Naridu Wondering

I’ve mentioned a few times the crappy situation I’ve been dealing with in regards to my lower back, an apparently common ailment no-one hears about until it literally bites you in the arse. From June/July last year it began to restrict differing levels of physical activity and I found myself putting on weight bit by bit and, in private, feeling pretty bloody miserable. Finally in November last year I spoke to a surgeon, and by December I was on the operating table.

Throughout it all TOG has been simply amazing, helping out with extra chores and being a generally awesome guy and after a much frustration, by April it finally seemed as though everything was back on track. I’ve been walking freely again and even jogging for brief spurts. As easy as that, the weight I put on last year began to melt away without much effort as I returned to normal everyday activities. It’s been wonderful and I’ve had a grand old time bouncing all around the place showing off my renewed mobility.

Alas all was not to last. The healing has not been complete and now I have to go back under the knife sometime June-ish this year, then undergo a whole new healing process. Yup, that’s going to make it a whole freaking year dealing with this crap. Fuck-itty, fuck, fuck. Oh come on, say it with me and say it with real feeling. Fuck.

No I’m not wallowing, just feeling very very tired of the whole thing and perhaps just a little bit angry.

In brighter news we have a long weekend to celebrate May Day on Monday. The only public holiday, excepting Christmas, given by the University we’re both working at. So much fun shall be had and I promise to write a happier post, possibly with pictures, next week.

It’s always good to follow instructions when trying out a new recipe.

Method

1. Place the salmon fillet in a bowl. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, honey, ginger, lime rind and juice and seasoning. Pour over the fillets and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes or 1 hour if you have time.
2. Pre heat the grill to high. Place salmon fillets and spring onions on baking sheet. Brush the fillets with the marinate then cook for 3 minutes. Turn and then brush with more marinate and grill till cooked through 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Serve with sugar snap peas.

Seems pretty simple doesn’t it? Only nothing ever seems to be that straightforward when I’m involved; I see something simple and think ‘oh, too easy’, then go ahead without paying proper attention.

If I had been paying attention I would have read read the instructions properly. I would not have substituted, ‘Place salmon fillets and spring onions on baking sheet‘, with ‘Place salmon fillets and spring onions on baking paper, then pop it straight under the grill.

Who would have thought that placing paper close to glowing hot elements would result in a little thing called combustion?

Yes, I am truly gifted.

Thankfully we were able to save the salmon and enjoy a well cooked, if perhaps a little smoky, dinner.

Tonight, just to save the kitchen from any further abuse, I might just stick with some plain ravioli pasta and tomato sauce. Simple, right?

A quick round up of the book list for 2007 so I can start adding to the 2008 list before I start to lose track of pages turned. Not as many stinkers this time, although I think I’ve been both a little more generous and also discerning about my reading choices this year.

Five Star Brilliance
The Tao of Pooh* - Benjamin Hoff
The Stars my Destination - Alfred Bester
First Among Sequels - Jasper Fforde
Kushiel’s Justice - Jaqueline Carey

One Star Stinkers
How Proust can change your life - Alain De Botton
Nine Stories - J.D. Salinger

Complete list can be found below.
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Mmmm, yummy. I’ve had a productive Sunday afternoon baking up some pumpkin and date scones using Ellie’s recipe from over at Kitchen Wench. They turned out so well too, perfect golden lumps of moist pumpkin deliciousness.

It’s been a fabulous weekend actually. Yesterday TOG and I went over to Dundee and treated ourselves to some sexy new clothes as there are only so many outfits you can squeeze into a suitcase when crossing the globe. After picking up some work outfits, TOG splurged on a nifty black jacket and I treated myself to some comfy, cute pyjamas. They feel so nice on too, soft and very warm.

A few weeks ago we received our first combined pay over here. For the first time in a long time we’re not in a position where we have to constantly worry about where our money is going. We can’t go crazy with the spending sure, but it’s not something constantly having to be calculated and checked. How lovely.

So of course we went and bought ourselves a Nintendo Wii package including Wii Sports and Guitar Hero. I grabbed a copy of the Mario Galaxy game too, and have been giving poor Mario a horrible time of it. I didn’t grow up playing any of the Mario games so am learning all the little tricks and hidden gems that, apparently, are just sooooo obvious to everyone else. Bah! I’m also becoming a big fan of the Wii Sports too. I just love the interactive side of it, especially the boxing. Jab, jab, upper cut, hook!

Guitar Hero is something else though, completely addictive and if battling against the game characters isn’t enough you can go online and battle against other people there too. Bloody brilliant. TOG looked up a few clips on YouTube of people blazing through the expert levels, and yeah some of it was pretty cool and there was one clip by a nine year old that just made me cry out “Bloody hell give the kid a real guitar!”.

This little fellow does pretty well too, and is already working on some trademark moves.

Now, the only real question of any importance becomes, when will SingStar come to the Wii?

Two songs/film clips I can’t get out of my head at the moment.

Hera’s Feels So Good just trips along in my mind like happy candy. There is so much squishy fun happening in the film clip and I just love the look she gets on her face when handed a pillow by the fellow in the lab coat. A blanket of puppies, bath of wine and bread loaf shoes, just brilliant. Where can I get some?

After watching it for the fifth time I finally figured out that the designs swirling out like wings around her on the swing are the same as the tattoo/henna markings on her face. Curious cat that I am I have to know what meaning, if any, it has. Especially since it looks so much like Maori Ta`Moko. Yet despite rifling through google and wikipedia I still have no idea. I can’t find anything. Help!

Can you believe this girl is only sixteen? When watching this clip for the first time on some pop countdown the other day, TOG and I couldn’t help ourselves when it came to the salacious remarks, and now I feel oh so dirty.

But come on! Listen to that full throaty voice. See the way she struts and taunts past all those deliciously tied up men. Do you really blame us?

I picked up the album on iTunes and am loving it so far, even if, and maybe because, it includes a cheesy cover of Echo Beach.