lazy days

A few days off have meant I have got into a bit of a lazy routine:

Coco pop lunch - CRISPY and not soggy.

Watching terrible terrible TV such as Dont tell the Bride, 24, Archer, American Dad, Project Runway and America's Next Top Model. Yes I realise these are all terrible, with maybe a few exceptions.

Drawing and cheesy hobbies like that

Cooking like a boss. I am a proper little housewife now.

I cleaned... until I found a spider, and even then I didn't really clean very much because I'm not a very good housewife ha!

Wearing pjs all day

Being a bore

 But, seriously so happy right now

Also, I really want superdry joggers now. thats how lazy/comfy I am.

START MY JOB ON MONDAY HORRRAAY.

a few drawings for you

This is a drawing I did of a girl wearing a giraffe costume/head photoshopped onto my photo of Brighton beach.

This was a Zebra Giraffe being too proud for my handstands

And a baby giraffe wearing a fancy bow. As you do.

They were only quick drawings that I gave a bit of photo-editing face lift but I hope you enjoy them. I am a little obsessed with giraffes. However, I only have access to pencil at the moment and will be painting again soon (hopefully).

I'm very self-critical so I don't really like any of them very much. I think that's what I always say about my drawings! ha!

 And these are the originals:

cheerrioo.

creme brulee

Part 2.

Cooking and eating

Pudding

Creme Brulee

The best bit of a meal

Turn on the oven to a lovely 150 degrees, the kind of temperature that penguins do not enjoy

Get 500ml of double cream and about a cap full of vanilla essence and pour them in a pan together until it boils and bubbles, then turn that heat down and let it simmer for about 5 minutes

Whilst that is all going down grab 100g of caster sugar and 6 egg yolks (the orange bit) and mixy mixy in a bowl until a little creamy. simples. It kind of reminds me of the centre of a creme egg.

All those egg whites get a bit lonely so maybe pop them in the fridge to make meringue or something... seriously taddaaa!

Pour the heated cream on top of the sugary egg and whisk. It should thicken slightly and then you can pour this in ramekins. (Now, we didn't have ramekins, so the student option is also to whack it in a massive casserole dish to about half way up! The giant's way to eat pudding.)

Now you have to make a bain-marie. Basically make sure the ramekins/one massive dish are sitting in a pool of water in a baking tray... up to half way up the pudding. Cook for 40/45 minutes. This is enough time for it to get all goooeeeyyy. Scrummy!

After all that time, take it out, sprinkle some more caster sugar lightly on top like a fancy layer and then grill so it goes crispy.

Best pudding evverrrrr.

photo-chop

How do you like my attempt at photoshoping a fancy elk?

All the photos are mine (except the top hat and bow) but the background is a frozen river in Gothenburg city centre and the baby elk is from West Midlands Safari Zoo.

Fancy animals always go to the ball.

being fancy for once

slushy alert

I threw a wee romantic evening for Josh. 

And you can do thiiisss toooo! (wooo noises)

Unfortunately, as I was having so much fun/cider I forgot to take photos of my main which was Beef in Beer stew with dumplings. I know its not the most romantic meal (ha ha) but we like hearty food and I have never had dumplings before and I am going to be honest I don't think I will again, they are a bit like eating sour dough. My starter was pinched from my date on valentines day with my two lovely friends! Camembert infused with rosemary and garlic with ciabatta and herbed balsamic oil. Fancy eh?

Oh yeah. Thats beer.

Desert was meant to be creme brulee but we were so STUFFED that I left it for todaaay! Horraaay!

So in the spirit of blogging, this is how to make this meal and I have highlighted all the ingredients instead of making a list, because thats how I roll: 

Starter

Creamy Camembert and ciabatta

very easy peasy

Run to your kitchen like an eager beaver and whack on that oven to a nice 180 degrees, mmm toasty

Get your fancy pants Camembert and make sure all the fiddly plastic is off (like dur?) but then put it back in the wooden box/home. Make a few marks in the Camembert with a knife and sprinkle on some rosemary or thyme, both work really nicely.

Get your ciabatta and slice it into nice toasty chunks and cover in olive oil and chopped garlic and I love putting fennel seeds all over them too... get your hands in their and mix it all up like a PRO.

 Then pop both of them in the oven for about 10 minutes

 Main

Scrummy Beef in beer with Dumplings

This is a whack it in a pot recipe

Keep the oven on the 180 degree setting

Go grab a handful of carrots and a couple of onions that look fit and healthy and start slicing and peeling and crying (because of the onions, not because your cutting vegetables, unless that's something that makes you sad... then feel free to have a funeral afterwards.)

