Saturday 30 May 2015

Stash? What stash!!

Well after reading a few posts lately about stash busting I though I'd get all my stash in one place! 
Ummmm I think I'm covered, wool wise, for the next 100 years or so!! 
My bed is a superkingsize bed! The wool covered it! I've had it squirrelled away here n there. Most of it is inherited wool. The wool I've bought lately is from a fabulous shop up in Newcastle and it's for a pattern that I need to get my head round before starting as it's written differently and uses a chart for the cable pattern. Has anyone knit a Katia pattern before? 
There were just four little pieces of work I'd started once upon a time! 

And I've also a rather extensive needles n mularky collection! 
However, it is now all tidied away in vacuum bags and I will not buy any more until it's all been used! 
So in an attempt to use it up. I'm starting THREE new baby cardigans! Three different yarns, three different patterns. Here they are at 24 rows each.
I've gone wrong on here somewhere - it's a lacy matinĂ©e coat knit in 4ply. I will try again! I need to re check the pattern as I keep ending up with the wrong amount of stitches. It's very complicated! Well it is for me! Some of you would be able to do it in your sleep!! 
This wool was one of those bargain bucket knit a scarf bundles. I thought it'd make a sweet little baby cardigan. I've checked- the little sequins are securely attached- I tried but couldn't pull one off; plus its first size so they tend to not be pulling at their clothes! 
This is some inherited boucle in a lovely sea blue. I thought it'd be a cute little baby jacket to go over jeans! 

Hopefully the next time I post there'll be more to show you. 

Well half term has zoomed by and today I've been making use of the fridge pickings! 
I've made a really tasty chicken pie concoction. 
You will need
Roast chicken - leftovers - carcass picked clean
An almost past it leek
2 carrots
3 questionable spring onions 
Leftover gravy
Chicken stock cube n boiling water
Butter/milk/flour
Seasoning
Potatoes 

Here's how I did it. 
First soften the chopped leek, spring onion and carrot in a splash of oil. I sprinkled on some chicken seasoning. Then let it go cold. 

Then make a roux using the all in one method - start with cold butter, milk and flour - all same weight in a pan and heat and stir not stopping once. Perfect white sauce every time. I made mine purposefully thick. I then let it down with some chicken stock. The rest of the stock went in the pan boiling the potatoes. 
Once the sauce was cooked through I added the leftover chicken gravy and stirred to combine then let it go cold. 

Once everything is cold mix in the cooked chicken and veg and add some frozen peas. Try not to eat too much at this stage. 
It doesn't look particularly yum but it is! 
Then drain n mash yer spuds and top yer pie! 
It'll go into a hot oven later till the topping is all golden and crunchy! I've some cabbage to serve on the side! 
Here is is fresh out of the oven! Very filling and frugal. Plus it went down a storm with the teen and his sister. 

Also made was a carrot & sultana cake 

That's popping candy! Checked my sprinkles rack and the colours match perfectly! 
I wish that everyone has had an awesome week and that all is well in your world. 

Till next time 
Love from 

Rachel *banned from wool shops* Radiostar xxx 


Tuesday 26 May 2015

Who'da thunk it?

Thunk what? I hear you say... 

Tweets about my Birdie Pegs got Lakeland tweeting me about asking their buyers to look into getting some more!!! How vair exciting!! Top notch customer service there! 

@LakelandUK: @rachelradiostar Thanks for the suggestion Rachel, we'll pass on your request to bring back the Birdie Pegs to our buyers.

Squeeeeee! 

So you'll all be pleased to know that a new washing line is in place! 
Today is an excellent drying day. Two loads out n dried! Here you can see my towels pegged at the edge up in the stratosphere I talked about last post! That's nextdoor's shed on my wall - my side is painted blue! ( of course! ) 
Because of the angle you can't see that my pole is blue!! 

Cardigan is done! 
From this...
To this...

I'm really pleased how it turned out considering it was a DK pattern but I used a really chunky wool - origins unknown - just some of my stash! It was supposed to be my first knit of many I planned to make n sell on the bay of E and the Tree of Gum! However, there's a Mum who comes to Night Owls who is expecting a little girl and I like her so she's getting this knit foisted upon her! 

I've got my next knit planned, a very lacy matinee coat for a girl. Just need to go find some wool from the stash upstairs!! 

The Uni one has just text me to say she's just set off home. Her lovely young man has squished most of her belongings into his little mini and is bringing her home. It really does not seem three minutes let alone three years since my dining room table disappeared under piles and piles of stuff, collected ready for her to go to Newcastle.  Lord knows where we are going to put it all!! Especially as her brother has since declared that he's really after an apprenticeship in the world of finance rather than going to the Uni place he already unconditionally holds! Meaning he will have no need of some of the stuff she's bringing back! 
He's lucky really because he has his place already, no matter what! He really does not want to get himself into debt and was really really wobbly at the thought of going away. This suits my apron strings down to the ground! 
Actually, I'm not bothered what he does ( within reason ) as long as he's happy.

