Carrie's 101 in 1001

Day 5 - Friday 16th January

2009-01-16T21:57:00.003Z

#01 Tell my husband and children that I love them - every day [0005/1001] Done!

#02 Complete a photography portfolio
In progress, I have some volunteers for photos. Just need to take them and actually get them printed

#09 Create a recipe book of my 101 favorite things to eat [002/101]
Ham in Coca Cola

Photograph by Francesca Yorke

INTRODUCTION

Only those who have never tried this raise an eyebrow at the idea. Don't hesitate, don't be anxious: this really works. No one who cooks it, cooks it just once: it always earns a place in every repertoire.

INGREDIENTS

2kg mild-cure gammon

1 onion, peeled and cut in half

2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola

FOR THE GLAZE:

handful of cloves

1 heaped tablespoon black treacle

2 teaspoons English mustard powder

2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Serving Size : Serves 8.

METHOD


1.	I find now that mild-cure gammon doesn’t need soaking, but if you know that you’re dealing with a salty piece, then put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to the boil, then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here; otherwise, put the gammon in a pan, skin-side down if it fits like that, add the onion, then pour over the Coke.
2.	Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on, though not tightly, and cook for just under 2½ hours. If your joint is larger or smaller, work out timing by reckoning on an hour per kilo, remembering that it’s going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the gammon’s been in the fridge right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give it a good 15 minutes or so extra so that the interior is properly cooked.
3.	Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 240°C/gas mark 9.
4.	When the ham’s had its time (and ham it is, now it’s cooked, though it’s true Americans call it ham from its uncooked state) take it out of the pan (but do NOT throw away the cooking liquid) and let cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed, you can let it cool completely then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want.) Then remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes, and stud each diamond with a clove. Then carefully spread the treacle over the bark-budded skin, taking care not to dislodge the cloves. Gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat. Cook in a foil-lined roasting tin for approximately 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.
5.	Should you want to do the braising stage in advance and then let the ham cool,
6.	Clove and glaze it and give it 30–40 minutes, from room temperature, at 180°C/gas mark 4, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.

#12 Keep a blog for 101 days [005/101] Done!

#16 Save £1 each day [03/1001] Done!

#22 Complete 10 acts of random kindness [02/10]
Left a packet of new nappies on my neighbours doorstep as I know they have 2 young children.

#27 Join a photography group
Found 2 groups - One on a Tuesday and one on a friday. I shall be joining next week. Eeeek

#28 Complete 365 project [014/365]
Couple of days behind but not given up

#29 Buy a wide angle lens
I have ordered a lens for hire to see which one I like. Yay

#34 Donate 101 things to charity [010/101]
Bag of goodies sat by the front door, just need to get of my bum and take them round to the shop

#36 Get a job and keep it for at least 101 days! [005/101]
Done another shift today.

#49 Sell enough on ebay to buy a lens [0/350]
Have listed 3 things tonight - it's a start!

#88 Hear 101 albums of the list of the “1000 albums that you should hear before you die” [001/101]

A Certain Ratio - Early Errrmmmm what can I say! Completely random and not my cup of tea.
Named after a Brian Eno lyric, ACR fused jagged Wire guitars and George Clinton beats to create the now commonplace sound of punk-funk. They were too far ahead of their time to be successful, but Early compiles the 1978-85 cuts that influenced everyone from former ACR support acts Talking Heads and Madonna to, more recently, LCD Soundsystem and the Rapture.

#100 *Saving this space for something interesting!*
I've decided what #100 will be. I want some jewellery from this site http://www.precious-imp-prints.co.uk/
The large silver bangle £85.00 with 1 charm
I'd also like 3 more charms.. one for each of us. I shall have to work on the husband for this one

Day 3 - Wednesday 14th January

2009-01-14T22:10:00.007Z

#01 Tell my husband and children that I love them - every day [0002/1001] Done!

#06 Read 101 books [001/101]
Started book No 2

'If Only' by Geri Halliwell.. so far it's crap but I don't have anything else to read in the house!

