A theme

It was lovely bright and warm in the garden yesterday, I think we reached about 20C

not bad for November, unfortunately due to our neighrbour building his roof terrace wall higher it has cut down our quota of sun in the courtyard, as I was wandering around I realised a theme was going on, so I thought I would share it with you

This plant was looking quite sorry for itself before we had all the rain, now it´s perked up with a sunny flower

These little flowers come up year after year and just love companion planting themselves

I have already harvested loads of these little chillies already and was surprise to see another round, they are "hot" and need to be used carefully!

This is a Salobrena, most of the summer it curls itself into tight buds for conserving moisture

then suddenly it bursts into life, unfurls and starts to produce clusters of yellow blooms (bit early at the moment though). It is extremely easy for pieces to break off but then they root very well, making it a cheap way of increasing plants.

This is a bit tongue in cheek!

Growing in the lemon tree pot, I know technically it would be classed as a weed, but it did fit in the theme and also its a wild flower so who am I to pull it out

Although not yellow,  we still have peppers growing

We also have a rather straggly fushia flowering and the daisies are popping up their cheerful heads, they are pink but never mind they are still pretty

The Jasmine is also in flower and giving off a wonderful aroma as you brush past it, it does get a big unruly but recovers very well after a haircut.

We have just had 5 cubic metres of logs delivered, a mix of olive, almond and pine, it´s a huge pile (thought I´d taken a pic, but can´t find it) anyway, trust me, its big, that all has to be trundled down the garden into the wood shed. Usually thats over 30 heaped barrow loads.

Luckily the weather is dry so we can take our time and do it in stages rather than kill ourselves moving it in one go. Mustn´t grumble, it keeps us warm

Must go, I have at long last brushed of the cobwebs (metaphorically speaking) to the fabric cupboard looking for Christmas fabric for making decorations, makes a change from knitting

Have a lovely weekend whatever you are doing

take care

xcx

Random

Just sorted out some of the phone photos so a bit random

We were given a lovely present from Rebecca and Antoni and Bump, a real aww factor

Tear jerker with the little wave.

Our wonderful hot chocolate, not sure what was most satisfied, the tummy or the feet for the rest!

Salted caramel and gingerbread with soya

Decided on a little play time in the kitchen, when we left, the fridge was really empty and I was grateful to be able to secure a supermarket delivery slot for the day after we returned.

So experimenting, I made cranberry, walnut, sage stuffing for a turkey breast, with honey, garlic roasted carrots. Now Chris hates carrots unless they are cooked with orange, which being so allergic to them, (oranges)I can´t even have them in the house. It was a gamble, suffice to say we have had them since. Yes!! a result............

Then it was pumpkin, carrot and coriander soup

Moving on to bread pudding, Ok I started this, but now it seems to have become rather a favourite

I have always enjoyed being creative in the kitchen, 

I can buy 72% dark chocolate from the supermarket and as long as I don´t go overboard, ie. two or three squares a week, I can get away with having it.

However, flat, hard chocolate doesn´t really ´do´it, so

I made these, please excuse the presentation as I packed them and took them down to neighbours night, forgetting to take a  photo

Cranberry with almond and ginger

They didn´t last long at all

Having children with dairy intolerance taught me to improvise, so I used to make their chocolate Easter eggs, in those days using carob substitute, felt a little like capturing years gone by

Got some orders now lol

As I am writing this, having done prep first and left other half to carry on,  a small bowl of green olives stuffed with anchovies has appeared on the desk, hmmm

Must be a cue to get off and carry on

take care

xcx

Drenched

Ooh we are getting drenched!

We don´t get that much rain, but when we do, boy does it come down.

180mm/12 hours, 50mm/1 hour

The dry rivers beds fill with a tremendous amount of water

Roads are flooded, all the schools are shut for the day, along with alot of businesses

No unnecessary travel

Oh well will just have to hanker down with the log burner and knitting

take care

xcx

A wonderful trip

We have just returned home from visiting family in the UK. We were really lucky with the weather too, not too much of the wet stuff and not to cold either.

We left Alicante about 4pm and reached Gatwick about six. We had organised a taxi online, on a return basis and were pleasently surprised to find it only cost 102 pounds, we were collected in a rather nice Merc, very comfortable and with a courteous driver, so we arrived at MIL in Pyrford, Woking quite relaxed.