But it would seem that for the time being my little house will be bursting at the seams with everyone who belongs in it!  
I know it really won't be forever so I intend to bask in mumdom for as long as I can! She really is a treasure too as I'll come home from work to see all the jobs done and a meal prepared. 

I realise I paint quite the idyllic picture here! Reality is she's one stroppy mare when tired and she's having to come home n obey the rules somewhat since living her life free and independently!! It's going to be a rough week of transition for all concerned! Much biting of tongue ( mine ) will be occurring! I need a calm house so the boy can revise ( or so I can hear him on his x box n then go nag at him to revise!! ) 

I have a hashtag I use on Twitter for moments such as these and I reckon I'll be trotting it out a lot! 
#Bloodykids!! 

I wish I could turn back the time to days like this 
( on a day out oop int Lakes ) 

So what I want to know is how did you cope when your children grew up?? How will you cope?? 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *Mother of the Year NOT* Radiostar xxx

Sunday 24 May 2015

A soggy Sunday

After a gloriously Sunny Saturday, it was, of course, too much to hope for - another day of Sunshine. It's grey, drizzly and dull.
The cardigan is almost finished. I've no idea what I'm making for tea tonight. Shortly, we are off to the old Mill of Dunhelm. That almost sounds glamorous!
Not when you find out I'm going shopping for a new curtain pole! They are half price in the sale. I've neeeeeeeded one forever!
Also, I will be purchasing a new washing line.
This, dear reader, is necessary because as you know, one snapped on me last post. Well I had another line up too.....THAT SNAPPED ON ME YESTERDAY!!!

I buy the steel core ones too. But enough was enough it said yesterday. The neighbours will have heard loud swearing. I was mad! The HG asked me if I wanted a rotary airer. No, I do not!. I have a superkingsize bed with superkingsize bedding. It's hard enough to get it draping over a long straight line without dealing with angular corners and other lines. Plus I admit to having a bit of a washing fetish. I do like to look out of the upstairs window down onto my neatly pegged out line of washing. I will admit to being proud of the fact my clothes pole ( hand made and painted blue ) is taller than anyone else's and my washing dries a lot quicker because it's closer to the sun up in the straosphere. I also will admit to looking at my neighbours ( poor ) efforts on pegging out and feeling  far superior at both length and height of my washing lines. I admit to a smug smile when mines out first too. I have also been known to venture out into the garden to run my hand through the washing and sniff it! ( When I've dropped the pole of course! ) I sniff it as I fold it into the basket in the garden once it's dried. I much prefer pegging out light washing than dark. On the very very rare occasions I let the HG or the teen peg out...I do then go out and repeg. Towels by the corners - NOT folded over! Trousers - now I've switched! I used to be a leg pegger but now I'm one for a neatly secured waist. I do like a matching set of pegs on an item too! My favourite pegs were some bird pegs I got from Lakeland. Best pegs ever. Sadly they don't make them anymore. The few surviving ones are very brittle now - they are over ten years old folks, so I just keep them in my peg bag for posterity!! I just went outside to take this shot for you...

Sigh, I had a whole flock! 

Indeed, one of my proudest moments was when the brand new neighbour's mother looked over and complemented me on how gorgeous my washing smelt. It was the first time we'd met! We then chatted at length and quite seriously about fabric conditioners and powders. My washing smelt so lush on this particular day because I'd bought those new ( marketing man's dream me! ) fabric conditioner pearl things. They were on offer. I do onlyever buy things on offer! I gave her some for her next wash! We bonded over laundry matters!


I hope you are not all backing. Away. From. The. Crazy. Washing. Lady.
TOTALLY NUTS WHOLE HAZELNUTS!! 
Ahem...

 I then might go to a food shop to look for something for tea. I've  got the spuds and veg. I might find a chicken to roast. We might have beans on toast too. I'm in *that* kinda lazy mood!
Ah well it's time to head out! Have a good day everyone! 

I'll let you know how I got on line wise and tea wise next post!! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *pegging bonkers* Radiostar 
Xxx 

Thursday 21 May 2015

Tales on a Thursday and THE END.

Hello lovely bloggy chums.
I'd like to say thanks again for commenting. I'm getting into the habit of replying and I hope you do get a chance to see them. 

I had planned on telling you about my mobile phone insurance angst. But I didn't want to heap upon you yet another ranty post. 

