Curse you, Great British Bake Off!
Sep. 12th, 2011 06:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wishusI have had to start the day with the mental image of Paul Hollywood shaking his head at me, occasionally tutting and then saying, "No, Donna, I'm not angry. I'm just disappointed."
For indeed, I have made bread. It has everything you want of bread. A nice flavour, a good even crumb. And the middle is, erm, slightly doughy. It is still lovely, but I am suspecting my oven is a bit crap. That's right, I'm blaming the tools*. Although, it does mean I will have to really, really see if it is the oven later this week by making some more. I may even do it tonight if Asda has no whoopsy bread.
This week, I plead poverty only by dint of my own recklessness and carelessness. Losing my purse on the bus this week cost me only two extra days of bus travel (purse is returned, thanks to my bro taking me to Kettering to get it. That's a babysitting I owe him!). Losing my key cost me £6 for a replacament pink, flowery one - but it is pink and flowery. Losing my makeup bag meant I spent my birthday money on a new makeup bag and makeup. But the old one was a bit manky, and the newest thing in it was, erm, two years old. My orange and brown eyeshadow was what I bought to do my wedding makeup with. In 1997. This is not terribly hygienic. It was about time it went... Pared down and simple. That's how it is now and how it's going to stay.
But having regained my stuff, I have spent a fortune on tickets to go and see Jay and Silent Bob at the Hammersmith Apollo next February. It is N's most absolutely favourite thing - he is a huge Kevin Smith fan - and he would have been incredibly sulky about having missed it, even though there will be a free podcast of the show available later. Compensation for not getting married then, a bit, I suppose...
I've got lots to be happy about right now. Last week was a bit star-studded as I went to the Worlds of Wonder? panel at the British Library last Sunday. Farah Mendlesohn was an excellent chair for Peter Hamilton, Kari Sperring, Rachel Armstrong and Neil Gaiman. Neil! Gaiman!! Much fun was had, I got a copy of Coraline signed for Genius for his 7th birthday later this month, and enjoyed drinks and curry later with peeps. I've been reading Kari's Living With Ghosts this week, which I also picked up there, and most excellent it is too.
Then on Tuesday I did a poetry workshop with Mark Gwynne Jones, which was rather enjoyable. I'm doing another with him tomorrow (I have homework!) ahead of Saturday's Lyric Lounge event, which should be ace. If you're in Northampton do come along, or look out for us unleashing poetry at unsuspecting passers by. I will be performing in The Fishmarket and also at the Royal and Derngate Theatre as well as in between.
And on Wednesday I did a gig at the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath, Birmingham. It was a jolly excellent night, a lovely gig in a lovely place. The headliner was the fabulous Barbara Nice and we had a special guest trying out 15 minutes of new stuff - only flippin' Jasper Carrott! And Lorna Mehan and myself got to follow him! How cool is that?! He was very good, as it happens. I know his stuff really well, as it was compulsory listening in house and car when I was growing up, so I could see for the benefit of the set he had worked the new stuff round some previously visited set-ups, but it very skilfully done and I think the TV show will be very funny. I only made the gig because N rescued me after I lost my purse and took me. I think I am blessed, and that's why he deserves lovely things.
This weekend I also headed down to Southend to see my Visionary Tongue co-editor, Jamie, and his girlfriend Sarah Louise for a party. It's Jamie's birthday today - Happy birthday, Jamie *waves*. That was fun, guys - I never thought I'd enjoy Hammond Organ music so much. Very Red Dwarf! Next time, I demand an actual slide show of telegraph poles too.
In the meantime, N went to a stag do in Salisbury and, safe to say, we've both exhausted our alcohol ration for a bit. I am actually thinking of setting myself a challenge. A lot of people would have no problem going a month without a drink, but I'm easily persuaded in social situations, so like a hardened alkie, need some kind of pledge. It's not like I drink every week, let alone every night, but this month has been a bit social and I have found myself drifting slightly away from my Weight Watchers target. A concerted effort is required, so my first challenge is going to be an alcohol free October. That includes Halloween! Oh my... is it possible?
I feel I need to set myself a no-spend challenge too as I've spent everything I had saved for the wedding and Christmas is round the corner, too. I love what Kath Kelly did in her book How I Lived for a Year on a Pound a Day but I am not doing anything so drastic. Besides, that was in 2007, and a pound does not stretch quite so far these days, I've noticed. Plus N deserves to have what he wants, and he's not so demanding.
Kath Kelly's challenge included all her spending on toiletries, food, cleaning products, social life, clothes and travel. It did not include her rent or utilities or anything to do with 'health', such as dentist visits or medicines.
If I were to do something like that I would have to not restrict N at all... he needs his meat and ale. I wouldn't be able to hitch anywhere, like Kath Kelly did, and I'd need to fulfil my bookings and getting to work, so transport would have to be out, just managed with as much care as possible. Plus the cats need what the cats need - on pain of sulk. Also, I'd make sure I cheated and got October people's birthdays sorted this month. I'd also have to not include anything going out on DD already, but I reckon I could work to a budget of £14 per week for food and socials for 2 of us, not including stuff especially for N like his meat, beer, coffee, KFC etc (would make it approx £20 in real terms), and my social life consisting of getting my writing done, the garden tidy, and maybe some seeds sown for spring. Yeah! I might make that a challenge 2 and see how I go!
Ha ha.
Ooh - should also add that I am doing a reading at Weston Favell Library on 26th September at 11am. For fellow frugalists this is free - and my contribution to celebrating the wonderful resource that is the library, which we should strive to keep staffed with experts, not volunteers, and a fabulous free community resource.
