Man alive I’m tired
I am sat here on a Sunday night, considerably bushwacked. In my quest to have a weekend with “nothing” to do, I seem to be constantly on the go. This weekend has been no exception, but I am getting ahead of myself. Lets go back to Thursday.
On Thursday the Skills Funding Agency finally announced who had been the contract to run Community Grants 11-13. GMCVO, i.e. me, ran it in 2008-10, so we were fairly certain we would get it again. We didn’t. I was GUTTED. Gutted for many reasons, but mainly because it went to some global company called Tribal, who’s interest in local Charities isn’t their 1st priority. Not great for the sector, for the groups involved, for GMCVO and for myself. Not a great day.
My day got worse though. On the way home, I called into my mum’s to see my nieces, only to find out that my little sis was in hospital with chest pains. She has a pacemaker and it’s been giving her some grief… she’s fine thankfully, but we were all worried there for a minute. Plus I found myself getting both girls ready for bed, which takes a HUGE amount of energy and patience. phew
As if it wasn’t bad enough, I then spent all day in A&E with my Gran who is now 89 and has been having coughy/chest/dizzy problems for a couple of weeks. She has a habit of, let’s say, over estimating her ailments, but it turns out this time, she could have been onto something. She was admitted to Whiston Hospital with a suspected blood clot on her lungs, which is where she is right now awaiting an MRI scan.
I slept OK last night, but for some reason my body woke me up at 7:00am this morning and I couldn’t get back to sleep… 
Which was no bad thing really, as today was the Manchester 10k and even though I wasn’t running, Moochy was and so we had to leave around 9:3oam.
The weather was a bit cold and drizzly in Manchester, but I got a good spec near the end and Moochy was really pleased with his time of 57 minutes, 15 seconds. I was SOOOOO pleased for him as he’s not really done specific 10k training, just SHINE training. He’s my hero. xx
Then after watching Moochy in Manchester, we came home, he had a quick bath and then we went straight out to Whiston again to see Gran for an hour. She seemed fine…. thankfully, which brings us back around again to Sunday night. Tired.
Next weekend we don’t have anthing planned *crosses fingers*. So lets hope we can keep it this way. xx Phew.
Post Hen Do, Coughing & Babies Head
So first let me fill you in on the old Lent situation. Bad news, I have not totally given up crisps. Good news is that I haven’t had a diet coke since Tuesday night. I had funny taste in my mouth for a couple of days and had mad headaches, but now I am over that it’s all good.
I haven’t though, been feeling great due to a damn virus cold-type thing. I felt rubbish at the beginning of last week and then felt fine all week. However yesterday and today I started coughing again and even though I slept OK last night, I do feel tired from all the coughing.
Last night was also my little sister’s hen do and we all went to a medieval banquet at the Park Hall Hotel in Chorley. It was quite an eventful night which started with mum and I not being able to find the actual place and my sister being drunk before we even started the night.
So I suppose the last thing I should tell you at sometime today I have to make a baby’s head and a sugar paste frame for a baby’s crib. What a showbiz life I lead 
9 miler & cupcakes
So I bought myself one of these:
And today I thought I would make one – if only to practice my skills – It was just short of a disaster. I used a chocolate sponge mixture that I have used successfully before, but to cut a long story short, the finished cake was burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. Bin.
I then made cinnamon cupcakes, which were lovely, but I had a disaster with frosting…. I am a little embarrassed… 
I made a cream cheese frosting….
- 500g of mascarpone cheese
- 85g of golden caster sugar
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract (don’t use essence, it’s purely chemical)
Basically, bung all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy.
I don’t have any piping bags, so I had the genius idea of putting the frosting into a freezer bag and cutting the end off. When I put the frosting in the bag, it was all stuck at the top, so I thought I would swing it around a bit so that the centrifugal force would force it to the ends.
There was a hole in the bag!!!!
The frosting went on all the surround walls, fridge freezer, kitchen window and yes…. the ceiling…. Oh. My. God.
Sunday 5 miler
Wow, so today was supposed to about our 5 mile walk in Delamere Forest, but unfortunately Moochy coughing was bad again overnight. So this meant that we both spent time on the couch and were both suitably knackered this morning. So by 11:30 this morning we were still on our couch, under the slanket trying to get the motivation to move our arses.
However, this walk is important to me, so eventually about an hour and half later we were out of the door and walking. We walked for 5.5 miles in just over 1 hour and 50 minutes and it felt good. Our knees and a few other joints started to hurt near the end and I did of course need to go for a wee in the Ship Inn, but other than that it was great. Peggy loved it and is completely sparked out as we speak – perfect.
Oh and last night Moochy and I totally rocked our mini-glam dinner party.
- Home made Focaccia Bread with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
- Posh Chicken and Chips
- Chocolate Cake
All the food was gorg and we had a great night.
p.s. I had originally planned to make the Parmesan and poppy seed lollipops, but can I let you into a secret… they were a bit horrible, so they went straight in the bin.
Sunday
So firstly a well check…
Me: I’m about 95% better. Slight cough and for some reason bit bunged up this morning, but cold almost gone. However I have got my 2nd period (tmi sorry) in 3 weeks and as of this morning, a MASSIVE bloody cold sore. 
Moochy: He’s no better to be honest and still coughing up a storm. We are currently alternating between sleeping on the couch and in bed, taking it turns to get a comfy nights sleep. We have to do this as the minute Moochy lies down he can’t help but cough like a pro. Have you ever tried to stifle a cough? Impossible.
Anyway, today’s plan is to go to one on my favourite Italian restaurants in Knutsford for Sunday lunch*. This should be good and a real mood lifter. I haven’t left Haydock since last Monday so wish me luck people. Xx
*Picollinos
Sunday
Today is a day that started off very grey, turned to a light blue, followed by bright pink and it’s settled into a mellow orange. When I woke up I felt totally depressed about the heating not working, but Moochy gave me a pep talk and took me to Tesco to exchange his saved coppers for notes and to get some nice lunch.
So it seems that a turkey, cranberry and rocket tortilla wrap, the film Inception and writing my Christmas cards sorted me right out. In fact, it made me feel so good that I went for a run! The run confused me slightly as I just assumed it was a 30 minute jobby, but when miCoach told me at 10 minutes that we were “half way done with workout”, I was a bit flummoxed and thought miCoach was drunk or something. 
Anyway, we have had a minor breakthrough though with the heating, it still isn’t working, but it DOES come on if we run some hot water… oddness… I just want it FIXEDDDDDD.
Tomorrow is the start of a very busy week and I just hope that I have the stamina to hold on to my hat. Finish one contract off, write a bid for the next one… one where I will be running Greater Manchester again and this time co-ordinating the whole North West. *fakes a confident smile*… I am sure it will be fine…. eek.
Saturday
Wowee, I am a bit tired now, mainly because it’s Saturday and partly because, I have been for a walk today, I’ve had a warm bath and I am nice and relaxed. My PMT has finally subsided today and even though I am left with mild belly wax (aka period pains), it’s nothing I can’t cope with.
The walk that I went on with Moochy and Peggy dog also helped lift my mood as it is one of my favourite things in the world to do. The canal and wooded footpaths are even more beautiful in the snow….
I am also sans Moochy at the moment as, despite trying to have a lie in this morning, he was wide away at the same time he would normally get up for work. So about an hour ago, he decided to go up to bed for a nap… bless him… I am very lucky as I can sleep almost anywhere, but he has trouble…..
Today is just chilling and watching Strictly and the final of I’m a celeb.. but tomorrow means a little go in the loft and the Christmas decorations…. bring it on….xxx
