AMELIA'S CHRISTENING

Sunday 28th September was Amelia's Christening & it was a really lovely day. When I opened the curtains on Sunday morning, my heart sank a little - Saturday had been such a sunny day & now it was raining :( Never mind, its not actually about the weather, so we carried on with our long list of last minute things to do. I had to finish the children's sandwiches amongst other things & get to Christian's Mums for about 8:30 so I could finish my chocolate pavlovas off - I didn't fancy transporting the finished article - bit messy! We also had to take the cake that I had lovingly created over the past few months. As usual I had visions of dropping the bloody thing ( it weighed a tonne), but it made it in one piece & all was well. Christian also had to get Alice to my sister-in-laws so she could do her hair. Claire is brilliant at this -I would have probably just gone for bunches!

The church service started at 11am & was held at Dronfield Woodhouse Methodist Church - the same place we had Alice's 3 years ago. It was also Harvest Festival, I used to love this as a child. But unfortunately we didn't get to sing 'All Things Bright & Beautiful' I'm good at that! But we did have 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness' - which is one of Mum's favourites (& funeral choices!) so I knew she would be shedding a tear or two! The vicar is a really nice little man & made the service quiet humorous (don't know if he intended too), even though his other church had been broken into the night before (who does things like that?) - they had made a right mess all for an £800 projector. I personally enjoyed the old lady reading out the notices - she made me laugh a lot!
Amelia was an angel, all happy & gurgling. She smiled on cue to the vicar & was pulling his face about during her baptism -ahh, a crowd pleaser - she had Mum & Auntie Tricia in tears - we're such an emotional lot! Tracy & Tim (not a couple, even though some thought so) were fantastic Godparents - a good choice of mine & even Christian read his lines properly this time (he fluffed Alice's :)). Then during the rest of the service, Amelia slept on my shoulder, so everyone behind could see have cute she was.

Then at about 12:15, it was back to Christian's Mums for the party. I'd been planning, shopping & cooking for this part for weeks, so it was nice to finally enjoy all the work. The sun had been out for a while by now, so people could sit outside & the children could play in the garden, everything fit in to place. As you can imagine much fussing was needed to get all the food heated & ready, & this is when I stood on Alice's foot. Eeeww! I felt so bad, she had taken her shoes & socks off & I had changed into some lower heels - kitten heels & she was stood right behind me when I took a step back. I stood on her just above her toes, oh how she screamed, she had a perfectly round ring on her foot (which in now a bruise) - I felt so guilty but thankfully she's very forgiving & a pink wafer biscuit saved the day! Amelia was still being perfect & happily playing with Auntie Katie & Ben.

Then we had the food, which apparently went down rather well :) We had goulash, Thai green curry, vegetarian chilli, rice, new potatoes & salad. Followed by chocolate & raspberry pavlova (of course), lemon roulade, chocolate roulade, apple tart, plum pavlova, dairy-free carrot cake (gay) & strawberries. Not forgetting rather delicious Christening cake & all the booze you could drink - which wasn't much actually - it's now in our loft waiting for Christmas!

We all had a great time & it was lovely seeing all our friends from near & far. I would like to thank, Dianne & David for letting us take over their house - perfect setting, & Dianne again for all her help, Tracy & Tim for being brilliant Godparents, everyone for taking the trouble to come & all their lovely cards & gifts (I will be writing soon) & Dronfield Woodhouse Methodist Church for making the whole day possible. But mainly to Amelia, who is so lovely & happy, she didn't cry once all day - even when the Holy water was very cold - & she (as Alice did 3 years ago) showed off to everyone that I am the best mother in the world & good children aren't a gift - it's all about being a fantastic mother!!!

THE WANDERER RETURNS

This afternoon Mum's back from her holiday - yay! I can't wait to see the state she's in. Yes, my Mum went on holiday and had a mishap - no, I couldn't believe it either! (for those who don't know, if it's going to happen, it will happen to my Mum).