I will rant though ABOUT MY WASHING LINE THAT SNAPPED JUST AS I PEGGED OUT MY LAST TOWEL *shakes fist* 
It had a steel core. It had already snapped once. Nothing lasts these days. The HG had already fixed it once; this decreased it's natural sag significantly, making me leap up to lasso it down with a towel so I could reach it off my tippy toes! The laundry workout! And bend and stretch! 

Anyway I thought I'd update you on the peonies and the cardigan. 
Survived the winds and rain so far...
( Yes that is a blue pot and yes that is my blue clothes pole! ) 

...this was the red one from my last post... Here it is today...
And here's one I prepared earlier .. This one seems to have bloomed from nowhere! 
Sorry it's like it was too red for my poor phone camera! 
This is just needing it's cuffs and button band. I have a recipient in mind for this. Maybe by the next post it'll be done! 

And here is THE END part of my title. 

And finally, it's a Sad Day at Eternally 28. 

Today my boy formally finished his schooling. Sixth Form should at least last five years I think! 

End of an era. 
End of ironing infernal school shirts. 
End of saying 'watch the roads' everyday at about 8:05am. 
End of maternal fretting if the weather was atrocious. 
End of having to have my shower before or after him in the morning. 
End of packed lunches. HOO BLOODY RAY to that one! 
End of Parents' evenings. 
End of the daily 'How was school? ..... Umm Ok ' fascinating conversation betwixt us. 
End of handing money over to school. End of childhood officially. 
End of an era. 
( Well until the morrow- he's an exam! ) 

How it's zoomed by so fast I don't know. 

I'll just be lamenting over there in the corner. 


What's new with you? 

Lots of love from 
Rachel *Jersey Royals for tea for the first time this year* Radiostar xxx

Monday 18 May 2015

Yes! It's ANOTHER post!

I'm just churning them out these days! Enjoy them whilst they last! I'd just like to also say how much I'm enjoying reading your replies to my post - thank you xxx

Now I'm annoyed... It's now Monday morning.... I hit publish last night as I wrote this on Sunday for crying out loud! But publishing failed so I discovered this morning. Harrumph. 

Thought I'd show you my peonies. They are anywhere betwixt 50 and 120 years old. You know I only grow blue and purple flowers in my garden but I allow these to stay because they belonged to to HG's Great Grandma. 
I've had a go at looking up which variety they are. But quickly gave up! There's thousands! This one always opens first. It blooms beautifully for about a day. This is because year after year without fail, the peony blooms then we get torrential downpours and hurricane rains which promptly batter and destroy them. 
Next to open will be this double headed Red one. It looks red in bud but I'm sure it's pinker in flower. I'll show you when it opens. 
And finally, the third peony is a super big heavy fluffy pale pink almost white petaled flower. I need to stake this one as the stems grow tall. If you look closely, there are ants on the buds. They appear all over the buds from nowhere then disappear again once the plant is in full bloom. The ants don't seem to do any damage. 

Finally flowerwise, here's one of the ancient bluebells,
a teeny blue flower I planted last year
and my rather disappointing 'blue ' tulip.
Although people have stopped to admire them. 
I'm sorry I have no leafy rabbit photos but weather and hospital visiting stopped play. 

Here's a photo of the oddly knitted cardigan I'm on with. 
I'm forging ahead with this pattern even though I'm totally unsure of how it's going to turn out! Im also worried I'm going to run out of this wool!! 

I've a busy week at work coming up. But on Friday its HALF TERM ! Hooray! 

Have you any 'heirloom' plants in your garden? 

Lots of love from 
Rachel *no yellow flowers* Radiostar xxx


Saturday 16 May 2015

Baking Cupboard of shame


How do folks! Happy Saturday! 

I've been out to a vair posh garden centre emporium today and mentally spent £43000 on plants, trees, statues and a new companion seat; I'm now saving up for said seat.  I want it. 

I did actually keep the localish economy afloat by buying a wee little wire mesh cage in the shape of a bunny. I'm going to try my hand at a bit more topiary! I say a bit more. My bay tree I did by myself - it's a huge ball standard now. We got it when the uni one was still in the pram. It was barely as tall as a Sindy doll.  I pulled all the lower branches off systematically till I was satisfied! A similar sized one today was on sale for FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS! I should sell it - then I could afford the new seat!! However, where would next doors effing cat hide when it's stalking my garden pet birds? 
Well HA! I have thought of a solution. I have a holly tree which I will prune and then staple the prunings to the top of my fence where it jumps up into the tree from. I don't think the sparrows will mind.

