Backing a Winner

Waddya mean those aren’t horses?

I used to be quite good at picking the winners in horse racing. My links to horses and racing go waaaay back to when I used to ride along with them, they being on the TV and me being on my rocking horse. I rode real horses from the age of 7 until teenager-dom made it a bit uncool. Then later, at my first job, I would watch the racing while waiting for the backups to finish on Saturday afternoon, deftly (and almost always correctly) marking the winners in whatever tabloid I found had been left behind in the office. I never put money on the races (betting shops were very much the preserve of grubby, tobacco stained giffers in dirty macs as far as I was concerned), the uncomfortable exception being when I braved the seediness to put a small bet on the Grand National…oh, and a trip to the racecourse. Of course, I never won if there was money at stake. Perhaps the money aspect clouded matters so that I just didn’t trust my instincts or perhaps I’m just not lucky that way. That said, I am pleased to report that I have definitely backed one winner: today is the 21st anniversary of DH and I getting together and it’s out 19th wedding anniversary next week 🙂

I can’t say that I have any complaints about this state of affairs. I mean, who else would I find to stick pins in me, (mostly) ignore the mess I make, cook epic Sunday roasts (and other stuff) and generally put up with me.

We’ve celebrated with Slow Cooked Lamb with Puy Lentils, cooked quickly in the pressure cooker, because it was far too warm today to have the oven on for 4 hours*, served with stringless beans and warm ciabatta, followed by a quick pud of Rachel’s Organic Rhubarb Yoghurt topped with crushed ginger nuts**. Bloody lovely! Wine and chocolate (Lindt Caramel with a Touch of Sea Salt) will follow later 😀

Anyway, I know DH reads my blog so this one is for him:

Back briefly to the subject of gambling, I was feeling lucky today so I played the lottery. The sun has been shining all week, I have been walking both school runs (about 6 miles a day) every day this week, the great costume panic is over, more work is coming in at a reasonable rate, I have a bank balance and yesterday I found £1. So, bathed in a warm glow of wellbeing and benevolence, I stopped to buy ice-creams for myself and the sprogs on the way back from school and bought a lottery scratch card while I was at it. Guess what…I won! I never win anything. I won the princely sum of £1. Ah well, easy come, easy go, easy come again 🙂

Hope you’ve had a good day too 😀

*A small roasting joint and a WHOLE bottle of Merlot went into that, as well as marjoram and rosemary from the garden.
**I was going to stew some rhubarb from the garden as well, but it’s still a bit skinny and I’ve had a busy day so didn’t get time.