Frosty business

Well the festivities are (mostly) over. The ABO managed a swap and didn't have to go back to work until the 27th, which was lucky due the snow! even so the journey the next day took ages...I really dislike the M62! Hopefully this will be his last out of base for a while... 

I've been trying to assimilate the new toys into the house so that I'm not stepping on it (duplo/lego), pushing it out of the way of an almost 2 year old (playmobil) or finding it stuck to me (mosaic jewels).

The days have been cold and crisp. We stayed at home yesterday not leaving the house. The roads hadn't been gritted and I couldn't face slip sliding with BigR and a buggy! e didn't need to go out. It was cosy. We made loom band bracelets whilst LittleR napped. The girls played without too much refereeing. I didn't even have to rely on my faithful cbeebies baby sitter. Today we went out and did a few little errands. It was such a lovely day but it did take more than 15 minutes to de-ice the car.

Tomorrow we go to collect the ABO and then we start our holiday. I've got an extra week off after BigR goes back to school. We're planning some nice days but I think we'll end up doing some house maintenance stuff too. So it's likely to be a little bit quiet around here over the next couple of weeks. Then LittleR is 2. Time really does fly. Especially when you're having fun.

Thanks for visiting my blog in 2014. Wishing everyone health and happiness in 2015.

Festivities and such like

I've felt a little lacklustre the last week or so, poor sleep and the start of a cold (which fortunately didn't materialise into anything more) coupled with my busiest teaching time and other work pressures has meant I've not been able to spend more time at the computer. I've been reading your blogs on my phone but it’s a real pain to comment via my phone so I've felt more absent. And of course there’s that thing about getting out of the habit. I’m hoping blogging is like riding a bike in that respect.

So…here we go. In no particular order.

:: I’m feeling Christmassy. Is that a word? Perhaps festive is more accurate. I think it’s having 2 small children that has done it to me. And the fact that I’ll be finished with work from next Weds until well into the New Year. We've been counting sleeps until Father Christmas makes his visits. This year we also all have an advent calendar thanks to Grandma and Grandad. Typically the big one has a Frozen one! There's nothing that has missed the marketing drive!

:: The tree went up just prior to the 1^st December – far too early for my liking but it was one way to bribe, ahem, reward  a small child for staying in bed past 6am! The ABO was on earlies so there I was at 5am sticking the branches in.

:: I have been able to buy some new decorations…mostly child choices but this enamelled tree is one of my favourites. It’s made by a local artist, Shelley Lodge. We have a picture of the four seasons she’s done too.

:: We've made some gingerbread biscuits…in festive shapes. I like the Christmas trees….BigR likes the snowmen. LittleR just likes to eat them! Next stop mince pies...only the ABO likes them so we'll have to make some jam tarts too.

:: The girls have visited Father Christmas as the school fair last week. BigR wasn't entirely convinced. Not that she’s not a believer, she most definitely is, but Father Christmas wasn't wearing his big black boots and so there was obviously an imposter there. We decided it must be an elf pretending as the real FC is far too busy at the moment. LittleR was ‘ho ho ho’-ing on repeat.

:: I've been trying to make some decorations for the house/tree/gifts. I've sewn some buttons on some felt and that’s as far as this bag of goodies has gone. The ABO is on lates and then away with work next week so I’m hoping to crack on with it…or wait until Christmas 2015. If I make anything I’ll share it here.

:: Most of our present buying is done. We’re a very small family so it’s quite an easy task. Plus I couldn't take the bun fight that toy shops would be. We won’t be travelling the length and breadth of the country at this time of year so we’re focussing on it just being the 4 of us. My parents (G&G) are visiting this weekend and Grandad (G- the ABO’s Dad) is coming just before Christmas. The ABO goes back to work on Boxing day. There’s really only the food purchases to make now and they’re the ones I like the best (especially choosing the ABO a chocolate treat….maybe Hotel Chocolat this year?).  I just have one more gift to buy for a friend. I’ve even been able to be smug and make the last posting for New Zealand.

:: Having said that I went to the supermarket on Black Friday (this was a new one on me!!) and was stunned to see police sorting out the queue. Who wants a big TV/ child's wendyhouse or  a scooter that much you could be trampled in a crush?

:: We took the girls to the Thackray Medical Museum. You can go back as many times as you like through the year on one entry price. We've been a few times but there’s always a new button to press or thing to see. There’s a great exhibition of how Leeds was in the mid 19^th Century. Including the smells:  fascinating and horrific.

:: I've had my hair cut. This might not seem like an event but from having almost waist length hair it's now just on the shoulder. I did tell the hairdresser (who I've known for over 10 years) to cut it all off but he didn't go quite that far. My very fine hair now feels thick again. I should’ve cut it ages ago.

:: We've been rearranging some storage areas. We’ve gotten rid of our CD cabinets and put the CDs into wallets. Most of our music is on the computer and can be played wirelessly through phones/ipad/ the tv(so I’m told!) so we still have the originals but they’re not on show anymore. This area has been replaced with a book case for my ever growing cookbook (and burgeoning craft book) collection. And yes I've asked for two for Christmas.

:: I ‘need’ a new phone. I had a middle class disaster and dropped my phone onto the dishwasher and the screen now has a big crack in it. It’s been like that for over a month now but I am due an upgrade.  Shall we see if it takes me as long to replace my phone as it did to get my hair cut?!

:: I treated myself to a solo breakfast in town. I had a paper to mark for work and could do that and eat so I did. It was very yum. (Yes I had started before I thought to take a pic!!)


