...I bring out the Christmas socks!
I do my very best to only wear Festive themed socks (and knickers, if that's not too much information for you!), during the month of December. What can I say? Everyone has their Christmas tradition, right?
Well, today is the last day of November, so I'm searching through my drawers, and bringing all those festive items to the front. It's like welcoming old friends ;-)
Thursday, 29 November 2012
No thanks, I'm washing...
...my hair.
When I have the time, I rather like to experiment with natural alternatives when I'm washing my hair. Egg works pretty well as a shampoo, although you have to be prepared to rinse it really thoroughly with almost cold water to avoid the 'scramble' ( so not an option during the colder months! ). I've used herbs steeped in boiling water to make a rinse, and likewise lemon juice and skins. I gave bicarbonate of soda a try as a shampoo, and found that effective. However, most of the time I settle for a quick wash with a pretty basic, supermarket own brand shampoo, and a dollop of cheap conditioner. Occasionally, I develop a bit of a flakey scalp, and when that happens I switch to a baby shampoo for a while, which clears it up nicely. I don't really use any other products on my hair, except maybe some warm olive oil for a deep conditioning treatment now and again.
My daughter, on the other hand, sees my tendency to wash my hair with food stuff as yet more evidence of my general, all round freakiness. She suffers with a sensitive, easily irritated and flakey scalp, which anti dandruff shampoo only makes worse. Baby shampoo is reasonably effective for her, but E45 shampoo is by far the best she has tried. It is, sadly, rather expensive. Paying nearly a fiver for a bottle of shampoo really makes me wince! But, it is a price I'm willing to pay. I'd rather spend more on something that works really well, than waste money on something which is going to fail. Also, I keep my eyes open for any special offers that reduce the cost. Boots sometimes have deals on for advantage card holders. They had 20% off all shampoos one day, so I picked up three or four bottles. On another occasion, they were offering an extra 25 points when you bought hair care products, so I picked up a couple then, too. My daughter only really uses conditioner on the ends of her long hair, so I'm only willing to provide the fairly average conditioner I buy for myself. If she wants something more glamorous, then she has to stump up for it herself, and sometimes she does.
When I have the time, I rather like to experiment with natural alternatives when I'm washing my hair. Egg works pretty well as a shampoo, although you have to be prepared to rinse it really thoroughly with almost cold water to avoid the 'scramble' ( so not an option during the colder months! ). I've used herbs steeped in boiling water to make a rinse, and likewise lemon juice and skins. I gave bicarbonate of soda a try as a shampoo, and found that effective. However, most of the time I settle for a quick wash with a pretty basic, supermarket own brand shampoo, and a dollop of cheap conditioner. Occasionally, I develop a bit of a flakey scalp, and when that happens I switch to a baby shampoo for a while, which clears it up nicely. I don't really use any other products on my hair, except maybe some warm olive oil for a deep conditioning treatment now and again.
My daughter, on the other hand, sees my tendency to wash my hair with food stuff as yet more evidence of my general, all round freakiness. She suffers with a sensitive, easily irritated and flakey scalp, which anti dandruff shampoo only makes worse. Baby shampoo is reasonably effective for her, but E45 shampoo is by far the best she has tried. It is, sadly, rather expensive. Paying nearly a fiver for a bottle of shampoo really makes me wince! But, it is a price I'm willing to pay. I'd rather spend more on something that works really well, than waste money on something which is going to fail. Also, I keep my eyes open for any special offers that reduce the cost. Boots sometimes have deals on for advantage card holders. They had 20% off all shampoos one day, so I picked up three or four bottles. On another occasion, they were offering an extra 25 points when you bought hair care products, so I picked up a couple then, too. My daughter only really uses conditioner on the ends of her long hair, so I'm only willing to provide the fairly average conditioner I buy for myself. If she wants something more glamorous, then she has to stump up for it herself, and sometimes she does.
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Money in the bank...
...is like toothpaste in the tube. Easy to take out, hard to put back.
Earl Wilson
Earl Wilson
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
How far that little candle...
...throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
I really like to have candles burning at home, especially at Christmas time, and now that there are no small children in the house I don't worry too much about the safety aspect. A big package of tea lights really doesnt cost much, but can contribute a lot to the ambience of a room.
I don't really own many proper candle sticks, but I've made a lot. Little empty jam jars look pretty, and so do simple glasses. I've used empty tin cans too, sometimes with holes punched into them. I have a couple of old saucers that I use too.
You can turn glasses or jars upside down to stand pillar candles on.
Sometimes I buy taper candles, if they are cheap, but I don't have any proper holders for them. So I fill the glasses, cans and jars with something to support the candles, and poke them in. I've used sand, gravel, rice, cous cous and cat litter!
I always try to group candles together. Different sizes look really effective together - the more the merrier!
I really like to have candles burning at home, especially at Christmas time, and now that there are no small children in the house I don't worry too much about the safety aspect. A big package of tea lights really doesnt cost much, but can contribute a lot to the ambience of a room.
I don't really own many proper candle sticks, but I've made a lot. Little empty jam jars look pretty, and so do simple glasses. I've used empty tin cans too, sometimes with holes punched into them. I have a couple of old saucers that I use too.
You can turn glasses or jars upside down to stand pillar candles on.
Sometimes I buy taper candles, if they are cheap, but I don't have any proper holders for them. So I fill the glasses, cans and jars with something to support the candles, and poke them in. I've used sand, gravel, rice, cous cous and cat litter!
I always try to group candles together. Different sizes look really effective together - the more the merrier!
