Thank You!

I spoke to lovely Alison tonight, and I just wanted to say thank you for being as lovely in real life as you are on line.

Mimi
x

Little Balls of Sunshine

My latest culinary obsession is oranges. They are like little balls of sunshine to me, splashes of vivid colour in the morning in the kitchen, and the zesty smell pricks at your nose as soon as you start to ease the peel back. Surely one of those rare fruits that satisfies all the senses- the bumpy skin, the smell, the taste, and, if you listen carefully, the noise the first spray of fine juice between the peel and the pith. My favourite way to eat them at the moment is to peel one, denude it of pith, then sprinkle with orange blossom water.

I like splashes of colour at this time of year. I bought a bunch of daffodils that were tight in buds at the farm shop Sunday morning, and now three of them are full out and the rest of them are on their way. I love just to sit and look at them in the evening light.

Tights Torture

The injustice of it. That is what has really rankled me. That is why I have been stomping about with a face like thunder, muttering and raging. (You might think that this is a fearsome sight, but sadly, it appears not. Dear Fiance told me that if I was a bit less comical during my storms I would do well).

You see, mornings are usually a little fraught. I start of with miles of time stretching ahead of me, but suddenly, the top I want to wear has vanished, in a puff of smoke. And my security pass, kazam, gone! My hair takes longer than it should to dry, and always, always, the only pair of tights in my drawer has a ladder. (I know, I know I could lay out my clothes, always put my pass in the same place and everything, I know, it just somehow never happens)!

So, yesterday, I sailed off to the shops and bought myself a brand new ten pack of tights. Ah ha! This morning, my early morning start, would go like a dream. And so it did, until I went to put on the tights. Despite being the same size, colour, denier, manufacturer, these tights just would not go on. Seeing as I have lost a few pounds over the last few weeks, I must conclude that the tights have got smaller rather than I have got bigger. Feet went on fine, over the ankles, fine. But as I was pulling them up my calves, I got the feeling that they were going to be nowhere near long enough. And sure enough, I was left with the crotch a good four inches south of where it should be, and the waistband no where near my waist! It is not even as though I am some willowy limbed giantess, I am five feet five...if I stretch a little!

Which of course necessitated a frantic scramble for another pair of tights which took more time than it should, and all I could think was oh! The injustice! I tried! I planned out what to wear, I made sure it was ready. I checked the whereabouts of my pass! I bought new tights! And now my fiance is giggling at me because I look a comical sight whirling about the room with half mast tights, semi blow dried hair and an expression of injusticed fury upon my face!

At least, comfort can be taken from the fact that surely, surely with a start such as this, the day can get nothing but better? We shall see...

Pay Day Experiment

Isn't it funny how, before being paid, I saw lots and lots of things I wanted, no, needed to buy. I was assaulted on all fronts- delicious new magazines, froths of lace, bits of ribbon, things on eBay, oh, the things. And now I have been paid and am feeing rich again (this said with much irony of tone) I cannot find one single thing I want to buy!

Which is probably just as well really. You see, inspired by Enchanted April (I will stop banging on about this soon, but I have been so touched by this film, and now, the novel) I have decided to keep a little notebook in which to note expenditures. I just want to see where my money goes you see...and if as a side effect it means I save a little more, then it can hardly be a bad thing, I think!

I have my fingers crossed with all my might today. My lovely fiance went for his second interview (by video link, poor thing) and will know sometime after next Tuesday if he got the job or not. I want it for him so, so much. It would do his confidence masses of good, we could book our wedding reception, definitley stay in our little flat another year (landlord willing, of course!) and so, so much. So please, send a kindly thought our way!

I am wearing a new skirt today- I tore one at work, but in a very good girl manner uttered not one word- and am spreading glitter and sparkle everywhere as a consequence. It is a black skirt iwth pink and beige flowers splashed over it, and lots of tiny dots of gold spangle. Delicious.

