I have decided that there is nothing quite so nice to do, on a Thursday afternoon, than to sit at the ice cream bar in Harrods with a tiny silver dish of pear ice cream. It was so lovely to have a day out of work, to do something so very, very different. Harrods itself is an odd thing. We found the food halls lovely, as you can imagine we might. I treated myself to Violet Creams from Charbonnel et Walker, and bought some freshly ground coffee as well, and some orange truffles for Carl. And then we visited the ice cream bar, which was heaven. They had huge sundaes on offer for £15! Apart from the cost, I don’t know that my tummy would survive it- my one little scoop of pear ice cream was very rich and filling, let alone many scoops of chocolate ice cream with hot fudge sauce!
And now for the curious thing- much of the place seemed oddly empty. And very touristy. We had just finished having fun picking out jelly moulds and such things in the kitchenware section (and I, dribbling over a scrumptious pink smeg fridge), when we found ourselves in an awful bit selling fleece coats emblazoned with ‘Harrods’ and ‘Harrods’ teddy bears and ‘Harrods’ mugs and so on. I would happily visit again if I was in the area, but I would much rather bring back some exquisite chocolates or a bunch of flowers or something than a Harrods fleece! We did decide that if we had been going to GO to Harrods, we would have been rather disappointed. But as it was, it was just what they did with us until it was time to go to the studio and see Ready Steady Cook!
And oh, how we laughed. We had heard that there is a Portakabin that they put you in if it rains while you are waiting to go in- and we drove past a shabby one, laughing that it would be THE Portakabin. And it was! And it seems our timing was wrong, and we were far too early, so they herded us in to eat economy bourbon biscuits and drink cheap white wine! Surprisingly plesant way to while away an hour or so!
We peeked at a notice that said that we would be in the audience for the Comic Relief edition! We did not recognise the celebrities names, but lovely Sarah googled them on her mobile phone, and it seems one was from Girls Aloud and the other Sugar Babes. I never did work out which was which! The chefs were Ginno D’Acampo (uttlerly delicious accent!) and Toby Tobin. Due to my fluttery eyelashes, I managed to get a seat in the front row, right next to the aisle! I have to say that the studio is much smaller than it looks in real life, but you might just get a glimpse of me. I am the one in a white cardigan and black-and-white skirt, holding up her green pepper and grinning somewhat manically over the top of it!
(the reason for the grin is that when Ainsley says ‘vote’ you mustn’t! They get rid of the celebrities, then you vote, and they count the votes to see who has won. Then they bring the celebrities back, and you vote again, this time for the camera! Such a lot of voting, and worrying about if your pepper is the right way up, and so on!)
I am just glad that we availed ourselves of the free bourbon biscuits, as all that cookery makes you feel awfully hungry!
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Dewdrops and roses and noses on kittens...
…these are a few of my favourite things!
I confess, I am cheating today. I have visited lovely Vintage Pretty who made me hungry for fresh bread, and lovely Alison at Brocante Home who has listed 100 teeny tiny everyday pleasures which make life that bit more scrumptious. So I am going to go home and make some bread, and while away my tea break listing some of my own favourite everyday pleasures, and things I love….
1) Flowers. It is well documented that I love them, I think! Best of all are unexpected flowers- a bunch I was not expecting, or a teeny pansy growing all on its own, or some tiny tête-à-tête springing up suddenly.
2) Post. My plaintive cry every time I come home is ‘is there any POST, darling?’ Oh, how I love it! Perhaps I would get more if I wrote more though, which I adore doing, but simply cannot bring myself to do until I find some stationery that I really want to write on.
3) Stationery. Any new project needs a new notebook, the more scrumptious the better. But oh, it is getting hard to find divine ones! As it is writing paper and envelopes. But when I do find lovely ones…utter bliss!
4) Pen and ink. I love to use a fountain pen to write with. I love seeing the ink shine and then dry, carrying with it my good wishes. It looks…grown up somehow, and I love to read words formed with real ink. My next project is to find some lovely coloured ink cartridges.
5) A really hot cup of tea. Some people laugh when I say this- surely all tea is hot? Ah, not so. Sometimes you want nothing more than a good hot cup of tea, which can only be made by someone else who understands what a good hot cup of tea means.
6) My morning coffee. A month or so ago, we started a low-carb eating thing to shape up for spring. My greatest joy was discovering that I could have a cup of coffee with cream in it for breakfast! I always have this in the most beautiful butterfly festooned thin china mug that a lovely lady sent me in a ‘swap’ parcel.
7) Violet creams. WHEN was the last time I had one? I can barely think! But I do know life is sweeter when I know there is a little chocolate garnished with a crystallized violet petal just waiting for me to come home, and stand on tiptoe to reach the box on the top shelf…
8) Laying in bed, listening to Radio 4. When I can’t sleep, I find it soothes me to sleep. I love to sit in bed and listen to the pips and have them announce the hour. I love that at midnight it is Big Ben chiming away instead. I like to listen to the morning headlines before swinging my feet out of bed to make some coffee.
9) Having a bath when the water is hot enough to leave a beauty therapist aghast! I am sure I shall pay for it in years to come with thread veins, but for now, I love HOT water, scented with something lovely, and a book, and a glass of cool, cool water. That feeling, as you lay back, and the bubbles prickle about your shoulders, and you can close your eyes and drift off in a soap bubble…
10) My chamber stick. I have this beautiful cream chamber stick, and I like to waft about the place lighting my way with this, in my Victorian-style nightie, imagining myself to be one of the Bennett sisters at Longbourne.
11) I like it when Carl calls me Sugar. Sometimes he says it, sometimes he uses it in email. Either way, it always makes me smile.
12) Straightening my hair. I have a pair of ceramic straighteners on loan, and boy, do they work! It takes two minutes to run them through my hair, and I just look so much more….polished.
13) A new book. Well, it doesn’t have to be new, it can be really old. But one that I have not read yet, and even as I open the cover and read the first sentence, I know it is going to be as good as I hoped.
14) Making things. Anything, knitting, cooking, crochet, tea, really, anything. Just that lovely feeling of ‘I MADE that!’.
15) The kitties that come and visit me. My little black kitty has not been for a while, but there is a new ginger one who keeps strolling into the living room, and looks around as if to wonder what we are doing in his living room, please?
16) Having coffee with my Mum in the Continental Coffee Company in Maldon. I have coffee with cream and nuts, and quite often they play Elvis in the background, which we tap our toes along to, while we chat, and chat, and chat…
17) My job. Oh it is tiring at the moment, but really it is the best thing in the world. Being surrounded by all these books, and knowledge, all day long. Helping people find what they want, sometimes even things they thought we would never have.
18) Sunday evenings, when there are fresh covers on the bed, and I have had a bath and hairwash, and cut my nails- everything feels really clean and cozy.
19) Talking of bed, I like to open the windows, pull back the duvet and close the door for an hour or so before bed. Then when I get into bed, the air is all soft and clean, and the sheets are cool, yet cozy. Our new sheets are ever so soft and smooth, and the feather pillows are lovely to relax in to.
20) Washing my hands. When I was in Tesco last week they had Method hand-wash from America in. Never mind it is a silly price a bottle, it is a fantastic tear-drop shape and smells like a field of lavender. Go visit www.ljcfyi.com who will tell you all about these wonderful products!
21) Talking of Tesco, I like shopping. The Farmers Market, the local market, the health food shop, and anything we can’t get anywhere else from the supermarket. Oh, and going to a different supermarket every now and then. Like Friday, when I tried White Stilton with Pineapple, and Tintern Cheddar with Herbs and Chives at Sainsbury. Oh, and a tiny cracker with duck and cranberry pate on it….I could hardly eat lunch I was so full!
