I have decided to provide a series of brief news flash updates as the Christmas situation develops. Yesterday all was gloom. After the latest announcements, it was clear that Ishbel was stuck in Surrey on her own for the duration. She had a brief weep then volunteered to work Christmas Day and Boxing Day, swappingContinue reading “Sit Rep T-4”
Category Archives: art and crafts
The Christmas warp speed effect
So it has been a few days since I hit the keyboard. “Why so?” I hear you ask. Reader, I was blindsided, as I am every year, by the realisation that Christmas is only a week away and I am sitting on a gazillion half finished projects all designed to be completed by Christmas and,Continue reading “The Christmas warp speed effect”
Better than Gravybones
I have established that there are some things Lyra likes more than gravy bones (her dog treat of choice). Usually any wandering off or other errant activity can be interrupted, and order restored, by bellowing loudly “Baby puppy, gravy bones” (and producing said treat). Over the last few walks, however, we established the limits ofContinue reading “Better than Gravybones”
Mudlarking
Exemption from catering detail post Gourmet Sunday only lasted a day as Tuesday brought beef olives and “mum is good with those”. Hmm, it is not rocket science…….I do love them though, and have discovered that cold leftovers sliced perform very well in a baguette. You never see beef olives in London (or at anyContinue reading “Mudlarking”
The corn snack universe sends a gift
Yesterday was Keith’s gourmet Sunday. A fine rack of lamb was consumed and dinner conversation meandered from the sublime to the ridiculous as per usual. Ignorance being no barrier to heated debate at Ruthven, Lachlan and I piled into a spirited argument on the meaning of infinity. We are nothing if not ambitious. (This provedContinue reading “The corn snack universe sends a gift”
The irresistible lure of a new project..
How short the days are. Walking Lyra just before 10am a few days ago the sun was so low and slanting that it felt like evening. My shadow was long and spindly and crept up the hill before me. We took a turn past the farm at Little Swinton and found the horses had beenContinue reading “The irresistible lure of a new project..”
Reasons to be cheerful part 4
I am smiling to myself as I type, with the lyrics to Part 3 running round my head. You have to love a bit of Ian Dury and the Blockheads (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIMNXogXnvE). And this week I have many reasons to be cheerful. Gourmet Sunday, over all, went off well, and I have therefore been relieved ofContinue reading “Reasons to be cheerful part 4”
The egg timer has tilted
We are in a time of short days and long evenings. Mornings are beginning to be frosty and the sun is dipping shortly after three – a long and chilly sunset has commenced by 4.30. There is markedly less dawdling on my morning walks with Lyra – I am picking up pace to keep warm.Continue reading “The egg timer has tilted”
Self Preservation
The skies are intense at the moment. This morning there was a darkly luminous grey. A few days ago there was a dawn of the most startling fuchsia which had me prancing around the garden in my dressing gown. When I wake in the wee small hours I find stars so startlingly bright that IContinue reading “Self Preservation”
The Press Gang
With the latest lockdown rules prohibiting our usual apple juicing squad from visiting, we have been somewhat tardy in getting going this year. However, with the apples determined to demonstrate the effects of gravity, we pulled ourselves together on Wednesday and dragged the apple press out. Lachlan and I had collected the apples in theContinue reading “The Press Gang”