Spring has descended upon us, and apart from cherry blossoms on the trees; pastels being the hues of the day and the arrival of little lambs, the season is also significant for something else - spring cleaning! As soon as spring begins, there are many who'll immediately roll up their sleeves and set to work cleaning their homes from top to bottom. Then there are some of us who tend to take our own sweet time just picking up a mop! Although we adore the winter months, we have to admit there's something delightful in seeing the first rays of the spring sunshine. It's also very pleasing to open up windows, letting in the fresh spring air and flinging out all those old winter cobwebs. It's also very liberating to free ourselves from the cocoon of winter blankets; thick jumpers and heavy coats and boots - as cosy as all that is - and to switch over to something much lighter. And spring cleaning is a wonderful way of cleansing and purifying your living space in order to welcome in the new season. It's almost as though you're letting in the spring light and warmth into your home. But let's be honest - cleaning, scrubbing, tidying and organizing isn't everyone's idea of a wild time. Not unless you're Monica from Friends! And sometimes doing such a big clean up and tidy can be quite overwhelming and stressful. You wonder if you've got into all the nooks and crannies; if you've missed a spot; if you've gotten into all the corners. And when you think of all that you need to do, you often feel like giving up before you've even started! That's why we've put together this spring cleaning checklist which helps as the perfect guide in getting your home in order. Don't be startled by the list of tasks that are included in the planner - or that the planner is twelve pages long! And no it is NOT twelve pages full of tasks, so don't worry! Some tasks may not apply to you; many are jobs that take less than five minutes - and you can always rope in family and friends to help you out and delegate tasks you don't quite fancy doing yourself! You have the option of using the cleaning checklist straight from your device once you've downloaded it or you can print it out and keep it in a binder if that's more your thing (definitely more my thing - Angel!) There is also a printer-friendly version included in the download if you'd prefer to use less ink. The checklist is FREE and available to members of Peppermint Teal (go to the Member's Freebies area.) If you're not already a member, you can sign up and get access to loads of other freebies that Peppermint Teal like to give away, as well as comment on posts and join in with discussions in the group forums. So it pays to be a member... especially as you don't have to pay a penny! So what are you waiting for??? Happy spring, everyone! Photos: Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

Our first full week of being Frengellicafied - and it's been pretty good! The weather has picked up a lot but I suppose it'll be a while before things return to some kind of normal with regards to going out and about. That hasn't stopped The Mister and I from going out for a kayak around the pond where the only creatures he has to socially distance from are the beavers and the odd deer! Hope everyone is staying safe and in good health x So what's on Frengellica this week? If the only thing you've got to complain about after the few months of extreme hand-washing is dry hands, then you're lucky! But that said - no one really wants the kind of hands you can grate cheese on. So check out our Beauty Larder post on the milk and honey hand treatment. I've had dry skin pretty much my whole life and during periods when my skin is very dry, I use milk on my skin instead of water. It's very moisturizing and hydrating, and I really notice the difference. After about two days, my skin comes back to life again. So I'll be resorting to this treatment for my currently extremely arid hands! I love chocolate desserts (who doesn't!) so check out our post for a rather unusual chocolate dessert Hot Chocolate Lava Puddle in our feature Wake Me Up Before Your Cacao... Definitely one for the chocoholics! Aside from baking banana bread (2020 will always be remembered as the year there was an abundance of banana bread and a lack of bog roll. And nobody can explain either of those!) And another thing we did while we were all told to stay home was get our craft on. I've been a crafter from way back when and in the past I've dabbled in soap making, floristry, jewellery-making, wedding favours, papercrafts, gift baskets, beadwork... and as you can imagine all kinds of crafty nik-naks are scattered all around my house. But since last September, I've got into crochet in a big way. I picked it up almost immediately and now I'm... hooked! So crochet has most definitely been my thing while we've been isolating. And I'm very pleased to say that I've moved on from scarves and headbands and now progressed to crocheted tops. Keep this up and I may never have to actually buy clothes again. At least that's what I tell The Mister! So if you're a crafting pro, then you're sure to get 10 Things You'll Understand If You're a Craft Addict. June 1st marks World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day (WNAAD) an internationally recognized event that raises awareness of narcissistic abuse as well as providing education and resources for survivors. At Frengellica, we're thrilled that there is an event that highlights this growing issue and brings it to people's attention because there's still a lot of people out there who have no idea what narcissistic abuse is. Those of you who watch Coronation Street will have seen what Geoff has been putting his wife Yasmeen through, and EastEnders' fans will have seen what charmer Gray is really like behind closed doors, in scenes that are highly uncomfortable to watch. As many people watch soap operas, it's great that the writers are developing these storylines and bringing these issues to people's attention. But if it's uncomfortable to watch a soap character have to endure this abuse, can you imagine what it's like for real-life victims? There will be a two day online summit, The Survivor's Empowerment Summit starting on 1st June where speakers - mental health practitioners and leading experts on this subject - will be giving advice and sharing insights. Check out our post on how to get involved. #ifmywoundswerevisible Photos: Pixabay or Angel Noire as stated Word cloud: Angel Noire

A deliciously fruity cocktail, delicately fragranced with rose, and just the right amount of fizz! Try our Pomegranate Roseberry Sparkler. POMEGRANATE ROSEBERRY SPARKLER Prep time: 5 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients: 500ml pomegranate juice 50gm raspberries, pureed and strained 1tbsp. rosewater 200ml sparkling wine Seeds from one pomegranate, muddled Pink or red rose petals to garnish THIS IS HOW WE DO IT! 1. Add the pomegranate juice to the muddled pomegranate seeds and stir well. 2. Add the rosewater. 3. Divide the raspberry puree between the four glasses. 4. Half fill the glass with the pomegranate juice. 1. Mix the pomegranate juice, rosewater, pomegranate seeds, and raspberry puree in a jug. 2. Half-fill four glasses with the pomegranate mixture. 3. Top up with the sparkling wine. 4. Garnish with rose petals. 5. Enjoy! Main Image: Pixabay Banner: Angel Noire using Pixabay images Word cloud: Angel Noire