22) Sometimes at the end of a l-o-n-g day, I come home, put the kettle on, and change into my dressing gown and slippers, all snugly and easy. Bliss.
23) Oh, my whistling kettle! Making tea is just so much more fun. Sometimes I let it boil for longer than it needs, just to hear the whistle!
24) Being able to pick out the constellation Orion, practically anywhere I go! Must work on recognising some others now…
25) Coffee out. I tried the Dolce Late in Starbucks the other day, it had cinnamon on it, and was delicious. I love vanilla coffee too. Or plain coffee with a cheese scone at the Garden Centre. Mmmm, bliss.
26) Sudoku. I was never very good at maths at school. Not enough to be confident. I still think I got my B at GCSE when they marked someone elses paper by mistake…but I do love Sudoku, because it makes me feel like I am doing maths!
27) Word Plays. We are terrible at work, we make awful puns and jokes, and then point them out to each other saying ‘Do you see what I did?!’ while they are too busy groaning to do anything else!
28) Patterns. I love fabric and paper with patterns, patterns made by the clouds, and patterns in the world. Just recently I started a Granny Square blanket. Then several of the blogs I read (www.yarnstorm.blogs.com and www.rosylittlethings.blogspot.com to name just two) are also crocheting Granny Squares. And then Cath Kidston has bought one out, which was on the cover of a magazine the other day. I love that feeling of having tapped in to something, somehow.
29) I love making pea and parmesan risotto. Store cupboard ingredients transformed into a luscious dish that feels like a luxury dinner, mmm!
30) My new face-cleansing-balm that I take off with a muslin cloth smells of lovely essential oils- all sort of minty and piney. I love the smell of it, and how my skin feels once I have buffed it with the muslin.
Well, Alison went on to 100, but I have made it as far as 30. Not that there are only 30 such pleasures for me, but more that I tend to ramble on a bit, ok, lot more than her, and by now you will probably be wanting a cup of tea.
But before you go, let me tell you that the lunch I had in Starbucks back on St David’s Day was BLISS. I sat all on my own with a sandwich and cinnamon Dolce Late coffee, and finished my book- The Photograph by Penelope Lively. It was all lovely. Being on my own, people watching, the coffee was lovely, and the book was sad but somehow enjoyable at the same time. Then I wandered back to work and bought flowers for my desk.
Oh, and really, the kettle will wait just a minute more- let me tell you about my adventure for tomorrow! I am going up to London! On a coach, with one of my dear friends from Library HQ. We are to be dropped off at Harrods for three hours or so (I have designs on Patisserie Valerie just down the road) and then will be picked up and be taken to see Celebrity Ready Steady Cook filmed! There, you can go now- and you have really earned a chocolate biscuit with your tea!
I confess, I am cheating today. I have visited lovely Vintage Pretty who made me hungry for fresh bread, and lovely Alison at Brocante Home who has listed 100 teeny tiny everyday pleasures which make life that bit more scrumptious. So I am going to go home and make some bread, and while away my tea break listing some of my own favourite everyday pleasures, and things I love….
1) Flowers. It is well documented that I love them, I think! Best of all are unexpected flowers- a bunch I was not expecting, or a teeny pansy growing all on its own, or some tiny tête-à-tête springing up suddenly.
2) Post. My plaintive cry every time I come home is ‘is there any POST, darling?’ Oh, how I love it! Perhaps I would get more if I wrote more though, which I adore doing, but simply cannot bring myself to do until I find some stationery that I really want to write on.
3) Stationery. Any new project needs a new notebook, the more scrumptious the better. But oh, it is getting hard to find divine ones! As it is writing paper and envelopes. But when I do find lovely ones…utter bliss!
4) Pen and ink. I love to use a fountain pen to write with. I love seeing the ink shine and then dry, carrying with it my good wishes. It looks…grown up somehow, and I love to read words formed with real ink. My next project is to find some lovely coloured ink cartridges.
5) A really hot cup of tea. Some people laugh when I say this- surely all tea is hot? Ah, not so. Sometimes you want nothing more than a good hot cup of tea, which can only be made by someone else who understands what a good hot cup of tea means.
6) My morning coffee. A month or so ago, we started a low-carb eating thing to shape up for spring. My greatest joy was discovering that I could have a cup of coffee with cream in it for breakfast! I always have this in the most beautiful butterfly festooned thin china mug that a lovely lady sent me in a ‘swap’ parcel.
7) Violet creams. WHEN was the last time I had one? I can barely think! But I do know life is sweeter when I know there is a little chocolate garnished with a crystallized violet petal just waiting for me to come home, and stand on tiptoe to reach the box on the top shelf…
8) Laying in bed, listening to Radio 4. When I can’t sleep, I find it soothes me to sleep. I love to sit in bed and listen to the pips and have them announce the hour. I love that at midnight it is Big Ben chiming away instead. I like to listen to the morning headlines before swinging my feet out of bed to make some coffee.
9) Having a bath when the water is hot enough to leave a beauty therapist aghast! I am sure I shall pay for it in years to come with thread veins, but for now, I love HOT water, scented with something lovely, and a book, and a glass of cool, cool water. That feeling, as you lay back, and the bubbles prickle about your shoulders, and you can close your eyes and drift off in a soap bubble…
10) My chamber stick. I have this beautiful cream chamber stick, and I like to waft about the place lighting my way with this, in my Victorian-style nightie, imagining myself to be one of the Bennett sisters at Longbourne.
11) I like it when Carl calls me Sugar. Sometimes he says it, sometimes he uses it in email. Either way, it always makes me smile.
12) Straightening my hair. I have a pair of ceramic straighteners on loan, and boy, do they work! It takes two minutes to run them through my hair, and I just look so much more….polished.
13) A new book. Well, it doesn’t have to be new, it can be really old. But one that I have not read yet, and even as I open the cover and read the first sentence, I know it is going to be as good as I hoped.
14) Making things. Anything, knitting, cooking, crochet, tea, really, anything. Just that lovely feeling of ‘I MADE that!’.
15) The kitties that come and visit me. My little black kitty has not been for a while, but there is a new ginger one who keeps strolling into the living room, and looks around as if to wonder what we are doing in his living room, please?
16) Having coffee with my Mum in the Continental Coffee Company in Maldon. I have coffee with cream and nuts, and quite often they play Elvis in the background, which we tap our toes along to, while we chat, and chat, and chat…
17) My job. Oh it is tiring at the moment, but really it is the best thing in the world. Being surrounded by all these books, and knowledge, all day long. Helping people find what they want, sometimes even things they thought we would never have.
18) Sunday evenings, when there are fresh covers on the bed, and I have had a bath and hairwash, and cut my nails- everything feels really clean and cozy.
19) Talking of bed, I like to open the windows, pull back the duvet and close the door for an hour or so before bed. Then when I get into bed, the air is all soft and clean, and the sheets are cool, yet cozy. Our new sheets are ever so soft and smooth, and the feather pillows are lovely to relax in to.
20) Washing my hands. When I was in Tesco last week they had Method hand-wash from America in. Never mind it is a silly price a bottle, it is a fantastic tear-drop shape and smells like a field of lavender. Go visit www.ljcfyi.com who will tell you all about these wonderful products!
21) Talking of Tesco, I like shopping. The Farmers Market, the local market, the health food shop, and anything we can’t get anywhere else from the supermarket. Oh, and going to a different supermarket every now and then. Like Friday, when I tried White Stilton with Pineapple, and Tintern Cheddar with Herbs and Chives at Sainsbury. Oh, and a tiny cracker with duck and cranberry pate on it….I could hardly eat lunch I was so full!
