Happy Valentine's day

I have given possession of the day to St Valentine himself, rather than all people out there celebrating our modern valentine-lite.

Show your love for others day to day friends and use today as an excuse for a superyum tea time treat.

Project complete

I've started to really enjoy making little presents for the new babies that have started to arrive. I hope that they will use them and love them, and maybe this blanket will become a treasured possession.

That final frontier

Have you ever really, really needed some space? Space to breathe. Space to sit, wait, be.

How often did you realise it? And how often were you blessed by the world/universe/god/divine realising before you had and setting it up for you?

I'm sitting on a train atm, waiting. Not processing my to do list, or subconsciously fretting about any of the gazillion tiny decisions each day is filled with. It is bliss.

Even better I've just spent a couple of days chilling out with my best friend and setting the world to rights during hours of talking and gallons of tea.

It was a spur-ish of the moment trip and winter weather and my elderly car conspired to put me on the train. I'm so glad.

Here's to space, sought out or unexpected, and friendships outside geography.

Crochet people crochet!

It's basically one giant knot with lots of twists in it. One very un-basic, complicated knot. That I have finally almost mastered.

Almost.

The picture shows attempt number at least three of the evening. The trouble is I can't quite remember how I did it. The quest to truly master this craft and create something either useful, beautiful or both continues.

Tilt

Things I Love Thursday

It's that time of the week again peoples. What has been rocking your world this week?

I've come across a lovely, inspirational website via a new-ish friend. The author over at Redamancy Lit injects a little burst of reflection and creative-thoughtfulness into my reader list nowadays.

source

Also, bubbles! Apologies for coming over all minor Nemo character on you but what is not to like? (rhetorical question, obviously the answer is "nothing, they're all round great")


The Shawshank Redemption. Short story genius turned into cinematic genius. If you haven't already...watch it!


and, as always, tea! regular run of the mill black tea warm with milk in, peppermint in all its refreshing perkiness, earl grey for sunday morning relaxing... tea, tea, tea, the way drinking should be.

Here's to another week with little flashes of inspiration to brighten your days x

Martin Mere, Jan 2012 (his beak is *sharp*, ask my husband)

Grati-tuesday

I started my Grati-tuesday 24 hours early this week. Once a month I have a Monday evening in all to myself. No social engagements, no husband, no need to do anythign except whatever I want.

Yesterday I got in, made a lovely rissotto, watched 90s sitcoms for a while, played with the camera, and danced around my house to slightly too loud summery music whilst blowing bubbles out of the back window. Suddenly this collection of 'small things' made my world seem a better place. Whatever tomorrow, or the next day, or the next, may throw at me I am grateful that this space meant I recaptured something of myself and got a decent dose of perspective.

I'm also thankful that;

• I've sent some post to some dear friends recently, and will hopefully be meeting up with another of my dearest very soon.




• Creativity is begining to trickle again. A poem, a letter, some photographs.




• Our house has all its rooms useable again (or possibly for the first time since we moved in)




• I've been blessed with new connections and new friendships in the local area.




• The sun was back. So shiny.




• Rissotto exists, and makes such a good take-to-work-lunch.

What're you thankful for so far this week?

(p.s. yes, I intend to simply reappear as if the last two months of silence didn't happen x)

f4.0, ISO100, natural light from the street.

Notice how I'm a half-ghost in the first shot.

Sunday space

So, as well as putting up the picture I've washed my autumn coat and chilled out in the kitchen for a while.

The power of distraction is amazing. My tooth is hurting less and I've been very productive.

Two batches of cakes...



One with a regular recipe and the other using flax seeds instead of eggs. Thank you to Sayward for the 'f-egg' (fake egg) recipe, and the tip to add in some spices. The cakes are just as yummy as regular fairy cakes. Success.

After that I was still feeling kitchen-y so I've prepped some chocolate truffles mix to make later. There was also time whilst all that was going on to try another dahl recipe.




It's turned out yummy but *very* dry and thick. Hopefully when I reheat it with some more liquid later it will transform into perfection.

Any body want the recipes for any of my creations?

And now on to more of the day

Dee Eye Why? ... Because I gotta!

Today I finally had enough. The picture present, given last year, perfect for the bathroom, wrapped in bubbles, leant upright against various corners had stared at my subconcious *enough*.

It was going up.

A chair to stand on. A pencil and spirit level. The drill. Enthusiasm outweighing ineptitude I (very) proudly present...






