Yeah. Yabba. It was a word that popped into my head before I’d thought of a title, so Yabba it is!
Anyway, how are you all?? I had my first free day today! It was INCREDIBLE. I slept in til….wait for it….8.33am! I cannot remember the last time I slept that late! I properly jumped out of bed when I did wake up – all I could think was ‘ohmygosh I’m late!!’ – it was a great feeling when I realised I wasn’t 🙂
As soon as I got downstairs, Poppy was going mad, so I ate an apple and 2tsp wheatgerm, and then took her out on a run (after a picture of course :P).
We did a total of 3miles – 2.4running at about 8.30min/mile pace and 0.6 walking. It was good fun!! She was hardly tired though…in fact, for the first mile she was keen as! I wanted to explain to her all about pacing, but she was having none of it. People are so resistant to change sometimes. Hurrumph.
When we got back, I had a fabulous Epic GM, with some blubes:
And then it was time for some horseh-horseh action!! I had originally planned to go to a big county horse show today – hence why Horsey Humpday was postponed – but when I looked at the class list last night, the only good ones were at 8am 😦 I didn’t fancy a 6am start….so Chika got some action instead!!
Beautiful mare 🙂 Her neck (from the allergic reaction) still looks pretty rum though:
Alas. I’m going to have to dig out a different sort of healing cream methinks….ANYWAY. Chika and I went in the school quickly first, then hit the trails and were gone for about an hour. She was SO happy to be out!
Hehe, excuse the slight blur – some of those photos were taken at speed! We had fun though 🙂 There’s nothing in the world as nice as a hack out with your best friend, in the sun 😀
Oh, and randomly before I forget, here’s a token photo of Tig, purely for my sister:
There you go Hannah 😀
After I’d ridden, I set out on a mission: To Buy A Dog Bed.
It was quite the task. I went to SeaPets, and saw SO many cute bunnies:
It was tempting to buy one of those instead, but alas, I just got the stinky dog bed. So far though, no-one has actually used it….again, HURRUMPH.
While I was out, I had suuuch a yummy lunch! I’d made a packed lunch last night, in prep for the show, but obviously I didn’t go….so I just had it in the car park 😛 It was tres similar to yesterday’s lunch: Part 1, a big slice of the lovely bread, with a cranberry chutney, spinach and tempeh:
And part 2, a roasted veggie salad: finely chopped fennel, celeriac, parsnip, carrot and grapes, the rest of the tempeh that didn’t fit in the sandweeech, and salt and pepper:
Both amazing meals!! Celeriac + parsnip is a match made in heaven!!
Post lunch and dog-bed shopping, I ate a pear before my mum and I took Poppy out for a walk. She’d got the afternoon off from work cos she’d had a training day, so it was SO lovely to spend some time with her 😀
We speed walked/gossiped for one hour, so we probably did about 3miles again…Poppy was getting a bit tired on the way back thank goodness, so I think she’ll sleep well tonight!!
For dinner, I had planned on doing lentil burgers – but I totally ran out of time what with the long walk and the dog bed mission (it took longer than necessary – SeaPets is right by Tesco….I’m sure you can work out what happened!)! So I did the next best thing; lentils, mixed with chickpeas and cinnamon, nutmeg, garam masala, garlic, s+p, as well as parsnip, kabocha and celeriac:
(That’s a 2kg pack of lentils, bought for just £2.25!! SCORE)
Good times.
I don’t know about dessert…..last night it was muffin and yogurt MADNESS, but I’m running out of muffins so I really want to make them last :s
Talking of muffins, I have giant plans for a rhubarb baking extravaganza tomorrow! My gran gave us some rhubarb a while back, so provided it hasn’t rotted away or something, I should be able to whip up something tasty 🙂 I think that means Google and I have discovery date tonight….
Question: Do you prefer websites, books, blogs or your own genius mind when it comes to recipes? I’m all about the blogs and websites myself 😀
Have a good evening!
Hi Freya!
I have yet to try that Epic Green Monster, but every time I see it I am even more inspired! Looks SO incredible 🙂
Anyway-as far as recipes, first I like to use my own imagination and go craaaaaaaaazy. then, I like to visit blogs and see what else is out there.