 
 So the baking cupboard of shame. I keep my dried food stuffs in here. I tidied it out properly at Christmas but since then I've shoved stuff in willy nilly. I've this double cupboard for drieds. A double wall cupboard for my cake things and two more base doubles where I keep my baking tins. I've so much stuff I've accumulated through the years but it's all tidied away and I've no plans to get rid! 
But before.... Note the floor - I dropped a bag of bread crusts meant for the freezer and they went everywhere! 
 
And after - fully emptied and wiped out 
I can now see where everything is! That stainless bowl is new and I've not found it a permanent home yet. It doesn't stack neatly in my crockery bowls! 
My favourite thing though is this spice rack we bought from Amazon and the HG screwed it into the cupboard door. I'm a bit addicted to sprinkles. Or the buying of!  I keep my flavourings and other cakey bits n bobs here too! 

What you having for tea? We are having 
Chicken curry served with chips which will be made in the Actifry my BOSS lent me to try before I buy. WHAT IF I BREAK IT?!!! Keep your fingers crossed it survives! I didn't ask my boss to borrow it. We were simply chatting about kitchen gadgets and the Actifry came up. The next day she found me and told me she'd brought it in!! 

It's lovely and sunny here today. Hoping for warm sun tomorrow for my rabbity trimming antics! Before and after photos will be taken!! 

Love from

Rachel *scissor hands* Radiostar
Xxx
Ps 
Tea photos! 
CHIPS HAPPENING! - they were delicious. Think I may invest! I'd not buy oven chips ever again. 
One of the best Coconut Chicken Curries I've ever made. Utterly Scrumdiddlyumptuous! 
Quick recipe 
I used half a jar of SAINSBURY's Thai red curry paste. 
I sizzled this in a spoon of hot oil for two
Minutes. Added a tin of full fat coconut milk ( so slightly deviating away from the Hairy Bikers' Dieters' recipe I normally use ) then added two chopped chicken breasts, then a sliced onion and pepper is fried earlier and simmered for ten mi Utes. I added a good glug of fish sauce ( napalm I calls it - though I think that's an explosive?!! ) and a handful of torn coriander leaves before serving. Yum yum! 

Wednesday 13 May 2015

It's SATS week post four

This time round though, I'm much less stressed due to the fact im not in Year Six anymore! I've not moved far. Just the one door down in Year Five. But I'm still drafted in to do the reading of questions to those children who are allowed it.

Normally I'm full of angst for the wee soul I'm reading for as they've had additional needs. ( Additional needs is what we are calling Special Needs these days. ) Now whether it's because the child I'm reading for isnt one of 'mine' or whether it's because when I was HLTAing that class, sometimes this child was extremely disruptive, badly behaved and displayed defiant, downright dumb insolence towards me...I felt zero sympathy when in the SPAG test yesterday they had no idea what a noun, verb, adjective or adverb was. All of the behaviours described above, they display for their current teachers too. The thing is, these behaviours are completely and utterly selective. Therefore a choice. No diagnosis for anything has ever happened. This is just a naughty child. So after the test yesterday, I asked the questions;
Me: " Do you want to do well in these tests?"
Child: " I want to."
Me: "Was that difficult?"
The answer was a solemn nod. I followed it up with,
 "Do you wish you'd  been listening in class and not been being sent out for your behaviour?" ( BEEN BEING??!! - ha ha oh the irony of a badly written blog post when discussing the English skills of an eleven year old! )
Guess what? A teeny little "yes" escaped from their mouth.
Of course then I softened towards them! Little Gits! Maths today! I'll be rooting for them ! 

I'm not sure what night it's on, but I have seen a TV  Programme on Ch 4 or 5 advertised asking the question
Naughty Children? I will watch with interest. Where a child has a genuine Additional Need you can explain their unwanted behaviour - never use it as an excuse mind. Where a child doesn't, it's just a brat.

I know what my answer ALWAYS is. I do thoroughly blame the parents. Weak ineffective parenting is a thing. We run parenting courses. We offer support to the parents. The parents I love the most are the ones who accept their child is a swine and then bend over backwards to work in partnership in order to improve the situation. What rankles me the most - and long time readers of my blog may recall lots of times when I've been verbally and aggressively attacked by a parent defending their little shit who was caught doing wrong. BACKING UP THE CHILD IN FRONT OF AUTHORITY. Prison/Jeremy Kyle Fodder for future years. Those type of parents shouldn't even be allowed to breed. And typically they breed a lot. Not all of their offspring are lost causes. Always trying to look for the good I am! 


Talking of good ones.... The Uni one had her last exam today and has therefore finished Uni. Gulp! The Sixth Former has his first A Level today. The mantra I've been saying for the last six months was given to me by my lovely friend Clare.

