Unemployment benefits.

Not that I'm entitled to any. But I'm talking the benefits to ones self at being unemployed.

At Christmas Liam gave me a muffin bible book and Babs gave us a party recipe book which had yet to be trialled. Although we have had plenty of time in the past 9 moths we have flicked through them and then gone on our merry way with the old favourites.

So this past week I went in to muffin overdrive. Some good. Some not so good. Some recipes certainly need tweaking. But some make for a yummy dinner.

This unemployment malarky is tiresome. And the remainder of my tax rebate is now thin. I have a phone interview this week. And am still waiting on an October date for another interview. The desire to temp has all but gone. But financially and mentally I NEED to get temping again before I catch agoraphobia and am stuck in the house forever and ever. Highly unlikely but you just meet know how contagious lazy-itis is...

Although... It is quite nice with spring now here to sit in the courtyard with a cup of tea typing away at this. But this neither makes me money nor can last all day as by 3pm the sun has moved too far to shine in our humble courtyard. One of my arms even has a shadow on it now... Best shuffle the chair a little...

A side effect of not going to work is the enlargement of my arse. Nt by much. Yet. But it's starting... And with the ability to sleep in every day there is a lack of motivation towards gym attendance. Especially with no decent zumba class in the area!

In the meantime I get to do something yummy while trialling recipes - like lick out the bowl afterwards - yum!! Definitely a benefit. But then that exasperated the arse enlarging side effect... I just can't win.

I have stolen this photo.

Yes I have. I don't have any legal right to share it or use it. But isn't it pretty?!!

PP (Priya) got married on Saturday. And I didn't make it. Sucky. So I am reliant on the many mutual friends posting multiple photos on Facebook of the entire event and all of it's goings ons. This is most frustrating. And it takes Facebook stalking to a constant impatient level.

But finally Kelly posted some
Mobile pics. And I think we can all agree as most of you have met PP at an Ann Summers party or two that she looks bloody stunning! There is a white and gold gown she wore too but I'm only sharing this one.

So everyone raise a glass (or two) for Mr & Mrs Darr. And then have another couple to commiserate my sorrow for not being there.

And then when you wake up tomorrow with a sore head you can tell people you were at. Wedding reception. No one begrudged a wedding hangover on a school night. :o)

Squidlicious after photo

Squidlicious

The first time I can truly remember someone trying to feed me squid was March 1994, while staying with the LaForese family in New Jersey. An adventurous school trip. Taking a dozen teenagers from Germany to America wouldn't be my cup of tea. But then teaching isn't either!

We all got to stay with real American families in New Jersey followed by Springfield (Washington DC not Simpsons). Our head host was a fireman at the 10 ladder house opposite the WTC. Fortunately he had retired by 2001. Anyway I digress.

The point is this Italian American family bought us pizza for dinner one night and with it came calamari. Me, a 14 yr old fussy eater was mortified and stayed clear of the scary looking rings. Why would you eat a slimy jellyfish looking fish. Was it even a fish? Or is it a slimy sea monster?! Yuk yuk yuk. And so continued from then to avoid Calamari.

Now Lime has taught me a lot involving food over the years. Although he hasn't helped my inability to NOT cut myself with big shiny knives when dicing veggies. But he has also convinced me that the quality of one food can alter between every country. As can the taste and cooking abilities of the locals.

So in recent years I have not only grown to like squid (providing it is cooked well). But I can also now cook it myself. Not that it's hard. If you can boil an egg then you can manage it.

It is unfortunately as slimey as it looks before cooking. Depending on how you're cutting it you might also have to score it too. And the tubes can be quite smelly. And over or under cook it by a minute or two and you're screwed. Chewy averageness awaits. But if you get it right - yum.

It's also mega cheap (at least on this side of the world) and a lot easier then descaling or deboning a fish!

So go forth all to your local fish counters and make a squid salad today. Yumminess on a plate in less than ten minutes!

I love disposable clothing (primarni - and mum)

With the summer months approaching I looked to my shoe collection and decided it was bare. Isn't every womans shoe cupboard bare? Even with a thousand pairs there is never enough choice (no, I don't have a thousand pairs).

But with the cost of just the simplest ballet pumps over here being soooo overpriced I dropped in to conversation with my mum that if she was going to primarni anytime soon then a few cheapy pairs of shoes would be fab.

And mum rocks. As here are this summers ballet pumps for my wardrobe. Cheap, cheerful and disposable. Yey!

Thank you mum, I knew you would understand my plight for shoes x x