Colour to lift the white bathroom!

In other news, I'm still having a bad time with my teeth. The DIY-burst is probably a reaction to it, because otherwise I'd lie on the sofa and moan quietly. And that would add guilt at 'wasting' time to the mix. I am master of the mix, and will not be beaten by an inflamed nerve. Not yet anyway.

Today I have...

• made super yummy dairy-free biscuits. Thank you Rach for the recipe.



• juiced two big bags of carrots, and a bag of oranges. Its hopefully freezing nicely to be a winter pick me up when the weather turns cold



• explored Dunham Massey with my husband (who *loves* chickens)



• got on top of the chores so I feel prepared for the week (lunch food made, washing done, house clean-ish) A big tick in the sense of acheivement box.



• given the cat much much fuss. She loves it, she is wise.


• listened to a bunch of seminars from the World's Biggest Summit. Thank you for organising it Leonie!

Cat nip soup

It seems my cooking skills appeal to cats. Well, our cat at least. She's fascinated by my mug of chilli-lentil soup.

Climbing up to sniff it. Following the spoon from mug to my mouth. Watching my every soup related move.

Then refuses to taste it when I offer her some. Typical cat!

Thoughts

Currently there are a lot of thoughts going round my head, but very few of them are words. It's hard to get them firmed enough to express them.

I'm hurting, not for myself. I'm 'fine' by any measurable standard, life is ticking along. I'm hurting for my friends, because life is hard for so many of them at the moment. It seems to have been hard for many of them for a long time, and they don't deserve the raft of crappy things that keep happening.

Anyone who I say this too nods comfortingly and says something along the lines of 'yeah, life's tough', 'that's terrible' or 'you can't fix that, it's good that they know you care'. The thing is that I'm not just worried about my friends, I don't just want to comfort them. I am hurting. When I think about them and the challenges they face it makes me start to cry.

I'm not saying this to get people to run up to me and give me brownie points for being such an amazing friend or having so much compassion. Because my conflict is that I don't, not always. Shockingly enough it hurts to feel pain, so often (too often) I withdraw. I let the connections and relationships I value so highly, that I feel are the reason for being, fade and grow slightly distant to avoid the horrible intensity of sharing my friends' pain.

I don't want to do that. When there is already geographical distance I don't want to be the one who adds 'emotional' distance as well. Suddenly I've had a moment of realisation and my prayers have stopped being just for my suffering friends and started being for myself as well.

I love my friends. I want to be there for them. They are amazing people who have the strength to get through the crap life throws at them. I have the strength to be right there with them. And when we need a boost, more strength, God has promised that he will provide. I need to remember to ask.

Today I have...

Sewn long long seams on deep rich blue curtains

Realised how quiet my creative soul has been, shushed by daily trials

Breathed and taken space for myself

Revelled in the transformation of our bedroom

And drunk tea, of course

So much stuff!

Oops

I forgot about posting pics this week. I've been getting ready for the inaugural august meet up. A whole bunch of my best friends from school, college, uni and life are spending the weekend together. I've been looking forward to it for ages and last night had that kid before Christmas excitement as I was falling asleep.

My mother in law is coming to mind the cat and I like to say thankyou with garden gifts. Thing is I also haven't been out in the garden much this week...




Killer courgettes! It's like day of the triffids out there, especially with the sunflowers as well...





(that's the few I picked, there's a jungle outside)

Here's to lovely weekends. I good yours is gonna be great too x

13/31

Hmm, didn't notice this one getting so big.




I had to get creative to fit it all in the frame. The mug is there for scale.

8-12/31

So, we went camping earlier this week and here are a few pics to fill you in...

Meet my husband, happy the tent is up and the rain didn't come down





We were busy walking, exploring huge bookshops and eating pub lunches so didn't take many more pics whilst away.

Since our return...

I've tidied the bedroom. No longer a tribute to teenage sloth


Discovered our first ripe tomatoes




And realised how much tea I have in my stash.





And, for this morning, a picture of the cat cos she's cuter than me cleaning the bathroom.

7/31

Off on our way for a few days holiday.




Photo posts for 8/9/10 will be all together when I get back. We're camping, without electricity so I'm going to be smart phone less. It'll be interesting to play with a phone that's actually designed primarily for calls&texts again for a few days!

6/31

Creativity :) it makes me feel alive.






I made these booties as a present for a lady at work's new(ish) baby. Small and cute just like him, so hopefully they'll be a hit.