Day 304 - Chums, cuppa & curry!!!

Woke up this morning with a clear head, but that is due to my mature "pint of beer, pint of water" concept - mature, oh dear sounding old.  But last night was such a blast and I have forgotten how great the Compasses is - my original FNC haunt with my pal SPS!! We had a great area, perfect to catch up with the crew and celebrate Josephine's birthday....and the scampi was surprisingly good!!!

Love this shot - the naughty minxes, the dark destroyer and the operator!!!

Scallywags is a funky little venue isn't it?  Met my mate Sarah here for a delightful cuppa and a great catch up. 

After my tea-break I was back in the kitchen to practice my Bhoona for my future "Tree's Boutique Bistro" event....as the Bhoona has been requested by Ellie and I'm up against previous Bhoonas - I have to get it right, no pressure!!!  But do you know what it was delicious....and my Pullao rice was a taste sensation!!  I loved making my own garam masala and curry sauce....my Indian cookery class has definitely paid off!!!

Day 303 - "No Fun Feb" to "Messy March"!!!

Tonight we welcome back our sister Natalie - she has been on the No Fun February pilgrimage, a no alcohol abyss for a month but tonight for Meakins birthday bash, she is back - and I'm sure back with gusto.  Yes I know it's still only the 27th February, but as Nat wanted to celebrate with Jo, she started her dry month early on the 25th January.  That girl is always thinking, one step ahead of the game!!

So my blog tonight is an experiment - will being off the booze for a month have a major effect on Ms Harris?  Will she be legless after a glass of Pinot and home by 9 or will she last until closing.....let's see what happens.

First is the rendezvous at number 5 Jackwood, I haven't seen my roomy for 10 days - so what better way to catch-up than over a pre-Compasses glass of wine!  Here is the before shot :-)

Sensible girl lining the stomach 👍

Christ, only 20:30 and she is getting lively!!!!! 

21:00 and she is getting weary.....needing a shoulder to rest upon!!!

22:00....hey birthday girl are they for real?

Gone 11.....this machine is still going, but I'm outta here!!!

Whatta bird, Natalie Ria Harris is a machine.....Cheers!!!!!

Day 302 - Biometrics!!!!!

How to follow yesterday and Madge's "Capegate" incident - she really should retire gracefully before she breaks a hip!!  But you have to admit it was one heck of a fall, drag, plumett....whatever you want to call it!!

Work today has been a hive of activity.  We hardly ever have anyone come to the office, but today two different meetings....

First to arrive was a reporter who had come from London to interview Diana over the ridiculous introduction of compulsory Biometrics that are now required for an Indian Visa.  I love the word Biometrics - makes me sound intelligent, before last week I had no idea it referred to fingerprints....

So I sat very quietly in the office while Di answered the questions, and apparently her interview will be shown on some sky channel....

The second meeting was about being able to take payments in foreign currency!!!

Today has been all about finance and fingerprints.....and fasting!!

Day 301 - Live at the Brits with Tree!!

No I'm not at the O2, but on my sofa with a mushroom en-croute and a glass of red (yes I know, New Year's Resolution - no mid-week drinking but its been in the decanter since Friday and must be going off.....).         

OK - so it's the Brits!!  Over the years there have been some cringe-worthy evenings, who remembers Mike Fleetwood & Sam Fox in 1989?  Classic moments such as the Union Jack Dress, thank you Geri and the gorgeous vision in silver from 2002 - still "Can't Get That Out Of My Head" Kylie....

But generally the British Phonographic Industry Awards get it wrong in my opinion and give the statues to useless articles - for example Lily Allen and Blur or they try to be too cool and award obscure artists, that leave you asking....Laura who??

So it starts in 10 minutes, I have various modes of recording devices ready - it will be live....there could be tears, expletives, spoilers (beware) - anything could happen at #GMTlive!!

20:00  OK here we go.....I actually have no idea who is performing!!!?

20:04  Great start, gotta love Ant & Dec and it's Taylor.....

20:08  That dancer got a good view of Taylor's **** - I do like Swifty!!  She's on she must have won Best International Female....good start!!!

20:10  #SamSmithBrit

20:12  Its the battle of the British Boys....SMITHY, SMITHY, SMITHY!!!!

