To those who have asked, we are not in any danger. We live 2 hours from the coast and it is highly unlikely that we will feel anything of Earl ~ fingers crossed ~ apart from some winds and another 100+F heatwave for a couple of days. I just hope that the impact on the beautiful North Carolina coast is not too destructive.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Friday, 27 August 2010
Three For the Price of One
I used to like cooking in a slow cooker/Crock Pot. Actually I still do but it's just not so straightforward anymore.
When we were both working back in Blighty I'd roughly chop and throw all the ingredients in the pot in the morning and come home to a great meal in the evening. When the kids came along and I was consumed with milk and pureeing my slow cooker was a great friend. It worked beautifully in India and made the lamb (read goat in all probablility) nice and tender (!)
My UK slow cooker would not work here due to the difference in US/UK voltage - exactly half.
We bought a new US one....and then the fun began.
The first tried and religiously tested recipe that should take 6-8 hours to cook was nuked in 3. Thankfully I was around to save it. I was confused. I was sure I hadn't dome anything differently.
The second tried and tested recipe went the same way ~ that time we weren't so lucky and it was a take-away for dinner.
The third, new and never before attempted recipe...followed to the letter...was an 'almost' disaster. Cooked and ready way before it's recommended 4 hours and honestly there is nothing worse than soggy mushy rice. I thought I had a slow cooker with an identity crisis. It wanted to be a microwave.
I decided to call Crock Pot and seek their advice....Their response...Must be faulty we'll send you a new one exactly the same as the one you have. Oh OK thanks...shall I send this one back? No just keep the lid and pot because you never know when you might need spares. OK, thanks very much.
The new one arrived in a matter of days. It wasn't the same. It looked like it belonged in an M&S 80's Country kitchen. I called Crock Pot again....I think you've sent me the wrong one, it doesn't really matter but, well it's the point, like for like you said. No problem, we'll send you another. Well thank you, how do I send this one back? No, no, no just keep it, you never know when you might need two and you can use the lid and the pot as spares. But I already have spares. It'll cost you $50 to ship it back. Oh OK I'll keep it then.....
...And in the meantime I tested it out. The same first exact same recipe was again done and cooked in half the time?
Once a faulty slow cooker, but twice?
The third slow cooker in my US collection duly arrived, it is the right colour but like it's sisters it also thinks it's a microwave. I have no idea why. Nobody else in the house or the landlord cares. All I know is that I need to half the cooking time and be here to keep an eye on things, which kind of negates the beauty of 'Crock potting' or Micropotting as I'm inclined to call it.
Great customer service from Crockpot though.
When we were both working back in Blighty I'd roughly chop and throw all the ingredients in the pot in the morning and come home to a great meal in the evening. When the kids came along and I was consumed with milk and pureeing my slow cooker was a great friend. It worked beautifully in India and made the lamb (read goat in all probablility) nice and tender (!)
My UK slow cooker would not work here due to the difference in US/UK voltage - exactly half.
We bought a new US one....and then the fun began.
The first tried and religiously tested recipe that should take 6-8 hours to cook was nuked in 3. Thankfully I was around to save it. I was confused. I was sure I hadn't dome anything differently.
The second tried and tested recipe went the same way ~ that time we weren't so lucky and it was a take-away for dinner.
The third, new and never before attempted recipe...followed to the letter...was an 'almost' disaster. Cooked and ready way before it's recommended 4 hours and honestly there is nothing worse than soggy mushy rice. I thought I had a slow cooker with an identity crisis. It wanted to be a microwave.
I decided to call Crock Pot and seek their advice....Their response...Must be faulty we'll send you a new one exactly the same as the one you have. Oh OK thanks...shall I send this one back? No just keep the lid and pot because you never know when you might need spares. OK, thanks very much.
The new one arrived in a matter of days. It wasn't the same. It looked like it belonged in an M&S 80's Country kitchen. I called Crock Pot again....I think you've sent me the wrong one, it doesn't really matter but, well it's the point, like for like you said. No problem, we'll send you another. Well thank you, how do I send this one back? No, no, no just keep it, you never know when you might need two and you can use the lid and the pot as spares. But I already have spares. It'll cost you $50 to ship it back. Oh OK I'll keep it then.....
...And in the meantime I tested it out. The same first exact same recipe was again done and cooked in half the time?
Once a faulty slow cooker, but twice?
