Day 993 – #50 Make fresh pasta

For my final cooking challenge I decided to try making ravioli.  I can’t say it was an enormous success!  They tasted very nice in the end, which I suppose is the main thing but there are plenty of things I’d do differently next time.

Firstly, I’d get the pasta thinner.  It was too thick but didn’t seem to be rolling any thinner.  I obviously need a pasta machine.  And a ravioli press.  I can see a trip to Lakeland coming on….
Secondly, I’d drain the spinach better.  The filling was a bit wet which made making the ravioli shapes difficult.
Thirdly, I’d make sure they were properly cooked!

Day 988 – #9 Another book ticked off

I don’t think I’m going to get this task finished somehow!  However, I am still chipping away at the list and I’ve just finished Gone With the Wind.  It took me a while to get into it, but once I had I sped through it.

I’m not sure I liked it though.  I didn’t like Scarlett, she’s horrible.  I didn’t like Rhett either.  Or Ashley – what a wetbag.  I didn’t like the ending. I don’t know, it just seemed to promise so much and end so badly.  Not sure.  Definitely won’t be watching the film though!

Day 998 – #65 Release 10 books through Book Crossing

Finally a task ticked off instead of just another book read!  I’ve have release my final four books into the wild.  They are Dubliners, Memoirs of a Geisha, Gone with the Wind and Eating Up Italy.  A fairly random selection of books but hopefully one of them will get caught and registered.  None of the others have been logged so I have no idea where they got to 😦

If you are interested in the Book Crossing ethos you can find out more information here: http://www.bookcrossing.com

Day 969 – #9 Complete the Big Read Top 100

You can guarantee that when I haven’t updated for ages, I’ll be updating with a book!!  On my recent shopping trip to Bath, I managed to procure a couple of the books from my list from the Oxfam shop.  This is the first one I tackled.

I absolutely loved it and read it in just over a day.  It’s an engaging read, and without wishing to sound completely sexist, it’s hard to believe that it’s written by a man!  The language used is lovely and the story completely fascinating.  I definitely recommend it and I don’t think it’s one that I’ll be passing on either as I’d like to read it again.  Can’t get much higher praise than that 🙂

Day 906 – #12 I saw this and thought of you….

My little sister had a bit of a rough time of it while we were away.  She was in hospital for a spell and is still not back to rights.  So when I saw this – I immediately thought this would cheer her up.  It’s doesn’t look the most appetising thing in the world, granted.  But how can it go wrong?  Pasties are lush, chocolate is super lush, so a chocolate pasty has got to be a winner, right?  Well, I hope so.  She was out when I dropped it round earlier so I hope it makes her smile 🙂

Day 906 – #37 Eat fish & chips at the seaside

We went on a little jaunt to Mousehole whilst down in St Ives.  I’d never been before and wanted to go there and also to Newlyn.  Unfortunately, it was a day where it decided to absolutely hammer it down.  So we sought refuge in the The Ship Inn and decided that we’d head back to St Ives and dry out a bit.  Lo and behold the weather was grand in St Ives – so we dried off and treated ourselves to fish and chips from The Balancing Eel.  Mark had cod and I had scampi (heathen that I am).  It was lush.  And the seagulls didn’t get any! 😀

Day 906 – #36 Paddle in the Sea

As you can guess – neither of these are my legs!  But rest assured, I definitely did paddle in the sea.  We were lucky enough to have some good weather down in Cornwall so we got out on the beach several times.  The water was *very* cold but it’s a lush feeling.  Malcolm joined in and went for a swim – he came up looking all silvery like a seal 🙂  Just wish we’d taken the camera with us!

So many things to update! Let’s start with trusty #9 – The Big Read

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Ok, so I have another 6 books to tick off my list.  As you can see, I had a very relaxing holiday that involved lots of reading 🙂

Rather than boring you to death with waffle about all 6 – I will say that I enjoyed Kane & Abel, Holes, Woman in White and Black Beauty (kind of).  Good Omens was ok.  Ragged Trousered Philanthropists was very boring.  Woman in White was probably my favourite of these.  The story was interesting right from the start.  And although I did guess the twist, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it at all.  Kane and Abel was what I’d call “a good yarn” but very much of it’s time (early 80s).

Not many to go now…

Day 886 – #9 Another book done :)

And yes, it’s another Terry Pratchett.  Getting bored of them now.  Still, only one more on my list and I’ve already started it.

This one was ok.  It was a bit confusing because I’d already read Night Watch but it was an easy enough read.

Day 883 – #9 Another book ticked off

And it’s another Terry Pratchett.  God I love short books!  I finished this one off whilst I waiting to see the specialist this afternoon.  I polished off the last 30% in 40 minutes.  Not bad.  I liked this one too – not as much as Night Watch but better than CofM.  It’s weird, because although I don’t mind reading them – I don’t think I’d bother to read the rest of the series.  Apart from the ones on my list of course [obsessed laugh] 🙂