365 & Nasi Goreng

Mini-me made another 10/10 meal last night. Nasi Goreng. An indonesian rice dish. He scrapped the ingredients he didn't like and added a couple of cinnamon sticks for the fun of it. It was incredibly good. Really succulent chicken and softened red pepper slices that had taken all the flavour of the garlic and spices. We ate it watching Gordon Ramsay cooking with Gok Wan and then finished our meal with strawberries and creme fraiche while Gordon made baked alaska.

I also took the hound out for the first time with my bike which was such fun. He's a bit wary of getting too close but once off the lead he bounds along next to me :) Although I did have to spend a great deal of time stopping so he could sniff things!

a lot of catching up

Greetings pop pickers. Sorry it's been so long. Am in the process of moving mini-me into the library and redecorating his den for a lodger who is due to arrive on Thursday THIS week!!!!! The computer is still in the library so access is restricted for adults.

A couple of Big Brother refuseniks have told me in the last month or so that they are still visiting here so I will try and keep things interesting.

I have a bike. I collected it today. Yes, gripping.

OK, move on. I have pumpkins growing in the back garden and my fennel is over 7 foot now. An interesting looking weed that i took the decision not to pull out at the beginning of the season is now about 6 foot tall and boasting some interesting flowers. The garden has become overgrown to such a delightful extent that i could hide behind the twisted willow and not be seen from 4 foot away.

However, a number of days later as I was out there with the hose pipe i heard NOISES from the garden that could only be our friendly infestation of rats. On balance I probably won't be crawling behind the willow again to prove how dense the undergrowth is.

Work continues undiminished as sickness and holiday strikes leaving me working all the hours the good lord sends. Hey ho. We have an event on the web site for this Saturday evening and if I haven't sold more tickets by tomorrow night you can all look forward to a personal summons arriving in your inboxes within 24 hours!

Church is fab, mini-me is too cool for words and this Botrytis Semillon Riverina Australian dessert wine from Tesco's finest range is a high 2. Mmm, I think I've got time for a second small glass before I go out to Villa Rosa for dinner with the planet's coolest friends.

a bientot mes amis.

bises

CLWS

It was with a deal of trepidation that Evil Batman and I walked into the Civil Service Club last Wednesday to meet the Central London Wine Society and sit at the feet of General Pinotage himself.

Given the fact that I have been trying to work out wines for a mere 5 months, it was somewhat nerve racking to sit with people who own their own wine companies, come from French wining families and drop into conversation that they have spent time working in South Africa for their Master of Wines certificate. I felt like the Philadelphia girl from some years back who tastes and says "lovely".

Of course that mostly wore off after a few glasses!

We tried Greenstone Chenin Blanc 2005 which I thought tasted a lot like white wine. Then we had 2 different Springfield Estate wines; Special Cuvee and Life from Stone. They had been harvested 2 days apart from each other last year and I was delighted to find that I could distinctly tell the difference between the two. Spurred on by the revelation that I might be able to get the hang of it and the relief of drinking something red, we moved on to a Beyerskloof Pinotage 2006 that made me feel a lot more at home. I have tried the 2005 you see. I dared a comment before the illustrious company and found I liked it more than most. It was damned with 'very commercial' which made me feel like a Tesco whore. Next was an atypical Pinotage by Allee Bleue that I also really liked. An intensely fruity, mocca chocolate wine that understandably made it into the top 10 Pinotages. Then we had the gorgeous Warwick Estate Trilogy 2004. This was less sweet and I rated it joint first with a later wine but I think it can only be bought from the Wine Society. Then we had a the Lammershoek Roulette which was warm, spicy and full bodied. Delicious. Next was the second of my joint top drinks of the night; Luddite Wine's Shiraz. Smoky and delicious. We finished with a dessert wine that was like pudding after a big roast dinner. Nederburg Wine's Noble Late Harvest 2003. Wow. It was like drinking honey. 90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Weisser Riesling. I have searched for this at Morrison's as I was told it could be bought there but to no avail so far.

