Happy New 2015

The New Year is less than an hour away. I'm in my cosy lounge by a roaring coal fire.

The Christmas Tree lights are on.

The house is tidy. The Uni one got safely back to The North East to spend the celebrations with her Young Man. The teenage one is at his girlfriend's house. The HG is watching Duck Dynasty on the TV. I'm quite impressed, he's still awake. Normally he watches half of his programmes with his eyes shut!

I do not make resolutions. I love reading yours though. I cannot stand all the 'New Year New You' crap the industry churns out.  But I do love reading what you lot are up to! My memory is too rubbish to do a yearly round up. I love reading yours though. I am such a lazy blogger! I love reading yours!

I bought some softer than clouds wool today to knit a little TeddyBear from a pattern my Ma in Law has. She's been churning them out one a night! I've been making Pom Poms trying out my cute little makers seen on that Kirsties fill your house with crap programme. I've restarted an Entrelac scarf. The kitchen cupboards are tidy and well stocked.
The freezer is chocker full of stuff that needs eating up. We bought a 25kg sack of spuds for less than £5 before Christmas. Plus I've a load of veg left over from Christmas to go at.
I've watched and laughed my head off at Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas programme. She is so clever. So many  hilarious sketches. Especially the Faux TV AD for 'SlippedOnAChipDotCom'. Did any of you see it?! I finished a little hat for my friend's adorable baby girl. 

Right, Jools and his Annual Hootenanny has just begun. I'm off to pour myself a cheeky Bailey's on ice. I wish you all peace, love and light in 2015 xx

Love from

Rachel *content to not be a party animal* Radiostar xx

Boxing Day Delights

Hello lovely folks who read my blog. The delight is being able to relax and have a lovely stress free day!
What did you make of the Christmas fuss this year? Ours was grand. The turkey, what had previously frolicked in the dappled sunlight of the organic farm it lived on, was delicious. The stuffing was delicious. My goose fat roasted parsnips and potatoes were delicious. The sprouts I cooked a la Heston Bloomingnutjob were delicious. The giblet gravy was delicious. The chestnuts that I bought, split the skins of, roasted, cut my thumbs to ribbons peeling , might have been delicious - I wouldn't know- we forgot to eat them!!
After a delicious starter of prawns and shrimps and CHRISTMAS Pudding and custard to finish we didn't eat another thng all day.
Nope: not the ham I boiled then glazed;not the afore mentioned chestnuts; not the delicious array of cheeses and pates; not the luscious salad ingredients; not the pickles and chutneys; not a Scottish oatcake was nibbled.
We had ONE white Ferraro rocher thingy about 9pm. Gluttony is a really terrible affliction.

All that 'cold tea' stuff might be eaten tonight....but I doubt it. You see we had our Boxing Day tradition of cold Turkey and stuffing, REAL chips - made with Cyprus potatoes- peas - tinned - and leftover gravy about 1pm. ( it's now 6.15pm ). I'm suspecting we were still too full from yesterday as no one in this food stuffed house is hungry! Fortunately stuff has good dates on it and it'll all be eaten up in the days to come so worry ye not! I'm going to bake ham and Pea soup with the ham stock tomorrow. Absolutely no waste here.

The uni one and her brother were suitably grateful for their gifts. They surpassed themselves with our gifts too! A personalised phone case for the HG, tickets for a Stately Home visit for us both and a cake pop stand for me! But what was best is that they stayed downstairs with us for most of the day. Yes each had their phones clamped to their hands for romantic correspondence with their respective beaus. The Young Chap who us courting my daughter spoilt her with an expensive watch, a bracelet, perfume, a weekend away ( in Leeds - which just made me cackle - mainly to block out ANY thoughts of the fact my daughter is a grown up doing grow up activities ) and a bottle of orange liqueur that I can't spell. Dissorrrono??!!
The Little Witch  Blonde Sweet Girl who is currently bewitching my boy with her big blue eyes and long Rapunzel like tresses bought him a book, chocolate, a teddy and some aftershave.
Actually, both of my offspring have very good taste, both choicees are polite, clean smelling and clever! The HG and I thoroughly approve!

My best present was a Collabro CD from the HG. I BLOODY WELL LOVES IT! I don't even care it brings my rock chick cred score to around minus 17. Incase you don't know, they are a group of five blokes who won Britain's Got Talent by singing in deep harmonius voices tear jerkers from Les Miserables etc! Google Bring Him Home. Watch it on You Tube and give them a standing applause in your lounge. My neighbours will be thrilled ( as I likes to sing in the kitchen, with the door wide open ).