20:14  Rita and Orlando are annoying......Ed, oh dear......boo!!!

20:16  Break 1 already......another glass of red, go on then!!! 

20:22  Best Group....none of them really???  Clean Bandit maybe......they make lively tunes!!!  Royal Blood, showing my ignorance.....never heard one of their songs, are they worthy winners!!?  Sorry if that is a shocking comment!!

20:26  What a voice Sam has, spine tingles - stunning....if he doesn't win something I wont be happy!!! #treerage

20:36  Ellie looks nice....but this is awkward!!
20:36  Any except St Vincent.......who?
20:37  Yippeee, Taylor....great album, well deserved!!!

20:40  From the intro, and start of the vocals.....Royal Blood not for me, sorry!!
20:41  Make this noise end!!!  Hilary and Melissa bet you like this group?

20:50  Who is the twat in the hat next to Simon?

20:52  Moneys on Paloma....
20:52  Ella well deserves it but she is X-factor.....Brit curse!!!

20:53  Well done Faithy.....she is a unique talent.  Great speech Paloma.....but a bit long winded!!!  End now...please!!!

21:00  Ok, Sheeran that was not bad, bit of a noise.....quite clever, but seen that done by a teenager and much better!!!!

21:08  Oh it's a Kardashian.....my she is a big girl!!!

21:11  Well deserved award Sam.  It is great when Brits make it big globally - oh its Kanye!!!

21:12  Fecking awful and why sing a song with all these swear words.....bored, going to do the washing up!!!

21:16  Absolutely dreadful.....

21:17  Hozier.....I love the Church song!!!!
21:18  It was always gonna be Pharrell....he is "Happy" chappy.....

21:26  I'm ready to cringe.....just don't dance!!!

21:30  Sorry Take That fans but they need to STOP, bland tune and even Barlow is starting to sound a tad off key....the performance almost saved by Howard's energetic drumming!!!  Who is the little tramp at the back....oh its Mark!!!

21:32  Best single.......GHOST, GHOST.......

21:33  Ok, well done Fleur.....
21:34  Oh, I meant Mark.

21:36  First Aid Kit......????
21:37  Well done the Foo's - you happy Tiffin?

21:39  We are off to Budapest.....come on Ezra!!  I actually like his voice, are you shocked....I prefer his other song though!!!

21:50  Come on breakthrough has to be Sam!!!
21:50  Yehar....."Money on my Mind"

21:51  And Ant & Dec hundreds are following my live blog.....well actually it has had 26 hits!!!

21:55  Paloma, is so good - mesmerizing - great staging and what a performance!!  Good luck Madge following that...... 

21:57  Jimmy Carr was NOT funny!!

21:58  1D.......YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!  Here comes Syco....

22:07  Getting bored people......writing birthday cards #birthdaycard spoiler

22:09  Predictable.....Congrats Ed, he has a lot of fans.....but just don't get it!!!

22:10  Here comes Madge...will it be vintage classic stuff or her new dribble!!??  The after party is at 5 Jackwood.......

22:12  Whoops!!!!

22:14  This is awful, such a bland song.....I think she should go to A&E, she might have broken something!!

22:19  Not a bad Brits, some great performances but the talking point will be Madonna's dramatic fall and then singing "Watch me stumble"......sorry Madge, you need to head to the same musical retirement home as Take That.....and please drag the absolutely dire Kanye West with you.

22:22  That's all folks......

Day 300 - 65 to go.....

Well I have made it to blog number 300!!  Only 65 more to go.......already thinking about the finale party on the 30th April....deserves some bubbles and maybe a cake - what do you reckon!!??  Might call it "Blog Off!!!??"

Last night I was brave and without Ms Jack (my dance partner) I headed to Strictly Ballroom on my own...but what could have been a weird experience was thoroughly enjoyable.  Got chatting with all the nice folk and even though I had to share Jemima (the pro dancer) with some old codger - I got a lot of one to one action!!  My Rumba is getting sexy(ish!!)(OK, not really), my Cha Cha Cha's smokin' and as for my Tango - you could cook an egg on it, its so HOT!!! 

Today's shot is Zigi, the office guard dog - patrolling the grounds and keeping a look out!!

Day 299 - Garlic Breath!!

