Now as you know I don’t really ‘do’ New Year. You see, for me, every day is the 1st January, a new start. No New Year’s resolutions because I’m a bit of a ‘doer’ every day, annoyingly positive, rather than a ‘going to do’ sort of person………always up to something. And I love to give and to make people smile!
Today is the 7th January and I’m sat here smiling…….I have no idea why, as I think I have had one of my worst starts to the year ever. Christmas was lovely but December 26th to yesterday has been a complete write off. But there’s a certain sense of accomplishment when you look back over a bit of a car crash of a week and a half and you think, well done me, I’ve got through it and carried everyone else through it too. I liked this below that my friend sent me as she’s a bit like me, not really into all the New Year hype.
I’ve got all sorts for you today. A recipe, a book recommendation and some excellent words of wisdom from Tim Minchin.
Christmas was lovely. And just before Christmas I undertook the great custard tart bake off. What is this you wonder. Well, I have shared before that for me there is no other custard tart than the Pasteis de Nata, or Portuguese custard tart. I have the greatest Dad in the world, but he’s a Yorkshire man. They are quite stubborn, obstinate, dare I say it …….. narrow minded, and for him the only custard tart is a Yorkshire Egg Custard……….just because it’s got ‘Yorkshire’ in the title. It could be the worst tart in the world (it’s not, it’s actually quite nice) but because it’s from Yorkshire it’s the best as far as he’s concerned. I’m not that blinkered and have quite a diverse palette. Yes, in some cases Yorkshire is the greatest. Forget Tetley or PG Tips there is no tea as fine as Yorkshire Tea in my opinion. However, custard tart, no! The Portuguese win on this one and I was determined to prove it. What’s the difference you might ask. Pasteis de Nata are individual, made with puff/flaky pastry (you have to make this yourself for the best result and not buy pre-made), sweeter, the custard is made via a completely different process. The Yorkshire Custard tart can be individual but is usually made as a whole tart and cut into slices. It is made with shortcrust pastry, has nutmeg in it and on the top, the custard is more ‘set’. Both are best served on the day they are made, still slightly warm in my opinion. Oh, and one more difference is that the Yorkshire Custard Tart is so easy to make, whereas the Pasteis de Nata, to make them properly are very difficult but oh so worth it. So, here they are!
Which won…………………well…………………the Pasteis de Nata won of course, it’s by far superior…………….for everyone except Dad who’s still going with the Yorkshire Egg Custard! He thought the Pasteis de Nata was ‘different’, and he’s not too keen on ‘different’…….he’s from Yorkshire! The Pasteis de Nata were absolutely superb and just as good as those you get in Lisbon. So here’s the link to the recipe if you want to try them. It’s by David Leite, Portuguese American chef which may explain why he makes the most amazing Pasteis de Nata! Now, I’m not the greatest at this technology game so if the link doesn’t work go on the Leites Culinaria website and find the Pasteis de Nata recipe.
https://leitesculinaria.com/7759/recipes-pasteis-de-nata.html
The only disappointing thing was they went lovely and brown all on their own in the oven so I did not get the chance to use my new culinary blowtorch………which I am in love with, and also dangerous with. I think I may have a problem, I have now found a website which is called, and is full of of, ‘Fun Recipes that Prove How Awesome a Blowtorch is’. It’s amazing, I can blow torch everything! The novelty may wear off when I need a new kitchen worksurface.
So the downhill bit all started the day after Christmas when I went for a little run. I was starting to feel a little ill so I thought,” I must go today because if I get any worse I’ll not be able to go tomorrow.” It was a mistake, I went and did 11 miles and came back feeling terrible. I was so achy and just could not lift my feet. I fall down at the best of times but this particular day I tripped twice and now definitely have feet like a Hobbit from Middle-earth. Just look at them (but perhaps not if you don’t like feet). I’m not that vain, so I don’t mind you seeing my worst bits as well as my best!
