One of posts I have been hoping to write from the 365 Blog Topic Ideas book, is My Favourite Recipe.
This evening we decided to make the most of our time off work, and do some cooking.
Unbelievably, despite this being our favourite meal to cook and eat, we haven’t done so in over a year. I know this because we have been in our new house for 368 days, and haven’t prepared the dish here.
Tonight, we cooked our favourite…
Cheesy gnocchi bake
Ingredients
- 500g pack gnocchi
- 200g cauliflower, divided into small florets
- 250g spinach
- 500g tub 4-cheese sauce
- 4 tomatoes, sliced
- 50g Cheddar cheese, grated
Preparation
- Heat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200C
- Bring a saucepan to the boil, add the gnocchi and cauliflower, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the gnocchi rises to the surface. Drain contents of saucepan
- Cook spinach in microwave, according to pack instructions
- In a gratin dish, combine half the cooked gnocchi, cauliflower, spinach and cheese sauce
- Layer half the tomatoes on top, then combine the rest of the ingredients, finishing with a layer of tomatoes
- Scatter over the Cheddar, season with black pepper (optional) and bake for 10 minutes until golden and bubbling
Being a Bath City Loner
I was first introduced to Bath City Football Club, by a friend of a friend. Owen lived in London, but was visiting his hometown of Bath. It was over a pint, one evening, that I was invited by Owen to join him and his Father, the following day, at Twerton Park – the home of The Romans.
My first match was against local rivals, Chippenham Town. Prior to that day, the only live football I had seen was following Leeds, plus one visit to Bristol City. Despite Twerton Park being hundreds of miles apart from Leeds’ home of Elland Road – both geographically and structurally – I loved the atmosphere, promising myself that I would return.
Return I did. The next time Owen was in Bath. We watched an FA Cup game. I managed to drag my good friend, Simon, along a couple of months later.
By this point, I was itching to attend as many home games as possible. The problem was, that I could not persuade any friends, colleagues or family to give up their time, alternate Saturday afternoons, to join me in standing on a cold terrace, watching 22 men chasing a ball around a muddy field, in what many would regard as amateur, compared to “what you see on the telly”.
I had fallen in love with Bath City and soon realised that the only way in which our relationship could grow and blossom, would be if I went to games on my own. I bravely started to go solo. I was a Bath City Loner.
So why do I not regret this? Besides making many friends, as well was witnessing two promotions and a memorable FA Cup run, I also met somebody very special…
Her name was Claire. We became close and it wasn’t long before Claire became my girlfriend. Almost 5 years later, I asked her to marry me. Luckily she said “yes”! Then, in 2015, while finally living together, we tied the knot, on the happiest day of my life.
That girl I first met in 2007, a fellow fan of The Romans, is now Mrs Kitson. We are very happily married, have bought a home together and own a little house rabbit named Roman… after The Romans.
Had I not been brave and made myself attend Bath City games alone, things would have turned out very differently. I certainly wouldn’t be married to the love of my life.
That is why I don’t regret once being a Bath City Loner.
Having owned and cared for many rabbits during my life, including a Netherland Dwarf now, I consider myself to be a good Bunny Daddy.
Rabbits require a lot of care. They are not like a hamster or gerbil. The level of care a bunny needs, if he is to be taken care of properly, is the same as a cat or dog.
Given the amount of care needed, it would be impossible to cover even a fraction of the requirements in a single blog post. There are entire websites dedicated to the subject, which I highly recommend you research before getting a bunny, and reference in the years after.
I will instead bullet point some of the most important creteria, for rabbit care.
- Ensure you have the time to dedicate to your rabbit, before buying.
- A healthy, balanced and varied diet is essential.
- Rabbits are much better suited to living indoors as opposed to outside.
- Talk to your rabbit every day.
- Give your rabbit lots of strokes and cuddles every day.
- Respect your rabbit. If he doesn’t want to be touched, come back later.
- Not all rabbits like to be picked up.
- A rabbit should be able to perform at least 3 ‘hops’ in his cage. Otherwise, it’s too small and cruel.
- Minimise the amount of time they spend in their cage. Ensure they are allowed in their exercise pen or to run around your house, at least once a day.
- Ensure your bunny is kept well away from electrical cables. He will nibble them!
- Keep your rabbit away from loud noises.
- Rabbits can die of fright. Keep him away from dogs, cats and other predators.
- Ensure your rabbit is not exposed to extreme heat or cold. Keep him out of direct sunlight.
- It is essential to their health that you have your rabbit neutured. This will protect them from many cancers.
- Ensure your bunny is fully vaccinated against disease. Vaccinations in the UK consist of RHD1, RHD2 and myxomatosis. They will require a booster every 6 or 12 months.