22) Sometimes at the end of a l-o-n-g day, I come home, put the kettle on, and change into my dressing gown and slippers, all snugly and easy. Bliss.
23) Oh, my whistling kettle! Making tea is just so much more fun. Sometimes I let it boil for longer than it needs, just to hear the whistle!
24) Being able to pick out the constellation Orion, practically anywhere I go! Must work on recognising some others now…
25) Coffee out. I tried the Dolce Late in Starbucks the other day, it had cinnamon on it, and was delicious. I love vanilla coffee too. Or plain coffee with a cheese scone at the Garden Centre. Mmmm, bliss.
26) Sudoku. I was never very good at maths at school. Not enough to be confident. I still think I got my B at GCSE when they marked someone elses paper by mistake…but I do love Sudoku, because it makes me feel like I am doing maths!
27) Word Plays. We are terrible at work, we make awful puns and jokes, and then point them out to each other saying ‘Do you see what I did?!’ while they are too busy groaning to do anything else!
28) Patterns. I love fabric and paper with patterns, patterns made by the clouds, and patterns in the world. Just recently I started a Granny Square blanket. Then several of the blogs I read (www.yarnstorm.blogs.com and www.rosylittlethings.blogspot.com to name just two) are also crocheting Granny Squares. And then Cath Kidston has bought one out, which was on the cover of a magazine the other day. I love that feeling of having tapped in to something, somehow.
29) I love making pea and parmesan risotto. Store cupboard ingredients transformed into a luscious dish that feels like a luxury dinner, mmm!
30) My new face-cleansing-balm that I take off with a muslin cloth smells of lovely essential oils- all sort of minty and piney. I love the smell of it, and how my skin feels once I have buffed it with the muslin.
Well, Alison went on to 100, but I have made it as far as 30. Not that there are only 30 such pleasures for me, but more that I tend to ramble on a bit, ok, lot more than her, and by now you will probably be wanting a cup of tea.
But before you go, let me tell you that the lunch I had in Starbucks back on St David’s Day was BLISS. I sat all on my own with a sandwich and cinnamon Dolce Late coffee, and finished my book- The Photograph by Penelope Lively. It was all lovely. Being on my own, people watching, the coffee was lovely, and the book was sad but somehow enjoyable at the same time. Then I wandered back to work and bought flowers for my desk.
Oh, and really, the kettle will wait just a minute more- let me tell you about my adventure for tomorrow! I am going up to London! On a coach, with one of my dear friends from Library HQ. We are to be dropped off at Harrods for three hours or so (I have designs on Patisserie Valerie just down the road) and then will be picked up and be taken to see Celebrity Ready Steady Cook filmed! There, you can go now- and you have really earned a chocolate biscuit with your tea!
Thursday, 1 March 2007
A Tale of Two Morning Walks
I walked to work yesterday morning, and was captivated by the sky. Happily the majority of my walk is on a long straight road, so I could gaze up for much of the way! To my left, the sky was thunderous- grey and overcast. There was a strong buffeting breeze that made you feel like marching along. It was not quite raining yet, but it was the kind of weather that made me glad I had my umbrella close to hand! And yet to the right, it was all sunshine and blue sky! And somewhere in the middle, overhead, they swirled together as though playing a game of chess. It made me smile to notice only dark purple pansies on the thunderous side, and tiny clutches of tiny tete-a-tete whispering together on the sunny side.
Well I guess that although it did rain a lot yesterday, the sunny side won the game of chess, because I was greeted by the most beautiful spring-like weather this morning! There was a breeze which was cool but not cold, and everything seemed slightly damp, like the wings of a butterfly freshly emerged from it’s cocoon. Everything seemed terribly bright and clear, almost scoured clean by wind and rain yesterday and all fresh and new this morning. Everything seems full of hope- the crocuses are more abundant than ever, if such a thing can be true. There were daffodils with the creamiest of petals, and golden trumpets standing tall and proud, with violets fussing about their feet. Little schoolboys were jumping in the puddles with glee, before racing off to find the next one.
I just adore mornings like this, don’t you? It feels like everything is going to be good in the day. And so far, it has. Oh, nothing out of the ordinary- a little crochet in my tea break (I am using a teeny tiny hook and the softest of wool at the moment), I found a brooch to wear on my jumper that brings out the pink of my skirt just so. I am going to treat myself to a coffee at Starbucks at lunch time today. And Carl has an interview in London, that I feel….hopeful about. Perhaps it is because it is St David’s day today? My great grandmother on my mothers side (I have her hair, apparently) was Welsh, so I shall celebrate today buy bringing home an armful of daffodils for the windowsill.
I hope you are all having a scrumptious day as well!
Well I guess that although it did rain a lot yesterday, the sunny side won the game of chess, because I was greeted by the most beautiful spring-like weather this morning! There was a breeze which was cool but not cold, and everything seemed slightly damp, like the wings of a butterfly freshly emerged from it’s cocoon. Everything seemed terribly bright and clear, almost scoured clean by wind and rain yesterday and all fresh and new this morning. Everything seems full of hope- the crocuses are more abundant than ever, if such a thing can be true. There were daffodils with the creamiest of petals, and golden trumpets standing tall and proud, with violets fussing about their feet. Little schoolboys were jumping in the puddles with glee, before racing off to find the next one.
I just adore mornings like this, don’t you? It feels like everything is going to be good in the day. And so far, it has. Oh, nothing out of the ordinary- a little crochet in my tea break (I am using a teeny tiny hook and the softest of wool at the moment), I found a brooch to wear on my jumper that brings out the pink of my skirt just so. I am going to treat myself to a coffee at Starbucks at lunch time today. And Carl has an interview in London, that I feel….hopeful about. Perhaps it is because it is St David’s day today? My great grandmother on my mothers side (I have her hair, apparently) was Welsh, so I shall celebrate today buy bringing home an armful of daffodils for the windowsill.
I hope you are all having a scrumptious day as well!
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
A Garden Full of Flowers
Finally, finally it is quiet. Not quite peaceful as I still have another hour of desk duty left to do out in the library. But for these five minutes, it is quiet. There is no one wanting anything of me, and I can smell the freesias on my desk. Flowers are wonderful, aren't they? I had a friend who hated them, hated them because she thought as they died, so too would the friendship with the one who had given the flowers. I could not be more different, myself. Flowers are always welcome- when I buy them for myself, I feel that they are a lovely frivolous luxury; when other people buy them for me I feel besides myself with joy; when I spy them growing wild, I feel elated; and when I buy them for other people, I feel like I have given them something special.
So, my freesias. Last week I had pink tulips on my desk. On Monday I was going to buy daffodils, but the market does not open on a Monday here, and the flower cart does not sell daffodils. But he did have these amazing freesias. I adore their scent- and nearly bought pure white ones, but instead I found myself picking up some vibrant orangey-red flame like ones. They look so delicate and graceful, the way they spread in an arch in their vase, and every time I sit at my desk (snatched moments!) they make me feel better.
On my way in to work last Monday, I saw that over the weekend, the crocuses (I want to say croak-eye) had started to come out on the far river bank in the park. I was going to post about it- they are all bright yellow. It reminds me of some gold loose eyeshadow I had when I was about 14, and thought it sooo sophisticated- and it always used to spill on the carpet a little. This is just how they croak-eye look- as though someone has spilt a giant pot of shimmering colour. By Wednesday, the purple and white ones had started to spring up too, and now it looks like confetti, everywhere. I love walking through the park for this more than anything else.
