Burns Night

Och Aye the Noo!

Wee, Sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie...

Well, this part of the post isn't so much about my 30 things, but more something that should have been on my list!

Last Friday (25th January) was Robert Burns Day and I decided some time ago that I should host a Burns Supper. I did the usual optimistic inviting of folk on Facebook thinking that, if I was lucky, I might get 6 people agreeing to be fed animal entrails whilst I  attempt to recite poetry in Scots tongue at them. 

Well, it was a little more popular than that, and in the end I had to cram 19 people into my not-so-large flat. Surprisingly it was actually quite comfortable! 

Party Time!

There was plenty to eat (oatcakes, shortbread, cheese, scottish salmon, tunnocks, cranachan, and of course haggis, neeps and tatties) and plenty to drink (irn bru, whisky, ale, mcewans) and there were some fine recitals of Burns' works (Rob doing the address to the haggis was fantastic) and some less so (sorry Ciaran, whilst your recital was *hilarious*, the Scottish accent needs a bit of work!!). 

All in all a fantastic evening, at least it looked like it through my ever-so-slightly red-wine-tinted glasses!

Dave, Laura, Suze & Alan
preparing to fry!

But the HIGHLIGHT of the evening came when... *drumroll*... we cracked out the homemade deep fried mars bars (the deep fried Tunnocks teacakes weren't so bad either!). 

When my brother told me he was planning to bring the ingredients to make these bad boys, I thought there was no way in a million years he would actually do it - sorry Michael, but you have to admit that you don't always follow through with your plans. 

But he did.

And they were excellent. 

My first deep fried mars bar - should definitely have been on the list!

Deep Fried Goodness - this photo includes mars
bar, tunnocks tea cakes and cranachan!

Cheese Problems

What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho Cheese!

(Not what you're thinking...you filthy so and so!)

I have realised I have no idea how to go about making cheese - any ideas?! Anyone want to join me for this? Leave your ideas in the comments boxes!

Talking to Strangers

OK, so I am starting to really regret one of my list choices: 

#24 - Strike up 30 conversations with people I wouldn't have otherwise spoken to.

I think that most people might be wondering why the hell I put this in here. The reason  is because, when it comes to people I don't know, or being in an environment that I'm not so comfortable in or having no reason to talk to someone, I am fairly shy and just a bit crap.  

For example, people in work, not on my team, and who I don't know - I would never strike up a conversation or be the first to talk. When I see them in the street I don't even say hi - not because I don't want to or because I want to be rude. It's just because I'm shy or I assume they don't recognise me and I don't want to look like a kn*b. But then afterwards I get annoyed at myself and wish I'd been better and after all it is just nice to be nice.

So, I included the above in the list as a means of self improvement and trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. 

BUT this is proving to be much much much more difficult than I thought...what do you say to someone? How do you even go about striking up a random conversation?

Aaaaarrrrghhh!  

It's not all bad news though, there may be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. The other night I texted a friend (about something totally unrelated) and she asked me if I would like to go speed dating at the Science Museum. I have said yes, not in the hope of finding love (get the feeling I'm not going to meet my 'type' at an event where you have to pay a tenner to chat to some girls)but because I'm hoping to strike at least 10 of the 30 off my list! 

Ingenious, right? It's a start and I probably shouldn't be paying to do this... there must be other ways - give me some suggestions people!

Time to be off! Hope you're all having a happy Wednesday!