- A rabbits cage and run must be kept very clean, especially in the summer, when they are at risk of catching flystrike
- Reguarly check your bunny’s ears, nose, mouth and eyes, to ensure he is healthy. In addition, search his body for lunps.
- Report any health concerns you have for your rabbit, to a vet as a matter of urgency.
- Take out pet insursnce, to cover any unexpected vet bills.
- It is reccommended, but not essential, to keep bunnies in pairs. If you own a single rabbit, daily human interaction is even more crucial.
Be patient with your bunny. It will take a long time to train your rabbit to fully trust you and show love. While spending time with your bun requires a lot of effort, the rewards are great – before long, your rabbit will become a much-loved member of your family.
Finally, rabbits can live for up to 12 years, and are therefore a long commitment.
These are some products, which I am enjoying at the moment…
- Paco Rabanne 1 Million Cologne
- A new fragrance I recently discovered. My wife likes its smell on me too.
- Samsung Galaxy Tablet
- A very nifty tool, which I now use regularly for blogging, web browsing and media.
- ieGeek 1080P Home IP Camera
- A webcam, which allows me to
spy onkeep track of Roman the rabbit.
- A webcam, which allows me to
- Cinema Paradiso
- I’ve been using this online DVD rental service for a year now. The selection is huge and the discs are sent out quickly.
- Slush Puppy Pouches
- Pouches of flavoured slush. Stick ’em in the freezer, wait a short while, remove from freezer and enjoy.
This is number two of the ‘365 Blog Ideas‘. I think that I spent a bit too long on yesterday’s post. I would estimate from start to finish, I dedicated 4 hours of my time. That’s far too long!
This is a list of things that make me happy…
- Hearing rain and wind, while I’m in bed
- The smell of a freshly cleaned house
- The dark Autumn and Winter evenings
- My wife saying “I love you” to me
- Saturday morning lie ins, after a long week
- Random acts of kindness
- That first fresh coffee of the morning
- Freshly washed bedsheets
- Good quality ice cream
- Lottery scratch cards
- Buying Christmas and birthday presents
- Receiving Christmas and birthday presents
- Freshly cut grass
- A clearout of unwanted clutter at home
- Remembering I own a home with my wife
- My rabbit skipping in the air with delight
- Putting up the Christmas tree
- Fridays at work
- Tubes of Pringles
- Helping people
- Feeling sleepy, while cosy in bed
- Cushions
- Replaying video games from my childhood
- Learning about overseas countries
- An ice lolly on a very hot day
- Feeling I’ve done a good day at work
- That new car smell
- Views of the English countryside
- Netherlamd Dwarf rabbits
- Hot chocolate on cold or wet afternoons
- Hearing old great songs I had forgotten about
- Unexpected kisses from my wife
- Exploring our cabin at the start of a cruise
- Coffee cake
- Browsing my movie and TV series collection
- Hearing owls hooting at night
- Random acts of affection from my rabbit
- Spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce with cheese
- Candles
- The feeling of freedom from my mobility scooter
- Putting real effort into a blog post
- That first Cadburys Creme Egg of the year
- Getting an anticipated video game on its release date
- The smell of fresh hay
- Railways
- Disney movies from my childhood
- Sharing an entire packet of trifle with my wife
- Updating my football results spreadsheets
- Remember I have the gift of life
- Random contact from a friend
- David Attenborough’s voice
- Going to bed early
- Finishing my Christmas shopping early
- Wedding Day memories
- The feeling of my head after a haircut
- Getting a new mobile phone
- A good curry
- Feeling clean and fresh after a shower
- The morning after a big win for Leeds or Bath City
- My wife relaxing me, by stroking my back and head
- Relaxing my wife, by stroking her back and head
- Rewatching a favourite film or TV series
- Manchester United losing
- Hearing good news
- The smooth skin on my face, after a good shave
- Slush Puppies
- Discovering an incredible audiobook
- Real Italian pizza
- WhatsApp messages from my sister living in Spain
- Playing arcade 2p machines with my wife
- Smelling pleasant aftershave on myself
- Krispy Kreme doughnuts
- When my wife buys me small, unexpected gifts
- Watching old BBC comedies with my wife
About Me
So you stumbled across my blog. No doubt after searching for something bizarre on Google. Before you hit that 'Back Button', why not stay and have a read for a few minutes?
If you are after a website which gives advice on how to hack an iPhone X, download the latest Steven Seagal movie, or view nudy ladies, you've come to the wrong place and may now press 'Back'.
However, if you would like a lifestyle blog, written by a 30-something chap, living in Bath (England), feast your eyes on this.
You won't discover how to copy PlayStation 4 games. What you will find is a blog, covering life in the West Country, the highs and lows of supporting two unsuccessful football teams, while sharing a house with a wife and rabbit.
All written by a man, somewhere on the sanity-scale between normal and eccentric.