No one wishes they'd played on their X Box more.

So, I've been mantra ing, 'encouraging' and supportive. I've ignored a filthy bedroom somewhat, I've bitten my tongue when we've flounced out of the room. Yes, 18 year old boys can flounce. Sometimes me and his Dad, tremble as we relive the days of his Jekyll/Hyde sister! We agreed that the boy is worse at stropping! I'm not letting this go, folks, I'm biding my time! He'll be for it by June 18th! I think that's the last exam date!!


Ooooooh I've got a bit ranty and it wasn't where I'd planned to go at all with this post today!



Ahem...
I was just going to write a short post about my beef cobbler! That's not a euphemism by the way!

Recipe
Braising steak
Two oxo cubes
Onion
Boiling water
Marmite.

125gplain flour
50g fat
Tblspn baking powder
Salt & pepper
Milk to mix


Method
Run home from work at lunchtime, discover the beef you took out of the freezer needs two minutes defrosting in the microwave.
Slice the last onion you have, hoping it's not Manky when you peel it
Fry the onion in a wee slug of oil, in your trusty Le Cresuset cast iron casserole.
Run sink of hot water to wash up
Make a cheese n onion butty for lunch
Take beef out of microwave and cut into cubes
Wash hands and put kettle on to boil
Put beef in with onions and brown
Wash up ( dishwasher full of clean pots ) and wipe down sides.
Crumble two oxo in a mug, add boiling water, stir
Add to casserole
Fill same mug with boiling water to dissolve oxo sludge left and add half a knife blade of marmite and stir
Add to casserole and stir together.
Put in oven on quite high to get it going for five minutes
Wash hands, wipe down, eat butty
Go back to work
Run back in the house and turn oven down to Slow Cooker option.
( My slow cooker was buried under 'stuff')
Go back to work.


After work
Come home to mouth watering smell of slowly cooked beef. 

Coach, via the art of Face time, a friend through cobbler/scone/dumpling confusion.
Decide to cobble together some sort of carb loaded topping too.
Use trusty iPhone ( ignoring 450000 cookery books on shelf ) for quick cobbler recipe.
Rub fat into flour, season, mix to dough with milk
Cut out using egg cup because you can't be bothered to go in cupboard to find correct cutter.
Add a touch of boiling water to beef then plop mini cobbles on top.

Cook with lid on for 20ish minutes then take lid off for 8ish minutes.


What we had were mini pillows of soft fluffiness which had a lovely crunchy top; the photo does not do it justice! 
Serve with new potatoes and veg. 

 Yum! 

Oh well, just saw the Sixth Former off with my dulcet tones ringing in his ears. 
Do you have your ID?
Do you have your pens/pencils/rulers/etc?
Do you know your seat number? 
Do you know your candidate number?
Good luck and do your best. 
Do not miss out any questions.
Time yourself properly.
Read all the instructions.
Have a good day and watch the roads. 

I'm fretting for him already! 

The Sun is shining, washer's on for me to peg out at lunchtime. 
What will you be doing at lunchtime? 

Love from 

Rachel *ranty pants* Radiostar 
Xxx
















Saturday 9 May 2015

Saturday

So I find myself awake at first light. This would be fine, except I as up at 2.21am for a wee. I'd been in such a lovely deep sleep too. These days I'm like am old man with a dodgy prostrate! It was that last large glass of juice before bed that did it! I wondered why I'd had no page views for my last post '380' It isn't very interesting  I grant you, but it does help to hit 'publish'! 

Also because it's Saturday the weather is rubbish. I'm laid in my comfy bed, pottering around in Blogland listening the to gale force winds blow down my chimney. Not heard much rain lashing though.

Today I will mostly be indoors! I'm waiting for a delivery of rugs I bought in the Next sale months ago. These rugs I'm sure will be going straight back. You can't really gauge the colour in a photo! I had a text from 'Neil and Darren' telling me they'd be here betwixt 9.15am and 12pm.

Until the rugs appear I'll do some chores. The chores I have planned are catching up with last night's Gogglebox and a little bit more of my knitting. After 'the rugs which won't be staying' are dropped off I'm going avisiting my friend and her adorable squishy, smiley, happy darling little girl. The one who that last cardi n hat were for. She's 9 months old. And super diddy! The cardi n hat will fit her at Christmas we think! ( In all honesty, I think I'm putting up with my friend JUST to cuddle her daughter!! ) ( In all honesty, I think my friend is putting up with me cuddling her daughter just for some adult conversation! ) Actually in all honesty my friend and I are actually best friends  now and have been chums for over 35 years!