Get a pan on hob and heat to a very medium-in-the-middle-setting and plop some oil into the bottom. Throw in the onions and carrots and cook for about five minutes, stirring and singing whilst you go.

Grab your diced beef (by the way we tried this with mutton too - cause its cheaper - and it works well too) and lightly cover the diced beef with flour and a pinch of salt. (You can add bacon too, without the flour on it!) Then pop this in the pan too with the vegetables until a wee bit browned and they have all got acquainted.

After another 5-10 minutes you should pour all these ingredients in a casserole dish and pour a normal-sized bottle of stout/beer over the contents until all the ingredients are covered. Add half a beef stock cube, 2 spoons of brown sugar and a very generous sprinkle of thyme  to the dish too and mixy mixy.

You can now put this all in the oven and relax/watch tv/look at your pet fish/if we are being honest... go on facebook for a whole hour

After 30 minutes its time to add the dumplings, but because I didn't like them, I will happily say: don't follow this instructions and in fact pop some baked potatoes in the oven now instead. But if you do like dumplings: Buy suet and mix with flour, parsley and water until doughyyyy and pop nice little round balls of dumplings straight in the casserole dish with the stew.

After another 30 minutes... your DONE and you can marvel at your finished masterpiece and fill your belly

Pudding

I will post this tomorrow :)

flip flip hooray

cheesy eh?

These are a few snaps of our pancake day.

I like mine with golden syrup

Also, our little slip ups included a few floor-cakes and a shoulder-cake.

However, I ate so many that it was a good job we went and played badminton afterwardsss 

oh and I WON.

tumblr

 
enjoy my new little craving

here

Because I have realised I like: cats, moustaches, funny pictures of animals, dresses, art and pretty things. And I'm sure you do too.

p.s. I'm still in pjs :)

giraffes and pancakes

Today is about Giraffes and pancakes.

Firstly, go to this link and see what I mean

Second, don't laugh at this photo, instead marvel at my paint skills and assume I am going to make it big.

I know having freeeeee time makes me more annoying than usual but I have spent all morning updating this little beaut: http://ranrah.tumblr.com/ that is my attempt to branch out into the wide world web and laugh at funny things people find. So, therefore I felt I needed to share my bizarre morning's worth of googgling (how is that spelt?) and the contents of my hard-drive about giraffes. 

I apologise in advance and hope you can forgive me.

But... I do blame you if your reading this, haven't stopped and you are enjoying it.

Then its all your fault.

Giraffes are fantastic due to three reasons:

1. they have extra-long, bendy, blue tongues. Is that for real!? good design.

2. they have long legs that make them look ri-dun-culous when they try and drink and I appreciate this

3. I want a giraffe hat 

And would you like to know more about animals and see me wearing a giraffe hat. you do? click here then

huzzah

So here are some pictures for you:

I did this a while back now, but considering its relevant I will whack it back up

source

And what they do when we are not looking. 

source

And why I think Giraffes are born survivors

source 

But this is my all time favourite

(the source is google I assume as this one was on my computer already! classy)

So, what we have gathered from this is that I really like giraffes. That was pointless.

But on pancake day, when I found that first picture, I got a bit carried away. ALSO, IT IS pancake day and I am very excitable.

(also my spell check is broken and I am well aware my spelling is terrible, so if you find any errors don't tell me, just look at them and realise that is how I assume words are spelt and let me get away with it)

And now to try and work out how to make a giraffe pancake.

week off

in my book is a week on. 
on it like sonic.

And, its also time to be vain as hell. I realise this is probably hurting your eyes but I really don't mind because I have so many wintery items on today that I feel like giving the world a hug.

That was really more cheesy than I imagined it in my head. In my head it was like that soup advert

Although the many layered jacket look today was more podgy than snuggly because I really do not like many jumpers. If you have any recommendations they would be much appreciated (I got told Urban outfitters is one to explore) but...

And this is now my week off (numero 2) so I am going to need a lot of entertaining. Unlike last week whereby I had poor/unsuspecting friends to pounce upon, this week I'm all on my little lonesome. Which means... please comment if you know any good you tube clips, things to do, things to watch... you know what to do.

Although today's plan is to cook a massive creme brulee

Oh and its pancake day tomorrow! I like syrup on mine. Lemons are horrible.

This also means I get some time to paint again and boy am I going to whip you up a storm. I have a few t-shirt designs I want to whack out :)

Because I...

Have a nice week. Please love me. 

magic

abracadabra

My magic week consisted of:

Valentines dinner with two beautiful dates and a lot of cheese and garlic. Good job we enjoy spooning or that would have been some smelly kissing.