Money comes and money goes... but for some of us, money seems to be going out a lot faster than it's coming in! For many of us, news of the latest economic crisis is nothing new. In fact we've even come to expect it! We wonder if it will ever get better. More people over thirty-five in the UK are living with their parents or doing houseshares than ever before; many people are finding it hard to get on the property ladder; jobs are in short supply, and we can all safely say that the cost of living is going up at an alarming rate. And it's a horrible thought but with the state pension age steadily going up, it appears that now more than ever we need to take serious care of our finances. And with the spread of the recent pandemic which has seen many businesses suffer, and thousands out of work, many more people are sadly experiencing financial hardship. Some of us have even discovered that that rainy day fund hasn't been as much of a back-up plan as we thought because we had been saving up for a rainy day. Not a tsunami! Some of us are naturals when it comes to taking care of our money and have been since we were given our very first piggy bank. We know how to save; how much we need saved; when to spend; where to get great deals; how to budget; the differences between various banks and bank accounts; what to invest in... these people really need to start giving lessons! But then there are the rest of us. Oh dear! There is however, great news on the horizon. First of all we can all apply that 'never too late' mantra to ourselves. Even if we've been totally rubbish with money in the past, it's not too late to learn - especially from our past (or even current) mistakes: understand where we went wrong, know how to do things differently and try not to repeat those mistakes. And the even better news is that the beginner's course in looking after your money doesn't require you to have the skills of a financial expert. With a few simple tweaks, you can really make a difference in your spending habits, and as you watch your savings grow every month, this will spur you on to take your money-saving habits to the next level. That's not to say that things will change overnight. Good habits take a while to develop, especially if you've been used to doing things a certain way for a long time now. But it can get better. Here's a story from Beth* in which she describes the hard lessons she learned regarding money. Beth thought she was fully in control of her spending and saving habits until things started to go wrong... CASE STUDY: BETH'S STORY When I graduated from university fifteen years ago I was very fortunate to have found a job almost immediately in retail management. I was with the company for five years and worked my way up to area manager. During that time, I learned to manage my money. I lived within my means and didn't go on mad spending sprees - which could so easily have happened! I set up three bank accounts: one for outgoings and two for savings. I thought I was being very sensible and grown up. I was still living at home so all I was paying for were my phone bills and the internet.  All in all, I was quite pleased with myself. But then things went wrong. The company I worked for were going through a very bad period and staff cuts had to be made. I ended up losing my job. I wasn't overly worried at that point as I believed that I'd be able to find another job as quickly as I had found that one. I was wrong. Lots of people were out of work and there weren't enough jobs available. I was out of work for six months before I was able to find work as a receptionist at a hotel. I was obviously grateful to have found a job but it paid a lot less than what I had been earning before so it meant that I still had to dip into my savings which were, by now, not as healthy as they once were. I was also furious to discover that the accounts that I'd set up weren't as brilliant as I'd been led to believe and I earned hardly anything in terms of interest (yes my advice did come from the bank!) Which goes to show that you should always read the small print and make sure you fully understand it; keep up to date so you know if any changes are being made, and don't be afraid to ask questions until you get a definite answer. Compared to a lot of people, I was definitely one of the lucky ones: I had no children and I still lived at home, so those were two less things for me to worry about. It took a good few years to get myself back on my feet financially. I was then able to move out of home - though I wasn't able to move into a place of my own immediately. I had to do a house share, which wasn't as bad as house shares go and the rent was pretty low, so once again, I was quite fortunate. There's a part of me that bitterly regrets not getting my foot on the property ladder when I had the chance to do so - when it was far more easier to get a mortgage than it is now. I suppose living at home with my parents, being a homeowner was not really something I gave much thought to. Plus I was too busy having a good time rather than seriously thinking about the future. I always thought I'd have time to do so when I was ready, not knowing what lay ahead. But that said, I know that losing my job when I did would have meant that I had the added burden of a mortgage and difficulty making the repayments. Perhaps I would have found a way around that - help from my parents maybe. We'll never know now but the sensible side of me knows that the time was wrong to be a property owner so it's probably just as well. I'm also sorry that I didn't take care of my finances better. There were things I could have done: shopped around to get better deals; asked people for advice; saved more etc. I'm thankful that I'm now able to start renting a flat which I will move into soon. Of course I do wish that I was able to own my own home but... maybe one day... Thankfully Beth's story wasn't disastrous, and there's a lot to be learned from her experience. Unfortunately there are people who have ended up in far worse situations. Unless your name is Mystic Meg, it's very difficult to predict what is around the corner. And as we've recently discovered, there are some circumstances which are totally, completely and utterly beyond our control. But there are ways in which we can lessen the impact. So a financial detox - not to mention a little common sense - is a must. It's not going to sort your finances out overnight but it's a start and with perseverance you should find yourself in a more stable financial position. GUIDE TO FINANCIAL DETOXING 1. DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT: You won't be able to get back the money you've lost, spent or frittered away. But it's not too late to make changes in order to manage and improve your financial health. Make a list of all your outgoings - all the things you spend your hard earned cash on! Looking at the list, think of the things you: need (e.g.- phone, rent, utilities, travel) can go without completely (e.g.