The third slow cooker in my US collection duly arrived, it is the right colour but like it's sisters it also thinks it's a microwave. I have no idea why. Nobody else in the house or the landlord cares. All I know is that I need to half the cooking time and be here to keep an eye on things, which kind of negates the beauty of 'Crock potting' or Micropotting as I'm inclined to call it.
Great customer service from Crockpot though.
Cross Cultural Phrases...or lack of!
When living abroad you inevitably find yourself having to explain certain words or phrases you may use each and every day but have never ever even been heard of by the indigenous population.
In America the most common and widely known confusion surrounds the English meanings of 'pants' and 'fanny' ~ Either side of The Pond we both have our own meanings and when discussed it always raises a snigger.
Then there is the fringe/bangs thing......I personally cannot see why you would call a hair fringe a 'bangs' there is no logical explanation. A 'fringe' is like a border and frames your face which makes perfect sense to me, a 'bangs' does neither. Or does it? Where does this phrase come from?
A friend recently asked me how long we were going on holiday for. To which I replied a 'fortnight'. She looked blank and quickly I had to decipher the phrase that we English never even probably think about and frequently use. Errrr 14 nights.
So imagine this scenario. An attractive, talented American lady Vice President visits an English factory. A very enthusiatic manager introduces her to the entire workforce and begins his welcome speech. He then utters this very typical English phrase....
"Well that's enough from me, let me hand over so you can hear it 'Straight from the horse's mouth'.
~ That will be a Deathly Silence then ~
(I think that phrase is pretty universal!)
In America the most common and widely known confusion surrounds the English meanings of 'pants' and 'fanny' ~ Either side of The Pond we both have our own meanings and when discussed it always raises a snigger.
Then there is the fringe/bangs thing......I personally cannot see why you would call a hair fringe a 'bangs' there is no logical explanation. A 'fringe' is like a border and frames your face which makes perfect sense to me, a 'bangs' does neither. Or does it? Where does this phrase come from?
A friend recently asked me how long we were going on holiday for. To which I replied a 'fortnight'. She looked blank and quickly I had to decipher the phrase that we English never even probably think about and frequently use. Errrr 14 nights.
So imagine this scenario. An attractive, talented American lady Vice President visits an English factory. A very enthusiatic manager introduces her to the entire workforce and begins his welcome speech. He then utters this very typical English phrase....
"Well that's enough from me, let me hand over so you can hear it 'Straight from the horse's mouth'.
~ That will be a Deathly Silence then ~
(I think that phrase is pretty universal!)
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
One Whole Year
I woke up this morning and looked at the clock which also shows the date. It was at that moment I realised that we have been in North Carolina for one whole year.
In some respects it's been a long year but in others the time has flown past so much so that this anniversary snuck right up on me.
I haven't been a very good blogger this year but this has more to do with a lack of time than material so once again I will make a note to self to try harder.
Not by way of a celebration but more of a coincidence we are preparing to fly home. This time tomorrow we will be enroute to RDU International Airport to board the return flight of the one that brought us here with all our, was it 9, suitcases? Only 3 allowed this time if I'm lucky! We will spend the next 2 weeks seeing family and friends, feeling the chill and probably getting soggy feet. Oh the joys of home!
In some respects it's been a long year but in others the time has flown past so much so that this anniversary snuck right up on me.
I haven't been a very good blogger this year but this has more to do with a lack of time than material so once again I will make a note to self to try harder.
Not by way of a celebration but more of a coincidence we are preparing to fly home. This time tomorrow we will be enroute to RDU International Airport to board the return flight of the one that brought us here with all our, was it 9, suitcases? Only 3 allowed this time if I'm lucky! We will spend the next 2 weeks seeing family and friends, feeling the chill and probably getting soggy feet. Oh the joys of home!
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Yea Mon
Greetings from Jamaica!
Just over a week ago we landed in the Carribean for a well deserved holiday.
All did not begin smoothly though. Our original destination was the Holiday Inn Montego Bay and let's just say that this place looked a whole lot lot better on its website than in the flesh. Oh dear. There were many issues and disappointments that Ian and I shared about the place but the main thing was cleanliness. We're not OCD by any stretch of the imagination but I was sure our supply of Imodium was not going to last long if we stayed around.
