Completed: number 39 Enjoy a romantic meal

Completed number 39 yesterday as I went out with Iain to celebrate his 40th. Basically the aim of this item on my list is to celebrate his birthday. There is exactly 6 weeks between our birthdays so I am married to my toy boy! Ha ha

Here is Iain in his new Liverpool top which he got. I bought him a ticket for Reading Festival back in August so he could see the Cure. He also received some other lovely gifts and money too.

We went to the London Street Brasserie (http://www.londonstbrasserie.co.uk/) in reading for a meal after a few cocktails in town. Thank you Julie for babysitting.

Iain says that we can't spoil the romantic mood by having a photo at a posh restaurant for my blog! It is apparently my mid-life crisis blog not his. Ha ha

Completed: Number 8: Cycle the Reading Monopoly Board (with Claire)

On Monday Claire and I did something a little crazy but great fun! We cycled around the sites on the the Reading Monopoly board.

Take a look at the whole new page I have created - there are so many photos!!

Completed number 38: Enjoy afternoon Tea.

Spent the afternoon today with Kaye at the Red Lion Hotel in Henley-on-Thames (http://www.redlionhenley.co.uk/index.html) - what a lovely time we had.

Here we are enjoying our afternoon tea- notice our pinkies!!

 

First we had a glass of bubbly

Our selection of sandwiches included cucumber and egg mayonnaise. Then the selection of cakes included fruit cake, scone with cream and jam and a slice of lemon cake.

Close up of cakes!!

Kaye enjoying the food.

Thank you Kaye for the lovely afternoon.

Completed number 30: Create a number of brain or neuron models using art and crafts (and food)

What I have made:

1.   Painted a neuron covered plate

2.   Made a beaded neuron

3.   Created a pipe cleaner neuron

4.   Made a chocolate brain

5.   Fondant brain

 1. Painted a plate

The Friday friends spent an evening at Arty Giraffe (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arty-Giraffe/108365842520133?ref=ts#!/pages/Arty-Giraffe/108365842520133) painting a plate.

Here we are enjoying our painting time.

 

 

We took nibbles and wine but didn't have time to eat!! Too busy being creative.

  

Our creations before they are fired in the kiln (pencil burns away)

 

 

Here is a close up of my plate before being fired.

 
Fired plate

 

 

 Everyone signed the back of my plate - see it says Neurons!!

It is my artistic interpretation of neurons (brain cells) from the dentate gyrus in the brain. My plate was inspired by the Brainbow – a new technique used by Harvard Scientists to look at neurons in the brain.

Here is the inspiration photo:

 

 http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow#

However the girls think my plate looks more like a plate of sperm (how rude!!). In that case I am going to start a rumour that if you eat from the plate you /or your partner will fall pregnant!!! (ha ha) If it looks like sperm then it can still be linked to being forty – life begins at forty and sperm start life (ha ha ha). Of course when held upside down it looks like tears and could also be linked to being forty and crying because of getting old!!!! (hahaha)

Either way it was a great evening painting and I love my plate.

 

2.  A beaded neuron – here is a photo and link to show how to make one.

 http://brainu.org/bead-neuron

3. A pipe cleaner neuron – made during an OU Science open day earlier this year

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmodel.html

 

Neuron diagram - my beaded and pipe cleaner neuron look like this!! Hurray

4. A chocolate brain – made using my brain ice cube tray. Brain freeze anyone??

 

5. Fondant brain – made by Sarah for my 40^th Birthday cake.
 

 

Number 16

This one has changed. It was fly away. This will not happen in 2012 so can not be the part of the blog. We booked a balloon trip and had to specify 4 dates for the next year. I selected first week in September, October (near Iain's birthday), April 2013 and September 2013. As we have not heard then it can not be one of the dates this year!! Oh well something to look forward to next year!!

Pippa has booked a session for the Friday friends to go on a Segway. This will, probably be in December - if the weather is ok!!