- grabbing a coffee on your way to work; buying things you know you won't use!) can cut down on (e.g. - eating out, sales shopping etc.) 2. TAKE ACTION: Think about at least three simple things that you can do now that will help you to save money. These might include: Reading online magazines and newspapers rather than buying them everyday (yes, some people do still buy them!) Drinking coffee at home before you get to work. Cancelling old direct debits. Making a weekly food planner to reduce food wastage. Only shopping for clothes during sales... or avoiding the sales if you're likely to buy things you don't need and won't use. Borrowing books from your local library rather than buying them. Taking a different route to avoid stores, coffee shops etc. 3. SORT OUT PAPERWORK: Find the past 12 months of bank statements, credit card statements, pay slips etc. Organize them: if you have paper copies, put them in order with the most recent on top. Save online copies to your desktop. 4. CHECK OUTGOINGS: Write down - preferably on an Excel spreadsheet  - your monthly outgoings. Divide it into key categories: rent/mortgage bills food travel motor vehicles household items health clothing leisure etc. Don't forget yearly costs such as TV licence, MOT, holiday expenses etc. 5. SNEAKY CASH TACTICS: Bank statements don't tell you everything about your outgoings. Think about all the things that you might pay for in cash: travel fare; fast food; cigarettes; alcohol; coffee; chocolates etc. Add these outgoings onto your spreadsheet. 6. ANALYSE OUTGOINGS: Pay attention to your outgoings in terms of energy, phone, car insurance etc. - can you get better deals elsewhere? Once your phone contract has expired, don't immediately upgrade. Instead opt for a 'SIM only' deal. You can absolutely get some great deals - you won't even miss having a phone contract, and some of you may even breathe a sigh of relief as you're released from the shackles of a phone contract. So you won't get the latest flashy handset but you could make massive savings. 7. THE RAINY DAY FUND Speak to someone at the bank about setting up a savings account that can be linked to your current account. When you make savings, either on your weekly shopping or travel etc. it can be put into your savings account. Some of us may think we're doing pretty well with our savings, but according to experts we should ideally have three to six months income stashed away 'just in case' - so get saving people! 8. SET A REALISTIC WEEKLY/MONTHLY BUDGET Once you have a better idea of your incomings and outgoings, you'll be able to set a realistic weekly/monthly budget and keep a closer eye on your money. 9. PAY WITH CASH OK, OK... we're hear shouts of "Who on earth pays with cash these days!" There's a lot of talk about us moving towards a cashless society, and most people opt to pay with plastic for just about everything, no matter how small the purchase. But many who choose to pay with their flexible friend - whether it's a debit or credit card - often say that they forget that they're actually paying for things. They just feel like they're handing over a bit of plastic! It's only when they check statements, the shock of how much they've actually spent hits them. Hard! Try to get into the habit of paying for cash wherever possible. We're not a cashless society yet so why not? Because you're handing over actual money, it makes you more conscious of what you're spending, and may even encourage you to budget throughout the day. And if you're someone who doesn't like carrying much cash - and you can't be expected to pay for your fortnight to the Bahamas in fives and tens - then keep a written note of your spending throughout the day which you check regularly to ensure no nasty surprises later on. 10. GET A JAR FOR YOUR LOOSE CHANGE! Admittedly you're not going to become a multi-millionaire by filling a jam jar with coins you find lying around the house but you will be amazed by what it all adds up to. Some have said they've found enough to treat themselves to something almost every month whether that's a meal in a restaurant or a new pair of shoes. Or a decent top up for their savings account. So start searching down the back of the sofa now! Images: Pixabay Banner: Angel Noire using Pixabay images Word Cloud: Angel Noire * Of course that's not her real name!

Gym And Slimline was the debut novel by author and journalist Emma Burstall published in 2008 by Preface Publishing. If your idea of hell is sweating over a piece of gym equipment that someone else has previously sweated over, then don't worry! The sporty theme of this novel is pushed to the background as the main themes of Gym and Slimline appear to be romantic relationships and girly friendships. Think Sex and the City but with gym gear rather than cocktails! Those of you who love reading novels with a very evident theme of friendship centered around a close-knit group of friends will love Gym and Slimline because that's exactly what you'll find here. PLOTLINE When a new gym called Gym and Slimline opens up in South-West London, four women decide to join in a bid to get into shape and make new friends. Four years later, they are now good friends and still active gym members. But it's not just their waistlines they are struggling to maintain - and it's not long before a host of secrets and lies come bubbling to the surface... AND IT GOES LIKE THIS! The health and fitness element is actually secondary to the trials and tribulations experienced by the female characters in the novel: the lady with the hard-to-pronounce name, Persephone is distraught to realise that her marriage is on the rocks, leading to a not-so-harmless flirtation and a secret addiction; former ballerina Carmen is desperate to become a mum especially as she's pushing forty - but is her commitment-phobe boyfriend really father material? Stunning Patrice is eager to add to her family but hasn't been intimate with her controlling husband, Jonty, for years. The only lucky one is career woman Suzanne who manages to juggle motherhood with a high-powered job and she's managed to bag a sexy, young husband - but is her wonderful life all it seems..? WHAT WE THOUGHT... This book was enjoyable from beginning to end and you'll feel sorry once you've finished reading it (so read slower!) There were moments where you'll laugh out loud; feel anxious for the characters, and feel the tugging of heartstrings. As well as friendships, relationships, and health and fitness, there was also a theme of forgiveness that runs throughout the novel.  