Stew Good

Temperatures have started to drop a little here, mind you it is still sunny and about 18-20 degrees during the day so not too bad. But we're a far cry from this:

I'm a big fan of throw-together-what's-in-the-cupboard and this quick stew is perfect for this time of the year.

Chorizo and Chickpea Stew

(this serves about 3-4 people)

600 g Chorizo, sliced into halves
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
good handful of dried herbs (oregano etc) or fresh thyme, whatever you have to hand
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Boiling water
Vegetable stock powder
Half a head of Savoy cabbage, sliced
2 cans of chickpeas, drained
Salt and pepper

• Heat a heavy pan and fry the chorizos for about 10 minutes. Stir regularly as you don't want to burn them. You don't need to add any oil as the chorizo will give off its lovely paprika-coloured oil
• Remove chorizo, gently fry onion and garlic
• Add dried herbs
• Return chorizo to the pot and fry for 5 minutes
• Add chopped tomatoes. Fill the empty can twice with boiling water from the kettle and add to the pot.
• Sprinkle the vegetable stock powder over it, let it boil for about 7-8 minutes
• Add the savoy cabbage, let boil for about 5 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas, stir well and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

This is best preapred in advance and eaten later in theday or even better the next day. Serve with crusty bread and a nice glass of Rioja.

¡Hola!

Nearly four months after my last post .... and we're still here. I thought I should really make an effort and write something - I know I've been pretty bad at posting but I have been a little busy ...  we are still in Spain and our little 'miracle baby' as they call him is improving but still in the intensive care unit in Malaga. He weighed 900g at birth (2lbs) and has now gone up to nearly 2.9g (coming up to 6lbs) - he is doing incredibly well in many ways but his little lungs are still very weak, hence the reason why he is still in hospital. He has also had pneumonia which didn't help making his lungs any stronger but for the last couple of days he managed to breathe nearly unaided. It's been a scary time so far but I am so incredibly proud of him given everything he has already been through in his short life. Initially we had hoped he would be out of hospital by his due date (which was at the end of May) but he could well be there for another two to three months. The next challenge we now have is that he has to learn to suck and swallow so that eventually he'll be able to take his milk independently whereas at the moment he is still being fed via tube.

I often miss the life I had before all this happened and I admit I don't read any of the 'creative' blogs that I used to before not only because of the obvious lack of time, but because I miss my sewing machine and my fabrics. But as soon as I walk into the ward, come up to his cot and see his perfect tiny face it's all forgotten and so worth it. 

The One Where She Has The Baby

Exactly a week ago I wrote that I would spend 7 weeks in hospital unless there were any complications .... well the next day there were. Just after lunch time I suffered placenta abruption and within 40 minutes our son Joshua was born by emergency cesarean at 27 weeks of pregnancy. It was a very scary day as we did not know if he would make it through the day, his brain was deprived of oxygen at birth and in the first hours the doctors had very little hope of survival for him. But he made it through and we have now made it through the first week. We are grateful for every additional day we have with him and take every day as it comes.

So just when I thought I would have all this time on my hands the game plan has changed again and we are now settling into a daily routine of new nursery (which the little man adores, in fact so much more than his nursery back in the UK) and then going to the hospital twice daily for the allocated visiting hours ... oh and me expressing milk about 8 times a day which really is what I do all day long, at least it seems that way.

The neo-natal unit in the hospital is fantastic, in fact if it had to happen anywhere in the world we are very lucky that this particular hospital in Malaga is one of the best places to be under these circumstances.

So again I'll keep the blog updated with progress but I'm kind of hoping that it'll involve less drama in the future!

When The Unexpected Happens ....

Three weeks ago we decided that we'd had enough of the cold and that a short break somewhere further South would do us good. As always thanks to the internet, flights and holiday home were quickly found, and last Tuesday we were on our way to the Costa Tropical in the South of Spain for a week. My pregnancy, then at 26 weeks, was without complications so off we went ....  And then it happened on Sunday morning: my waters broke. Dash to the first hospital, referral to the second, and here I am now 5 days later flat out on my hospital bed in Malaga. Luckily so far baby decided that it was better to stay put but we will now be here until further notice. If all goes well and no complications, labour will be induced at 34 weeks so another 7 weeks to go of keeping my legs well crossed.

To say that this was a shock is an understatement, but we are slowly building a little life here - well when I say we it's really my other half who has been absolutely amazing rushing around organising thing whilst always being here by my side when it mattered. Luckily he can do his work from here so doesn't have to go back home, and we've now also found a nursery for the little man that he'll go to for a few hours every day as from next week. He'll be fluent in Spanish soon ....!

So the frogs+sprogs shop is taking a break until further notice, I'll still update the blog because I have a feeling it'll do me good to write a little bit from time to time. But the focus will have changed a little. And I finally have time to read up on everyone else's blog!