It was a really good evening. I sat taking notes from the pro's all evening and learning new expressions and bits of information which keeps me happy whatever the subject. I've already signed up for another 2 evenings!

Chilford Hall.

What an inspired idea for a day out. Tripped out to Cambridgeshire to visit an English vineyard and winery. Evil Batman and I tried about 8 different wines - all white or rose. Now, I have been an avowed abstainer from white wine for a long time but having a proper tasting session and getting to pick out different flavours was really interesting. We came back with 4 bottles between us.

Current technological problems prevent me from showing you the pictures but they will get posted eventually.

The Chilford Hundred label (which needs some serious artwork) comes from the time when the land was divided up into hundred acre plots, giving enough space for an extended family to live self-sufficiently. It threw it down with rain all day so I saw precious little in the way of vines but we were shown round by a very enthusiastic lady who explained history of the winery and reason for the Anish Kapoor sculptures in the gardens!

I now have 2 estate bottled wines; a 2004 dry white & a 2003 medium white. I'm still unconvinced by sparkling wine but a chilled white I can appreciate now.

pig in paradise?

Last night I drank some Cab Sauv or other. I would probably have enjoyed it this time last year. But I was very disappointed with practically nothing on the nose, a weak body, some indistinguisable fruits and a dry finish. I did at least get to share it over the wall with an old friend. Who also didn't like it. But I think that was because it wasn't Vodka Red Bull.

dangerous at 15%

It sounds like a cool name for a band and it will definitely be my team name at the next pub quiz but in fact, dangerous at 15% was a comment at this evening's activities with the central london wine society. But you'll have to wait to find out more as it's one a.m, I've only just got in and I'm going to bed.

and miles to go before i sleep

Today I have been in Manchester, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Leicester.....ok, so I was on a train.

Back from my 1st annual managers conference. I felt ill the whole time I was away and left the free bar at half 12. Sober. Others were there for many hours more. I watched the hangovers downing coffee the next morning. After I'd had 9 hours sleep.

Conn Iggulden made it for me, I think. They should have allowed him to speak for longer. Very funny, engaging man. Louise Rennison was fabulously outrageous. Iain Banks was understated. John O'Farrell, Rory Bremner and others were there too.

The year's round up showed the marathon team who ran for Dyslexia Action and the comment that these were the best legs in the company!

I was caught on film during the day rejoicing in Man Utd's recent loss and was put up on the big screen with others who'd had odd questions sprung on them as they walked from one 'breakout' group to another, searching for water or a cool table to curl up under.

I asked for the vegetarian meal and was served sausages instead. I meant to thank the waiter for the best tasting veggie sausages I'd ever had but I missed him when he came to collect my plate!

Met a strange man with a strange picture of a strange dress and a table full of strange people looking for its wearer. Unnerving.

Speaking of changing room assistants...

...which we were last night, how about this corker that happened today.

I had to buy a posh frock for the annual conference gala dinner next week so I take this dress and cardigan thing into the cubicle. Unlike every other dress I've tried on all afternoon, this one feels like it's designed with a woman's body in mind as opposed to a barbie doll or Kitty from Arrested Development. It's red with white designs, boned top with halter neck, flared skirt a la 50's and comes to just below the knees. Now I'm not harping on about being a fatso here but I'm not as small as I used to be and I'm remarkably pleased with how well it hides my tummy. I step outside of the cubicle to look in a longer mirror and the attendants fall silent. I can see them staring behind me in the mirror. This is not awe. I turn round. 'What d'you think?' I ask tentatively. There is a long pause, I watch the window panes melt. Finally one of them says 'It's nice.' The other then swiftly chimes in 'It's a nice colour'. "Marvellous." They couldn't have been more obviously unimpressed if they'd actually pulled out sick bags and started synchronised vomiting.

I still bought it though!

Noble Rot

Noble Rot, as I'm sure you are all very well aware, is a benevolent type of mould that if left on grapes can enhance the sweetness of wine and make good dessert wines, but what you may not know is that it is also the best wine bar for miles around.