*perhaps that sound of hollowness when knocking the base wasn't quite as hollow as it should have been... another 5 minutes would have done it.
For indeed, I have made bread. It has everything you want of bread. A nice flavour, a good even crumb. And the middle is, erm, slightly doughy. It is still lovely, but I am suspecting my oven is a bit crap. That's right, I'm blaming the tools*. Although, it does mean I will have to really, really see if it is the oven later this week by making some more. I may even do it tonight if Asda has no whoopsy bread.
This week, I plead poverty only by dint of my own recklessness and carelessness. Losing my purse on the bus this week cost me only two extra days of bus travel (purse is returned, thanks to my bro taking me to Kettering to get it. That's a babysitting I owe him!). Losing my key cost me £6 for a replacament pink, flowery one - but it is pink and flowery. Losing my makeup bag meant I spent my birthday money on a new makeup bag and makeup. But the old one was a bit manky, and the newest thing in it was, erm, two years old. My orange and brown eyeshadow was what I bought to do my wedding makeup with. In 1997. This is not terribly hygienic. It was about time it went... Pared down and simple. That's how it is now and how it's going to stay.
But having regained my stuff, I have spent a fortune on tickets to go and see Jay and Silent Bob at the Hammersmith Apollo next February. It is N's most absolutely favourite thing - he is a huge Kevin Smith fan - and he would have been incredibly sulky about having missed it, even though there will be a free podcast of the show available later. Compensation for not getting married then, a bit, I suppose...
I've got lots to be happy about right now. Last week was a bit star-studded as I went to the Worlds of Wonder? panel at the British Library last Sunday. Farah Mendlesohn was an excellent chair for Peter Hamilton, Kari Sperring, Rachel Armstrong and Neil Gaiman. Neil! Gaiman!! Much fun was had, I got a copy of Coraline signed for Genius for his 7th birthday later this month, and enjoyed drinks and curry later with peeps. I've been reading Kari's Living With Ghosts this week, which I also picked up there, and most excellent it is too.
Then on Tuesday I did a poetry workshop with Mark Gwynne Jones, which was rather enjoyable. I'm doing another with him tomorrow (I have homework!) ahead of Saturday's Lyric Lounge event, which should be ace. If you're in Northampton do come along, or look out for us unleashing poetry at unsuspecting passers by. I will be performing in The Fishmarket and also at the Royal and Derngate Theatre as well as in between.
And on Wednesday I did a gig at the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath, Birmingham. It was a jolly excellent night, a lovely gig in a lovely place. The headliner was the fabulous Barbara Nice and we had a special guest trying out 15 minutes of new stuff - only flippin' Jasper Carrott! And Lorna Mehan and myself got to follow him! How cool is that?! He was very good, as it happens. I know his stuff really well, as it was compulsory listening in house and car when I was growing up, so I could see for the benefit of the set he had worked the new stuff round some previously visited set-ups, but it very skilfully done and I think the TV show will be very funny. I only made the gig because N rescued me after I lost my purse and took me. I think I am blessed, and that's why he deserves lovely things.
This weekend I also headed down to Southend to see my Visionary Tongue co-editor, Jamie, and his girlfriend Sarah Louise for a party. It's Jamie's birthday today - Happy birthday, Jamie *waves*. That was fun, guys - I never thought I'd enjoy Hammond Organ music so much. Very Red Dwarf! Next time, I demand an actual slide show of telegraph poles too.
In the meantime, N went to a stag do in Salisbury and, safe to say, we've both exhausted our alcohol ration for a bit. I am actually thinking of setting myself a challenge. A lot of people would have no problem going a month without a drink, but I'm easily persuaded in social situations, so like a hardened alkie, need some kind of pledge. It's not like I drink every week, let alone every night, but this month has been a bit social and I have found myself drifting slightly away from my Weight Watchers target. A concerted effort is required, so my first challenge is going to be an alcohol free October. That includes Halloween! Oh my... is it possible?
I feel I need to set myself a no-spend challenge too as I've spent everything I had saved for the wedding and Christmas is round the corner, too. I love what Kath Kelly did in her book How I Lived for a Year on a Pound a Day but I am not doing anything so drastic. Besides, that was in 2007, and a pound does not stretch quite so far these days, I've noticed. Plus N deserves to have what he wants, and he's not so demanding.
Kath Kelly's challenge included all her spending on toiletries, food, cleaning products, social life, clothes and travel. It did not include her rent or utilities or anything to do with 'health', such as dentist visits or medicines.
If I were to do something like that I would have to not restrict N at all... he needs his meat and ale. I wouldn't be able to hitch anywhere, like Kath Kelly did, and I'd need to fulfil my bookings and getting to work, so transport would have to be out, just managed with as much care as possible. Plus the cats need what the cats need - on pain of sulk. Also, I'd make sure I cheated and got October people's birthdays sorted this month. I'd also have to not include anything going out on DD already, but I reckon I could work to a budget of £14 per week for food and socials for 2 of us, not including stuff especially for N like his meat, beer, coffee, KFC etc (would make it approx £20 in real terms), and my social life consisting of getting my writing done, the garden tidy, and maybe some seeds sown for spring. Yeah! I might make that a challenge 2 and see how I go!
Ha ha.
Ooh - should also add that I am doing a reading at Weston Favell Library on 26th September at 11am. For fellow frugalists this is free - and my contribution to celebrating the wonderful resource that is the library, which we should strive to keep staffed with experts, not volunteers, and a fabulous free community resource.
*perhaps that sound of hollowness when knocking the base wasn't quite as hollow as it should have been... another 5 minutes would have done it.