Monday, 26 November 2012
Epicurus said...
..."We should look for someone to eat and drink with, before looking for something to eat and drink."
Next Sunday a family from our church will be hosting their monthly bring and share open house. The idea is that everyone brings some food, it all goes on the table, and everyone present can share in the feast. This is a style of entertaining that I have turned to frequently, both in my home and at church.
It has a number of benefits. For one thing, it is an inexpensive way of hosting a large gathering. No one family carries the full cost of feeding so many mouths. It also builds a sense of community, with everyone contributing to a shared experience. When I have hosted such events I have usually provided something filling, substantial and cheap, like a great big pasta bake (just pasta, tomato sauce, veg and grated cheese), or a big pan of soup with bread rolls to dip in.
I guess you run the risk of having lots of the same thing, but that has never been my experience.
I've been giving some thought as to what I will take on Sunday. I am following weight watchers, so I want to be sure there is omething healthy and low fat! I also need something that won't take much prepping, as I am going to be out literally all day on Saturday. So, I think I shall settle for carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bread sticks and a simple dip or two. A big tray full of those will look appetising without being too expensive! I might take some fresh fruit salad, too, depending on what is on sale for a good price at the shops.
Next Sunday a family from our church will be hosting their monthly bring and share open house. The idea is that everyone brings some food, it all goes on the table, and everyone present can share in the feast. This is a style of entertaining that I have turned to frequently, both in my home and at church.
It has a number of benefits. For one thing, it is an inexpensive way of hosting a large gathering. No one family carries the full cost of feeding so many mouths. It also builds a sense of community, with everyone contributing to a shared experience. When I have hosted such events I have usually provided something filling, substantial and cheap, like a great big pasta bake (just pasta, tomato sauce, veg and grated cheese), or a big pan of soup with bread rolls to dip in.
I guess you run the risk of having lots of the same thing, but that has never been my experience.
I've been giving some thought as to what I will take on Sunday. I am following weight watchers, so I want to be sure there is omething healthy and low fat! I also need something that won't take much prepping, as I am going to be out literally all day on Saturday. So, I think I shall settle for carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bread sticks and a simple dip or two. A big tray full of those will look appetising without being too expensive! I might take some fresh fruit salad, too, depending on what is on sale for a good price at the shops.
Chocolatey goodness...
...recipe suggestion.
Very close to my school is a little shop which sells a dangerously addictive substance...
Tiffin!
The kids at my school go crazy for it, and so do many of the staff. The Tiffin from this shop is the stuff of legend. If you've never eaten it, then frankly, you have never lived.
Well, it's almost the end of the month, so funds are running low. I have enough basic foodstuffs to see us through until payday on Friday, but sometimes the basics are not enough. You need a little tiffin. So tonight, I'm going to make my own. Tiffin is the easiest thing in the world to make, using very simple ingredients, but somehow tastes far more wonderful than you would expect.
First, put 2 tablespoons of golden syrup, 2 tablespoons of sugar (any sort), 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 110g butter into a large pan. Heat gently to melt.
Then, stir in approx 220g of biscuits, crushed and bashed to get a mixture of crumbs and lumps. Rich tea is traditional, but really any sort of biscuit will be fine. I usually use digestives, because that's what I have in most often.
Add a handful of raisins, if you like them. Actually, my daughter has an unreasonable aversion to all kinds of dried fruit, so I don't often bother. I might throw in a handful of rice crispies instead, or a bit more biscuit.
When its all mixed, spread it out into a tin, pressing it down well.
Then melt the chocolate, and spread it over the top. Chill for a couple of hours, then eat! It's very rich, you might want to keep the slices small.
Of course, this recipe has all kinds of variations.
You could add any kind of dried fruit you like - cranberries, apricots, cherries etc.
You could use plain, milk or white chocolate to top it, or a marbled mixture of all three.
You could use ginger biscuits, chopped up glacé ginger, and top with dark chocolate. I think this would make a very grown up Tiffin!
Very close to my school is a little shop which sells a dangerously addictive substance...
Tiffin!
The kids at my school go crazy for it, and so do many of the staff. The Tiffin from this shop is the stuff of legend. If you've never eaten it, then frankly, you have never lived.
Well, it's almost the end of the month, so funds are running low. I have enough basic foodstuffs to see us through until payday on Friday, but sometimes the basics are not enough. You need a little tiffin. So tonight, I'm going to make my own. Tiffin is the easiest thing in the world to make, using very simple ingredients, but somehow tastes far more wonderful than you would expect.
First, put 2 tablespoons of golden syrup, 2 tablespoons of sugar (any sort), 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 110g butter into a large pan. Heat gently to melt.
Then, stir in approx 220g of biscuits, crushed and bashed to get a mixture of crumbs and lumps. Rich tea is traditional, but really any sort of biscuit will be fine. I usually use digestives, because that's what I have in most often.
Add a handful of raisins, if you like them. Actually, my daughter has an unreasonable aversion to all kinds of dried fruit, so I don't often bother. I might throw in a handful of rice crispies instead, or a bit more biscuit.
When its all mixed, spread it out into a tin, pressing it down well.
Then melt the chocolate, and spread it over the top. Chill for a couple of hours, then eat! It's very rich, you might want to keep the slices small.
Of course, this recipe has all kinds of variations.
You could add any kind of dried fruit you like - cranberries, apricots, cherries etc.
You could use plain, milk or white chocolate to top it, or a marbled mixture of all three.
You could use ginger biscuits, chopped up glacé ginger, and top with dark chocolate. I think this would make a very grown up Tiffin!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)