One of my favourite presents to give at the moment is an abundance of favourite flowers- I bought five bunches of daffodils for a friend last week- and then tie with ribbon around them a bar of their favourite chocolate.
Thursday last week was quite, quite horrible. I was so exhausted from work that I was in bed by 8.30 and asleep by 9! When I got home, all teary feeling and slumpy, dear lovely Carl presented me with an armful of golden yellow Chrysanthemums, which now smile at me everytime I walk into the living room.
And lovely, clever Tash- go visit www.vintagepretty.org and see what is growing in her garden!
Yes, the more I think about it, the more lovely I think flowers are. Perhaps I will make posies of paper flowers for Easter gifts this year...
Please, please, just for me, go out and treat yourself to a bunch of flowers today! Choose something that makes your sprirts brighter, and put them somewhere you can see them lots. And if you are feeling generous, buy a little bunch for someone you love, for no reason at all!
So, my freesias. Last week I had pink tulips on my desk. On Monday I was going to buy daffodils, but the market does not open on a Monday here, and the flower cart does not sell daffodils. But he did have these amazing freesias. I adore their scent- and nearly bought pure white ones, but instead I found myself picking up some vibrant orangey-red flame like ones. They look so delicate and graceful, the way they spread in an arch in their vase, and every time I sit at my desk (snatched moments!) they make me feel better.
On my way in to work last Monday, I saw that over the weekend, the crocuses (I want to say croak-eye) had started to come out on the far river bank in the park. I was going to post about it- they are all bright yellow. It reminds me of some gold loose eyeshadow I had when I was about 14, and thought it sooo sophisticated- and it always used to spill on the carpet a little. This is just how they croak-eye look- as though someone has spilt a giant pot of shimmering colour. By Wednesday, the purple and white ones had started to spring up too, and now it looks like confetti, everywhere. I love walking through the park for this more than anything else.
One of my favourite presents to give at the moment is an abundance of favourite flowers- I bought five bunches of daffodils for a friend last week- and then tie with ribbon around them a bar of their favourite chocolate.
Thursday last week was quite, quite horrible. I was so exhausted from work that I was in bed by 8.30 and asleep by 9! When I got home, all teary feeling and slumpy, dear lovely Carl presented me with an armful of golden yellow Chrysanthemums, which now smile at me everytime I walk into the living room.
And lovely, clever Tash- go visit www.vintagepretty.org and see what is growing in her garden!
Yes, the more I think about it, the more lovely I think flowers are. Perhaps I will make posies of paper flowers for Easter gifts this year...
Please, please, just for me, go out and treat yourself to a bunch of flowers today! Choose something that makes your sprirts brighter, and put them somewhere you can see them lots. And if you are feeling generous, buy a little bunch for someone you love, for no reason at all!
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Join Me At My Desk?
If you have ever read anything by Sarah Ban Breathnach, or Alexandra Stoddard, or have visited www.brocantehome.typepad.com, you will be familiar with the idea of ‘puttery treats; or doing little simple buy gorgeous things to make your life that bit more scrumptious.
In my own mind, I think of it as ‘brocante-ing’ something. And just now, maybe because it is February, maybe because I have just read Alexandra Stoddard’s ‘Living a Beautiful Life’ again, or maybe just because, I have been doing a lot of Brocante-ing. My most recent brocante-ing adventure has been with my desk at work.
If you had sat at my desk a day or two ago, I am afraid you would have been rather shocked. Working in a library means piles of books that want attention, and papers, and notes, and, well, stuff. And while being a natural hoarder is wonderful when I am at home cooking or crafting, at work it is not conducive to feeling orderly at all.
But if you were to be able to come and visit me today, you would be happy to sit at my desk. The wood has been polished (a little ritual I intend to repeat each evening, as it will have to be uncluttered if I want to polish it) and smells nice. There is a lot of bare wood now, and at the back of my desk, working left to right, first is my in-tray, which is no longer impersonating the leaning tower of Pisa; then a box of lavender tissues, which not only have sprigs of lavender printed on them but are lavender scented as well! Then you come to my pen pot, which is no longer crammed with bits of this, tubes of that, but is full of lovely sharp pencils. Now you come to my ‘comfort box’ in which is my mug, peach tea bags, peppermint teabags and decaffeinated teabags, along with a tube of discs of dark Swiss chocolate. I have slipped a black-and-white picture of Carl and me in the front of the box, so I see us smiling together every time I have a cup of tea! At the end of my desk, as far right as you can go is a collection of folders to hold all my paperwork, and in front of that is a vase of glorious pink tulips. I have flowers on my desk! It is so lovely to have a splash of colour in the room. When they fade, I am going to have daffodils, just like at home. Finally, in front of those is a small pile of books library books that I have chosen for me- at the moment, ‘Hip to Stitch’ ‘Romantic Weddings’ ‘Wedding Inspirations’ (you see the theme, non?) and lastly ‘The Little Lady Agency’ which is a lovely fiction book that belongs to me, and I am re-reading for fun.
Something I have started doing when I buy books, is to note in them my name, and the date I have bought them. If I can find a review of them in a paper or online, I like to print that out, and stick it in too. If I re-read something, I note that date too. I would really like to design my own bookplates, but I think that is a project for another day…
It seems to me that where we work makes up such a big part of the day that it is a shame not to prettify and personalise it as far as you can. I would rather someone was told that my desk is ‘the one with vase of flowers’ than ‘the one all piled up with stuff’!
We open tomorrow. I am feeling quite nervous…wish us luck! But at least I know that I have my pretty desk to retreat to now, and when I go home, my freshly Brocanted bed- which is a story for another day!
In my own mind, I think of it as ‘brocante-ing’ something. And just now, maybe because it is February, maybe because I have just read Alexandra Stoddard’s ‘Living a Beautiful Life’ again, or maybe just because, I have been doing a lot of Brocante-ing. My most recent brocante-ing adventure has been with my desk at work.
If you had sat at my desk a day or two ago, I am afraid you would have been rather shocked. Working in a library means piles of books that want attention, and papers, and notes, and, well, stuff. And while being a natural hoarder is wonderful when I am at home cooking or crafting, at work it is not conducive to feeling orderly at all.
But if you were to be able to come and visit me today, you would be happy to sit at my desk. The wood has been polished (a little ritual I intend to repeat each evening, as it will have to be uncluttered if I want to polish it) and smells nice. There is a lot of bare wood now, and at the back of my desk, working left to right, first is my in-tray, which is no longer impersonating the leaning tower of Pisa; then a box of lavender tissues, which not only have sprigs of lavender printed on them but are lavender scented as well! Then you come to my pen pot, which is no longer crammed with bits of this, tubes of that, but is full of lovely sharp pencils. Now you come to my ‘comfort box’ in which is my mug, peach tea bags, peppermint teabags and decaffeinated teabags, along with a tube of discs of dark Swiss chocolate. I have slipped a black-and-white picture of Carl and me in the front of the box, so I see us smiling together every time I have a cup of tea! At the end of my desk, as far right as you can go is a collection of folders to hold all my paperwork, and in front of that is a vase of glorious pink tulips. I have flowers on my desk! It is so lovely to have a splash of colour in the room. When they fade, I am going to have daffodils, just like at home. Finally, in front of those is a small pile of books library books that I have chosen for me- at the moment, ‘Hip to Stitch’ ‘Romantic Weddings’ ‘Wedding Inspirations’ (you see the theme, non?) and lastly ‘The Little Lady Agency’ which is a lovely fiction book that belongs to me, and I am re-reading for fun.
