Glee

I have just been catching up from before Christmas on my Sky plus.

I have missed a few episodes here and there - lost interest at one point, but my interest is back with a vengeance! 

Even my boyfriend sat and watching 2 episodes with me tonight - and didn't complain.  He got a bit fidgety towards the end, but lasted much longer than I expected.

I must confess - I have a bit of a girl crush on Santana - I think she's great - really gorgeous and such a fantastic character in the show - and her catty comments are only second to Sue!

But Sue Sylvester is my favourite character still.  She has me in stitches!!!  Some of the things she says are just hilarious! 

I also like Coach Beaste - I feel so sorry for her - she really likes that man and I hope it works out for them!

Still got a couple of episodes to bring me up to date - no spoilers please!

I know a lot of people dislike Glee, saying they spoil songs etc. - but I for one, enjoy a much richer and wider variety of music thanks to Glee.  There are a lot of teenagers out there who would never have heard Billy Joel's Only the Good Die Young - if it wasn't for Glee.  I am now a huge Billy Joel fan so thanks Puck!

Once you hear the Glee version, you set off in search of the original - and then begin to experience such a wide range of music thanks to Glee.

Thanks Glee!

My Security Shield Virus

I got in late last night - ie. about 1am.

Just checked my e-mails before bed - as you do - and checked on my blog (getting a little obsessive!).

Then suddenly an anti-virus popped up on my screen telling me I must act now to remove virus etc.  It wouldn't let me click away - I had to click decline etc.

I know it isn't my anti-virus as I use anti vir and haven't installed anything else.

So I gathered it was a virus pretending to be an anti-virus software.

It took ages - I was up until gone 3am sorting it.  I downloaded Malwarebytes to fix it - but the virus was preventing me from installing it! I got really worried!

It's all gone now - sorted it out - actually, I restarted my laptop and windows did most of it and restored  my laptop.  So thanks Microsoft.

But it has got me thinking.  If that happened to my dad, he wouldn't know any better than to believe this programme claiming to be his anti-virus.  He doesn't know what is installed on his laptop.  He would have happily 'renewed' his bank details and have been conned by it.  Well - he would have rang me to check first.  Other people wouldn't though.

So watch out for this everyone - it looks quite convincing.

Bun Ring Hair Update!!

Wow - thanks to a comment about this, I have now discovered Sock Ring Hair.

The Theory is that you can make a bun ring with a sock.  Finally, a use for all those odd socks!

Cut off the toe of the sock, and roll it up into a ring - that's it.

Probably wash it first of course.

But the way of putting your hair up in it, is so nice.  You can do this with a normal bun ring of course.

Pop your hair into a ponytail as before.  Instead of putting the bun ring at the base, put it on the end of the ponytail and roll all the hair into it, turning the bun ring as it goes down and spreading the hair out.

The result...

Much fuller, no need for clips or extra bobbles, it holds itself up.  The above is my first attempt and, besides a few flyaways, it looks so full! Someone commented on it when I was in town earlier :-D 

Apparantly, if you sleep on it like this, it gives incredible curls.  I shall update in the morning on those!

New Handbag

Recently, my trusty handbag has been looking...for want of a better word, gross.

It is past it's prime. My little angel rabbits have chewed the straps open. It had gotten to the point where, quite frankly, I'm embarrassed to be seen with it!

I've spent days pondering over which type of bag to get. It must, of course, match my new ski jacket!

Well, I am trying to save money. I spotted this bag in New Look on sale for £5. Down from £12.99. I don't even know if I like it yet, but anything is better than my current bag!

I do feel a little bad. This bag has served me well, surely I can't just bin it? Can I? Maybe I should bury it. That would be a bit weird though. In the bin you go old bag!

I feel like such a traitor!

Moscow State Circus

Wow.

I recently went to see the Babushkin Sekret. 

It started off with a bit of prancing about with violins as props and a extremely odd 'storyline' about Soviet Russia and some man loosing his chairs.  There were a few glances exchanged in the audience.

But - it picked up after that. 

There was a couple of clowns - proper clowns - not like Uncle Michael dressed up at your birthday party.  They were brilliant, climbing ladders to nowhere etc.

A man and woman doing the ribbons/ropes - they were brilliant and it was so beautiful to watch.

There was an older man who was incredible - tumbling and acrobating around - fantastic.

They did grab a few people out of the audience - at which point I started to completely freak out, being on the end of a row! I managed to move during the interval thankfully.  There was some poor woman made to hula hoop with her bum.  Felt so bad for her, but it was so funny and she took it really well.

