Hold your horses

Jedného dňa prišla princezná s týmto nápadom : Nechceš ísť na kone? Akože, prečo nie, ale nikdy predtým som na koni nesedela...Vraj to bude v poho.

One day Princess came with this idea : Do you want to ride a horse? Well, why not, but I have never done that before...She said that it was cool.

Išli sme sem a musím povedať, že to bolo úžasné. Stálo ma to £25, dostala som k dispozícii čižmy (ako frajerka som prišla v teniskách), vyplnila som nejaký dotazník o mojich jazdeckých schopnostiach (to bolo rýchle) a začali sme lekciu. Bola som vo dvojici s Leom, láska na prvý pohľad.

We went to this place and I must say, it was amazing. I paid £25, I could borrow boots (I came in sneakers) , I filled in a form about my riding abilities (that was quick) and we started the lesson. I was paired with Leo, and it was love on the first sight.



Prvú pol hodinu sme robili jednoduché cvičenia, aby sme vedeli koňa aspoň trochu ovládať, uviesť ho do pohybu, zastaviť alebo otočiť. Pani, ktorá nás mala na starosti bola veľmi milá a trpezlivá, rovnako ako koníky. Potom sme vyrazili na prechádzku.... na koni.

We spent half an hour doing some easy exercises, like make the horse to turn or make him move. The lady who took care about us was very patient and so were the horses. Then we went for a walk...I mean, on the horse.

This one was very lazy

Bolo to jednoducho úžasné. Nikdy by som nepovedala, že mi to tak učaruje. Snáď sa mi podarí čoskoro sa tam vrátiť.

It was just awesome. I would have never guessed that I would like it so much, but I did. I hope I will return soon.

4 star hotel

Prevádzkujeme štorhviezdičkový hotel, aspoň sa tak niekedy cítim. Máme jednu voľnú izbu a dvere vždy otvorené. Ja sa nesťažujem, zistila som, že ma veľmi baví to upratovanie/pripravovanie/varenie, je to stresujúce ale najväčšou odmenou je, keď vidím, že sa u nás hostia cítia ako doma.

We run a 4 star hotel, at least that's how I feel sometimes. We have a spare room and the door open for visitors. I actually like when someone comes to stay with us for a while. I like all the cleaning/tiding/cooking around, it's stressful but the best reward for me is to see when the guests feel like at home.

Hosťovská izba pred

Our guest room before

a po

and after

Ako dezert som na prvý večer pripravila čokoládový koláč...ale tak rýchlo sa minul, že som ani nestihla spraviť fotky. Recept je veľmi tajný, bol mi zverený ako takmer členovi rodiny keď som pracovala vo Francúzsku.

I baked a cake for dessert the first night, but...it was gone so quickly that I wasn't able to make any pictures. Faster than scone. This recipe is very secret and I got it from a family I worked for in France, since I was almost a family member.

French fondant au chocolat (secret family recipe)

200g dark chocolate (more than 50% cacao)
250g unsalted butter
5 eggs
1 tbsp flour
250g sugar

Let the chocolate and butter melt in a big bowl in micro wave. Stir thoroughly until smooth, add eggs (one by one), sugar and flour. Grease a smaller cake tin (I have 20x20cm) and bake at 200 degrees for around 30 minutes. The surface should be crunchy but the middle soft and even a bit liquid.

200g horkej čokolády (aspoň 50% kakaa)
250g masla
5 vajec
1 pl múky
250g cukru

Do väčšej misky nalámeme čokoládu, pridáme maslo a necháme to rozpustiť v mikrovlnke. Miešame pokým nám nevznikne hladká hmota, pojednom pridáme vajíčka, múku a cukor. Vymastíme a vysypeme menší plech (ja mám asi 20x20cm), pečieme na 200 stupňov asi 30 minút. Na povrchu by mal mať koláč škrupinu, ale vo vnútri by mal byť jemný a ideálne ešte trochu tekutý.

Grown up dinner

Už sú to takmer dva mesiace, čo sme sa presťahovali do nového. Zatiaľ je všetko úplne skvelé a mám to tu veľmi rada. Nerozumiem len jednej veci, prečo všetci susedia sú 65+. Ale aspoň sa tu nekonajú žiadne divoké večierky a neschádzajú podivné individuá.

It has been almost two months since we moved in the new flat. So far, it has been just amazing. I love it. I just don't understand why all our neighbours are 65+. At least they don't throw wild parties.

