Friday Five!

BTW, Lyonaria... I really like your new profile pic!

Aw, thank you!! It's a bit more recent. Haha.

I didn't even have to play it.  I laughed just seeing the title of the video.   

I love that we are all celebrating long weekends with tacos.

That cracks me up. Well, the fact that people "celebrate" with tacos.

That's a totally foreign concept to me. I'm Mexican so I eat tacos daily: breakfast ones with egg & guacamole or chorizo & potatoes or lunch ones with beans, corn and cheese or at dinner time with some sort of meat protein and all with chile and all are on corn tortillas. Tacos on flour tortillas are not tacos but more than likely burritos and for the love of all things holy, don't make a burrito with beans AND rice inside the tortilla. That's just horrible. Don't get me started on the fact people put that on a salad. Just say No!

If you must eat a horrible burrito, salad or Taco Bell but just remember that it's never Mexican. Don't get me wrong. I will eat a Taco Bell when I have had way too much to drink and way too little sense and it will hit the spot but please remember, it's American. Thank you.

If you really want to enjoy your long weekend, have a margarita instead. That's definitely how you celebrate!

Friday:

1. Today is the first day of my youngest child's summer vacation. She's officially a senior in high school. I'm on a see-saw of emotions today. This time next year, she'll be done with school and we will be preparing for that empty nest. Then I think about how I NEVER have to volunteer again and make homecoming mums or drive that child to seemingly endless band rehearsals and Bands of America contests all over Texas or writing that $700 check for band fees or SAT fees or AP fees (why in the hell is she taking nine AP's?!)...then I wonder why she is lounging around when she should be thinking ahead about next year and then I think, she has her whole life to freak out and then I go back to wishing I was 17 again and think of how different my life would have been had I not married at 19 and gone to university instead and then I feel bad for thinking it. This is what sobriety does to me.

2. After freaking out on my see-saw thoughts because I am stone-cold sober, I remembered that it's National Wine Day. I prepared for this day in advance because I am in the wine business and all my social media posts were timed and I made several contacts and orders. I'm not so good because I forgot to call in an order for my own wine last week and the cupboard is bare. I broke down and went to Aldi to buy wine. It's horrid. I'm still drinking it but it's horrid.

3. I am somewhat estranged from my oldest child and I haven't spent much time with my three grandchildren since January. I have really missed them. I sometimes hate that kids grow up and become adults with adult feelings and tempers and do stupid s*** and things like this happen but I extended the olive branch to the son and he's bringing the babies over to swim and eat pizza with me on Sunday. Being a parent of young kids is hard but being the parent of an adult child who can be a total dumba** is worse. I am looking forward to Sunday and I spend my thoughts on the kids and hope they have a nice time.

4. The husband and I are planning to move back to England eventually but we've decided to downsize our 2500 sq ft home to move into a 1355 sq ft apartment by December. It's sort of an exercise to get smaller and smaller because I want to take nothing but essentials with us to England. All this time I thought we were sort of minimalist and I realized that I was sorely mistaken. I took eight bags to the local charity and then my husband got a delivery of photography equipment that takes up an entire room. I knew something was up with him when he told me that he would help me clear up at least half the garage. I discovered it's because he's leasing an Alfa Romeo Stelvio for his business. He kept saying that "Sophia" needs to keep dry. I'm here with minimal undergarments and giving up $200 worth of books and he is leasing a car. *sigh*

5. My ex-husband retired from teaching today. He is 64 (I'm nearly 48). I called him to congratulate him and mentioned that had we still been married, today would have been our 28th wedding anniversary. He didn't say much initially but then asked, "When did YOU move to Houston?" I said that I moved to Houston originally when we were newlyweds 28 years ago. He said, "I don't remember that at all. Did we have a wedding?" I nearly dropped the phone, got in the car and drove the 15 miles to his house to slap him! To think that for the past 28 years, I've kept our wedding photos (for our son) and have felt utterly terrible about how I ended the marriage very early and have lived with so much guilt and the bas**** couldn't bother to remember that we had a wedding. I guess I should be thrilled that I dropped that baggage after 28 years but still, I was a freaking beautiful 19-year-old bride! lol

I so need more wine and not that Aldi stuff.