I bought the HG a chair torture contraption massage heated chair thingy. It sits on your chair, you sit on the thing. It has massaging balls that move up and down your back. We've both had a turn. It makes you go
Ooooo
Arrrggghhh
Bloody hell
 Owwwwwwww
Is this good for me???
Ahh I like that one
Owwwww
Make it stop!
Most relaxing!


Here are some obligatory photos of my wares.
Jamie Oliver provided the recipe for my mince pies this year.

Before

After!

I've made a Gingerbread Santa's Sleigh chocolate holder.

Ready to be baked. 

Under construction...

I has to chisel his legs a bit! 

Much use of candy melts, icing, sprinkles and glitter. I was covered!! 

Rudolf in position... 

I loved making this!! 

And finally, here is Harry sporting the jumper I knitted for him.

He looks adorable in it! For those who are maybe new here, those white flashes in his eyes are not the camera. It's the bloody Bilateral Retinolblastoma. For more info have a look on my side bar at Harry's page. Maybe Google Chect's Know the Glow campaign too.

Right, it's 7pm and time for a wee Boxing Day Buffet Bonanza*



Lots of love from
Rachel CHRISTMAS FACE Radiostar
Xxx

*maybe a sliver of cheese and a pickled onion!!

1.34am I've got Flu

 It's 1.35 ish early hours of Monday morning. I cannot sleep. Thought I'd write a long overdue blog post.

Friday night I started feeling a bit off it. Saturday morning, I walked like a 99yo lady to the Post Office along the sheet ice. I noticed my back and neck aching. An hour or so later then BAM. Shivering, teeth chattering, feeling like I'd been kicked from here to Kingdom come. Then boiling hot, sweaty flushes. Then the coughing. Cough cough cough cough cough, producing nothing but eyes watering and a burning in my chest.  Max strength drugs redeployed and I half heartedly directed the boy from the sofa as he put the Tree up. He did a splendid job. To be truthful I could not be bothered at all and that is not. Like. Me. At. All.

Today, I woke feeling a bit brighter but went rapidly downhill again at lunchtime. I've dozed on and off. Sweated, froze, sweated, froze, coughed etc etc. it's pissing me off. I've had to ring in sick for tomorrow as I feel like a limp lettuce. My skin hurts to touch it. I'm currently in my Baltic Bedroom with no covers on feeling like I'm burning and on fire. Trying not to wake the HG as I try o do my hacking cough thing quietly. It's like I'm trying to get a hairball up!

I blame the children from Night Owls who coughed in my face on Thursday. Ugh.


So what's new? Well, we went to Newcastle last weekend to see the Uni one ( and Fenwick's windows ).

Her house is FREEZING. Emergency draught excluders were made out of a hamster eaten jumper and the journey home was a delight. If delights are terrorising journeys over the Yorkshire Moors in zero visibility fog with your Ma in Law in the back making helpful comments like "ooo we can't see!"
Things were tense.

I finally finished Harry's jumper.

Just started a little pink hat. Erm, the Lemon Curd was lovely and the HG has bought me a Santa's Sleigh mould for chocolate or gingerbread. I feel so ill though I'm peed off I've not had chance to mess about with it yet. I've not even made a mince pie!
It's Work's Do on Saturday - I sincerely hope I'm better before then!! I hate being off work - especially at this time of year - it's my absolute favourite time.

Right I'm going to add some photos and catch up on reading some blogs. Hopefully I'll fall asleep soon.

Rachel *Flu ridden* Radiostar

Ps, it is Flu and not a cold!

Still here

Still here...mainly lurking! Been busy with the daily grind.  Those daily non adventures I told you about in my bio bit. Am off to make lemon curd now. Proper blog post soooon!
Live from
Rachel *putting off a blog post *Radiostar

The cold edition - a week on

Hello folks. I'm still with us! The cold did not finish me off - and thank you lovely Bloggy chums for your lovely comments x

The remnants of the cold remain. It's The. Cough. Still non productive. And it's a bit like Pringles. Once you start, you just can't stop. It's gone beyond Tena on the cough scale. . It's now a more worrying Prolapse Inducing Strength. One has to now cross one's legs to stop one's undercarriage bursting forth like a scene out of Alien.

