Hello Monday

Hello week seven of 2013

This week I will see:
my last week at work
my last singing group
my last lunch clubs Tuesday & Thursday
my ‘exit (from work) meeting’
and my last Memory Cafe

Hello to Valentines day
Hello to watching The Bridges of Maddison County again. I am usually on my own for Valentines evening and love to watch this film with a box of chocs and a box of tissues

Hello to a weekend away

Hello quietly to my birthday as it is a bit scary but it’s only for a day then
a great big Hello to a new place in my life
the first day of retirement
never has my life been so exciting and sad and happy all at the same time…

Orange Slime Flux

I think there is something kind of lovely in it’s creepiness but it is orange and I am linking to Mandarin Orange Monday

LorikArt

Hello Monday is a meme by Lisa Leonard

Today

…my life looks like this

Outside My Window: Bright sunshine, white fluffy clouds, warm inside cold outside

I am hearing: the sound of my fingers on the keys of my keypad, a plane in the distance and the traffic on the road. The house is quiet today.

I am watching: the trees, they sway gently in the breeze but it is their colours which have me mesmerized. I don’t remember them looking this beautiful before.

A quote: There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun… Thomas Merton

I am thinking: about my friend, November was her birthday month. And like my mother, the pain of her going is less but the missing is more. I saw the quote I have this month on Bonnie’s post 7.11.12. I sent her a comment which said: This quote reminds me of my best friend who died with breast cancer. We knew, we sat in my garden, I held her and told her I loved her, and that she was and would always be a light in my life.

I am thankful: I knew her
I am learning:a new computer system at work
I am busy:
 with my November project ‘30 days of Thankful’ by Cathy Zeilski and some small Christmas projects for a craft evening next week
A few plans: I confess to thinking about Christmas. I have made an order with the supermarket which books the delivery slot I want. I have ordered some wine because it was on a really good offer. I have an idea for a gift for Ben but I need to research a bit more.
In the garden: Wet wet and more wet. We have had almost continuous rain for a couple of weeks. If there is a little dry patch I tidy whatever I can but the autumn colour is fabulous, what more can I need?

In the Kitchen:
A delicious Nigella meal for two.
Look away veggy’s.

Tagliata for two

300g sirloin steak
Some olive oil to brush both sides of the meat
250g small and beautiful tomatoes halved
For the marinade:
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
Sea salt flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
30ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp’s red wine vinegar

And some fresh herbs to finish, Oregano or Thyme or Basil

Because this is fairly quick to put together, if you want some carbs you need to work out the timings, I didn’t, I have learnt!

1)Get your carbs cooking before you start to cook the steak
2)Mix up the marinade
3)Cook the steak
4)Marinade the steak
5)Add the tomatoes
6)Add the herbs
7)Serve
I served this with Waitrose Rosti potatoes because they are delicious, we love them, they are easy but take twenty minutes,the meat takes ten (ish)

Mix up the marinade in a dish that will hold the steaks snugly
Cook the steak to your liking. Nigella cooks for two minutes each side but I need 3-4 minutes each side, (I don’t do mooing!)
Put the cooked steak into the marinade for two minutes each side
Slice the cooked steak and put it onto a serving dish,
Add the tomatoes to the steak
Spoon the marinade over the steak and tomatoes
Serve
Enjoy, we did!
I made this recipe again last night for three. I kept the steaks in one piece this time. They were delicious. As I had another steak I wanted more of the marinade so doubled the quantities. Although the boys loved it I found it too sharp. Next time (soon I hope) I won’t double the red wine vinegar.

And a picture: Autumn Colour

The chrysanthemum has a Pixel Dust Photo Art Texture called ‘mon amour’ over it at soft light blending mode.

I am linking to Mandarin Orange Monday today.

LorikArt

There are always lovely pictures over here. If you have a moment, take a look?

Hello This Week

LorikArt

Hello to a very busy week at work with five new visits
Hello to a sore throat then
Hello to the last few days of October
Hello to blood tests
Hello to a craft evening on Tuesday
Hello to remembering my mum, this is her birthday week
Hello to All Hallows Eve on Wednesday
Hello to November and All Saints Day on Thursday, this feast day used to scare me when I was a child
Hello to my day off on Friday
Hello to a week of autumnal pictures, I am hoping to post one every day

I used two French Kiss Textures on my Monday Munchkin Pumpkin picture
and I am linking to Mandarin Orange Monday today.

Monday Colour

We have heavy rain here this morning after such a lovely bright, dry and warm (ish) weekend and a beautiful pink sunset last night.
I changed the blind in our bedroom to our winter red yesterday, the room was so deliciously dark and cosy when my alarm went off this morning, I love it! It keeps a dreary grey day at bay for a little while longer.

I took lots of photos of the trees in their beautiful autumn colours at the weekend…from the car (passenger side!) on the motorway! It is such a fun thing to do, it is hit & miss what you capture of course but you can play with the smudge tool in photoshop and magically disappear a very ugly supermarket building.

I am linking to Mandarin Orange Monday for the first time today.

If you have any sunshine to spare could I have a little?

LorikArt