Now, I can be a bit of a Princess so my feet are causing me great distress, I’ve never had feet like this before! My Marathon is on 7th April……..I’m having a physio appointment with the lovely Oliver after work on the 8th April, to put me back together, and a pedicure on the 9th to have my feet massaged and my nails painted and covered with a rather more appealing colour. Now Oliver is a recent addition to the ‘get an older lady through a marathon’ team. He’s been set on as part of my Christmas present. You know things are getting bad when someone who cares about you buys you a physio appointment for Christmas! I’m physically starting to unravel. I’m already stuck together loosely with KT Tape and hormone patches but I am hoping that Oliver’s healing hands are going to convince my left hamstring and right hip that they can run a marathon.
So the day after the run I was so so poorly. I had to stay in bed and I never stay in bed, even when I’m poorly. Now I did not test as I don’t have any tests, but when I finished work for Christmas there were quite a few confirmed positive Covid cases and I strongly suspect that’s what I’ve had as I tried my first run yesterday and I just can’t breathe when my heartrate increases. I was so ill for three days. So at 20:00 hours on New Years eve, while everyone else was about to go out partying, this was me!!! Dead to the world. I felt so poorly and I saw none of the evening or first part of the next day!
So I awoke on New Years Day to an empty house, I had unsurprisingly been deserted. No-one had been to see if I needed medication, a drink or anything. I didn’t even know if anyone had yet come in from New Years eve. I was hungry and decided I’d go downstairs to try and make a little tortilla as I felt slightly better after my long 24 hour sleep and I knew we had eggs, potatoes and onions. I very quickly discovered that I was not alone in the house. All my potatoes had been nibbled, as had the garlic, and in the bottom of my vegetable container were none other than mouse droppings. The joys of living in the countryside in winter!!!!! So there was no tortilla just a very poorly me scrabbling around on my hands and knees in the kitchen cupboard trying to coax a mouse out with my best Christmas chocolate and Black Bomber cheese! Anyway, I caught it and it’s now living a perfectly happy life not in my kitchen!
So then the next couple of days were like the gift that just keeps on giving. I’m quite fit and I don’t moan a lot so if I’m ill I can normally battle on or I just take myself off to bed and I’m able to fight it. In theory, a 20 year old should be even fitter and be able to fight it off even better. That is unless you are living the life of a rock and roll superstar, staying our drinking until the early hours and not eating properly. I have a child that does that over the festive period. Well, being kind, I like to share, so I shared my illness with him. He started to feel ill in the evening and by lunchtime the next day he was in the local hospital wired up to IV antibiotics, steroids and pain relief……………the youth of today just don’t have the same resilience and strength as us tough older generations who party like a rockstars and battle all life throws at them too. 😂 No, I should not tease or laugh, it was really quite frightening and he stayed there for 3 days, with me, by now feeling a bit better, buying him copies of Beano, providing entertainment and reading my book at his side while he slept.
Anyway he came out of hospital on 5th January and I’ve had two days to make and finish two full length pairs of curtains before I go back to work on 8th January. I was supposed to have two weeks to do this and I had planned it in as my rest and relaxation time, as I love being creative and working with textiles. I could not put the old curtains back up after the decorator left as being a bit of a doer I’d already sent them to the Heart Foundation charity shop! 😆
I’d seen some amazing 100% UK woven and made fabric which I fell in love with but it was really expensive and I needed 20 metres as I have floor to ceiling windows at both ends of the living room. I do like to buy good quality British fabric though as I know it’s been ethically sourced and no-one has been exploited in it’s making. It also keeps the Yorkshire textile and weaving mill traditions and industry going, which was, and still is, world renowned amongst the best designers in the business. According to the internet the top five textile producers in the world in terms of quality and affordability are Turkey, United Kingdom, Ghana, Nigeria and Morocco, in that order. The second placed are the most expensive, we are taking around £60 a metre for good quality curtaining fabric, but there’s a reason for it and that reason are the laws that are in place with regards to minimum wage, working conditions, human trafficking and minimum age of workforce. On this basis I am always careful to check the source of the fabric and look for that Union Jack kitemark and stamp on the selvedge so I know what I’m getting.