Soooo what's new? I dragged my sorry carcass back to work last Wednesday. The weekend whirled by most quickly due to the fact I spent the whole of Saturday with the Teen, in that there London. We travelled down on the 'Crack of Dawn' train. I snored. On the train! I was tired from not sleeping the night before due that thing where you wake up on the hour every hour because you know you cannot sleep in AND probably because of my Deathscalator angst. You may remember my phobia - posted here http://eternally28.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/escalators-or-as-i-prefer-to-call-them.htmlI thought that I'd just shut my eyes till we get to Crewe and I was at that halfy halfy point of dropping off, when at EXACTLY the same time I was thinking "What IS that noise?" The Teen elbowed me and hissed,
 "Wake up, you are snoring!"
Oh the shame! I asked him how many snores I'd done. He said two!! I think it was rather more a low down snort than a snore because I'd been dreaming about wild boar! ( I'm re watching Lost from the beginning - there's wild boar in that! ) I asked him why he'd  not stopped me at ONE snore??
He said - and this is where I cringed - 'WE', WE( ???? ) didn't know where the noise was coming from!'  With it being dark outside ( another reason why I hate dark mornings ) the train windows effectively become mirrors and you can easily see all your surrounding travellers. I think I must have snored/boar snorted once and everyone was looking at themselves saying what was that???? Before all their eyes settled on me!

Oh the shame!
Anyway we were in London to look at the IFS University College. There were thousands more people than usual because there were Trade Union protests about Low Wages. I nearly had my eye on on several occasions due to their flags on sticks.  I thought I was very brave and professional on the Deathscalators and the Tube. We got to Leicester Square and stopped in a cafe for Brunch. It was here that the crime of the century happened. We chose a bacon and sausage muffin for £3.50 each. Not bad, you might think, for London prices. The ONE slice of value bacon I didn't mind,  the teeny button mushroom sized muffin I didn't mind, the rusk filled, possibly contained some piggy eyelids and nostrils at most,  nasty value sausage I didn't mind. What I did mind was the £3.50 charge for this...

glass of apple juice. Most definitely from concentrate. Most definitely from a value carton. Three pounds bloody fifty. But we were sat in London, it was really warm and we people watched to our heart's content.

Then we made our way to find Lovat Lane. Which is where the University building is. Nowt to do with Sweeny Todd actually. But years and years ago, back whent cobbles were fresh ( it really is cobbled ) it was a lane where the night ladies would ply their trade and it was known as Lovers Lane. We first saw an IFS sign on a giant red building. I tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through the glass revolving door. The smiley security guard came  to speak to us and pointed us in the right direction just across the road to Lovat Lane.  Once we found the correct building I tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through the glass door. ( MUM YOU ARE SOOOOOO EMBARRASSINGGGGGUH ) and a kindly student ambassador showed us where we should be!! We were early. It's only a four minute walk away from The Tower Of London. I'm glad I had the chance to go see The Poppies. Every single walkway around the Tower was jam packed with people. It was a very moving monument and I saw people crying. It was a little crowded for me and we didn't have much time. I took some photos

and vowed to buy one for my Great Grandad who died fighting in WW1 (much to my dismay they
are all sold ). The visit was informative and only served to put the cherry on the top for the Teen, who really wants to go there. This is the view from the top of that red building were were eventually allowed to go in.

That's called the Walkie Talkie!

The train journey home was fun in inverted commas fun. I was sat next  to a right little I'm better than
Most people type. Yawn. He went on and on and on. I daren't go to sleep in case I snored/snorted. It was hot. I'd worn boots. My feet were hot. It was bliss when we finally got home and I could just relax! ( X factor + Twitter = fab Sat night! )

This is turning out to be yet another long waffley post but I've not seen you in ages so I've much to say!
The last week of half term ( an 8 weeker for us staff ) is assessment week for the children. Remember Eyebrows child? Well he has been replaced. My newest most favourite thing a child at school said ever is  this.
Teacher - what is 8x8?
Child - oh man, that's way too hard for me to do. It's like sheep having to do a hundred homeworks. It's un doable!!!!!
SHEEP DOING A HUNDRED HOMEWORKS!!!! That has made me laugh and laugh and laugh this week! I do love my job!

