Happy Birthday Maud Marie!

Mmmm... Cake cake cake!

It was Nina's birthday not so long ago and I decided to make her some carrot cake (her favourite apparently).... but if I just made bog standard stuff then that would have meant none for me... which is a bit rubbish at a birthday party! So these little beauties are 100% gluten free!

I made the little muffin cakes to test out the sturdiness of the recipe and then followed it up with the big loaf tin model to take to Nina's. She said it was almost as good as Mamma makes... but I think she was just being kind... but to me I can't tell the difference and at least I know exactly what's in it! Yum!

Spotify

Brilliant new software Spotify that lets you play practically any CD you can think of live over the net. They put in adverts between about ever 5 tracks but they are only short and you can easily live with that. If they really annoy you that much then you can just pay the monthly fee. Try it try it :)

Southampton Snowage

OK OK I know this is really late... but still just as interesting :O

So it doesn't snow that often in the UK and especially not daaarrn saaarrth in Southampton so to get this lovely dump of snow on a Monday morning was pleasant. Well aesthetically pleasing at least.... for about 10 minutes whilst I was looking out of the window drinking my nice warm tea... and then the novelty wore off. This was espcially true as I negotiated the ice-rink that used to be my path to work. I walked obviously as my bike was kind of frozen.

By Wednesday it was brown slush and Friday it had all gone. Phew - no more of that please until I get to go skiing again.

London Day 2

After a late lazy breakfast in St Katherines Pier (very poshe greasy spoon it was) friends Danny and Sean started to head back up to Manchester so I walked west along the river on a lovely sunny day up to the South Bank to my fave gallery the Tate Modern.

I particularly wanted to see the Dominique Gonzalez Foerster installation in the Turbine Hall. I had missed the giant spider the first time around and now it is back along with several other pieces.

I also loved the Cildo Meireles exhibition. An amazing assault on the senses into a bizarre world where you are able to sense and interact with many of the exhibits.

Apparently someone had been interacting a little too closely with this exhibit as the day before it had been broken. It is a tiny cube made from two different types of wood. It is in the corner of a completely black room with only a spotlight on the cube in the corner. The artist insisted there were no ropes or restraints apparently!? Anyway some clumsy oaf crumpled one - luckily the artist was inspired enough at the time to make a total of 3. Perhaps a bulk order might have been more prudent knowing how cack-handed (and footed) most the general public seems to be!

My favourite room was the final room only accessed whilst through the final exit doors. Basic concept : 12 tonnes of talcum powder in an unlit U shaped room - with only a candle for light at the other end. You must go in with no shoes or sock (or wear the wellies provided - boring). The feeling was bizarre - not least becuase I got to share this experience with 3 total strangers! The sensation is like walking on the smoothest sandy beach - but actually it feels wet it is that fine a powder. We all seemed to pace around the candle and then just stand there mesmerised as if in some sort of strange ritual - quite errie.

Then we had to walk back out and try and remove all trace of talc from our person - it was impossible and you end up walking out like you - well - rolled around in 12 tonnes of talc?! Just another normal day in London I suppose.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Been waiting and waiting for this day soooo long! Could wait no longer. Birthday money from Mum went on the new iPhone! Thanks Mum! It is a lovely piece of kit and integrates perfectly with my Apple way of life :)

Birthday Tea

A good Indian meal out with all the guys from work. Excellent place and only about 2 mins from my house so quite a good find.

L-R: Rod, Jeremy, Alex P, Sarah (Jeremy's wife), Alex F, me, Tom and Kirsten

2 great iPhotos

Saturday was all about a trip to London - a whole weekend of fun lined up meeting friends for lunch - going to see a show - drinks - dinner - drinks etc :) I managed to take a couple of pictures along the way but the champagne and gin seemed to hinder too many unfortunately.

It was a beautiful clear day in London

The view from our hotel wasnt too bad either !

Birthday preparations

Back in Southampton and preparations began for my own 30th.

