Pussy Willow & the Two Tired Children

Its been a very quite evening here, all is peaceful & settled.

G has gone off traveling again - Norway - I think to see if he can find more snow....

After much pouting and whinging from me re him going again so soon, I came home from work to find that G had left me some Tulips & some Pussy Willow.... Huge long stems, that are taller than the hearth....


The small people have had lots of fun stroking the pussy cat tails - which I have told them, are sitting on the branches, waiting for collection by willow, who puts them on the baby kittens.

My 8 year old, is rather suspicious re this explanation, but I have told him, if he has a better rational for the name, then let me hear it....

Little Miss, at 5, is entranced - is Willow a boy or girl? Fairy or Elf?

Pondering on these serious questions, they have gone to bed early and I haven't heard a peek out of them since....

Leaving me a quite evening to read these, my bargain bumper pack of housey magazines from Sainsbury's, all 3 for just £6.00



This is actually reading that is required for research purposes, as I am trying to glean ideas for our planned new kitchen, and research is more important than housework tonight....

It really wouldn't be me, if I didn't post a Tulip picture when one was available! The 3 stray purple Tulips sat in amongst the red, have been separated & sit on my bedroom drawers.




Won't I just feel a princess when I wake up in the morning, and spy (once I've put my specs on) these?!

Oh well, I'm off, to dream up some theories for the Pussy Willow questions that I am sure will arrive tomorrow, and to plan my Valentine crafty/bakey session for tomorrow evening.

Love Lydia xx

I hope it dosn't look like a glitter ball....

I am grumpy tonight, courtesy of an 11 hour shift. This was due to the very late delivery of furniture for our new waiting room & yet more snow - humph!!

So my eldest's bed time natter consisted of mildly exaggerated descriptions of the lorry & rather large man who drove it.... The no TV ban is now making mummy's tall stories appear amusing at least....

I was very pleased on my return home from saving lives (another tall story) & furniture arranging, to find that G had kindly removed this....

And put up this....

I hope it doesn't look like a Disco Ball!

It was my Laura Ashley buy from their web sale a couple of weeks ago, £70 (I wouldn't have paid that) down to £27 (Bargain). It throws of lovely flowers round the ceiling & walls when lit up... & hopefully adds a bit of sparkle to the hall

Not that the hall is an overly boring place anyway - there is the huge wooden clock G bought as a house warming pressie from a gallery just outside of Bakewell. It is edged with the colours of the rainbow, blending into each other as they go round....

And also in the hall, in the same colour way, is a print we brought back from our honeymoon, of St Barts (although we went to St Kitts) - I love the blues & greens on the edges, and the simple detail & balance of the picture....

It brings back warm memories, yet I have no desperate urge to go back - give me this country any day.... I prefer wellies, cream teas, rock pooling and 'lovely things' shops....

This prompts the thought that its not long till our Easter break in Cornwall - now there's a thing to banish the grumps....

Love from Lydia xx

G - 'Oh! - you have had a lot of snow....'

G got home Saturday lunch time from Germany & commented, 'oh! -you have had a lot of snow'! Does he not read my blog when he's away?? Anyway I am sooo glad he's back.

In less than an hour, he was off, with the small things, to Chatsworth to sledge - & I stayed at home to play with my new toy....

This is my baby Kenwood - I just know its going to inspire me to become a domestic goddess....

It was bought with 5 years worth of Co-op vouchers gifted to me every Christmas by my mother in law. Who just happened to comment, when I proudly showed her my purchase 'I've got one you could of had, its got the original ceramic bowl' (which makes it even older than my mums one, which must be 30yrs old - Yikes!) - Ohh but I do like my shiny compact one, and I know its not just for looking at!

Well, any soon to be domestic Goddess needs nice tins to put her creations in, & what better than these??

& enclosed in the tins, was a recipe for pistachio & white chocolate cookies. Yum Yum Yum must make these I thought.

Do you ever think there is a conspiracy to stop yourself from being domesticated? Mine came in the lack of shelled pistachios in Sainsbury's. Never mind, I have child slave labour to hand....

A good job little miss did too....

And look - Nigella Cookies for my Nigella tin - Yum!

& of course, for a full Kenwood workout - cheesy feet for the lunch boxes next week....

Not only did I use child labour to help develop my new baking skills, I was also the wicked mummy who banned the TV this weekend. One to many sibling scrats, and not enough 'sharing is caring' attitude prompted a back to basics weekend.

We survived, they survived & they played in (almost) sibling harmony. The cry of 'kill Boadicea' was a little concerning, but I was reassured by No 1 child that he was allowed to say this because she was a Celt - (so he has been paying attention to Roman week at school).... although I cannot remember dinosaurs being present in this period of history....

Little Miss also had an Aqua bead session - Hearts -that's my girl! Did you know, if you ingest these little balls, they can have a hallucinogenic effect? No me neither, until my A&E nursey friend told me...& not that I've tried either....

We popped out for Sunday lunch to a local garden centre, and spent a good couple of hours mooching & looking at the fish etc.

I also got to indulge in my love of purchasing lovely things, such as these moulds for fried eggs or pancakes - I do hope G isn't now going to expect eggs on toast on Friday....

This in the Laura Ashley Sale £3.00 - Bargain!, which matches my apron, although I think I shall use it as the odd sock bag in the laundry room, rather than as a peg bag....

And finally, the best bargain, most loveliest thing, this -

I thought it was £15, but when I got to the till, it was only £7.50.... Now what to do with it, so many thoughts....Outside with plants?....Inside with herbs....On my crafting table, filled with lovely things.... I don't quite know, but I think its lovely all the same....

Well its been a lovely weekend, baking & buying, G home, peace in the house....I almost don't want to go to work in the morning....

Although not much housework has been achieved - but tomorrow is another day & I just hope the window cleaner won't come in this weather- I'm almost tempted to pray for snow!

Love Lydia xx