A culinary trip to England.

Ok my fellow bloggie friends. Now is the time for active participation. I know *I* truly enjoy English food. I like the simplicity of taking basic ingredients and tossing them together. Having just unleashed my inner Nigella Lawson, I recently purchased a Gordon Ramsay *swoon* recipe book and have started cooking home meals. I find English food the easiest and most satisfying. So far I've made a lemon and sage roast chicken and Shepherd's Pie.

So this is where you come in. It is time to post your favourite English recipe's. Post them in the comments section and let us share our England culinary expertise. Hopefully we will learn a recipe or two. If you post on my FB wall (or better even, FB e-mail if you don't want to post here), then I will copy and paste in. Also feel free to comment on other recipes if you do something different. And if you try something posted here...let us know how it turned out!

P.S...Is Nigella not the most gorgeous woman? Gah.
Cheers!

British Monday: Footie!

It has always been a dream of mine to go to a soccer/English Football game. Ever since I saw my first game in 1992, I have been a mad avid fan of Team England. Of course, this is me. So you know that hot men folk largely determines my interest in any sport. And I have to say, you want sexy, go watch a soccer game on a hot day when they strip off their shirt....oh..wait..what was I saying? Check out Hunky McHunkerson (aka Michael Owen who btw, happens to be Canadian born)..

Where was I again? Let me wipe my drool.....

It is well known that English Football is like Canadian Hockey...avid fans/backseat critics/the occasional drunk lunatic. English fans tend to take the lunatic thing to the extreme, with their riots and general bawdiness.

I know that football can be considered somewhat boring. I mean, you watch guys one from one side to the other kicking a ball...and at the end, in theory, you could have a nil-nil match. Where is the fun in that?

But there is a nuance to the sport. There is a finesse. A certain sense of athleticism. Plays that become legendary. Fakes and "fake injuries" that would rival any soap opera. And add to that the general atmospher of thousands singing their team song, known by heart, in key, at the same time, repeatedly? Sure beats any other sporting event I have attended.

I'm going to leave you with a funny comedy sketch...hehehe.

It's UK WEEK!

I have been waiting for SO LONG to have my England week. I love the British. Not exactly a state secret, but there are so many things I love about England. I've never actually been to England, but one can dream. I guess growing up in Canada, part of the Commonwealth, we have closer ties to the mother country. We spell the same, use the same imperial measurements, and there are British programs on the tele. Squeee.

So for the upcoming week, I will talk about various things. But for now, i will leave you with my DILF *Daddy I'd like to F**K!*. I am a bit embarassed in some ways because I recognize that he is not exactly sexy to most people. But he's so sexy to me. It is CHEF GORDON RAMSAY.

I never used to like him, until I saw his show "The F Word" that shows him in a much gentler light. Maybe it's because I LOVE FOOD. But I have his recipe book and I have become a much better cook. He's so simple in his approach. And anyone that can teach me anything at my age, I love even more.

So stay tuned for more British posts coming up!

When your whole year feels like Lent.

Yesterday, the time came to fast and make a lenten promise of penance to "give up" something (and, as our Bishop encourages, to "do" something good). I had to say, this year I struggled with what to "give up" and "do" for Lent.

I know this sounds selfish, but I am resentful of the fact that I have to give up or do anything at all. Not because I don't get the spirit of Lent, or the reasonings behind Lent. I truly do.

But I honestly feel like I have spent the last year "giving up" and "doing". I feel like every month this year, I have had to give up more (becuase of finances) and goodness knows, I'm not short of "doing" this year either.

I haven't bought any new clothes or shoes unless absolutely necessary. I have not even really gone out or did anything spectacular, and when I did, it was a fairly cheap evening, mindful that I am not a bank of unlimited wealth. When I did buy my self something extravagant, like my WII, I used gift cards. I have managed to pay off my debts while accumulating some savings.

