The times, they are a changing.

This is bit a short summary, things have changed a lot in the last month. I was meant to go away but this was cancelled due to Dad being ill. On the 18th June my Dad passed away after a long illness, he had amazing care in his care home over the last 5 years. I will hopefully write a longer blog in the coming week. I haven written something for Dad so I will post that at some point in the future to.

On top of the things listed below, I went to the theatre with some people from the department to see Sherlock Holmes

In summary I have achieved 5 tasks completely and 9 are ongoing. The ones I want to achieve next are - tattoo, cricket and sandcastle building! Then horse riding, facial and steam train. 

Again comments and suggestions welcomed, does anyone fancy the ballet or a classical concert. 

Task list
1.Start a blog to keep track of progress and report back. - doing :) 

2. Read a book every month (or 12 in the year) and post a blog comment about it  - 3/12 - I haven't really done much reading, I think downloading them on to my tabler might help, also I am away for a week soon so I might be able to read more. 

3. Complete a cross-stitch design every month - 6/12 done :) - again i haven't done any more of this.

4. Run a reasonable 5km run - Nope but I have been very tired, so need to slowly build this up. - this is something I need to start on.

5. Visit a new city in the UK - Been to Manchester

6. Go to a rugby game -. - I have achieved this, I went to see Wakefield Wildcats vs London Broncos on Sunday 23rd June, with my brother, his girlfriend and mum. Wakefield won, so a good day was had by all and a new task crossed off the list.

7. Listen to a new band as recommended by someone else - Done

8. Try a new recipe from my recipe books each month and blog about it - . I made a apple crumble cake for the SEE cake club, I think it was a bit of a hit.. 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2198652/apple-crumble-loaf

9. Go to a ballet - nothing yet - no still failing

10. Go to a Classical concert - same as above -  nope

11. Have a facial - I should just book one, and see if I like it! - Thanks to Sam for her suggestions, I must now book, not sure when I well find the time. 

12. Track day  - not looked yet- not yet

13. Get a tattoo - this I have re-thought and i am going for a tree/branch, I have a name of an artist in Leeds, thanks to Graham so this is progressing.

14. Go to a 20-20 cricket game - Organised with some PhD's from work going to Headingly on 5th July -  this is net friday!

15. Eat in a Michellin Star restaurant - there are some things I need to work on

16. Get a new qualification - I haven't thought about this one, I will look at this soon.

17. Go on a steam train - I need to get a date sorted!

18. Go to Centre Parcs - Not thought about this one

19. Give something up for lent - completed :)

20. Learn to knit a scarf - Scarf is still ongoing but its getting bigger hopefully I will get it finished soon. 

21. Ride a horse, even if its just a short ride - I really need to sort this out, maybe a weekend in August

22. Do a course of some sort maybe painting or crafting etc - Learnt to keep bees.

23. Go to a craft show or game fair - Went to Cake and Bake show

24. To take more pictures - I now have a flickr site here

25. Eat one meat free day a week -I am not very good at this, although I have managed one day and generally only have meat in one meal. 

26. To attend at least 6 WYNTV tasks - So I have been to one social and one task, I helped clear Rose Bay Willow Herb.

27. Build a sandcastle at the seaside-  With the holiday being rebooked I hope to get this one sorted.

28. Attend more talks after work   - nope

29. Ride my bike - still in the garage -  nope

30. And finally work to get my contract extended or find myself a new exciting job. - Well I have applied for y new job, the closing date was friday, so I now just need to get an interview.

Better late than never

So its over a month since I have posted, so this is going to be a long and rambling one.

So since my last post I have turned 30, become a bee keeper and learnt to knit!

Learning to knit....
I attended a one day course on learning to knit at a little shop in Leeds called Baa Ram Ewe. It was a brilliant day and it meant I got to have lunch at Salvos. I learnt the basic skills including make some bunting. I am currently working a big fluffy scarf here it is partially finished. The next project will either be a tea cosy or a woolly hat. I know its summer, but based on the speed I knit it will be ready for winter! Not sure I work quick enough to make people gifts.

Birthday trip
So this year I turned 30, for my birthday I went out for the day to Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The current display is amazing, the pictures don't do it justice. After this we went for an ice-cream they were huge!! The day ended with Hull being promoted to the Premiership a pretty good Birthday. Tom and Laura have offered to take me on a Steam train as part of their birthday gift, so that's another challenge in the process.

Narrow Boat Trip
I went on a Narrow Boat trip with some of my colleauges from WYNTV, it was a little grey and wet but good to catch up with friends. I made a lemon and lime yoghurt cake for this trip!