Then. Wednesday night. I did something I've never EVER done before. My friend indoctrined me. It was a bit scary.
I. Went. To. Bingo.
Proper Professional Standard Bingo.
It was  a bright, glitzy, attractive entrance way staffed with jolly smiley faced friendly beings who didn't have to work that hard at taking my money from me! We walked past all the slot machines, to the main hall. A vast, and I mean VAST cavern FULL of people across all the decades. There were family groups, people on their own, couples dating, young and old. We went to the bar and already mesmerised and fully brainwashed by this strange cult, I bought a dabber pen. Turquoise. We chose a seat ( though I did check first whether seats were silently unspoken for - I did not want to upset any
Bingo Mafia Triad types ) and waited for our games to begin.
At the tables there's a machine that you can put money in to participate in extra games and the big Link Up NATIONAL game. I watched people in a feeding frenzy with these games. Shovelling money in as fast as they could. We only played it once. We didn't win, but two lucky beings elsewhere in the UK won £9000 each!

As we settled ( settled is the wrong word here - it's tense stuff concentrating on listening and dabbing ) in for the games I quickly realised that whilst it all seems light n frothy on the top, there's a palpable undercurrent of seething hatred going on for people who were winning! People were very vocal in their disappointment of not getting the line for £10 or the  £100house!! I was genuinely pleased for them!
Anyway. It was a cheap night out for a midweek. I was back by 9.30pm and I cannot wait to go back!!

So it's now the weekend again. The Uni one us back home at the Hotel of Mum and Dad. She's brought her young man too. I made a Cinammon and Coconut beef curry with pea and saffron rice out of this months Sainsbury's magazine. It took ages. As always when trying out a recipe first time, I stick to it. Next time I'll add more of the spices. It was tasty and flavourful but needed a little bit more 'oomph' I thought.

I finally relented ( only because we had a visitor ) and we enjoyed the First Fire Of The Season last night.

Knitting update - the back is almost done.

But I've had my eyes swerved to Entrelac knitting and I'm dying to have a go. That's something I'm going to try this Half Term. I'm stealing my friend's baby for a walk to town with a pram, I'm meeting up with friends, I'm putting off doing the HG Tax return, I'm catching up on all the housework that needs doing and I'm going to be baking with something I found in my cupboard that I forgot I had! And that, will be my next blog post!

Phew, we made it to the end! Thanks for reading if you made it here! What will you be doing with your half term?

Rachel *will probably be going to Bingo again* Radiostar xx

Colds - the Rachel edition

I am writing this in my sick bed. Rather over dramatically, it could be my last post. Because I predict I'm going to die from coughing.
I've spent the full weekend, practically, in bed.
I am blaming the small germ ridden beings I work with. Especially the one who coughed in my face last week.
This is how your cold will go if you catch it from reading my blog. And you might, because I have coughed on the screen a lot. Infact each typed word is interspersed with a bout of coughing. I cannot put my hand over my mouth because I'm holding my iPad with one hand and my forehead with the other.

The word 'cold' is also misleading. You will be sweaty hot at times.

You will start late Friday afternoon with hurty ears and throat.
I whinged about it at work. I went home. Took as many prescription non conflicting drugs as I could find and went to bed very very early.

During the night, you will be up with afore mentions sweats, needing lots of drinks for raging throat ergo bathroom trips too.  I finally gave in n got up around 4am to take more drugs and whinge about it to the people of Twitter. I hauled myself pathetically strengthless back to bed around seven and stayed there. I'm still there now. ( It's Monday morning )

By Saturday lunchtime your throat will cease hurting but the ear pain will be lurking in the background. Before you think oh, well, It's not too bad, the worst is over, it isn't. Your sinuses and  nose will take over.
I got up for an hour or two Saturday afternoon but was soon back in bed. Tired out. More drugs and roll on Sunday.

By Sunday morning, after another sleepless pain filled bunged up night the one niggly ear now will gently remind you it's there. You will also be profoundly deaf. In a little snot bubble of your own. You will need copious amounts of soft tissue to try and blow your brains out through your nose. You will get a pounding headache if you bend down and you will need four hours rest after you exert yourself making a sandwich. Deep joy is on its way.

The deep joy I refer to it the cough. It's a dry, non productive cough. It's a dry non productive cough you like, because you keep doing it. You do it til you can't breathe, you do it til your eyes and your ahem, bladder,  water. Yes, this is Tena strength coughing at its best. You also will probably get a six pack from the stomach tensing going on during these fun filled bouts of non stop coughing.

You will have whinged by text to your real life friends, whinged by Twitter to your Twitter friends and whinged and moaned to your HG and Son in your living room. I also whinged by FB messenger to the uni one.

