May 24th, 2009 admin
Funny that when there’s most happening that I’d like to record I don’t have time to keep up my blog.
The BIG changes in our lives since updating my blog:
1. we’re leaving Spain and moving to the UK, probably by July
2. At the start of this year, with Selfcateringhols struggling in the economic crisis I started a new business (Globe2) installing voip telephones into businesses. That’s gone well with several call centres under my belt and contracts for more already agreed. By July I hope to be handling 80-100,000 calls a month.
We should be signing this week on the house after which we can really start to organise the logistics, as it stands we’re already living amongst boxes.
Will try and update again sometime soon!
Posted in Living in Spain | No Comments »
May 24th, 2009 admin
After a lot of experimentation over the years these are the recipies I now use. The pizza dough is much better than the pre-prepared mixtures. Mix it up in a big mixing bowl, cover it with a tea towel, leave it for an hour or more and then make into pizza shapes ready for the topping. When you mix it, it should absorb the water sufficiently so you can pick it up without it sticking to your hands. If it’s sticky add a little flour, and knead it in. To flatten you can use a rolling pin but I prefer to stretch it - pick it up and keep spinning it round a bit so that it stretches under it’s own weight.
PIZZA: makes enough dough for 4 individual pizzas
1 cup water (230g)
2 3/4 cup flour(385g)
2 teaspoons sugar (12g)
1 teaspoons salt (5g)
1 packet dried yeast
2 tablesppons olive oil (10g)
PITTA.
2 tablesppons of olive oil
1 cup water (230 g)
3 cups flour (420g)
1 teaspoons salt (5g)
1 tablespoon sugar (6g)
1 teaspoon dried yeast (3g)
BREAD: granary style
1 1/2 cups water (263g)
1 cup white flour (140g)
2 cups granary flour (255g)
2 tablespoons oats
2 tablespoons bran
2 tablespoons milk powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
2 tablepoons oil or oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast
Posted in Recipes | No Comments »
October 30th, 2008 admin
Esmé has been off colour all week and was off sick yesterday - she went back to nursery today but I got a call before the end of the day to say she’s got a temperature again. So that’s Esmé.
Gabe has also been suffering and was also off sick yesterday but is back on form to the point of doing a good impression of Tigger.
Olivia has been fine all week but today broke her arm in gymnastics!
Tomorrow I have all three of them at home: an ill Esmé, an Olivia with her best arm broken and a Tigger-like Gabe. All I need now is for it to throw it down and I’ll be in an asylum by the end of the day!
Worse of all: I lost my damn glasses so am half blind* to boot. Bugger.
*OK, slight exageration, but working is going to be difficult when I next have time 
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
October 30th, 2008 admin
Jo put the heating on for the first time this year last night - it was cold outside but I haven’t really been feeling it. Today the kids were sent out wrapped up but it’s got really warm in the sun so I’ve got the windows and doors open.
Posted in Living in Spain | No Comments »
October 25th, 2008 admin
I knew I’d been lacking in my blog but just realised that it’s been 2 months since my last post.
So what’s happened, beyond the credit crunch?
- we visited James and Rachel at their new place in the south of France (very nice)
- the kids finally went back to school and I’ve been able to get some work done!
- Esmé’s now walking (and at nursery)
- Quen turned 40 (and we went windsurfing which was excellent)
- we found out that Esmé also had jardia, the parasite which made Jo ill, we’re still trying to get rid of it
I feel like I’ve fitted a lot more into the last two months than that but that (work aside) is it in a nutshell… I’ll try and post more regularly from now on..
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 24th, 2008 admin
I’ve put my phone through the wash, so have lost all my phone numbers pretty much
I haven’t replaced it yet either so won’t get any calls or texts till I get back to Spain and buy a new one.
It’d be good if you can let me know your number just in case (obviously this is only relevant to those who know me!!) - post a comment to this, I won’t publish it on the site.
Thanks..
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 23rd, 2008 admin
You can hire a canoe from one spot on the river, paddle it down stream and they’ll come and pick you and the canoe up later in the day. It’s a nice thing to do - great fun floating in the river and not worrying about having to get back upstream. I did it once with Quen and the older kids, then again with Quen, Claire, Paul and all but the youngest children. The picture of Paul shows CastelNau in the background - it’s great to see the scenery from a different angle.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 19th, 2008 admin
Paul and Helen have joined us - which makes the full PDQ complement (from those who know us from way back in our Chamonix days that’s PaulDoug&Quen ski videos). Things have changed somewhat - here a pic of the next generation of PDQ girls, they’re in the wrong order, right to left: Zara (Q), Esmé (D) and Ava (P).
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 15th, 2008 admin
Virtually all French petrol stations now are ‘automatic’ in the sense that there is no cashier, just a machine to plug your card into prior to filling up. This makes sense, it’s quick and easy - but they all use the same system and none of them accept my Spanish Mastercard. I’m assuming it’s because it’s a Mastercard and not because it’s Spanish. The motorway tolls are the same. If you’re in France and relying on your Mastercard you will find yourself in trouble - when we recently had the same problem, but found someone present, they even wouldn’t accept cash!
Posted in comment | No Comments »
August 14th, 2008 admin
well, cold might be a slight exaggeration, but long trousers and a long sleeved top would be appreciated. It gets really cold at night if you’re in shorts and sandals. Jo (who is looking after our cat in Vilanova) meanwhile says it is REALLY hot back home - to be honest I prefer the weather here at this time of year, I just wish we could remember that it is cooler and be more prepared!
Aside from that we’re having a really nice time. We’re managing to get the kids out enough to tire them out, eating nice food, drinking nice wine and generally enjoying ourselves. I’ve updated the kids blogs with some piccies.
Posted in family | No Comments »