Procrastination vs. Freedom

The last 3 months have been nothing but hard work, it has been  re-re-revision of topics I have learnt over the last 5 years. Never did I think that the day of finals would finally arrive, and when it did, I was bloody scared! As many of you are probably aware from the days of school, revision is DULL. Looking over work that you kind of already know, but maybe not as well as you should is just boring.  

Since the beginning of December the hard work really started, and with my finals being a mixture of practical and written exams it was hard to balance out revision to really feel well prepared. Luckily I have friends on my course and morale was kept high by endless cups of tea and biscuits and lets not forget the yearly purchase of new coloured pens to make 'pretty' revision notes. 

Revision - I hope I never have to do this again. Well at least not for a little while. 

'Putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time'. Does this sound familiar? Well this is the definition of procrastination. Something I have become a master at. For some unknown reason, whenever I have exams I feel the need to put my life on hold. No enjoyment. Not even a 3 hour trip to the cinema. NO. I - MUST - REVISE. However, if I am to closely scrutinise my revision days, half of it is spent procrastinating! Here is a list of my favourite procrastination activities....

1. Showering. 
During revision time, a shower becomes a revision break. What normally should take 10 mins or 20 mins if you have to shave your legs becomes an hour long activity! Ooh check out this fancy new shower gel. Or, lets dry my hair today really thoroughly by sectioning it off into 1 inch pieces!

2. Internet shopping.
I said this year because of final stress, that I wouldn't be able to go enjoy the sale shopping. So instead I have ventured into internet shopping. What could have been an afternoon out in the fresh air shopping, actually turned into probably 8 hours of scouring websites, and spending too much on postage! I have purchased a new work handbag, a fishtank and a dress from asos, which was awful and has been sent back. 

Happy Fish - Fatty and Pumpkin.

3. YouTube. 
I'll just spend 10 mins watching the ShayTards. Oh wait, and hour and a half has gone by and I have found myself watching videos of how to create fishtail plaits. FML.

YouTube: Great source of entertainment, but such a time waster. 

4. Blogging. 
Ha. Although I am enjoying it. This was definitely a 'putting off and deferring action' so I didn't have to learn the Cranial Nerves.

5. Cleaning and organising. 
Yep. Spent 20 mins organising my sock draw and saucepan cupboard. I also contemplated organising my wardrobe in colour order. I resisted. 

 Great Escape - tidying. 

6. Food Shopping. 
Daily walks to Sainsbury's to try maintain my sanity. 

This is brain food right?

7. Eating. 
I have put on 1 stone of weight, due to comfort and revision eating. It is already a bad time being post Christmas but this extra weight is not helping by self esteem.

8.Daily Mail Online. 
Yep, I am not embarrassed to declare my love for Daily Mail. I enjoy reading about Helen Flanagan's new shoes and controversial photos. And of course Liz Jones' articles are always a weekly source of amusement.

9. Facebook.
Think we are all suckers for Facebook. Facebook is not good for your psyche!

10. Daydreaming about how I want to spend my freedom. 

Freedom: The power or right to act , speak,  or think
as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

So, you may ask, how is Freedom? Well. Just as BORING! ahah. I am two days post exams, and I have no idea what to do with myself. I had all these great plans, I wanted to shop, party, see friends, learn to ballroom dance, climb up Snowdon, read the new book by JK Rowling, watch Les Miserables  bake, go to London for the day, travel to Paris, buy new makeup, go real sale shopping, watch Homeland series....the list goes on. But now I am here. I don't want to do anything. Why is life so cruel?! 

Even the thought of making lunch, makes me go ugh do I have to. It seems when you are stressed, you are able to get a lot done in one day, but when you have nothing to do, you put things off, and you find the days are wasted. Having said that I have enjoyed a post finals night out which was great fun, and I also watched Les Miserables. On a side note, what a LONG film - it probably wasn't the best of ideas going to see it hungover. I feel only Titanic should be 2 and half hours long. 

Forgetting how to relax....