By nine o' clock Sunday night, you will be wrestling with yourself over calling the boss. You will talk yourself into deciding if you get a good night's sleep ( you won't ), you will feel ok enough ( you won't ) to go to work.

Fast forward to 3am Monday morning. The Internet cure of putting Vicks on your feet and then socks to stop you coughing has not worked. ( I believe anything ) You've a horrible taste of Sinutab in your mouth. You realise that realistically you haven't the strength to get a bra on and deal with 28 needy little beings all day.

7am, you will make the call.  You will probably be shouting because you are still a bit deaf. You will cough down the phone at your boss. You will say how it's affecting your bladder ( why Rachel, why ?? ) . You will admit defeat and accept the inevitability of having to take your first day off sick in
three years. She will be the loveliest boss ever and tell you to stay in bed!
I'm so glad I'm not a boss. Imagine having to deal with various grim symptoms on the phone, and having to HEAR the symptoms too. Nice.

So, having whinged about it elsewhere, I'm now whingeing about it on my blog, to you. I HATE being ill, I HATE having my breathing compromised and I HATE coughing.
I must be ill, I cannot even be arsed with watching telly!!

Please go wash your hands now and take some vitamin C or something! I might be able to sleep a while.

Love from
Rachel *coughs a lot* Radiostar x

Second try at posting

Second week in October already.

Someone on the internets told me there's only 11 Saturdays until Christmas. My ma in law is already writing her cards! When you've got a 20 and a 17 year old it's not as easy to shop for as when you have littlies.  We used to pick stuff up in the sales all year round and stash it away. I fear if I did that these days, I'd forget where things were stashed! This year we generally have no idea what to get them, so I think we will get them nowt!!! ( Yeah, right. ) We will ask them for a wish list - cue an 8 page email from the one at uni with links to a billion frock websites and a request for a £30 lipstick. The boy produced a list of computer parts last year as he wanted to build his own. It was all gobbledygook to me.

Cake has featured heavily in my life lately. We have been having weekly cake sales at work to try and raise funds to reduce the cost of trips etc. Each class, each week is in charge of providing the cakeage.   I nearly slipped into a diabetic coma from the sugar fumes in the classroom last week! Our class made a whopping £170 ish. I made mini toffee muffins and some mini chocolate coated baked doughnuts. This week I made ginger butterflies and little buns with cream cheesey icing. I'm all caked out!!

It's rained a lot too. The weather turned from flip flops to wellies strength overnight. This displeases me. Also. The. Dark. Mornings.
After the discovery of an OMG Dead Spider  in our bed yesterday, it was stripped, hoovered ( yeah yeah a little after the event ) and the semi skimmed 10.5 tog quilt went on. I stifled a sob as I put away the 4.5 tog quilt for a few weeks .... I love it in December when I join them together to make an unctuous full fat 15tog! Also, it's fluffy sheets season! Cosy! 

On Wednesday I roasted a pork fillet for tea that I did with buttery mash, carrots, sprouts ( yay ) peas & gravy. O and these bad boys....

I know, yorkshires on a Wednesday! KUHRAAAAYYYYYZEEEEE! 

The boy asked me if I'd done roast potatoes. I replied 

ROAST POTATOES???? ON A WEDNESDAY???? Are you for real???!!!! 

Um, I can't remember what else I was going to blog about. Wait oh yeah, I WAS due to be on strike next Tuesday, but it was cancelled last night. This also displeased me. I'd made extensive lunch plans involving the pub!

Right, time to get up n get at em, or at least pretend to!

Rachel * mourning for her flip flops Radiostar xx

Ps, I tried to post this this morning but something went wrong and it didn't work grrrr

Fingers crossed. 

Dear Becky,

First of all, you seem, ON THE OUTSIDE, to be a far far braver mama than I. 

You quite calmly write how your firstborn is off to start his exciting independant life http://englishmum.com/sniggering-silly-voices-new-beginnings.html

Having read your blog for yonks ( I know, I said yonks... It's my blog! ) I feel like I've watched him grow into this fine young man ready for anything. ( Not in a stalker way mind. )
I TOTALLY blame the parents. You did a brilliant job.

 I blogged when my firstborn went two years ago. The tears. The tantrums. The histrionics. All mine of course! 
She went back for her third year on the train. All by herself! 

Last night I spent an age and a second mortgage getting train tickets for me n the second born to look round the London School of Finance for his chosen Uni next year. 

If he passes his exams ( he'd better! ) I'll seriously need counselling when he goes!! 

