Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Okay, I know I am a bit late with the Merry Christmas bit, but this is the first time I have had a signal in over a week.  I hope you all had a great time.  I certainly did, spending both Christmas and Boxing days with all my family, you know the score - eating too much, laughing at things that only families can laugh at, playing silly games, remembering Christmases past and those not with us any more etc etc - great times.  However,  boys if you are reading this, I'd quite like some grandchildren to spoil next Christmas!!!

Pete has been really busy over the holiday period building the extension!

This is what we fondly are calling the back porch (what on earth would you call it on a boat?!!).  The extension will have double doors and cupboards for coats and shoes.  The reason for this is so that we can bring the staircase right back to maximise the illusion of space below.  Today (if it stops raining) Pete will be building the wooden frame - more pictures to follow.

I would like to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope that all your dreams come true xxx

For Carla

I am sorry that I haven't posted for some time but I haven't been able to get a signal and although I can read your blogs at work and comment on some, I can't actually post on my own blog from there. My cyber friend, Carla Yvonne ( http://anthonetta.blogspot.com/ ) who lives on a Dutch barge with her husband and travels around The Netherlands, asked to see a picture of the shape of the barge.  So here it is.  It is very much a 'work in progress', there is a back porch to go on yet and we intend to break up the line of the upper front deck with some sort of railings.  We will eventually have a 'lid' over the entire aft deck, as, in the UK, it is either too hot in the summer or chucking it down with rain!  With a lid, we can use the deck all summer.  We have been given two lovely great big portholes and are trying to decide where we are going to put them.  Any suggestions?

Mushroom and Cashew Stroganoff

I seem to have a thing about mushrooms at the moment,  I can't get enough of them!  As I type, I am waiting for some stuffed mushrooms that are cooking in the oven for my dinner.  This is another of my very quick, cheap and healthy mid week specials.

250g mushrooms
150g unsalted cashews
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp paprika
200 ml veg stock
100 ml low fat creme fraiche

'Toast' the cashews for a few minutes in a dry frying pan, remove from pan.  Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, add mushrooms and cook for 5 mins.  Add paprika and stock and simmer for another 5 mins.  Add creme fraiche and cashews and simmer for a further 3 minutes.  Serve with tagliatelle or rice.

No picture I'm afraid, so you will have to trust me that it is delicious xxx

Mast off - Season Finished

This is Moana, the boat that Pete sailed at the weekend.  Today Mouse took her out of the water, took the mast off and laid her up in the Sailing Club car park.  When the car park is full of yachts that's when I know that summer is definitely over.   Still, we have the Laying Up Supper to look forward to in a couple of weeks.  Will have to dig out the posh frock!

Looks Like Windows!

From a distance it looks like Pete has cut the windows out, but don't be fooled, he has just blacked them in so that he can paint round them!  It did give us an idea of what it will look like with the windows in and we have decided that we need another one (to the left of the bottom picture) as otherwise it will look odd.

Pete had a great birthday.  He was adamant that he didn't want a surprise party, so we just had dinner with a few close friends and it was a lovely evening.  Yesterday he went out sailing for the first time this year with Chris and Wendy, (see, I do let him have the day off occasionally, as long as he doesn't get too used to it!) and came back a happy man.  Back to work now Churchie!!

Look Who's 60 - But You Wouldn't Know It!

He might have got his bus pass now, but he couldn't resist a paddle in an exceptionally high tide.  The water went over his wellies and had to be poured out.  Did I laugh  at the twit.....of course I did!!!!

Pete has been a life long Arsenal supporter, so my boys treated him to a day at the Emirates ( including going round to Highbury to kiss the sacred ground!).  Luckily the Arsenal won 3-1, so they all came home happy with sore throats from shouting and singing.

He spends a lot more time these days having a quick kip!  (We were at a great party, but you wouldn't think it!)

He might think that dirty laundry lives on the floor, watches old black and white war films on tv at every opportunity, talks rubbish when he's had a drink, be known as 'One for the Road Pete' and can never, ever see the mess that he's made.  But he's my Pete.  My world changed for the better when I met him.  We have been through good times and bad.  He puts up with my hormonal mood swings, often cooks me dinner,  buys me chocolate,  gives me a cuddle when I need one and is always there for me.  He will always help anyone if he can and is generous to a fault.  He is working very, very hard to make my dream come true and I don't think I tell him often enough how much I appreciate it.  In fact Pete, I don't think I tell you often enough how much I love you and that you are my best friend.  Have a great birthday and rest assured I think you are as sexy and as gorgeous as the day I met you, 15 years ago!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE

Dried Mushroom Curry

I have just cooked this .....

The recipe came from Lisa's Kitchen Blog  It is absolutely delicious and very quick and easy.  I didn't actually have any dried mushrooms, so I used fresh but it still tasted amazing.  Thanks Lisa x