:: BigR has been learning her lines for the reception school concert. She knows everyone else's parts too. A girl after my own heart. I was pleased that I only had to provide Christmas clothes (I did have to ask for clarification!) and a Santa hat as a costume. Apparently there are lots of sheep. My mind boggles.


:: I met a friend, who I used to work with, for coffee. She's getting married next year. That's just such fabulous news.

:: I have been loving the sky at various times. We've had plenty of rain and dreich weather but some beautiful, cold, clear crisp days.

:: Two friends are almost back from maternity leave. They're doing 'keeping in touch' days until January. I've really missed them and their work camaraderie over the last year.

:: There are still roses flowering in the garden. Although we had a 5 minute snow flurry today so not for much longer. 


:: I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's happenings and seeing everyone's news in the run up to the end of 2014,

Catching up

Well it’s been a little while. Typically winter illnesses, days out and general busyness have put paid to blogging.

I’ve been ploughing on with ‘the list’ and combining that with a couple of days out alone and days with the family.

 

 

A couple of weeks ago I redeemed a birthday present and went to “one pot wonders” at Betty’s Cookery School in Harrogate. It was such a fantastic day. On the way to the course, I was surprised to find myself completely alone. Alone in the car. Not even a sleeping child. It was a bit strange really. It was a super day, plenty of time to think about food and to eat some really delicious things. Lunch was spectacular especially the passionfruit and chocolate bombe. All the dishes I cooked on the day were brought home and enjoyed by the ABO and myself (Sausage cassoulet, lamb meatballs in a spicy sauce, salmon with vegetable ribbons) and BigR (seasonal fruit back to front cake – made with plums and blueberries but so easily adapted to lots of different fruits). I discovered a couple of new tricks which I can adapt some of my current recipes and they gave me some great ideas for new things I can cook. I often rotate round the same dishes in spite of having a bit of a cook book addiction (and yes I have asked for 2 more cookery books for Christmas) so it’s nice to think about new things the whole family would enjoy, and certainly with the reduction in salt both BigR and LittleR could and would enjoy.

Last week, I travelled, again to Harrogate, with my knitter friend to the Knitting and Stitching show. We arrived just as the doors opened and our first stop was for coffee. I wasn’t sure what to expect really. I’d been to the Good Food show before and really enjoyed that. Lots of tatsy things to nibble on and then buy and lots of star spotting...the longest queues there were for Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood doing a double siging of their first bake off book. Anyway, I digress. It wasn’t too busy when we first arrived so we sedately made our way round making a mental note of what we’d come back to see. I was in awe of the fabrics galore stall...I just couldn’t resist touching the beautiful liberty fabrics. My companion bought the pattern and yarn for a beautiful dress. I was rather more restrained selecting only some sashiko needles and cotton along with a printed fabric to attempt and from Baa Ram Ewe a pattern for a toy dog. I picked up the wool needed for 2 dogs in 2 colours....let’s see if that’s a project for 2014!! There was so much to see and so many beautiful things to make, for both the beginner and the very experienced alike. By 1pm we both needed a break, some food and a sit down plus the show was now packed so we left and ate in town. This was followed by a short walk to the (second) Baa Ram Ewe shop where again I was very restrained before heading home.
 

I’ve managed to get out in the garden. It was such a sunny and warm day, well for November it was. Whilst LittleR slept, BigR played on her scooter and helped. We had one side of the garden completely dug out  (by a professional with a huge lorry!) and new top soil replacing the weeds, pieces of concrete (!??) and brambles that were there in the first place. We kept a couple of very established shrubs, some roses and a salvia that I bought this summer. I liberally planted daffodils and tulips both the usual and dwarf varieties in a myriad of colours. I have some blue and pink geranium to go in from my Dad's garden. This would be the perfect opportunity to have colour themed our garden. I’d like to have a garden that was coordinated with different height beds. I know myself better though and this is not likely to happen. I’d see something I liked in an opposing shade and the theme would be over. My main aim for next year in the garden is to have some colour all year round. Our spring flowers are very few and comprised just a few daffodils but I have plans to change that with some seasonal bedding and pots alongside the other bulbs I planted. We should have flowers during our garden’s lean period from February to May.
 

In other creative activities I’ve been trying out knitting on circular needles using magic loop. A few YouTube videos would make me an expert right? Well I’m a slow knitter anyway and this has made it slower still BUT! I have a circle of knitting. Hopefully a few more rows and I might have a cowl and it might even be suitable for a gift....if I learn how to weave in the ends neatly.

Next week looks busy as well. We’re going out for the day to visit family. We’re looking at local schools for BigR. We’re trying to get the bulk of our Christmas shopping done and dusted (we have a very small family) so it shouldn’t be an arduous task. I’m also due to have a meeting with my boss. I’m a bit nervous about it and about going back to work more generally. I wasn’t nervous last time; I practically skipped into the office to get my brain back into gear and enjoy a hot cup of coffee!! So I don’t know what’s changed. I do (please note the positivity of the present tense) really enjoy my job, a combination of research and teaching. Maybe it’s me that has changed, having 2 children does that I guess. Priorities change, things change and your focus changes. It’s just going to be a case of adjustment. Anyway, I’m sure it’ll all be fine and it’s just anticipation.

The plan for next week is to appliqué stockings for BigR and LittleR. I have grand plans for a blanket for BigR to play with. I bought a fleece blanket in Ikea and have the fabrics and ideas ready but I’m starting small. My first plan for the stockings was to buy felt and sew the stockings myself. It was cheaper to buy a readymade stocking than to purchase the felt to make one, so considering my maternity pay has finished I felt it prudent to do that. This week I’ll work with the bondaweb and perhaps even embroider their names onto the stockings. As it’s a surprise it’ll be an evening job I think. Plenty to keep me busy.