Trying to Set up a Website…. Or trying to do anything for that matter

I started this site back in January but due to our baby Mia being very high maintenance, I have hardly found time to write an article, so I must apologise. I had big plans for my free time: start water colour painting again, make some nice clothes, trips to surrounding towns and villages, start a website…

I thought back to a funny moment last year. Having worked and studied continuously at least 6 days a week since I was 15, the thought of being at home full time for possibly a whole year was very daunting.  When I was about 7 months pregnant , I sat at my desk in our busy office worrying about being bored during my impending maternity leave and asked my colleague Alex (a first time dad of a 1 year old) what Natalie* did to fill her time on maternity leave.  I was greeted with an amused expression, “Look after the baby?!” he said. I thought this was quite a lazy reply…. She can’t spend all day every day looking after a baby, surely??! I thought.

I . was . wrong .

I’m a very lucky mum as Mia has never woken in the night so at least I’m not sleep deprived (so I really feel for the majority of mums that rarely get 2 hours interrupted)

The first few months were pretty standard, but as of Mia hitting the 5 month mark, everything I had learnt about her routine changed…

Mornings consist of waking up at 6:30, racing to get Mia changed and fed before all hell breaks loose (I started her on baby rice in at 4 months due to reflux) I've usually had 3 strong coffees by 11am and finally get in the shower during her 20 minute nap at 11am. At this point she has already managed to terrorise our rabbit (since she started crawling/shuffling), screamed the house down twice, eaten a leaf, got through a bowl of food, a bottle, two breakfast biscuits and 3 episodes of in the night garden.

The rest of the day has no routine whatsoever.
 By the time my fiance gets home at 7:30pm, I'm a shadow of my former self. Alex... you were right.

Below is a great article I found on TheUglyVolvo blog which pretty much sums it up The Ugly Volvo

Project Front Door...

From years of showing people around flats and houses, I know what an impact the front door and entrance to a property makes on the overall viewers attitude towards what they are seeing. I feel a good front door is a great way to welcome people to your home.

Refurbishing your door overview:

Nitromors paint stripper - £9.99 Homebase

Wood filler - approx £10

Sand Paper (Medium and fine grade) - approx £6 

Water based wood preservative primer - approx £15

Dulux Weathershield Satin door paint (we used Green Glade) - £19.99 Homebase

Door Furniture of your choice - allow £80 

Fitted new locks - appox £192 inc supply and fitting

Frosted door number film - £31 Purlfrost

Tools -

Assorted Screwdrivers

Hammer and Chisel

Wire wool

Detail sander with medium and fine sanding pads

Small roller set

Good quality 1 and 2 inch paint brushes

Nine months after moving into our home, I decided it was time to sort out our distressingly ugly front door.

Having bought a Victorian maisonette meant we have our own entrance on the ground floor. Luckily enough, we still have the original Victorian door which I had been told by many professionals was worth keeping and refurbishing rather than replacing with a modern door.

The gorgeous sewage green shade

The first thing was to remove all the door furnishings and 100 years of paint, taking away the sewage green shade showed quite a fashionable dove grey colour. I had to keep going to get the paint off down to the original wood as far as I could.

I used Nitromors (£9.99 from Homebase) to chemically break down the paint. This was far too time consuming and I was going to have to work my way slowly through each layer. (Not ideal when I had to keep seeing, feeding and checking on our 5 month old)

I broke out our old detail sander and worked my way through the layers, covering myself and everything (which seemed) in half a mile radius in dust, however I was down to the wood.

As much paint as I could remove

Then I arranged for a local locksmith to fit a new ERA lock and also a Chubb lower down at knee height. (£192 inc labour and supply of locks) I went for a polished chrome finished to match the door furniture I had ordered.

I filled all divots and imperfections with a light wood filler, dried and sanded smooth.

For the colour, we chose Dulux Weathersheild satin door paint in Green Glade (£19.99 for 750ml) and I made sure to use the correct water based wood preservative primer first.

The main thing you want is good weather as you cannot close the door for a few hours so best to start in the morning and don't plan to go out.

I then fitted the polished chrome door furniture - a chrome letter plate and tidy, kick plate, interior pull handle and a central knocker. (approx £72 from the Door Handle Company on line) Doorhandlecompany.co.uk

I retouched some of the paintwork from where the furniture fitting had scratched the paint work.

We sourced the door number from Purlfrost.com which was easy to fit from following the instruction given. The price is dependent on size and design.

I thoroughly enjoyed the project...so much I'm going to paint the neighboring door to match!

Saintly Chili!

After 15 weeks of Mia's birth - I've officially dropped down to my pre-pregnancy weight! Yay!

To celebrate I wanted a really comforting meal and a glass of wine. I've been so good with what I have been eating so I didn't want to stray too far.

Unfortunately Leigh has a football match tonight so I needed to make something for myself but would still be as tasty for Leigh when he gets home and reheats it.  We love our spicy food so this always gives me a chance to add extra chilies and some other spices I have milling around my kitchen cupboards.

