OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE.. ME?

OCD.. the minute I hear of someone with obsessive compulsive disorder I imagine them washing and ringing their hands, muttering under their breath “out, out damn spot” - in a ‘Lady MacBeth’ manner.

With this in mind Americo thinks that I suffer from a mild form of OCD. I have all kinds of quirks that simultaneously amuse and amaze him.

For instance, I cannot go to bed with the cupboard doors open. One Christmas, when I was about 6 one of my cousins told us that open cupboards are the porthole to the ‘otherworld’. Under the cover of night, when little girls are fast asleep, the restless dead make their way into the living world.. and once there TERRORIZE those that were so careless.

As if that wasn’t bloody bad enough just after he had scared the wits out of all of us we had a slight earth tremor. Lights flickered, bunkbeds shook – needless to say it was a moment I have never forgotten. To this day I will get up out of bed, if Americo has left the doors open, and shut them!

By the way, congratulations to me – due to my sterling efforts last night I am now the proud owner of the Wifely Championship Cup…. How did I win this I hear you ask? Well, last night I got home, oiled the deck, did washing and managed to prepare dinner all in time for the starving trooper to arrive home at 9pm!

Instead of a cup I have requested diamonds … as we all know nothing says thank you quite like something sparkly!!!

PS:- I have added below a little picture I received from Zimbabwe - I am not sure how recent it is though...

IT'S PINK!

The other night Americo did a load of washing. As a red pair of fisherman trousers we got in Thailand would be included I reiterated that no whites, whatsoever, should be involved… You can see the impending doom.. I transferred everything from washer to tumble dryer and guess what I found? Americo’s once very manly football socks were now a lovely shade of salmon, along with his ankle guard and some other choice items. I have to admit to a little chuckle of amusement seeing my husband rushing about trying to get his gear together with pink ankle guard on one foot and a jaundiced expression directed at the socks.

I have not always been the ‘demi-domestic goddess’ you see before you. In fact when I came to the UK my kitchen skills consisted of nuking a potato in the microwave and not much more. I remember one boyfriend’s mother saying ‘She is lovely darling.. but I don’t think she can cook!’

My second home in London was a houseshare on Fladgate Road. I was living with a group of friends from Zimbabwe along with my brother and his wife. Being so far from home we were more a family unit than a typical shared house. Everyone had a duties partner and each ‘couple’ had their chance of cooking a proper meal once a week. However, as I could not cook my partner would only allow me to watch and clean. The one day, seeing me wielding a knife, he removed the danger from my hands and asked me to please sit out of harms way.

To return the kindness I offered to iron his shirt whilst he cooked dinner. All I can say is it seemed like a good idea at the time. It started off so well, that is until about half way through when the iron got a little sticky and I lifted it to find a newly inserted hole. After this episode not only was I banned from the kitchen but my washing duties were limited to putting the washing machine on where upon magical little Fairies would descend, transfer them to the tumble dryer and onwards to my bedroom all neatly folded! Oh how I miss those days!!

This weekend is a busy one for us, we have my cousin’s 40th birthday party which is themed fancy dress. Americo has been inspired, suggesting he will be going as .. himself! Hmmmm. I on the other hand intend to make just a little bit more of an effort within what we have at home. Do you think I could put my wedding dress back on and go as Julia Roberts in The Run Away Bride? No? I didn’t really think so either. Undoubtedly something will spring to mind between now and tomorrow.

Sunday we are walking with friends round Henley on Thames with a little picnic at some halfway point – lets hope the weather stays as beautiful as it is today. Finally, as Monday is a bank holiday, we are off to the park for volley ball. After much beating of chests last weekend we have a tournament of some description going ahead. My money is on Americo and Bob, mostly because the are brutal and hate to loose!

Tuesday is my op so I will probably be out of commission and off the blog until the following Monday.. Until then!

That Disaster Dinner..