On Saturday morning (completely sober I might add), they went for a walk & she fell -doh! They have since spent the rest of the holiday in various Spanish doctors surgeries & cleaning up blood & she's been on anti-biotics, so no more booze! I think I'd have just come home! Apparently she's made quiet a mess of her upper arm - it needed stitches but they panicked & didn't go to hospital (!). All hear all about it later!

JOBSWORTH

Do you remember 'That's Life' on TV with Esther Rantzen & the 'Jobsworth' feature? Well I've found them a new one!

Yesterday, I took Alice to a 4 year olds birthday party at Easy Tigers (it's one of those awful play centres, all ball pools, slides & screaming kids!). It's hell on earth, as you can imagine, but children love it! Anyway, it was a party of about 20 3-4 years olds, their Mums & a few babies (I chose to leave mine at home!). You can imagine the scene, playing in the play area, a tea party followed by a disco - delightful! Whilst they were all eating their sandwiches, one Mum gave her 9 month old baby a bottle, who promptly through the whole thing up afterwards as babies do! No one thought anything of it, why would you? Then the (18 year old!) manager came into the party room & instructed the mother & baby to leave!!! for 'health & safety reasons'!!! We were all gob smacked!

Babies throw up, it's a fact, it's not even proper puke, it's just milk! The manager even walked outside with the mother, to make sure she left! The poor woman had to sit in the car, waiting for her daughter to finish the party. I still can't believe it, what a bloody jobsworth.

I should have told her about the time Amelia was sick in the baby ball pool & Lyndsey & I just mixed it in with the balls!!!

WHAT'S WRONG WITH MUMMY!

Since the girls & I stayed at my Mum's last week while the kitchen was being done, Amelia has started to talk. Well when I say talk, she can say one word. She says "Daa-dee" - Daddy? What about Mummy! Who's there for you 24/7, who feeds, cleans & looks after you? Who lovingly carried you for 9 months & graciously gave birth to you (no pain relief - did I mention that!), it certainly wasn't Daa-dee!! He just comes home 30mins before you go to bed & ignores you while he either plays with or goes on at Alice! Time for some re-grouping girls, altogether now Mum Mum Mum Mummy!

MY BABY BUTTERFLY

For a while now, Amelia has been moving around but no one knows how! She will only do it in private! You sit her on the floor, go in the kitchen for something or nip to the loo & when you get back, she's completely moved!

She must be getting brave (or cocky), because she is now doing her 'move' while I'm watching! She does the butterfly swimming stroke - but backwards! She only stops when she gets jammed under the settee & then pulls a load of dust out on her once white socks. Aahhh she's lovely!

FORMULA FOOD - ROUND 14

ITALY = MOULES ET FRITES

Yes, this is the Belgian offering following last week's little mix up! Another point to remember is, when buying fresh mussels from the fish mongers on a Saturday - get there before the bloody shop closes. The shop closed at 2pm & following our morning jaunt to Ikea, I got there at 2:20 - bugger! So dear reader, I had to make the best of a bad job with some supermarket bought fresh mussel meat. Not the same at all, but it was either that or some vacuumed packed mussels, still in their shells, but also in a rather suspect garlic butter sauce!
Conclusion: Get to the fish mongers in time!
Would I make it again? No. Yes with proper mussels.

Moules et Frites:
2 boxes of supermarket mussel meat(!), 1 finely chopped shallot, 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic, 1 finely chopped red chilli, 1 large glass of white wine, 150ml double cream, roughly chopped parsley, 4 large potatoes & olive oil.

1. Pre-heat oven to GM8. Peel & cut potatoes into chips & par-boil in slightly salted water for 5 mins. Toss in oil on a baking tray & sprinkle with salt, then bake for 30mins turning once.

2. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a saucepan over a medium heat & gently fry the shallot, chilli & garlic. After 5 mins, add the wine, bring to boil, then reduce heat & simmer for 15mins or so until the wine has reduced by half & lost the raw alcohol taste. Add the cream, nearly boil it & again reduce heat & simmer for 10 mins to thicken the sauce slightly (check for seasoning - may need a squeeze of lemon, mine did). Add the mussel meat & warm them through.