So often there are ingredients that I never considered, like chia seeds, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, etc.
Hope you’re still enjoying your free time!
I totally agree – it was the blog world that made me discover flax, chia seeds, noosh….I love BlogLand 🙂
And please do try the EGM! They’re SO worth it 🙂
Your title so should have been hrrrumph!! I’m glad you enjoyed your first day of freedom, you were certainly busy. Chika and Tig look so beautiful. I hope Chika’s neck clears up thoug, how strange that it’s not better.
I love a mixture of blogs and books for recipes. I love the fact that you can go to the blog world and there will be hundreds of recipes to choose from. I also love books just for the gorgeous pictures. I am making it my life’s mission to cook / bake every recipe I have, the problem is that I keep finding more!
Haha, I have the same problem! Do you end up buying loads of cookbooks too, and saying ‘oh I’ll bake that..and that…AND that…’ and then never doing half of it!? I’m so guilty of that…:p
For recipe- inspiration I like blogs but I hardly ever stick to a recipe exactly but rather modify it someway…and very often I have an idea for cooking and then I just cook what has crossed my mind
Good balance 😀
Hi lady!!
What a lovely post – I love the horsey pictures. I have a lesson at a new barn this weekend and I’m so excited! ❤
I love to go on blogs for breakfast inspiration and I tend to rely on family recipes, magazines (especially Vegetarian Times) and my favorite chef (Giada de Laurentiis). I also love to talk to market vendors about their favorite ways to use their produce – you get some seriously delish recipes out of them.
Enjoy your freedom, you've certainly earned it, and it looks like you've made the most out of your first day!!
Oohh talking to market vendors – I’d never thought of that! Great tip 🙂
I love looking at blogs and websites for recipes. I do have some favourite cookbooks though as well.
GO TIG
Your GM is terribly cute and I want to eat that lentil salad right off the screen! Major drool. I would love to run on the trail you went down with Chika — looks gorgeous. Hope you had a great day!
It was gorgeous 🙂 soo rutty to run on though, you’d have to watch you didn’t break an ankle :p
I’m also partial to blogs and websites. I can’t remember the last time I used an actual cook book!
Your GM reminds me of a forest scene! Love it 🙂
For recipes, I usually use cookbooks and sometimes websites. Or if I’m feeling *really* adventurous…I’ll make one up. Doesn’t usually work out in my favor 🙂
Your green monster is an absolute work of art, and your pony and puppy are totally adorb. I wish my dog could run… she’s far too lazy and all she does is sleep and fart.
I reallllly wish I still rode, looking at your pictures. I miss going out on lovely hacks – there were looong rows of cherry trees and my aunt and I would gallop through them 😀 so adventurous!! alas, I sold my saddle (I never had a horse though) and can’t bear to ride western (and that’s pretty much the standard down hurr). 😦
Awh that sucks 😦 I’ve tried western once, it was soo different…I’d love to try it again, but I think english style is the ultimate. Maybe you should move North, JUST to get riding again 😛
I love the blog world for its endless supply of recipes… oh yes! I have my fair share of cookbooks but still..
Awww congrats on your first free day!! Isn’t it the most amazing feeling EVER?!
Dogs and cats never seem to use beds that you actually buy for them, they usually like something else.. at least mine do. So frustrating.. but what can you do?
Love ya!
I know, it is SO annoying!! Poppy seems to have taken to them both now thank goodness…otherwise I would hav been seriously miffed
Aww, Poppy is so adorable! I love lentils but for some reason have never thought to mix them with chickpeas (another favorite). Although I like having a collection of cookbooks to refer to, I usually go to the web when I want to find a recipe. Blogs are one of the best ways to find creative meal ideas. 🙂
Very true – I actually saw a recipe on your blog which I’ve bookmarked :p
I need to try a cold tempeh sandwich again. I didn’t like it the first time, maybe I didn’t flavor it right.
I prefer my own creativity for things I cook. I’m not good at following recipes.
Jenn
Good to read that you’ve had a lovely day and that you are enjoying the freedom 😉
It seems that Poppy has settled in quickly- how wonderful! Aren’t dogs so funny… I bough an extra large bed for my big dog, but he rarely ever uses it, he prefers to squeeze himself into my smaller dog’s bed, which is much too small for him and creaks every time he moves.