I think what I have learnt, is that relaxation is key in all parts of life. Knowing how to wind down after a hard days work is extremely important. We all have our own ways of relaxing whether it be to take a bath, have a glass of wine, see friends and family, enjoying our hobbies. Or it may even be more simple such as putting on the telly to watch mindless programmes like Take Me Out. The anti climax of finishing finals, has made made me realise that you need to relax first, so that you have the get up and go to do the things that you really want to. So, tonight I am not going to set an alarm. I am going to wake up when by body clock tells me, I may watch Sunday Kitchen, and then if I want, I may make a snowman. I am not going to make a To Do list, I am just going to see where the day takes me, and ignore that underlying guilt of 'I should be doing this...' and am going to be happy with the choices I have made. 

And on that note. Goodnight.  

Buche de Noel

This was the first Christmas without my sister. Whilst she spent time with her fiancée at his families house, my parents and I spent it with my Grandad. I must admit it was slightly strange. I forgot how much I relied on my sister to entertain me on Christmas mornings, before present openings or cooking preparations  Luckily, we had the beach near by to go look at, although our favourite tea shop was closed! Who would have thought!! I did get to have a celebratory diet coke at a local pub, so not all was lost.

Christmas Waves

I think my sister found it odd as well, seeing other families Christmas traditions. Our traditions include chocolate coins, and a bottle of Matey from Father Christmas. A trifle for those who don't like Christmas pudding and the angel is ALWAYS the last thing to decorate the tree with. Ohh...and there is usually a pint of bread sauce! 

And if at home we will normally go for a walk in one of our favourite places during the daytime and then when we arrive home its all hands to the deck to help mum make dinner. One thing I love when you meet other families out on Christmas day is that everyone smiles and wishes each other a Merry Christmas. There's also a certain silence in the air. On boxing day however everything is back to normal again. Heads down, people going about their jobs, no 'Merry Boxing Day'. It such a shame it's only one day of the year! 

So. This year we decided to have two Christmases! Yes! That means two Christmas dinners, two lots of pulling crackers and two lots of 'Oh my goodness, I can't move, I have eaten too much. Diet. Starts. Tomorrow!'. It also meant consuming nearly 2 pints of bread sauce! Oh dear. 

As an avid follower of Mary Berry (and may I add, this love was way before British Bake off Days!), I decided to test out her Christmas Yule Log recipe, aka Buche de Noel.

Hi Mary. 

Here is her recipe....http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/yule_log_15656

So you ask, how did it turn out? Well, better than expected. Mary Berry recipes are always the best. Simple and to the point.

The Buche. 

Here are a few photos of the making of the Buche....

Step 1: Rolling
 Mary said to dust with icing sugar. I think I made a snow storm!

Step 2: The Ganache. 
Thank goodness I was able to cover up the above mess with all of this yummy yummy chocolate!

Step 3:  Finishing the article.
Can we eat it yet!

Here are a few of my tips if you fancy this recipe. 

The Cake Mixture

* When whisking the eggs and sugar do it to a point where the mixture leaves a permanent trail when you hold it up. I think this is what they call soft peaks, but I'm not sure!

A Tight Roll

* Take it out exactly at 8-10 mins. If you leave it any longer the cake will dry out, and it won't roll as well, and you may get cracks. 

*You need 4 hands to roll! (You'll need a friend because I am not sure if using your feet will work!)

* Don't keep checking it when its cooling. I was so proud I kept going up to it and prodding it. I think it's probably best to just leave it and let it cool, so that you don't provoke it into cracking or falling apart. I was too tempted though!

The Ganache

* Depending on your taste, maybe half dark half milk chocolate. To sweeten you could add icing sugar and vanilla essence.

*Also Mary's recipe makes ALOT of ganache. I did 2/3rds what she said, and I still had plenty to lick the bowl with. 

Finishing Off

* Don't leave it in the fridge if you don't have to. I did and it dried out, but then I left it out for the next day, and it was much tastier!

And does a Buche de Noel just have to be for Christmas...I hope not.  I think you could happily make this in the summer, and somehow incorporate summer fruits in the inside of the roll. Or perhaps flavour the cream. You could also decorate the outside with summer fruits or make a fruit coulée. A Buche de Noel should be renamed A Buche de Annuel! (Bad Joke!) 

Anyway, the dessert went down very well.  I thoroughly enjoyed making the Buche. It was challenging but not impossible. Another classic from Mrs Berry. 

Thanks Mary!