In the meantime, I practically live at my church, with serving as Sacristan, Lector, RCIA Team Member and on the executive of the CWL. I have volunteered for anything related to charity through my church as well.

That is on top of the blood, sweat and tears and time wasted at work, which this year in particular sucked my sould right out of me. I went from a support team of 3 to just me.

All of this comes at a great expense, and I don't normally complain because..we...I don't. I mean, I kvetch a bit, but I don't sit there and go woe is me.

For basically the last year, my life is LENT IN ACTION. It's every single month, not just 40 days. So the idea of having to give up or do one more thing just grates on me. Why can't I for once give nothing up and be a taker?

So thus, I give up my ONE VICE of caffiene. And I take what little time I have to do one more thing. I feel like I am facing a big spirtual test as my spirit wanes under the massive pressure of constantly doing and giving up.

I surely hope that the payoff of giving up caffiene and meeting seniors pays off at the end of the 40 days. I know that is not how I *should* look at this whole process of Lent. But then again, how many others live a lenten life all year long?

A Day with the Catz

So as some of you know, I am currently cat sitting. I love cats. And if I remain as single as I am, I may very well invest in the Crazy Cat Lady Starter Kit.


So I am cat-sitting two cats right now. A tabby and a tortiseshell. It's been so long since the owner left ( 1.5 months left to go) that they think I am now their rightful owner. Sadly, that also means that any amount of fear, reverence or respect has left the building.

Today, on my day off from work, I thought I would sleep in. Maybe watch some tv. Go on the internet. Be lazy.

Well with two cats...here is how my day ACTUALLY has gone so far.

8:35 am: Meow....ruffle ruffle...meow.....pat pat...meow.....breathe in my nostril air...meow.....meow...ruffle ruffle...meow...meow....meow...meow...meow...meow... "SHUT UP"...scurrry...quiet....ruffle ruffle...ruffle ruffle...pat pat...knead ...pat pat...MEOW. MEOOOW..MEEOOWWW.

8:45 am: Stumble out of bed..go to bathroom first....*mistakenly* shut door...meow...meow..scratch scratch..meow..meow...open door...they come in for cuddles while I am on toilet....one cat jumps up on toilet to watch the flush go down while the other scurry's because the toilet monster has roared.

8:50 am: Stumble to cat food area.... Cats prance and leap as if they have never been fed a day in their lives....open dry food bag...slap one cat away for sticking head into dry food bag....pour food in dish..they sniff..take two bites and scurry off...buggers.

Rest of day: Play with cat, pet cat, change litter *barf*, play with cats, pet cats, look at cats be cute, look at cats be bad, yell at cats, yell at cats to move out of the way while the Olympics are on, be promptly ignored.

Even as I type, the tabby is doing figure 8's around my leg. The swedish judge likes it but the russian deducted 5 points for lack of coordination.

Well at least there is one trick they can do well...I yell "IGNORE ME"...and they do.

The Sunday Swoon

Blatant rip-off of my good friend Juniors' regular blog feature (see side wall for link). But I have to put my new swoon up...2010 Daytona 500 winner JAMIE MCMURRAY.




After this interview, how can you not LOVE HIM? So genuine. So sweet. No sponsorship spewing. All thanks. All grace. All emotion. And..he's cute.

Happy Valentine's indeed.

That's What I Love About Sundays

So it's technically Sunday, even though I have not gone to sleep and it's been a full hour since my last blog. Whaaatever. Inspired by Craig Morgan, I am going to post the things I love about this particular Sunday.

1. Today I am going to visit Mom. I love my mom. I truly do. She is my rock. She is my everything. And I miss her when I don't see her often. So early in the morning, I am going to head over and cook breakfast for her to show off my new cooking techniques.
2. But there is of course a underlying motivation to visit mom. NASCAR season starts today (wahooooooo) and mom has the Speed Channel. LOL.
   
3. NASCAR starts with the Daytona 500. I love restrictor plate racing. So I am glad they start off the season with this race.
   
