* Lazylol *

Love is ...........

On Valentine's Day, upon waking and realising the weather had improved a bit, we decided to head out to the seaside and open the caravan back up for the coming season.  We only planned to stay a night or two but seeing as the weather remained mild (ish) and I had the week off work for half term, we ended up staying the week!  I didn't have my camera with me or enough clothes for a week but we managed by visiting the laundrette mid week. We spent the days walking, shopping, visiting our favourite places and the evenings just relaxing with some nice food, watching films, reading etc.  I arrived back this morning feeling refreshed, rested, ready to tackle my 'to do' list and catch up with my blog reading. 

Please excuse the terrible photo.

I loved the 'Love is ' range when I was growing up and had to buy this poster.

New Recipe #2

:: Creamy Potato Gratin ::

 

(recipe from free supermarket magazine)

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1.5 kg of red potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

25g butter

25g plain flour

600ml milk

250g tub of mascarpone

salt & black pepper

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 170 c /325f / gas mark 3.  In a large ovenproof dish, arrange alternative layers of potatoes and onions.  Melt butter in a small pan and stir in flour. Cook, stirring for 1 minute and then gradually add milk until you have a smooth sauce.  Whisk in the mascarpone and seasoning and poor evenly over the potato and onion slices. Sprinkle with ground nutmeg.

Cover the dish with a piece of lightly oiled foil, bake for 1 hour, remove foil and cook for a further 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Verdict - I served it with roast chicken and veg but it would go well with bacon or gammon.  The family all loved this and have asked for it again but if I'm honest, I found it a bit rich and I think I would have preferred it without the mascarpone.  Just a simple white sauce would have been better. 

 

~~ Walking On The Moon ~~

It's still really cold here, despite the fact the snow as just about all melted away. 

I was ready to go to Office and buy a pair of these if it carried on!! Actually I'm still tempted - I'd love to bring these out to wear in the winter!

   

:: Moon Boots ::

I long for snowdrops and spring to arrive.

Still too cold to go to the caravan (next week maybe? I'm crossing my fingers).

So another weekend spent at home all cosy.  Keeping warm, spending time with the family, cleaning, crafting, watching TV, reading blogs, baking cookies, reading.  It is so nice to be off work and do what I need/want to do. Lovely.

My old Dyson finally gave up this week.  It was getting embarrassing really, I've had in 9 years, all the bits had broken off and the hose was taped up. 

  

So last night we went out shopping and at last, brought this home. Today I am happily vaccuming the house. Sad, aren't I?

Snow Snow Faster

Yippee - I have been sent home from work due to the heavy snow fall !!

I walked to work this morning at 7:30 and was very happy to be the first to put my footsteps in the crisp white snow.

Now I am back home, have a casserole in the slow cooker for dinner and I have the urge to build a snowman!

Ratty? Moi?

 

Reading Ali's post the other week, really made me think. I've been struggling since Christmas with my energy levels and my workday routine, often (every day) arriving home tired, hungry and extremely ratty. It takes me an hour to pull myself around, and the most annoying thing is that hour is wasted.  My time at home is precious, it's bad enough having to come in from a day at work, do housework, cook a meal, and try to catch up with everything without wasting that first hours trying to get started.

:: So I have a plan ::

I normally eat cereal and fruit for breakfast and then have soup for lunch.  I don't like to feel to full up at work and get the after lunch 'slump'.  I don't eat any snacks.  I've realised that this just isn't enough and that is why I am feeling so bad at 4pm.

So for the last two weeks I've eaten an extra piece of fruit at breaktime, for lunch I've had something along the lines of a chicken salad and mid afternoon, a few walnuts or almonds and raisins. 

Guess what?  I was not ratty, tired or even hungry either day.  It works and surprisingly, although I've been eating more, I've also lost a few pounds.  I think because I've eaten more in the day time, I've not been nibbling in the evenings.

*photo - my new slipper socks NOT handknitted because I can't knit! (yet)

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If you are in the mood for cardmaking blog candy - here are a few good ones- but hurry because they are almost ready to make the draw - Good Luck!