A very dramatic and life-changing episode occurs in the middle of the novel which puts a huge strain on the women's friendships: it divides two of the women drastically and pulls the other two in different directions. If you're good at reading between the lines, then you'll already have an inkling at the shock twist that occurs which creates the tension among the group. But even when the secret is revealed and the people involved are exposed, it still hits you like a roller-coaster. It was an original idea and very cleverly written. Going back to the friendship theme, the strength of the women's friendship that was illustrated in the novel is heartwarming - in fact you almost feel as if they're your friends and feel quite protective of them. You'll hate the way Carmen's ex, Simon, tries to worm his way back into her life when it suits him, or how Jonty controls Patrice's every move. Personally, we think she should have dumped him just for being called Jonty! But worst of all was Persephone's - or Percy as she is known as by her friends - predicament. A sweet, dependable lady who's always trying to help other people, she cannot solve her own issues and you really feel for Percy when she becomes deeply entangled in her addiction. There will be times you want to scream at her to stop , so word of warning... don't read Gym and Slimline while using public transport! A fantastic read - which would definitely make a good TV series. THE RECIPE GOES A LITTLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS! FRUITY BREAKFAST OAT SMOOTHIE To tie in with the gym-theme of Gym and Slimline, we thought we'd come up with a healthy smoothie that you can sip while you're reading; have for breakfast... or enjoy post-workout! You can use whatever fruit you like, and use your favourite plant-based milk and yogurt instead of the dairy versions if you wish. You can always add more/less yogurt/milk depending on how thick you like your smoothie to be. It also works well as the base for a smoothie bowl. Although not essential, you could soak the oats and chia seeds in some milk and leave overnight until you're ready to use it the next morning, if you prefer a less coarse texture. Ingredients 1 cup of oatmeal 2 cups milk 1 cup yogurt 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds 1 small banana 1-2 cups of fruit of your choice Maple syrup/honey to taste (optional) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon This is how we do it! 1. Throw all ingredients into a blender. 2. Blend until smooth. 3. Serve immediately. Enjoy - the book and the smoothie! Word cloud by Angel Noire

These days most of us tend to be cappuccino and cake kind of people, but seriously - who doesn't love a good tea party? Especially if it's done properly. This rather elegant pastime is considered to be a quintessentially British pursuit; so much so that in the States, an afternoon tea party is considered to be a regular occurrence for all British people. Well sorry to be the bearer of bad news guys, but most of us from the 'old country' don't even own a piece of fine bone China, never mind use it every day. Most of us can't even remember the last time we used a saucer! On the rare occasions us cappuccino drinkers do drink tea, it's usually from a take-away cup - just like our cappuccinos! But a classic afternoon tea party can be a fabulous occasional treat and is very popular for birthdays, bridal showers, anniversaries... and some married couples opt for a tea party instead of a full on traditional three course wedding breakfast. Tea parties are great for when you feel like being super elegant and refined and want to go overboard with the dress coats, tea dresses, hats, gloves, monocles, pearls... Told you it's not an every day thing! Tea parties can vary in terms of theme, style and food served. Although they are usually considered to be quite formal occasions, they don't always have to be. They're just great fun; ultra relaxing, and a chance to socialize with a cup of tea and a huge slice of cake! However if you choose to go down the formal route, there are certain customs you might want to take heed of. So here's the low-down on tea party etiquette. TEA PARTY ETIQUETTE IF YOU'RE THE HOSTESS: 1. Depending on the occasion and how formal you want to be, you may want to send out proper written invitations rather than to simply text/phone/email them. Just be sure to send out those party invites in plenty of time! 2. Once your guests have arrived and you've greeted them, show them to the table and invite them to sit down. Whether you give them assigned seating or allow them to chose their own seats is up to you. 3. As the hostess, it's your job to serve each of the courses and pour the tea. Make sure the conversation is flowing as much as the tea is, and that your guests have enough to eat and drink. 4. It's fine to arrange for someone else to do the serving if you wish so that you can concentrate on just having a good time with your guests. 5. If you are not able to get outside help and you have a fairly large number of guests, you can nominate a couple of friends to help serve - especially if you know that they will be happy to do so! 6. You might think you are being helpful to your guests by bringing ready-sliced scones to the table but these are always served whole. IF YOU'RE THE GUEST: 1. It's always nice to bring a small gift for the host or hostess. 2. Take your place at the table and wait to be served. 3. Keep your purse or handbag on your lap or behind your chair but not on the table. 4. When the party's over, always send a handwritten note of thanks to your host - preferably within a week. FOR EVERYONE: 1. Place napkins on your lap. If you need to leave the table, leave the napkin on your chair and not on the table. 2. No reaching across the table for anything. If you'd like something, ask someone to pass it to you. 3. It's perfectly acceptable to eat with your fingers - no one eats sandwiches with a knife and fork - but anything that has the potential to be messy should be eaten using the appropriate cutlery. 4. Remember that thick cream is for scones - not for tea! 5. Take small bites of the sandwiches no matter how tiny they are. Don't cram a whole one into your mouth. Now is not the time for party pieces! 6. When eating scones or muffins, break off a bite-size piece, then put a small amount of butter and/or jam on it. If clotted cream is being served, a small amount can be dabbed on after the jam. 7. Don't dip the sugar tong or sugar spoon into your tea if you are taking sugar. 8. Stir the tea with your teaspoon and then place the teaspoon on the saucer behind the cup. 9. If your tea is too hot, simply leave it on the table to cool. Don't blow on it to cool the tea down - and especially not to the point where you're creating a tsunami in a teacup! 10. Slurping is not acceptable... 11. ...And neither is dunking biscuits! 12. Whatever our American friends might say, it really isn't necessary to stick your little finger/pinky out when drinking tea from a teacup. Who does that??? But if that's what you wish to do, then fine! This is of course a rough guide and 'rules' are pretty much up to you.. The most important rules which goes without saying is that everyone should be happy, comfy, well-fed and having fun! Enjoy!!! Images: Pixabay Banner: Angel Noire using Pixabay images Word Cloud: Angel Noire

