Here's To The Daisies Weekend Baby...

Girl Guide Logic...

"Be Prepared"

This is not what I am, somehow this week has run away with me, probably because 2 out of 3 nights I've rushed straight from work to a flat viewing. I slept away my whole Sunday... blah blah, I didn't go shopping, I've been eating soup, popcorn, veggies at home - at work I've managed omlette and baked potato. I am not full, I am hungry.... very very hungry... convenience food all seems to be wheat covered - pasta, pizza, wraps, pies, sandwiches, crumbed.... need I continue? I'm starting to wonder how healthy I've been the last three days???

I am shopping tomorrow night, mostly for Daisies, I really need to make sure I'm properly prepared.... who knows what wheat-free nosh will be available?

"Scout" - Richard Phillips

Dry Daisies....

.... Rocking The Daisies this weekend, and I'm going, and I will be sober!

It's it be fine... totally fine... I might have to tranqualise myself to get any sleep because I won't be under the sleepy spell of savigon blanc. I might starve a bit.... no burger rolls, pizza, sandwiches, pie.... remind me again why I'm doing this in October? Oh, right, because it's NOT easy....

I'm better off planning my festival wardrobe....

WANTED: Wine & Pizza

Arrrrrrrrrgh.... This week is lame and I want my comfort....

I wanted KFC (ok as I type this, I realise the crumbs are illegal), but decided to come home to my veggie soup. I was (still am!) really hungry, so decided to make scrambled eggs with my last two eggs. I opened a bottle of milk yesterday, apparently Best Before 5 October... it smells and tastes fine... who knows because as soon as the scrambled egg mixture bit the pan, my whole kitchen stank... of off milk, not egg.... I am cross.

I was going to start my Zombie training today, but I really don't want to - this week is too busy, I'm starving, I promise.... I will finish Spring Cleaning in lieu of exercise.... promise....

The First Rule of Zombieland

I have been very unmotivated lately, maybe I good thing that I've set strict challenges for this month. I've decided to take a different stance on exercise - taking inspiration from Zombieland

Rather than exercising to lose weight or get fit - I will merely be training to ensure my survival come the Zombie Apocalypse.

Who's with me? :)

Day 1 and I could care less....

      "Jumping up and down the floor,  

            my head

                    is an animal"

"Dirty Paws" - Of Monsters & Men


I have so much on my mind, little of it to do with alcohol or wheat. I guess that a pizza and a glass of wine would probably give me the illusion of more clarity, but let's not fail before we're even begun.

My brother and I have decided to buy a flat together - It feels like the most daunting thing I have ever considered. We haven't been looking for long, and have only viewed two properties. It feels like online dating, and more than once, let's say 4 out of 5 times, I've made contact with a realtor and then freaked out and cancelled the meeting because I didn't like the flat's profile picture.... or address.... cautious or shallow? Who knows?

Flat #1 looked super sexy in his profile picture and we seemed to like all the same things... gas hobs, apple green tiles, built in book selves... but Oh Man.... was he lacking in the bedroom department *chuckle*

Flat #2 admitted that he was rough around the edges, but was ample in the bedroom department... however; his cooking and personal hygiene left a lot to be desired. I'd have to completely mould him from scratch.... as fun as that sounds... his ex had been very rough on him, and I wasn't sure I felt like dealing.

Right now I'm not sure that my feelings about dating and house hunting are very far apart... I'm pretty petrified of commitment. I've been in a fairly monogamous relationship with my flat for almost 4 years but we're not legally bound. Been out of a serious romantic relationship for close on 3 years.... not sure how I feel about changing that either....
BUT 30 approaches and certain things are pretty much expected. I'm not looking for advice, I think I'm just saying - it's all kinda hectic.

Could it be? Red Wine Cupcakes???

As my Sober Wheat-free October looms.... a "last supper" of sorts has been on my mind... then it hit me... Bread and Wine.... the irony was not lost on me.

While trawling the internet I came across a sweet combination of my soon-to-be-forbidden fruit... wine and cupcakes join together... in RED WINE CUPCAKES....
what a concept :) Doubt I will get a chance to bake this weekend, so best keep this recipe for November.

Thanks to Big Fat Baker for blogging the recipe, and We Are Not Martha for the original recipe - check out both interpretations.