All in all - a great night out.  Not sure if I would pay the £24 again, it was very good, but I think that was a little steep.

They are still touring the UK - I believe they come every year or 2.

http://www.moscowstatecircus.com/

If anyone can tell me what the music is called on the website I would appreciate it - it was played during the circus and I really like it!

Christmas chocolates

Mmmm still eating them! Last box now. Then diet....

Bun Ring Hair

Along with a new ski jacket, I also bought a bun ring yesterday for my hair.  (I bought 2 new pairs of shoes and snuck them into the house, but that's another story - which ends in blisters on my heels!)

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, this is a bun ring.

I got it in New Look for £2.99 and they come in different hair colours.

Basically - you tie your hair in a ponytail, wherever you want the bun.  Just a normal ponytail, or backcombed etc.  Mine was normal - we all know my backcombing history.

Then slide the the bun ring around the ponytail - so it just sits there like a doughnut on your head, with the ponytail going through it.

Then pull the hair back over the ring, so it covers it - no fancy twisting etc, just pull it over and pin it.

My hair is quite long, so I pulled it over and snapped a hair bobble around the whole thing, and then pinned the ends in.  My arms ached when I tried to pin the whole thing - and no-one can see the bobble.  Then just spritzed with hairspray.

This is the finished product - well - the finished product after a whole day at work.  It has held up brilliantly!

New ski jacket!

I have just purchased...

The 'Women's Whistler Ski Jacket' from Mountain Warehouse.

It should have been £99.99 and was on sale for £49.99 - I liked it better with the stripes in green, rather than pink - and because it was green, it was £39.99 - obviously not as popular.  I've never been a fan of that dark pink in clothes - especially jackets.  In reality, it's slightly closer to fuchsia/purple.  The green is quite bright and refreshing.

I ripped my ski jacket last winter. Not skiing sadly, just out and about.  It's so cold in the winter that you really need something like this to keep warm.  My nice, donated, Primark coat is lovely, but far too thin for this wind and rain!

I can't wait to wear it out tomorrow.  It's so comfy.  

After trying a size 10 Ski Jacket in TK Maxx, which was too small on the arms and back, I made a beeline for the 12 today in Mountain Warehouse. It swamped me!  So I tried the 10 and it was just a little loose, which is perfect, because I can get a fleece under it that way etc.   It just goes to show different sizes in different shops.  

I find myself almost hoping it's going to snow.  Or at the very least, rain!

Product Review - Braun Silk-épil Xelle Epilator

My mum bought me this for Christmas after my epilator (a Remington - about 7/8 years old!) was just not handling it well.

It was a cordless one, but unfortunately the battery only lasted for one leg at a time - and you couldn't run it off the mains.  So it usually took 2 days to do both legs!

I am amazed with the Braun.  It is not wireless, which disappointed me initially, but I have realised now that, my battery won't go!  The cord is long enough, and, except getting it tangled around my legs a couple of time, it wasn't an issue. It comes with 3 different type fixtures - epilator,razor and one I believe is for bikini.

It is has 2 settings soft and optimal.  I went straight to optimal.  It isn't quiet (I don't know any epilators which are though), but wow it works.  And fast.  It was almost on a par with using an electric shaver (no, I didn't have the wrong attachment on!).  

It also has a little light - which is very bright and really useful.   It wasn't a feature which interested me - I thought it was more gimmicky than useful, but I love the light.  I can now see, with ease, which bits I've missed and can spot all those little hairs which try to escape.

I am yet to try the other 2 attachments and the ice glove.  I shall try the ice glove with the bikini attachment definitely!  I will add my thoughts on those in a couple of weeks.

But so far - 10/10 - I'm so impressed!

What's in Vogue...

I have just found myself checking out the Vogue website to see what is in fashion.  As I am completely clueless.

It appears that for spring summer 2012 heavy metal make up is in.  Need to experiment with that - not sure if I'd be brave enough to wear it!

Also, sadly, big hair is still in. Well - all the hair looked pulled back, but backcombed so it was bouffant.  I love it - I do - but I just cannot achieve the same look on myself! 

I think this is one of the times when practise does not make perfect.

I'll try again tomorrow.  Practise may well make close enough :)

When you run...

...do you ever feel your bum wobble? Since Christmas I have! When jogging upstairs mainly. It's not good. I really should put down these Pringles and get some proper dinner. Now, where did I put the takeaway menu....

Rain rain go away...

I had the choice tonight.  Walk home from work. Or stay late and get a lift in an hour.

I chose wrong.

