Birthday number 1

Birthday number one, aka the most expensive two months of my year, all four of my children born between the 28th July and the 28th September. The 'baby' turned fifteen yesterday. I don't know where time goes to, I really don't. It doesn't seem like yesterday that we got the full stop to our family. Birthdays have been so underwhelming for these kids lately, I feel so sorry for them. He was really grateful for everything that he had, though, he loved his Friday Night Dinner card, he couldn't stop laughing at it. He had quite a decent amount of money from family, some Nike Air Max 95 from me and his father, two lovely aftershaves from his big brother, and a Hugo Boss and a Stone Island T shirt from his auntie and uncle in Wigan. So, today, all being well, we are going to Broughton for him to have a look around and spend his birthday money, and if there's time, maybe pop into Wrexham to have a look around there, too. Just get away from here for the day. 

In other news, I may be going back to college this September. After an empowering pep talk from Mr G yesterday - honest to God, that man is my biggest cheerleader, the faith he has in me, I wish I could bottle it and take a spoonful myself. I applied for an access course, but the course I wanted was full up. I am on a waiting list, though, so there may be a space. People change their minds, don't they, or apply for different courses and can only end up taking one. Failing that, I will apply for the course for next September, having finally decided which access course I want to take. In the meantime, I have applied for two other courses, to ease me back in to study and refresh my memory on a few things that I already know, or didn't bother to learn the first time around. That's the difference between studying as an adult and a kid, when you do it as an adult, it's because you want to. As a child, it's usually because you have to. I was lucky enough to be so clever that I could wing school, wing examinations. The downside to that, though, is that I was selective in what I could be arsed learning. So, all being well I am going to take my English language GCSE again - I got a B for this when I was in school, and even if I can't improve on the grade (how embarrassing would it be if I got a lower grade?), there was so much I didn't pay attention to in class, cherry picking what bits interested me (writing) and ignoring what didn't at the time (grammar). The other course is something purely for me, a creative writing course. Super excited about that, and hopefully there are still spaces for this.  

Thankfully, it's a bit cooler now. The rain we had on Tuesday, though? I've never seen anything like it in my life, and I've seen some downpours. I snapped a quick picture through my living room window, this was within seconds of the heavens opening. 

Look at how the roof is bowed down, and if you look at the left of the picture, you can see the water just pouring off from the side. Naturally, we didn't get out for a walk.

I'd been suffering with a really bad toothache in my wisdom tooth all day on Tuesday, the pain was going through my jaw, up into my head, and down my neck. I was feeling really sorry for myself. I was on the bare bones of my freezer. One step away from freezer gravel. I had some chicken thighs and after seeing many glowing reports online about Two Chubby Cubs chicken shawarma, from their second book, I decided to give it a try. I absolutely adore RecipeTin Eats version, but it can be high in syns due to the amount of olive oil it uses. My philosophy is, you don't know unless you try, and I'm glad I tried this because it was gorgeous. Very similar to Nagi's version, albeit a little spicier. I did use a little bit of oil in the marinade, but not as much as her version. So now, I have three different shawarma recipes in my repertoire! Happy with that. 

I served the chicken with some Greek Lemon Potatoes, from the RecipeTin Eats blog. I know it's not what you'd traditionally have with shawarma, but we literally had nothing in, and Mr G's shifts have been wacky this week. They were really tasty, similar principle to the Oxo roasties, 'roasting' them in stock, garlic and herbs. 

Mr G is back in work on the early shift tomorrow, so after he finishes at 11.45 am, he is off then until 3.15 on Monday. It's all right for some, isn't it? On Sunday we are going to watch Cru v West Wales in Colwyn Bay, and the oldest and youngest are coming with us. The oldest hasn't seen them play live before, has zero interest in sport, but I think the Wrexham lager bar may be a draw for him!