Make Yourself at Home ~

Serious Questions or Simply for Entertainment. This blog can be anything you want it to be ... Click the FOLLOW button ... makes me feel better. Add your message to Gills' Guest Book. Post a Comment at the end of a blog ... Email me with your questions: gmhesketh@yahoo.co.uk


Thursday 31 January 2013

As promised ... and low fat too !


As promised, those spices ... the ones that have been loitering around your kitchen for some time - try adding them to this tasty soup:

This is my basic and vague version of the BBC Good Food recipe [see below for link]


2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
half tsp turmeric
half tsp mustard seeds
Mix spices and oil together


1.5 lb sliced parsnips - place in roasting tin
Add spice mixture
Roast for 30 mins

Fry 1 large chopped onion
Add 1 litre vegetable stock

Liquidise the roasted parsnips with half of the stock mixture
Add to the remaining stock in the pan
Heat
Add 1 tbsp lemon juice

Garnish

Eat

Enjoy !

Gillian

For the full recipe go to BBC Good Food Guide
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3198/spicy-roasted-parsnip-soup

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Spice up your life ...

Spice up your life ~ Literally !

I'm sure most of us have a spice rack or three. Many of us will probably have a few out-of-date jars kicking around behind the tomato sauce, mingling with the vinegar and simultaneously shunning the white vinegar which was only purchased to remove a tea stain from a pale carpet - which worked btw. Wobbling on top of a couple of escapee OXO cubes, your extra jars, shapely but sticky and unattractive, that couldn't be fit enough for your super-smart chrome finished spice rack, trying it's hardest to represent to all the world, including the couple of friends or mates [depending whether you're male or female] that call around every couple of weeks, that you do in fact, cook! Occasionally. Ooh that friends/mates comment was a bit sexist [said as an aside, in a rather what I call, Miranda kind of way], don't you think?



Anyway, back to my point. Instead of leaving all those half-empty jars of spices [I know most of the jars are almost full because you never get around to using them - or they're so out of date, that they have lost their spicy aroma.

Yes, I say, get the spices out for your healthy eating plan. Spice up soups, vegetables, rice ...

Get them all out now. Go on. I know it's late but you'll be amazed at the therapeutic effect - the sorting that is.

Well, I gave my spice rack a good old clear out - only two for the bin - and set about making Indian Bean Soup [Vegetarian Cook Book from the days when my son had a Vegetarian stage when he was around 15.  I say days, because that's how long it lasted. [He's 26 now!]. Oops, I've digressed [again] ... and Spicy Roasted Parsnip Soup [BBC GoodFood] seems to be going down really well.

Both soups were brilliant btw. Recipes to follow tomorrow.

By the way, leave the garlic out - it's not necessary and just adds £ to your shopping bill.

*PS - apologies for the non-edit - promise to do it tomorrow - or feel very welcome do it for me.

Enjoy, Gill


Thursday 24 January 2013

Ice, Ice baby ...

Please be careful not to drive with:

Snow on your roof
Part frosted windscreen
... as these are traffic offences
Makes sense really.

Gill

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Networking ... Don't be late ...

When your face is at the windscreen and your head is nearly through the roof, it doesn't mean you'll arrive at your destination any sooner!

That was the ditty I was chanting in my head when, this morning, I was once again on the last minute, zig-zagging my way through short cuts, trying to get to a Creative Perspective Patent and Trademark seminar slash network meet. Arriving at the correct street without the aid of a satellite navigation system and with ten minutes to spare calmed my psyche for a nano-second.  The street had been re-defined and was now barely a component of the newly styled one-way system. At the car park [two sets of traffic lights and a pelican crossing later], I had to alight from the car, make an olympic dash to a visitor desk, provide identification, sign a form, collect a badge and car park pass - to be placed on the dash in the car which was now resting comfortably in an iced puddle at the other end of the car park. Skating to the car, I slipped, [knew it was coming] pasted the badge on inside screen, then teetered to the opposite end of the university campus to gain access to the reception.

And no, the story doesn't end there. The three day industry convention was clearly the university's best kept secret. Even the receptionist didn't know about the lecture theatre's onslaught [I was hoping the inclement weather had made everyone else late too]. The secret, proven by the fact that I had been despatched to a specific circular lecture theatre and arrived mid song in the darkened venue with 30 tuned drama students raising their arms to the midnight. In true Miranda style, I looked back at the swing doors - as if it had been their fault but for the sake of the students, avoided an aside. A large woman with a badge and a friendly face [don't let the facts get in the way of a good story - she was only a size 12] ushered me from the building and pointed to another. Any. But not hers. Great, another icy fandango across the quadrant to what looked like my pre-war infant school of days gone by. Inside, a light aircraft on display. A light aircraft on display? Yes. And another man with a badge. Perhaps he could help? No. He was ingratiated with some sort of archive. A light at the end of a tunnel shone onto an A4 poster belittled by it's size 10 font:

Creative Perspective Convention  

Hoo - ray! I had arrived. Ten minutes late. I snook into the silenced room where a quiet man with a grey voice was telling his story. It was a good story. The man had created a truly successful hi-tech business. He proffered plenty of advice, motivating tips and suggestions. And then ... in a flash ... it ended. Everyone may have lived happily ever after, but I would never know. The audience scrambled out as if a school bell had rung for a fire alarm or the summer recess. I was left on my own at the back of the room. The quiet man whispered to another man with a badge then left.

