That’s a Wrap – January 20, 2019

 

It’s been a week of highs, lows and middles. Without dwelling on the lows, let’s dive straight into the wrap…

What amazed me…

That my internet is still working. Between the recorded robotic messages from people named (variously) Michelle, Cheryl, and others from the “Australian Broadband Network calling from Australia” telling me that my internet will be cancelled, and the usual calls from “Telstra” with the same message, I’m surprised I’m still operational. Of course, it makes them so much more believable when they say they’re calling from Telstra in North Sydney. In fact, once I said, ‘Really? I work in the same building! How about I bring my credit card down?’ Strangely that caused a hang-up.

Anyways, they’ve seemed to have upped the number of nuisance calls of late, but I’ve found that the best (and most enjoyable) way of getting them to hang up is to say, ‘Oh My God! I’m so glad you’ve called again. Would you like me to get my credit card because what you did last time didn’t work!”

I’ve even managed to get a few of them to swear at me before they hang up – which I take as being a fist pump moment.

While on the subject, this week I’ve also had calls from “the Australian Taxation Office” and “the Australian Federal Police” and the “Australian Accident Authority” threatening me respectively with tax fraud, an outstanding warrant and non-payment of an insurance claim.

By far, though, the most annoying of all have been the texts from Clive Palmer’s UAP. Hilariously the last (unsolicited) text read as follows:

And no, even the thought of no more unsolicited texts isn’t a good enough reason to vote for them.

What made me giggle…

This, as seen on Instagram during the week.

What made me sing along…

Hubby and I spent Saturday in Brisbane to see Jersey Boys. I’d seen it a few years ago in Sydney but had to admit to remembering very little of it and was amazed yet again that some of the songs I knew from being recorded by other artists were done by Frankie Valli first. I still, however, can’t think of “Bye Bye Baby” without thinking of the Bay City Rollers. As an aside, that song was on the first album I ever bought in 1975. Yes, I am that old. And yes, I still have the album “Once Upon A Star”.

Anyways, it was a lovely day out and a show well worth the drive down the Bruce Highway for.

Making friends with hills…

I still haven’t made it to the top of the Ballinger Rd Hill, but have set myself the target of doing so this week – even if I do have to stop all the way up. At least the stops allow me to notice things like these gorgeous flowers. From Feb I’m going to park at the top and walk down – so I have no choice but to walk the whole way back up.

As an aside, I’ve found another annual event that uses this hill – a charity run up and back called the Ballinger Burn.

What I blogged…

About Roast Chicken – an introduction to my Nigella Challenge; the one where I cook my way through How To Eat.

What I wrote…

Nothing. I need to sit down and get a timetable to my editor for the year. The characters in my Christmas book are, however, screaming at me very loudly so I’m going to start writing it with a view to a November release. The title will be Christmas at Curlew Cottage. For those of you who have read Wish You Were Here, this is a return to Brookford – the fictional village in the Cotswolds. It is, however, a stand-alone.

What I read…

Another Jenny Colgan – I’m addicted. I’m currently reading Jay Rayner’s The Ten (Food) Commandments. I’ve also been reading restaurant reviews in The Guardian by Jay Rayner, Grace Dent and others – for research. There you are: I’ve given you a little hint about Christmas at Curlew Cottage…

What I cooked…

I’ve started my Nigella Challenge with, naturally, roast chicken. I’ll write about it on Thursday.

After being inspired by an English friend’s sticky date syrup steamed pudding a couple of weeks ago I made my very first steamed pudding – a lemon syrup one. I think I could be just a little bit addicted to my pudding basin. While, like the roast chicken, it wasn’t terribly photogenic, it was easy to make and tasted of lemony comfort. I served it with some lemon cream that I made by mixing together some leftover lemon curd with double cream. Anyways, the recipe, if you’re interested, is here.

My recipe of the week though is this super easy, cheese-free spicy omelette. I’ve been attempting the 5:2 diet for the last couple of weeks and this is the perfect lunch on “fast” days. Again, it’s based on a Nigella recipe, but the recipe is more guideline than instruction.

Preheat your grill and grate a small piece of ginger and a clove of garlic, and finely slice some spring onions and a couple of small red chillis – de-seed them if you’re not into the heat. Fry it all, and a 1/4 teaspoonful of turmeric in the tiniest amount of oil in a non-stick, oven-ok frypan until the onions have softened. Add a teaspoon each of ground coriander and ground cumin and fry for another minute. Pour in 2 beaten eggs and swirl it around a tad to help it set.

Once it’s almost there, flash it under the grill to finish off and tip onto a plate to serve. I chopped up some coriander and mint to toss on the top and added a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Healthy lunch in 10 minutes.

Ok, that was my week…how was yours?