After our first night in a tinsy room, the kids sharing a small sofa bed (the mattress had to be changed) that Luke fell out of twice and one dose of Imodium later Ian was on the phone doing his stuff. By late morning we were out of there, in a taxi and heading to our new destination for just a few $$ more. The thing is, this holiday will be our only one as a complete family this year and when you've worked tremendously hard and moved trans globe you really do want your holiday to live up to it's expectation and be a well deserved relaxing break.
So now it is! Here we are http://www.bahiaprincipe.com one week already down and one more to go, it's lovely and no-one has needed a single dose of Imodium.
Now, onto more pressing matters...where to go beach or pool? Yea Mon!
Just over a week ago we landed in the Carribean for a well deserved holiday.
All did not begin smoothly though. Our original destination was the Holiday Inn Montego Bay and let's just say that this place looked a whole lot lot better on its website than in the flesh. Oh dear. There were many issues and disappointments that Ian and I shared about the place but the main thing was cleanliness. We're not OCD by any stretch of the imagination but I was sure our supply of Imodium was not going to last long if we stayed around.
After our first night in a tinsy room, the kids sharing a small sofa bed (the mattress had to be changed) that Luke fell out of twice and one dose of Imodium later Ian was on the phone doing his stuff. By late morning we were out of there, in a taxi and heading to our new destination for just a few $$ more. The thing is, this holiday will be our only one as a complete family this year and when you've worked tremendously hard and moved trans globe you really do want your holiday to live up to it's expectation and be a well deserved relaxing break.
So now it is! Here we are http://www.bahiaprincipe.com one week already down and one more to go, it's lovely and no-one has needed a single dose of Imodium.
Now, onto more pressing matters...where to go beach or pool? Yea Mon!
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Happy Belated Birthday Luke
Last weekend we celebrated Little Luke's 3rd Birthday. How did THAT happen? How time flies!
Loves his John Deere!
...and his scooter from Ellie
I can't quite get my head around the fact that he's almost out of toddlerdom and on his way to being a BIG boy. Daddy was travelling on his actual birthday so we postponed his big day until last Sunday and we celebrated with some friends with a little garden party and BBQ. It was a hot HOT day and after all the fun and frolics all of the little people went home very tired, as I'm sure did most of the bigger people.
Waiting for the magician who had more than enough tricks up his sleeves.
including a white rabbit, rat and for the finale a monkey.
Hmmm, I'm not too sure Dad!
Loves his John Deere!
...and his scooter from Ellie 
Waiting for the magician who had more than enough tricks up his sleeves.
including a white rabbit, rat and for the finale a monkey.
Hmmm, I'm not too sure Dad!Monday, 31 May 2010
Prima Ballerina
Ellie and her Ballet classmates performed their end of term recital at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on 22nd May. Befitting every very professional performance photographs and videos were not permitted to be taken in the auditorium, so these photos are post performance.
It was a nail biting day of nerves for Ellie who was convinced she'd get stage fright, which of course she didn't. For me, my main concern was getting her up, dressed and made-up. Made Up? Yes I had a problem with this until it was explained that she'd look like a blank face on stage without it which I really should have known given my previous line of business but you forget these details, and delivered to the Auditorium by 8.30am, hair in a neat bun...which I had only learnt how do do a few days before and worried whether I'd be able to replicate it and was doubtful it would actually stay in. In the end...some mega hair gel, ultra hairspray, a 100 Kirby grips and some Maybe It's Maybelline all worked and combined together to polish her off. Success...almost. Just DON'T MOVE ELLIE. Thankfully another Ballet Mum, knowing I was on my own with both kidlets offered to drive her there which enabled me to get Luke up, breakfast and dress him after she left without spanners and tantrums being thrown. The plan then was to mosey casually on down with Luke and a friend for the performance...I say that...but halfway into the 30 minute drive the said friend who is coming with me says "Do you think I should have got a bouquet of flowers to give to her after the performance?"
Arrrgghh! Brakes on, burning rubber and a rather nifty U turn and we're bombing it back to the house to collect the pretty little Gerbera posy that I had left sitting in water, just out of little eyes sight...so it would be a surprise. Back on the road, I put my foot gently down and we make it there...on time...a little hot and bothered but we were thankfully there. And the performance? Oh yes, it was excellent as is everything that Triangle Academy of Dance does and all those little girls did so exceedingly well, there really wasn't a dry eye in the house! The only exception was a very non-plussed Luke!
Bottoms Up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)