Friday Five!

Friday!  Friday!  Friday!

1.  Been an insanely busy January.  January is supposed to be quiet - not the case this year! 

2.  Came to blows with my boss last week.  I threatened to walk out.  He's been very nice to me since.

3.  The big wedding was at the weekend and was absolutely lovely.  Another American in the family now!  (British cousin married an American man, they live in Australia though).  My kids were PERFECTION at the wedding and meal.  They were the only children invited so the pressure was on.  We took our babysitter with us and we only needed her to collect them at the end of the evening and we were able to stay on.

4.  I would love nothing more than to go home tonight and put on my pajamas and not take them off until Monday morning.  Won't happen but going to try to make it happen as much as possible!

5.  Hoping to get our Florida trip planned out this weekend (while in pajamas).  We leave in 3 weeks and 1 day.   

My Friday Five:

1. I've been on Ascension for 2 weeks now, and I'm enjoying the 31-degree weather... sitting in my room right now in shorts and a t-shirt, with the a/c on .

2. It's Burns Night tomorrow night... an excuse to get dressed up, eat a several-course meal and drink wine and port (though I have to be up at 6:30am on Sunday for work!)

3. I was reminded by Facebook today that it has been 10 years since I got the phone call that the job I had already signed the contract for was no longer available... due to the recession, they were unable to run the training course I was supposed to be on at that time! As I had already signed the contract, I was given 1 month's salary tax-free, which helped me buy a car. Six months later, they phoned me again and asked if I could start in 6 weeks... which I did, and I've been with the company almost 9.5 years now.  Not sure if anyone currently on the forum was around then, but I remember posting about it here when it all happened.

4. When I arrived here, I had no idea when I would actually be leaving the island... my tour length was just 'approximately 3 months' so I assumed I'd be leaving in April sometime, and had told them I had to be back by early May because I have a holiday booked. Found out yesterday that they plan to get my replacement out here in the second half of April so I can get home by early May. I'm hoping I can get onto one of the fortnightly US flights to Florida (going via Orlando), so I can maybe spend a couple of days in Disney World on the way home (even though I just went there last month )

5. No idea what's going on with my hair out here - I think it must be the humidity/sea air, but it's really unmanageable compared to back home. It goes flat/greasy at the roots within minutes of taking a shower, while the ends feel like straw. It gets tangled easily because it's always breezy here, and constantly feels like it's full of product even when it isn't. Oh, and also, I realised I haven't brought nearly enough strappy/tank tops this time... I have ordered a couple from Amazon, but who knows when or if they will ever arrive (2 of my colleague's Amazon parcels ended up at a base in the Middle East last week and another wound up in the Falklands!)

I remember  ksand24! Congratulations!!!

1. Been off work on holiday since Wednesday.  This is normally the time i go to Manchester beer festival with my friends, but i couldn't afford to go this year, plus i didnt want to leave Jimmy with someone.

2.  Wednesday i met up with my friend that's off work with cancer treatment.  We went to Dobbie's garden centre where they had all their Christmas shortbread and chocolates 70% off, so we bought loads. 

3.  waited in all day for a plumber yesterday that never turned up.  Sent a strongly worded email.

4.  Plumber turned up first thing this morning, with his gaffer, so i'm feeling more confident that the work will get done now... not had hot water from the taps since New Years Eve.  Luckily i have an electric shower, but i totally miss soaking in the bath, and am fed up boiling kettles to do the washing up.

5.  Boyfriend is coming home from Manchester tonight and will stop by mine for lasagne and wine and hound cuddles on his way home.

1) The Daughter and I went downtown to do a bit of shopping. Had a nice time. For anyone that sews, I change my tune on Manders. They were amazingly well-stocked today, and are having some epic sales through the end of the month. Very different selection of fabrics from when we went in there right after we arrived in town. They even had some nice double-gauze. Daughter also got some cool stuff on big discount as well at Osiris (I love that store, reminds me of SoCal). And she got a dress at Primark for like two quid. Not a bad haul for her today.

