Product of the Month

No, my 'XYZ of the Month' posts are not going to become a regular thing.... yet.  I've just happened to come across a second product in October which I am thoroughly appreciating - Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shampoo! 

Sure, it's not the first minty shampoo on the market and it's not the first minty shampoo I've used but something about this particular one... I'm liking a lot.

You see, I have skin which is easily irritable :(  I have a daily moisturising regime (time consuming but necessary) and I use certain products to minimise skin flaking, which consequently minimises ezcema episodes.  Dermatologists are a nice bunch, but I don't really want to see them too often.

I've never really fussed too much about the scalp/skin on my head.  No matter what shampoo I used, my scalp would eventually start flaking to the point that I found it essential to periodically switch to using Head & Shoulders or some other anti-dandruff shampoo.  I tried using baby shampoo and that was great but .... it's baby shampoo and I want to use adult stuff!  I also realised that Herbal Essences and Garnier products make my scalp itch as soon as I crack open the bottle.  I'm not keen on using tar shampoo (bleah!) or anti-dandruff shampoo daily.  That just sucks.

Smee had used the mint shower gel previously and was keen on trying the shampoo.  I do like the minty smell so I tried it on my own hair.... and I really liked it!  My scalp felt really clean and better still, no itchiness has developed for past few weeks!  I can throw away those anti-dandruff bottles!  I think it might be the tea-tree.

I like this shampoo so much I would recommend it to anyone who has flaky scalp issues.  At £2 a bottle, it costs less than most of the sandwiches at Pret and I have seen it on sale for £1 at Boots.  I think I might start stockpiling it! :D

Kt's Milestone

Kt was hitting a milestone, so what do we do?  Go to a bar and celebrate in style with martinis all around!

1...2...3...4!!!  Yes, we are proof that age is no barrier to cheesiness and lame posing.

Speaking of cheese, anyone up for crumbed-coated, fried camembert?  I, along with about 50% of the crew ordered this for our starter expecting a small portion ... not an entire cheese round!

But I must thank the person who thought of frying camembert because it was just simply delicious and not as heavy as I expected.  Excuse me while I give myself a slow heart attack. 

I ate the whole thing!  That is pretty disgusting when you think about it, but I was staa@.@rrrving, it was yummy and my red wine hopefully countered all the bad effects. *looks side to side*

I forgot to photograph my grilled salmon main.  It was nice but nothing significant.  But yee-haw, I was looking forward to dessert - pavlova.

J and I were a little disappointed.  It wasn't a proper pavlova - it was just two meringues and cream!  None of that fluffy egg white business.  :(

For whom we did not have a special cake, Kt was given her own special pav with candles.  Awwww... *clap clap*

We stayed until the music started going bizarro after which the bright glow of artificial light signaled that we were no longer welcome and we should head off to our respective beds.  Finally, I also must thank Kt (fanks babe!!) for her super-generosity for providing our nutrients for the night!  Happy, happy birthday babe! *clap clap*

Getting ahead of myself

As if I don't already have enough time consuming activities, I couldn't resist buying Cath Kidston's latest offering Sew!  Hey, it was only £9 (RRP £15) on Amazon!!

When was the last time I used a sewing machine?  Oh about 5 years ago when I went through an underwear making phase and Lil Miss J, Meme and I had grand ideas about establishing an underwear brand.  The bra I made actually fit me!

Ms. Kidston's prints are divine and sometimes I daydream about going into her shop to buy reams and reams of her fabric.  I dunno wtf for given that I DON'T HAVE A SEWING MACHINE in London but alas that is a small technicality.  For the seasoned seamstress the patterns and techniques are probably a little basic but hey I'm far from seasoned.  The best bit about the book is that it comes with pre-cut fabric for you to make the bag featured on the front cover. *gasp!!*

For now, I think this book will sit cosily on my bookshelf ready for the day I can devote some time to indulge in my hobbies. *dreamy face*

Cheesy Sausage!

After a recent trip to Austria, Smee's friend, Mr Vienna brought us back one of our vices as a gift - a sausage.  But this is not your everyday sausage, this was a cheesy sausage!

That's right, the yellow bits are not pieces of lard (although one could argue it is) but rather they are pieces of cheese! 

So happily chopping up the sausage. 

I have to admit, it was very tasty indeed and after some light grilling, it goes down very well with a piece of toast.  Yummo!

Flavour of the month

I do love M&S and the seasonal foods they offer.  Today Smee and I came across their 'apple juice spiced with vanilla, cinnamon and clove'.  Mmmmmm I put carton immediately into our basket.

It tastes exactly like liquid apple pie!!!  Yep, it's like an apple juice/zubrowska mix but non alchoholic!!

It certainly is getting us in gear for the upcoming Winter and Christmas season and after drinking it, I also had the urge to mix it with warm red wine in a silly attempt to make a weird-ass mulled wine.  (Yes, I know mulled wine is more citrusy and not apple-y).  Hmmm, I do wonder what the juice would taste like with a dollop of ice cream in it, like a juicy, non-carbonated, apple-pie version of an ice-cream spider, but the more I think about that, the more disgusting it seems.