Champagne evenings due to my new job

Interview get-up and distracting myself, proved to be successful (other than my squealy habits in interviews)

Lunch with my mum in matching stripes

Naps with my parents cat in the sunshine and lazy single bed mornings, pushing my toes against the radiator

Thai food evenings with some great company :)

New fish

Watching James Bond in my onesie

Travelling home on the train with a set of Valentines balloons with my ugly mug on it

Day of fun with my lovely friend Rosie, eating cheese toasties and buying fancy dresses with our pennies.

Coffee and hot chocolate (mixed together) and hundreds of giggles with Miss Nia Vee

Watching The Prestige with a certain bear which is one of the best films my little eyes have seen in a long time

animals that look like...

Hitler.

 Basically I got a new fish called Chaplin... who looks like this:

Our other fish are: Felix, Lenin, Stuart, Stuart and Stuart, Peanut, Kel, Zepplin (just seen in the photo, he has a black eye and is superfat) and now Chaplin.

And whenever I start rambling about my silly fish, I casually look on the t-i-n-t-e-r-n-e-t for other critters...

AND

look what you can find on the Internet. 

Cats looking like Hitler.

The Internet really has got hilarious. We have gone from porn to cute cats.

Google it. Its like the biggest belly laughing session ever.

I also love laughing at our retarded fish, so it doesn't say much for my sense of humour.

Seriously, Cats-that-look-like-communists-and-fascists... this just happened

The you can progress to any animals looking like celebrities, such as my favourite one

And this was an advert for dog food: do people look like their dogs?

Today, as you can tell, is SUNDAY FUNDAY and in between the roast cooking and me googling cats I have also good excellent news... last week I got offered a job I actually, truly want! So, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I have been cracking open the Champers. 

On Friday we also ventured to the local Jazz night. We then stumbled upon a new pub/bar called the Post Office Vaults. They have a massive selection of beer and cider that means I discovered they stock my favourite dark beer St. Bernardus (Abt 12) which I tried and tested in Belgium. Well worth a wee trip.

Enjoy your Sunday chickas

Circle time

now lets all hold hands and confess that we have bad breath in the morning...

well, unless you brush your teeth and such malarky. psht. clean.

so as you can tell, I got a new fish eye lens for my camera and boy does everything look better in a circle.

By the way, I realise I have not yet mastered the art of this lens yet as I thought for a while that the shadow that appears in the photo when it flashes... was my head. This cannot be my head. I do NOW know this is for a number of reasons, most are pretty obvious, but the last picture really threw me when I saw my own head in the shot.

Anywhooo, my weekend consisted of:

Whiskey nights, buying two new fish called Peanut (because he looks like he has had an allergic reaction... Josh picks all the ugly fish) and Kel who is a ginger ninja of a fish (who likes oraangeee sodaaa), eating a roast, baking banana bread which was possibly the best combo of bananas and baking goods, trying Cidre and speaking like an Italian, watching Sherlock Holmes and getting all clever, getting tipsy and falling asleep like the coolest cat in the alley, realising that we cannot see some of our living room floor due to the amount of apples, cheese and beef we have consumed (and the fact all of these have a lot of wrappers? ignore the apples in that list then), lie-ins AND enjoying my little self. 

3 interview in 2 days, here I come.

I do enjoy holding hands

this time last year

.....we were preparing to go to Gothenburg 

Gothenburg chapters

I don't know why I chose this photo to demonstrate Gothenburg, because thats just the inside of a supermarket, but at least we are buying cheese. That makes us pretty cool.

And now, we are in Brummie. I have 3 interviews next week to start a new chapter in my life, doing something I actually enjoy and boy do I want to find a job I can actually be truly enthusiastic about. I just hope I do not have a 'hannah' moment (as some people at my work call them) when I say things like "I like turtles" when asked about my interests or tell future employers I didn't mean to dye my hair ginger that one time and I need to go buy some more brown hair dye to cover it up.

BUT next week I am soooo looking forward to going home, partly due to the lie-ins and the fact my parent's house is very warm warm warm and I do enjoy a warm spot to nap in but also there is nothing like snooping in my old bedroom and finding embarrassing pictures or diaries. yesssss.

Meanwhile, I do hope I can convince Josh to play little big planet with me all weekend long whilst sipping on cidre (I did spell that right) and whiskey.

clap your hands

If your happy and you know it

1. planning trips away in the near future, including Italy in a few months (with the family) and flying far far away

2. this picture of how I want to wear onesies in everyday life. minus the kid/Joey.

