An Evening Study In Gray

Sometimes, grey can sound a little blah, a little negative, a little...well, grey. I love grey though. I like that you can spell it grey or gray, and although I know they are viscious and responsible for bullying the red squirrel, I love grey squirrels tight-rope walking along my fence. I am sitting here in a soft grey top that I got from Marks and Spencer today- reduced to £3! It is lightly ribbed and quite casual, which is very different to my usual clothes. On my head is the new fascinator that I bought this afternoon. It completely stole my heart, and I am busy thinking up places I could wear it too. It is just like this one, but in soft grey rather than shocking pink....actually having said it is the same, instead of those pink tentacles, it has a grey rose sewn on it!

I collected a new Persephone novel from the libray today, another by my beloved Dorothy Whipple. This time it is The Closed Door and Other Stories. I love the soft grey covers of Persephone novels. I am knitting a cabled hot water bottle cover, just like Jane Brocket did in The Gentle Art of Domesticity, in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn. I love how the soft grey of the colour is reflected in the softness of the yarn between my fingers.

So all in all, this evening is indeed a study in grey, but the most cheerful one you can imagine!

Fabulous Friday, Wonderful Wednesday

Although I do adore my new job, I do miss having every other Friday to spend with my Mum. Instead, it is one Friday a month. The good thing is that we really make them count! This last Friday started a little rockily, as my bus was half an hour late, and I got heckled by some drunk tramps for that time, but once I reached my destination, the day was just lovely. First Mum and Dad and I shared a cup of coffee in my favourite coffee shop. It is a little independent shop, and the view out of the window is the beautiful church opposite, and the heavenly florist next door. They do a 'Continental Coffee' which is coffee with cream and chopped nuts, utter bliss!

After this, Dad went home and Mum and I went on to Tiptree. There is a veritable Aladin's Cave of a craft shop, and we spent a happy hour in there. I got some wool for a present I am making, in shades of dusky plum and muted lilac, as well as some ribbon, marabou feathers and tiny diamantes for my Easter project. Then we went on to Perrywood which is my favourite nursery. It is a real tonic, just wandering around you breathe more deeply and gently and relax right away. We decided to go back into the town where we had started the day with coffee, to look in the charity shops, and to go into the florist, as it stocks the most wonderful old fashioned things for Easter. I came away with plenty of treasures, and when it came time to go home, rather than go on the bus, Mum drove me back so I did not have to carry my little hoard!

Because I will be working on Saturday, I get a day off in the week, and today is one of those days. I am making a real effort not to do too much on these days, as it is so easy to rush around and wear myself out! We had a flat inspection due sometime this afternoon, so I didn't really want to be out for that, so a day puttering at home it was to be. Bliss! I finished knitting and sewing together a hot water bottle cover that a friend at work asked me to make for her, and then crocheted most of one half of a pair of slippers. I just have two rows to go in slip stitch edging, so I shall do that in a bit. My friend Angela came for lunch, and we had a lovely time sipping tea, and nibbling on a chicken salad and catching up. I have some potatoes baking in the oven for tea later (I am going to scoop them out, mash them, then refill them with some left over vegetarian shepherds pie filling, top them with the potato and put them back in the oven) and plan to make a cup of tea in a moment. Later on I will be working on my Easter project, and I think a long hot bath is on the cards later....

Wherever you are, I hope that the sun is shining on you and you are having a wonderful day too.

Baking and Knitting

My Wednesday off work today felt both indulgent and totally necessary. Indulgent because it is a day off work midweek, and beyond washing up, I decided to do no housework, not to go out, not to bustle, just to relax. And totally necessary because I am just so tired right now. Although I love my new job, the travelling and hours have left me more than a little sleepy of late.

Last night, we decided to watch a film over dinner. (Burn After Reading....I was so looking forward to it, and it was such a disappointment!) I saw the first part while I ate, but after that, I was sound asleep.

This morning, I had the utter luxury of being woken up just before 7:00 with a cup of tea, and dear Carl telling me that I didn't have to get up as he was going to sort out his own breakfast and lunch today. I lay back down, snuggled amongst the feather pillows and duvet, listening to radio 4, and gently drifted in and out of sleep for a while. When Carl came to kiss my goodbye I sat up and drank my tea, while reading Country Living Magazine.

After a while I decided that I needed another cup of tea and some breakfast. I decided to have boiled eggs in my vintage egg cups, as I really wanted to use my new felt egg cozies. They came from Tchibo, and look just like flowers, dropped over the top of the eggs! Boiled eggs, soldiers and steaming tea is one of my favourite February breakfasts, especially when taken in the peace and quiet with a vase of daffodils for company as it was today!

My day has passed very restfully. I sewed up the slippers I crocheted for myself on Sunday, and made pom-poms for the toes, and then sewed up the hot water bottle I knitted myself a few weeks ago. Then I sewed the buttons on, and went and found my hot water bottle to go in it, so I could see it all finished. I have been reading my new book 'Food To Come Home To: Wholefood For The Family' by Jude Blereau, and knitting a new hot water bottle cover (a friend at work asked if I would make her one).

I have also baked a batch of raspberry oat bars, which have the most heavenly fragrant raspberry scent which is wafting through the flat as I type. I already make most of our food from scratch, but recently have been wanting to concentrate more on wholefoods and making even more from scratch...these are such a good thing to make for lunchboxes, or nibbling on instead of a cereal bar. They are basically whole meal plain flour and regular plain flour stirred together with porridge oats, and some butter rubbed in. I pressed half into a square tin, scattered some frozen raspberries over, and then pressed the rest of the mixture on top, and baked for an hour in a medium oven. Bliss!

