Happy New Year !

Hi and Happy 2011 ! We are returned from a peaceful break at Labour of Love and we are all back to work and school, as of today. So, it's back to life as we know it and also back to the blog. I have decided to make this entry a kind of New Year life wish list, so I can look back on it next year, and see how I get on...

Meanwhile, I cooked my very first meal in the new oven at Labour of Love - Christmas Dinner ! It is great to have a cooker there now, I don't know how we have managed these last four or so years without one ! I managed to forget the pigs-in-blankets - why is there always something that I forget...

I have not stopped cooking during my brief absence from the blog, for the last two nights Cupcake and I have baked our own brown soda bread - this is Nigel Slater's 'Lazy Loaf' recipe from his recent 'Simple Suppers' tv programme. Here is a link to the recipe here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/nigels_lazy_loaf_71344

I will add some photos later..it really is just the most amazingly easy recipe. This is the first time I have made bread, there's none of that faff with yeast, and Biscuit Boy actually thought the bread was from a bakers - Ha!

I have been also been considering some Fitness goals and read about the most amazing marathon today in the January 2011 edition of Runner's World, it is based in Northumberland. Yes, you read me correctly.. a marathon !!!! Could this be the year I actually run a marathon... This marathon is run around a lake and is hilly, so my kind of race. This year was it's first year and it was organised by Steve Cram... although I can't remember the name of the actual event at the moment - Tsk! The scenery is stunning and as you know I'm a sucker for a nice view.

So, maybe a marathon, just not any old marathon...

I've also been thinking about coaching.. We all went along to the Running Event at Olympia in December where I met a lady from Run In England. They offer training to become a Running Fitness Coach which then allows you to run (literally :o)) training sessions to get beginners into running. I really like the idea of this. I enjoy running so much and I would love to get other people involved.

Here's their website:  http://www.runinengland.co.uk/

I still haven't found a local yoga class that I can actually get to... although there is one that I plan to try out very soon, so watch this space to see how that goes.. I also want to try and swim at least once per week so that is something else to add to 'the list'.

Lastly, this blog. I realise I need to get more linked in, linked into facebook and twitter and linked into different fitness and food related web sites..

I think I'm getting there, but there's some way to go yet, which is exactlly how I like it.