The Hippocratic Oath

I am sat in the all modern lime and pink waiting room of a NHS breast clinic, I have never been to such a plush waiting room in my life with it's chic leather chairs and bold abstract art on the walls. I this is what private clinics look like.
There behind the receptions desk in large gold script is written

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

I read this several times the words bring comfort to me as you can imagine I am rather nervous after all you don't attend the breast clinic for no reason and I have to say I was treated very well that day.

Hospital, The General Practitioner Surgery are no stranger to me, 90% of the time I am treated so badly, rashly, with contempt, no understanding, no sympathy and that I am wasting there time.
I come out feeling guilty, low and alone, often wondering why on earth did they become doctors if they simply don't care, do they actually remember the words of the oath?

For those that don't know the oath, I have posted it below..

A widely used modern version of the traditional oath was penned in 1964 by Dr. Louis Lasagna, this is what most younger doctor's that treat us today. Pledge to..

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of over treatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

I will not be ashamed to say "I know not", nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patients recovery.

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

If I had words ...

If I had words to make a day for you,
I'd sing a morning golden & true
I would make this day last for all time
then fill the night deep with moonshine

Special Christmas Muffins

I know it's almost 4 weeks after Christmas but we got so over whelmed by food over Christmas that I have only just got round to trialing these.
I have been experimenting with muffins and difference blends for months now and this Christmas muffin I was saving for Christmas week..
So here goes, please send me feedback...


A couple of days before soak a handful of mix dried fruit in some sherry / port or any other liquor you fancy..

100 ml Of Olive Oil ( you ca mix with regular oil if you prefer
2 Large Eggs
175 ml Of Milk

100 grams of Sugar
275 grams of Self raising flour
1 table spoon of baking powder
100 grams of Marzipan

Whisk your wets all together Oil /Eggs / Milk

Mix your Dry Sugar / Flour / baking powder

Then mix the 2 bowls together, don't over whisk, then add fruit.

Spoon mix in muffin cases, only half full, then place a round ball of marzipan in the middle, finish filling the case.

Place in oven 180 oC bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Optional..
Mix icing sugar with some rum essence and drizzle on top of muffins

Truly Yummy..

Taybarn Experience

There has been a Taybarn in that spot near Asda for 4 years thinking it was like a Harvester, it's bright Orange painted building put me of from the start, so I never ventured in until one night last week a friend posted a photo of her dessert on 'Facebook' being a foodie I asked her what it was and she explained.
I looked on the Taybarns website and was blown away but this concept.
Pay £5.99 and you can stuff your self silly.



So a few days later joined by my husband and good friend we ventured in, caught like rabbit in headlights they staff greeted us quickly ' Have you been here before, No? okay well lets show you how it works'
Guided by a overly friendly manager in a shiny nylon suit, we were quickly made to feel welcome. They offered drinks or a jug of water which by a point we were told was supplied free of charge!

To tempt our taste buds, a Grill, Pizza, Spice, Fish & Chip, Carvery, Dessert stations, take your plate and help your self to as much as you like as many times as you like.

So most of the food is tasty but you can tell things have been sat around for a while
dough balls hard as rocks, pasta sauces with a thick skin on top, meat like leather
however some bits where really tasty, the battered fish.. Yummm, the Carvery Ham.. Yumm, profiterole.. Yumm! So the trick is find what you like and stick with it

Sadly there is still Harvester / Sizzler feel about it and the dreadful sticky tables - Why can't they clean there tabled properly?

Would I go back?.. Not in a hurry however it is an experience and would recommend that side of it! But if you have lived in America, there will be no novelty as Taybarn is a long lived USA concept, no wonder they have the highest obesity scores in the world.

Asking the busy manager how much food is wasted... he replied in a week their £15K only £400 is food wastage with a 50% profit margin and the over adequate amount of stupidly friendly staff. I cannot believe this concept is making such a poor profit margin as on paper this is no way to run a business but cleary it's a success.

Hoorah for fatties!

How to get rid of your dead motor...

As I explained in my other post, my car decided to die on New Years Eve, The engine failure was fatal and is not worth us repairing, So now what do you do?

Scrap it.. Well yes that's the easy option, call your local scrap metal man who is some cases will charge you to take it away if you are crafty you can do a deal that he will actually pay, you are looking at between £50 to £150, depending on the weight of your car.

Or..

You can sell it on ebay!
Yes there is a market for broken dead car's especially prestige makes.
however it can also have major pitfalls!

