Dorset, Devon and Durdle Door

Finally, a holiday. It feels like an age since the last one. But then again, it was a year ago. I wonder if when Isobel goes to school it will help us take our holidays more regularly, even if we can't afford them due to inflated school holiday prices. She can camp in the garden I suppose!

So yes, here we are in sunny Devon, right on the border with an equally sunny Dorset. Now, I am emphasising the word 'sunny' as the rest of the country is being washed away as we speak but here we have blue skies and sun albeit with a bit of windy woo!

The best bit about this area is the coast. I love it. It reminds me of many an adventure when I was younger, BC. The Portland youth hostel, drinking gin on Chesil Beach, swimming at Lyme Regis, eating ice cream at Lulworth cove, walking up Golden Cap in a wee bit of fog, and of course, Durdle Door.

Tool Isobel there yesterday. I'm hoping she won't be traumatised. It was sooooo windy I was everso slightly concerned she might fall off. Distraction on the wall consisted of thinking about ice cream and favourite flavours. Girls like vanilla and boys like chocolate. Apparently.

I think she might have been underwhelmed by the door itself. 'Can I touch it mummy' she asked as she looked out from her precarious perch on the cliff edge at the waves crashing about at its base. Er, no. 'Oh'. And off we went again.

Ended the day with some wine and the Great British Bake Off. I am betting on Danni or Brendan at the moment as tank top boy seems to have gone off a bit. I can see Peter thinking of getting me a deep fat fryer after the donut making. I hope not. I would be fat as a house! A breadmaking course I could do though. Hint hint.

You're not my best friend anymore

 

Sharing more random photos of the Olympic Park - this time for the last day it was open and glorious sunshine was the order of the day!

So, I thought the phrases 'You're not my best friend anymore' and 'You're a silly banana head' would start at primary school.  You know, lots more kids, lots more older kids with older siblings, lots more potential to learn these types of phrases (and far far worse I imagine).  But no.  Nursery it seems is where it starts.

Yesterday I was not Isobel's best friend on a number of occasions.  The main one related to the fact that I played out the wicked witch character as I took Isobel away from a playdate (it was time to leave - I wasn't being too evil!) where she and her friend had dressed themselves up as Disney Princesses and were merrily prancing about.  Disney Princesses.  Where did that come from? I have no idea who they are - Peter has less than no idea and yet Isobel comes home one day talking incessantly about Belle and...well, Belle basically.  So I have learnt - we have Belle, we have Snow White and we have Sleeping Beauty.  And some more - whose names I still don't know.  And then apparently there are the Princes - not only Prince Charming but a whole load of other ones.  Is this what my life is to become?  Being a 'silly banana head' because I don't know the names of the Princesses?  I suppose it could be worse....

Some more random Olympic Shots - the Wheelchair Basket Ball and Goal Ball below - which was an intriguing game.  No idea whatsoever what the rules were!

Thinking about Disney Princess, Isobel earned enough stickers (new behaviour modification/bribery technique we are trying) to choose a magazine - she chose the Disney Princess Magazine.  I presume because it is just sooo pink.  It can't be because of the contents (can it?) because frankly they were rubbish in comparison with Thomas and Peppa magazines of the same ilk.

Anyway, I think I'm now back in Isobel's good books - perhaps because we are off camping tomorrow and after the success of the last trip, I splashed out on a ready bed which I thought would do her and then do Arthur when he is a bit bigger.  However, I have not yet told Isobel that the bed appears to be broken - after her excitement at seeing the bed, I think she might be slightly upset when she realises that it had to go back to the shop!  Mmmh.

I might have to make some chocolate brownies to make up for it!  The return of the Great British Bake off has inspired me again.  I want to bake. And bake.  And then eat it all.  Hence I am not baking (well, not very much), in case I turn into a brownie or a 'showstopper layered torte'.  I did however get inspired enough to make some rough puff pastry to go on Peter's home made pie.  Now it wasn't perhaps quite the right texture for Mr Hollywood but who cares, it tasted nice!  And thinking of Mr Hollywood, we are off camping with someone who looks just like him.  Here's hoping he can perhaps bake like him to - mmmh, imagine some lovely fresh croissants for breakfast!

Peter's pie (with home grown vegetables and left over chicken) - complete with rough puff!

And finally, back to the Jamie Oliver challenge which progresses (slowly though - slowly slowly catchy monkey...or something like that).  Last night was Thai Curry night - now I think the sauce might not have been intended to be quite the colour it came out but it tasted good, as did the chunky coconut and lime salsa.  Lots of limes in this little lot - 7 I think in total.  The curry paste was a little bit of a faff it must be said, well for a work night anyway, but it did taste good.  A friend has asked me how many more recipes I've got to go - unfortunately, quite a few!  There are more recipes in that book for sauces, dressings, pasta flavours etc than I thought possible.  Onwards and upwards as they say!  Maybe some bread next week.  Or semi freddo.  Or roast chicken.  So many choices!

Tomato, lime and coconut salsa

Green Thai Curry Paste