Christmas Recipes

Pub. Mmmmm, not a place we usually go but HSMSHS wants a photo. Last time we went to a 'pub' was in Jamaica so this is just another excuse to show some holiday photos :O) Last night after tea Andrew had all the cookery books out in the kitchen trying to make a list of ingredients for a Christmas cake, Christmas puddings & mincemeat. No matter how hard he tried going from one book to another he couldn't get to grips with how many ounces of flour, dried fruit etc. we needed. After making fun of him trying to multi task, we made a table of ingredients we needed to buy, in a spread sheet on the computer (anal I know). We must have spent half an hour doing it as he kept adding to the list. As far as I'm concerned you buy marzipan in a block from the shop, but no, Andrew wants to make his from scratch. Andrew, I said, you can buy royal icing in powdered form from Tesco. Nope, he wants to make that from scratch too. I wouldn't mind but 10 minutes before the cookery books came out, he was planning the decoration of our bedroom this weekend and changing the cupboard doors in the kitchen.

Yes I know he's fab :O)

Anyway, we printed off the table of ingredients and got the packets of dried fruit, nuts & cherries out of the kitchen cupboards. Easy now we had a list. We soon fell about laughing, all the packet stuff was in metric and we had spent ages working out imperial measurements lol. Does that make us old or just daft???

Baking In The Sunshine

The word today at HSMSHS is Bake. We have this saying at our house, too many cooks get under Andrew's feet lol. Andrew is a fab cook & Elena is a fab baker of all things cake (see this post here) so I have been made redundant in the kitchen lol. So to come up with a photo today has proven quite difficult. I was hanging the washing on the line this morning trying to think what I could do and it occurred to me there is one type of baking I absolutely love, baking in the Caribbean sunshine :O) So here's yet another photo from our holiday in May (I know it's a bit of a cheat). Andrew didn't know I had taken this photo of him. I think it's lovely :O) This is about as chilled & relaxed as he gets awww.

Just before bed last night, we had a cup of tea and I nipped over to Teresa's blog to see if she had posted a photo for yesterday's word ~ Hold. Well I nearly spat my tea out, just have a look at 'Teresa's Blog' (not for the faint hearted) ROFLMAO, she cracks me up, I couldn't stop laughing. I must say they are pretty cool photos. I can't work out who took them though? AND I daren't even let my mind wonder at what happened next ;O)

Dip

Todays word over at HSMSHS is Dip. Teresa suggested that I take a photo of me dipping the dip stick in the oil of my Serena, but as it's raining here I don't want to get wet. I'm such a wuss!

So the first photo I want to show you is this... It's Elena's iPod with my best headphones attached. Now what, you may ask, has that got to do with dip. Well, this morning I took all the wet washing out of the washing machine, the load I had put in last night & checked thoroughly for socks that were inside out etc. and that's when I discovered the iPod!! It had been for a dip in the washing machine... *^&%!!@&*% kids!!! Nevermind, if it dries out thoroughly before I switch it on it may still work.

I have found some more photos that would do very nicely for dip. These are a few from our holiday in Jamaica in May. It seems a life time since we went, but it's only 5 months ago. Time's a funny thing isn't it.

Had a parcel through the post this morning from James. His Mum lives opposite & for about 2 years before he went to live on the mainland he spent most afternoons with us. We only see him occasionally now when he's back on the Island for a visit so it was lovely to read his letter :O) He knows both Andrew & I love James Bond (well I love Pierce Brosnan & Andrew loves James Bond lol) so he had included this little book. How lovely is that. He says, "Looking forward to Quantum of Solace of course, althougth not quite accepted Daniel Craig yet". You and me alike James :O)

Phoned Lisa this morning to see if she's OK. Had a lovely chat :O) She's suffering at the moment with sore thighs due to some new exercises she's been doing at the Gym ~ poor thing. She's had a lovely weekend though with Liam & her friends. They had a walk around Richmond Park and saw loads of Deer. Not something you would expect in the middle of London is it :O)Just had a lovely e-mail from Lisa look what she wrote :O) These are the pictures I was telling you about. Love you to the moon and back. It was lovely speaking to you. See you very very soon xxxx Oooo I love her sooo much I could eat her lol.

My New Themometer

Have you seen what Liam's made me :O) A themometer, just like the one I wished for a few days ago. Isn't he a star!! I'm going to try and keep it updated so it will spur me on.

We are hoping for a big family holiday in Jamaica with all of us including Liam & Liam's best friend Sam.

I'm sure they will love it as much as we do, just hope they like it HOT!!

Rum, Yawn, Sleep

The photo prompt this morning is Yawn. I don't think I'm going to get chance to take such a photo, so that's 2 days I've missed. My head is so fuzzy from this flippin cold that I am incapable of thinking out of the box. Looking on the bright side though, we have actually got used to our matress & topper now, in fact we've had 3 or 4 goodnights sleep in a row. Then again, it could be the glass of banana rum we've been drinking before bed. We bought back 5 bottles of rum from the Appleton Estate in Jamaica. We paid for 4 & the 5th one was given as a gift from Virgin/Hotel.