Big Fat Baker

Red Wine Cupcakes

Recipe from We are Not Martha (Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes)
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 140g chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup red wine of your choice

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line cupcake pans withs cupcake liners.
2. In a heat proof/microwave safe bowl combine the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Pour in the boiling water. Stir until it’s completely melted (I had to microwave mine a little to get it to fully melt).
3. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
4. Add in the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well between each addition.
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fully mix it into the butter mixture.
6. Then add in half of the chocolate mixture and half of the wine, stir a few times. Then add in the remaining chocolate mixture and wine, stir until combined.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3rds of the way full and bake for 20 minutes (rotate half way through).

New Name, New Look, New Focus

I have grossly neglected my blog and my challenges, probably because I feel too busy, but perhaps because I wanted to do more than just focus on the challenges... so I present to you "Seriously Sharon?" - which not only covers my mad challenges... but also any stories from my unbalanced existence.

It is almost October again, which brings up the question "To Sober October, or not?" Obviously if I opt out, I look like a total alcoholic. So, I will indeed be doing Sober October again, and adding all of January's resolution goodness in there too... so NO WHEAT EITHER. Indeed.... *rubs invisible beard*

My brother will be Wheat & Alcohol Abhorrent for October too - how sweet. I'm hoping for a repeat of the drastic weight loss from January... my birthday is looming... It's a big birthday... I'd like to be less big... More about that later *shudders*

That covers the upcoming challenge... so how about a story now?

Sharon Runs Out of Petrol (in the rain) (200m from garage) (in traffic)
Need I say more?
Just as I'm thinking,"I will go get petrol, but not at Shell, I don't like Shell", I break down, on an uphill, just after the bridge in Gardens, it is pouring with rain, people are desperate to get home. I vainly attempt to single handily push my car up the incline (yes, it obviously is impossible).

The Strawberry Man comes to my rescue... whilst the Uno is super light on a flat road, it is horrid and lump-like on a incline... the car rolls back 2m... just then, could it be? The ambling frames of two young gentlemen? The three chaps easily push my car out of the way and into a parking. The young gentlemen high-five and all I can sarcastically think is "wow, you are SO strong.... you pushed an Uno". They do ask if I will be ok and then amble off.

Strawberry man seizes his moment to make a sale and cons me into buying his last punnet of over-priced strawberries "It's my last one, then I can go home..." He did offer to go buy my petrol but I was a little bit over him and was sure he'd expect a tip. I am so used to running out of petrol, that I carry a convenient bottle in the boot. So I stomp off towards Shell with my pink 5l bbq sauce bottle, the rain seeping into my very summer inspired outfit and pumps.

After buying my petrol, I could not resist Narona and squelched through the doors, looking like a wet dog. I order a pizza for take away, wiggling my bottle at the cashier and saying "I've got to go sort something out, I will be back"

Armed with a filthy Vida take away cup that I rescued from the gutter and my pink bottle, I squelch back to my car. Just then, Strawberry Man yells across the intersection to ask if I need help. Strawberry Man magically has 4 new punnets of strawberries - I respond by forlornly screeching "you lied to me!!!!!" across the traffic.

Back at the car I fashioned a funnel out of the cup (what a pro!), get most of the petrol into the car, pump the accelerator with all my strength until the Uno roared back to life and speed off. Yes, to get more petrol and my pizza.

The End

xxx

Shop Till You Have Calves of Steel...

Hit the shops in Cambridge yesterday, was amazing to see stores that I’d only perved over online.

Claire and I started with the expensive shops… like All Saints… *sigh* then to like the likes of Topshop, New Look etc… ending the spree at Primark.

Primark is INSANE, it makes Mr Price look like a corner shop, and this is only the “smaller store” in Cambridge – I think I might die when I go shopping in London. There are 3 floors, you grab a basket as you enter and just pile clothes into it. The whole change room system is geared to crazy shoppers – you can leave your basket with the attendant and try on 8 items at a time.

I leave you now to get ready for another historical adventure… wearing a new dress – ofcourse.

xx

The UK Challenge

Dearest fans

I am in the UK for a month, so it seems apt to set my self a challenge... a very achievable one... HAVE FUN :)

Some things are the same as CT and other things are so extremely different! I am staying just outside of Cambridge at the moment - this whole area, including Cambridge Village, is overflowing with historical buildings, I took a walk past some of the colleges on my first day and couldn't stop taking photos! We even saw gypsies? and there are cows just chilling in fields, in the village... I am so in love with the country side.

I will be travelling around the UK over the next month, so watch this space for news of my adventures :)

I promise to post often :)

xxx