FORMULA FOOD - ROUND 1

AUSTRALIA = KANGAROO

We have just eaten our kangaroo stroganoff, which was actually very nice. The meat in its raw state looked like a large piece of liver. After cooking it was very lean & tasted a bit beefy & the texture was that of liver.
Conclusion - surprisingly nice, very low fat too. Would I buy it again? - Probably not!

Here's the recipe:
1tbsp rapeseed oil, 1 sliced onion, 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1lb kangaroo steak (I used rump) cut into thin strips, 200g sliced mushrooms, 1tsp paprika, 1tbsp Lea & Perrins, 2 tbsp brandy, 300ml stock, 100g creme fraiche, salt & pepper.

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion & garlic, reduce heat & cook gently for 5 mins to soften the onion. Turn heat back up & add the kangaroo meat, stir fry for 5 mins until sealed on all sides.

2.Add the mushrooms, paprika, Lea & Perrins & brandy & cook stirring for 2 mins. Add the stock, bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer for 20 mins - stirring now & then.

3.Add the creme fraiche & season. Heat through, but don't allow to boil - as sauce may separate. We had it with rice.

FORMULA FOOD

This weekend sees the start of this year's formula 1 season - I can't wait, Christian & I have been looking forward to this for ages (Sunday is also 15 years since our 1st kiss - & before you ask, no he isn't taking me out - I'm babysitting while Christian goes out!).

Anyway, this year I have decided to combine 2 of my favourite passions - food & F1.

As each grand prix is in a different country, I am going to cook something traditional to that country or something that country is famous for. For example, this weekend is in Australia. There isn't anything particularly traditional from Oz, other than shrimps on a barbie & Vegemite sandwiches, so we'll be having stroganoff - kangaroo stroganoff to be exact - do you see how this is going to work?! It's just a good excuse to play with different foods I probably wouldn't think of trying. I'll post each race weekend to tell you what we've had & how it was.

The most uninteresting will be the British grand prix as thanks to a couple of start/finish line tickets, we'll be eating from concession stands that weekend - not bad though for a country that seems to think chicken tikka massala is one of its top 10 dishes, but that's a different post!

A DUMMY - NOT IN MY HOUSE!

I have recently done something to my 6 weeks old baby that I am ashamed off - Christian will go mad when I tell him. I can't bear to see babies/small children sucking on a dummy, I much prefer thumb sucking! I know that there's a bone in a thumb & it can push their front teeth forward & blah blah blah (the dentist told me off after seeing Alice sucking her thumb!) but this image is so much nicer than a dummy face.

Anyway - I have just given Amelia a dummy & she loves it!!!! She has been crying on & off all day, so to save my sanity more than anything I tried her with an old dummy that we had for Alice (she hated it!) & peace has been restored - hooray!! Now I can get on with the housework I've had on hold for 6 weeks - not so hooray!!

WELL DONE CHRISTIAN

After 27 days, Christian has finally changed one of Amelia's nappies!

BREAST IS BEST

I'm astonished - I have spent the week not being healthy at all, eating fish & chips, sandwiches, cheese, chocolate & every chocolate product imaginable & not exercising at all & I have lost 6 pounds! Fanbloodytastic!

Apparently, on average, breast feeding burns about 700 calories a day. And when Amelia has her marathon 3 hour feeds (7pm - 10pm bless her!) it must be burning off more! Now if I can just get the rest of the family to join in, I could be a size 0 by Easter...hmmmm!.......

A WARNING TO TEENAGE CHECKOUT BOYS

If you are a teenage checkout boy please listen. Don't try to slag off a crying baby to her mother, the joke will back fire on you & your face will go so red that your spots will disappear into the firey glow.

Teenage Checkout Boy- Does he ever shut up?
Victoria- You were a baby once, did you?
TCB- He makes a noise, doesn't he?
V- SHE is a baby. Babies can't speak you know, they have to cry to communicate. She's only saying she's fed up & wants to go home.
TCB- My Grandma says problem babies make nice adults.
V- She isn't a problem baby. Were you a good baby then?
TCB- I'm confused...
V- Shall we just get on with the job in hand?
TCB- Sorry. Would you like any help with your....
V- NO.

HAPPY BACK TOGETHER ANNIVERSARY

Here is a very yummy chocolate fudge cake that I have made for Christian because today it is 8 years since we decided to give "us" 1 last chance to work!

Although we started seeing each other 15 years ago, we had a bit of a rocky start - to say the least! We used to work at the same pub all those years ago & after chasing & finally tricking me, Christian & I became an item. It was soon very obvious that I was more bothered about us than he, as he would frequently dump me whenever he might be in a situation whereby he would have to spend any money on me - like birthdays, Christmas etc - then take me back a week or 2 later. For example, for my 21st birthday, Christian bought me a drink! More fool me, some might say!