I stick to quite a standard recipe... I won't bore you with the details (there are hundreds online). However I choose to add a few twists of my own:
fry off roughly chopped thin chili (the skinny green ones) at the beginning with the onion
A mix of pork and beef mince (an idea I have picked up from Italian cooking) and/or a handful of pancetta/bacon lardons
A few portions of frozen spinach after I've browned the meat
two teaspoons of smoked paprika

Also due to having a low carb, high protein diet I choose to have a half portion of brown rice. This means I have loads of rich chili to tuck into instead of a bland rice dish. To mop up the extra sauce, a handful of rocket goes great on the side (actually you can have two or three handfuls if you like)

I always have it in a bowl as it's easier to eat on your lap with just a fork!

Don't worry too much about the extra fat in the bacon lardons or pork. These are good fats that your body will love.

Remember - It's WHAT you eat, NOT how much

Daddy's Birthday Day Out

It was Leigh’s 33^rd birthday on Tuesday so I managed to convince him to take the day off work so we could do a family day out.

We started the day with eggs benedict and a glass of champagne for breakfast (we don’t make a habit of drinking in the morning, only on Christmas and Birthdays) Leigh opened his presents and then it was off to London Bridge. 

mmmm breakfast!

Thankfully the weather held out and the rain disappeared by late morning when we were able to leave the house.

Amazing cheese in Borough Market

The famous Park Street from Lock Stock

After a walk around Borough Market and by the river, we went to Rabot 1745 for the birthday lunch we had booked. Rabot 1745 is part of Hotel Chocolat and opened in November. It explores the savory use of the cocoa bean as opposed to chocolate as we know it. Rabot 1745 Website

I must say we were very impressed! We had a cocoa bean history and taste lesson at our table followed by some classing cocktails flavoured with cocoa nibs. Then a three course meal including beef carpaccio, guinea fowl, lamb and some super chocolaty desserts. There’s more in my review in the Out And About section of SouthLondonMummy.com

Cocktails to begin

Beef Carpaccio starter

Being a lover of Heights, Leigh booked a sunset visit at 4pm to The Shard – London’s tallest building. The View From The Shard

We had to leave Mia’s pram on the ground floor (it was kept securely for us) I began to regret bringing her Baby Bjorn harness. It’s so high that going up in the lift makes your ears pop. We were accompanied all the way by a rep who was very chatting and bubbly.

Up on the 69^th floor we saw London at dusk which was beautiful. It’s amazing how far we could see. The monuments close by such as Tower Bridge and St Pauls Cathedral were the most breath-taking. We then walked up to the 72^nd floor in time for nightfall. It’s open air at the top and we could hear the wind whistling overhead but it wasn't too cold.

Babies go free

The London lights

Open air 72nd floor

It was also nice just to sit on the floor by the window feeling like I was floating above the skyline seeing London lit up like a Christmas tree. What a great end to the day.

Sunday Brunch in Brixton

Sunday started with a change from the norm and we decided to visit Brixton Village for the first time since summer.
Since moving to SW2 in 2011, we've visited many times for breakfast, snacks, dinners and just a walk around. With a mixture of vintage shops, galleries, restaurants, cafes and grocery stalls it offers a bustling Sunday morning atmosphere (albeit more of the units are open Monday-Saturday)
We wandered down Electric Avenue and into the discreet Brixton Village entrance and towards the back to Senzala Creperie. Set in a row of exciting street food style cafes and restaurants and opposite Coffee Federation, its a busy spot on a late Sunday morning. A mixture of rarely seen young professionals and students seemly without hangovers all enjoying the fresh winter morning gives a positive vibe to the area.

Leigh and I, along with Mia in the pram were greeted inside. They managed to get us a table with the pram tucked in and out of the walkway with Mia fast asleep.

Service is always quick and efficient as they are one of the busier eateries and need to turn around the tables as quickly as possible… however we never feel rushed by them. 

I love the savory buckwheat gallettes of which they have a huge selection. The Berliner or the Morning Glory are out usual favorites for breakfast. Although we have tried the sweet crepes too and they are not to be missed. The hot ginger beer is a definite recommendation to accompany the food.

Warmed up with our bellies full, we left with change from £20 and a smile on our faces!

My First Stint…

So I’m a blog virgin…. not much of a writer (so please excuse) but a big talker!!

I’ve also started my own South London Mummy Website:http://southlondonmummy.com

Trying to find my way around the blogger blog designer I feel I’m re-opening parts of my brain left untouched since leaving on maternity leave from my estate agency in September last year…. and I’m rusty.

  

I thought a good start would be to put my year 2013 in review to put my blog into context.

2013 was probably the biggest and craziest year of my life…

My boyfriend, of 12 years, Leigh and I got engaged

We sold our first house together in Berkshire

We bought a new home in South London and refurbished it while living on site

We welcomed our beautiful daughter Mia into the world

Leigh got a major promotion at work

Finally we had the best Christmas EVER 

I tried to condense that as much as I could.
At least I didn’t start the blog last year otherwise it would be full of irate rants about builders, estate agents, hospitals etc. Now I look back it doesn’t seem so stressful.

This year the aim will be to have a positive attitude

Happy New Year!