Andrew was looking online last night at Appletons website to see if you could order some online but the computer said NO! So that's the best excuse I can think of to go back & get some more he, he. That reminds me of the day we visited Appleton. I was quite reluctant to go on an all day trip but I'm so glad we did it. We set off at 8am & headed South in an air conditioned coach via Montego Bay over the lush forest covered mountains

through St Elizabeth to the coast & the Black River. The water in the Black river is crystal clear but the peat on the river bed makes the water look as black as the ace of spades. We bordered a boat & toured the river looking at crocodiles, river birds (egrets & green heron) mangroves, ferns, water hyacinths etc. It was a great experience, even though it poured with rain & we got soaking wet, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves lol. Ordinarily, in this country, that would bother us. You would be freezing cold & have to spend the next 2 weeks in bed with pneumonia but in the Caribbean it's like taking a shower :O)

Next stop on our tour was the YS Falls. We pulled up & walked through a small gift shop made of the usual corrugated tin painted green, yellow & black. Hopped on board a carriage pulled by a tractor & driven up to the waterfall. We climbed the wooden staircase at the side of the waterfall through lush tropical plants & trees. At the top was a zip line which, for an extra $30, you could be strapped into a harness & wizz down to the bottom. Or you could gently amble, with the help of a guide, over, under & through the waterfall. Whilst we waited for the tractor take us back to the gift shop Andrew & Elena kept cool by playing in the plunge pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Our 3rd & final destination was the Appleton Rum factory. I'm not sure what I expected but when we saw the place with it's tall chimney billowing white clouds of smoke my heart sank. But, as always in Jamaica, nothing's as it seems. We were greeted with peacocks strutting around the well kept gardens & a giant bottle of rum. A friendly Jamaican escorted inside where a magnificent lunch of my favourite Jamaican food was being served. Jerk chicken, salad, rice & peas etc. Afterwards the guide took us around the factory explaining how rum was made. Then we were taken back into the gardens, where he showed us with the aid of a donkey, how they made rum the old fashioned way. He started by showing us how they crushed the sugar cane in the 18th Century. Then it was onto another crushing machine where he asked for 2 'human' donkeys. After some more sugar cane was squeezed we were given a sample of the fresh yellow/green liquid to try. It looked & smelt awful but it tasted divine. We had tasted sugar cane when we visited Dolphin Cove in 2004 but at the time we were just given a bit of cane to chew on lol! Anyway, back at Appleton, the guide explained the next process to us. The sugar liquid was spun in a centrifuge which separates the sugar crystals (brown sugar) & the molasses (basis of rum). He had a giant spoon & a big copper kettle & told us that the molasses had been warmed up (not boiled) until had had turned brown. We were each given a spoon & serviette & told to try it. With a twinkle in his eye the guide said he knew it looked like donkey poo but it would be the best shit we had ever tasted ROFL. It looked like caviar but was syrupy & sticky & really dark brown. Think treacle toffee on bonfire night. It was truly the best shit I'd ever tasted ROFLMAO!!! Then after some photo taking & much merriment we headed inside to the bar. A dozen bottles were lined up & each rum was explained to us, how long it had been kept in oak barrels, what to mix it with etc. etc. Now I drink Bacardi & coke occasionally & Andrew puts dark rum in the sauce we have with Christmas puddings but I didn't realise how many rums there were. There was a bottle of Blue Mountain Coffee & cream rum, Rum & Raisin liquor. Banana cream or Coconut cream with rum. Rum on it's own, over proof rum etc. & all were delicious especially the Banana, Coffee & Coconut. We could drink as much as we wanted which, for some, meant getting plastered but for me & Andrew we couldn't really be drunk in charge of a 13 year old!!The journey back to the hotel seemed so much nicer lol. We arrived back at the Rose Hall just after 8pm. It was a long day but well worth it :O)

Bloomin' Marvellous

It's ages since I posted any photos on 'her space my space'. I do visit occasioanlly to look at the wonderful photos that have been taken by Anita & Kirsty. Today's word over there is bloom so it promted me to upload some of the photos I took of the fabulous plants that grow in Jamaica.

Jamaican Me Crazy!

Tuesday
When we told the receptionist at the Rose Hall it was our third visit she upgraded our room to one with a seaview. Now I'm not sure the 'third time' swung it for us really, it was more likely that a) we'd booked through Virgin or b) they were not that busy but hey, we weren't complaining. We were back in our little piece of paradise, the sky was blue & it was baking hot, what more could anyone want!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Reading, swimming, drinking, eating, playing, drinking, walking, sleeping, drinking, paddling, drinking, lazy rivering, drinking, snoozing, laughing, drinking, talking, relaxing oh & did I mention drinking? ... life doesn't get much better than this!

Tuesday
Now I wish I could write like other people. I'm good at Maths but English isn't my favourite subject at all. I really struggle writing how I feel or what I see, it all makes sense in my head but when I read it back to myself it just doesn't make as much sense as it did when I was writing it, does that make sense lol. To be honest it's Jamaican me crazy!!!

