And lo – the cakes were iceth

Normal service has partially resumed. Mum and I have both been too mired in the great unpacking for the sake of our sanity, so we headed out to walk the dog first thing to get a bit of air and, possibly, a touch of perspective. It was a lovely bright morning, with just a touchContinue reading “And lo – the cakes were iceth”

Home Again Home Again Joggety Jog

After yesterday’s cultural endeavours (the ballet was fantastic, though I was so tired I had to soak my head in the loos in the interval to make sure I didn’t miss anything), we were back on the train home again today. There had been talk of Christmas shopping in the morning, but I had aContinue reading “Home Again Home Again Joggety Jog”

Lucky for some

Never listen to triskadekaphobics; the thirteenth has been delightful. We had a pretty pink dawn which, in spite of gurning shepherds, simply heralded a bright and breezy day. We were up, bacon sarnied and out with the dog before Jack Robinson could be declaimed. Down in the woods, the worst of the mud had driedContinue reading “Lucky for some”

Three’s the charm

Well like the curate’s egg, the day was good in parts. This is a quick update because my sinuses are in revolt and sleep seems to happen in 2 hour increments between phases of asphyxiation. If I go to bed soon I can perhaps patchwork a nights sleep between the Vicks application, desperate earache triggeredContinue reading “Three’s the charm”

Digging Diversion

Day 2 was hijacked. I started off tremendously, getting up fairly early even though I had sat up late appliquéing legs onto an embroidered sheep (and, with hindsight I should have banked another half hour’s sleep and stopped at two rather than going for the full four as it now looks like a cross betweenContinue reading “Digging Diversion”

Slip sliding away

We are in welly season. We celebrated Lyra’s 6th birthday with a sunny walk along the river in Norham only to find that the “low road” had been converted into a foot deep duck superhighway. Choosing the better part of valour, for once, Mum and I took the high road rather than wade through. EvenContinue reading “Slip sliding away”

from dreaming spires to forest pyres

The beginning of the month brought a spectacular downpour. Lyra was all for waiting it out and retreated to the spot under the table that is just out of easy reach for a woman with a lead. However, when faced with the smell of a venison twisty bar found herself unable to resist. We thenContinue reading “from dreaming spires to forest pyres”

A conflagration of leaves

My tale commences on a wet and windy trip to Norham a couple of weeks ago for essential bacon supplies. Lyra expressed the view that she was happy just to stay in the car and listen to the radio whilst I stocked up, with a view to heading straight back to the fire and theContinue reading “A conflagration of leaves”

Lazarus speaks…

I have had this godawful cold/virus for over a fortnight now and only in the last couple of days have I felt even borderline human (as opposed to the land based kin of a race of spluttering green slime monsters from the depths of the Mindanao trench). Keith’s been fairly poorly as well and betweenContinue reading “Lazarus speaks…”

From the sublime…….

We scuttled off to Corfu at the end of September in hope of sun. It was a different side of the island this time, just across from Albania, and we arrived to blue cloudless skies and a dazzling display of bougainvillea in the hotel gardens. I had no idea there were so many colour optionsContinue reading “From the sublime…….”