Bee Keeping
At work we have 3 bee hives, I attended a 2 day course with Bradford Bee keepers. I loved it! The weather was brilliant, the people helpful and the bees were amazing. I am now going to help with the bees at work and then maybe look at getting a hive nearer home next summer.

Other tasks
Over the last month, I have also been to Harlow Carr (pictures on hyper link) gardens for mum's birthday and lunch at Betty's Tea room. I have got tickets to go to T20 cricket with people from work. 
I went to a Clandestine Cake Club event, there were 23 cakes to taste all with a drink theme - it was cake for dinner. I also made a 4 layer toffee cake for my birthday, a ginger, rum and lime one,  a berry cheesecake and a number of cupcakes for a meeting at work! 

Phew!

Well I think that's it, my holiday to Alnwick has been delayed due to my Dad's poor health, but over the next month I hope to try and get my bike out.


Task list
1.Start a blog to keep track of progress and report back. - doing :) 

2. Read a book every month (or 12 in the year) and post a blog comment about it  - 3/12

3. Complete a cross-stitch design every month - 6/12 done :)

4. Run a reasonable 5km run - Nope but I have been very tired, so need to slowly build this up.

5. Visit a new city in the UK - Been to Manchester

6. Go to a rugby game - Need to work on this one.

7. Listen to a new band as recommended by someone else - Done

8. Try a new recipe from my recipe books each month and blog about it - Tried a new cake recipe for cake club and a peanut butter and banana muffin recipe, a 4 layer toffee cake and a lime,lemon and yoghurt cake. So that 5/12.

9. Go to a ballet - nothing yet

10. Go to a Classical concert - same as above

11. Have a facial - I should just book one, and see if I like it!

12. Track day  - not looked yet

13. Get a tattoo - needs to be a sensible decision and not rushed, advice welcomed, thinking stars or butterflies.

14. Go to a 20-20 cricket game - Organised with some PhD's from work going to Headingly on 5th July

15. Eat in a Michellin Star restaurant - nothing planned

16. Get a new qualification - Need to work on this one, failed at MOOC just not enough time.

17. Go on a steam train - Tom and Laura have offered to take me, so just need to book a date.

18. Go to Centre Parcs - probably later in the year, 

19. Give something up for lent - completed :)

20. Learn to knit a scarf - See info above, learnt to knit, scarf in progress!

21. Ride a horse, even if its just a short ride - Going to do this with my friend Paul from Newcastle.

22. Do a course of some sort maybe painting or crafting etc - Learnt to keep bees!! See above

23. Go to a craft show or game fair - Went to Cake and Bake show

24. To take more pictures - I now have a flickr site here

25. Eat one meat free day a week - Must try harder!

26. To attend at least 6 WYNTV tasks - Although i have been to one social event, I am hoping to go to a tas this week at Nostell Priory.
27. Build a sandcastle at the seaside-  Holiday cancelled, hope to go soon..

28. Attend more talks after work  - tried but got ill so couldnt go, need to try harder

29. Ride my bike - still in the garage

30. And finally work to get my contract extended or find myself a new exciting job. - this is begining to change but still waiting for something to apply for.

Time to reflect and plan again.

So I have achieved a number of things on my list but I probably need to start on the more challenging and costly tasks. So lets see how well I am doing.

1.Start a blog to keep track of progress and report back. - So still doing this and about to set up some more at work.

2. Read a book every month (or 12 in the year) and post a blog comment about it  - 3 read now, I have found having them on my ipad really helps me read more. So the 2 books I have read recently are:

Gervase Phinn: All These Lonely People. Its quite a sad book but does tell you not to judge a book by its cover and all anyone wants is to be loved and needed. 

Tom Reynolds: Blood, Sweat and Tea: Real Life Adventures in an Inner-city Ambulance. This gives a inside view on life as a member of the London ambulance service, it made me laugh and cry both in happiness and sadness. It also made me realise that I will only ever call an ambulance when I really need one. 

3. Complete a cross-stitch design every month - still only 5/12 done but got one that is nearly complete

4. Run a reasonable 5km run - I should start making an effort on this one, maybe I will start using the xbox and try and do 5km in the house first before venturing outside.

5. Visit a new city in the UK -  Went to Manchester so this one is technically complete :) although I will try to visit more cities. 

6. Go to a rugby game - I really need to organise this and drag someone along, will have to find someone to take to a league game especially now the weather is improving.
7. Listen to a new band as recommended by someone else - Complete this one thanks to Hayley.

8. Try a new recipe from my recipe books each month and blog about it - For Debbie Rosen's birthday at work, I baked a Raspberry Cakewell from my new Clandestine Cake club book, it seemed to go down well. 

