Sunday, August 17, 2008

grumble grumble tagged grumble grumble

I am in no mood to talk about happiness this morning, it's a miserable morning, everyone in my house is angry and sad and being mean to each other and I really just need to lock myself in a sound proof closet and scream for a bit and then get a divorce and moveto a different country.


So I don't feel like doing memes about happiness.

I might cheat and link to my 100 favourite things hundredth post post. Though when I did that I realised that a lot of the things that are on there aren't in my life any more. In an effort to be positive then -


  • Snow - if only there was more! It makes me feel like I'm on drugs, happy, light and floaty. Watching it fall, playing in it. Please can we have more snow?

  • Babies laughing. Gurgly little baby belly-laughs. Enough said.

  • Stationary. I love stationary. I could cruise round good stationary and art supply shops all day. Paints, card, paper, I love it. The fancy kind, mind you, €2 shops don't do it for me.

  • When my baking works out.

How cute are these cupcakes? And the strawberry ones are a new recipe, and they taste DIVINE.

  • Swimming. The only sport I love/can do. I have swimmer's shoulders, and apparently my back is two inches wider than my front, if you know what I mean. Not great for looking lovely and ladylike, but I can swim. Before and after my daughter was born I swam a lot but I had more time and money then. Fingers crossed the new pool up the road wil open soon after all these years of poollessness. And I'll be able to make time to go. I went the other day for the first time since the baby was born (!) and I got time to do 4 lengths. And it killed me. I felt like I was 82.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

your baking really IS working out! i spent about 3 hours yesterday trying to make eclairs! it was my first attempt, and i'm suspecting using duckeggs might be the problem... the dough just wouldn't cook on the inside, staying kind of eggy and sticky. i think the larger duck eggs made it too heavy or wet? i'm going to have another go today. because i too love it when my baking works out...

hope your day gets better!

Jo said...

It has, thanks :)

I'd say the eggs were the problem alright. Duck eggs are much richer too.

Use medium eggs unless otherwise speicified, and I recently found out form this brilliant conversion chart that 1 medium = 1 large egg in substitution terms. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/EggEquivalent.htm

Anonymous said...

The 100 favourite things for your 100th post is a great idea, though I reckon I wouldn't get past 14, so I've missed that particular boat.

I hope reading the list again cheered you up?

Stationary, though? It must be great to be married to you at Christmas - "what are you buying Jo?" "Oh, I got her a box of paper clips."

Jo said...

Heh, sadly I'ma bit more high maintenance than that at Christmas. Though if they were fancy paperclips, and in my stocking, I'd be happy :)

Martin said...

Aww, hope the day picks up

Nick McGivney said...

Maybe today's a good day for apple grumble.


Sorry. Couldn't resist.

:)

Anonymous said...

I find baking really relaxing. Lemon loaf today,mmm

Jo said...

I have to admit, voodoolady, I found the baking more relaxing before I had children!

Nick, I make peach grumble, actually :)

Thanks Xbox, I don't really deserve the sympathy. I'm a strung out, horrible mother taking out my hormones on my poor daughter. God, I was strung out today though - but I've had a big meal someone else cooked, the coffee cake was gorgeous, and a bit more prosecco than I should have had. And the baby's just gone to bed, and I'm unwinding slightly. I feel I should drink more...

Anonymous said...

how about a baileys on ice...

Jo said...

Hmm, I want to try the flavoured ones.

I did have a baby Guinness or two ona blogger night out recently. Fr the first time. MY GOD, nyum nyum. They tried to make me knowck htem back (well, sort of they used to be called Blow Jobs, so you put your mouth around the top of the glass and flick it downwards. Lottie demonstrated with panache... I'm moderately confident I could do it without coughing it everywhere out my nose, but it tasted too nice to waste. HOw about you, what would you have if you could? When I was pregnant I used to see mojitos everywhere.

Martin said...

Everyone deserves an occasionally moany day!

tina said...

Aaawww, I hope you feel better today. I'm a stationery addict too!

MJ said...

Ooooo num num! They look fab.

Just wanted to drop in and say hi. First comment on your blog I think... Coz I have wider shoulders than most ;) also good for swimming!

Jo said...

Hey MJ, thanks! I do orders! ;)

And thanks for stopping by.

Unknown said...

Those cakes look amazing Jo and I'm not really a cake person.

When you feel down, remember you are a baker, one of the most useful and appreciated skills a person can have.

Jo said...

Ha! But there's keeping people alive, and there's making people fat...

I'd rather be teaching 'em literature, but what can you do.

Anonymous said...

The cupcakes looks so good:) Mind sharing the recipe next time??

Jo said...

Hmm.. maybe I do... wanna buy a cake instead? ;)

If you got to www.piosacake.wordpress.com the link to the Cupcake Bakeshop has wonderful recipes, all Chockylit's, sadly she's stopped blogging for now. Incredible stuff. The chocolate one's in there. You get a lot on cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com too. Just search for recipes, there's loads out there.

Jo said...

Hmm.. maybe I do... wanna buy a cake instead? ;)

If you got to www.piosacake.wordpress.com the link to the Cupcake Bakeshop has wonderful recipes, all Chockylit's, sadly she's stopped blogging for now. Incredible stuff. The chocolate one's in there. You get a lot on cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com too. Just search for recipes, there's loads out there.

MJ said...

Where do you sell your cakes Jo?

Jo said...

Well, this summer I've been doing local car boot sales, though it's really hard to get the kids minded, and there's often too much waste. Details on www.piosacake.wordpress.com if there's anything upcoming. Which there isn't til the weekend after next, hopefully the big bootsale in Dunlaoighre will be on. And it might stop raining for a while.

I'll be starting work again sometime in September though, so not so much with the cakes. I'd like to keep doing orders, though. I'll put up a list, I think.

I'm in North Wicklow, in terms of delivery or collection.

His Girl Friday said...

Hi J,
you're so wonderfully direct and honest, hahaha, you crack me up!
(hey, like the Americana speak?! ;D)

I've had one of those days myself, er, well, I've had a lot of those days. Good on you for turning to the favorites to turn the tide of yer mood! :)

His Girl Friday said...

Hi J,
you're so wonderfully direct and honest, hahaha, you crack me up!
(hey, like the Americana speak?! ;D)

I've had one of those days myself, er, well, I've had a lot of those days. Good on you for turning to the favorites to turn the tide of yer mood! :)

Jo said...

Turn the tide of my mood, me arse, it got worse before it got better!

His Girl Friday said...

yeh, well, I gotta agree with that. I suppose that's when I play tough love and tell myself, shit rolls downhill, so what am I doin sitting downhill on me arse

...contemplating quotes like this one is another way to improve my mood: ;)

http://i127.photobucket.com/
albums/p131/accido/maxine.jpg

Anonymous said...

Greetings Jo, you fine lady you.

Handy spelling tip: is it stationary or stationery?

Well, if it is made of papER then it is in the stationERy section.

Hey, it works for me!

Jo said...

Crap. *BLUSH*