Really, she was my sister's friend first! I didn't steal her or anything! They were in the same class all the way through Primary and Grammar. Being three years younger than me,  I obviously looked down on her in disdain at both schools! Being older I was far too superior to even acknowledge them both publicly! But when we met up in the year I was retaking my Biology A Level, we just clicked. Her folks were like mine and vice versa. We lived at each other's places. We watched the first episode of The Simpsons together!

During my time at College doing my two year full time BTEC National Diploma in Nursery Nursing - the second year that anyone had done this Brand New Qualification which was supposed to be a better more academic qualification than NNEB, I spent it with my dear friend, described above, who I'm going to see later on. We were both Grammar School drop outs ( not really, but see my last post but one!! ) we were famous for wearing black cardigans - great big huge knitted things and for being top of the class in all of the subjects! ( Come on! We were ex grammar! ) We both left with 19 Distinctions and 1 Merit. It was hard to get a Distinction - the subjects were varied and difficult too. We went on our six three week block placements together.  We didn't go as a pair into classrooms, like the student teachers seem to do these days, we had to work separately. Our actual work load was nothing  like these day release girls we get coming to school now. In the first year we had to choose three different school/nursery settings. We were actually doing what student teachers do. Going into Reception Classes and planning and Teaching, being observed and Graded on everything. In the second year we had to choose establishments in the Special Needs Sector. This was in the days before Inclusion and the closure of the Special Schools. We did our three weeks in a School for autistic children, a school for children with Learning Difficulties and a school whose catchment area was basically a poverty stricken slum. These were very very very difficult places to be plunged into. I'm glad we had each other for support. All of this made me the Teaching Assistant I am today! The BTEC was my way into Teacher Training post A Level Failure. However, after a six week stint nannying in Spain, I came home and created the Uni one with the HG. That put my teaching career on hold again!


Aaaaaaaachooo - uurrrrgh sorry, out of nowhere I just sneezed all over my iPad! Bear with whilst I clean up!!


Yes, that may have been way too much information but you know how I like to share! I think it was a rogue sneeze and not another bug descending upon me! I feel absolutely fine now!




Lots of Love from

Rachel *Look carefully at the paragraphs* Radiostar
Xxx

Ps. What did you seeee? Did you see what I did there??!! 







Friday 8 May 2015

Post 380

Welcome one, welcome all and welcome lovely new followers! This is my 380th post!! 
It is being written on the morning of the results of the General Election. It looks like the Tories romped it home according to my Twitter feed. In other news it's VE Day. Are the two linked??!! 
In other news it's Friday and I'm going back to work. I only had a sickness bug, nothing major. I'm back to normal again! 
So I googled '380' 
Here are the first five fascinating hits. 

1. 380 bus route - Transport for London

www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/380/
... Oyster · Car clubs. . Home ... Stations, stops & piers; 380 ... Choose a stop to view live arrivals and status information. Bus stop G. 380. Belmarsh Prison.

I think our local bus numbers only go up to 81

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner, and the airports at ...
First flight: 27 April 2005
Number built: 156 as of 31 March 2015
Unit cost: US$428 million


I've never been on an Airbus or any other aeroplane. I'm not even worried about this. Planes crash.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.380_ACP
The .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge ...


I've never fired a gun. I'm not even worried about this. Guns are weapons of death.

www.airbus.com/aircraftfamilies/passengeraircraft/a380family/
With the A380, the sky is yours. Designed for the 21st century aviation industry, its unique size allows airlines to maximize their revenue potential through an ...



Still no desire to get on one. I cannot get my curser on my iPad to go back to me, instead it thinks I'm adding stuff to the pasted link!! I cannot make it stop. 


www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/.../airbus-380-800
Information about the British Airways Airbus 380-800 including technical information, seating plans and a photo gallery.


So basically the number 380 stands for buses, planes and guns. Sounds like a great plot for a movie starring Simon Pegg and the blokes out of RunFat boy, Hot Fuzz  Run n the rest. 

Maybe this from the next page( as I searched for something interesting ) could be the plot line! 

How online romance turned sour as woman stole £380 from her ...

www.walesonline.co.uk › News › Wales News › Courts
2 days ago - A woman has admitted stealing £380 from a lonely heart she met on a dating website as he showered in a hotel. Rachel Sparey, 35, arranged ...




I did an image search of '380' and it was all guns. I then clicked the next search feature- something I never do! Shopping. I have no desire to buy any of these things! 

I then googled 
'What can I buy for £3.80?'
Here's what...
A Patrick Dempsey DVD. 

Man buys watch for £3.80, sells it for £22,650 | Metro News

metro.co.uk › 2015/02/19 › man-buys-w...
Mobile-friendly - 19 Feb 2015 - A man who bought a watch for £3.80 from a thrift shop later sold it for a whopping £22,650. Zach Norris ...