9. Go to a ballet - I will get the Ballet events list and see what is available.

10. Go to a Classical concert - I may go to one of the University ones, but i may need to wait until September.

11. Have a facial -I am just being lazy on this one but I should treat myself for my birthday.
12. Track day  - I need to investigate the cost and see if someone will come with me, I don't fancy going on my own.

13. Get a tattoo - I think I know what I want, I just need to find a suitable tattoo artist. 

14. Go to a 20-20 cricket game - I may fail on this one, but hopefully get to a cricket game this year, the season is only just starting so plenty of time yet.

15. Eat in a Michellin Star restaurant - This is one for later in the year, I need to save some cash!

16. Get a new qualification - failed miserably at the MOOC, I will write my thoughts on MOOC's in general in a separate post. My current options are a bee keeping course so I can help keep the bees at work or an icing course.

17. Go on a steam train - Need to replan this trip, maybe a trip to Scarborough

18. Go to Centre Parcs - Haven't really thought about this but maybe October time

19. Give something up for lent - completed :)

20. Learn to knit a scarf - scarf course at shop in Headingley so need to book on to it. I have looked and they are once a month so might need to leave it until June or July.

21. Ride a horse, even if its just a short ride - I have not investigated this, will look into it for a summer event.

22. Do a course of some sort maybe painting or crafting etc - must see what the new lists are, might do a cake decorating one. These is a cake decorating one at Leeds Grammar school but I missed the current one, hopefully they will repeat it at a time i can do. There is also a shop in Ossett that has courses too.

23. Go to a craft show or game fair - Cake and Bake show done! See my previous post, but always looking for new shows.

24. To take more pictures - I now have a flickr site here

25. Eat one meat free day a week - Must try harder!

26. To attend at least 6 WYNTV tasks - There are a large number of tasks that are a long drive or require lots of walking so will wait for the slightly nearer tasks.

27. Build a sandcastle at the seaside-  Going to do this when I go to Alnwick in about 5 weeks time.

28. Attend more talks after work  - Need to try and go to some, there is one on Monday but it just means late home and then feel rushed.

29. Ride my bike - still in the garage, but have found a flat 2 mile route to try and get going on.

30. And finally work to get my contract extended or find myself a new exciting job. - I still don't know anything and its beginning to get to me, I will start applying for other jobs.

Cake, cake and more cake!

So early on Saturday morning me, mum and a cake set off to Manchester, 3 train journeys and about 2 hours later we arrive at Manchester Central. The train journey was good apart from noisy sexist man on the train who while talking to another man (possibly his friend but it was difficult to tell) described every woman in the conversation by their body shape or beauty level. So we were quite happy to get off the train at Manchester Picadilly and change train to go to Oxford Road. This train went to Liverpool, on Grand National Day, it was rammed!! It was worse than any tube I have been on and all the time trying to protect a delicate cake.

Arriving at Manchester Central with the cake, I decided rather than queueing with everyone else (it was a very big queue) we entered through the competitors entrance waving the cake at the security guard. We are in! It is a lovely venue, and very busy. I spotted the Clandestine Cake Club stand and abandoned my cake. We were told judging was at noon. So off me and mum set into the show. We walked around the stalls and decided to watch a demonstration by Mich Turner who runs the Little Venice Cake Company. She is tiny but very instructive so I learnt a lot.

My cake was entered into the Clandestine Cake Club competition along with 8 other entries. It was judged by Peter Sidwell.

Here is Peter testing my cake with Lynn Hill from the Clandestine Cake Club. 

I didn't win :( but never mind it's the taking part that counts. I then went and bought lots of bread flours, I want to try making some different breads. I also bought some fancy textured mats to make embossed icing for cakes, lots of coloured icing and a rolling mat and 2 new books.We didn't buy light things, we were silly.

At 4pm after watching the Baker Brothers we headed out in to the Manchester sunshine. We stretched our legs and took in the amazing architecture. Then home!

Only one  change heading home and a Chinese takeaway too. So it was a pretty good day.

My next cake session is to bake a cake for Debbie at work for her birthday, I will be using a recipe from one of my new books. My flikr site has more pictures from the show, there are some truly amazing cakes!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30thingstodoinmy30thyear/

So this is 2 more challenges off my list, visiting a new city and going to a show, still many to go! But I don't have any money this month so I wont be doing many this month. 

I have a few other things to update on but I will leave that until the weekend.

A quick summary list of tasks.

1.Start a blog to keep track of progress and report back. - doing :) 

2. Read a book every month (or 12 in the year) and post a blog comment about it  - 1 done, on with no.2 and 3 at the same time.

3. Complete a cross-stitch design every month - 5/12 done :)

4. Run a reasonable 5km run - no running, unless you count a treasure hunt around campus. As it gets warmer I shall try harder.

