Bread and Roses

The snow thawed and we had a day of the oddest warm breezes which we enjoyed from our favourite local beach as we ran about with JR zooming after his little red frisbee. I have bought a new camera not because I think I have any skill in this area but because great things happen and it is good to catch some pictures of it also I have a few projects that need to be documented. Some of the pictures turned out much better than I could have ever hoped so that made our sandy breezy day. Mrs Jones, the Rayburn, was very busy that day as I slow cooked some pork in the oven for our Sunday roast and the potatoes turned out quite well.

looking for shells and stones on the beach

If any of you were ever fans of Nigella Lawson you will understand what I mean when I say my Domestic Goddess has been feeling quite smug this past week or two. Ale has been bottled and I have  been turning my hand to brioche and baguettes. The munchkins and my OH have been very supportive and the brioche was quite well received but that was nothing compared to the baguettes.

My youngest has now borrowed a book from the library and he is planning on baking chocolate cookies at the weekend followed by some minestrone soup and my oldest hovers close by whenever I cook to see what I am doing. We have eaten a lot of fresh bread over the past week and so the temperature in the kitchen has been quite warm as my poor roses found out. I have a bit of a thing for the roses which are more than one colour and this time I bought myself a bunch of the yellow roses with tinges of green and red on the guard petals but after three days they started drooping so now they are hanging upside down over Mrs Jones using my little underwear rack that usually goes on the washing line so I can either keep them forever or use the dried petals as confetti for our wedding this summer.
Planning is happening although I am putting off the dreaded dress shopping but at least the exercise is going well and I even went to a Zumba class last week.
Excellent news in that I have finished the first Christening shawl and only have one more to do (she says!).


I feel at this point that I should apologise to you all for being such a total twit and not working out sooner how to add photos to my blog. I am sorry. I am a twit.

happy JR by my ankle

Winter Wonderland

This morning is stunning. I have woken up to a totally frosty morning with temperatures of minus 5 degrees celsius so when I say frosty I mean the large serrated crystals on the grass, on the branches and even on the barbed wire fences. Beautiful does not come close.
I think it is obvious that I am a stranger in a deeply Celtic land that I am wrapped up to the eyes with my comfortable hat with super long scarf that I knitted just to do the school run and yet not all the other children, or should that be young people, do not even have on coats; they are just that hardy. One difference I have noticed between the primary aged children down South and the children up here is the fashion for brand named things. South of the border the fad is for the trainers, hats and sweat tops whereas up here it is for Camelbaks and buffs but then the outdoor activities are a bit different too.
Now my oldest munchkin is in secondary school I have the pleasure of the school run to the big bus and as I leave her at the stop I can't help but think that they look like a police line up of teenage angst and ennui as they stand, steadfastly not saying a word to each other, against the fence.
A daft but totally understandable highlight of my week has been discovering that my local craft shop has started running weekly craft and chatter sessions at the one time I can ever get there. I am so stupidly happy with this and now vow to keep my Wednesday mornings free. The Christening shawl I am knitting at the moment is going so slowly I think I should hail a TARDIS and knit there, in between all the aliens and weird events that is. I must persevere as I have 6 weeks to finish it and make a second one. Er...Doctor??

Yesterday I cooked lamb shanks in the slow cooker for the first time ever and was quite pleased with how it came out particularly as the exercise regime has started and the sensible eating is being eased in; one lamb shank turned out to be effective portion control with some butternut squash and cannellini beans that my OH actually liked (yay!).
We went for a long walk through the woods last weekend and it was brilliant to be walking the way I did when I was little; exploring, climbing and with that degree of uncertainty instead of using the super grown up manicured paths in some woodland walks. We hunted for as many tree saplings as we could, avoided muddy bits, got a little scratched, admired the view and generally had a great time which is how weekends should be instead of sitting indoors glued to our technology although saying that I have a few chores to do before I enjoy the frozen scenery from the warm side of the glass.

Hugs from Haggis Land

Jx

New Year

The New Year is upon us and I honestly do not feel any different. It was very nice and different to have company this year for the first time in seven years as I do not really celebrate New Year and am usually at home in my pyjamas with my munchkins upstairs fast asleep. The first couple of years I was with my OH he was working so this was our first New Year together and his parents were visiting us which was lovely. The bug my darling boy gave me has been slowing me down somewhat so after cooking a dinner of roast goose with all the trimmings I promptly feel asleep before being woken up with a glass of something bubbly before the countdown.
I wonder if I should have made any resolutions but I have never managed to keep them before and a few years ago I decided not make them again as it tends to dent my confidence. I would decide to do more exercise or, worse, to exercise every day then fall at the first hurdle when I felt too tired/full/'delicate' to do any on January 1st. So what did I do? Not make the resolution and manage to exercise anyway! JR was thrilled to be out for a long walk and zoomed from one end of the park to the other, up hills, through leaf piles all the while looking very handsome in his blue coat. His dedication to my ankle resumed as soon as we got home.
The snuggly days between Christmas and New Year had some crafting and a teeny smidgeon of wedding planning which was cosy and just what is needed on these cold days. I forgave the weather for not giving us snow because the fire was so nice. On the sixth the decorations will come down although usually I watch a well known show on television with a large brandy for New Year and after the countdown I take down and box up every last Christmas decoration before going to bed; it is a little weird to still see the tree up.
My crafting activities are all planned out for the next few months so I am happily organised and off to do some knitting.

Hugs from Haggis land,

Jx