Pig flu

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Matt Smith | The Site

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Hoeing it up!

This is evidence of me churning up the garden with the rotary hoe – I am the new Ms. Titchmarsh.

(These pictures were of course taken before the hoe decided to wreak havoc on my right hand by smashing it into the fence and crushing it!  I am now wearing bandages and a sling and look like an idiot L !!  Started well though!)

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random things my mind comes up with...

∙       I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

∙       Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

∙       Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning 180 degrees and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

∙       I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

∙       Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

∙       There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

∙       I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips from the car to bring my groceries in.

∙       I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

∙       How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you STILL didn't hear what they said?

∙       What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

∙       I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

∙       Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

∙       Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go round and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous?  I know my name, I know where I'm from, this really shouldn't be a problem…

∙       You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment in every day at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything else productive for the rest of the day.

∙       Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs?  I don't want to have to restart my collection.

∙       I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my twenty-five page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

∙       I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

∙       I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

∙       I like all of the music on my iPod, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs on my iPod.

∙       As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what my mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

∙       Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

∙       It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on a news website and the link takes me to a video instead of the text article.

∙       I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

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Stephen Fry is witness to a close encounter of the ornithological kind!

via youtube.com

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Cheesecake In A Mug - Genius!

As per the Chocolate Mug Cake recipe I recently posted, here is a brilliant idea I “stumble”d across and just had to share.  I am yet to try it out but you can guarantee I’ll be giving it a go this week!  (probably the night Adam is at cricket training so I don’t have to share, mwahaha!)

The original website is http://www.2stews.com/2009/09/cheesecake-in-mug.html and full credit goes to the anonymous blogger from Boston, USA.  Sadly, this was not my invention!  Her blog site has lots of yummy things actually so have a look around.

Cheesecake In A Mug

I was telling a friend about my 1-2-3 Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake and kept thinking there had to be equally easy and delicious alternatives.  I had some cream cheese and sour cream in the refrigerator and played around with a microwave cheesecake.  The first time I overcooked it, but the second time was a charm.  It was creamy and delicate from the first bite.  This cake is great for people at work, in dorms or if you just want cheesecake...fast!

My Cheesecake in a Mug, is so good and versatile that you can have a different topping each day...well, maybe each time you make it!  One time I added chocolate chips, and then the next I swirled in some cherry jam.  Instead of a crust, I added a crumb topping. I found a crust just gets soggy on the bottom, but as a topping it is perfect.  The hardest part of this easy cheesecake is standing with your spoon waiting, while it cools in the refrigerator!

Ingredients  -  Serves 1!

∙          2 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

∙          1/2 cup low fat sour cream

∙          1/4 teaspoon vanilla

∙          2 tablespoons sugar

∙          2 tablespoons egg white, slightly beaten (egg whites in a carton work fine)

∙          1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

∙          1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (prevents liquid from forming)

For "mix ins", add 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips, or swirl in (not stir) 1 tablespoon jam of choice.

1)      In a 1 cup or larger microwave proof mug, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with a small whisk.

2)      Mix in the sour cream, sugar, egg, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Whisk about 2 minutes until light.

3)      Alternatively, the mixture may be mixed in a small bowl with a hand held electric mixer and then poured into the mug.

4)      Add any "mix-ins", or swirl in jam at this time.

5)      Microwave on medium for 2 1/2 minutes in a 650 watt microwave.  Since microwave powers are different, you may need to experiment. You want the center to just start to bubble, and then stop cooking. If it is allowed to bubble and cook further, the mixture will "break" and you'll need to start over. Make a note of the successful cooking time for your microwave.  I also had success with 1 minute 50 seconds on high.

6)      Take out of the microwave and let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until fully chilled, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.  If any liquid has formed, carefully pour out.

7)      Sprinkle with graham cracker mixture and top with any topping of your choice.

Graham Cracker Topping

∙          1 tablespoon crushed graham crackers

∙          1/2 teaspoon melted unsalted butter

1)      Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of mug cheesecake.

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The pleasure of a good piece of Tchaikovsky

Sitting at my desk I have just listened to Tchaikovsky’s entire Nutcracker Suite.  It is fairly rare one gets the chance to listen to it in its entirety and I have to say the extracts you normally hear do not do it justice!  Everyone in my office now thinks I am very cultured (and of course they are right!).  Now the pressure of what to follow it up with . . .

From: Posterous (helenchamberlain) [mailto:post@helenchamberlain.posterous.com]
Sent: Friday, 2 October 2009 9:57 AM
To: hchamberlain@rrg.com.au
Subject: Posterous | Re: 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Posted via email from helen chamberlain's posterous

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Five Minute Chocolate Mug Cake!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract and your favourite tipple
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to your largest mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using), vanilla extract and a drop or two of your favourite tipple, then mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).   The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous, but why bother?).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?  Because now you are only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!  :-)

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My First Blog Post

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Finally Moved In

Adam and I have finally moved into our new home and although it was a tough "moving in" weekend we are very happy with how it has all gone! There have been a few teething problems along the way (such as getting the telephone line connected and about 50% of the windows being unopenable!) but these are gradually being smoothed out along the way.

We have had new blinds fitted, some by a pro and some by our own hands, the driveway is being laid this week (possibly even as I sit in my office typing this!) and we are having some measurements done for some fly screens on the windows and doors.

We have bought a vast amount of highly boring domesticated things (light bulbs, light covers, bath mats etc) but have also bought a few more frivolous things to make it more our own place (such as a wine fridge and new TV and surround sound system for the Theatre room and a magnetic knife rack to jazz up the kitchen!).

Here are some photos of the house beginning to take shape as our own home:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Helen.Australia/OurHouseWeVeMovedIn?feat=directlink

More to follow, including finished driveway sometime soon!

H xxxx

Getting close - the paint is on!

So we’re getting really quite close to moving in now, only a matter of 5 or 6 weeks we hope! Site manager Ben has said he’s very happy with how things have gone and there is no reason at the moment for any delays so that’s great.

I’ve added some more photos, although they aren’t very exciting (!), to show how the inside of the house is coming along. We’ve got paint and cupboards and kitchen cabinets and sinks and bathroom units and tiles waiting to be tiled and all sorts!

http://picasaweb.google.com/Helen.Australia/Part4NearlyThere?feat=directlink

Also, I know everyone back in the UK has been hearing the devastating news of the Victorian Bushfires. Just to let you all know, Adam and I are not in a risk area. A few members of Adam's family live in King Lake which was one of the worst hit areas and over 2/3 of the town has been destroyed this week by the fires. Luckily, although it is almost certain that they will have lost their house, Adam's cousins were all unharmed by the blaze. A friend of mine who lives up nearer to Mebourne was on a weekend break in the Yarra Valley and came alarmingly close to harm as the fires torn through the estate she and her partner were staying at. Again, luckily, they were able to escape unharmed.

However, many people have not been as lucky and have lost their lives, or have lost loved ones to these terrible events. If anyone back home would like to donate a small amount of money to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfires appeal you can do so at their website:

http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm

Thank you x