#09 Create a recipe book of my 101 favorite things to eat [001/101]
The Easiest Sexy Salad - Jamie Oliver

Serves 4
I love this salad. Apart from being a great combination, it always seems unbelievably effortless, which is the kind of recipe I like. The constant success of this is due to the common-sense marriage of salty Parma ham, milky buffalo mozzarella and sweet figs, which obviously need to be of a good quality. The best figs to use are Italian and the best time to buy them is June to August when they are in season. Greek figs are a good second-best and are in season from September to November. The best figs always seem to be those that are about to split their skins. Use green or black figs - it doesn't really matter.

One thing I do is to criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom - 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you'll think, 'Oooh, that looks nice, I think I'm quite clever ...' or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. All these little things really help to make a salad special. Simply place the figs in a dish, weave around 1 slice of Parma ham or prosciutto per fig, throw in some slices of buffalo mozzarella and rip over some green or purple basil. Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of good honey and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl and drizzle everything with this dressing. As far as salads go, it's pretty damn sexy.

PS It's a good idea to have some spare bread on the table to mop up the juices - always a treat.

*Recipe taken from www.jamieoliver.com - It really is yummy! I intend on making it and photographing it.

#10 Learn one new word a week and use it [01/52]
Haven't really found a way to drop 'gargantuan ' into a conversation yet

#12 Keep a blog for 101 days [002/101] Done!

#16 Save £1 each day [0003/1001] Done!

#28 Complete 365 project [014/365]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrieandtony/sets/72157611950155185/
Up to date - Most recent pics

#36 Get a job and keep it for at least 101 days! [003/101]
Technically I've had my job for 3 days even though I've only worked for 1! When I got home on monday I ached all over. It's not easy work cleaning a church. Lol

#37 Paint my nails once a month for a year [01/12] Done!
If anyone is interested, here is this months colour http://www.nailsinc.com/Product/430/upper-street-ocean-blue-nail-polish

#48 Create a photography website
In progress, my wonderful nephew is going to design a site for me. I must take this opportunity to brag about the fact he designed a site for Victoria Beckham (swit swoo) www.victoriabeckhamcollection.com

#58 Do 5 "tourist-y" things in my city [0/5]
Went to visit the Cathedral today, it really is an amazing building. I'm not going to tick it off the list just yet as I still want to do the guided tour.

#70 TV off between 9am-4pm everyday for 1 week [01/7]
Haven't even attempted this again, the children drive me mad during the day time and the television saves my sanity.

#87 Get up at 5am everyday for a week [0/7]
My darling daughter has now decided that she sleeps through the night YAY but this means getting up at 5am is a silly idea. I've decided to change this goal to 'Get out of bed after R's first bottle' sounds a bit random but I know what it means

#89 Make each 20th of the month special as a reminder of our wedding anniversary
Not going to happen this month as husband has got to work away that week. Doh. I might still have a special night alone!

#98 Write 101 comments on other peoples’ blogs [007/101]

Day 1 - Monday 12th January

2009-01-12T08:20:00.014Z

#01 Tell my husband and children that I love them - every day [0001/1001] Done!

#06 Read 101 books [001/101]
This morning I finished

For four women who meet for breakfast every Thursday at eight, their differences only serve to draw them closer together as they share in each other's sorrows and joys. And each woman's unique story becomes an opportunity to learn, to nurture and to overcome life's obstacles... together.
Ok so it was full on chick lit but I enjoyed it. I love reading books that are easy to pick up where you left off.

#12 Keep a blog for 101 days [001/101] Done!

#16 Save £1 each day [0001/1001] Done!

#18 Identify and photograph 101 things that make me happy [003/101]

My husband & daughter

My son

Going to church

Link to set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrieandtony/sets/72157612471797510/

#22 Complete 10 acts of random kindness [01/10]
Not a biggy but today I brought a spare packet of baby wipes and left them in the changing area for the next person *awww* I know what it's like to have a poop explosion and no wipes!