3. Place chips into bowls & pour over the mussel broth, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

BON VOYAGE

Mum & Auntie Tricia are off on their hols shortly. They are going to Porta Pollenca in Majorca, its a lovely place, Christian & I have spent many a pre-child holiday there. Some friends of my Mum have an apartment there & that's where they are all going - a good laugh to be had by all then!

The only problem is that (like me), Mum has a fear of flying - yet she keeps going away! I took homeopathy tablets last time(or placebo as Christian called them "They'll be saccharin that's all") & they really worked for me. Mum sees tablet taking as a weakness(!), so the poor thing has a very unpleasant day ahead - it will be worth it when she gets there!! Have a lovely holiday, but don't do a Shirley Valentine!! xxx

FORMULA FOOD - ROUND 13

BELGIUM = SALTIMBOCCA

Well all I can say is that I'm pleased I didn't have race tickets for last weekend. I would have been sat there, in my McLaren hat & t-shirt wondering where everyone else was - "I thought the Italian's like F1", I would have thought!!! Silly cow, everyone was in Spa! It wasn't until half way through the qualifying that the penny finally dropped. Yes I could have run to the fishmongers & bought some mussels for our 'Moules et frites' but I had already defrosted my veal! Never mind, we'll have them next week!
Conclusion: Really nice, especially the sauce.
Would I make it again? Probably not with veal, unless it becomes easier to get hold of, you could try it with chicken or pork though.

Saltimbocca:
4 veal escallops, 4 large sage leaves, 4 slices of parma ham, 60g butter, salt & pepper, half a glass of white wine.

1. Place a sage leaf on top of each escallop & then cover with a slice of parma ham & secure with a couple of cocktail sticks.

2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, over a medium heat. Season lightly & fry the Saltimbocca for a couple of mins on each side. Remove & place on warmed serving plates.

3. Pour the wine into the pan & turn the heat up high to gather up all the pan juices, then pour over the Saltimbocca.

We had them with chips & pepernato - just because I'm always looking for an excuse to make it! & it is Italian, I'm sure the Belgian's would love it!

COCO OR LEROY? WHO WILL SHE BE?

Yesterday, Alice went to her very first dance class - aaahhhh! Poor Shirley Tindall - she's been the teacher at the Bradway School Of Dance for the past 45 years, yes 45 years! - which means that she was my ballet teacher when I was 3 - all those years ago! Not a patient woman, but dance needs discipline. My friend, Ruth (who took her daughter Charlotte aswell) & I started quoting 'Fame' when the class finished, - to our 2, 3yr olds (imagine a large cane banging down on the floor), "Fame costs, & right here is were you start paying.... in sweat" - we had just promised to get them to practice at home!

Anyway, she learnt how to do 1st position & how to plie, how to mime being a frog, kangaroo & rabbit & I learnt that apparently my daughter has a problem pronouncing her 'Ls', hmmm this woman is apparently very good, so we'll let it go!! :) It was so emotional to watch - Ruth & I kept looking at each other with ours eyes full! Even when it was each others girl who had just done something good! or not!!!

However, driving home afterwards, just past Tinkers Corner (which is the start of the country stretch home), & just before the farm/stables/cattery/farm shop (ie BE CAREFUL) - there was a girl riding a horse in front of me - fine, hold back. But some bloody 'C U Next Tuesday' was driving in the opposite direction & drove past at such a speed, not slowing down. The puddle he drove through (a couple of meters in front of the horse), covered his car, the speed he was going was f***ing ridiculous - what is it with tw*tty lads? Poor pony, he semi reared (well, he backed right down on his hind legs & came up a bit at the front -don't know the official term for that), then spun round & started heading for my car. I stayed still for a while until she had settled him & asked her if she was OK & needed any help - she was fine, thankfully. But what an idiot, why would you think that driving like that past an animal would be ok? My cousin knackered her back following a similar incident.

THERE'S A FLY IN MY SOUP...

After all these years, I have finally had reason to say "There's a fly in my soup!" Having lunch with my Mum today (my homemade soup, at my house - can't complain!), there was a fly in my soup! Oh how we laughed when I uttered those very well known words!! Maybe we should get out more... no, it was genuinely really funny!!