2) The shop had eggs on half-price yesterday. So I bought six cartons (six eggs per) for less than three quid. We had a really nice cheese and eggwhite omelette tonight for supper. I do love Red Fox cheese.

3) We went downtown today instead of tomorrow because the commemorative Bloody Sunday march is, I think, tomorrow, and the prod neds have promised to raise hell at the march. It's due to go right down the shopping district in city center. Good idea to not go there. Nothing good will come of that. They say it's supposed to turn really foul weather tomorrow. One can only hope.

4) We got all the plants' ceramic pots washed and dried, and packed. We had accumulated more than I realized, and they are all nice enough to pay to have shipped. Thankfully, the Daughter has such a large stash of knitting yarn that all the pots are well-cushioned in their packing boxes with baggies of knitting yarn. We're doing a couple of boxes a day, since we have lots of time and everything that goes in a box has to be inventoried. I'm dreading emptying the bookcases, and may hold off on that for several weeks. (We have a LOT of books.) Did do the cookbooks, though. Came to three boxes. Have already got a box full of stuff to take the the Heart Foundation. I ~think~ I can get a receipt and take it off my upcoming taxes due?

5) There's a tea shop in Buchanan Galleries, next to John Lewis. I can't remember the name of it, but they have an amazing 70% dark cocoa. That was my splurge for the week. Went lots of places and saw lots of thing, but didn't see anything I wanted to buy. Except for the tin of Bourbon cookies that I did bring home, for the tin.   

5. No idea what's going on with my hair out here - I think it must be the humidity/sea air, but it's really unmanageable compared to back home. It goes flat/greasy at the roots within minutes of taking a shower, while the ends feel like straw. It gets tangled easily because it's always breezy here, and constantly feels like it's full of product even when it isn't. Oh, and also, I realised I haven't brought nearly enough strappy/tank tops this time... I have ordered a couple from Amazon, but who knows when or if they will ever arrive (2 of my colleague's Amazon parcels ended up at a base in the Middle East last week and another wound up in the Falklands!)

Sounds like you're sweating a lot there. Depending on the water, a vinegar rinse (a little white vinegar in the rise water) should take extraneous oil out, then you'd have to condition the ends, and maybe consider braids? I grew up in a part of Texas where the water was very hard, and it was hot all the time, and the wind blew constantly (with very low humidity). What your hair is doing sounds very familiar. Our options were to put it in braids or keep a kerchief on when outside. Fortunately for me, at that time those big brightly-colored paisley mens' handkerchiefs were all the rage as headgear.

Don't forget to moisturize extra around your eyes, so you don't end up like a wrinkled old prune like I did. 

1. Been off work on holiday since Wednesday.  This is normally the time i go to Manchester beer festival with my friends, but i couldn't afford to go this year, plus i didnt want to leave Jimmy with someone.

2.  Wednesday i met up with my friend that's off work with cancer treatment.  We went to Dobbie's garden centre where they had all their Christmas shortbread and chocolates 70% off, so we bought loads. 

3.  waited in all day for a plumber yesterday that never turned up.  Sent a strongly worded email.

4.  Plumber turned up first thing this morning, with his gaffer, so i'm feeling more confident that the work will get done now... not had hot water from the taps since New Years Eve.  Luckily i have an electric shower, but i totally miss soaking in the bath, and am fed up boiling kettles to do the washing up.

5.  Boyfriend is coming back from Manchester tonight and will stop by mine for lasagne and wine and hound cuddles on his way home.

5a: boyfriend turned up with a Tiny Rebel coffee mug, and 3 Tiny Rebel hats for me -- he couldn't decide which one I would like best, so he bought them all, LOL!

5a: boyfriend turned up with a Tiny Rebel coffee mug, and 3 Tiny Rebel hats for me -- he couldn't decide which one I would like best, so he bought them all, LOL!

Love this! 

My Friday Five:

1. I've been on Ascension for 2 weeks now, and I'm enjoying the 31-degree weather... sitting in my room right now in shorts and a t-shirt, with the a/c on .

...