 

but please remember, it's American. Thank you.

If you really want to enjoy your long weekend, have a margarita instead. That's definitely how you celebrate!

I don't think any of us actually think Taco Bell is Mexican... It's fast food. And a lovely taste of home here in England because it actually tastes right.

I'm not able to drink due to medication... So Taco Bell IS me celebrating. 😜

That cracks me up. Well, the fact that people "celebrate" with tacos.

That's a totally foreign concept to me. I'm Mexican so I eat tacos daily: breakfast ones with egg & guacamole or chorizo & potatoes or lunch ones with beans, corn and cheese or at dinner time with some sort of meat protein and all with chile and all are on corn tortillas. Tacos on flour tortillas are not tacos but more than likely burritos and for the love of all things holy, don't make a burrito with beans AND rice inside the tortilla. That's just horrible. Don't get me started on the fact people put that on a salad. Just say No!

If you must eat a horrible burrito, salad or Taco Bell but just remember that it's never Mexican. Don't get me wrong. I will eat a Taco Bell when I have had way too much to drink and way too little sense and it will hit the spot but please remember, it's American. Thank you.

If you really want to enjoy your long weekend, have a margarita instead. That's definitely how you celebrate!

I was mostly joking because we all happened to be eating tacos/texmex the day of a long weekend starting. Fully aware that it's not Mexican, my step mom is Mexican and taught me quite a few recipes. However I live with a limited diet and I don't get along with corn or plain flour, and my husband doesn't like messy food so we usually end up with bowls of taco fillings + rice. I stuffed myself too much last night so I'm not feeling well this morning.

and for the love of all things holy, don't make a burrito with beans AND rice inside the tortilla.

This is exactly the fuss I kicked up when the first burrito bars started opening up in Glasgow.  I even had one wee twerp tell me that without the rice, it's not a burrito, it's just a 'wrap'!! 

If you must eat a horrible burrito, salad or Taco Bell but just remember that it's never Mexican. Don't get me wrong. I will eat a Taco Bell when I have had way too much to drink and way too little sense and it will hit the spot but please remember, it's American.

We know what you mean, Lorena, but cast your mind back and remember what it's like here... sometimes you just have to surrender, go with the flow, and take what you can get!

I wonder what you think of the menu at this place, which was walking distance from me when I lived in Partick, but I was living on very little money at the time, so have only been there twice... to me, this was the most authentic Mexican food I'd ever had in the UK, but not being Mexican myself, (Im from southern California, with Texas panhandle relatives), what the hell do I know?

http://bibiscantina.co.uk/menu/

Whoo!!! 🌮 🌮 tacos for everyone!!
I'm heading up to Sheffield.

Sheffield! So jealous!  I love Sheffield!  The Devonshire Cat, Shakespeares, The Rising Sun, Kelham Island Tavern, Itchy Pig... all this and Taco Bell too!

Have a great time!!

I don't think any of us actually think Taco Bell is Mexican... It's fast food. And a lovely taste of home here in England because it actually tastes right.

haha exactly this i don't think any of us are under the delusion that it's really Mexican but it feels soooo right hahaha


Also loving your new photo Lyonaria

haha exactly this i don't think any of us are under the delusion that it's really Mexican but it feels soooo right hahaha


Also loving your new photo Lyonaria

Thanks, chica! My hair is SOO much longer now, but I love that photo. Haha

Thanks, chica! My hair is SOO much longer now, but I love that photo. Haha

hah you've just made me look and realise how old my picture is! May need to give it a change soon

hah you've just made me look and realise how old my picture is! May need to give it a change soon

Whoo for updating photos!

Friday already!  Yeah, short weeks!

1.  I have added an Avatar.  Time to catch up with the cool kids.   

2.  My husband's cousin (actually his cousin's kid) is staying with us for the weekend.  She's been living in Australia for the last several years doing Christian outreach.  It's her first time back in a year and a half and she's finally met our son!  She's dating an American (who is also in Australia).  I can't wait to get all the dirt this weekend. 

