There's always a chance for 'a first' even at my age! I took Ginger to Loch Fyne in Knowle so we decided we'd have the seafood platter for two. Guess what, I had my first oyster. The big question people always ask is 'What does it taste like?" Ginger said "The Sea".. I would say "Not a lot - well, apart from the big squirt of lemon juice I'd squeezed over it!"
Tonight I fulfilled a long term ambition to get to see what is affectionately known as Les Mis. It's 25 years old and it shows the sad state of my social life over the past couple of decades that I have never seen this musical. It is billed as the longest running musical with an epic tale of passion and destruction. To celebrate Les Miserables 25th anniversary, this award winning musical has had a makeover. This new production, based on Victor Hugo's classic novel features Earl Carpenter, Gareth Gates as Marius and John-Owen Jones as Jean Valjean. His performance alone was extraordinary and his take on the famous song, 'Bring him home' was breathtaking.
The entire evening was so enjoyable. Nick invited me as his guest for the Champagne Gala Dinner which they sponsor and was intended to launch the theatre's new campaign to raise money for a new stage. We had drinks, dinner in the St Patrick's Centre followed by seats front row of the circle with an amazing view of the stage. This brand new performance, presented by the legendary Cameron Mackintosh, included brand new staging and spectacular effects. The pace was fast and the musicality just brilliant. 
Not that I was a fish... I spent the day wondering what I wanted to eat and then it came to me. I was flicking through Good Food on my desk and came across a picture of a stuffed fish. Magazines are such a great source of inspiration! Immediately, I knew I wanted to cook a stuffed fish for dinner tonight. Of course, by the time I got to the supermarket after work the choice of whole fish was limited to a trout, 3 herrings and a headless mackerel. I think it was the bubble-like eyed trout staring at me that made me pick up the trout fillets! I flashed forward to the bit where there's only bones, a head and a tail left and knew I'd made the right choice!
Being a Domestic Goddess Extraordinaire means I prefer to work with just inspiration and instinct - no recipe required. As I looked up the difference between intuition and instinct this morning, I can tell you that one is experience from birth and one is learnt over centuries of other people's experiences - hence the first is governed by our emotions and the second being the higher form of knowledge, coming from intellect. Hey.. !! back to the fish ;) old trout face took a smidgen to cook, tasted delicious and although I had intended to only eat some, it was so delicious it would have been rude to leave a single flake. I am now a bonafide fish stuffing, string tying, trout-loving girly x
Not both at the same time! Homemade soup.. what more can I say..? Mom made pea soup for my tea tonight, it was just like home from home. Then myself, Mom and Marie went off to my old high school - not the buggie Bilston one but the nice friendly Codsall one - so we could be entertained by Nell Gwynn, Mistress to King Charles II of England. Lesley Smith, Curator of Tutbury Castle and Elizabethan Historian, was absolutely amazing as the alluring, cheeky Nell. She outwitted us with her cheeky humour, dazzled us with her sparkly eyes and engaged us with stories of Nell's relationship with the King of England. I bought mom a lovely basket of small grape hyacinths, now she's back from her weekend away, that me & Nick bought from the Highgrove store in Tetbury on Sunday afternoon. Nothing like their grown-up family members, these delicate blooms don't give you a headache with their pungent aroma, they are far more gentle and sweet.
This little birdie was a lovely surprise from the lovely Ginger Pie! She made it on her scrapping weekend and as she put it.. she saw the kit and knew she had to make it especially for me! I'll just have to wait for her to return from her crazy birthday skiing trip so she can let me into the secret of how it's made ;)
Look what my Mommy made me.. ! I love canvas embroidery but just don't have the time to do it myself right now. My mother is so crafty and has lovingly stitched every one of these tiny stitch patterns. I bought mom another wonderful kit from West End Embroideries when I went to Alex Palace in the Autumn. They can't create the patterns fast enough for my Mom! They're so generous with their threads that Mom was able to stitch not one, but two of 'Hot Stuff' and I love it.. Thank you Mom ;))
I am such a lucky girl! I've had this beautiful gift from the lovely Kati in Hungary. She's the best and most accomplished beading and jewellery expert that I know. Mind you, she's an expert at anything she turns her hand to. I love my wonderful bracelet. It has a magnetic catch so I don't have to spend hours fiddling trying to secure it around my wrist - it's just gorgeous. Thanks Kati! x
What you might have in common with a storybook character..? Are you a Superman hero? Do you have Domestic Goddess tendencies or perhaps you're like Elizabeth from Pride & Prejudice? I am a reincarnation of Pollyanna, the girl who was taught to play the "glad game" by her father who taught her to appreciate what she has - rather than pine and be sad about what she hasn't got. It's an essential part of a single girl's life! It's been a constant thought this week whilst I've been off work ill.. ;) 
I love surprises. I admit, not the noro virus kind of surprises for my birthday but surprise parcels. My sister knows me so well.. ;) the nice postman smiled as he handed over this lovely brown paper parcel all tied up with string. I smiled even more when I opened it to find my heroine inside. More reflections of the person I am happy to be. That would be the smiley, well one - not the icky, sick one! Thank you lickle sib - you have made me very glad indeed ;))))))))))
"A miraculous story about the power of optimism"
Where did the last 25 years go..?! Happy birthday Rich - you never really did that birthday cake thing even when you were two! Candles are much more fun stuck in half a crumpet or in your pannini on your 25th birthday! I forgot to take photographs of the lovely mini book I made for you but here's one of my fav photos.. ;) you were a great kid! Here's to the next 25... ! LuvUloads, Mom xxx