Something I have started doing when I buy books, is to note in them my name, and the date I have bought them. If I can find a review of them in a paper or online, I like to print that out, and stick it in too. If I re-read something, I note that date too. I would really like to design my own bookplates, but I think that is a project for another day…
It seems to me that where we work makes up such a big part of the day that it is a shame not to prettify and personalise it as far as you can. I would rather someone was told that my desk is ‘the one with vase of flowers’ than ‘the one all piled up with stuff’!
We open tomorrow. I am feeling quite nervous…wish us luck! But at least I know that I have my pretty desk to retreat to now, and when I go home, my freshly Brocanted bed- which is a story for another day!
Friday, 16 February 2007
Tag-I'm It!
Hello!
I do worry that with the time I have been away, refurbishing the library and moving shelves, and shelves of books, that when I come back here, there will be no one left. If I promise to come back on Wednesday, and to be really chatty, and to give you some nice recipes and things, will you stay? Go on, please!
For you see, the end of the re-furb is in sight. I have got grubbier hands moving more books that I ever thought possible. But best of all I am responsible for two of our pillars being painted a bright lilac colour!
Now lovely Alison at Brocante Home has tagged me with this questionnaire. I have just spent an enjoyable tea break filling it in, and I am glad to finally get a chance to post on my blog. You would not believe how much I miss my little ramblings and meanderings. So here it is- oh, but before I do that, Vintage Pretty, I tag you! And I love, love, love your new blog. Go on everyone, go visit www.vintagepretty.org and say hello from me!
Oh and before you start reading, you might want to make yourself a cup of tea, and perhaps a teensy slice of scrumptious cake...
1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
Ooooh. Now I have a real broodyness for a house going on at the moment. I have only been living ‘away from home’ for three years, and all of them in a rented little one bedroom flat .Which although cosy and divine as it is, does not satisfy my yearning for somewhere old…so rather than building my house, I would need to find an old one. I want somewhere where I can paper one wall in flowery wall paper, and paint the others in Cath Kidston paint. Make it my own, you know? So my lovely house, in my mind, is somewhere in the country. With a big garden-allotment, and chickens clucking about, and a little village. Where going to town is an event, but I have a little village store to keep me going. Maybe Turnham Malpas, if you have read Rebecca Shaw, or Hazy Hassocks if you have read Christina Jones, or even the Cotswolds of Agatha Raisin….
2. What's your favorite article of clothing?
My wedding dress. Does that count though, as I have not ‘officially’ worn it yet? I have a black galaxy-style dress that I always feel a million dollars in. But I wear more often a Victoian-style white nightie. I like to drift about the place in it on summer evenings.
3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
Hmmm. Well I like how they are just bigger than us. And stronger. I guess I am just a damsel waiting to be rescued, really! There is something quite swoon-inducing in struggling with a huge trug of books, and then a nice man coming over and lifting it down for me as if it were a feather pillow!
4.What's the last CD that you bought?
Deary me. Confession. One of the perks of working in a library is that I am surrounded by music! So most often, I borrow something from work. Currently I am just LOVING the Puppini sisters. But the last album I bought? Hmmm. I have to say though that since I have been living in our little flat, I don’t listen to music as much as I used to. Now there is someone else to consider- his taste, mood etc. But I have planned as part of my ‘making life scrumptious’ campaign to have more music- soothing stuff to sleep or relax to and so on.
5.Where's your favorite place to be?
Bed. With a cup of tea, radio 4, a pile of books that I cannot wait to read or re-read, (think Mrs Miniver, The Enchanted April, etc) some magazines, and the newspaper. Ohh, and my feather pillows all fluffed up, and my peppermint and nutmeg pillow spray scenting the air. Mmmmmm.
6. Where is your least favorite place to be?
The Hairdresser. Oh, it is torture for me. I never, EVER like the way they have cut my hair. Even though it needs a trim to keep it tidy, I still wish I hadn’t. And being a bit deaf in one ear, and not having the best hearing in the other, it is really, really hard for me to hear what they are chattering about. It gets worse when they put the hairdryer on. And why do they get you a cup of tea, and then put a cape thing on you, so you cannot drink it? So many times I have sat there and watched it get cooler and cooler, along with my spirits!
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged?
My feet. Oh, how I love a foot rub. And oh, how dear Carl hates giving them to me! He has been known to say, in response to my hopeful sliding-of-feet into his lap, ‘take those trotters AWAY!’. Poor me.
8.Strong in mind or strong in body?
Am I, or would I like to be? I like to think both. But then I do have an awful weakness for violet creams, and lindt chocolate. Then again, I have been low-carbing for nearly 4 weeks now (and eight pounds down, hurrah!). As for the body- well, again, I like to think perhaps yes. I did do the Moonwalk Marathon and live to tell the tale. But I do get an awful lot of ear infections, and my joints are ever so creaky.
9.What time do you wake up in the morning?
Some time between 6:00 and 6:30. Radio 4 kicks in at 6 and I am usually awake before my alarm clock goes off at 6.35. Even when we have a treat of a lie-in sometimes on a Saturday, I never seem to sleep after 8:00 or 9:00. In fact, I totally shocked myself by sleeping till 10:30 boxing day- although I think it was 2:00 before I had made it to bed…
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
My multiquick. Oh, I love it. Normally, I dither over buying most things. Not this. Sainsburys had it for half price (still £30ish I think) but I just marched right up to the display, seized it, and paid for it. The thing with a dear little flat is that they tend to have dear little kitchens, and not much room for such things as food processors. This magical thing is a stick blender, whisk, and food processor all in one. Ok so the food processor bit only has one blade and the bowl is about as big as a cereal bowl, but it is just right for two. Egg whites for macaroons? Done! Breadcrumbs for chicken kiev? Done! Soup blended? Done! I could go on…but suffice to say that when I am in my flowery pinny with my Multiquick at my side, there is no kitchen adventure too big to tackle! (Apart, perhaps, from cleaning the oven!)
11.What makes you really angry?
I try not to get angry too much. All the obvious things, like racism, ignorance and so on. Quite often myself- when I realise I just can’t do everything I need to in the time I have got, or my memory has let me down, or I have to ask someone to repeat something for the third time, and I can feel my face get all hot. Oh and bad punctuation. Signs that say CD’s and bra’s fitted now and euro’s exchanged here. Ridiculous, but true. Bad punctuation makes me angry! I have had to restrain myself from correcting signs before now…but before you sign me off as a punctuation-hitler, I am not angered by people who punctuate badly in personal correspondence, blogs and so on. It is more public signs and books and things.
12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
The piano. I have a vision of myself, in my little farmhousey-cottage in the country (see question one!). It is Christmas Eve, and the place is all lit with candles, and I am playing carols on the piano while my family sings along. And of course, I could also pretend it was the pianoforte, and I am Lizzy, and Mr Darcy is just over there…
13. Favorite color?
I like the many shades of pink and red. I have a red wrap dress that I wear with red patent high sling-backs with a bow on the peep-toe, and red lipstick. I love that. But when I chose my wedding colours, I went for blue and pink. My tea-towels are blue with pink roses. So perhaps blue, as well.
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV?
Gah. I know nothing, NOTHING about cars. When a customer asks me for a workshop manual, and reels off a list of random letters ‘gti s type e series’ my heart just sinks. And I don’t drive either. (Although I guess I should learn before buying that house in the country!). If money were no object I would have a little vintage sports car. Maybe bottle green, but oooh, how about red?
15. Do you believe in an afterlife?
I think so. I hope so.