5. No idea what's going on with my hair out here - I think it must be the humidity/sea air, but it's really unmanageable compared to back home. It goes flat/greasy at the roots within minutes of taking a shower, while the ends feel like straw. It gets tangled easily because it's always breezy here, and constantly feels like it's full of product even when it isn't. Oh, and also, I realised I haven't brought nearly enough strappy/tank tops this time... I have ordered a couple from Amazon, but who knows when or if they will ever arrive (2 of my colleague's Amazon parcels ended up at a base in the Middle East last week and another wound up in the Falklands!)

1.  That sounds lovely!

5.  My hair was like that for much of my life (it changed for the better in my 30s).  I've found that a good clarifying shampoo (I like the clear Pantene daily clarifier), followed by light conditioning only on the ends worked best for me.  I detanglify while it's still wet from the shower, then let it air dry.  Pulling it back is essential on windy days or when I'm in a convertible or on a boat.

It's Friday again!  And I've had a big week!

1.  My oven arrived last Friday, and after doing the super-hot bake-off-the-oils thing, we made dauphinoise potatoes to go with our filet steak for dinner.  It was sooooo nice to eat potatoes in a form other than mashed or microwave-"baked".  In fact, we can do actual baked potatoes, now!  Proper jacket potatoes.  Yay, oven!

2.  On Saturday I made cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing.  They were amazing!  You wouldn't known I'd gone three years without an oven.  I'm going to try to make spelt bread today.  I understand this one is challenging, but I have the River Cottage Handbook, so I'm optimistic.  Change of plans.  My spelt flour is old and has the aroma of rancid fat.  I'll be tossing it out, and I'll check my other flours and consider a different bread type.  On the bright side, the washing up is done, so my workspace is ready.  Yay!

3.  Monday I was visited by a home oxygen nurse.  I'd received a letter in the post telling me she was coming round, but they made it impossible to cancel/reschedule (I would have had to leave a message on their answer phone and wait for a return call, and obviously that's out of the question), so I dreaded it until she arrived.  But then it was loads of fun.  I loved her, and before I could finish saying "campervan", she said, "I'll put in that order for a portable concentrator."  It arrives today.  Eeeeeee!  Also, my regular respiratory appointment was yesterday.  I'm getting a prescription for a mucolytic in tablet form!  My consultant lets me direct my care, and gives me pretty much whatever I want, and I appreciate that more than I can express in words, so I'll do a quick interpretive dance... *dance* Oh, and after my consultation, he asked me if I wouldn't mind sitting down with two of his junior doctors (who were present for my consultation) and talk to them more about my condition.  As he was handing me off to them, he said to them, "Enjoy this... you will likely never see another patient like this in your careers!"  He meant it in a scientific curiosity way, but I didn't feel objectified.  It was all good.

4.  Dishwasher-that-I-can't-use arrives tomorrow.  Yay...? I'm glad I bought it, but I'm sad we won't be able to install it for probably a minimum of a year (most likely a couple of years at the pace we're going).  I only bought it because it was crazy cheap and got overwhelmingly positive reviews.

5.  I've finally poked around the Googles and found a guitar tutor near me.  My dirst lesson is booked in for Tuesday afternoon!  I'm hoping to get some guidance from an experienced player/teacher to help me work around my wonkiness to improve fretting, so maybe one day I can do full barre chords.  I need to get out of the campfire chord rut I'm in.  Plus, I'm hoping for specific weekly exercises to direct my practice and give me accountability, so maybe I'll actually progress. We've exchanged a few texts to coordinate scheduling, and it feels like a good fit.  Fingers crossed!

Bonus:  ABGs were done using the ear scratch method.  My wrist will be fine for Tuesday.

Double-bonus: Gratuitous cinnamon roll photo:

There is soooooooo much I Iove about your Friday Five JFKimberly! YAY!!!

1.)  I got a Yeti flask yesterday from my husband after I got mad jealousy after he got one for Christmas. It's quite lovely 

2.)  Dear work colleagues, I don't respond to snottygrams well. I too can play with fire. 

3.) Busy February and March ahead.  All good stuff though.   

