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[Thursday, January 3, 2008]
My cup runneth over!
After another knock from the postman this morning, I can now measure pretty much anything ... well, so long as it's in US cup, US fluid ounces and spoon sizes (ok spoons are the same size anywhere!)
Sandy, another of my lovely friends from the US sent me another set of cup measures, another set of spoons, and a jug! ... and what's even better, they are all totally different from the first set of sets, so will be useful for measuring a completely different set of ingredients. One set's microwavable, and the other good for the stove ... guess I'd better get cooking!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 11:44 PM UK
Karma: 1 (+/-) |
[Wednesday, January 2, 2008]
What cup size?
When I went gluten free I started doing a lot of my own baking. As much as I love fruit, veg, rice and fish just occasionally life needs a quiche, biscuit, cake or mince pie. Unfortunately all of my gluten free friends live in the US, and recipes over there are different ...
... who knew you measured peanut butter in cups? ... whatever happened to good old pounds and ounces? I really can see why most of Europe moved onto the metric system, at least that doesn't change depending on your country of origin!
After goggling at a number of US recipes, wondering if granny would mind me pinching a teacup to measure out ingredients (no use apparently, since that's not the right cup size!), one of my lovely US friends took pity, and sent me a set of measuring spoons and cups in US sizes so that I'm never going to have to wonder again, and can just get along and make those peanut butter cookies.
... so, do you really have to spoon the peanut butter into the cup? ... and then scrape it out again? ... fun! ... and just in case you are wondering a US cup is 240ml ... thanks Bevi!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 11:35 PM UK
Karma: 3 (+/-) |
[Tuesday, January 1, 2008]
Happy New Year!
New Years are for resolutions, and although I do normally make them, they aren't usually terribly specific ... this year I appear to be thinking more of absolutes though.
Firstly, I'd really like to make the effort to exercise on a regular basis ... and despite the horrible lingering Christmas cold I'm going to try to do at least 10 minutes today. After all, if I can manage 10 minutes when I'm feeling properly sick it should be a good start for the year.
Secondly, and as an adjunct to the first resolution I'd really like to make more of an effort to dance this year. I really love Salsa, but not having dancing shoes is holding me back (it really is impossible to spin in trainers!) so I'm having a search of ebay and I'm going to find some nice sensible dancing shoes so that when I do feel the need to dance my feet will look and feel good, and more importantly will glide across the floor (I wish!).
Thirdly, I thought it was about time I dusted off my blog. I know it's an ego thing, but I do really like seeing my crystallized thoughts, and even if nobody reads, and nobody cares I can wander back through the landscape of my mind.
Happy New Year to you ... I hope this year is going to be toe tapping for all of us!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 05:49 PM UK
Karma: 8 (+/-) |
[Saturday, September 15, 2007]
Red Onions
Well, I've been a busy bee ... I've been working on another website for an artist friend, and I believe it's pretty much finished ... she's an artist though, so she'll probably find more for me to change for another six months yet! ... we collaborated a lot on this site so that she would get something she loves to show off her work ... anyway ... she's done some fantastic artwork .. take a look and let me know what you think:
i) about the artwork
ii) about the website
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 03:36 PM UK
Karma: -4 (+/-) |
[Thursday, September 13, 2007]
No Hospital's Shambolic!
Over the course of my life I've had a number of dealings with the NHS and over all I don't really have too many complaints. However ...
I was referred to see a gastroenterologist a few months ago to have a chat about my gluten and/or wheat problems: we had a nice little chat; decided that I either have a gluten or a wheat problem; and that unless I'm willing to go back to eating gluten and wheat for at least three months (and put up with the stomach issues) there's nothing that can be done to discover which is the problem.
I didn't need to know which was causing the problem badly enough to suffer for three months of discomfort there and then but at least the doctor could put my mind to rest: I was not imagining the problem; I am doing the right thing; and there is not a whole lot else we can do.
But apparently not, the doctor insists I see him again in three months to discuss our options ... wait a minute ... wasn't that what we'd just done? ... if there are other options please feel free to discuss them with me now? ... will I really have changed my mind in three months, and if I have can't I talk to my GP? ... anyway I decided to accept the second appointment so that I could go away and have a bit of a think about whether I wanted to do the gluten challenge, and have a biopsy. But honestly with little reward for a lot of pain who would bother?