Could I get a good nights sleep last night - No!!  I awoke at 2am with the most awful dry mouth and after taste from the overdose of garlic, which we added to our food during the Indian cookery masterclass.  And maybe consuming a few glasses of red post cooking didn't help the sleep cause!!?

Sorry my account of yesterday's cookery was short, well non existent actully - the weekend's full schedule and wine had taken its toll and I was in bed by 8:30!!

So back to the Great Indian Garlic Off!!

I arrived in the Pantiles just before 10, and met the other four budding chefs over a welcome coffee.  We were then introduced to Pat Chapman and his wife Dominique.  Pat is well known for his cook books, food writing and founding the Curry Club.  So then we donned our Rosemary Shrager's apron and name badges and off we went to the work stations.

It was an interesting few hours and what I particularly enjoyed was taking things back to basics and being taught how to make your own Garam Marsala and curry pastes - it is so easy and tastes and smells so much better than the shop bought stuff, my processed rubbish is being binned tonight!!

The course was designed to show you the way to recreate "Restaurant Favourites" in your own kitchen and we cooked Chicken Tikka Masala (Murgh Makhani/Butter Chicken), Onion Bhajis, Saffron Pilao Rice and the delicious Oonbario (spiced Indian roasted vegetables).

The course was a little chaotic at times as it wasn't the Chapman's kitchen and their first time at the school. It was difficult finding the proper saucepans, lids and utensils.....so as time was getting on Pat whizzed through the Chicken Jalfrezi while we deep fried our onion bhajis - with varying levels of success!!  I was near the end and the oil had lost its umph and mine were pappy and rather rancid!!

By this time Solange had arrived and was sipping a glass of white wine while we were finishing off our creations - preparing herself to be dazzled by the delicious cuisine!!

It wasn't bad was it Solange??  Hope the garlic after taste has not lingered too long :-)

When I do this at home I might reduce the number of garlic cloves......can't wait to get in the kitchen with "The New Curry Bible". 

Day 298 - Thank You!!!

I have such amazing friends and thank you for my birthday pressie - an Indian cookery lesson at Rosemary Shrager's cookery school.  It was just fantastic....but I'm exhausted and need sleep, more to follow!!

G xxx

Day 297 - "Lady Sings The Blues"

What a treat!! 

When I arrived at St James Theatre and walked down to the studio I wasn't expecting to walk into such a bijou venue, reminiscent of a jazz club!! As we got there early we grabbed seats two rows from the front!!!  So close to the stage...

Red wine purchased and we eagerly awaited Rebecca Ferguson to appear on stage. 

Rebecca is releasing an album called "Lady Sings The Blues" in March, and to promote the album she is doing a short residency at the St James Theatre! It is an album of Billie Holliday classics, a tribute to this jazz legend on what would have been her 100th birthday year!!!

I'm not a huge jazz fan but it was epic, Rebecca's voice is uniquely beautiful and suits this genre perfectly!!  

I actually recognised quite a few of the tracks - "Get Happy""That Ole Devil Called Love""Summertime""Stormy Weather""Blue Moon" and "God Bless The Child".

Can't wait for the album and I'm hoping it is a success for this underrated and hugely talented singer!!  This lady sang the blues but it was nothing but joyous!!! "Get Happy", get the album on March 9th!!! 

Day 296 - After Eight

This photo sums up this evenings activities:  

It has been fun, but I'm exhausted. Night all.  G x

Day 295 - Snail & Sparrowhawk

On a fast day you really don't want to open up your salad to find a snail trying to escape the Tupperware container - but as I was so hungry, I removed the little bugger and tucked into my mackerel and prawn salad trying not to think about anything he may have left behind!!!

And today the kitchen work surface has been done - we no longer have a melted surface but now a revitalized cutting and heat proof area....even though during the process it did look like a makeshift lab from Breaking Bad!!!

Good job Mr Jack Sparrowhawk!!

Back to Breaking Bad....sat down after #EELive to watch the last ever episode!!! To discover that I watched it last night thinking I had the finale to go....what a shit ending....get it? Didn't really enjoy season 5, no spoilers for those still watching!!

Got to peel my peppers before bed!!

Day 294 - VHS, TBB & DMG

Been a funny old day!!