16.Favorite children's book?
Dear readers, my name is Mimi, and I am a bookworm. Always have been, always will. How can I possible choose one favourite from all the squillions that I have devoured? My frequent complaint, even now, is that books run out of pages. I loved so many. There was one about a giant jam sandwich which was used to trap some bothersome wasps (and I do hate wasps!) and the one that starts ‘In a dark dark wood, there was a dark dark house, and in the dark dark house was a dark dark room’ and on it goes, to reveal that the thing in the dark dark box is….a little mouse!
17. What is your favorite season?
Any and all except for summer. It is no use, it is just too hot. I never feel very elegant in the heat. Spring is lovely- daffodils and baby lambs and warmer days and blossom (I saw my first crocus last week!), little dresses that it is warm enough to wear, Easter, my Birthday. What is not to love? Autumn- all those scrunchy leaves, wearing snugly scarves, darker nights and candlelight. Pumpkin carving and sparklers. Winter- Christmas, stars bright in the sky, wrapping up warm, and buying hyacinths. Oh, such bliss. But Summer? Well there is ice cream, I suppose!
18. Your least favorite household chore?
The shopping. Well no, I actually love the shopping. What I hate is always, ALWAYS being the one to plan out what we are going to eat for the week, make a shopping list for it, buy some bits in my lunch hour from the lovely market greengrocer, and then go to the supermarket, and then put it all away, and then cook it. Before I give the wrong impression, Carl does do the washing up quite often, and all of the laundry. I just wish sometimes that I could go home and have no idea what is for dinner- and not because I have not thought ahead, but because someone else has.
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Ooooh. One super power. Hmmmm. I think I would like to have a magical nose, just like in Bewitched. Wriggle wriggle, the shopping list is written! Wriggle wriggle, the boring bit of my crochet is done, and I am on to the fun pattern part again. Wriggle wriggle, a white china cup of perfect hot chocolate appears, without any sludge in the bottom at all, and just the right amount of chopped nuts on top.
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it?
I love that no one would ever, ever think I have a tattoo. But I do. I got it five years ago, when I was nineteen. It is a tiny rose, with the words ‘Carpe Diem’ around the edge, and it is on my left ribs. I love it. I am not really a ‘tattoo person’ if such a thing can be defined. No one can see it unless I choose to show them. I showed Mum the other day and she was really nice about it. (I guessed she would see it when I am getting into my wedding dress, and I would rather her know before then!) She asked when I had had it done, and then said I should show my little brother as he will be rather impressed!
21.Can you juggle?
Mais oui! I can do three balls tolerably well! Although I do have sudden attacks of dropping them everywhere. Ever since I was young, I have liked acquiring random skills. So I can juggle three balls quite well, crochet doilies, and abseil down a 200foot building. I can order a hamburger in Spanish, and bake perfect macaroons.
22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?
I could not possibly choose between my grandma and my granddad. So I won’t. I will be greedy and say both.
23. What's your favorite day?
My Friday off work, every other week. I usually spend it with Mum, and we often end up in a craft shop, or having lunch, knitting together or something. I also like Sundays as I never ever have to work on that day. Monday nights one of my best friends comes to visit and we craft together. I like most days, really.
24. What's in the trunk of your car?
See question 14- no car. But in poor Carls car there is often a pile of books. In my little vintage sports car, the one that I would have if I could have any car, and could, in fact drive, there is probably a picnic hamper, a bottle of champagne, and some embroidery. Oh, and a book. Or two…
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
There is an amazing place in the town where I live, called Ancient Lights. It is painted deep red, and there are crystal chandeliers, and huge gilt-framed mirrors inside. There are lots of candles, and they do real, proper cocktails. The barman does all the throwing-the-bottle-over-his-shoulder thing. And as well as fabulous cocktails, they do gourmet burgers which are to die for. Organic meat, and then you choose your roll, goats cheese or cheddar, and they come served with a jenga stack of chunky hot chips. And two evil dill pickles that I only tolerate for as long as it takes me to evict them on to Carls plate. But on the strength of this, a real proper burger and a minty mojito cocktail, I take the burger over the sushi please!
See you Wednesday!
I do worry that with the time I have been away, refurbishing the library and moving shelves, and shelves of books, that when I come back here, there will be no one left. If I promise to come back on Wednesday, and to be really chatty, and to give you some nice recipes and things, will you stay? Go on, please!
For you see, the end of the re-furb is in sight. I have got grubbier hands moving more books that I ever thought possible. But best of all I am responsible for two of our pillars being painted a bright lilac colour!
Now lovely Alison at Brocante Home has tagged me with this questionnaire. I have just spent an enjoyable tea break filling it in, and I am glad to finally get a chance to post on my blog. You would not believe how much I miss my little ramblings and meanderings. So here it is- oh, but before I do that, Vintage Pretty, I tag you! And I love, love, love your new blog. Go on everyone, go visit www.vintagepretty.org and say hello from me!
Oh and before you start reading, you might want to make yourself a cup of tea, and perhaps a teensy slice of scrumptious cake...
1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
Ooooh. Now I have a real broodyness for a house going on at the moment. I have only been living ‘away from home’ for three years, and all of them in a rented little one bedroom flat .Which although cosy and divine as it is, does not satisfy my yearning for somewhere old…so rather than building my house, I would need to find an old one. I want somewhere where I can paper one wall in flowery wall paper, and paint the others in Cath Kidston paint. Make it my own, you know? So my lovely house, in my mind, is somewhere in the country. With a big garden-allotment, and chickens clucking about, and a little village. Where going to town is an event, but I have a little village store to keep me going. Maybe Turnham Malpas, if you have read Rebecca Shaw, or Hazy Hassocks if you have read Christina Jones, or even the Cotswolds of Agatha Raisin….
2. What's your favorite article of clothing?
My wedding dress. Does that count though, as I have not ‘officially’ worn it yet? I have a black galaxy-style dress that I always feel a million dollars in. But I wear more often a Victoian-style white nightie. I like to drift about the place in it on summer evenings.
3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
Hmmm. Well I like how they are just bigger than us. And stronger. I guess I am just a damsel waiting to be rescued, really! There is something quite swoon-inducing in struggling with a huge trug of books, and then a nice man coming over and lifting it down for me as if it were a feather pillow!
4.What's the last CD that you bought?
Deary me. Confession. One of the perks of working in a library is that I am surrounded by music! So most often, I borrow something from work. Currently I am just LOVING the Puppini sisters. But the last album I bought? Hmmm. I have to say though that since I have been living in our little flat, I don’t listen to music as much as I used to. Now there is someone else to consider- his taste, mood etc. But I have planned as part of my ‘making life scrumptious’ campaign to have more music- soothing stuff to sleep or relax to and so on.
5.Where's your favorite place to be?
Bed. With a cup of tea, radio 4, a pile of books that I cannot wait to read or re-read, (think Mrs Miniver, The Enchanted April, etc) some magazines, and the newspaper. Ohh, and my feather pillows all fluffed up, and my peppermint and nutmeg pillow spray scenting the air. Mmmmmm.
6. Where is your least favorite place to be?
The Hairdresser. Oh, it is torture for me. I never, EVER like the way they have cut my hair. Even though it needs a trim to keep it tidy, I still wish I hadn’t. And being a bit deaf in one ear, and not having the best hearing in the other, it is really, really hard for me to hear what they are chattering about. It gets worse when they put the hairdryer on. And why do they get you a cup of tea, and then put a cape thing on you, so you cannot drink it? So many times I have sat there and watched it get cooler and cooler, along with my spirits!