In a very uncharacteristic spur of the moment Sainsbury's inspired event - I decided to cook for some close friends. (L-R: Ben, Matt and Nina). Sunday roast beef dinner followed by rhubarb crumble and custard! A welcome to England dinner for Nina who recently landed in the UK from Oz.

Mmmm crumble... (gluten free of course!)

This is the meal we had on my actual birthday - Japansese - and it was lovely. Joined by Nina's friend Dimple

Caroline's 30th!

It was great to be invited as the surprise guests to Caroline's 30th back in Worsley. A good excuse for everyone to get together and reminisce. Sadly there is less time to reminisce since kids came along and diverted a lot of the attention from drinking and chatting - but hey - that's life in your 30s!

No one is really complaining either... especially when William (Heidi's little boy) is so adorable!

Uncle Ant gets stuck in with the good stuff

Aunty Caroline was being forced to interact by her hubby James in a bid to stir some maternal instinct - surprisingly for us it seemed to be working. By the end of the night there was talk of a move back to Manchester to raise the brood too! You heard it here first!

William was a bit tired and Matt obviously had a gentle hold

Anna and Ant with their brand spaking new son Jack. He's only 6 weeks I think.

Oslo Trip October 2008

Here are a few snaps from the latest trip the Grandma and Uncle Tim took to see Matt, Silje, Maud Marie and Henny Helena at their new residence in Oslo.

To view in order follow the links.... 1. Oslo Time

Last day :(

Maud cut short her interview with the "Hallo" reporters due to the arrival of her friend Martinus who popped in with his parent in tow. Martinus was obviously growing up quick judging by the amount of facial hair he is sporting... or maybe it was a fake beard that came inside a funny book that Maud had just got him as a present!

We popped out for a Sunday stroll down to the local city farm which has all sorts of exciting and amazing animals... like goats and horses and sheep and rabbits and hamsters and a giant pig that was running around and terrorising people for food and lions and tigers and bears... alas I didn't think to take any pictures 'cos we were having too much fun.. sorry.

Proud Grandma getting her pram pushing fix.

Thanks for a LOVELY time everyone! Can't wait for us all to get together again and this time with Aunty Sarah too! Roll on Christmas!

.... and this is what happened to that cake we saw earlier.... yeah... we demolished it!

At home with Maud Marie

Maud Marie Tjorteland Conibear graciously invited Hallo magazino into her luxurious new apartment in Oslo. We were only too delighted to see what this hip girl about town has to say about important issues such as what pop-up books at the moment, why the lid wont stay on her dolls house tea set, and where that pesky small yellow one had gone from her stacking cup set! Hallo is always there to be first with the important news of the day...

Maud at the entrance to her gracious home, with ample storage, a small plastic kitchen with real burner effect stove (with sound - how cool!) and a two place (very sturdy) dining area.

Maud (2 and a bit) puts her baby to sleep whilst she talks to our reporter...

..but insists that the interview is conducted on her terms... including the presence of her advisor, best friend and confident Lola.

The reporter grabs a snap for her own personal album

Suddenly a disagreement appears to break out between Maud and Lola...

...scenes turn a little ugly and embarrassing...

... but then we realise that Maud and Lola were simply showing off part of their new act (entitled Circus Tricks with Lola Standing on my Shoulders and Doing Somersaults Off Them) premiering Off-Broadway soon!

What an enchanting day we had being entertained by Oslos premier young rising star Maud Marie! Lets hope the ugly incidents of earlier this year will be forgotten and Maud and her new young sister Henny can live in peace with their fame in the blogging world.

Next... The Last Day :(

The morning after...

After having to say goodnight to the little darlings what seems so early the previous evening surely the best thing in the morning is getting to see them again! Especially when they are this cute!

(Whoops bit close Henny sorry !)

Henny none too impressed with Uncle Tim's comforting skills at first...

...then realised that she was just in need of a little snoozette... these moments are precious!

Next... Click here to see the exclusive interview with Maud Marie