* Lazylol *

I know I am going to hate the long, dark, cold wintery nights come January, but I love the beginning of each and every new season. Autumn in particular with the nights drawing in, candles flickering in the window and comforting winter soups and stews simmering in the oven.  It's nice to get back to some home and family time, cosy nights in snuggled under blankets watching TV.  Ahhhh......

I need to buy some of these Imageo candle lights. They had some in a restaurant we ate at recently.  They are a really good idea.  You charge them up on the little charging dock and then place them around the home for cosy and SAFE candle light. All you have to do is tip them upside-down to switch them on and off.  These will fab for me as I am always lighting my candles then I have to nip out so I need to blow them out and relight them.  Plus I think they would be great for upstairs because of course, you can leave these candles unattended.

Tonight I made my first batch of soup which as been enjoyed and still lots left for work lunches. I baked some butterfly buns too so the kitchen smells delish tonight.  I am baking and cooking from stratch much more now after being inspired by Economy Gastronomy and OSMS forum.  I need to save some money, the next few years are going to be expensive,  my youngest leaves for Uni on Sunday!  I am feeling a little sad about it but glad he is going.  I still have my 21 year old at home so no empty nest yet :) Plus the Uni is only at Leeds and although he is living there it is only a 20 minute train journey home so I expect to see him now and again during term time (especially if his washing needs doing!) 

Grand Day Out

What is wrong with me? I kept typing posts and then not posting them.  I've just deleted two from last week. *Note to self -  must a better blogger!

How great is the weather this week! Isn't life just great when the sun is shining.  On Saturday we attended the wedding of our lovely friends Michelle and Robert.  It was a fabulous day made all the better by the glorious sunshine and beautiful grounds of the venue (of which I have absolutely no photos - how stupid!).

 

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Here is something for any  paper craft fans out there ~ blog candy and more yummy stuff here

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Snow Snow Faster

Yippee - I have been sent home from work due to the heavy snow fall !!

I walked to work this morning at 7:30 and was very happy to be the first to put my footsteps in the crisp white snow.

Now I am back home, have a casserole in the slow cooker for dinner and I have the urge to build a snowman!

Flat battery

It's certainly a cold and frosty morning.  I was up at  6 am to give Mr Fuzz a lift to work.  The bloody car wouldn't start, it's got a flat battery. I am not going to get annoyed about it because one of my New Years Resolutions was to be calm and not let the little stuff stress me out.  I will sort it out later. Poor Mr Fuzz had to walk to work though :(

My youngest son celebrated his 18th Birthday this week, however his celebrations were cut short due to him feeling really ill and following a visit to the doctors, he has been diagnosed with Mumps! I haven't heard of anyone getting mumps for years, but apparently they do. I remember they were common when I was a girl, I had them when I was five.  He has had all his jabs so I am surprised.  It makes me wonder whether having the Mumps jab is worth it?  Wouldn't it be better to get it younger when it is much milder?  The doctor is monitoring him for side effects and he is shut indoors as he is contagious.

Seeing as am stuck at home with a poorly son to look after and a flat car battery, I have been getting on with the house work this morning and am nearly done. Just the bedding to wash. I am having some porridge for breakfast to warm me up. So this afternoon instead of shopping (and spending money) I am going to take the dog for walk, do something crafty and read my new magazine.

Roll on Spring!

Paper Crafters - Fab Blog Candy for grabs here and here

Sunday

Hope you all had a good Halloween.  Ours was pretty quiet in the end and that's it done with for another year.  Let the Christmas preparations begin!

I am back at work tomorrow after a week off for half-term. So it is my last day of freedom.  Even more depressing is the fact that my working hours have increased - not my choice I might add. So now I will be working from 8 am to 4 pm Monday - Friday.  It's bleak.

It's been a cold week here and today is no different, so we are having a snuggly day indoors. I need cheering up so I am cooking a proper Sunday dinner for the first time in ages, I mean we do have one most weeks, but not usually on a Sunday.  My sons are at that age where weekends are for avoiding home at all costs and being out & about.  They fly in for 5 minutes to get something, charge their phones, change or get ready to go out.  They eat all their meals out at various friends, girlfriends, takeaways, etc. I daren't even ask what they eat but I do make proper meals the rest of the week to make sure they get a bit of balance!  Anyway, all this thinking about Christmas gave me the urge to eat sprouts with white sauce on so I've decide we are having a Sunday dinner today and have called the clan together - who knows if they will turn up? I'd have invited my parents but they've gone to Germany to visit baby Emily.