3.  We are going into London on Sunday as the cousin would like to see the city before heading back to Oz.  Going to go to the Olympic Park and ride the slide at the Orbit!  And do a boat ride down the Thames.

4.  I have ordered a Gousto box to try on a good offer code.  They do gluten free boxes.  I'm looking forward to trying it out and seeing how the portions are.

5.  Big week at our house this week.  We have FINALLY had the fence replaced!  Woo hoo!  Before and after pictures will be added below.  It's only wood but I LOVE IT.  Can't wait to get going on the flower beds and veggie patch now!!  And I have a proper gate - FINALLY!

Fence is looking good as is the avatar haha. Enjoy your trek through London!

1. I honestly can't believe it's Friday..this week has flown by while also feeling like the longest week in the world, despite it being a short week. Tonight we are supposed to be going into London to get dinner and/or drinks with some casual friends from back home who have been visiting the UK. Not sure if it'll happen as we don't know when/where we'll even be meeting and I'm not sure they have service outside of when they're on wifi so may not even hear from them...

2. Wedding tomorrow in Warwick. It's the one for the stag I went on and everybody was awesome so I'm really actually looking forward to it!

3. What I'm not looking forward to is not having found a dress......I definitely have stuff in my closets I can wear....but they aren't what I want to wear......Going to try to make a speedy trip into Camberley tonight after work (we finish at 4 on fridays) to see if there's anything at House of Frazier or TK Max I can get quickly before going into London.

4. The house is in a state! We tried to get everything that was ours out from my MIL's house before they pass papers at some point this month. Because we're (I say we, but it's definitely my husband) doing lots of DIY on the inside (AKA bathroom and now loft conversion + en suite), stuff just gets shuffled around and we haven't found a final spot for a lot of it so it's just sitting there, in the way but we just don't have any time to try to sort it out as we just seem to have one event after another as of late!

5. Despite the house being in a state, the bathroom renovation is done!! Well done as in done with everything we can do. Still need a plasterer to come around and then give it a lick of paint - but once the plasterer comes and we quickly paint, it'll alll be done! The sit has now been fitted and everything siliconed and the tiles have been grouted.

Ahhh! I noticed your avatar yesterday and thought it was fitting for your name!  I don't imagine I'd ever get my husband to go on that slide, but it looks like fun to me.    I could totally enjoy a boat ride down the Thames, with some cool beverages (or warm, depending on the weather).  I never do the "fun" stuff when I go to London.

My five:

1. I made the best batch of pizza dough ever last weekend.  Then we proceeded to destroy it making our pizzas.  There are no photos, but trust me when I say mistakes were made.  (If I'm being completely honest, the mistakes were made by my husband, but they had a knock-on effect to my pizza... mine wasn't too bad except for where it mixed with his pizza mess.)

2. We also learned/invented/modified a recipe for an awesome method for making tarte tatin in the Uuni.  Cute little individual-sized ones in miniature cast iron skillets I bought on Amazon.  My husband suggested I order four more miniature skillets so we could have a set of six. We can make the caramel and the puff pastry in advance, then quickly whip out a few of these for dessert by chopping some apples and arranging them if we have guests.




3. I have been dying for a proper Americanised pork eggroll since forever (5-1/2 years?), and I am going to attempt to make some on Saturday.  If this works, there will be so much rejoicing, you'll hear it in Scotland.  You don't even know my disappointment when I have been told "spring rolls are the same thing".  They're not.  Okay?  They're just not!

4.  We're still looking for a car.  We have not found one that meets every criterion, yet.

5. Don't tell my husband, but I bought him (us ) an espresso machine for his birthday.  I scheduled delivery for the day before his birthday, while he's at work, so I won't have to try to hide it for a week.  This should be our last weekend making coffee in one of these:



.... So, if you saw my comments in the Food section about how Grocery Day is a big deal in our house, you might .. uh... notice a theme.  4 out of 5 of my Friday Five are about food and drink.  And, if I'm honest, I want the car so I can go pick out my own food.    I am obsessed!  Would you guys believe I only weigh around 8 stone (which is more than I weighed when I moved over, but by no means reflective of how much I talk about food!).