Driving past it every day on the way home from work, I noticed a man at the window one time when I was pulled up outside waiting for the lights to change. He looked rather like Paul Auster which, naturally, piqued my interest. Also, once he was holding a pen which added to this ridiculous fascination with the place. (In person he looks more like Paul Auster might in a few years time) So anyway, one day as I sat at the lights he looked at me and waved which made me grin and wave back. This is sufficient proof to me that Paul Auster is living and writing in my town. So, I keep looking at this place each day and wondering what it is. I google it and it seems as though it's a wine bar that has live music. Only when I drive past it after dark one evening and I can see inside do I realise it's a must for the Chianti Club. So last night I took them there. They were slightly nervous, I think because my description made me sound like I was stalking a strange man on one of Bedford's nastier streets because he looked like someone who lives thousands of miles away but the place looks nice after dark. I should write for Lonely Planet, don't you think?

So we turn up and IT IS MAGICAL!! Paul, who we should now address as Charlie, welcomes us in with 'Hello girls, do we know you?' The place is on two levels with a quaint little set of steps up to the higher level. The bar itself is all antique dark wood making it feel like so many French bars I've been in. The wine bottles are ranged against the wall on a rack to rival anything I've seen before. The lights are all cut glass chandeliers, quite French Baroque. The walls are sparse but with some large pieces of art. The whole place is amazing shabby-chic.

Charlie comes to the table with an impressive wine list and asks us all where we work and tells us how wonderfully interesting we are. We are all immediately enamoured with this eccentric and endearing gentleman who may or may not be three sheets to the wind!

The choice of wine is happily deferred to myself and we start with a £16 bottle of South African Pintotage. It is excellent. The conversation and company, outstanding. We discuss everything. Charlie promises to come and talk to us about how it all started with a Hillman Imp. That never materialised but he was charming and quirky and everything a wine bar owner should be. We felt transported out of Bedford and that's worth every penny of wine! I found myself choosing a £25 bottle of Rioja Reserve that made us all 'oooh'. Really good.

We were one member down last night but it was the first evening for a new recruit. So the club's membership swells to 7.

The best moment of the evening was when Alimal arrived after FNM and Liz went to the door to show her where we were sitting, 'Oh, this is Charlie. Charlie could we have the wine list again please?' You have to have lived in Bedford for several years to know how funny and atypical such a scenario is!

On the way out we were all embraced and thanked so much for our custom and kind words - again, when does that ever happen? So I just said that next time he was sat at his window and waved to someone in a car he would know it was me. He was so touched. It really was just an exceptionally homely, friendly evening that must be repeated before long - next time with the A and Phillipe.

Feed me!! I'm starving!!

Planted seeds in a couple of terracotta pots this evening then took them round to unsuspecting friends and refused to tell them what I had given them! ha ha ha. I have a pot that is 2 weeks ahead of them. The only instruction was; 'If it ever fruits, don't eat it.'

This has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that I watched The Little Shop of Horrors last week.

pictures from Tony Harrison reading.

spoilt rotten

I am so spoilt with good friends. Thank you all.

Last night The Chianti Club went out to the Cambridge Arts Cinema to watch Spiderman III. My deconstruction on the way back to the car was ridiculed but...but... a malaevolent meteor out of space landing right next to Spiderman as the basis for an entire film? I mean, even suspending disbelief that was left unexplained..... ok, ok I've done that one already!

(don't i know that guy on the right@?)

This evening I had mexican dinner with MAJJ. We had fajitas and talked photography, magnetic fruit and how the Morrow family called my family riff raff and moved house because of how my brother and I fought / played together in the back garden!

And this evening, with mini-me back home after another gad about, we sat with home made popcorn and cinnamon sugar, watching the last of Arrested Development, series III.

"It's not my trick, Michael. It's my illusion."

mousse aka aubergine and mince

Cooked moussaka then went online to see how to make it. My lucky dip made me put in cinnamon and cayenne pepper. That worked lovely. Didn't get the egg plant quite right In the oven for an hour and still not quite cooked. Hmm. Good job I opened a bottle of Chianti.

meeting a hero

Saturday evening I met one of my heroes. My favourite living poet, Tony Harrison.

