Dilemma of the Day

Three afternoon snacks of the week left.

Three yoghurts left.

One strawberry, one raspberry, one apricot.

I love the strawberry. I like the raspberry. The apricot is ok.

Do I apricot it today and get it out the way knowing that tomorrow I am at another, desperately awful site at work so apricot would only be kicking me when I am down and that Friday deserves at least a raspberry?

Hmmmm......

And sleep....

Since I have been up the Hilary, one thing above all others has been true: I am knackered. Tired does not cover it. My usual post work schedule is thus:

• 6pm - Get in, make pleasantries with Steve
• 6.30pm - Argue with Steve over tea as I don't feel like anything in particular and the fact that Steve tries his hardest and comes up with a million options that don't appeal is obviously his fault
• 7.15pm - Eat tea
• 8pm - Fall asleep in the big chair while Steve watches TV

Last night was following the same pattern except, as I settled down cosy with my blanket, ready to doze off, safe in the knowledge that Steve would wake me around 10.30pm, ready for bed, but then I noticed a noise.

A snore.

Momentarily I was startled. Was I already, in fact, asleep?!

Quickly I realised that it was in fact a certain Sir Steve who was quietly snuffly and grunting in his sleep on the sofa. This was an issue - I couldn't sleep now! No, I was now the responsible one; the one who was relied on to get us to bed at a reasonable hour; the parent who rouses their snoozing children and turns the telly off.

I did not like this.

And I knew, knew, that the only option was to wake Steve and head straight to bed.

Unfortunately I accidentally decided to fall asleep myself as well.

Which is why we both awoke in the living room, tv on, lights on, grumpy at 2am.

Pink and cute and fluffy and needed

I have spoken before about my Valentine's Day thoughts and this year Steve and I had an agreement. As our anniversary is on the 26th February then we would make no fuss for Valentine's. Just cards, maybe a takeaway or nice homecooked meal. We don't need all the extras and fluffy hearts and besides, I can't drink anyway so why bother.

So I was all buffered up when I went into town yesterday, no temptations, I was stalwart. I ignored all the pretty things I saw in Debenhams, I distracted myself from the sparkley, pink trinkets in House of Fraser with a delicious bowl of porridge and an apple juice and then I came to Paperchase.

And there they had lovely things. Like this:

And this:

And this:

It was all so lovely. But I was strong! I was good! And I left.

I went to Marks and Spencers. I breathed deeply and was sure that I WOULD NOT buy anything. And then I saw something so wonderful, so fantastic that you would have been cross at me if I didn't get them.

Heart shaped marshmallows!

Have you ever heard of anything more fabulous?

Which is why I have four packs of them, some pink floating candles and a special dine in for £20 Valentine's dinner....

I told you there was news coming....

I am pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the Livy/Steve household. Who, although small and hidden, is making him/herself very well known.

The baby will be arriving in August and, while I am sure there will be (many) baby related posts, that will not be all I will talk about and, if I start referring to myself as Mummy or Steve as Daddy then you have permission to berate me.

Happy New Year!

What? Don't you usually wait until the 27th January to say that?

No?   

Ah!

Apologies for the absenteeism. Twas vair bad of me. I have had complaints and my knuckles severely wrapped (rapped?).

A belated New Year toast from me and my favourite girls, aren't they scrummy?

So, what's new in the Livysphere?

Well, right now, lots of plans. Lots and lots of plans. There are big changes a foot.

Starting with the news that we are in the middle of getting a new kitchen installed in our flat by Mr Mumble and Timmy Mallet (well... Martin and Dave but the descriptions are apt). I will post tomorrow with some pictures of the process, it involves a lot of dust. I know, how good am I to you? Pictures of a blog person's kitchen in various stages of dress and undress! Also coming up will be a full wedding report (to mark our first anniversary, obviously), a profile on my favourite photographers and designer and the story of The Legendary Night When Steve and Livy Believed They Could Speak French.

In other news I was in a smaller slightly backwards local town nearby (think inbreeding) yesterday and, due to said kitchen adaption, I needed to buy something for breakfast. I popped into the Tesco there and, bypassing the gigantic sign announcing a new product named 'Quorn' (yep, new to the town....), looked for some cereal bars.

I searched; I looked in the cereal aisle, the biscuit aisle and even the crisps aisle before giving up and asking someone. Now, being the numpty I am, I asked for them by brand name, much as you would, I'd imagine, if you were looking for Weetabix; I politely enquired if the nice man could tell me where the Frusli were.

He momentarily looked confused before confidently leading me on a 3 minute fast paced walk to another aisle. He strode down to the middle section of it, with me stumbling over my feet behind to keep up.

He stopped. He pointed.

"There you are love. But here we just call it Twisty Pasta.'

It's all about the Porn Star Martini

After my last post the lovely Peridot innocently asked what a Porn Star Martini was.

The short answer is the most delicious and bestest cocktail ever.

I discovered it on my amazing hen weekend last year in Obsidian in Manchester (now 24 Bar and Grill) and have been hooked ever since. It is scrummy, passion fruit based (hello fruit portion!) and comes with a shot of champagne on the side!

Here is its entry on the Obsidian menu:

PORN STAR MARTINI - Obsidian’s home-infused vanilla vodka, shaken with passion fruit, lemon, pineapple and sugar, served with half a passion fruit and a shot of Champagne on the side.

Tis marvy I tells ya!

I googled for a recipe (so much fun googling 'porn star' at work) and this is what came up:

Porn Star Martini

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vanilla sugar

50 ml vanilla vodka
25 ml passionfruit liqueur
10 ml passionfruit puree
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Dash of pineapple juice
fresh passionfruit, to decorate

50 ml champagne

Method
1. Put all ingredients except the champagne and the fresh passionfruit into a shaker.
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Decorate with half a passionfruit on top.
3. Prepare a 50mlshot glass and fill with champagne.
4. To drink, sip the martini and champagne and mix in the mouth.*

*Feel free to ignore this bit. If you are classy, like me, then you will simply down the champagne while giggling wildly.

All photos from my hen do and courtesy of Slice of Pie Designs

MIA

I know, me right?
It has been a tad crazy at Casa de Livy for many reasons; some boring such as work (sooooooooooooo thought I would have won the lottery by now) and some exciting like house shopping (still not there yet), car shopping (ditto) and drunken breaks away with friends (never have so many Porn Star Martinis been consumed).

But I am back and, with my lovely autumn all done, I am all about the Christmas! Oh yes. I have had my first apfelwine and made my first ever Christmas cake (thank you Delia) and I am good to go!

As well documented, I am a big fan of Christmas. And my new thing this year? Snowball Dough Balls. Yep, Pizza Express have launched a dessert featuring their scrummy dough balls sprinkled with cinnamon (it also comes with some kind of sauce but I didn’t really pay attention to this, I was too busy trying not to be recognised by the waiter who had served me the night before in the very same restaurant).

Even better, the name is super fun to say!

ps anyone else obsessed with cinnamon? I LURVE it. So far I am putting it on toast and buying copious amounts of cinnamon swirls but I could do with some cinnamon inspiration please!