For many of us, our love affair with banana bread began when we were navigating the bizarre situation that was the lockdown. So 2020 will not only be known as the year when a virus shut the world down, but it will also be the year when the world was given banana bread - in a big way! In fact why there wasn't a shortage of bananas, we don't know. So as an ode to the humble banana bread loaf, we thought we'd zhuzh things up a bit and create these fabulous Triple Chocolate Banana Bread Bars. Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate and banana together? A match made in dessert heaven! Makes: 16 cake bars INGREDIENTS: 250g plain flour 130g butter, softened 100g soft brown sugar 3 ripe bananas 2 eggs, beaten 1tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1tsp. ground cinnamon 1tsp. ground ginger 1tsp. ground cloves 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g chopped nuts (whatever you like!) 50g dark chocolate chips 30g cacao powder 50g milk chocolate chips 50ml milk 50ml condensed milk THIS IS HOW WE DO IT: Preheat oven to 160ºC. Grease and line 2 22cm x 24cm cake tins. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Mash the bananas. How smoothly you mash the depends on whether you like to find big banana chunks in your cake (we do!) Add the mashed bananas to the butter and sugar mixture. Then add the eggs, vanilla and spices. Sieve the flour, baking powder, cacao powder and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and mix well. Add the chocolate chips, nuts and both types of milk and mix well. Spoon mixture into the cake tins. Bake in the middle shelf of oven for about 25 minsutes. Insert a skewer or knife into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean it's ready. Take the banana bread out of the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice into rectangles while in the tin. Remove from tin and scoff. Sharing optional. COOK'S TIP: 1. Instead of making cake bars, this mixture can be used to make loaves or muffins. Just substitute cake tins for loaf tins or muffin tray lined with muffin cases. 2. A good glug of rum can be added to the mixture. Photos: Pixabay Word cloud: Angel Noire

Another year is on the way out and we are all awaiting the new one. Some of us at this moment are preparing for the New Year's Eve bash we're going to throw tonight. Others are excitingly getting ready for the New Year's Eve bash we're going to attend. And for some of us, well it's just a cozy night in as we see the new year in quietly. But all of us will be wondering what 2024 has in store for us... and hoping that it'll be something great! 2023 has been a real roller-coaster of a year for us. During the early part of the year, we were met with a great deal of sadness of which we are still working our way through. The one good thing that came out of it, was the love and support of family and friends who rallied around and let us know that we were far from alone. Everyone always says you know who your real friends are you're going through a crisis. Well I'd like to think that we always knew who our real friends were but this just confirmed it. But it wasn't all heartbreak and devastation. This year was a very busy year with lots of new experiences and travel to places we'd never been to before. I made my annual visit to London to see family and I got to celebrate my birthday with my immediate family for the first time in over a decade, I reckon! We did a road trip with my sister's family which we really enjoyed. We had two lots of friends come over from Britain, had another amazing road trip up to Montreal and our stay there was nothing short of magical. We had an amazing Thanksgiving with The Fella's best friend and his family, and a very peaceful Christmas. Oh and I had my first ever girl's trip! I've never had a holiday with the girls before but at my grand old age, I finally did it and we had great fun. I cannot wait to hang out with the girls again. It really can't come soon enough. And in other events, we saw the coronation of King Charles III. William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales as they move one step closer to the throne. Harry and Meghan were well, Harry and Meghan! Barbie starring Margot Robbie in the title role became a box-office smash with the world going Barbie-pink mad. His obsession with the letter 'X' led owner Elon Musk to rename Twitter well, X (although it'll always be Twitter to us!) And as is sadly the case every year, we said bid farewell to a host of famous stars as they were laid to rest. These included Tina Turner; Suzanne Somers; Lisa Marie Presley; Len Goodman; Shane McGowan; Sir Michael Gambon; David McCullam; Tony Bennett; Paul Reubens; Sir Michael Parkinson; Sinead O'Connor; Jane Birkin; Jerry Springer; Paul Cattermole; Raquel Welch; Burt Bacharach; Tatjana Patitz, and most recently Ryan O' Neal to name just a few. The loss of a person is always hard, and obviously heartbreaking for family and friends. But one loss that sent shockwaves around the world was the passing of Friends star Matthew Perry. For almost three decades he brought laughter into so many people's households - mine included - with his portrayal of the king of sarcasm Chandler Bing. No matter what might have been going on in our lives, an episode of Friends could make everything right in the world again even if it was just for a while. And Matthew contributed to that greatly, and I for one am very grateful May they all rest in eternal peace... And there was further despair around the world, as conflict and bloodshed raged on in certain parts of the world. We saw images of hardship and suffering which is not an easy thing to handle. If it's hard for you to watch these images on a screen, you can only imagine what it's like for the people caught in the midst of such turbulence. We're all hoping that conflict everywhere can be resolved peacefully, and also that there won't be new surge of war or any other disaster next year. We can only hope and pray that 2024 will be happier for us, and a great year all round for everyone. xx Photos and GIFs: Wix Blog graphics: Angel Noire

When I have to teach my students the word 'habit' and how to use it, I often go around the room asking each one of them what their worst habit is, and sometimes the bold ones will turn the tables on me and ask me what mine is. I often respond along the lines of drinking too much coffee or eating too much chocolate. But I've just realized that my worst habit is actually far worse than that. My worst habit is that I am forever starting things and then not finishing them - a habit that stems from childhood. I feel like I should stand up in a room and declare, "Hello. My name's Angel and I'm a quit-aholic. It's been two hours since I abandoned my most recent project." Think I'm joking? Think again! At sixteen, I gave up A-level French because after being top of my French class for years, it came as a shock to find that I was struggling with the language at non-phrase book level. "You give up too easily," said one of my classmates. Well I couldn't argue with that! Fast forward several years and I've lost count of the number of home study courses that are still incomplete; the lessons for singing, dancing, and various instruments that I stopped attending early on; those books that are falling off my bookcase on subjects I'd always said I'd wanted to know more about but never managed to get past the introduction; the language CDs and DVDs which taught me hello and goodbye in many languages but not much else. Then there are the craft kits that are collecting dust, the work-out equipment that looks just as it did when I brought them home from the shops, the blog posts I started last year but haven't got round to finishing; the drafts of plays, short stories, and novels that I always mean to work on; my ideas for new business ventures that remain just that... And these are just the ones I can remember. It all starts off so well with so much interest and enthusiasm. But as soon as I realise that it's not going to be as easy as I thought it would be or I feel I don't possess enough natural talent, I start to lose interest and lack the patience and perseverance necessary to keep going, which explains the reason why I only ever touch upon the basics (if that!) And at long last I've figured out what my problem, no, make that problems are and what lies at the crux of the issue: 1. Having a Finger, Thumb and Toe in Every Pie! As I have waaay too many related and unrelated interests. This leads to sloppy time management as there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything, which in turn leads to an inability to focus because I'm trying to do too much and end up feeling overwhelmed. And many of my likeminded, 'creative type' friends agree with me. We're just so inquisitive and curious about everything and want to give it a go. We have a million things whirling around our heads like a cyclone. And then just as quickly as our interest appeared, it starts to wane, and we then move onto the next big thing. Well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! 