I wish I'd found this watch! 

And if you buy a certain newspaper, you get a £3.80 pint of beer for free. 

FREE! Pint of Sagres lager worth £3.80 in this week's Guardian ...

m.worksopguardian.co.uk › news › local
Mobile-friendly - 1 day ago - Have a drink on us and get that holiday taste without having to go abroad with this week's ... “This is a pub where families can come and relax in lovely surroundings,” Roger said.

Beer costs how much??? For £3.80 I could make my lot a feast with leftovers!! 

£380 is 525 euros, 742 Australian Dollars, 711 Canadian Dollars, 70,458 Japanese Yen and 7068 South African Rand. ( all from a Google calculator! ) 

Right, that's more than enough facts about 380! See you on post 381. 

Have a great Friday everyone. 

Love from 

Rachel *back to work face* Radiostar
Xxx

































Thursday 7 May 2015

I should be so lucky, lucky lucky lucky!

Well hello lovely folk of Blogland, I'm writing this from my sickbed. Thanks to the germ ridden beings I spend my day with, I picked up the sickness bug that is doing the rounds. Yesterday was worse, today I don't feel as mangled - Yanno, put through the ringer! I've been catching up with those on my list and was inspired today to write about how lucky I am! Inspired by my gorgeous friend Tracey who writes Here considering what her old friends have achieved and comparing it to her.

Well, a bit of a revelation here.
I shot the sherrif, but I DID NOT shoot the Deputy!
If you know the tune, sing my next line!
I went to Grammar,  but I DID NOT go to University.

Yes, that's right. I think I was one of only five gals who were probably outcast level to our teachers!
 There was a definite higherarchy.
1. Gals going off to Oxbridge - Creme de la Creme
2. Gals going off to Uni - accepted
3. Gals going off to Polytechnic - sniffed at
4. Gals going off to Teacher Training - ignored
5. Gals going out to work - reviled
6. Gals who failed their A Levels - exiled!!!

So there you go, I was ignored, then exiled!

I applied to Teacher Training and was accepted at all three establishments. ( You only chose three in the black and white days )  Cheltenham Ladies College, ( I WAS NEVER GOING TO GO THERE! )
Newman College Birmingham ( NOPE, NOT THERE EITHER!) and finally the now extinct North Riding College in Filey. It was a wonderfully warm and accepting small establishment. My Dad drove me over, my Mum had spent her week's wages on a smart Marks and Spencer's navy blue suit for me to wear at my interview days. I impressed the Dean. My offer was E E
That's right! I only had to get two points at A Level to get in!!
I got more than two points; I got ten points. But that was only in one A Level. (Domestic Science - which isn't just cooking !! )
Sadly for me, ( but was it - the thought of leaving home had me in free fall ) the rules were you had to have two A Levels. I failed General Studies. ( I FAILED GENERAL STUDIES!!! Thus makes me laugh now! ) and I failed Biology and French! FAILURE.

What an utter failure. 

I still have the beautifully hand written letter from the Dean telling me to not give up, and that he was holding my place for the following year, that I hadn't to give up as it was clear I was a naturally talented Teacher and I just needed to pass my Biology A Level. If I could find it I'd show you!

But, a year at Night School proved a waste of time. I improved from a U to an N!!
I think the question on Genetics was what I failed on! It was too mathsy, for a gal who had to resit her Maths O Level.

FAILURE! 

I'm sounding TAPS* here I think!

Anyway, stuff happens for a reason. I'm in touch with lots of the girls, I went to Grammar with. I do think the ones who went away have more money than me. But so what?! I'm actually not envious of any of them. There is nothing they have that I don't already. None of them look down on me ( I don't think ) for not having a degree, I certainly don't look up at them!

If I am in the mood for some deliberating comparisons, I look to the rich n famous! But actually, it is quite sad and turns into an ungloat.
It's all about needs and wants innit?

Me v Kylie
We are roughly the same age give or take a few.
I loved Neighbours
She was in Neighbours.
There the similarities well and truly end.
I might be lamenting the size of my arse.
Oh, to have a bum like Kylie's in those gold shorts.

But although I like Kylie, I wouldn't swap my life for hers, just for a peachy bottom. She was being interviewed on a chat show a while back.
She was saying how she just wanted to meet someone nice and not be single. I think due to her treatment for Breast Cancer she's unable to naturally have children and at her age, she's pushing it a bit. She came alive when she was discussing her sister's boys and my heart actually went out to her a lot. I started pitying  Kylie! She was laughy and charming but I reckon on the inside she cries a lot. 