It is pouring it down! My feet are soaking, my shoes are pouring water as are my socks.  My trousers have soaked up water to about knee level.

I wrapped my scarf around my head in an attempt to keep dry.  It didn't work.  I now have a wet scarf to deal with as well as wet hair.

My glasses got all splattered.  So I had a difficult decision to make; do I keep them on and not see where I'm going, or do I take them off or not see where I'm going?  (I chose the later).

Then - to top it all off - it hailed.  Ouch ouch ouch!

My New Discovery

Prepared Vegetables.

I was wandering around Waitrose the other night, just popped in to find some 'butter milk' (see previous cake entry!) and I discovered these...

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-101626-Waitrose+garlic+%26+rosemary+potatoes

Prepared potatoes - garlic and rosemary with potatoes and red onions. 

They come in a foil packet, there is enough for two, and you just peel the top off and pop in the oven for about 45 minutes.  They also sell Mediterranean roast vegetables (really nice) and a few other varieties.  

Just perfect when you've been at work all day and really don't fancy faffing about peeling potatoes and veg etc.

Even better, they are 2 for £3!

Hot Water Bottle

mmmmmm...Toasty Warm!

Am I like an old lady for having one (ok - two)?  I love them.  I would strap them to my body when I leave the house if I didn't think that was crossing a line.

One on each leg, one on each arm and one front and back.

Who needs a fleece?!

That is all.

Ultimate chocolate cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

Ultimate chocolate cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

I have been baking tonight.

I tried a new recipe for a chocolate cake - I found it on the BBC good food website - through googling 'Chocolate cake' - nice and simple! (The recipe is linked above).

The reviews were great - so I thought I'd try.

Wasn't sure at first - it sounded really dark chocolaty, and sugary. But WOW! It is the squishiest, yummy cake I've had for such a long time!

It didn't look much to be fair, but that's my presentation skills I have no doubt!

I'll upload a photo tomorrow - you'll all be so impressed!

The kitchen looks such a mess....

...I'll clean it up tomorrow.

Gas and Electric meter readings

Just uploaded mine to the providers website.  

Can't see what the bill will be yet though, and don't have the patience to try and figure it out!

Thankfully, I have about £400 credit with the company, because my direct debits have been too high this year (as planned by me, so the winter bills wouldn't cripple me!).

I'll be very upset if it's more than that though - I'm starting to see it as a little savings account!

UPDATE - In total just short of £300 for gas and electric for 3 months.  That seems steep to me! But it was Christmas so we have not been at work etc.  Luckily it's covered by the credit - phew!!  Have now set the heating on a strict timer, 1 hour in the morning, 2 in the evening.  That is all - woolly jumpers the rest of the time!

What is a Logarithm?

I have just started to study again.  Mathematics.  Hmmm - we will see!

I'm currently at the revision stage - getting up to base level for the course I'm going to do.  

Logarithms have thrown me.  I can't understand their purpose.  I know there must be one, but can't understand what it is.  And without that, I'm struggling to get my head around how to do them!

So A = B^c is equal to  LOGbA = C

Ok - so what the heck is an anti-logarithm!

If I spent less time on here, and more time trying to figure it out, I may have got it by now to be fair.

Just so funny!

Very immature.  But oh so funny!

Backcombing Hair

I've been practising this all weekend.

All the 'cool' people are doing it.  I feel left out.

I have just below shoulder length hair.  I can do the back combing bit.  Just about.  It's the styling after that that's the problem!  It just flattens straight away.  I can't figure it out. I end up with really thick, matted bits on my head which aren't any higher than normal!

I've done everything the copious youtube video's tell me to do, yet it still won't work.

I think I'm doomed to have flat hair!  The hairdresser put it up once, and I LOVED it - so much so that I slept with it up still haha - and it held!  But I can't do it myself.

Might watch a few more youtubes.  Or ask my teenage sister.  She seems pretty clued up on it!

My first blog post

So, I imagine you're wondering about the title?

Well - I bought 2 boxes of mint matchmakers over Christmas.  I know I shouldn't eat them because they make me feel sick. But I like them so much. So I bought them.

I started one box.  Ate a couple and started to think 'Ok, I should stop now, I'm starting to feel a bit sick'.
5 minutes later, I've eaten about 10 more.  And know I'm going to feel ill.  Over half way through the box I finally put them in the other room so I can't be tempted.  But spend the next hour feeling poorly.

I know mint doesn't agree with me - apparently (sometimes I feel a bit sick when I use mint toothpaste!).  But I'll never learn.

Just finished the second box.  That's it.  They've gone.  I shan't buy them again.

Probably.