I tend to get recipes from books…I am rubbish at making up my own recipes (apart from pasta sauces), well I don’t really try. Will have to build a kitchen extension for all the books 😉
Occasionally I will do a quick Google search if I have specific ingredients and no clue what to do with them. And lately I have been getting into trying many recipes from blogs…I wonder whose ‘fault’ that is- in a good way of course???!!! Thanks xxx
Btw, I will email you those juice recipes at the weekend.
I guess the only thing left to say is :Yabba-dabba-doooo 😉
Oh, and I would never have made the ER connection regarding the cats’ names- maybe ’cause I never watched ER? Could be ;o) I was thinking about it, but ‘US presidents’ was unlikely and Kovac did not fit in…the only Kovac I ever heard of is a Croatian (?) football player…
And how fantastic, that you seem to have your horse(s)and fabulous facilities/ trails right by your house- ideal!!!
I think they like the comfort of squeezing into small spaces – no idea why!
Google is the master of recipes – there is SO much amazing stuff out there!
Lol you’d definetly have to be an ER fanatic to make the connection 😛 otherwise they probably do just sound a little odd
Beautiful smoothie 🙂 I collect a lot of recipes, but since I cannot get a lot of the ingredients or don´t have the necessary equipment out here in Africa, I usually end up butchering them or just saving them for back in civilization! i have a HUGE folder of saved, but yet unattempted, bloggie recipes!
Africa?? Wow!
where do you buy tempeh from?! im a student in the uk too, and i can only find it in one place and they sell it frozen 😦
Hello! I can get it in from Goodness Direct online (I do a lot of food shopping there cos it’s so good for vegans, so it doesn’t cost much extra) and I can also get it from a little local health food store. You could try googling health food stores in your area, see what’s about? Holland nd Barrett don’t do it, I know that much! 🙂
OHMYGOD – seapets is right near me!! i love that place, when i was younger id drag my mum there everytime we went to tescos, i used to love walking thru all the animal sections… do they still have the parrot there?!?! he was my fave 🙂 but all the cool fishies and stuff, ooh and if i remember rightly im sure they had seahorses when i last went…. such an amazing pet shop (plus its in a cool reflective glass building!) definitly beats the big corporate ‘petsmart’ hands down!
Glad to hear you’re enjoying some well-deserved freedom at last, and just in time to appreciate this amazing weather…. is this really england?!?! fingers crossed it stays like this :-p
xxx
They do have a big old parrot yeh! Where do you live then?
I skipped the fish section; if I’d know there were seahorses there I would’ve gone back though!!
🙂 xxx
That parrot must be like a hundred years old by now! :-p
i always wanted a parrot cos my dad had one when he was a kid and he said they make such loyal companions… plus they actually DO live to about a hundred so its like a lifelong companion… (i cried so bad when my last doggy died, if only they could live to 100 too)
I live down the town station, by st botolphs roundabout?
the seahorses were gorgeous, like little dinosaurs! but i always felt abit sad for them, stuck in a little tank when they shud be out skimming the seas… def check out the fish next time, the terrapins are cool, but i was never allowed to get one as apparently they can be vicious little nippers!! xxx
I got a lot of inspiration from blogs (nut butter in porridge, frozen banana “ice cream”, green smoothies etc) but I do like to go through an actual book as well.
By the way, it must be amazing to have your own horse! I used to dream of this as a little girl when I used to ride every week.
Oh it is – I’m so grateful to my mum for making it happen!
Mmm I love celeriac and rhubarb! Rhubarb desserts are my favourite in the summer 😉 I love getting recipes from blogs, mostly because most of what I eat comes from me going “Oh my gosh that looks good, I need to make that NOW!”, but I also love cookbooks with a lot of pictures.
OOhh a fellow celeriac fan! I like you already 😀
Horsies!!! And lentils. And all kinds of other goodness. I love this blog.
Our dogs refuse to use a dog bed so we ended up giving it away. They prefer our bed 🙂
Haha! That’s cute 🙂