Mud, mud, glorious mud

I just spent the weekend at Chatsworth Country show helping Buxton Mountain rescue team fundraise. It wasn't the most successful weekend ever! Constant rain on Saturday meant the show was deathly quiet, but at least it stopped for the barbecue in the evening. Sunday was at least nearly dry but by that time the show ground was a giant mud bath. What was most amusing was seeing people turn up on Sunday not realising that it had rained all of the previous day!
I basically spent the weekend trying to persuade people to buy ducks for the duck race we were running. This wasn't as successful as last year, partly due to the weather! However having the race down the actual river on the estate was great fun, even if the ducks did go through the holes in the netting!
I was very good and didn't even spend that much money, though I do now have a very posh looking leather hat, and a bargainous joules jacket!

Bugger

I've spent all day making some delicous looking rosemary foccacia, which I found on my new favourite website, http://www.aspoonfulofsugar.net
Unfortunately I mucked up, my hand slipped while adding the salt, I thought I'd persevere and see if it was edible, but I have to report that it really wasn't! I thought I was going to have a lovely tea with my favourite tomato salad, just tomato slices, salt, pepper, and my secret ingredient sugar! All mixed up and left to stew in the lovely juice.
It looked fab though, I'll definitely try again, maybe tomorrow in fact as I still have a mountain of rosemary left thanks to Just Naturals generously sized packs!
I seem to be in a culinary mood at the momment, I made an apparently delicous plum tart the other day with some over ripe plums, I got 1 slice and Lex promptly demolished the rest despite informing me it looked yuk!
I also seem to be on a banoffe pie streak at the momment! However I never have any digestive biscuits in so mine have a twist, the base is made of lovely coconuty nice biscuits, apparently they add a lovely twist according to my willing tasters!

It's raining

Well so far I am a bit unimpressed with the weather. When I was working loads the weather was boiling hot, now I don't have much work it's decided to rain. Me and Lex went on holiday to my parents to get some climbing done and actually did quite well, one very good day at the Roaches, one ok day at Castle Naze, and then a day of being ill! Yay! Anyway the past week Lex and I have tried to get out climbing lots, and the weather has been wet, or looking like it was going to be wet, so we went indoors.
Today I really want to go in to town, but it's absolutely pissing it down, maybe it's going to stop, or I could be getting very wet! However as I threw away all of Lex's holey socks I'd better buy him some new ones and some Lush bath bubbles to make up for it!

All homely

Yet again I'm at home. The parents have gone away for the week leaving me to look after the climbing wall and the house. As a result of being at home I've become all grown up. Wandering round the garden watering things and picking my own fruit and veg is making me desperate for my own garden. Tonights tea is all home grown, peas, french beans, and roasted courgette! Together with fresh strawberries and Rasberries, they taste so much better than ones from the shops.
I keep wanting to do all sorts of nice things, on the ukc forums someone was talking about making their own cheese and yoghurt, I woudl love to do things like that but living in a crummy student house means I have no garden and I don't think my housemates would like having fermenting cheese around. At least I can cook cakes though, I found this blog called a spoonful of sugar, just thinking about it is making me want cakes! http://www.aspoonfulofsugar.net/blog/baking_cakes/

The picture at the top is a flower arrnagement by my Mum, very talented lady I think! Yet another thing I woudl love to do, at least I know who can do my flowers for any future wedding! (sorry about the crappy photo, had to take it with the iSight on my Macbook)

I'm never living at home again!

For this week I'm staying back with my parents while I do some work for my Dad at the climbing wall. The work part is fine, in fact better than it used to be, I think I've got more chilled out as I've got more experienced. However living at home is a nightmare, don't get me wrong I love my parents dearly but living with them, you have got to be kidding me!
Anyway I get to go home at the end of tomorrow, and get to see Lex again.
I'm guessing he's still alive but as the silly boy left his mobile phone charger at mine I have no idea. He also didn't text me his new flat phone number so I have no way of getting in touch with him. He does have my home number stored on his pda, but knowing him the battery has died on that to, either that or he hasn't thought of that! Anyway I have sent him an email, and we'll see if I get a call tonight! Would be lovely to hear his voice today.

Queens Guide

Well I am now a Queens Guide. I had my presentation at Upper Limits on Saturday afternoon. It was a lovely day, and was really nice to see all the people who ment so much to me back in Leek. My Mum even wanted to know if I'd paid them to say nice things about me!
The badge it self is really lovely, solid silver and a really pretty design.
I'm now back in Sheffield for 1 day only, then back home for a few days to work at Upper Limits, will be nice to have my Mum looking after me for a few days!
Anyway all means Lex and I won't be seeing very much of it other for a while, I'm going home until Friday then on Tuesday he's going home for 3 days to remind his poor Mum he's still alive (still haven't met his parents!)
Oh well at least I get a few days peace and my room won't look quite such a mess from all his stuff.

Buckingham Palace

Well yesterday I got to see what a Buckingham Palace Garden Party is really like. Unfortunately I wasn't a guest I was only there as a steward, but I did have a great day, got to have a cucumber sandwich and can say I've been to the loo in the palace!
The only down side was dressing as a piece of rock, because I was representing Girlguiding UK I had to wear the lovely new formal stripy blouse, and it is hideous!
I saw the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Camilla, and quite a few other minor royals. I also got to see the chaos behind the food tent, there are people running about like crazy, huge boilers heating all the water for tea and more plates of sandwiches than you can believe!
I just have a few days to recover before I have my Queens Guide award presented, but tonight I'm taking my Rainbows out for a picnic, then on Thursday promised my housemates I'd go out for a drink with them.

Oh and I nearly forgot (test for my parents to see if they read this!) I have passed this year of my degree, all my results average out at a 2.1 which I'm very happy with, my result of 74 in evolution of terestrial ecosystems has left me very amazed with myself!