4.) Hopefully will have my BIL-SIL over for board games tomorrow night. 

5.) Well doesn't look like I will be getting back to China anytime soon. 

Ohmigosh, PB... one year, my FIL picked out on of my husband's stocking-stuffer type gifts, and my MIL picked out mine.  My husband got one of those tiny little micro quadcopters that cost, like, £20, and are virtually impossible to control but loads of fun.  I was given some cuticle cream(?) and some other cosmetic-y type of thing that I found equally baffling.  I had to be gracious and grateful, but mad jealousy was felt.  And there's my husband sitting at the table waiting for Christmas dinner and flying his tiny quadcopter all around the dining room.  Poops!  All of that to say, I'm glad you got your Yeti flask and it's every bit as lovely as you knew it would be.

Your second one sounds ominous.

--

Bread update:  I'm doing a wholegrain rolls with a touch of honey in to give them a slight sweetness... I'm hoping that with a slathering of butter on, the bread will be a nice salty-sweet morsel from heaven.  I might need to reduce the hydration a bit, but River Cottage guy says higher hydration yields a softer bread, so I'm trying to stick it out... literally, as it's a bit sticky.  Knocking back and re-shaping the round went reasonably smoothly, though.  I might be on the right track.

A day late...

1.  Saw Madonna Wednesday night.  INSANE!  Sooo good.

2.  I got told off at work for saying that our sales targets this year are not enough to cover costs (to the owners).  I later got in trouble for saying that as they want to keep their heads in the sand. They are looking to sell....  we are not positioning ourselves to get a good offer....  time to dust off the CV.

3.  My water softener is (supposed) to be installed today!

4.  Had a governors meeting at school where the Head went on and on about people requesting holidays during term time. She had our holiday request on her desk that morning. I HATE the British way of condescendingly talking about you without just asking you to your face.

5.  Two weeks until we are off to Florida! 

Bonus as it’s Saturday:  ITS FINALLY FEBRUARY!  I wasn’t sure we were ever going to finish January.

Happy Friday!!

1.) Going away with girl friends this weekend.  Staying in a cottage, having some bevvies, sitting in a hot tub. Should be messy!

2.) Been a busy week , still a crazy busy month   

3.) Listening to a recording of the band practise for the band I lead (as we're competing early March), it's painful. Lots of work to do!!

4.) Coffee, more coffee please.

5.) Just read an article on Yankee magazine about a Fribble and now I want one.  Mmmm. Friendlys Ice Cream.   

Have a fantastically messy weekend, PB!

My five:

1.  Bread!  So much awesome bread, and I'm preparing another loaf today.  Daniel Stevens is a genius, and the bread has been so good!

2.  I was at Aldi on Tuesday and didn't know if we had enough bananas for the week, and I thought, "I'll just get some, and if we end up with too many and they start to turn, I can make banana bread!"  I used to make it before we moved, but haven't been able to for the past three years.  But now we have an oven again!  Yay!

3.  Also on Tuesday: my first guitar lesson!  I think it went well.  At my next lesson, I will have to be more explicit that what I need from him is concrete, bite-sized goals and accountability, as I completely lack discipline when I play/practice.  I was happy during my lesson, but I came away realizing I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be working on.  But he was knowledgeable, engaging, and he just happened to have seats that were the perfect height for me to sit with my guitar (not sliding off my leg or bumping my chin) and play barre chords.  Like, I went to demonstrate how I couldn't do them, and every note of my F chord rang out clearly.  And I was all, "Oh!  I did it!"  Then I tried moving it down the fret board, and I could do it.  Yay!  So then I had him measure the height of the seat so I could make a stool of similar height.  It's 48cm.

4.  I came up with an idea, and I described it to my husband.  He thinks it already exists, but I'm not sure.  I need to Google it.  But I think I might have invented something.  Or, I just reinvented the wheel again (I've done that too many times in my life!).

5.  Things are good.  Y'know?  Just... things feel good, and right, and ordered.  I'm not a particularly mopey/down type of person, anyway, but right now, I just feel really good.  I think it's the longer daylight and the promise of spring/summer coming again.