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged?
My feet. Oh, how I love a foot rub. And oh, how dear Carl hates giving them to me! He has been known to say, in response to my hopeful sliding-of-feet into his lap, ‘take those trotters AWAY!’. Poor me.
8.Strong in mind or strong in body?
Am I, or would I like to be? I like to think both. But then I do have an awful weakness for violet creams, and lindt chocolate. Then again, I have been low-carbing for nearly 4 weeks now (and eight pounds down, hurrah!). As for the body- well, again, I like to think perhaps yes. I did do the Moonwalk Marathon and live to tell the tale. But I do get an awful lot of ear infections, and my joints are ever so creaky.
9.What time do you wake up in the morning?
Some time between 6:00 and 6:30. Radio 4 kicks in at 6 and I am usually awake before my alarm clock goes off at 6.35. Even when we have a treat of a lie-in sometimes on a Saturday, I never seem to sleep after 8:00 or 9:00. In fact, I totally shocked myself by sleeping till 10:30 boxing day- although I think it was 2:00 before I had made it to bed…
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
My multiquick. Oh, I love it. Normally, I dither over buying most things. Not this. Sainsburys had it for half price (still £30ish I think) but I just marched right up to the display, seized it, and paid for it. The thing with a dear little flat is that they tend to have dear little kitchens, and not much room for such things as food processors. This magical thing is a stick blender, whisk, and food processor all in one. Ok so the food processor bit only has one blade and the bowl is about as big as a cereal bowl, but it is just right for two. Egg whites for macaroons? Done! Breadcrumbs for chicken kiev? Done! Soup blended? Done! I could go on…but suffice to say that when I am in my flowery pinny with my Multiquick at my side, there is no kitchen adventure too big to tackle! (Apart, perhaps, from cleaning the oven!)
11.What makes you really angry?
I try not to get angry too much. All the obvious things, like racism, ignorance and so on. Quite often myself- when I realise I just can’t do everything I need to in the time I have got, or my memory has let me down, or I have to ask someone to repeat something for the third time, and I can feel my face get all hot. Oh and bad punctuation. Signs that say CD’s and bra’s fitted now and euro’s exchanged here. Ridiculous, but true. Bad punctuation makes me angry! I have had to restrain myself from correcting signs before now…but before you sign me off as a punctuation-hitler, I am not angered by people who punctuate badly in personal correspondence, blogs and so on. It is more public signs and books and things.
12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
The piano. I have a vision of myself, in my little farmhousey-cottage in the country (see question one!). It is Christmas Eve, and the place is all lit with candles, and I am playing carols on the piano while my family sings along. And of course, I could also pretend it was the pianoforte, and I am Lizzy, and Mr Darcy is just over there…
13. Favorite color?
I like the many shades of pink and red. I have a red wrap dress that I wear with red patent high sling-backs with a bow on the peep-toe, and red lipstick. I love that. But when I chose my wedding colours, I went for blue and pink. My tea-towels are blue with pink roses. So perhaps blue, as well.
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV?
Gah. I know nothing, NOTHING about cars. When a customer asks me for a workshop manual, and reels off a list of random letters ‘gti s type e series’ my heart just sinks. And I don’t drive either. (Although I guess I should learn before buying that house in the country!). If money were no object I would have a little vintage sports car. Maybe bottle green, but oooh, how about red?
15. Do you believe in an afterlife?
I think so. I hope so.
16.Favorite children's book?
Dear readers, my name is Mimi, and I am a bookworm. Always have been, always will. How can I possible choose one favourite from all the squillions that I have devoured? My frequent complaint, even now, is that books run out of pages. I loved so many. There was one about a giant jam sandwich which was used to trap some bothersome wasps (and I do hate wasps!) and the one that starts ‘In a dark dark wood, there was a dark dark house, and in the dark dark house was a dark dark room’ and on it goes, to reveal that the thing in the dark dark box is….a little mouse!
17. What is your favorite season?
Any and all except for summer. It is no use, it is just too hot. I never feel very elegant in the heat. Spring is lovely- daffodils and baby lambs and warmer days and blossom (I saw my first crocus last week!), little dresses that it is warm enough to wear, Easter, my Birthday. What is not to love? Autumn- all those scrunchy leaves, wearing snugly scarves, darker nights and candlelight. Pumpkin carving and sparklers. Winter- Christmas, stars bright in the sky, wrapping up warm, and buying hyacinths. Oh, such bliss. But Summer? Well there is ice cream, I suppose!
18. Your least favorite household chore?
The shopping. Well no, I actually love the shopping. What I hate is always, ALWAYS being the one to plan out what we are going to eat for the week, make a shopping list for it, buy some bits in my lunch hour from the lovely market greengrocer, and then go to the supermarket, and then put it all away, and then cook it. Before I give the wrong impression, Carl does do the washing up quite often, and all of the laundry. I just wish sometimes that I could go home and have no idea what is for dinner- and not because I have not thought ahead, but because someone else has.
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Ooooh. One super power. Hmmmm. I think I would like to have a magical nose, just like in Bewitched. Wriggle wriggle, the shopping list is written! Wriggle wriggle, the boring bit of my crochet is done, and I am on to the fun pattern part again. Wriggle wriggle, a white china cup of perfect hot chocolate appears, without any sludge in the bottom at all, and just the right amount of chopped nuts on top.
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it?
I love that no one would ever, ever think I have a tattoo. But I do. I got it five years ago, when I was nineteen. It is a tiny rose, with the words ‘Carpe Diem’ around the edge, and it is on my left ribs. I love it. I am not really a ‘tattoo person’ if such a thing can be defined. No one can see it unless I choose to show them. I showed Mum the other day and she was really nice about it. (I guessed she would see it when I am getting into my wedding dress, and I would rather her know before then!) She asked when I had had it done, and then said I should show my little brother as he will be rather impressed!
21.Can you juggle?
Mais oui! I can do three balls tolerably well! Although I do have sudden attacks of dropping them everywhere. Ever since I was young, I have liked acquiring random skills. So I can juggle three balls quite well, crochet doilies, and abseil down a 200foot building. I can order a hamburger in Spanish, and bake perfect macaroons.
22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?
I could not possibly choose between my grandma and my granddad. So I won’t. I will be greedy and say both.
23. What's your favorite day?
My Friday off work, every other week. I usually spend it with Mum, and we often end up in a craft shop, or having lunch, knitting together or something. I also like Sundays as I never ever have to work on that day. Monday nights one of my best friends comes to visit and we craft together. I like most days, really.
24. What's in the trunk of your car?
See question 14- no car. But in poor Carls car there is often a pile of books. In my little vintage sports car, the one that I would have if I could have any car, and could, in fact drive, there is probably a picnic hamper, a bottle of champagne, and some embroidery. Oh, and a book. Or two…
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
There is an amazing place in the town where I live, called Ancient Lights. It is painted deep red, and there are crystal chandeliers, and huge gilt-framed mirrors inside. There are lots of candles, and they do real, proper cocktails. The barman does all the throwing-the-bottle-over-his-shoulder thing. And as well as fabulous cocktails, they do gourmet burgers which are to die for. Organic meat, and then you choose your roll, goats cheese or cheddar, and they come served with a jenga stack of chunky hot chips. And two evil dill pickles that I only tolerate for as long as it takes me to evict them on to Carls plate. But on the strength of this, a real proper burger and a minty mojito cocktail, I take the burger over the sushi please!
See you Wednesday!
Sunday, 28 January 2007
Popping Up From A Pile Of Books To Say Hello
Hello!