Is it bad then that me and the HG are kinda hoping she stays on at Uni/gets awesome job with mansion included/  instead of coming home next September? That clever almost three year age gap planned second pregnancy actually wasn't that clever at all. To all new prospective parents. Aim for two years max. That way you will be guaranteed a teenage free house for at least the majority of one year!!! 

Of course you will all know I'm joking. I'm dreading the time they finally do flee the nest. 

So Becky, I have a word of warning to your youngest....please be warned that you will be massively over mothered in the next few weeks. You will be cosseted, baked for, loved more! Nows the time to ask for something! 

Love from 
Rachel *been there* Radiostar x 

Barry takes a bath

It's my turn to look after Barry this weekend. ( Barry is the school budgie for those of you who don't know )

He's such a special little bird!

 Plus he matches my garden! Here he is sunning himself. He never shut up chirruping, singing, tutting, squawking, whistling and chatting yesterday. He busied himself mostly flirting heavily with his reflection in the window. He takes himself in and out of his cage at will. Today, I attached his bath for the first time. He immediately clambered across his bars to have a look...then promptly took himself as far away as he possibly could in the corner of his cage. He then alternated his birdy glare betwixt me and the UFO on his cage.  I gave up waiting for him to have a bath and went to put the world to rights with my friend.

I got home to the news that not only had Barry tried his bath out for size, he'd been practically doing the Hokey Cokey with it! My lovely son thought to capture it on video for me, so here you are!
Barry takes a bath! ( doh - video is at the beginning of this post! ) 

Love from 

Rachel *loves Barry* Radiostar

I hate these dark mornings.

I cannot seem to stay asleep much longer than 5am these days and I hate, hate, absolutely hate these dark mornings. In the Summer months ( technically I'm STILL in Summer till the 21st September! ) I get up, set to, put the wash on etc etc but I don't feel like it can do this when it's dark!

I started this post on Monday, I still stand by every word, though today ( Saturday ) I managed a lie in till 5.30am! 

I'm still loving my job two weeks in. Highlight of my week was helping a child with some column subtraction using the base ten equipment and seeing their 'lightbulb' moment. Yesterday I baked before work, making the use of my pre dawn insomnia. I had another go at the rhubarb and custard cakes. The little cardboard cupcake cases are so sweet. 

Today I will be trying out my new Dariole moulds on some fancy pants cheese muffins. I have sooooo much baking equipment/paraphanalia and soooooo little time. 

Oh no, I just realised it's technically the last day of Summer tomorrow. Harrumph! 

I wish it was certainly the last day of Sodding Spider Season. This year seems to be far worse than last. The ones in my house are MASSIVE and I'm not even exaggerating. The last one even HISSED at me*. The one in the hall is the fading star of Stephen King's IT. 

Look! Hideous Beasts. I'm not scared or owt, I simply just DO NOT LIKE THEM. I read a blog yesterday that they do not like mint, lavender and tomato leaves. Or conkers. I think this is a lie. I've witnessed Spider Activity in a green house before AND I once had a bowl of conkers on the table that my cherubs collected years ago that had a spider living in it. 

Another reason for my Shudderation at Spiders is that I can now SEE them more clearly. I may have been behaving like a brat about it but I've just had my first pair of glasses. I blame my right eye. It's rugby ball shaped and makes things fuzzy in the distance. This annoys me. So I went to be tested. The nice man put contact lenses in for me to try. I knew, as he was looming towards me with a little disc of jelly on his finger, that I wouldn't like them. He popped them in. Immediately my eyes tried to rid themselves of the foreign body in them. I was  then sent squinting, blinking, winking, eyes streaming into the shop front to try to find some frames to suit! I tried on EVERY pair in there. From the cheap WHY DO YOU NOT SUIT ME frames to the OMG ARE YOU MADE OUT OF SOLID GOLD LOOK AT THE PRICE frames. 

The shop lady was very helpful and patient - though I bet that was only on the outside, I bet she was more than willing to slap me! ), then a work chum popped in and helped too with the trying on process!  Finally I narrowed it down to the only two pairs in the shop that didn't make me look like  Dame Edna Everage and a couple of pairs of sunglasses. I had a voucher for a free eye test and £50 off my frames. Win. I also had a voucher I could have given to a friend, but the shop lady allowed me to use it against one of the pairs of sunglasses. THEN as I actually knew the shop lady, she gave me her staff 50% discount off my second pair of sunglasses.  Again, I am such a brat! They were ready a few days later. Ooooo I did not like it when I put them on. Everything went fuzzy for a millisecond and I felt swimmy. I felt like I was taking giant steps as I walked in them. As I looked around I felt like my eyes were to slow to catch up to get the image into focus. Now I'm used to them it is a bit like switching to a HD channel on the telly! 

