Forget Story Time.....

This is recipe time....

As this weekend focused on chocolate for most people, one of our deserts over the weekend also centred around chocolate.

A very sweet  chocolate gateaux.

The remaining half after Easter Sunday.

With a little surprise in the base.

Popping candy!

I used Heston's Exploding Chocolate Gateaux recipe but only used two of the passion fruits.

(At 75p each no way was I using 6!)

And I didn't get the paint sprayer out either.
(Honestly thats what it asks you to do, an you imagine? My kitchen would have been painted in chocolate. Now I come to think of it thats not a bad idea!)

I was lovely even if it was sickly sweet.

I am sure the kids will soon polish off the rest during the holiday.

X x 

And Who Says Customer Service Is Shocking!

We hear so much in the press and multi media about poor customer service that I just had to post about exceptional service that I have had of late.

I do feel it so easy to condemn and people do it with ease, yet never think about saying well done or thank you.

(Blimey I must be getting old, I sound like my gran!)

My First thank you is to Wagamama, 

from whom I had a voucher card to take into their store to redeem.

For what I did not know and as the local store is in the centre of Birmingham I asked my eldest (who works in the centre) to take it and redeem it for me.

Bless them I won a sauce which they said they would post to me.

My second thank you is to Nice And Easy.

I have used their products for many years and have always been happy with them, however on this occasion the gloves inside the pack were awful and kept slipping off. Resulting in dyed nails as well as hair.

I dropped them an email to say how awful the gloves were and within minutes received a very sincere apology and the promise of a voucher.

(Not the purpose of the email but very gratefully received)

And yesterday morning both appeared at my door;

A yummy sauce and a £10 Voucher!

So whilst bad service is about and is very common, so too is good service, which should be also noted.

Who has given you great service of late?

And would you ever say thank you either verbally or by letter/email?

X x

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Back To Work We Go....

Yep, its a bummer but we all have to do it!

I actually returned yesterday but as the car was in for an MOT I was able to work from home.

Today however no such luck!

I have back to back meetings most of the day and tomorrow is not looking any easier either.

So just to cheer myself up heres a few things that brought a smile to my face over the bank holiday weekend.

Beautiful flowers

Easter decorations
(even better they didn't cost a penny!)

Adds a little extra colour for a dull Bank Holiday

Whats left of our Easter Gift from the inlaws.
A yummy blackcurrent cheesecake, homemade of course and very frugal.

Home made Easter card and a Palm cross.

A beautiful decorated egg.
All a beautiful reminder as to the meaning of Easter.

It was a gift for running a Bible course a few years ago.
Hand painted and very pretty.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter break what ever you chose to do.

X x

Pink....

Ok, the reason this outfit came about was that I had nothing to wear.

Its not that I don't have masses of clothes, oh no. 

It was quite simply the fact that nothing was ironed as my ironing pile resembles this;

This isn't actually mine, as mine may be even larger!

So  this outfit was born.

An outfit that proves more than anything I really need to be on a diet.

So I have dusted off the weight watcher books and this afternoon I shall plan the weeks meals.

Belly, thou shalt be gone!

And come our summer holiday I shall looks slimmer once more.

(Well at least I'll try)

X x

How Do You Enjoy Yours?

No not your cream egg!

Your Bank Holiday!

Do you do the traditional day out?

Braving the traffic.

Or go off to the sales?

Braving the queues.

Or the more frugal stay at home?

For us we shall be staying closer to home and enjoying each others company.

(Watch it, I didn't mean that! But you never know, wink wink)

We may spend some time up the allotment should the weather stay nice.

Or perhaps watch a film or two if not.

But what ever we do I can assure you not a penny will be spent.

For today shall be a NSD.

(No Spend Day)

But still be a LOFD.

(Lots Of Fun Day)

X x

Happy Easter To You And Yours...

For me today will start with Church, which I shall attend with the inlaws.

Hubby never goes and the youngest would rather sleep an extra hour or two!

Next will be a simple lunch for the three of us followed by preparation for the main meal this evening.

The table will be laid and the wine poured.

Shame the weather isn't anything like last year.

This was what I wore last Easter Day;

Compared to this year;

Never mind though, its the company not the weather that matter.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.

But try not to make yourself too sick on all the chocolate.

X x

Let The Preparations Begin...

So I have been quite busy preparing for al the family on Sunday.

The first batch of Hot Cross Buns has been baked;

The second is in the oven as I type.

The cards have been made;

Leaving only the envelopes to write.

(Oh I'm a poet and I didn't even know it! Laughs a real belly laugh)

So all I need do now is finish my normal cleaning routine, iron the tiny amount of ironing.

(Very unusual as its normally the size of Mount Everest)

And pop into the shop to get the remainder of my veg.

And I think I may need to clear the table as at the moment its full of these;

Sweet peppers and chilli peppers

Lupins, marigolds and lavatera

Sweet peas

Cucumbers, sweetcorn and more chillies.

I think they may need to be taken to the allotment to join the others.

Here is the outfit for this wet and windy day;

I am having a bad fringe day today, can you tell?
Just comfy jeans to keep the chill out and don't worry shoes and socks also made an appearance.

Enjoy your Saturday.

X x