I've been reading Jeremy Clarksons book 'And Another Thing', I just love the way his mind works and his ability to put it down on paper. His sense of humour has me in stitches which can be a bit embarrassing when you're sat up to your chest in the swimming pool and someone floats past on a large yellow rubber ring holding a cocktail. You get some very strange looks lol. Thinking about it though it could be the hat I'm wearing to keep my head from getting burnt! OMG did I tell you how hot it is again tday? I have no idea in degrees but all I can say is the next time you have the oven on, stick your head in it & you'd be about there!!!!!

Harlan Coben very kindly published another book for me just before we came away, 'Hold Tight' thanks Harlan. It took 3 days to read & that was rationing myself. Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE his books.

Well today we went to Bracka Riding Stables (we thought we had better get off our blue 5" thick sun bed cushions before our outline stayed in them permanently) for a trek through the countryside to the white sand & turquoise water that the Caribbean's call a beach (they obviously haven't been to Sandown Bay!). If you've never experienced a Caribbean beach before you have to put it on your 'do before I die' list, trust me. The beaches in Britain are more like builders sand with a bucket of freezing cold water to dip your big toe in for good measure. The beaches in the Caribbean are unbelievable, gorgeous fine white sand with water warmer than you bath babies in!! Edged with palm trees that sway in the lovely cooling breeze ........... Oops sorry, lost myself there for a moment. Anyway it's a long time since I'd been on a horse & I had forgotten how uncomfortable the flippin' things were. I swear I found muscles I never knew I had. But when you're trekking through the countryside looking at exotic plants (which the Jamaicans probably call weeds) with all manner of fruit & nuts hanging from them you forget about the pain. After about 30 mins we came to a clearing where everyone dismounted and changed into their swim gear. Luckily we already had ours on underneath our clothes. We had to then remount the horse who was by now in it's birthday suit, honestly, it hadn't a stitch on!! No saddle, no reins, no nothing. So with a leg up from our Jamaican guide we were told to grip with our legs and hold on tight to a tuft of the horses mane! Now, I don't know about you, but when I've done nothing for a week and then sat for half an hour in a saddle my legs won't 'grip' anything. So with everything crossed (except for my legs) we were taken into the gorgeous Caribbean sea so we could experience riding on a "Sea Horse". The horse was actually swimming so the worst that could happen was you fell off and swam along side. Luckily I managed (as did Andrew & Elena) to stay upright. It was actually brilliant and a unique experience that I doubt I'd forget in a hurry. After the trek back we were treated to some fruit punch at the plantation house. Now although I actually hate the thought of white plantation owners keeping people as slaves I do admire their architecture. That house was no exeption, it was beautiful. It would definitely be in my top 10 places to live if I ever came in to a few million pounds.

Trying not to make promises I can't keep

I got out of the habit of writing my blog.
Then I felt guilty that I hadn't written my blog.
Then the boss's son started making fun of me because he found my blog (thanks a lot Paul lol)
Then I just couldn't be bothered as there were so many other things to do.
So, I'm not going to say I'm back because I've decided not to make promises I can't keep.
I've missed all the lovely people I made friends with in the blogging world ~ if you're reading this you know who you are :O) I'll try & pop in and see you but Im not promissing OK.

Phew, now I've got that out of the way I want to tell you where I've been :O)
My favourite place in the whole wide world (well, the bits I've seen of it) JAMAICA!!
At the beginning of May Andrew & I took Elena to the Rose Hal Resort in Montego Bay for the third time. We've laughed about it a lot because we always said that we didn't want to turn into one of those families that kept going back to the same place year after year. It's so fantastic though we just couldn't help ourselves. We got all the holiday brochures and were determind to try somewhere different but we had certain criteria to meet.

*Had to be for 2 weeks (which affected the cost)
*Had to be somewhere with amazing weather (the Caribbean)
So that narrowed it down to Jamaica, Cuba or the Dominican Republic
*Had to be on the Caribbean sea side (not atlantic coast)
*Had to have good food (Jamaica was the front runner)
*Had to have something for Elena to do (Snorkling, waterpark, hobi cats etc.)
We narrowed it down to 2 places ... Rose Hall resort & Sunset Beach.
Read the online reviews & everyone was telling us to give Sunset Beach a wide berth so Rose Hall it was lol. So it's now officially a tradition of the H*****d family to visit the Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay every other year, 2004, 2006, 2008 & fingers crossed 2010!!!

What's In A Name :O)

I thought I would post my beautiful TY beanie bear on my blog for all to see. Isn't she beautiful :O)She's very special as my cousin Chris sent it to me from Florida where she lives :O) Not only that, she's called 'VANDA' ~ how cool is that! When I was young I used to visit places like Blackpool a lot and all my school friends would buy pens & mugs etc. with their names on them. Have you ever tried finding anything with 'Vanda' on it? It's impossible until TY bought out this gorgeous beanie bear. Both the material tag & the paper one say Vanda {grin}. She's called Vanda because it's the national flower of Singapore, hence the embroidered orchid on her chest :O)Today I received an e-mail from my cousin Chris in Florida, telling me about the impending hurricane that's about to hit one of my favourite places in the world ~ Jamaica. Apparently it's a Catergory 4 hurrican (Katrina was a catergory 3)! I hope and pray that no-one will be hurt!