After a couple of years of this treatment, enough was enough & we went our seperate ways - not for long though.... can't live with, can't live without. But now it was my turn to be in charge! Christian was more bothered about me this time & didn't I just play it! We had a couple of years of being "friends with benefits"! Even Justin (Christian's brother) used to tell me off for this behaviour with "Stop messing my brother about, you're either with him or not"!

We then had another cooling off couple of years with not much contact other than letters, cards & drunken I love you phone calls! Then Christian sent me a letter stating that he was fine, life was great etc & I thought, "oh no you don't, what about me"! Time for a visit. We met up again & decided on 1st February 2000 that we were going to try 1 last time & if it didn't work, we would leave each other alone. Fortunatly, by this time we had both grown up a bit & knew that we only ever wanted each other anyway!

So there you have it, 8 years on, a mortgage, a wedding & 2 beautiful little girls & I'm the happiest person in the world! I love you Christian xxxxx

AMELIA ROSE BRIDDON

She's arrived!!! Finally, 9 days late, after all my whinging, the joint 1st most beautiful baby in the world was born!!
It all happened in the early hours of Sunday 27th January, I had got up to go to the loo at about 2:45, after, I heard 2 weird ripping/bursting sounds followed a stream of fluid! Knowing full well that this wasn't wee! I sat back down on the loo & called out that old familiar phrase, "Christian, I think my waters have just broken" - fortunately Alice was staying at my Mum's as we suspected something would happen this weekend.

I phoned the hospital, who advised me to "hang on until the morning before coming in" - from previous experience Christian & I knew that wasn't going to happen - then as the fluids kept on flowing, the contractions started. The 1st wasn't too bad, 15 mins later the 2nd was more uncomfortable, another 7 mins this time & Christian began his very important job of counting out loud for the length of the contraction. This gives me something to concentrate on & an idea that by 25ish it should start calming down a bit.

Anyway, we got in the car & thus began the most horrible car journey! The contractions were coming every 3 mins & lasting 40 - 50 seconds. I feel really sorry for the poor receptionist at Jessops hospital, I walked in, gave her my name & as she was starting to tell us where to go, I started staggering around saying "count Christian, count" & moaning "oh no...pant, pant, deep breaths" & a few seconds later then said "Sorry, which room did you say"!
After my rather dramatic entrance, I was examined straight away, bunged in to a wheelchair & raced down the corridor to a delivery room - I was fully dilated & ready to push (an action which cannot stop once you're ready to go!)

6 pushes later & no pain relief at all may I add, the very beautiful Amelia was handed to me, all 8lbs & 5ozs of her, aahhh!

Christian cut the cord & photographed the placenta, like all proud fathers do! Then we sat back, ate toast & drank tea, listened to the poor cow in the next room screaming, & laughed about the most ridiculous 100mins we had just spent, since I had got up in the night for a quick wee!!!

All pictures are here.

THE END IS NIGH

I think this will be my final pregnancy update! I am now 8 days late, the same as I was with Alice so fingers crossed. I saw the midwife yesterday & had an internal sweep, think latex gloves & James Herriot! She felt the baby's head & told me I was 3cm dilated, so something is happening. She also booked me in at Jessops Hospital to be induced if still no sign by next Friday & was laughing with the woman on the phone about me not making it that far anyway, she said she was 100% certain I will be delivering before then!

We thought the baby was coming last night as I was having light (10-15 second) contractions about every 30 mins - we were very excited, Alice slept at my Mum's, we went to bed to grab some sleep before lift off but these contractions had stopped when I woke up for my 12:30 wee -bugger!

Oh well, we'll see what today brings! I might also add that the final weight gain has been 2.5 stone! & my waist currently measures 49 & 3/4 inches!!! Get on that cross trainer Chunky!!!!

MY GOD WOMAN, CHEER UP!

I am such a miserable cow at the moment! All I seem to do is moan & complain. Believe me, I do know just how fortunate I am to be 39 & a half weeks pregnant, although we have the very perfect Alice, we were 2 years trying for her, with a rather cruel miscarriage just before her, then another year of trying & 2 more miscarriages before this baby (teenage chavs seem to just get pregnant by thinking about it), SO WHY AREN'T I ELATED?

Poor old Christian & Alice don't know where they are with me, I'm a fluffy bunny one minute & a pit bull the next, everything is too much trouble, walking upstairs leaves me breathless, sitting makes my pelvic bones ache, standing gives me backache, lying down is too much hassle for the amount of time it takes to get up, etc......
I don't remember feeling like this the last time. When I listen to myself it really upsets me because I think "You ungrateful cow!"

It won't be long now (I hope) & I'm actually looking forward to the giving birth part! I just want to hold our new baby in my arms & know that all is well. As for me, I will return to my usual old self & be able to run & jump up & sleep on my front & use my new cross trainer &.......