A Serendipitous Find

Having watched and enjoyed Enchanted April so much, it occurred to me that maybe it was based upon a book. I checked the library catalogue and it was. So I ordered it promptly...And then realized that a reading group was also doing it, so all the copies were out and there was a long list. Bah!

So I did a google search- really only to find out a little bit about the author and so on- and low and behold, I find that the text is available on line! I read the first chapter in my lunch hour...Do give it a go, do!

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/arnim/April/april.html

This week has really skipped away from me. I had a lovely visit Monday evening from my friend who I used to take salsa class with. We are planning a day trip to Bath in the summer, and are thinking of making ourselves reticules in which to carry our pennies and so on.

I have been tired this week. Perhaps it is the grey dampness and darkness? But I am not without hope as my snowdrop on the windowsill greets me cheerily each morning, and my narcissus is shooting up long green leaved stems of hope.

A Day Devoted Entirely To Pleasure

Doesn't that sound decadent? But it was bliss. You see, we knew that moving in together there would be shopping to do, washing to do, work work work to do, and we were, and are, quite happy with that. I still love the domestic side of things. But the other day, it occured to us that with work and running our home, we have not had one day just devoted to pleasure for a very long time.

Not that we have not had pleasurable days, just that there has always been something to do before we go out, or after we come back. Always. So we decided that the Saturday just gone, we would have a day devoted to enjoying it.

We went to the zoo- oh, how I love the zoo! We have gold cards so we can go as much as we would like to in a year, but I have not been for a while. So much changes between visit, they are always enriching the zoo, which I think is lovley. The most beautiful thing was standing in the sea lion pool- they have a glass tunnel so that you can stand while they swim around you. They were in such a playful mood, it was wonderful to see. Two of them were competing to see who could jump furthest out of the water, and two others were swimming in corkscrews and playing follow my leader.

Then we went to my lovely fiances parents house- they kindly said I could borrow their video player (ours died a while ago leaving us just with dvd) and I watched the most beautiful film. It was the early 90's version of Enchanted April. A little slow to start and I was worried I might not get it- sometimes it takes a while to ease into a film I find. But oh, it was so so beautiful! Set in the twenties, a group of ladies go to Italy for the month of April. I really didn't want it to end at all. It changes them in the most beautiful ways, almost healing.

I had never really had the urge to go to Italy before- I would have happily gone, but had not got the hunger if you know what I mean- but now I do! I can highly recommend this film.

The other adventures I had were making Seville Orange and Cointreau Marmalade (read, toffee!) a loaf of bread, and some Seville Orange Ice Cream.

And my lovely, lovely fiance stayed up while I went to bed with a headache, and washed up my sticky jam pan. What a darling!

Technological Kitchen Bliss

I am not what you would call a technophobe as such- eBay is a wonderful thing indeed, email is miraculous and I would not be without the internet! But I do have a healthy fear of technology, words such as 'Bluetooth', wiring up the DVD player myself and so on. And with so much gorgeous stationery in the world, surely there is not much room for computers in my life?

Ahh, that is what I thought until last night, when I had a veritable revolution! I had a happy hour or two clearing out my spices and herbs cupboard and dry goods cupboard and so on. Then it occured to me that I should make a list of all the spices and herbs I have, so when I see a new recipe I want to try, I shall know right away if I have coriander leaf or seed already or if I need to buy it.

My lovely fiance gave me his lap top to do it on- and now I have an excel sheet (because I love putting in a jumble of stuff and just clicking to get it in alphabetical order!) of what I have spice wise, then sheets of staples that we need to buy regularly, and household goods so it is easier for me to make shopping lists (this week will be our first on line shop. The plan is, get the stuff we cant get at the farm shop delivered, then go have fun shopping at the farm!)

My eyes are suddenly opened to the wonders of computers!

Next project is to make a list of all the fish/pasta/chicken/vegetarian etc recipes, so I can just decide what we are having each week and then order up the ingredients. Techno-nerd me...who would have thought it?