Listed our car on ebay with a fee of £10 with a 5 day listing ( this was actually a bad idea and you should aways do maximum 10 day listing on expensive items)

From the moment it was listed we had endless calls mostly from foreign descent
offering half the listed asking price, these are easy to deal with - The answer is 'NO' this is my asking price ££££, however several did come back with increased offers but no where near the asking price.
We did have a really nice local guy come look at it who offered the asking price all was sorted he would come back in the morning with his transporter then vanished into thin air..
The listing ended with no bids and that's when the phone really started ringing
finally we were getting proper bids too!
A guy rang up with a strong accent he was located about 20 minutes down the road could he come look at it first thing in the morning will pay full asking price, Sure look forward to seeing you, blah blah..

2pm he called again we are round the corner we are coming now..
3 massive scary looking men got out a white Skoda.. they looked rough and ready!!
RUSSIAN MAFIOSO!
They went over the car with a fine tooth comb picking up everything,
so he started with offering a lot less, again he was reminded of the lowest price we would take, the asking price!
Seriously pooping one's pants these guys were intimidating but sticking to our guns
and on the verge of him walking a way they finally agreed to pay the asking price.

So they insisted in coming in the house to do the paper work and count the money, So we have 3 massive Russian men in our house, we are going to be killed or kidnapped at any moment, really did all Three HAVE to come in?
I am thinking like a sweet shop only one aloud in at a time!!
Money counted trying to check as best we could that they weren't fake and documents sign.
Expecting that they would call a transporter to remove the vehicle, no they tow it away behind the Skoda!

It was only after they left I realised he hadn't filled out his full address on the V5, dodgy!

We battened the hatches and double locked the doors thinking they would be back to do us over, thankfully so far nothing but we still twitch a bit when we here a car door slam outside!

Mass Printed Art In Shops

So I am shopping in 'Pound Stretcher' looking at bedding when I look across and see a couple looking at that awful mass printed artwork on canvas
As I walked pass them I saw it was £29.99

I carried on shopping but still I could see them thinking about this artwork
the more I watched the more cross I got..
Finally I couldn't take it no more, so I approached them..
" Excuse me, I don't wish to intrude but I am curious, Why are you considering this when there is an abundance of talented artist desperate to sell there work for the same sort or even less then what your paying for this"
They looked at me blankly for a while and said that they never thought they could buy original artwork for £30
So I explained where to look and gave them some suggestions...
I felt really bad about it but thought hopefully they will give it a try, they however promptly left the shop, I bet they thought I was bonkers!

Sadly the other day, I saw it again this time a mother and young daughter, Arghhh - If that mother introduced her daughter to real art now, she would be also investing in her future, buy well now your artwork will increase in value!

REAL Art, REAL artist, REAL Investment..

There's are so many places to look online for quality art
Try ...
http://www.artgallery.co.uk/search/

Type in a price limit of £25 and original work - You'll be surprised what you will find

2012 Bucket List

So I have decided this year to make a wish list and try to tick as many of the list as possible

Most things on my list was travel, so If I could tick 2 or 3 of this list in 2012
I would be happy but here is my life long travel wish list.

- Tasmania
- Pompeii
- Egypt ( Nile & Valley Of the Kings)
- Yorkshire
- Paris
- Prague
- Berlin
- Middle Ireland / Shannon / New Grange
- Cyprus
- Central London ( take in a west end show, Tower of London, Natural History Museum,Tate Art Gallery
- Florance
- Krakow
- Marrakesh

A couple of things personally I want to achieve

- Go Gliding
- Write a book
- Have my Artwork exhibited in a Large professional Gallery

I guess most people do, get fit / lose weight / stop smoking / find a toy boy / buy a wide screen telly blah blah but I have simple taste and a lead a simple life
so I have no such ambitions

Hopefully I will hit some of those goals, Watch this space!

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)

So I am 220 Miles away from home on the M25 when my 9 year estate car decides to go Bang - Engine Failure, Great to top it all it's New Years Eve and I am trying to get to family.
Those 4 circles that make up 'Vorsprung durch Technik' equalled a Epic Fail!!

The Recovery people called ( Thank heavens for breakdown cover)
Because I was so far away from home it would be a two part recovery the first lot would take me to Swindon and then I would be taken the second half by another company.

The first bunch of guy's were okay, chatty had a laugh but the second guy was scary right from the outset.
I climb into the cab and his music is loud I think to my self I guess he will turn it down when he gets in too and sure enough he did then said okay can you give me directions.. Great I thought I can sit back and think about all my problems
IE: cold house & no food waiting for me, buying a new car etc etc..

As soon as we get on the M4 he turns the CD on full blast and I am subjected to 16 tracks of Cher's greatest hits!
I watched him, this guy is a freak, nervous twitches, looks like he's just finished doing time, I am honestly to scared to ask him to turn it down in fear he might pull a knife on me and tell me to shut the fuck up and not to disrespect his queen also known as Cher!
After what seemed a decade of agony the CD came to end, YAY .. My jubilation was shorted lived as he just hit play again and so we started all over again!
Happy New Year to Me!