Oh what a weekend. On Thursday I prepared Americo’s favourite dinner – Oxtail. If anyone has ever cooked oxtail you will know that it is a very flavourful meat that is as tough as old boots unless cooked for endless hours. Usually I would do this in the pressure cooker which cuts the cooking time by half and is guaranteed eating satisfaction. However last week I thought I would be adventurous and experiment… on Thursday I cooked it for two and a half hours in the oven expecting that it would require only a further one and a half hours on Friday night. I was misled! By 11pm on Friday dinner was still a bit too much on the chewy side and my husband was looking decidedly grouchy. So it was with grumbling tummies and chastised attitudes we went to bed.

You will be happy to know that the oxtail, after a further hour in the pressure cooker, was salvaged and tasted very nice and tender the next day. However 6 hours in the oven and the extra hour seem a bit excessive for any meal. Next time (as Americo expressed on numerous occasions) I shall stick to the tried and tested method! You see sweetheart, I do on occasion listen to you!!

On Saturday, having recovered from our disappointments of the night before, we set out for a lovely day with friends. Storme & I went to Tori’s kitchen tea whilst Ian and Americo amused themselves by purchasing all the ingredients for our dinner. What was to be a quiet evening of just 4 ended as a drunken shindig with all the boys on top form. I cannot remember when I have laughed so much! As I was not drinking the mantle of designated driver fell to me. I have to admit to a certain gratitude that my charges were all slightly under the weather.. thereby unable to remember the trip or my driving home! Actually it wasn’t as bad as all that but I truly do not think I could have handled 4 extra backseat drivers making helpful suggestions.

Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny (possibly a little too sunny for Americo who, from what I understand, had a marching band playing in his head). Unfortunately there was no time for sympathies as we had to be up and att’em so that we could replenish our stocks at Costco then onwards and upwards to lunch with Pearl and Peter. We arrived at P&P’s with our 6 months worth of meat and promptly rearranged their fridge to accommodate all our food. After a lovely lunch in their beautiful garden we drove home for many a delightful hour of unpacking, wrapping and stacking.

Come Monday morning I was looking forward to the relative peace of going back to work! Now it is Tuesday and the shine of Monday has definitely been tarnished!

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

Today was demonstration day. For the most part things have been fairly quiet with a few scuffles, some damage was done to the RBS bank near Threadneedle Street with windows broken and computer equipment thrown out the building. Of course no good protest can be held without defacing something of cultural value such as the beautiful statues outside the Bank of England. All and all a complete waste of time, money and effort for no gain! What they actually should have done is said to the Government ‘we are thinking of demonstrating, it is going to you a minimum of £10 million why don’t we put all that cash towards feeding a few of the deserving starving?’

As the masses have been roving about the streets, city workers have been encouraged not to stray too far from workplaces, in the case of some Bankers not to leave the building at all. The skies are teaming with helicopters and only now is silence descending on the City. I won’t go on as this subject has had much coverage throughout the land. One thing I will add though is a link to a ‘mock the news’ type website that had me in stitches.. enjoy

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/city-workers-urged-to-dress-like-scum-and-talk-about-%27corrie%27-200904011676/

Now onto other things. Today I have over indulged in all things revolting and feel that I may have too revoke my firm plan not to do any exercise this side of .. well .. ever. I have successfully munched my way through 3 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a bacon & cheese croissant as well as a Pret croissant washing this all down with 2 cans of coke. To be honest if it had only been one of everything I would have felt fine with my consumption, as it is I have totally grossed myself out.

I have a funny relationship with food. Unlike Americo I won’t ever cook a meal just for myself - if I lived alone the kitchen would be as a desert.. Seldom visited! Bizarrely, due to Americo’s love of food, I have become quite proficient in the kitchen. This is more a testament of Americo’s cooking skills than my desire to please him.

Nope, my true love lies in all things junk food related, generally I am not excessive, the problem comes when I try to limit myself. The minute I feel as though I am denied I get overly obsessive and cannot rest until I have had what I crave. The old adage of nothing to excess definitely applies to me. So on that note I shall be refraining from getting the bus home and doing a 20 minute power walk instead!