#28 Complete 365 project [012/365]
Currently on day 12 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrieandtony/sets/72157611950155185/

#36 Get a job and keep it for at least 101 days! [001/101]
Today I started a new job YAY. It's only for a couple of hours a week but it is a start. It's not easy finding work when you have two children and haven't had a job in 2 years. I shall be cleaning the local church twice a week. I'm pleased that I'll be working on my own and it's something I can fit in with the children. I'm also hoping that the exercise will help me to lose some weight.

#70 TV off between 9am-4pm everyday for 1 week [01/7]
Day 1 done but it wasn't easy!

#87 Get up at 5am everyday for a week [0/7]
Well this didn't happen. My daughter decided that she wanted to get up at 4.30am. Now 5.00am I could cope with but half hour early was too much so I went back to bed. I think tonight I will have an early night and try again tomorrow. Meanwhile it means I am running around this morning like a headless chicken and not enough time *sigh*

#98 Write 101 comments on other peoples’ blogs [007/101]

Not bad going for day 1.

AFI - 100 Films

2009-01-11T21:15:00.002Z

1 CITIZEN KANE (1941)
2 GODFATHER, THE (1972)
3 CASABLANCA (1942)
4 RAGING BULL (1980)
5 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)
6 GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
7 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
8 SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)
9 VERTIGO (1958)
10 WIZARD OF OZ, THE (1939)
11 CITY LIGHTS (1931)
12 SEARCHERS, THE (1956)
13 STAR WARS (1977)
14 PSYCHO (1960)
15 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
16 SUNSET BLVD. (1950)
17 GRADUATE, THE (1967)
18 GENERAL, THE (1927)
19 ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)
20 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
21 CHINATOWN (1974)
22 SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
23 GRAPES OF WRATH, THE (1940)
24 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
25 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)
26 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)
27 HIGH NOON (1952)
28 ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)
29 DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
30 APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
31 MALTESE FALCON, THE (1941)
32 GODFATHER PART II, THE (1974)
33 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
34 SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)
35 ANNIE HALL (1977)
36 BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE (1957)
37 BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946)
38 TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, THE (1948)
39 DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)
40 SOUND OF MUSIC, THE (1965)
41 KING KONG (1933)
42 BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
43 MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
44 PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE (1940)
45 SHANE (1953)
46 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)
47 STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, A (1951)
48 REAR WINDOW (1954)
49 INTOLERANCE (1916)
50 LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE (2001)
51 WEST SIDE STORY (1961)
52 TAXI DRIVER (1976)
53 DEER HUNTER, THE (1978)
54 M*A*S*H (1970)
55 NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
56 JAWS (1975)
57 ROCKY (1976)
58 GOLD RUSH, THE (1925)
59 NASHVILLE (1975)
60 DUCK SOUP (1933)
61 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941)
62 AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)
63 CABARET (1972)
64 NETWORK (1976)
65 AFRICAN QUEEN, THE (1951)
66 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
67 WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966)
68 UNFORGIVEN (1992)
69 TOOTSIE (1982)
70 CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A (1971)
71 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
72 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE (1994)
73 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
74 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (1991)
75 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967)
76 FORREST GUMP (1994)
77 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976)
78 MODERN TIMES (1936)
79 WILD BUNCH, THE (1969)
80 APARTMENT, THE (1960)
81 SPARTACUS (1960)
82 SUNRISE (1927)
83 TITANIC (1997)
84 EASY RIDER (1969)
85 NIGHT AT THE OPERA, A (1935)
86 PLATOON (1986)
87 12 ANGRY MEN (1957)
88 BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
89 SIXTH SENSE, THE (1999)
90 SWING TIME (1936)
91 SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982)
92 GOODFELLAS (1990)
93 FRENCH CONNECTION, THE (1971)
94 PULP FICTION (1994)
95 LAST PICTURE SHOW, THE (1971)
96 DO THE RIGHT THING (1989)
97 BLADE RUNNER (1982)
98 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)
99 TOY STORY (1995)
100 BEN-HUR (1959)