Number 14:Get my Palm Read

Another challenge completed then and not the most physically taxing of my list. The idea of getting my palm read occurred mainly because a mate of mine Aliwyn, is a top notch palm reader, and also because I thought that at the least it would be very interesting. I meet Ali at a pub in Holborn and she fills me in a bit on the science of palm reading. Basically I realise that shes not going to tell me the exact date of my wedding or next weeks euro millions numbers, rather the possibilities that lie ahead for me,
I must admit that I was relieved to find out I have a strong life line and barring any tragedies I should be able to at least see out this blog. Ali was also able to tell me that my line riddled hand ,that I had often been mocked for as being like a pensioners,  simply meant that I was bursting with energy and creativity. The biggest results of the reading were:
A: I have a feint but readable success line, which many people don't have!
B: I am far too sensitive to ever be a murderer!

So as long as I keep chipping away at the writing lark there is every chance that I may end up doing it professionally one day. In these troubling times for the British economy it was also good to hear that i will always find steady work.After finishing the reading and letting it settle in I actually felt really good. Until I realised that I have no excuses. If the palms had said that it wasn't really my fault I could have resigned my self to a life of self loathing and special brew. The palms have spoken and I have a success line to live up to, one more episode of Scubs and I'll get cracking!Photo below of me and the talented Aliwyn Cole.

Six challenges completed, twenty four to go and now just 110 days till Thirty.

Number 26: Make a Baked Alaska

Some might have looked at this particular challenge and either wondered, Whats that all about? or that's not very hard?depending on their knowledge of North American Ice cream/meringue based cuisine. I have been fascinated by the idea of putting ice cream in the oven since I was about seven years old. A friend of mines step dad used to talk about cooking baked Alaska during his time as a chef in the navy. At the time I thought this guy was a hero. Due to my child like sense of wonder I was willing to over look the fact that this man was responsible for my mates parents messy divorce. He had put some ice cream inside a meringue and put it in an oven, and now he was imparting his knowledge.Who cares if he was an adulterer! I cant remember a lot about what he said, I think it was something about having a really hot oven, but the memory has always stayed with me.

Now twenty two years later I was poised to do the unthinkable myself. I was going to put icecream in the oven!Continuing the Dad based theme, I was cooking with my dad Dai. As a trained medical professional he was just who I needed by my side for this most challenging of culinary tasks. Things were all going well before it came to oven insertion. The process of creating the Alaska involved using a sponge base and using a slightly smaller blob of icecream on top of it. Next I had to create my own meringue which consisted of four egg whites whipped up and mixed with sugar. Despite almost getting "whippers cramp" I accomplished the task and things were looking good. Pictures below of the creating:

So in the oven it went for the prescribed four minutes. I would love to add a picture below of a magnificent looking baked alaska, with bronzed meringue cut into to reveal solid icecream. Alas, while the meringue duly browned it didn't cover the icecream and ended up looking a bit more like this:

As Dai said before eating half of it in about two minutes " We couldn't have tried any harder. So there you have it then, challenge 26 completed if not with any real cooking finesse. Is baked Alaska hard to make? yes. Is it a good idea to put icecream in the oven?no. Did |I eat it all? yes. Anyway it was a nice distraction from all the running I've been doing as I am training hard for my marathon challenge which is coming up on April 16th. As always thanks for reading and remember if you ever get told a story of sea based cooking heroics by your mates stepdad then ask him for some more detailed cooking instructions.

Number 24: Give Blood!

A short and sweet one then as apart from losing a pint of my own claret, this was probably the easiest challenge yet. I rolled into a primary school in Kentish town( that was where the blood donation was being held...I don't just wander round primary schools on the weekend.)feeling a tad apprehensive. I don't have a problem with needles or the sight of blood but tales of feinting after giving  filled my head as I took my place in the queue. It wasn't helped by the table of "zombie" looking types munching on crisps and biscuits who had just donated. A friend who I haven't seen for a while happened to be at the table himself. This is a bloke who cycled to Paris for a laugh one weekend and goes to the gym more than I sleep but he was looking decidedly washed out. I was also taken aback by how medical the whole set up looked. I don't know what I was expecting but in my strange little mind I supposed I had pictured swanning in with a halo wrapped around my bald bonce, getting my finger pricked, and then gliding out, safe in the knowledge that I was a good,good person.Obviously the process of draining a good pint of blood takes a little more effort and after being tested for anemia( I'm already in the clear for aids, Result!)I was processed to wait for a bed. For those squeamish people amongst you look away now, here are a couple of snaps of me pre/post donation:

There we are then, job done!A pint of the finest Naylor juice donated and ready to roll. The actual procedure was very simple and just involved lying down for about five minutes.I was actually proud of how sufficiently manly I was after the blood giving and after a couple of biscuits I was soon sipping a lager with no side effects at all. On a serious note a bloke I chatted too told me that although over 10,000 pints of blood are needed every day only 7% of the people who are elligible to give blood actually do it. Get on it!

Number 4: Swim in Hyde park lake in Speedos

Number four ticked off then and despite a serious amount of genital shrinkage and the embarrassment of having to put on a swim cap I have come out the other side unscathed!Before and after photos posted above.
As you can see by my lobster  like complexion,  it wasn't warm in there.The more experienced old timers in the changing rooms were happy to inform us it was about four degrees. Arriving at Hyde park this morning I was feeling a little bit apprehensive. It was March, It was fresh water, I was going to go in wearing a tiny little speedo. At least I wasn't alone in this adventure though. My erstwhile camera man, partner in dole and "friend" Lee Gant was on hand to offer support. When I mentioned my worry of a shock induced heart attack on entry to the water he said:
" It's actually worse for young people to have a heart attack cos the hearts beating more. You'd be dead within seconds."
Nice one. Our arrival at the Serpentine swimming clubhouse caused a bit of a stir. The gaffer of the club seemed a little hostile and met our enquiry as to where the sign in book was with some brutal sarcasm.
"It's the book that says sign in on the front" he sneered. Don't rest on your laurels with this gagsmith about Ricky Gervais!
The majority of the other members were lovely though, one old dear even lent me her spare swimcap which I was informed was a necessity if you were going to go in. Imagine my horror later on as Gantie went in aunatural after I had taken the plunge looking the a buff member of the coccon cast.
Speedo on, I timidly made my way on blotchy corn beef legs to the water. With the swans waiting there was nothing else to do but get in. I lowered myself in and braced myself for pain. If I'm honest it was absolutely horrible but not as bad as I'd built it up to be in my head. I managed two pathetic widths, all captured on video which i will upload here soon. I lowered myself in and now wish i had gone for the dive although in doing this later Gantie did nearly give himself a self inflicted skin graft due to the shallow water. Getting out of the pool I felt aglow and ready to take on the world until I remembered I was wearing a skin tight speedo and that my penis had shrunk to the size of half a wotsit slumbering on two funsize maltesers. Not to worry though, Challenge number four completed! My only regret is that I didn't nick the swimcap.