Work has been a tad annoying today - firstly some f**!#r of a travel agent called my itinerary uninspiring and complained about me to our representative.  "It's what you asked for you stuck up rude biatch and how dare you"!!  I always give a 100% to quotes and enquiries, so this was unjust and frankly insulting, I'm reeling!!!  Also just as I booked and ticketed my own flight to Kerala in December (yehar!!) - the Indian Government have decided that everybody applying for a visa to India now needs their finger prints taken at the VHS visa office!!  That's not short sighted and stupid at all - a great move for tourism!!  The joys of working with India....love the country so much but drives me loopy at times!!

Rushed home from work to grind up some ginger-nuts for the base of my Mascarpone & Lime Torte and to grate the zest and juice two limes!!  When I have important guests arriving at TBB (Tree's Boutique Bistro) on Friday everything has to be spot on....every course has to stand on its own merit, I cant afford any mistakes!! I sound like I'm on Masterchef - cooking doesn't get tougher than this :-)

Then I went to hunt down some Sea-bass from Morrisons fish counter for the main course, but they didn't have any......that wasn't in the script!!  OK, M&S will hopefully have some tomorrow......fingers crossed!!  This diversion was on the way to the exciting DMG meeting - our flat's management company, this annual meeting is always riveting.....same old, same old - budgets, gutter maintenance and the ongoing parking traumas - what a way to spend a Wednesday night!! 

Day 293 - C2C

My C2C t-shirt has arrived!!!  Which indicates that the concert is fast approaching!!!

What is C2C, I hear you ask!!! It is a country music concert at the O2 over two days featuring eight acts, four on each day....including Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line!  Nashville's finest...

So I ordered a medium t-shirt and its snug to say the least...but hey I have two weeks of fasting to go and I'd better hit the gym to work on the pecs and abs...it will fit....

Really looking forward to my country-fest....gonna be an epic event!!

Day 292 - Who killed Lucy Beale??

And so the Eastenders 30th Anniversary week begins.....and who's your money on!?

Did one of Whitney's hooped earrings stangle Lucy or maybe the extremely dodgy acting of Les & Pam Coker shocked Lucy into an early grave.....or could Ian's every increasing stomach have suffocated his wayward daughter......??

But my money is on Denise, she is getting more bitter and twisted as the programme goes on, and she must be a tad unhinged if she seriously considered marrying Ian!! Also she has a violent streak, she walloped poor Patrick and I reckon she's never recovered from being locked in that cellar by that psycho religious nut!!!

We will have to wait for the hour long "live" episode on Friday to find out the truth and that eagarly awaited 'duh duh duh' ....

Day 291- Patat & Puppies!!!

The recipe was wrong....cook the cake for 30 minutes......yeah right, needed longer you dopey recipe!!!  Got my upside down orange cake out the oven and popped it on the iron rake to cool.   Oh my, that's when the Masterchef meltdown occurred.....it collapsed and oozed through the rack....the shame, the disappointment and the anger!!  And a waste of chocolate chips....

But I turned my back on the Tree's cuisine nightmare and headed up to see the Grinham's and their new puppies.....and the Horrills, and a glass of red or two....or three!!!!

What a fab afternoon - we talked Kerala, TV and Carrie.....love these guys!! The lab puppies are a delight....but the Chihuahuas won't be upstaged!!!

Night all.....

Day 290 - Tango Fire!!!!

Passion, lust and desire on a Valentine's Day - how unusual!!!

But alas I was just watching....as I went to see Tango Fire at the Peacock Theatre!!

Wow, it was so good and as you can see from the picture below - we were very close to the stage, front row and what a view!!! Of everything....

These dancers were amazing and it has given Caroline and myself some tips for our very own routine on Monday nights!!  Is Bells Yew Green village hall ready?? But I will need to work on my core if I'm going to launch Cazza into the air, but we can definitely get to grips with the leg flicks!

Olé

Day 289 - 2 cats and a giant!!

Tonight was spent with three of my favourite people in the world!!!  Natalie, Darren and Richard....

Here is a photographic journey of our night (with very few words!!)...

Good night and good love to you all :-)

Day 288 - Didgeridoo

Short one for you today!!

Went to make morning coffee at work and walked into the lounge to find a Didgeridoo......

Yep I know a tad random, but there you go!!