2. Being an Impatient Perfectionist I'm someone who wants everything to go swimmingly the first time I attempt it with hardly any error at all. But the realist in me knows that that's totally, um, unrealistic. Although there are some skills you'll pick up almost immediately, there will be plenty more where you'll have to work at it. And if you're dedicated enough, you'll understand that and put the work in. 3. Fear of Failure I have a deep-rooted fear of making a fool of myself. I've always been berated for being more pessimist than optimist, and I always expect things to not go as planned. So I figure, "Well, why bother?" Which is really silly I know considering there's lots of things that have actually worked out very well for me! 4. Procrastination! To top it all off, I have a tendency to procrastinate, especially when I feel that whatever I try to accomplish is never going to culminate in the desired result anyway (see point 3.) And there you have the perfect recipe for never getting anything done! Skipping Through the Day... But without meaning to sound overly dramatic (even though Mr. D says no one does overly dramatic quite like I do) I had a flashback to when I was five and we were practising for sports day at school. I had been put in the skipping race even though I couldn't skip to save my life. Feeling deflated at being laughed at and ridiculed by the other kids, I persuaded my mum to buy me a skipping rope. That weekend she did. From morning until evening honing my skipping skills was pretty much all I did. And do you know what? None of the other kids ever laughed at me again. Do you know why? Because I was lethal with a skipping rope (and not because I tried to whack them with it. Although I probably should have done!) I also remember having incredibly sore legs the next day but I now realise that that was a good thing. No pain, no gain and all that! Recalling this event has restored a lot of my inner confidence. It reminded me that with a lot of determination, hard work, and persistence you really can achieve anything - that's not just talk show host speak! I remember that five year old who had enough fire in her belly to go out there and show everyone that she had what it took. She didn't think that it was too complicated or unachievable. She didn't listen to those who said that she couldn't do it. Perhaps it's time I followed my younger self's example. But then I realized that the determination of my younger self did crop up over the years. It was that determination that helped me achieve two degrees; fulfil my dream of studying drama; train as a florist; pass my driving test (something my dad thought was never going to happen) and carve out a career as an EFL teacher for the past eight years. I certainly didn't give up at the first hurdle there. Maybe I do have it in me to get things done after all. But I do feel angry at myself for allowing this habit to continue for as long as it has. I've missed out on developing new skills and interests not to mention wasting sh**loads of money. But now that I've realized where I've gone wrong, I don't have to allow this habit to continue. So what exactly do I need to do? 1. Prioritize! We all have the same twenty four hours in a day, and for many of us it's not enough. We have to accept that we're only human and we'll never be able to give our full attention to everything at once, and attempting to do so will only end in suffering from burnout. So the key here - after acceptance - is the need to prioritize and concentrate on what's most important to us. I can always give the other interests a go when I've fulfilled these goals. 2. Create a Schedule And once you've figured out what's important to you, make a commitment to dedicate some time each day or each week (even if it's just a little time) to a particular activity or task, and really make a promise to yourself to go for it. After all you owe it to yourself to try - plus if you're anything like me, you'll want to get my money's worth out of all the stuff you've purchased! If you need a little extra guidance, create a list or a schedule. Don't scoff - you'll be amazed at how much you're able to get done, and you'll feel this sense of satisfaction at how much you've achieved. It's also a good way to keep track of your progress. 3. Break it Down You wouldn't try to shove a whole steak in your gob (unless it's a very bizarre party piece!) because we all know things are easier to accomplish in bite-size pieces. So if you are going to create some kind of schedule, remember to break down your tasks. You might have 'practice guitar' on your list of things to do that day, but decide what it is you need to do with regards to practicing guitar. Are there new chords you need to learn? Do you need to work on your sight-reading skills? Perhaps there's a piece of music you need to get right. And if you're 'learning French,' decide what it is you're going to do with regards to your French studies: grammar; watching a French film; learning new vocabulary etc. 4. Understand That Perfectionism Can Be a Goal-killer! Try to stop getting so hung up on being able to do everything perfectly. Accept that we can't all be brilliant at the first attempt, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm always telling my students that with practice and patience, you'll make vast improvements so maybe it's time I took some of my own advice. Until then, I'll just have to accept that I'm going to suck! Who cares if I can't ice a cake properly? I'm not Mary Berry! So what if I can't rock a guitar like Slash? At least I'll have fun trying. I heard someone say recently that it was better to do something badly than not at all, and that is all the inspiration I need (unless of course the doing something badly is flying a plane, performing life saving surgery or firing a gun in which case it really is better not to do them at all!) I'm going to leave you with this fantastic piece of advice from the legend that is Dave Grohl which is a reminder that even the greats don't always start out as great. Sure, you might be pants today, but tomorrow people might be throwing their pants at you while you're rocking out on stage! Right, now I'm off to a car boot sale to buy some sh**ty instruments and start putting all those 'teach yourself' guitar and drum books and DVDs to good use!