5. Visit a new city in the UK - going to Manchester next week and this is a new city for me.

6. Go to a rugby game - need to decide on a game and someone to drag along -  this might have something lined up

7. Listen to a new band as recommended by someone else - thanks to Hayley for recommending  one - so this task is complete but I will always be on the look for new music

8. Try a new recipe from my recipe books each month and blog about it - tried a new carrot cake recipe so 1/12 completed.

9. Go to a ballet - nothing yet

10. Go to a Classical concert - same as above

11. Have a facial - I should just book one, and see if I like it!

12. Track day  - not looked yet

13. Get a tattoo - needs to be a sensible decision and not rushed, advice welcomed, thinking stars or butterflies.

14. Go to a 20-20 cricket game - nope

15. Eat in a Michellin Star restaurant - nothing planned

16. Get a new qualification - starting a MOOC next week for 6 weeks so hopefully complete sucessfully 

17. Go on a steam train - was going but the snow stopped me, might wait until the weather improves.

18. Go to Centre Parcs - probably later in the year, holiday booked in June though!!

19. Give something up for lent - completed :)

20. Learn to knit a scarf - scarf course at shop in Headingley so need to book on to it,

21. Ride a horse, even if its just a short ride - a fair weather task

22. Do a course of some sort maybe painting or crafting etc - must see what the new lists are, might do a cake decorating one.

23. Go to a craft show or game fair - Cake and Bake show next week 

24. To take more pictures - I now have a flickr site here

25. Eat one meat free day a week - Must try harder!

26. To attend at least 6 WYNTV tasks - Must try much harder

27. Build a sandcastle at the seaside-  need sunshine for this one.

28. Attend more talks after work  - tried but got ill so couldnt go, need to try harder

29. Ride my bike - still in the garage

30. And finally work to get my contract extended or find myself a new exciting job. - this is the hands of those above me, but I am beginning to poke them

One down, 29 to go!

Well this is a bit of short update as I have achieved one of my targets. I gave crisps up for lent and as today is Easter Sunday I have successfully completed one of my 30 challenges, and as a treat I might have a bag of crisps :)

Also I have completed a further 2 cross stitches, so I am well on the way to completing this task.

 

To raise money for comic relief at work, we asked to create a show stopper based on the school (Earth and Environment). Here is my cake, after getting such positive feedback about my cake and with some encouragement from my work colleague Debbie, I entered it in the Clandestine Cake Clubs competition. The cake was short listed and now has to be re-made to go the Cake and Bake show in Manchester for judging. The ESSI cake is a new carrot cake recipe from my National Trust Traditional Teatime book, this is another part of a task complete, a new recipe for March.

This will enable me to complete 2 other challenges, firstly to attend a show and second to visit a new city. I have never been to Manchester! I know this might seem a little strange but I have never set foot in the centre of Manchester and I have never been through it on a train, so next Saturday I will cross these 2 things off the list.

I also start a MOOC next week so this will get me a new qualification, it will only be a certificate of completion but it is a qualification. I have thought about tattoo design, definitely something small and discrete, either butterflies or stars.

I am struggling with some of the other tasks but there are still a few months left in the year to achieve them, and hopefully with the days getting longer and fingers crossed warmer I will achieve a few more. I will post another post next week after the cake show. 

Book one complete and a few other things

So I have finally completed reading my first book..

And I can honestly say I enjoyed it and learnt a vast amount about earthquake history and the issues associated with predicting them and protecting people from them. I think if you want to better understand complexities of earthquakes then read this. It isn't too heavy for the none scientist but does not dump down the subject, a good popular science read. So I now have a copy should anyone want to read it. Next up is 'How Leeds Changed the World', and work appears on the first page :). The Afar project that Tim Wright and Jacqui Houghton among others have worked on, appears on the first page.

I have also been busy baking for various reasons but tried 2 new recipes one for scones and one for millionaires shortbread. The millionaires shortbread went down so well first time I have made 2 batches!

I have also found a new band to listen to thanks to my Twitter friend @ebookslearning , she has introduced me to 'The Hold Steady'. I really enjoyed them and they are now part of my Spotify playlist.

Also this week I am attending 2 after work talks given by staff in the department so I feel I am slowly achieving some of my targets, I have completed another cross stitch(number 4), it can be seen in my flickr account .

I haven't managed to attend any WYNTV tasks yet but I hope to attend a couple of socials includiing a trip on a steam train! (it will be another task complete).

I have been working through tattoo ideas,but my next couple of weeks will be taken up by designing and building a Comic Relief cake for work.

Thanks to Lisa and Fiona for all their helpful suggestions! I am 2 months down and 10 to go but I probably need to get planning, especially on the cricket and rugby front. So if anyone wants to come? or invite me along. I am open to offers :)

B.