3. Thinking things like: I wish baby seals went clubbing

4. This joke: I just farted in a lift - it was wrong on so many levels.

5. saying "maybe baby" when it goes quiet at work. Say it now. You'll enjoy it too. 
This credit lies with American Dad. Top notch.

6. wanting all kinds of new clothes by forever 21 and topshop (just need to get some pennies to purchase them ALL) but enjoying the time in between catching the train home to try on crop tops and leggings and think if they were the same awesome clothes I wore when I was 2 years old.

7. this pig by both its noise and its actions

8. winter food that makes my belly all warm and round, including me daily trip to Greggs to get steak bites

9. last weekends take me out episode where the word HAWKWARD would have scored me so many brownie points.

10. this dog's costume (Ban ban, you'll love this. Don't worry folks, this is a real person and not someone I am making up to look cool. Don't trust me)

11. My evenings with a certain chappy that make me ever so happy

12. this news story

13. looking for fancy houses to live in... we have even decided names for our chickens

14. My new fish eye lens coming in the post

15. I didn't want things to end on the number 14. It just didn't seem right. ermm... i like bananas.

when it snows we like to...

 

Run down to the shops and buy: cheese, tea and biscuits. 

We did not venture out for a an entire day and then it all got too much for us and we needed supplies. However we spent, in total, about an hour to do a simple 10 minute walk as we pelted each other with snow so much I actually had snowy tears from one directly to the face.

But I do own the best snow boots in town.

And it really was worth it, in order to obtain a packet of fingers, tea, cheese and the new Galaxy Counters that are pretty spiffing.

Last year when it snowed really heavily (not like this flimsy stuff we have going on this year, although its still so cold I really hate layering like an onion in order to leave the house) we ended up stranded in Hemel where all the surrounding roads were pretty d-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s. So Josh's mum supplied us with wintery coats and the biggest skiing trousers she could find for me that made me feel like that man from tyre adverts, you know the one... the Michelin man. Then we went sledging in the dark in this field that was all deserted and had fresh, white, hilly, go faster snow. However, as it was dark we didn't notice the sheep. Then sledging down the hill - face first - on my belly, I see loads of shadowy things running around and as I got faster and closer I noticed sheep diving out of the way (just in time). SHEEPIES.

A wee snow story for you.

What a pleasure

my god I hate this girl who talks about sheep as if that was a good story.

I tell terrible stories.

p.s. only two more days until I have a week of fun planned. I'm as excited as a llama with a new hat

Eurekaaa

I have come to a conclusion why I cannot get my favourite jobs...

which I have been applying for a lot recently

I have a stupid face

This was also an excuse to giggle about some of the pictures on my facebook currently

 I really love lazy Saturdays

I am truely lame

Enjoy your weekends :)

10 things to do when outside its all cats and dogs

Well, these are 10 things I like to do when I am all red-nosey and perky-nipply

1. Eat butter popcorn straight from the microwave whilst watching films

My favourite thing to do is opening up the packet and sitting on the carpet in order to rub each popcorn piece all over the buttery paper. mmm greasey grease.

2. Watch 24. 

24 and Bernard's watch must be arch enemies. 

I certainly lack oxygen whilst watching it as i get all flustered and excitable.

3. Youtubing cats

errmmm... don't we all? If not, try: stalking kitty and surprised kitty. 

Don't judge me. I like furry things that love me for having food. The easy peasy way to feeling like a rock star.

4. Playing online monopoly and winning all the fanciest streets like a boss.

I enjoy being the top hat, but when I play with Josh he makes me be the iron... because I'm a woman.

5. Attempting to bake puddings

I am not a baker at all. I know people think if you bake you're as cool as a badger (they are pretty bad-ass and like breaking legs if you come too close to their den) but its kinda true. Anyone who can make cake goodness, like my friend Amie, from things that sit in my cupboard like lemons most of the time... are invited to my dinner parties**

**translation: are invited to my house so I can eat their Crème brûlée and chocolate mousse.

6. Being a bad influence bear

My student ways reoccur on weekends so if you have not seen Avenue Q then please do. lets get a craaateee and play drinking games

7. Playstation: Little big planet or Mod racers

Ermm... I'm a girl so these are the only games I can play.

8. Reading in the bath 

I really like my monthly intake of FHM and Vogue. Bubbles and a bit of side boob. My two loves: fashion and funny reads.

9. Doodling

blank page. go.

10. Making runs for it and going to buy: pet fish, cheestrings and CLOTHES. 

I like our shopping runs.

All of the above can be done whilst wearing a onesie and looking like a twat :)