 (update - it was just me and Mr Fuzz for dinner - the lads dinners are still waiting to be eaten and it is 8:05pm - note to self 'don't bother in future') Mr Fuzz & I enjoyed it though so prehaps it's ok.

This afternoon I've decided to challenge myself to a fate worse than death - the tidying of my craft boxes. The problem is I have 8 large plastic lidded boxes and enough stuff to fill about 20. My craft stash is growing at an alarming rate, with no signs of slowing down, even for the credit crunch. Seriously, I need a craft room but I've no chance for a year or two yet.

Maybe I could actually make something - that would reduce the stash a bit!

Halloween

Even though we no longer have little children in the house and I have a miserable hubby who doesn't like Halloween, I still bought a pumpkin and am getting the Halloween treats ready for tonight.  I baked pumpkin, brain & other assorted horrible cupcakes and bought some chocolate mini bars to go with them. Now I am off to make some little pumpkin paper lanterns to put around the house. 

  

Look at these witches hats that Claire made - what a good idea.

Happy Halloween - have a spooky night!

Happy Weekend

At last I am spending a weekend at home.  I will miss my caravan break and walking on the beach but I am happy to be at home, catching up with some jobs around the place. Things I just haven't had time to do lately. I was slightly tempted to get a last minute flight to Germany to see baby Emily but I've decided against it! I can wait until they come over for a month in December.  Just.

As soon as I got home from work today at 4pm, I decided to make the most of the mild weather and daylight and make a start by doing some garden work.  I gave the grass its last cut of the year, weeded and swept.  Now I have a lovely need and tidy garden for autumn.  I think I will plant some bulbs tomorrow.

Tonight I am home alone, so I am going to get stuck into my ironing pile, watch a dvd and enjoy a glass of wine to unwind after a very long (and quite stressful!) working week.  I am going to enjoy some crackers with soft cheese and some of this tasty chutney,

 

And I am going to flick through my new book and find a few recipes to road test for Christmas (am I allowed to say that word yet?) Seriously, this book is worth buying just to drool over, even if you never make a single recipe from it.  The pictures are stunning and there are loads of good recipes with a bit of a 'Nigella' twist. Delighful. 

I know it sounds boring but I am so happy to just have some time to do things and be at home.

Have a lovely weekend x

Emily

Hello!

Yes I am fine - thanks for missing me xx 

Life just gets in the way of blogging sometimes.  I've been busy.  I have a blog post in my head all day but by the time I get to sit on the computer it is almost bedtime and my head is completely empty. (No comments please!) I still love blogging though and I will try to post more often.  It must be bad because even when I am not posting, I am usually reading your blogs. Although now I'm not even doing that - I have so much to catch up on and lots of comments to make. I just need a few more hours in a day and I'd be fine.

I got some lovely news today - my  brother and his wife have had their baby girl - I don't have a picture yet and won't see them for a couple of months.  They live in Germany.  But thanks goodness for the internet and welcome to my little, two hours old, niece Emily - I can feel a pink shopping trip coming on.....

Feet.

I've been up & about early this morning.  I went for a lovely long walk with the dog, posting my ebay parcels on the way and then getting soaked with rain! So much for being organized and getting the washing pegged out early.

On my to do list today

• make a curry for tonight.  (I am trying to cut down on getting a takeaway every Saturday! So I am going to make a Special Chinese Style Curry with boiled rice.  Much healthier.
• plan menu for the week, make a shopping list & go do the weekly shop.
• Dig out some pretty papers from my stash to make some of Cherry's gorgeous soaps.
• Give my poor neglected feet (I'm ashamed) a soothing footsoak, pedicure & polish.
• List some items on ebay.

Here is my pedicure kit....do you think I have enough? LOL.  I even have a magazine to read while my nail polish dries.

Birthday time ...again!

Sorry for being MIA - I have been busy busy busy at work!  I have so much blog reading to catch up on! I will have to be a better blogger!

I've been away for a long weekend this weekend too, so I didn't have any computer time. But it was lovely and I am all refreshed.

I also celebrated my birthday and received lots of gorgeous cards and gifts, aren't I lucky! I got a new digital camera which I am now trying to learn to use properly.

I also received this lovely card along with some other treats from this thoughtful friend.