He read his poetry and talked. It was an incredible evening. His words are so jam packed with truth and emotion. It was a stunning evening and I was euphoric to have heard him and been able to speak to him afterwards.

As you know, my moniker of kumquat comes from my favourite TH poem; 'A Kumquat for John Keats'. He read 'Bookends' that evening and the power of his voice was electrifying. I hope you appreciate it too;

Baked the day she suddenly dropped dead

we chew it slowly that last apple pie.

Shocked into sleeplessness you're scared of bed.

We never could talk much, and now don't try.

You're like book ends, the pair of you, she'd say,

Hog that grate, say nothing, sit, sleep, stare…

The 'scholar' me, you, worn out on poor pay,

only our silence made us seem a pair.

Not as good for staring in, blue gas,

too regular each bud, each yellow spike.

At night you need my company to pass

and she not here to tell us we're alike!

You're life's all shattered into smithereens.

Back in our silences and sullen looks,

for all the Scotch we drink, what's still between 's

not the thirty or so years, but books, books, books.

quelle soiree!

Writer's group this evening was..........one to remember!

I had submitted close on 2k words that went down very well and i felt reet buoyed up...until Mole dropped his bombshell. They're moving. To Norfolk. By the end of the summer. But like I said, after I'd booed in the toilet and had wiped away most of the tears, "I never liked you anyway."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_for_Norfolk..... but I'm sure they know what they're doing.

wine update

Thanks to General Pinotage for recommending Morisson's Pinotage in the 'The Best' range. 2005. £6.99. It really is excellent. I vote as a high 2!

quoi de neuf?

Voila mon blog pour mes amis de MYM. Un petit note plus simple a lire pour vous. Comme des petits gosses avec un livre, vous pouvez regarder les images meme si les mots ne dis rien!!

il n'y a qu'un regle ici. interdit de parler d'ou je bosse parce qu'il ya des manageres qui lissent me mots. Apart ca, je serais tres contente si vous trouvez qq moments a repondre.

bis x

old?

Who could have thought that middle age could be so much fun? This evening I planted sweet peas, gourds and rocket, had mini me cook dinner & sat down to do some creative writing with a third glass of really very good Rioja.(Club Privado, Baron de Ley, 2003) Of course all I've done is reread some old material and play web boggle but it's been a great evening!

38347

horse guard's parade with smiles of relief all round. over 9K raised for dyslexia action. the quotable tim said 'can we have one lady each' about this photo. i'm sure he meant 'shall we stand boy girl boy girl for this photo' but it came out wrong....
philip's medal seemed to suggest he had finished 27th but i may be putting a degree of spin on that. the main thing is he finished! as did a number of other venerable names...

No sign of the giant running bakewell tarts or the troupe of prisoners all chained together in this photo. This is Philip at 20.5 miles.

Just beyond 'the wall' and the pain has really begun to set in.

Good effort chaps.

Striking a pose of such effortless nonchalence after 26 miles takes some doing!

weekend firsts

Walking around Bedford and down by the river without binoculars I can identify a good 25-30 different types of bird. (wren, robin, blackbird, song thrush, grey heron, black-headed gull, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, moorhen, coot, mallard, muscovy duck, mute swan, canada goose, greylag goose, common tern, treecreeper, green woodpecker, crow, lapwing, wood pigeon, collared dove, magpie, pochard, tree sparrow etc) but yesterday I heard my first cuckoo of spring. So notoriously difficult to spot as to be taken for a ventriloquist and as mole so poetically put it; 'Ah, smaller birds nests are being robbed and taken over even as we speak"'

Today I'm off down to London to see my first ever marathon take place. Having talked others into this hare brained scheme, I spectacularly failed to get a place leaving them to run on their own! I'm disappointed of course but I think relief is the greater emotion at the moment! So I shall be muscling my way through the 26 mile street party to try and get 5 seconds of shouting 'go team waterstones' or somesuch.