So the moral of the story is ... Don't be late if you want to network.

And:
  • Find out about transport, location and parking before the event
  • Know exactly where you're going [phone up or email first for details]
  • Estimate how long your journey will take - including parking time
  • Always allow yourself extra time for delays
* Don't let the stress of traffic delays affect your driving or speed.

Happy networking,
Gillian




Tuesday 15 January 2013

Just to cheer you up ...

Just to cheer you up in this somewhat weary dreary January ...



Looking forward to chirpy Spring and a sizzling Summer ...

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Multi-tasking .. random post


Good Morning everyone ~
As multi-tasking goes, it's a yes from me.  As my deadline for printing approaches, [Early Intervention: Interactive Activity Resources for School Student Support ~ Let's Identify the Difficulty], I'll be editing most of this week. With occasional time off to update the Happy Days website text/images/font/colour/shop ... and an evening relaxation time dedicated to my little support book for children and young people,  'Stick People Have Feelings Too', that's the week pretty much wrapped up. I will however try to venture outdoors to see what  the rest of the world is doing ... and maybe take a little exercise ... unless I can get out of it.

... and whilst I'm editing, typing, planning, sketching, organising, doodling, walking, my mind keeps wandering over the idea of showcasing my work and products at educational and/or care service exhibitions/fairs being rolled out this year throughout the UK. Attending the exhibitions would allow me to present my products and share my ideas with teachers, student support, care centres, support workers ~ much sooner ~ and of course, I would be  practising the concept of early intervention at the same time. More multi-tasking. It's got to be a Yes from me.

Ideas for exhibitions, fairs, towns, cities, schools, care centres ... on a postcard, email or comment ~ Thanks.

Oh and by the way, I didn't talk or type my way out of it. I actually went for a walk, a swim and another walk! I even cut out chocolate for 4 days and began replacing it with fruit! And yes, I'm feeling rather smug about it all ~ and yes I do feel  much better.

What was that? I have to repeat the exercise for it to make any effect on my body?

Gillian

Thursday 3 January 2013

Goals, Golf and BOGOF ...

Hello Daughters - in - distress and absolutely everyone else ... Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Successful and Enjoyable  New Year and All Year!

You're probably thinking I've been neglecting you ... and to be honest, you'd be 100% correct in thinking that - as it's probably true. However, it's all been for a good cause. By now, you've probably seen my posts for Happy Days Interactive Pages to help children and young people express difficulties, you've probably been pestered about Happy Days talking and doing prompts, memory joggers and day planners and you've most likely been poked and prodded about new books, resources and materials for self care.

It's clear then, that I've been writingwritingwriting. I now have a swollen hand, bad posture and an aching neck - but it's all been worth it. [yes, yes, I know I should take breaks, get fresh air and drink plenty of water]. You know how it is ... once the writing's flowing, you just daren't stop. Then you can't stop. then you can't sleep. I think this is what happens to men when they play golf [oops, sorry that's sexist; men and women when they play golf]. They just don't seem to know when to stop. And now, neither do I. Ideas for new topics, themes, colour schemes, metaphorical ways to present sensitive issues keep me awake most of the night.

No time to cook or even pick up a few ready meals, my husband has had to take over evening meal arrangements. So, over the past twelve months, I've enjoyed a wonderful and weird assortment of Lancashire tapas - which has mostly included bread, cheese, bread, mushrooms, bread, tomatoes bread BOGOF biscuits and one pound yellow cakes in various shapes. I've still not got my head around one of his 'specials' though, a fish finger and basamati rice combo. Hmmm. Also, I'm not sure what we were doing with fish fingers in the freezer - we're not quite old enough for grand children [oh ok, maybe we are - but we haven't got any yet]. Ahh - must have been another BOGOF. I really, really shouldn't complain - even though there's been no red wine reduction, balsamic something-or-other or sight of a vegetable in months. No, it would be unfair to grumble. Slimming World will be the financial beneficiary as I make my weekly donation in an attempt to regain something that resembles a waist.

So, what I was about to say was this:
During the past fifteen month journey, I have read, researched, networked, sketched, cut, stuck and painted miniature shapes and text, travelled, attended meetings, interviewed, presented at conferences, attended regular art classes, joined a choir, fathomed out computer jargon, missed sleep, felt the heat, laughed, scribbled, typed, cried, scanned, printed, laminated, [especially laminated] to develop an assortment of new activity pages including strategies and plans for goal setting, self care [maybe I should pay some attention here], serious issues, fun stuff, journal writing just for you, and caring for others ...

And the reason for the blog post is this:
Please email, facebook tweet of comment any ideas or requests for topics to be covered in the new book of pages for ... YOU ... to help you work a few things out ...

Where Am I Going?
What Do I Really Want to Achieve in Life?
What Needs to Change?
How Do I Feel About That?

I look forward to hearing from you ... I'd hate to think of having a night off - Besides, I'd end up cooking dinner!

Gillian
www.happydayspublishing.co.uk
happydayspublishing@yahoo.co.uk
www.facebook.com/happydayspublishing
https://twitter.com/HappyDaysPages