It's been a busy weekend! Saturday started as it usually does - my weekly rowing outing with the Otters. This week I was assigned to be in David, which I wasn't entirely happy about as the seats in that boat really don't agree with my bum - there's something about the shape of it that chafes, and true enough it really wasn't comfortable at all, so I was digging out the sudocreme afterwards!
Straight home from the docks and straight into putting together my halloween costume for the rowers' party that evening. My idea involved a hula hoop, some coathangers, a load of duct tape, hair gel, and a shower curtain. Yes, that's right - I was going as the famous shower scene from Psycho.
I've always designed my own halloween costumes - it's much more fun than just buying something ready-made from a shop, even if it doesn't look quite so polished. Last year I was a dead Lightning from Gladiators, with a blonde wig and a pugil stick made from two Coke bottles stuck either end of a broomstick, decorated with coloured tape, plus a customised leotard to complete the look.
This year's costume was much more ambitious, if rather less revealing. I had to build a sort of harness to hold up the hula hoop, which was going to be my curtain rail. Using the coathangers I gradually assembled something that did the job, then hung the curtain off it and trimmed to length. I did try to stain the curtain with some fake blood, but being waterproof it just peeled off, which was a shame. Still, it looked good.
It was only when I tried it on that I realised quite how impractical it was going to be, moving around a crowded bar. But it did look rather good - I got loads of really positive comments and a lot of people wanted to take selfies with me, which was a massive confidence boost.
Sunday was less eventful - with the clocks changing back and the late night I'd not really got the energy to do anything particularly strenuous. Instead I did the thing I'd been meaning to do since the weather started getting colder, and sorted out my wardrobe, putting away my shorts and getting out hoodies and jeans. I threw out a few older tops which didn't fit any more (thankfully in a positive "they look like tents on me now" way, rather than being too tight) and put aside a lot of summer clothes to be vacuum bagged for storage.
In the evening, craving something sweet I baked a batch of brownies. I'd had a bit of trouble finding a recipe to use, as I intended to bulk them up with a bit of protein powder, but everything online seemed to assume that if you were doing that you also wanted them to be vegan, paleo, gluten free and every other restricted diet possible, whereas I just wanted something that was going to taste nice, and more importantly only use ingredients I actually had in the cupboard!
It eventually came down to me modifying an old recipe I'd had for years. It turned out pretty well, though I do think the recipe needs more chocolate as the taste is a bit mild - I like my brownies with a much richer chocolate flavour. Nevertheless, here's the recipe I used:
Unhealthy Protein Chocolate Brownies
220g Butter
220g Dark Chocolate
450g Caster Sugar
4 beaten Eggs
180g Plain Flour
40g Chocolate Protein Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of salt
Makes about 15 squares.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water.
Mix in all the other ingredients.
Line a baking tin and fill with the mixture, smoothing out as necessary.
Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees.
Leave to cool. Cut into squares.
Straight home from the docks and straight into putting together my halloween costume for the rowers' party that evening. My idea involved a hula hoop, some coathangers, a load of duct tape, hair gel, and a shower curtain. Yes, that's right - I was going as the famous shower scene from Psycho.
I've always designed my own halloween costumes - it's much more fun than just buying something ready-made from a shop, even if it doesn't look quite so polished. Last year I was a dead Lightning from Gladiators, with a blonde wig and a pugil stick made from two Coke bottles stuck either end of a broomstick, decorated with coloured tape, plus a customised leotard to complete the look.
This year's costume was much more ambitious, if rather less revealing. I had to build a sort of harness to hold up the hula hoop, which was going to be my curtain rail. Using the coathangers I gradually assembled something that did the job, then hung the curtain off it and trimmed to length. I did try to stain the curtain with some fake blood, but being waterproof it just peeled off, which was a shame. Still, it looked good.
It was only when I tried it on that I realised quite how impractical it was going to be, moving around a crowded bar. But it did look rather good - I got loads of really positive comments and a lot of people wanted to take selfies with me, which was a massive confidence boost.
Sunday was less eventful - with the clocks changing back and the late night I'd not really got the energy to do anything particularly strenuous. Instead I did the thing I'd been meaning to do since the weather started getting colder, and sorted out my wardrobe, putting away my shorts and getting out hoodies and jeans. I threw out a few older tops which didn't fit any more (thankfully in a positive "they look like tents on me now" way, rather than being too tight) and put aside a lot of summer clothes to be vacuum bagged for storage.
In the evening, craving something sweet I baked a batch of brownies. I'd had a bit of trouble finding a recipe to use, as I intended to bulk them up with a bit of protein powder, but everything online seemed to assume that if you were doing that you also wanted them to be vegan, paleo, gluten free and every other restricted diet possible, whereas I just wanted something that was going to taste nice, and more importantly only use ingredients I actually had in the cupboard!
It eventually came down to me modifying an old recipe I'd had for years. It turned out pretty well, though I do think the recipe needs more chocolate as the taste is a bit mild - I like my brownies with a much richer chocolate flavour. Nevertheless, here's the recipe I used:
Unhealthy Protein Chocolate Brownies
220g Butter
220g Dark Chocolate
450g Caster Sugar
4 beaten Eggs
180g Plain Flour
40g Chocolate Protein Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of salt
Makes about 15 squares.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water.
Mix in all the other ingredients.
Line a baking tin and fill with the mixture, smoothing out as necessary.
Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees.
Leave to cool. Cut into squares.
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