Crazy dinner blowout

I rebelled tonight and bought some expensive foodstuffs for dinner; having blogged the other day on dinners that I have been missing due to our budget constraints I decided to throw caution to the wind and have a treat. Made a kick-ass avocado, prawn and cottage cheese salad; the purist version which we first encountered in Thailand has no prawns, but they are a worthy and decadent addition. Needs to be made a few hours ahead and 'wallowed' (marinated) at room temperature for best effect. Take one bowl and in in mix: a couple of very ripe avocadoes, chopped, a tub of cottage cheese, a big handful of chopped chives, couple of garlic cloves and a small onion (chopped fine), some fresh herbs or herb oil as desired, chopped fresh chillies to taste (so in our case a small shedload), juice of a lime, dash of toasted sesame oil, fish sauce- again to taste, but lots. Eat ambient with rice, and add prawns if the decadent budget-busting mood takes you. Looking forward to this later. Lots.

Did my civic duty this evening as well and purchased online the Biffy Clyro version of 'Many of Horror', the excellently titled original of the renamed-for-karaoke X-factor person song. I already own the Biffy album, but like I say, duty... It is deeply depressing knowing that vast sections of the country get excited about and buy into a cynically money-grabbing, vacuous karaoke contest. Can only feel sorry for the people who take part as they must be chewed-up and spat-out brainwashed mush by the end of the year.

Had a paint delivery yesterday and now discover that Ritchie from the gallery has also bought me the contents of a paint list I left with him and immediately forgot about, so it is paint central in the studio now. One excellent reason why I am forging on tonight against the tiredness and hoping to complete at least one of the nine angels which are to make up the piece now known as 'Nine Lives'. Based on the multiple wee angels I painted for various galleries and Christmas presents, it is kind of the culmination of this train of thought; I love the way they all look together and want to create that in a single piece made of many smaller works. Fun too.