Day 287 - Sparrowhawk, Shitta & Dame Edna

So back to work today - the cough has calmed down but my body still feels like it's been taken over by an alien - just a weird sensation!!  Also my hearing has gone strange....as though my ear cavities are blocked up....anything else you wanna throw at me??  

Anyway the day went quickly and I managed to get through in one piece....even though a few clients nearly drove me insane!  There are some right weirdos out there....sorry Kerala, but they are on their way!!!

Where has the evening gone!!? 

Got in and managed to sync my Vodafone and Spotify account - thanks to the helpful girl in the Egypt call center....only been trying since Saturday!!!  But I am back with Premium and can listen to music without those bloody annoying adverts....and its free (well soft of!!)

Then we had Mr Jack Sparrowhawk pop in and assess the kitchen for the work he needs to do - and yep, that is his name!!  Talking of hilarious names, a few days ago Natalie met someone called Divine Shitta!! :-)

Once the kitchen was vacated I cooked us a healthy stir fry which we have just enjoyed while watching the Red Nose GBBO - a very entertaining hour with Lulu, Dame Edna, Patsy and Edina.

Goodnight possums!!

Day 286 - Sore, Saul & Stew

Day 2 of "Coughgate" and what to do apart from dose myself up on Nurofen and cough mixture???  Well, lay on the sofa in a blanket and thick walking socks and catch up on some TV!!!

So after crawling out of my pit, I started with the Godfather trilogy....well, I watched an hour of the first one and gave up!!  I know its a classic but I got bored, apart from the horse's head and a few brutal close up shootings it just didn't do it for me!!   Sorry, Corleone fans!!

So I left New York and headed for Albuquerque - and that is where I have been all day with Walt, Saul and Skyler in Breaking Bad.

All Hail The King!!! Indeed, and in one day I have finished the entire 4th season, it was really gripping and I just didn't see how this season was going to end.....all I am going to say is (no spoilers) - clever, cunning with a dark twist.....but this line from Saul made me chuckle:

"All I can I say is if I ever get anal pollocks I'll know what to name them!!?"

Dad popped over with a Tree trauma parcel which included more nurofen, cough mixture and a vat of Mama Tree's stew!!  Which was bloomin tasty....

The stew has made me feel a lot better, nothing like a bowl of hearty stodge to keep the germs at bay - and how good are dumplings!!?

Day 285 - Day Off!!

The cough that started yesterday morning and was a tad annoying in the cinema for the other viewers - hit with a vengeance this morning, along with a headache.....so only thing for it stay in bed!!!

Back to last night and with Lindsey I went to see Selma, it was a really powerful thought provoking film.  But I kept calling it Salem....even when I went in and booked the tickets "2 tickets for Salem please" - I got a strange look from the Odeon worker!!  Well they are both cities in America and anagrams of each other....cut me some slack!! 

And how come David Oyelowo hasn't been nominated for an Oscar for his superb portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr?  An outrage....

So when feeling under par nothings better than a warming hot chocolate in my Grand Princess cruise mug - a memento from my Caribbean cruise.....a reminder of sunny days, Piper wedding and Long Island Ice Teas!!

Day 284 - Ad, Gaz & Pippy!!

Then and now!!!

Top, from the Pipers wedding cruise about 12 years ago (correct me if I'm wrong?)....and below as we are today (well yesterday) - minus the tans and shiny cheeks!!!

A great night was had celebrating Pippy's arrival into the 40 club! Venue was a swanky little wine bar called Chapter 12 in Hailsham.  But I ate too many peanuts and drank too much gassy beer....so felt as though I was going to explode....and my newish jeans don't have any room for manoeuvre!!! So left the peanuts alone and started drinking coffee cocktails and G+Ts. 

At midnight we left the bar and I was asked to take the balloons....so in search of taxi I wandered along the Hailsham high street looking like The Emperor from Star Wars with an array of colourful balloons trailing me in the gusty wind (not mine, thank you!!!!)

So back to Buckle Gardens for a house party...I vaguely remember Captain Morgan's, cold pizza and swigging Prosecco from the bottle, yes I know I'm class personified!

My head hit the pillow at 3am....thank you for a fun night Pipers and the Buckle Brigade!  Right need to catch up on some missed sleep, or my grouchy twin will appear!!!