Jedného dňa, zrovna keď sme si obúvali topánky a vyrážali do práce, nás zastihol jeden zo susedov. A ako sa ukázalo, bol to Sused s veľkým S. Verím tomu, že každá bytovka má takéhoto Suseda, ktorý vie o všetkých ostatných úplne všetko a hlavne sa o to veľmi rád podelí. Takže ten náš hneď skraja vynadal Gangsta-ovi že parkuje tam, kde nemá, potom nám porozprával, že Pam a John sú v Španielsku, že vnučka od Pat síce žije v Chichestri ale nechodí sem často, že Nigel sa tiež oženil so ženou s Východu (čo myslí tým "tiež"?????). Samozrejme sme vôbec netušili, kto títo ľudia sú, asi ďalší susedia, jediné, na čo som sa mohla sústrediť bolo zdvorilo sa usmievať a snažiť sa ujsť, už aj tak sme meškali. Boli sme takí domotaní, že sme si ani nevedeli spomenúť, ako sa Sused volal. Gangsta povedal "Myslím, že povedal, že sa volá Tim Burton." "Akože TEN Tim Burton?"

One day, just before leaving for work, we met our neighbour. And as it turned out, it was THE neighbour. I believe that every block of flats has this one particular person who knows everyone and everything about all the others and loves to share his knowledge. So the our told Gangsta off for parking where we shouldn't, told us that Pam and John are in Spain, that the granddaughter of Pat lives in Chichester but don't come to see her very often, that Nigel has also married a girl from the East (what he means with "also"????). Anyway, I had no ideas who these people are, apparently the other neighbours, the only thing I could do was to smile politely and try to make the move, because we were really late. After all these names, we were so confused that we didn't remember the name of THE neighbour. Gangsta said "I think it was Tim Burton." "You mean THE Tim Burton?"

V jednu krásnu slnečnú nedeľu niekto klopal na dvere. Najskôr vypukla panika ale potom sme sa odvážili otvoriť a tam stál Tim so ženou a pozvali nás k nim na večeru. Jééééj.
Tak sme kúpili kvety a víno a pripravili sa na našu prvú dospelácku večeru.

Another day, lovely sunny Sunday, someone knocked on the door. First we panicked but then opened the door and there was Tim and his lovely wife and they invited us for dinner at their place. Yaaay.
So we bought flowers and wine and got ready for our first grown up dinner.

  

 Boli sme pripravení na najhoršie, dokonca sme mali v rukáve aj možné konverzačné témy (1.) Máte pekný koberec/gauč/stôl, kde ste ho kúpili? 2.) Kde ste bývali predtým? 3.) Máte vnúčatá? - tvrdý kaliber do veľmi trápneho dlhého ticha). Na počudovanie sme nič z toho nemuseli použiť, veľmi príjemne sme sa bavili. Jediný okamih, keď som prestala počúvať bol asi tak v polovici 15 minútovej historky o uhlovej kríze v päťdesiatych rokoch a Margaret Thatcherovej.

We were ready for the worst, made a list of possible conversation topics (1.) what a lovely carpet/sofa/table, where did you buy it? 2.) where did you live before? 3.) do you have any grandchildren? -> this one was for the special occasion when the awkward silence would be way too long) . But surprisingly we didn't have to use any of those, we had a really nice time! The only moment when I stopped listening was in the middle of 15 minutes long story about the coal crisis in late 1950's and Margaret Thatcher.

Dúfam, že nabudúce príde aj Johnny Depp.

I hope next time Tim will invite also Johnny Depp.

No a čože sme jedli? Ako predjedlo sme mali (pomenujme veci správnymi menami) rybičkovú nátierku na toastoch ( ako sa Gangsta neskôr priznal "Som si chcel tú misu s nátierkou pritiahnuť a jesť to lyžicou" )

And what did we eat? As a starter we had Smoked Mackerel Pate on toasts (as Gangsta said afterwards "I just wanted to grab the bowl with the pate and eat it with a spoon")

Smoked Mackerel Pate

200g smoked mackerel fillet

150g yogurt

finely grated zest and juice 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp Tabaco sauce

2 tbsp fresh parley

200g údenej makrely

150g jogurtu

najemno nastrúhaná kôra a šťava z pol citróna

1/2 ČL Tabasca

2 PL čerstvého petržlenu