4. The men of Nascar. Lots and lots and lots of hot men. Swoon. Dale Earnhardt Jr, Martin Truex, Elliot Sadler, Kasey Khane, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards...the list goes on. Mmm.
   
5. Umm...did I mention NASCAR? Yah..I'm seriously happy. It was a LOOONNNGG Winter.
6. I am committed again to weight loss and have decided to start tomorrow. Now that I know how to operate the DVD player at the house I am cat sitting at, I can plug in the workout videos and go to town. Also thought about doing the hill climb near this place. Little steps.
   
7. The fact that it is a long weekend so I can sleep in on Monday.
   
8. My aunt Shauna is tentatively coming over for dinner, where I can show her once again my culinary techniques.
   
9. The laziness of Sundays. They just feel awesome.
10. I hope to finally start tackling some of my reading to do lists. Just have to decide which book to start with.
    

So that's all she wrote folks. I'm off to bed now in anticipation of my lazy Nascar filled day!
Cheers!

Secret Gem: The Zac Brown Band

Anyone who reads my facebook page will be sick of the frequency in which I post my love for the Zac Brown Band! But seriously, these guys are the best band I have heard in quite some time. You cannot fake raw talent. They can be fun and goofy. Or they can be intensely serious. Have a listen.

My favourite song: Highway 20 Ride.



I find this song amusing: TOES



Makes me want to move to the South: Chicken Fried



Squeee.

5 things I love-

I decided to mix it up a bit today and post about things that make me feel happy. Because today I deserve to be happy. (Inspired by Joanne ...click on her blog in my links section on the side..."A Cup of Jo").

#5- Coldplay.

I love this band. No, they are not a cheap rip off of U2 or Radiohead. They have their own unique sound and arrangement. Check out this video of the song LOST featuring Jay-Z. This feels like my theme song lately.


#4- GOOP

Speaking of Coldplay, let me direct you to Mrs. Martin herself...Gwynneth Paltrow. Her site, GOOP, is my secret pleasure. I LOVE this site. It is nice to pretend, for just a few minutes everyday, that I could live a decadent life and go to posh hotels. I just find it far more enjoyable than I thougth it would be.

Watch her make a chicken. She isn't pretentious in her approach, and I find lately I've been exploring my culinary side, so this is what I would do! And she makes it seem like I could too.


#3- Matthew Goode

I first saw Matthew in the movie Leap Year. And boy did I see him. He makes my toes curl.




# 2- Chocolate pudding.

I swear I have become an addict. I will make a family size portion and just eat it right out of the bowl. This is gluttony at it's worse, but it tastes SO GOOD.

#1- Vampire Diaries.

It is hardly a state secret that I am in love with this particular genre, but I have cooled off somewhat (bored of Twilight, True Blood is in the off season). But from little ashes rose such a gem of a show, that I can't help but be madly in love with Vampire Diaries. I was skeptical that this show would do well and would stand apart from the others. But it has become significantly better as the season has progressed. And a large part of it is due to Ian Sommerhalder who plays Damon, so deliciously well. But the rest of the actors hold their own too.

So Small.

I think that sometimes there is a song that just FITS YOUR LIFE. Like the lyric Gods were waiting for you to listen to it.



This is truly my perfect song that sings...shouts...my life story from the rooftops.

So Small- Carrie Underwood.

What you got if you ain't got love
the kind that you just want to give away
It's okay to open up
go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
you want to shut the world out and just be left alone
But don't run out on your faith

Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand
What you've been up there searching for
forever is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
seem so small

It's so easy to get lost inside
a problem that seems so big at the time
it's like a river thats so wide
it swallows you whole
While you sit around thinking about what you can't change
and worrying about all the wrong things
time's flying by
moving so fast
you better make it count 'cause you can't get it back

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand
What you've been up there searching for
forever is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand
What you've been up there searching for
forever is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh it sure makes everything else
Seem so small