Starting to think about the C word!

Its getting near the end of October and again I was reminded by a post on Twitter that Christmas is not an awful long time away. I think I get a sort of nesting fever and it tends to start right now. My family (well mainly Mr H) find it difficult to comprehend but I hate not being ready and particularly after two years ago when I went down with flu the week on the run up to Christmas. Luckily I was reasonably ahead of the game but it did mean all hands on deck so that we were ready for the big day.

So I'm thinking of making our pickled onions this week and as its half term next week it seems an ideal opportunity for us to make the cake and Christmas pudding!
How are you doing- have you started planning yet?

Talking of half term - this is my self imposed deadline for the garlic and over winter onion planting. I do hope the weather will be kind to us!

Its a brief post today- I thought you would like to see what I have been making this morning. One of Mr H's side of the family is about to have their first baby . This will be the first baby in the next generation but unfortunately they live in New Zealand  so no quick visits to meet the new addition. Thank goodness for modern technology - at least we will get to see photos  and be able to follow the progress via Facebook etc.

Anyway I have made some burp cloths ( sick cloths - whatever you like to call them! - all hideous names but I can't think of what else to call them!) . I made them using 100% cotton with brushed cotton backing for softness and so that it won't slip off a shoulder easily!

I had to choose neutral colours as the the babies sex is going to be a surprise. I'm hoping that
the fabrics I have chosen will suit either a boy or a girl. I hope they will be liked and most importantly useful!
This afternoon I am going to have a bash at making some bibs. So wish me luck........

A day out with Jamie and Alex at Feastival

Recently things have been a bit disorganised and chaotic. We are still settling into our new routines. Mr H and I - our routines haven't changed a lot - except I'm managing to fit in a few more days going out to work. Necessary as we now have two children at university ( in different directions of course but both beginning with C so thats helpful when the odd moment of dementia or middleageness sets in). I say children, I should really say young adults as they are definitely not children anymore.

Our younger two are now at sixth form college. I know I'm going to sound boring but "in my day we were at college from 9 until at least 4.30 every day except Wednesday which is a half day. This does not seem to be the case anymore- and we have teenagers coming and going at different times every day of the week. Also this week they have an extra two days off  so it feels as if my week has flown by in a trance! The lack of any routine is what is so difficult to get to grips with! Never mind no doubt I will get used to it just in time  for them to finish their A levels!

I'm feeling sad as I really haven't had time to blog and have so missed talking to anyone who wants to read this but it does help one to sort things  and put them into perspective. I am soooo looking forward to catching up on all the blogs I havent had time to read either! So next week I shall give myself sometime to do the things I want to do like blogging etc. Anyway enough of the rant and more blogging !

During the summer we had hoped to pop over to France for our annual holiday but  with exam results both GCSE and A levels featuring heavily this summer and also University places to sort it just wasn't going to be.
We did however manage a day trip to Jamie's Feastival on Alex James( Blur ) farm in Oxfordshire.
We had a lovely day with fabulous food on offer

They made fabulous veggie paella!

 cooking shows, and bands to listen to.




We loved it because all though there we a good number of people there we didn't feel crowded in. The loos were much cleaner and more organised than other festivals_ ( very important in our house- we like decent and clean loos!)

We got to see Jamie close up ,

( who incidentally was lovely- insisting on signing all the people in the queues books even though he had run well over time!)

 

We saw Gennaro




as well as Alex James, Julia Bradbury from Country File. Mr H is convinced that he saw Adam from Country file in the loos but he felt it was inappropriate to ask!

We were so lucky with the weather as it wasn't promising as we set off and I have to admit the prospect of a day sitting in the rain did not appeal. The weather cleared , just the odd spit of rain- but on the whole it was dry.

Lots of things to do!

 We saw Josh Osho, Razorlight The Guillemots,   and Texas

All in all fabulous day and I think next year we might even make  a weekend of it!

Birthday celebrations

This time of year is always manic for us as we have five birthdays and our wedding anniversary in the space of five weeks. Not very well planned you might say and I would heartily concur! But thats the hand that has been dealt to us and so we just have to grit our teeth and not think of our bank balance!

The first of our birthdays belongs to my elder son. This year  to celebrate we decided that a family day out to the New Forest was in order. Travelling time for us is probably three quarters of an hour to an hour. We love the New Forest and last year we often had a Sunday afternoon picnic- complete with Sunday papers. I have very fond memories of those trips.

This year we headed down to Beaulieu (pronounced Bewley)- I know I know it looks like it should be pronounced the French way.

Beaulieu is a lovely  unspoilt village  popular with tourists. Along the high street is a fabulous family run Garden centre - Fairbrothers. This garden centre has great plants and a lovely shop area selling lots of lovely pretty gifts. Its the sort of place that you know you will find something there for even the most difficult of people! We love browsing there.

The garden centre also has a lovely cafe called Steff's cafe where there are lots of fabulous ( good sized cakes to choose from). Their lunch menu includes many delicous options- eg local sausages and mash as well as crayfish, omlettes and panninis and so many more lovely gastronomic delights. Here we had a very enjoyable lunch before visiting Patricks Patch.

 This is a fantastic kitchen garden  which  apart from supplying the kitchen with the produce, is used to teach primary school children all about growing fruit and vegetables. I love browsing the garden - getting inspired by all the varieties grown there and dreaming of having  a similarly neat and well tended plot!.

We headed down the high street visiting the little shops and spotted some of the New Forest donkeys sauntering down the street nibbling on what ever took their fancy.

 The boys lead the way down towards the Beaulieu classic car garage where we drooled over the fantastic cars on offer.

The owners  must have had a lot of people wanting to touch and view these fabulous cars as they have a notice on the door -which made me smile.

Beaulieu incidentally is also home to the Beaulieu Motor museum- which often has some of the James Bond cars on display. A must for all car fanatics.


We made for home and arrived in time for friends to arrive for an evening barbecue. A good time was had by all!