What have I got to be lucky about?
I've still got my original HG. 23 years this December. We have two gloriously brought up ( hehehe ) offspring. We have a roof over our heads. We both work and are mostly well enough to do so. We do what we like and we like what we do! 

Yes, I do the lottery. Money would make life easier for sure. But would it improve my actual needs? Nope! 

What else do I need?

I need to show you my latest knitting! It's a new pattern where you knit the sleeves in with the front and backs! You should know how I hate knitting sleeves so I should enjoy this knit! There's no recipient in mind so far. I have so so so so much wool, that I think I'm going to knit little baby things and have a go at selling them on the old Bay of E!
This is a simple pattern so won't take long. It's supposed to be in DK but I went for chunky!
Hopefully I'll have more to show you next post! 

It's on a stitch holder here so you can't really see the sleeve, but it's ever so 90s batwingesque!! 

Ok, here's my question to you. 
Whose celebrity bottom would you like?? 

Hahaha
Love from
Rachel *might be a failure but definitely not needy* Radiostar 
Xxx


*Thick As Pig Shit








Sunday 3 May 2015

I was on the radio yesterday....

Firstly folks, let me say a great big hello to Sue who us my 75th Follower!! Ta daaaa! Sadly, I have no prize to give away for this momentous event. Just a big fat happy smile of welcome!
( Too much? I don't want to frighten her away! )

Well, Saturday was a grizzly day so no gardening was planned. Instead, the Mother Hubbardesque cupboards and fridge dictated that we go shopping. We needed to go to the post Offce first to send off the Uni one#2's Student Finance Declarations, return a parcel, buy a fishing license, some birthday cards and some stamps. We went in the HG's work van. He waited in the van. I got chatting to the Post Office lady about how her daughter, her precious firstborn, was off to Uni in Sept to the same place as my precious firstborn daughter! So she was really happy to be reassured about what a wonderful place it was. How safe it felt so I was willing to leave her there! I cannot believe it's three years since I was posting about her going! Speaking of the Uni one...I'm going to digress here.
Last week, I had a message from my daughter, the one that every Uni Parent  must dread.
"Can you proof read my dissertation for me?"
I did what any respectable UP would. I firstly lamented on Twitter then I contacted a lovely friend of mine who is super smart and clever! She read it and enclosed three pages of slight improvements to the grammar and clause structure without hesitation. So I'm going to treat her to afternoon tea as a big thank you. The Uni one's dissertation is not an enjoyable read really. She's written about the treatment of the Gypsies in the Holocaust. She is having vivid nightmares about the Nazis and is looking forward to the end of her exams.
She, like us, cannot believe how fast these three years have zoomed by. But there are plans afoot to travel the world. These plans are currently being funded by fresh air! Watch this space....

Anyway, back from my digression....


We eventually left the Post Office, drove to the Seaside and parked up in a little side street. I was locked in the van ( for my own safety! ) and the HG skipped off gaily to his favourite shop in the area. The Fishing Tackle Shop. It's recently upgraded and moved to MAHOOSIVE premises. This shop has absolutely no qualms about stealing the inheritance out of my children's arms!

I was fine. I rang a few people for nice chats. I tweeted. I nosied on Facebook. I played all my lives on Candy Crush. I had the radio on. BBC Radio 2 . Pick of the Pops. Two great singalong years. I noticed a tweet off Radio 2 so I replied!


About three songs later, TONY BLACKBURN READ OUT MY NAME, MY PREDICAMENT AND HE CRACKED A CLASSIC TONY BLACKBURN GROANWORTHY JOKE!

Tony said
"Hello to Rachel who is waiting for her other half to come out of the fishing tackle shop. I expect she'll *hook* up with him later!!! "

CLASSIC!


It made my day!!

One hour and four minutes I was in that Van! One whole hour and four ever lasting minutes.  The HG came back and declared he'd forgotten I was there! Charming!

We then trundled off to Lidl. £87 pounds later ( I TOLD you my cupboards were bare! ) ( and maybe a large bar of caramel Ritter Sport chocolate not intended for the cupboard ) we dropped in to see the HG's mum. We saw an old plane on a fly past - just look at the hideously grey sky! I think it's a Dakota. 
 On the way home we stopped at my favourite posh shop for a few bits. Brown shrimps included. Yum yum. Those few bits were really essentials and not payday extravagancy luxuries at all. No. Way.
Besides, I'm keeping the economy afloat.

The rest of the day was deliciously lazy! Cottage Pie for tea. And a hope for some sunshine  and gardening on Bank Holiday Monday! 

Hope yours is great! 

Love from
Rachel *bank holiday face* Radiostar xxx