Its Christmas!

I freakin' LOVE this time of year!

Bring on the mince pies!

Happy happy

The best thing EVER at the minute is unexpected midweek sleepovers at Keith's house. Drinking tea, playing with macs and talking about doing stuff on honeymoon that may not even happen but just the fact that the possibility is even there being so exciting.

When did I get so fluffy?

Flippin uni

I really am not an academic. I think I'll do OK in my degree, if I have to do something postgrad to get a job, so be it, but I am no academic. The whole notion of sitting in a library really musty books and trying to sound intellectual really does repulse me.

I couldn't hand in my essay this morning because I had been sick all night and would probably have driven into a ditch or something on the way up to Coleraine. I just sent a few friends a text message to tell them, and they all think I have nothing to worry about because my essays will be great anyway.

I am now point blank terrified. I KNOW I can talk for Ireland, and love newspapers and online news stories and blogs and stuff to have a pretty good idea of what is happening around me. I can argue a black crow is white, and usually win. Why oh why, when it comes to putting stuff on paper, can I not do it?

Hectic!

Life has been super duper busy of late, I just can't find any spare time for anything!

In summary:

- joined gym
- am actually going to gym
- got the sample through of the fabric for my wedding dress! Hurrah!
- getting other wedding stuff sorted
- loving uni this year. People have been praying!
- having lots of fun, eating lots of nice dinners, drinking loads of tea

Need to catch up with soooooooo many people!

Sometimes life suprises us

I'm still alive, I promise!

Busybusybusyyyyyyyyyy!

Bonjourno

Tucked up in bed hoping my cold will go away! Soon soon sooooooooon!

Registared for uni yesterday and apparently can't do French this year, which is most upseting. I think I'll have a wee argue with them and see what becomes of that! I want to wear berets again...

No other news really, apart from the compliments I got for my cookery demo. I'm doing lots more! Its exiting!

Sicky dicky

I have a cold! Ah well, these things pass.

Did a cookery demo in work tonight, made some Balsamic Onions, which are really yum with sausages, steak and pies.

1 onion
100 ml white balsamic vinegar (normal is fine)
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Heat all the ingredients over a low heat until the vinegar had evapourated and the onions have caramelised.

Ta-daaaaaaaaaaah!

Watching Notting Hill at the minute and using the time to feel all fluffy and loved up about iminent wedding. But after spending some time browsing websites about relationships, and how they change after marriage, I'm going to ride on this wave of fluff while the going is good. I'm so super excited about what the future holds!

Career cruising....

I did a quiz with career crusing! Look what I should be....

.	Bank Manager
2.	Office Manager
3.	Association Manager
4.	Health Care Administrator
5.	Arts Administrator
6.	Hotel Manager
7.	Management Consultant
8.	Director of Photography
9.	Operations Research Analyst
10.	Auditor
11.	Director
12.	Personal Financial Planner
13.	Film and TV Crew
14.	Bank Teller
15.	Recreation Director
16.	Foreign Service Officer
17.	Producer
18.	Set Designer
19.	Money Manager
20.	Economic Development Officer
21.	Costume Designer
22.	Restaurant Manager
23.	Logistics Specialist
24.	Research Analyst (Financial)
25.	Caterer
26.	Certified Public Accountant
27.	Website Designer
28.	Lobbyist
29.	Actuary
30.	Economist
31.	Postal Clerk
32.	Wedding Planner
33.	Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
34.	Special Effects Technician
35.	Customs Broker
36.	Desktop Publisher
37.	Actor
38.	Medical Secretary
39.	Editor
40.	Mathematician

I reckon I should be a wedding planner!

Sunday brunch

I love love LOVE Sunday brunch. If I had to choose a final supper, it would definately be pancakes, maple syrup and crispy bacon. Washed down with loads of coffee and orange juice. Heres how I make my pancakes:

1oo grams plain flour
150 ml buttermilk (or if you don't have buttermilk, normal milk left to stand with a spoon of white wine vinegar stirred in)
1 and a half teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
Pinch salt
1-2 tablespoons sugar (I like my pancakes quite sweet)
1 tablespoon melted butter

Whisk together until lump free and air bubbles are appearing.

Drop spoonfuls on a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook until lots of bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook the other side for a minute or two.

Serve with gallons of maple syrup and loads of crispy bacon.

Best eaten while still in pyjamas.

Castle Ward fun!

Today is the day of the Summer Madness staff reunion BBQ. Loads of them are doing raft building and the like all afternoon but I won't be joing in the fun as I have yet to buy so much as a burger bap. Oops! Tescos will have to be used (grrrr) but shall hopefully save the day.

After all that fun and frolics I think I might need to come home and url up in a wee ball. Last night we went to a lovely restaurant but I'm still all sick so ate almost nothing (this is most unlike me!). Afterwards my sister and her boyfriend and I went to the pub and the two drinks or something that I had resulted in a world of pain last night. Have decided that tummy only like yoghurt and weetabix at the minute! Please pray that this will all get sorted soon: I want tasty dinners back!

Nose...meet grindstone

Back to work after being off sick for aggggggggges. My tummy is, of course, sorer than ever, but I better gio back or I never will! Uni starts on Wednesday as well and I just hope and pray I'm well enough and don't have to take loads of time off or anything with it all.

Dinner tonight as a farewell before Sophie goes back off to uni. It will be yum yum yum. I think I might have to have chips.

Mango chilli chicken

Exciting things since I last blogged:

- I ordered a wedding dress! It is looooooooooooovely. That is the only detail anyone is getting.
- Most other 'wedding' stuff is getting on my nerves. All I care about is marrying Keith and becoming Mrs Patterson. I want everybody to have good food, a drink and a dance, but no neeeeeeed for chocolate fountains or silly table decorations or anything. Fair play to those who spend hours on that kind of stuff, but I guess it just isn't my bag.
- Still no furthur on with health stuff. Likely to have IBS. Hopefully I don't, because being told I can't eat bread or chilli or whatever would tear me up inside.

On a food note, and inspired by my friend Ruth's cookery blog I made an amaaaaaaaaaaazing curry, inspired by a well past it mango:

1 ripe mango
3 spring onions
1 stick lemongrass (now available in Lidl. Woohoo!)
1 piece ginger
1 red chilli (with seeds)
3 tablespoons fresh coriander
2-4 tablespoons fish sauce
2-4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional, but yum)
1 tin coconut milk
Few drops sesame oil
Juice of 1-2 limes

Bung it all in a food processor, starting with the lemongrass because it takes aggggggggges.

I made it with chicken, but pork in really fine slices would be nicer I think. If you don't like life quite so spicy then take the seeds out of the chilli first. Yumm yum yum.



Summmer Madness BBQ on Saturday! Exciting!

Hello there!

How boring is revision?

Hence starting my wee blog here. Doubtless to be filled with random pictures and ramblings over the next wee while. Love you all....