Rare photo of me on my blog folks 

LOOK AT MY WRINKLY EYES. I can SEE these wrinkles now. I am displeased about this. 

HOWEVER, all of the above is NOTHING to what it must be like for Harry. Being held down to have stinging eye drops put in. To have a teeny bit of peripheral vision in one eye only. I would sell my soul to the devil for him to have my prescription. 

Well, the sun is finally up and I need a cup of tea. I love Saturdays :-) 

What are you doing today? 

Oh and thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. To 'Mum', just incase you miss my reply to your comment on FSG Curry, I'd add the curry powder in with the wet ingredients and it'll be fine! X 

Bye for now lovelies 

Rachel *Cheesy Muffin Face* Radiostar! And my houseguest. Xxx

FSG Chicken Curry

This recipe has been asked for from my friends to use to impress their men! Every single time they tell me it worked! It's also the first curry recipe I've shown my soon to be at Uni next September son. He can be the fussiest brat on the planet when it comes to food. But he ate the lot!   I call it my Filthy Sexy Gorgeous Chicken curry.  It's silky, tasty, and divine. The mouthfeel is wonderous. It's based on one of the HB Fakeaways from book one of theirs. As ever, my recipes are also a bit chuck it  in n see. So if you want to try it with different meat or veg, do!  Serves 4 hungry people. 

Here's what you will need. 

Chicken - thighs or breast chopped into chunks

1 400ml tin coconut milk ( low fat is just as good but full fat is OMGFSG! )

2 med onions - chopped as you like em

1 yellow/red/orange pepper ( or what you have ) sliced into chunky slices

1 tablespoon fish sauce ( don't fret if you've none )

3/4 pint stock

3-4 good handfuls dessicated coconut ( gives it an extra coconutty dimension ) ( if I had ground almonds in I'd chuck a handful in too! ) 

Curry paste of your choice - I use 1.5tblspoon korma and 1.5taespoon tikka

Spinach - I use 6 frozen balls 

Herbs if you can be arsed. It doesn't need them really. 

1 tablespoon cornflour

Double cream for a drizzle of extra FSG. 

Right here's what I do. 

Heat a splash of oil in a LARGE deep sided frying pan ( this recipe makes a LOT ) and then fry your chopped onion and the curry pastes for up to 5 minutes. Then add your chicken and fry on med - high heat so it doesn't stew, till golden stirring quite a lot. You do not want to let your curry paste/onion mix to burn. 

Next pour in the coconut milk, then use the stock to rinse out the coconut tin and add this too. Stir. Chuck in the peppers. The fish sauce goes in , add your dessicated coconut then let it bubble for ten minutes. I don't bother with a lid. I'm trying to think if I've remembered everything! After ten minutes you can add the spinach ( I'd add fresh spinach 1-2 minutes before you serve ) 

Mix your cornflour with a dribble or two of cold water to slake it! Make sure your curry is bubbling and then stir in, bit by bit - it will thicken very quickly so judge it 

to how you like it. Cook it out for 3-4 minutes. It's now ready. For super FSG add a swirl of double cream and sprinkle with your fresh herbs! TA DAHHHHHH! 

I serve it with basmati rice - I manage to get it right Everytime somehow! I never rinse it. I fill a large pan with cold water, add a good pinch flaked sea salt. Chuck in my basmati rice. Stir three times clockwise with a fork ( I'm not kidding ) and leave to boil away for 10-15 minutes. If it's almost done and the water has almost gone, I take it off the heat n put a lid on it. If it's almost done and there's a lot of water left ( I never measure ) simply tip away most of the water then put a lid on it. I do my 'put a lid on it ' with the rice about the same time as the cornflour bit in the sauce. 

I also serve warm naan breads to mop up the last of the curry off the plate. 

So, next time you fancy something good, try a bit of Filthy Sexy Gorgeous!!! 

Love from 

Rachel *chuck it in n see* Radiostar xx 

Relatively pain free.

My first full week back at work that is. I'm in a new year group with a new teacher, in a new classroom. And with a fantastic set of kids. The posh word is cohort. And I started a sentence with and! Heinous crimes.