Anyway ... three months later I had my appointment today. After waiting 35 minutes (not bad, some of the other people in the waiting room had their appointments shoved back by nearly 2 hours), I stopped in for my 5 minute chatter. Same deal, "You're doing fine", "You could do the challenge, but you don't have to", "I'll arrange an appointment to see you in 6 months to discuss your options" ... please I'm not stupid, we've discussed my options and I have a GP who I am perfectly capable of seeing, who can refer me back if I actually start having any problems!
After a little prodding he decided I didn't actually need to see him again unless things change ... but honestly, I've already had one unnecessary appointment, why on earth do the NHS think it's a good idea to pay for another?
So ... I've been gluten and wheat free for 18 months now and look set to continue for a good while yet ... the teenagers on the bus today were right little terrors, seriously how hard is it to respect your fellow human beings even when you're a teenager ... and what do you think of Heroes? ... I'm not all that impressed, but I think I'll make an effort to watch the recap marathon on BBC2 this weekend, you never know, I might have missed that one epiphany episode that makes the series worthy of all the praise it's getting.
Bye for now!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 09:30 PM UK
Karma: 10 (+/-) |
[Sunday, September 9, 2007]
Malevolent Monks?
So, you're setting a film in London hey? ... done your research? ... are you sure? ... no seriously, it might be worth checking those important plot points with a Londoner ... ok, someone who's visited the city ... someone who lives in Europe? ... alright, someone with a passport? ... ok, if you insist, your hillbilly Uncle Billi-bob can flick through the screenplay when he's done hunting bears!
What he didn't know that an area of London is known as Blackfriars? ... no, of course that doesn't really ruin the plot, it's not about a top secret organization called Blackfriars ... I mean, Blackbriar is hardly Blackfriars is it? ... and it's not like they sound very similar ... even when you're making a mobile phone call in a busy London airport/tube (sorry metro) station ... no, of course your secret CIA mobile phone listening in station can tell the difference straight off even if all of us watching the film thought he said Blackfriar ... and they hardly ever activate your killer assets to bump off a guy who's planning to meet his squeeze at the entrance to Blackfriars metro station ... and who'd care anyway, it's only a film ... what's another couple of bodies here or there!
Please though ... next time someone lets you make a film in my country, make sure you check out something about us ... we really don't believe that you can tell the difference between someone saying "Blackbriar" and someone saying "Blackfriar" in a phone call, and if you honestly are monitoring our phonecalls we know that after the first three hits on someone meeting for a swift half in Blackfriars you'll cancel your surveillance of the word and leave us to talk about your secret operations in peace.
PS ... you should also note the following ... journalists write in shorthand ... they don't leave longhand notes with pretty doodles around words like "Blackbriars".
PPS ... if you ask for coffee in a posh English restaurant the waitress won't pour you a lukewarm cuppa from her pre-made pot of instant.
PPPS ... oh who cares ... I'm just glad this is the last out of focus (I think that was the cinema's fault) shakey (definitely the cameraman!) Bourne film I'll have to sit through ... ok, I really did quite enjoy it, but I'll pout for a while if nobody minds!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 12:15 AM UK
Karma: 6 (+/-) |
[Thursday, March 8, 2007]
Life Drawing
Friends are fab! ... well, mine are, and I hope yours are too!
I've always loved drawing and art, and have wanted to start some kind of night school classes for an age, so my fab friends clubbed together to get me Life Drawing classes for my birthday. Ok, so I was a little nervous at first, well, maybe a lot, I do love drawing, and I'm not awful at drawing, but having a genius artist for a baby brother really didn't to a whole lot to boost my confidence. (He’s fantastic BTW, you really should check out his site [link])
Three months later though, I’m really getting into this drawing thing. Ok, so lots of my work does still end up in the bin, but I have more confidence drawing in front of other people, I’m using different tools, and I’m actually pleased with some of the results.
Hope you like this!
Take Care!
EmmaGx | 04:42 PM UK
Karma: 2 (+/-) |
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