Only three days to go until another day off...and best of all, I get to share that one with Carl!

Days of Ice and Snow

As I type this, my fingers are wrinkled with cold, and I can see my breath puffing out in front of me, it is so cold at home. Of course, it is my own fault, but you see, I do so love to give our little flat a really good airing, and the fact that it is 2 degress celcius outside wont stop me!

On Sunday evening, I was not to pleased about the snow, mainly because we were stuck on the M25 in it. We had been to Southampton to celebrate the 21st birthday of my lovely sister-in-law. The family enjoyed the most scrumptious Sunday lunch at a restaurant called Dock Gate 4, and got a great deal of amusement out of the packet of glittery '21's that were scattered across the table. Alas, when we came home, it started to snow, lightly at first, and then whirling flakes falling thickly. It took us four and a half hours to make our way home (it had taken just two to get there!), but there was something really scrumptious and cozy about getting home, making up hot water bottles, and getting into bed with cups of tea, to listen to Radio 4 and get warm. It also made me very glad that I had put all of my fluffy bedsocks in a little shallow basket by the side of my bed for easy access!

On Monday morning, I could not believe how thick the snow was. We could not hear any trains going past, and soon realised that dear Carl would be working from home that day. As for me, I wrapped a scarf around my head, and felt like Little Red Riding Hood, put on the only sensible footwear I could find (some pink trainers! all of my other shoes are high heels, or ballet pumps!)and set off in the snow for work. I love how everything seems softer, quieter, muted. I was one of the first out of my road, and so mine were the first footsteps. Such fun! It wasn't as cold as I thought, or perhaps I had made a good job of wrapping up, but when I got to work, I treated myself to a hot chocolate to warm myself through.

It got worse as the morning wore on, and suddenly, for the first time in my ten years of libraries, we were sent home! An unexpected snow day was such a lovely gift! I scurried home as quickly as I could, but found it slow going- where the snow had been walked upon, it had compacted and got very slippery! I sat on the sofa with dear Carl while he worked, and I crocheted a slipper, just to test out a new pattern. I shall certainly be buying the right sized crochet hook and making some properly! Then we dashed out into the back garden and made a snow man taller than both of us!

Tuesday we both set off for work, although it took me a long time. The buses were running very late indeed, and by the time I got to Danbury I was frozen through. Thankfully the library does not open until the afternoon, so I was not late opening up. The ice seemed even icier, slippier and more unforgiving, if that is possible. Once home, I was utterly exhausted, and after dinner, I snuggled in bed with a hot water bottle, and the most delicious book, which I finished this morning, and highly recommend- A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff.

When I left home this morning, I found that everywhere was hazy, almost misty with cold. The pavements are still sheets of ice, and seem to be getting slidier still! At least, so far, I have not fallen over. Happily today was my half day, and I treated myself to a delightfully silly film (Bride Wards!) and a cup of tea, before hurrying home for a lavender scented bath.

I am hoping very much to go on a snowdrop walk this weekend, and rather fancy making some bread, too. This evening will be another early night with a good book (What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh) and a hot water bottle.

Oh, someone asked what neeps and tatties are? They are really tasty- potatoes and swede, all mashed together roughly, with a nob of butter, a good grinding of black pepper, and a little grating of nutmeg. Oh, and swede are like turnips. Very tasty indeed. Actually, next time I make some, I think I will make extra, so I can have neeps-and-tatties-bubble-and-squeak the next night!

One last thing- there is a beautiful 'puzzle purse' Valentines card on MarthaStewart.com that I want to try and master. I am going to be all about the handmade this Valentine's Day, and little token gifts. Sadly we do not have a good history to Valentine's Day...I guess it just matters more to me than to Carl. Still, I have lots of lovely little things planned for him. Persephone, my favourite publisher, is offering a wonderful thing, where they will giftwrap any of their books and post it to your valentine along with a note to say not to open it until February 14th. I am torn between sending 'They Knew Mr Knight' to myself, or trying to drop a hint to dear Carl....I suspect in the end I shall do neither, as I have bought too many books this month as it is, and I do hate dropping hints!

Yarnstorm

One blog that I love to read is Yarnstorm, by Jane Brocket, who wrote one of the most divine books...The Gentle Art of Domesticity. She recently moved her blog, and now writes here:

http://www.yarnstorm.blogs.com/

It is still scrumptious as ever, but sadly, the archives are no longer there. Jane posted ages ago about a poem, Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis, and knitting a hot water bottle cover to match the covers of the fabulous Persephone books.

At the time, I tried to read a Dorothy Whipple (one of the Persephone books) and just couldn't get into it. At all. I was so disappointed...I wanted to read these books and knit these things....but somehow couldn't.

Time moves on, people change...I have long since been in love with Dorothy Whipple's writing. I was walking home from work in the gathering twilight the other evening, and although I was enjoying the shadows and play of dark upon dark, the pools of light from lamposts, the biting cold...I couldn't wait to get home, put on the whistling kettle, and settle down with 'They Were Sisters' and then knit some more on my hot water bottle cover. All of a sudden, I remembered about when I wanted to do these things, but couldn't make it work for me. I have grown into doing them, being them, loving them, and I couldn't be happier.

If you haven't yet discovered http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/ do...and any Dorothy Whipple book you care to choose, should you be at the right time in your life to read it, you will adore. How could you not?!

Pics of hot water bottle cover when it is finished. It is a chalky duck-egg blue, soft and snuggly, with some polka dot buttons, some plain, and I am going to make a great big corsage to go on it as well.