I had an opportunity to work with a small group of boys and I posed the question to them all.
How are you feeling about being in Yn ?
One commented that he felt a lot more grown up. Another spoke of the fact the work was easier and that made him happy. The new behaviour management system was mentioned by a couple to be a positive thing. The next boy replied
" I feel like I've been transported from the alien planet of paradise."

I fixed him with my best ' oh really???' Look and said
" Now can I have your reality answer?"

He turned to me, and with a confused expression replied,

"Nah! that is my real answer."

Indeed folks, it actually was.

He takes me back to the days of Eyebrows Boy. Remember him? I wrote about him long ago in this blog.
He was the one who told me earnestly that he could infact create static electricity with his eyebrows!

I love my job!

What's the best part of your job?

Love
Rachel *Glad it's the weekend* Radiostar!

Two day week

I could get used to them! However, my bills etc couldn't!

Yesterday I was very overly dramatic with my  whining about my loss of freedom! I do actually love my job. There was the information overload of the first staff meeting. Then there was time in classrooms. We needed that time! It's still not finished. I've dreamt about it all night and it was the first thing I thought of when I woke up out an hour ago. It is still only 6.30am ish now!! I'm going to get up shortly and go in early!

The Uni one returned for her third year yesterday. The teenage one had his fourth driving lesson and had his girlfriend round. The HG had been fishing. Thankfully NOT bringing anything home for the pot!

Tea was a very easy affair from the freezer. I managed half a crossword before having to go to bed thoroughly shattered !

The boy polished off the last of my Rhubarb and Custard flavoured fairy buns. They were really easy to make. I've got these little flavouring essences from Lakeland that you use instead of the usual vanilla.

I think I was a little conservative as there is only a slight hint of the flavours, but I was pleased how they turned out.

 They've all gone now! The sponge was delicious. I actually turned off the fan  on my fan oven and they turned out grand! 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. So you all know who I'll be dedicating this to! 

I just love him so much x 

Love from

Rachel *back to school* Radiostar xx 

Loss of freedom

I'm back at work today. Sigh. 

Love from 

Rachel *works hard for a living* Radiostar

Looking for FrugalMummy? Aka FosterMummy?

You can find her here >>>> Tracey Webb's Blog

She's back blogging and I likes it!

Forests, Hot tubs and Glow worms

( Arty farty tree shot on one of the forest walks ) 

Hello folks, how are you all?

I'm soooooooo relaxed and chilled after we came back from our holiday yesterday.  We spent a magical week away from civilisation, wifi, mobile signal and stress. I have just written my very first trip advisor essay on it!

Now as you know, Wales is always my Holiday destination of choice, however this year we ventured to the Far East to the glorious North Yorkshire Moors.

~ Pause for a mini rant to all those people who say " You could've/should've gone abroad for that...... Etc " my answer is always always I DO NOT WANT TO GO ABROAD.  ~ mini rant over ~


 Anyway here is my review Trip Advisor - please ignore the two mistakes; we didn't have an ensure bathroom - it was of course ensuite! Also I wrote ' I fact not 'in fact'. I'm sure there's a way I can get back in to edit but I've not figured it out yet! My first trip adviser review!

I'm not going to repeat it all but say we had a fabulous time. The weather was kind and we are now suffering from dreadful Hot Tub Withdrawal symptoms.

I will share a few photos though. Of course I've been exploring the ruins! You know what I'm like for Castles and the like! This time, thanks to my fascination with the box set of the Tudors that I've been working my way through during the big holidays ( time very well spent!! ) l targeted a few Abbeys that King Henry Viii brought down!  ( I'm down to the last four episodes now and I'm getting a bit panicky and bereft! )

Anyway here you are...

View from the car on the way there.

Henry Tudor broke this Abbey.

View from the top of Scarborough

Scarborough Castle

Spongebob Strawpants.

 The not very intellectual game of scrabble me v the boy. I beat him, even after allowing him the dodgy 'biles' !

Clive. 

Glorious Whitby Abbey

Who needs to go abroad? 

Best part of the holiday.

Magical Forest Walk

More ruined castle moments. The moment wasn't ruined. The castle was! 

Atmospheric journey home. 

There you go, a few snapshots. 

Things I saw in the wild included REAL glow worms, a Jay, Roedeer, a mole, birds of prey, hares, rabbits, and lots of birds I don't see everyday like woodpeckers. 

Where have you been this summer?  

Love from 

Rachel *Holidayblissface* Radiostar xx