21 October 2009

Grounds for Divorce - YUK!

After an evening out in Brighton with friends, my 21 yr old Gorgeous Son arrived home at about 1am this morning. Quietly giggling & gently bouncing off walls he then sat on the sofa and proclaimed, as only rather drunk people can, 'Grounds for Divorce is the beshtestest drink ever!'. And no, it's not a spelling error, moi?...that was how it came out.

Apparently it's a cocktail that consists of a shot of vodka, sambucca, whiskey, gin, southern comfort, amaretto with a squeeze of lime & lemon. I've not checked or googled it, but I've never heard of it before. And do you think they actually missed any spirit out of that list...I personally think it sounds revolting. YUK..

Do you think the Bar/Club they went to were having a giggle? Or a clear out maybe?

And at £9 a drink, they were having the last laugh too...He had 3, yes, 3 of them!

Oh boy, I bet he had a hangover this morning.....

19 October 2009

Teenagers & Midnight Snacks - Part 2..The Scotch Egg

As a follow on to my earlier post about my 18 yr old and his 'Midnight Snack', I thought I'd post this, just to show that..Erm..well...yes, my Teenagers do also eat all nature of food, healthy & unhealthy, basically anything that isn't nailed down.

Last night, after hearing the tell-tale signs of rummaging in the kitchen, cupboards opening/closing, the rustling of packets, I ventured off the sofa to find him with a Scotch egg in hand.
After just one bite, he announced 'I always think these are a bit dry, it needs something??' He then started opening cupboard doors, obviously searching for some inspiration, while I looked on, intrigued.

'Oooh, yeah, that'll work' and produced a bottle of HP brown sauce, which he then proceeded to squeeze into the hole he'd made in the scotch egg. I kid you not, he filled it with brown sauce!?!

I'm not quite sure if this is inspired or a just little gross.....But it made me laugh!


And yes, I made him let me take a photo before he ate it, you know, just as proof of my obvious failing in the parenting department to instill the merits of 'Healthy' eating! But what the hell, he said it was 'Delicious!!'

14 October 2009

First contact sheet...And I'm a little proud & relieved!

TD came home today with a contact sheet from her Photography AS level course.

Last week, one of her Tutors took all the students down to Brighton seafront, cameras at the ready....

Very brave tutor. Imagine if you can, 20 to 30, 16 yr olds, running amok with cameras! I think I'd have been hiding in the nearest cafe with a stiff cup of tea...11am being a little too early for anything stronger..

According to TD it was a fun morning, and she managed to get her photos taken just before the skies opened up, and the rain came heaving down, sending everyone running for cover. She was so endearingly enthusiastic about the whole thing she could hardly 'talk' in a straight line when she came home.
Telling us how she had even laid down along a sea wall to try and get more interesting angles, and the fact she had managed to get a couple of shots of the 'carousel' horses & poles being moved and cleaned.

All the students developed their negatives on Monday this week, apparently amid much hysterical laughter & probably some very ripe, Teenage language, as they all fought to remove the film from the canisters inside a developing bag, and into a developing tank, in theory, blind-folded.

Today they got to play with the 'Dark Room' stuff, and print off their photos. TD says she finds it a little claustrophobic in there, with big developing trays down the centre, and enlargers/workstations down both sides. When we looked at it before her course started, I did think it looked a little like a morgue..all those stainless steel tables.....Ugh..shudder...

So, this is TD's first ever contact sheet....















And she was right, the '3 carousel horses' is a good shot. But my favourite is of the 'poles'.
I think she needs to work on the technical stuff, but then that's why she's there, that side of it will come with time and practice, but the girl has a 'good eye'.

Given the ups & downs of the last few weeks, with her wanting to drop courses, drop out of everything etc, I'm so, so happy & a little relieved that she's now enjoying her time in college.

12 October 2009

Teenagers and Midnight Snacks....

All teenagers are infamous for their ability to clear fridges & cupboards of food at 20 paces, of all the good stuff anyway! And I'm convinced, even sometimes in their sleep.

Around Midnight last night, my 18 yr old Gorgeous Son decided a little snack was in order.

Just hours after eating a 'Huge' bowl of pasta and sauce.


Now let me guess what you're thinking? 'Beans on toast', a classic, or maybe mountains of 'Toast & Peanut Butter', or the favourite 'sausage rolls or scotch eggs'* combo which of course require no preparation or heating/cooking, also no plate, you know, get in & out fast, commando style....


Oh, but as a bit of a give away, don't forget to leave the
empty packaging in the fridge....


Well, you would be wrong.....



This is what my Gorgeous Son chose as his Midnight snack......


.....



Honestly! SALAD....

This made me smile......


Please, don't be fooled into thinking it's a cereal bowl, ooohh no, it is a large, dinner plate size bowl!

It consists of the left over penne pasta, drenched in extra virgin olive oil, a tin of tuna, shredded lettuce & sliced baby plum tomatoes, all sprinkled with oregano & black pepper. Topped with half a container of coleslaw. I know this because he proudly told me!


He works in the Music industry, but I think he may have missed his calling.....should I send him Jamies (Oliver) way??..He-he

I suppose it could be seen as the 'Healthy Option' of midnight snacking....

*Scotch Egg: For people who may have no idea of what this rather strange, old fashioned English Picnic food is - It's a hard boiled egg, surrounded in pork sausage meat, dipped in breadcrumbs, deep-fried then eaten cold.