Goals Review

Wow! This month flew by. Time to see how those goals went.

• Complete July's (and now August's) Project Life - done!
• 3 of my 30 things list - actually managed one in August but still want to do three this month - knocked two more off the list which means I'm officially half way!
• Complete a baby sewing project - did three of these, watch out for the updates.
• Take some family time out - did this. This month I need to plan a christening. Godparents found...
• Build back up to 10,000 steps on the pedometer - would you believe, my pedometer packed in on day two and not just the battery. I bought a new one and have been doing well but not up to 10,000 yet.

Recipe: Lamb Roast

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb cutlets
• Red pepper
• Red onion
• Courgette
• Potatoes
• Seasoning
• Greek spice

Instructions:

1. Debone the meat but keep the bones. Roll the cutlets together and tie with string. Season the meat with salt, pepper and Greek spice.
2. Brown the meat in a frying pan.
3. Chop all of the veg and add them to the pan along with the bones. Fry for about ten minutes.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook at 180° for 45 minutes.
5. Remove the bones. Cut off the string. Slice the meat and serve.

Weekly Wisdom

source

The Saturday Update

What a crazy week we have had around herw. Soo ready for this weekend!

Isabella now has a passport in what was possibly the smoothest interaction in the Badens vs German bureaucracy. Hoping to book our Christmas flights next week.

Speaking of booking, we also booked a couple of nights in the Harz for a much needed family break. Really looking forward to the timeout after the last few months.

We have continued the house hunt and have another appointment next week. Watch this space.

Isabella and I visited school to catch up with a colleague which was really nice. It made me miss school and also be glad not to be there in equal measure but it was nice to see colleagues and pupils.

Yesterday we discovered baby massage. It was really interesting but the best bit was watching Isabella react to other babies. She was so curious and cute. Looking forward to more baby groups.

I'm on with a new, bigger craft project which I hope to finish over the weekend. Otherwise, we're having a quiet time and getting ready for some big decisions.

Sewing Project 2014: 16 - Changing Mat

 It felt great to finally get back on the sewing machine and make something from the baby crafts book our friends bought for us.

It was the first time I've worked with PVC and the colours were an experiment but I'm really pleased with both. Looking forward to using it out and about. I'm now working on something to match.

30 things - Write my 40 things list

I've been working on this one for a while. I finally finished it this week but I won't be revealing it in full until April when I start it. It was a little easier than my 30 things list as I knew I'd have a whole ten years to complete it so it's a little more ambitious. Some of the highlights include, visiting South America, eating at a Michelin star restaurant and running a half marathon. Exciting!

Book Review

Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

This is one of the books on the BBC top 100 list and while I had heard of it, I had no idea what it was about. It follows a family in 1930's America, travelling to California in search of work. 

I really enjoyed the story itself, however the book was written in chapters that seemed to alternate between the family and more general, background information.

Also, it took me a while to reconcile myself to the ending. I don't want to spoil it but it seemed quite abrupt. The more I think about it though, the less I see how else it could have been done.

Crossstitch - Diana Gabaldon

I accidently picked up a book from the Outlander series when I first arrived in Germany and having heard about the television series, I decided to read from the beginning.

This first book tells of Claire, a WW2 nurse who time travels through a stone circle in Inverness, 200 years back in time. It's a really good read. The characters are well developed and the action keeps you turning the pages.

Looking forward to the next one!

Life of Pi - Yann Martell

Another one from the top 100 list, I devoured this in three days. It was a little spoilt in that I had seen the film first but I still really enjoyed it. 

As the title suggests, it tells the story of Pi. It begins with his childhood, gives you his religious background and follows his shipwrecked adventures in the Pacific.

I'd really recommend this book, preferably before you see the film.