The downside of course is the price, so the only way to get my curtains was to buy the fabric direct from the source and make them myself. I have made curtains in the past, but not this large, and not with fabric of such a high value. To say I was having palpitations cutting the lengths was an understatement…………a cut in the wrong place would have been costly. However, I’m pleased to say they are finished and up and I love them. They are lovely and light and have blues and ambers in them and all my favourite things from nature; seed pods, ferns, leaves, flower heads. I am secretly very proud of myself and my new curtains……and my pattern match, as the video demonstrates……me just showing off.
So other than being ill, making curtains and hospital visiting I’ve only really had time for resting and reading, which are what I wanted to do. The two weeks have gone by in a flash. The book I have being reading, that you must read, is “Just a Little Run Around the World” by Rosie Swale-Pope. This is probably the most inspirational book I have ever, ever read. What a lady. It’s a true account of Rosie’s run around the world, written by Rosie, who is from Tenby in Wales. She found herself alone after being widowed at the age of 57. She needed to do something, a focus to get over her grief, to raise money for charity and to find herself again. Now I get that, I disappear to walk to find myself and have run to raise money and process grief, but my goodness, all the way around the world at 57 years of age. It took her 5 whole years. She crossed Siberia, Alaska, was held at knifepoint, surrounded by a pack of wolves, got frostbite and so many more adventures and ordeals. This book is amazing, read it, you will not regret it, neither will you ever moan or feel sorry for yourself again…….or if you do, think of Rosie and get over yourself! When her husband was alive she sailed to Australia and back with him and gave birth to her son on board boat! OMG, I had a full maternity birthing unit, someone to mop my brow and that much Pethidine and Entonox I was high for days. Rosie, I hope, has her feet up somewhere eating chocolate now, and she very rightly has an MBE awarded by Queen Elizabeth for bravery! The rather frightening thing is that Rosie’s adventures started when she decided to run her first marathon at 48………………I’ll say no more! I’ll send you a postcard from Alaska! I am of course joking.
So after all the above excitement I’m still smiling. I just had one day of my holiday left to test my new mud sneakers up on Langsett moor and one evening to go out and party to make up for the lost week. The good news was my sneakers were great, I stayed upright and still have only 2 black toe nails. The bad news was I’m now convinced it was Covid as I can’t breathe and I’m going to have to take a few more days off running.
I also think I may have shoe OCD. Langsett was glorious as always, and I had my fix of solitude and views. I well and truly christened my shoes but I have realised I just can’t have muddy shoes. I came home, cleaned all the mud off and put them back in the box as if they were new. So it sort of defeats the objective of having mud shoes. I’m just that bit too much Princess to have muddy shoes. And just in case anyone was wondering if all I do is run and walk round in exercise gear without my makeup on when I’m off duty the answer is no…….I like to party, just not on New Years eve! So last night I found my smile and my party dress and off I went…….still a little pasty white and dark under the eyes but it felt good to be in the civilised world again with a glass of wine in hand!
So that’s it. No New Year resolutions. But if you want a bit of inspiration just listen to this! How very, very, true. Tim Minchin’s 9 Lessons in Life acceptance speech at UWA when he accepted his doctorate. I like the way this man’s mind works and his philosophy, and I also find him very funny. You may love him, you may hate him. He has some pretty radical ideas, is an atheist which may upset some, but you can’t get away from the fact that his 9 life lessons are good ones. A friend sent this to me knowing I would like it, and I do. I am far more interested in the mind of a person, their thought process and what comes out of their mouth that anything else about them, their belief, colour, gender or whatever. So here are your pearls of wisdom for the new year. Happy New Year, keep smiling and be fabulous you every day!