While people the world over will be out Trick or Treating, Bobbing For Apples or shaking their tailfeather while donning a super scary costume, those of us who grew up in Britain will know that Before Halloween took over the country, as it did the world, as the most highly anticipated autumnal event, there was another event, celebrated annually in Britain that was once the highlight of the season and also had origins of the macabre and sinister variety - Guy Fawkes Night. Also known as Bonfire Night and informally known as Fireworks Night, this great event takes place on November 5th - just a few days after Halloween. Unfortunately though, Guy Fawkes Night has fallen out of favour a fair bit ever since most of the world - British folk included - decided that they'd rather don costumes, visit haunted houses and partake in other traditions made famous by our American cousins. But while Guy Fawkes Night isn't the biggest event on the British social calendar that it once was, there are still a lot of people who do celebrate the anniversary of the foiled terrorist attack on Parliament back in the seventeenth century. And for those who do choose to celebrate in style, they will partake in traditions such as setting off a plethora of fireworks in their back garden; attending fireworks displays; gathering around the bonfire with their nearest and dearest, as well as indulging in traditional Bonfire Night fare which includes... parkin! WHAT IS PARKIN? Parkin is an ever so delicious baked goody that's as synonymous with Guy Fawkes Night as bonfires, Catherine wheels, and toffee apples. This spiced, sweet treat is traditionally served up on Guy Fawkes Night and is the perfect thing to tuck into while gathered around the glowing flames of a bonfire on a cold, dark night. It's very similar to gingerbread in appearance and taste but it has a different texture as one of the key ingredients is coarsely ground oatmeal. Parkin also contains spices, lots of molasses, treacle or golden syrup which gives parkin its sticky texture. There are two types of parkin - one that hails from Lancashire and the other from Yorkshire. One of the things that's quite unusual about parkin is that you're not supposed to consume it the day it's baked. Instead you leave it in an airtight container for the parkin to 'mature;' so that the flavour develops and the sticky texture intensifies. HOW LONG DO YOU LEAVE IT TO MATURE FOR? Hmm, this depends. Some recipes claim that three to five days is sufficient. Others say seven, some say ten, and there's a couple who tell you to leave it in an airtight container for as long as is humanly possible! The first time we made parkin we consumed it after ten days and it lasted for three weeks. The second time was also left to mature around ten days but unfortunately it didn't keep for more than two weeks after that. It would appear that the more sugar you add to the recipe, the longer the parkin keeps. But we think five to seven days is a good amount of time to allow the parkin to mature. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE PARKIN? Lancashire parkin is lighter, more golden brown in colour as it contains more golden syrup. Yorkshire parkin is darker in colour with a much deeper flavour as it's made with black molasses. If you're a newcomer to parkin it might be an idea to try the Lancashire version first, as some find the Yorkshire version a bit bitter due to the high black molasses content. That might explain why Yorkshire parkin is generally served in wedges topped with stewed apple. Lancashire parkin, on the other hand, is sweeter and tastes a lot more like regular gingerbread. And while not necessarily customary, there's no reason why you can't serve Lancashire parkin with a portion of apple compote because who can say no to apple desserts... though people in Lancashire might beg to differ! THE ORIGINS OF PARKIN While the origins of this deliciously, sticky cake with a spicy kick are not totally clear, we do know that parkin is peculiar to the north of England. Some believe that parkin is older than Guy Fawkes himself and could be linked to Paganism or All Saints Day. But it became more popular in eighteenth century England, and the first mention of parkin by name could be found in court records from 1728, where one Anne Whittaker was accused of stealing oatmeal to make it! Guy Fawkes Night staples such as Parkin and Bonfire Toffee were popular many centuries ago because they were easy to make and kept for a long time. This was the late eighteenth century in England when refined white sugar was very expensive and not easily affordable by those who lived in the poorer northern region of the country. So instead of the refined, white sugar, they opted for its cheaper counterpart - treacle! Another thing that was consumed in large quantities was oatmeal, a less costly cereal. Treacle and oatmeal - the two chief ingredients of parkin! Go ahead and give our recipe a go - we hope you won't be disappointed. INGREDIENTS 8oz/2 cups/227g plain flour 7oz/1 cup/200g soft dark brown sugar 6oz/1 cup/170g medium oatmeal 3 level tsps./9g ground ginger 1 level tsp/3g ground nutmeg (optional) 1 level tsp./3g ground cinnamon (optional) 2" piece of root ginger, peeled and finely grated (optional) 5oz/142g butter 1 egg 3 fl oz/89ml black treacle or black molasses 7 fl oz/207ml golden treacle or golden syrup 1 level tsp./5g bicarbonate of soda 1/4 pint/5 fl oz/150ml of warm milk 1/2 level tsp./3g salt METHOD Preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C/Gas Mark 3 Grease an 8x8 baking tin and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mix oatmeal, flour, spices (including root ginger if using) salt. In a saucepan, place brown sugar, butter, black treacle/molasses, golden treacle/syrup, and gently heat the mixture until sugar has thoroughly melted while taking care NOT to boil the mixture. Remove sugar mixture from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, dissolve the bicarbonate into the warm milk. When sufficiently cool, add the beaten egg and mix well. Pour sugar mixture into the dry mixture and combine well. Add milk mixture and combine well to form a thick, sticky batter. Pour the batter into baking tin and bake for 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into middle of cake comes out clean. The cake should be quite firm and springy. Allow parkin to cool in tin. Remove from tin, remove parchment paper, and cut into squares. As difficult as this may be, place parkin squares in airtight container and leave it in there for at least three days! allow it to sit for at least 3 days before eating. NOTES A lot of the recipes we looked at when trying to make parkin don't necessarily specify a particular type of oats. But we can tell you that Instant oats are definitely out and are not recommended for Parkin. The kind of oats traditionally used when baking parkin are steel-cut oats. We have however used rolled oats and it has been fine. A medium-coarse oatmeal is needed for parkin, so if necessary the oatmeal can be briefly pulsed in a food processor until they are broken down to the required sized pieces. But be careful about overdoing it and pulsing the oatmeal into a fine flour which is not what you want, as you need it to be more on the coarse side in the name of texture! As you know Yorkshire parkin generally uses black treacle/molasses while Lancashire parkin uses golden syrup. However while it may not necessarily be traditional, there's nothing to stop you mixing the two until you get the desired flavour. The ratio of black treacle parts to golden syrup is a matter of personal taste. Yes it's trial and error but a helpful hint is that if you prefer fuller, stronger flavour then head down the Yorkshire route and add more black molasses. But if you would prefer a more milder but still delicious flavour, then go for more of the golden syrup.

