Tues 27th Jan

January is weird isn't it, lulls you into a false sense of security that there's lots of time and then suddenly boom - tis march. My new book - well the adapted / updated / extracted pocketbook version of Imperfectly Natural Woman is out march 3rd and I'm totally undecided as to whether to have a proper launch party. For the last book we held a bash at the BBC club and it was great, all sort of BBC types popped in from 6 music, Radio 4 and the Asian network and jostled alongside journalists and celebs (my old mate Mari Wilson was there for our mini Wilsations reunion) and of course the really important people - the lovely companies who help support the website with ads and promotions etc.

Trouble is theres a credit crunch and finances are tight. Add to that the problem that parties are a ton of work to organise and trust me if I do it I like to do it well with amazing goody bags full of eco /natural stuff, all that takes time and energy....one bit of me says is it actually 'greener' to do nowt ? save the cash and put the time to better use and put the effort into marketing to sell more books....mmm....its also my birthday though march 4th so I'll be feeling decidedly mis if I do literally nowt.

Maybe a virtual party ? what do you think ?

Wed 21st Jan

Happy birthday to Fiona who is my right hand gal (21 again) and on the day I hand over a pressie to her she is sorting out for me the very thing I need to crack on with this raw food lark, a mini food processor, seems so obvious now I think about it, I've been trying to puree up and make humous and the like in a whopping great big smoothie maker and its tricky. if only I could have a new kitchen with a bit more work surface space too, no pressure there then ! clesrly I really am haing a mid life crisis if I'm lusting after dream kitchens. (from eco kitchens online of course)

Its fab getting feedback from this blogging lark, I had a wonderfully informative email from someone explaining all the details of my twinkly star spotted the other night (a planet I'll have you know) and also I've ahd some wondeffully inventive recipes to try out on my dehydrator which I gotta tell you I am starting to love, still no manual but hey how difficult can it be ? cut up fruit and veg, lay on waxy heets and turn to 105 - wait for 24 hrs - thats the bit I can't quite get my head around, surely its eating energy, the makers say not, it uses v. little power but I will need to see that for myself, I'm giving away an efergy - energy meter on imperfectlynatural.com, heck of a shame I can't win it for myself !

Completely forgot to tell ya'll about my wonderful time at Champneys, Tring, as you know theres a competition to win a luxury weekend away there and I was feeling so jealous of my own comp I decided to go and treat myself. Very fleeting trip but I fitted in a Thalassotherapy session, rather like being in a massive jacuzzi but with water containing thousands of therapeutic minerals, wonderfully relaxing. The food is to die for too, I msut be the only person who goes to Champneys and puts on weight, I can't leave alone the massive choice of salads and nuts and seeds.

If you want to enter the comp by the way to win the weekend get in quick, competition moniter tells me its time we announced a winner, one things for sure, if you don't enter it can't be you. Lots of luck

welcome to my new blog...

Hiya

Welcome to my new blog, .well trying out a new template..more to follow..see ya'll over at

http://www.imperfectlynatural.com/

Friday 16th Jan….drying tomatoes

Yep I'm geting there, thanks to the many responses to my plea for raw food recipes, can't say I've tried many yet but I intend to do tahine kale crisps tomorrow. I've had all sorts of replies and have been pointed to raw food chefs et al In true home educating stye I'm getting the kids experimenting, so far we've had some rather brown crispy banana pieces but the dried mango was to die for.

Its been a good week at the beeb, well on our happy ship anyways, we interviewed that gorgeous Michael Sheen you know the actor in who played the Pm in The Queen and of course the lovely juicemaster Jason Vale was promoting Slim for Life on thursday.

Appropo to nowt on Wednesday night there was the most amazing twinkly star I have ever seen, I don't know if this was simply a clear sky in Herts phonomenon but it was incredible, I htought I wa see-ing things...well seeing stars...but don't worry I got it confirmed by waking up the kids (honestly it was that unusual)...perhaps its cos I've upped my quota of raw foods, I'm being rewarded from above...

Sat 10th Jan …..going raw…well drying out

...no I'm not off the booze (well I am sort off but thats not the problem) I've just bought an Excalibur dehydrator in an attempt to create more tasty and exciting raw food cuisine. Only problem is that being a cheapskate (and trying to be eco) I bought it from a colleague who'd only used it once (crikey hope that won't be me) but had lost the manual. Oh dear, should be so simple but no idea how long stuff takes, I've been making apple crisps for the best part of a day, surely thats not very green even if its healthy...must find out how much power thr goddam thing uses.

Any tips gratefully recieved, I know when I went to Saf the amazing raw food restaurant in London it was one of the best meals I've ever had but is it gonna be too fiddly for me...

mmm...off to check the crispiness of my crisps

Sun Jan 4th…St Ives..sunshine and sprouts

I'm in sunny St Ives, yippee, the weather couldn't be more perfect, sunny and crispy cold and if you read my lat blog when I was in Cornwall you'll remember this is the only time I feel really alive. I MUST have lived here in a former life and however often I come back the feeling is just as intense. I'm holed up at The Garrack hotel (check out the beat a retreat feature for details) writing ....can't tell you what, its a speculative very exciting project, will reveal all soon.

I popped into Living Sprouts of st ives (see directory for their details) and stokced up on sprotus, hemp salad dressing and the best ever raw chocolate pie - can't even begin to describe that, you have to taste it and later I'm meeting up with Jason Vale, yes the juicemaster himself ...for a coffee...well he'll order juice but I'm imperfect.

The boys are staying locally with Liz (of Team Lollipop fame - see directory if you're still at the nappy stage, her selection is awesome) and yesterday we all did the muddy walk , yes even I purchaased birght pink wellies for the squelchy occasion to the Gurnards head, its a highly commended hotel and gastro pub, I even gave them a mention on Steve Wrights show cos we did a factoid about gurnards.

I'm off for a long walk around the Island to lift my spirits further, in truth if I get much higher I'll flota off like Mary Poppins, one day I'll live here....she says hopefully...