as the next girl but seriously it's just a pretty cake, can you really justify the cost when weddings cost so much already?

So as I've mentioned before I'm taking the plunge and making it myself. I've done the cake decorating classes got all the kit, and now to pick a recipe.

We are both lovers of the traditional fruit cake so it makes sense to stick with that, it also means I can make it weeks in advance as they just get better with time. Preventing last minute cake related stress, see perfect. So far we have done dummy runs with The Fabulous Baker Boys and Nigella.

I think this was the Baker Boys recipe, and maybe Nigella's didn't last long enough for a picture. But ultimately Nigella won out, if only because she gives the quantities to cover 3 different sized cakes. Anything that makes the process as simple as possible is a winner for me. It was also a more suitable cake than the Baker Boys. As lovely as their cake was it was too cakey for us, what we were really after was a heavy, fruit laden, brandy soaked cake, which is what Nigella delivered.

So there we are, now I just have to find the time to bake the 3 different sizes (not eat them) and feed with bandy until it's time to decorate.

Sunday Drinking

It was a bank holiday this weekend, so Adam decided he would like to take me out on Sunday.

This is us out.

It was easy to forget what day it actually was, totally felt like a Saturday. We went out quite early so we could catch a bit of sunshine to go with our drinks, which was lovely, there were so many people out and about. 

To be honest we probably had a few too many, ended up with burger and chips, and tucked up in bed by midnight. I had a bit of a headache on Monday, but it was worth it because I had a lovely evening out with my fella.

North at Easter

I think this picture says it all.

We spent the Easter weekend in Stoke saying with a friend, it was just nice not to be at home. We didn't really do much, but we did eat, a lot. But my favourite meal of the whole weekend was this Steak and Stilton Pie with chips peas and gravy. Mmm Mm it was good, I don't think anything I could say would do it justice.

It was really nice to do nothing for a weekend, but I am looking forward to the coming bank holiday, to crack on with a much needed spring clean in the flat. Although if anyone could recommend a cleaner....

Chinese Cooking

    

        

I have been on a bit of a Chinese kick of late* and with the help of Ken Hom I've had a go at some of the old favourites myself.

As you can see from my terrible pictures I had a go at sweet and sour ribs and won tons with a pork and prawn filling.

The ribs were not really to my taste to be honest, the sweet element mostly comes from the lychees and I'm not a big fan of lychees, so I think it was a bit of wishful thinking that I'd enjoy them. I'm not sure if it's the taste as such, I just think they look like eyeballs and it puts me off. Adam liked them though, so half a win.
It was quite a long process too, which I didn't really mind because it was something new, but I don't think I'll be trying them again.

        

The won tons on the other hand were crazy delicious, a little on the salty side but I just have to make a mental note not to add so much in the seasoning if I try them again, which I probably will. The recipe did make a 'ton' of them though, so next time I'll wait till we have friends round and share the love.
I managed to get the skins from a local Chinese supermarket, they come frozen and are really easy to use. They even taste good the day after, we had loads left, the bunch on the plate below was probably about half of them.

It was nice to try something out of my comfort zone, and discover that it's actually not that difficult.



*My Chinese kick was actually a few weeks ago, but I kinda hit a bit of a hobby wall. With the wedding and other projects I had stupidly decided to start, before finishing the last I was feeling a little overwhelmed. So I decided to stop it all including blogging for a while and just focus on 1 project (knitting a jumper) until the feeling passed. Happily I think I have managed to get back some control of my crazy brain, and I'm ready to crack on.