The next day, having borrowed Mum´s car, we met Rebecca half way to us both in Bracknell.

The traffic!! it was unbelievable, everyone rushing, squeezing you out, hasseling you, certainly don´t miss that.

Rebecca and I had a lovely day together, looking at baby things, catching up and replenishing cuddles. As she was working the next day, I went back to Pyrford.

Antoni had seen that Reading were playing at home on the Saturday and suggested they go to watch, which was really sweet of him as football is not really his game. He even bought Chris an early birthday present of a team scarf.

It was also the fifteenth anniversary of placing Chris´s Dads ashes under the goal posts, which was made even more poignant when a rainbow suddenly appeared over the stadium. Rainbows have special significance to us as they always appear at special times

I spent the day cleaning and have a good tidy up to make Mum´s life a bit easier,  I was getting worried having so many things around her chair she might trip over.

Daniel, Shine and the girls drove up from Exeter and arrived early evening, which was so lovely to catch up with them. They headed off to a nearby hotel for the night.

Rebecca and Antoni made a surprise visit on Sunday morning, then we all drove back to Reading for a meal, where we met up with Chris´s brother and sister. It was a lovely day, catching up with news, being able to spend time with the children.

Daniel and Shine had brought a lovely cake, very light and fluffy and it was presented with a sparkler candle, I think they thought it was someones birthday.

We took the girls to the nearby park, they had been so good, helped by me producing a pot of Playdoh for them, and they ran around having fun, whilst we took the opportunity to catch up some more.

Maia enjoying Grandma pushing her swing

Daniel and Rebecca

As it grew colder we returned back to Rebecca´s flat, which was a little crammed but enabled us to spend just a little more time together, but all too soon it was time for them to go.

I stayed with Rebecca and Antoni until Tuesday evening, we had timed this trip around Rebecca´s work schedule where she had three straight days off. I was also invited to go with them for her 16 week midwife appointment. The midwife said not to be alarmed if we couldn´t hear baby´s heart beat straight away as they play and hide and make it awkward, Oh my goodness, the probe had hardly touched Rebecca´s tummy when we heard the loudest and strongest heart beat ever, 145 beats a minute, talk about welling up, tissues are on the shelf she joked.

We had such a lovely three days together, wandering around the shops, having a naughty but very nice soy hot chocolate, I had salted caramel and Rebecca had gingerbread,  Being together was so special and very hard to leave her.

Wednesday we helped Mum again and bought her a new, light weight kettle, she was using a ceramic one that even I had trouble lifting, that was an accident waiting to happen with boiling water! Then in the evening we all met up again for a last meal, topping up on the cuddles and trying very hard to keep it together.

I will just have to wait and look forward to another trip in the New Year.

Whilst I was in Reading, Chris managed to find and photograph loads of old snaps, family, friends etc so that we can start to compile a memory book for Mum´s 90th birthday next June. 

Having done his tree on Ancestry, it was very special to put faces to some of the rellies we had discovered.

Well back to normal routine again. Have to dusted off the needles and start another project.

take care

xcx

Finished projects

I have finally got round to taking some photos of the projects for Baby.

The hooded bathrobe with matching wash cloth is really soft and made with 100% cotton

This blanket was quite theraputic to knit being a repeat pattern of 12 rows

Nearly finished the other blanket, I don´t think you can have too many you just never know what will be spilt on them

Chris had a gig yesterday at Maria´s restaurant, we first met this Dutch couple four years ago and Chris has played for the husbands birthday every year.

We have lots of visitors to the restaurant, regulars who enjoy the atmosphere and the cooking on just an open fire pit. All sorts of nationalities too, they soon get used to the winding, meandering road, it is quite narrow in places, but the views are spectacular, just don´t look down!

It was a long day as he started playing at 2.30 and although he had a lunch break he continued on till 7.45, still everyone enjoyed the party, he just can´t move today.

Poor Thomas has a rupture in his ear and has had to visit the vets three times already

unfortunately he does not travel well in the car and rather disgraces himself

He certainly isn´t a happy furry, but perhaps he can tell you all about it

take care

xcx