Thoughtful Friday 21

"In the attitude of silence the soul finds

the path in a clearer light, and what

is elusive and deceptive resolves itself 

into crystal clearness"

Gandhi

Too, too busy!

I know I shouldn't complain at all!  And being freelance means you have to take the work as it comes as you are never quite sure when or where the next lot will come, but it has meant that I have been unable to update my blog or post some fun posts which came into my mind as I was busy travelling or writing up a report.  But here we are - and now can I think of any of those posts?!!! Part of this absence has been to do with the computer situation as I am not yet used to my new macbook and iphoto, not to mention the fact that in migrating my data the photos are all over the place!!!  However there is much to be thankful for as ever and here I am, having finished a report I have been putting off for ages now - yippee!  It is still in first draft stage but at least there is some structure to it and I can now play with the words as necessary.

Has it been cold where you are?  We have had heavy frosts this week and it snowed in east London so daughter no. 4 told me!  It is time for hot meals and cosy evenings.  Tonight we have a chorizo and mixed bean stew served with oven roasted potatoes, sprouts and broccoli, followed by some homemade banana and cinnamon loaf.

I'm really hoping to do some crafty projects this weekend and begin to get ready for some Christmas gifts I hope to make - I will be sure to take some photos.  We have decided as a family to do the 'secret santa' idea for this year so we will all pick a family member's name out of a basket and just buy one present for that person.  It will make for a simpler Christmas which I am all for.  Have you seen the shops recently?!!  It is crazy out there already and so much choice it is enough to give you a headache before you even start!  Or am I the only one opting for a simple Christmas this year? I suspect not.  I'll be back soon.

Thoughtful Friday 20

"We shape our dwellings, and afterward

our dwellings shape us"

Winston Churchill

Thoughtful Friday 19

"I shall be telling this with  a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference"

Robert Frost

Patience!

Oh, I have had to be patient this week!  It's been all about the computer and getting my data back.  The poor guy who has been helping me has been round nearly every evening trying to sort things out but I am very much hoping we are getting there.  Today has been very stressful - central heating playing up i.e. not working ; overflow pouring outside; couldn't send out work emails; printer playing up; you've got the picture!  But on to happier things and to show you what I did to counteract the stresses of last week:

Finished the squares which will make up the friendship bags that we are doing at a knitting club I am very loosely involved with (I've only been once!).  Then there are these patchwork blocks which will either be made up into cushions or maybe little bags!

And here's my first attempt at needle felting:

This is a little kit from woolpets which I bought from Blooming Felt.  But as this post has taken me nearly 45 minutes to produce (don't you just love computers!!!!) I think that will be all for now!

Thoughtful Friday 18

A friend will joyfully sing

with you when you are on the mountain top,

and silently walk beside you through the valley.

Anonymous

Bleak Monday!

Yesterday was a very bad day as my trusty computer of 5 years suddenly died!  Now you will know that I was aware it was suffering but ironically I had made the decision to transfer all my date to my new computer next weekend!  The reason being that last weekend we were moving daughter no.4 to her new room at Uni.  So I am now very bereft!  All my work emails were stored on outlook which is now inaccessible.  I did back up all the other data a few weeks ago so have transferred that to my new computer late last night.  I have someone coming round later today to see if we can access and retrieve all that is lost - I sure do hope so.  

So if your computer is on its last legs, is making funny noises, or is very slow - be afraid, be very afraid and back up now before all is lost!!!  I'll keep you posted.

On a happier note, take a look at these lovely chillies which are the last of my batch from the garden:

Thoughtful Friday 17

"All the flowers of tomorrow

are in the seeds of today"

German Proverb

Autumn Supper

Take a lighted Golden Spiced Pear Yankee candle and place it in the centre of your table

Add steaming hot bowls of homemade leek and potato soup

Add homemade three seed bread

And homemade Cheddar Cornmeal muffins

Follow this with Apple and cinnamon crisp with apples from the garden and you have the perfect Autumn supper! A real favourite in our household.

Recipe for Cheddar Cornmeal Muffins:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 heaping tsp baking powder

1/2 tspn salt

pinch cayenne pepper

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter or margerine

11/2 cup grated cheddar

Stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cayenne.

Beat egg, with milk and butter and add to dry ingredients, stirring to moisten.

Stir in 1 cup of grated cheese and spoon into greased muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 375 degrees or equivalent for 15 - 20 mins.

(taken from the book Muffin Mania, my favourite muffin book of all time!)

These muffins are great toasted the next day too - if there are any left of course!!!

Enjoy!