Everyone likes a freebie, don't they! When we started the Peppermint Teal site, our focus was on our brand of better living and life-enhancement. AchieveMint... EnjoyMint... Life-EnhanceMint! We wanted to use our experiences and what we've learned over the years and put it all to good use in the hope that we'd be able to help others. And one thing we've learned is that anything that makes your life easier and more manageable is not to be sniffed at. You're like, "Duh! We know that!" Well we know you know that! The question is what are you doing in order to make your life easier and more manageable? What time-saving tips are you using? Are your cluttered surroundings causing you a huge amount of overwhelm? Are you taking steps to create a more stress-free lifestyle? Are you having problems juggling, remembering and managing everything? The problem is that even if you've said yes to even one of these, a lot of people are too overwhelmed to do anything about it, feeling that just a few simple tweaks to their routine or the way they do things, won't really change anything. But that's not necessarily true. Routine, structure, having a place for everything and everything in it's place goes a long way to creating improvements in productivity, organization and efficiency. Which in turn can lead to less stress and overwhelm, and can save time and money. So Peppermint Teal came up with the idea to create a range of free printables which can help with certain aspects of your life which should hopefully lead to easier, more manageable, stress-free living. So we're starting you off with a weekly schedule planner and a blank recipe card which you can use to jot down your healthy, delicious meals, your tasty treats, or your therapeutic bakes! These can be downloaded to use on your device or if you're old-school like us (or you just like pretty printables!) you can always print them out and pop them in a file, stick them on on your wall, your fridge... whatever works best for you. And yes, that's right, it's all FREE!!! But it's only free to members of Peppermint Teal so if you're not already a member, why not sign up now? That's also totally free plus you also get a free self-care eBook!

These days most of us tend to be cappuccino and cake kind of people, but seriously - who doesn't love a good tea party? Especially if it's done properly. This rather elegant pastime is considered to be a quintessentially British pursuit; so much so that in the States, an afternoon tea party is considered to be a regular occurrence for all British people. Well sorry to be the bearer of bad news guys, but most of us from the 'old country' don't even own a piece of fine bone China, never mind use it every day. Most of us can't even remember the last time we used a saucer! On the rare occasions us cappuccino drinkers do drink tea, it's usually from a take-away cup - just like our cappuccinos! But a classic afternoon tea party can be a fabulous occasional treat and is very popular for birthdays, bridal showers, anniversaries... and some married couples opt for a tea party instead of a full on traditional three course wedding breakfast. Tea parties are great for when you feel like being super elegant and refined and want to go overboard with the dress coats, tea dresses, hats, gloves, monocles, pearls... Told you it's not an every day thing! Tea parties can vary in terms of theme, style and food served. Although they are usually considered to be quite formal occasions, they don't always have to be. They're just great fun; ultra relaxing, and a chance to socialize with a cup of tea and a huge slice of cake! However if you choose to go down the formal route, there are certain customs you might want to take heed of. So here's the low-down on tea party etiquette. TEA PARTY ETIQUETTE IF YOU'RE THE HOSTESS: 1. Depending on the occasion and how formal you want to be, you may want to send out proper written invitations rather than to simply text/phone email them. Make sure you send these out in plenty of time. 2. Once you've greeted your guests, show them to the table and invite them to sit down. Whether you give them assigned seating or allow them to chose their own seats is up to you. 3. As the hostess, it's your job to serve each of the courses and pour the tea. Make sure the conversation is flowing as much as the tea is, and that your guests have enough to eat and drink. 4. It's fine to arrange for someone else to do the serving if you wish so that you can concentrate on just having a good time with your guests. 5. If you are not able to get outside help and you have a fairly large number of guests, you can nominate a couple of friends to help serve - especially if you know that they are happy to do so! 6. You might think you are being helpful to your guests by bringing ready-sliced scones to the table but these are always served whole. IF YOU'RE THE GUEST: 1. It's always nice to bring a small gift for the host or hostess. 2. Take your place at the table and wait to be served. 3. Keep your purse or handbag on your lap or behind your chair but not on the table. 4. When the party's over, always send a handwritten note of thanks to your host - preferably within a week. FOR EVERYONE: 1. Place napkins on your lap. If you need to leave the table, leave the napkin on your chair and not on the table. 2. No reaching across the table for anything. If you'd like something, ask someone to pass it to you. 3. It's perfectly acceptable to eat with your fingers - no one eats sandwiches with a knife and fork - but anything that has the potential to be messy should be eaten with a fork. 4. Remember that thick cream is for scones - not for tea! 5. Take small bites of the sandwiches no matter how tiny they are. Don't cram a whole one into your mouth. Now is not the time for party pieces! 6. When eating scones or muffins, break off a bite-size piece, then put a small amount of butter and/or jam on it. If clotted cream is being served, a small amount can be dabbed on after the jam. 7. Don't dip the sugar tong or sugar spoon into your tea if you are taking sugar. 8. Stir the tea with your teaspoon and then place the teaspoon on the saucer behind the cup. 9. If your tea is too hot, simply leave it on the table to cool. Don't blow on it to cool the tea down - and especially not to the point where you're creating a tsunami in a teacup! 10. Slurping is not acceptable... 11. ...And neither is dunking biscuits! 12. Whatever our American friends might say, it really isn't necessary to stick your little finger/pinky out when drinking tea from a teacup. Who does that??? But if that's what you wish to do, then fine! This is of course a rough guide and 'rules' are pretty much up to you.. The most important rules which goes without saying is that everyone should be happy, comfy, well-fed and having fun! Enjoy!!! Images: Pixabay Banner: Angel Noire using Pixabay images Word Cloud: Angel Noire