Off topic posts

I am going to be creating a side blog to document my progress (m writing here)  through my diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. This blog will continue, but the side blog will be at ms journey
My hope is this will help other people in a similar situation and those close to them, giving hope and what I now hope will be a positive outcome to what started as a very scary and negative time.
Coming soon will be the story of my journey so far from obliviously symptom free (as far as I can tell) through diagnosis to where I am today, waiting to start disease modifying treatment in 2 weeks.
Ms is a disease with a very bad reputation, but bear in mind you only hear the extreme cases, people who have it deal with it and get on with life you will probably never hear about and will never know they have ms. Please follow and read this blog to get another viewpoint.

2nd Of December Drunken Cranberry Sauce!

So if like me you can't live with out condiments at every meal here is your turkey/chicken/cheese perfect add on!

Drunken Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries (as many as you like) 

Sugar  (enough to cover cranberries more can be added later)

Generous Gulg of Port (more can be added when tasting)

All ingredients into a pan and simmer down until all cranberries pop and sugar dissolves and port thickens ... 

put a dollop on a plate to taste and add more port/sugar to taste...

put into sterilised jars...

Day 1 of Advent Makes, Beetroot & Red Onion Chutney

Every year i make a different Chutney but the basics are the same... veg/fruit, vinegar & sugar...

This is this years recipe, which is my favourite by far.

Beetroot & Red Onion Chutney

5 Beetroots.

7 Red Onions.

300g Balsamic Vinegar.

100g Red Wine Vineger.

100g Apple Cider Vinegar.

Teaspoon of Mixed Spice.

Teaspoon of Fennel Seeds.

Mixture of Dark Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar until mixture tastes neither sweet or vinegary.

Cook, Peel and Grate Beetroot.

Peel, Cut in Half and Slice Onions.

Put All Ingredients into a Pan and Simmer.

It will all melt down into the most amazing Colour and Thicken this is when you know it is done.

Put into Sterilized Jars and it should keep a few months.

Enjoy with Cheese and Meats.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas....

So every last Friday in November our family Tradition is to get a take away and pig out, whilst watching Polar express.
This year we had a bit more fun by making some train tickets, Golden stay up late tickets, for the boys to have a later night and to have a family night.

This all leads up to the excitement of our elf arriving leaving us tickets for the North pole express.
So Saturday morning we got up early and went up to the Tanfield Railway, which is the world's oldest railway.
We arrived early, the first ones there, and were shown into a wooden waiting area where there was a small number of stalls selling christmas craft goods, and a refreshments stall, with tables and chairs with colouring materials for the kids. Soon the place filled with many families with excited children, many in dressing gowns as if awoken by a train late on Christmas eve.  After a short while people started to move outside, we joined and were met by a steam training waiting just beyond the end of the platform.  As the platform filled the train slowly pulled into the station and the many helpers at the railway opened the doors on the coaches.

 

We were lucky enough to get a private compartment to ourselves.  We were then taken on a journey of about 15 minutes through the County Durham woods to another station where we left the train.  half of the passengers were led away one way, while we went the other and into the old stone station waiting room to be given tea and coffee, mince pies and a cheeky thimble of sherry, the kids had juice and crisps.  Soon the other  group started to arrive and we went to the other end of the platform where Santa grotto awaited.  The children met Santa and were given some good gifts.  After everyone had seen Santa, we were taken back on the steam train to the starting point with some chocolates to help the journey fly.

All in all it was a brilliant way to start the weekend and start advent.  The excitement of Christmas really has begun and the kids loved every minute (although B did want the train to go through a tunnel, and low top tunnel is not on the Tanfield railway).

Use Everything - Waste Less

Dear reader in the Wardle household we try to waste a little less  and make things go a little further.

Our favourite thing to do on a Saturday morning is to go to North Shields fish quays for a little walk with the boys and to visit the fish shops...

This Saturday we needed salmon, we bought a whole fish and the fishmonger took the sides off,trimmed it and bagged it all up for us. They can do more but we do like to prepare our food as much as we can. Our favourite fishmongers in North Shields is Taylors, They are so helpful, they have bargain boxes of whole fish which we love to fillet ourselves and they are very child friendly and help to teach not only adults but children about there fish and seafood. In the world we live in I find teaching the children where there food comes from is very important, along with how to prepare there meals.

So with our whole salmon we had the sides cut and then portioned them up to how big we wanted them. When we got home the bones went straight into a pan to make some yummy fish stock which goes into the freezer for fish soups, stews, and noodle dishes. 

Left over were the fish trimmings to which we made into a salmon pate. It was so quick and simple.

Here is Tribe Wardles Salmon Pate Recipe:

Salmon Pate

• Put the salmon into a pan with a dash of milk and cook (This takes under a minute we find).
• Drain off excess fluids.
• Put Salmon along with some Sour Cream and a knob of Butter into blender.
• Blend.
• Add a Clove of Garlic and a sprinkle of Dill.
• Add more of what you feel your pate needs.
• Season with Salt and Pepper.
• Place in your dish.

(If not used that day you can put a layer of melted butter on top to stop pate drying out)

Cute Table Number Blocks

For Isaac's christening Sunday dinner we had four tables and needed to seat everybody around said tables. With 40 people to seat with minimal effort we decided to do cubes/blocks with numbers transferred on along with pictures of Isaac.

We have some beams left over from the extension so we decided to make one into cubes... and transfer the pictures on this is how we did it:

• Cut beams into cubes.
• Sand cubes until smooth.
• Print photos on to normal paper.
• Put modge podge on to wood and paper.
• Put paper photo side down.
• Leave to dry over night.
• Rub paper off with a wet cloth until you can see photo.
• Leave to dry a while.
• Then cover with some modge podge and jobs a good un.

End Result 

These worked well and we have them to keep as decoration in our house/ for the boys to play with.

Count Your Blessings... (catch up included)

So after not blogging to much as life has been hectic, We are back with this blog...

Every time I think of my life a song comes into my head, it doesn't matter if life is hard , bad, good, exciting or trying i think this song sums up everything, Count your blessings.

So as many people know we have had three miscarriages this year. Well we have been for a few appointments at the hospital to find out why... and so far the only thing tests are bringing up is that we shouldn't of/ cant get pregnant with out medical help... as sad as miscarriages and the prospect of not having more children is I can't help but feel massively blessed to have our boys...
along the route of this trying year we have became stronger as a couple and kept the mind set of having a path we are on and this is only part of it , there must be something in the bigger plan of life for us!
So Wednesday should of been my due date of the middle miscarriage and i will be sad that day but this year is nearly over and were ending it on a high! 

On Sunday Isaac was christened ... All of our family and friends gathered at St.Marys our local Church Of England Church which we got married in 3 and half years ago and had B christened two years ago in. It was a beautiful service , it was very spiritual and just what our Family needed.

(our lovely Godparents and Isaac )

After the service we went to Eslington Villas our favourite place to eat for these special occasions... it was a perfect Sunday afternoon with friends and family , the food was amazing , the wine and bubbly was flowing and i don't think the Wardles have ever felt so loved as we did yesterday. 

I can only Say we will count Yesterday, Our Friends & family as a huge Bless on our path as Tribe Wardle.