Gosh, I cannot believe how long it has been. How are you all? I have been having quite an adventure-if you have a cup of tea handy, I will tell you.
The Library Is Closed.
Doesn't that sound dramatic? Libraries don't close. But mine has. Not forever, just (just!) for four weeks, while we are refurbished and have a self-service system installed, and change the layout. But ohh, how different it is. Firstly I am working very different hours- we are not working Saturdays or Late Nights, so have to go in earlier and leave later to make up the hours. And we are so busy out in the library, I have literally not had a moment to go on line and post, or read the blogs that I usually catch up with every day. And I am so tired- I will tell you about what I have been up to at work to cause it- but I am so tired that in the evenings it has been dinner, bath and bed.
You see first we had to pack up all the fiction and all the audio-visual. And considering we were a few years ago the third biggest public library in Europe (or so I am told!) that is a lot of books. I was packing up CD's near a window, when I was aware that a customer was watching me through the glass. And watching. And watching. I looked up to shoo them away and explain we are CLOSED when I realised it was dear Carl on his way to work! Ooops!
The last four days have been spent industriously- I can only imagine that I am going to have arms like Arnold Swarzenegger's by the end of it. The non-fiction needs to have fifty shelves 'found' which we are doing by moving all the books on a shelf that has a gap at the end to the end of the gap. Then taking a few books off the shelf before to go on the start of that shelf until it is full. Then moving the books on that shelf up, and repeating the process. By the end of day four we had twenty shelves which is pretty good I think. There were some rather hilarious scenes when we were passing books from around the corner of a shelf or across a large gap.
So, three weeks to go. Tomorrow I am off to one of the smaller branch libraries to be RFID (self-service) trained. This I do not worry about as one of the lovely girls who drives is taking me with her. But next week, oh, woe, I am off to a different library that means I have to get the train. On my own. And change trains mid way. Oh, woe. If you do not hear from me again after next week, you will know that I took the wrong train and am hopelessly lost, chuntering up and down train tracks and trying to find my way home again!
On to more cheery things than work. I dashed out for a hot chocolate on Tuesday. There is a Thornton's five or ten minutes away from the library, and they do their hot chocolate as take out. For 30p cheaper than on the menu! And they give you a little chocolate in a bag to have with it. Well, I emerged from the shopping centre to find...it was snowing! Not enough to settle, but enough to make me breathlessly happy that it was snowing on me, on me, and I had a proper hot chocolate, and did not have to work till seven that night as usual.
Am ridiculously happy crocheting on my blanket although I have not done any today. You see I have a lovely evening every Monday when my crafting friend visits, and I have just enough wool left to crochet with her tomorrow night!
I have an overwhelming urge to fill my windowsill with hyacinths, daffodils, paperwhites and narcissus (narcissi??) but at £1.50 a bunch, I do not think I will be filling it soon. Instead I am going to get some hyacinths and polyanthus until daffodil season starts properly- besides I do like to save them for my February treat. (Alison at Brocante Home once said that we should buy daffodils as often as we buy milk in February, and I can attest most heartily to this wisdom!)
And one last delightful thing to leave you with. We find ourselves with a few extra pennies this month, as we pay our council tax by direct debit in ten installments, leaving us with February and March where we put the money into our account, but they dont take it out. So we have treated ourselves to a proper whistling kettle! By proper I mean that it goes on the gas hob, not one that just looks proper but plugs in at the wall. It is cream, and delightful. We got a cream trivet to go with it, and are using some of the knitted dishcloths I made last year to hold the handle when it is hot. It does take a minute or two longer, but dear Carl assures me it is more energy efficient, and it is so scrumptious to hear the kettle whistling! If I narow my eyes slightly, so the edges of the flat are a bit squiffy, when the kettle whistles and I look out of the window, I can almost imagine that I am the countryside.
Utter, utter bliss!
Gosh, I cannot believe how long it has been. How are you all? I have been having quite an adventure-if you have a cup of tea handy, I will tell you.
The Library Is Closed.
Doesn't that sound dramatic? Libraries don't close. But mine has. Not forever, just (just!) for four weeks, while we are refurbished and have a self-service system installed, and change the layout. But ohh, how different it is. Firstly I am working very different hours- we are not working Saturdays or Late Nights, so have to go in earlier and leave later to make up the hours. And we are so busy out in the library, I have literally not had a moment to go on line and post, or read the blogs that I usually catch up with every day. And I am so tired- I will tell you about what I have been up to at work to cause it- but I am so tired that in the evenings it has been dinner, bath and bed.
You see first we had to pack up all the fiction and all the audio-visual. And considering we were a few years ago the third biggest public library in Europe (or so I am told!) that is a lot of books. I was packing up CD's near a window, when I was aware that a customer was watching me through the glass. And watching. And watching. I looked up to shoo them away and explain we are CLOSED when I realised it was dear Carl on his way to work! Ooops!
The last four days have been spent industriously- I can only imagine that I am going to have arms like Arnold Swarzenegger's by the end of it. The non-fiction needs to have fifty shelves 'found' which we are doing by moving all the books on a shelf that has a gap at the end to the end of the gap. Then taking a few books off the shelf before to go on the start of that shelf until it is full. Then moving the books on that shelf up, and repeating the process. By the end of day four we had twenty shelves which is pretty good I think. There were some rather hilarious scenes when we were passing books from around the corner of a shelf or across a large gap.
So, three weeks to go. Tomorrow I am off to one of the smaller branch libraries to be RFID (self-service) trained. This I do not worry about as one of the lovely girls who drives is taking me with her. But next week, oh, woe, I am off to a different library that means I have to get the train. On my own. And change trains mid way. Oh, woe. If you do not hear from me again after next week, you will know that I took the wrong train and am hopelessly lost, chuntering up and down train tracks and trying to find my way home again!
On to more cheery things than work. I dashed out for a hot chocolate on Tuesday. There is a Thornton's five or ten minutes away from the library, and they do their hot chocolate as take out. For 30p cheaper than on the menu! And they give you a little chocolate in a bag to have with it. Well, I emerged from the shopping centre to find...it was snowing! Not enough to settle, but enough to make me breathlessly happy that it was snowing on me, on me, and I had a proper hot chocolate, and did not have to work till seven that night as usual.
Am ridiculously happy crocheting on my blanket although I have not done any today. You see I have a lovely evening every Monday when my crafting friend visits, and I have just enough wool left to crochet with her tomorrow night!
I have an overwhelming urge to fill my windowsill with hyacinths, daffodils, paperwhites and narcissus (narcissi??) but at £1.50 a bunch, I do not think I will be filling it soon. Instead I am going to get some hyacinths and polyanthus until daffodil season starts properly- besides I do like to save them for my February treat. (Alison at Brocante Home once said that we should buy daffodils as often as we buy milk in February, and I can attest most heartily to this wisdom!)
And one last delightful thing to leave you with. We find ourselves with a few extra pennies this month, as we pay our council tax by direct debit in ten installments, leaving us with February and March where we put the money into our account, but they dont take it out. So we have treated ourselves to a proper whistling kettle! By proper I mean that it goes on the gas hob, not one that just looks proper but plugs in at the wall. It is cream, and delightful. We got a cream trivet to go with it, and are using some of the knitted dishcloths I made last year to hold the handle when it is hot. It does take a minute or two longer, but dear Carl assures me it is more energy efficient, and it is so scrumptious to hear the kettle whistling! If I narow my eyes slightly, so the edges of the flat are a bit squiffy, when the kettle whistles and I look out of the window, I can almost imagine that I am the countryside.
Utter, utter bliss!
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