Just A Thursday

Thursdays normally play out alright around here. The food shopping gets delivered (before they hike the delivery cost up for weekend shoppers, even though the vans will be fuller and therefore it should be less, but anyway, I diverse), Friday is just around the corner and we have left the dreaded start of the week (Moaning Mondays), behind us. 

I/we attempted a little bit of crafting today because despite being more resolute to keep going with it after Christmas, we really haven't done all the much. We kept it simple today and made some paper lanterns.

 

 

 

 

We have put some of those battery operated 'candles' in them (3 for £1 from Poundland), but I have to admit that at the time of the photo there was only one in the left lantern because the other 2 had been taken upstairs to aid with ghost-hunting.

I had a routine Doctors appointment this afternoon so we had to wrap up against the wind again. Oscar was tired and soon dropped off in the pushchair, as you can see.

 

 

When we arrived home Oscar started to cry for chocolate. Oh dear, what has all of that Christmas indulgence done to us? I offered him an After Eight Mint (the only chocolate left in the house), and he was not impressed and asked for 'chidrens chocolate'. Well, what else is a Mama to do?

 

 

They don't even look real, but they are. Rice Crispies, cooking chocolate, raisins and edible glitter. Apparently this was just what he wanted and went off quite happy after eating one (or eating 3/4 of one and smearing the other 1/4 all over his face).

In other craft news, I have knitted the back and started one side of Oscar's birthday cardigan, but I have put it down just now to do a shoulder shawl for my Mother-In-Laws birthday, Pattern Here. I haven't done anything like this before so its slow going. And finally I am still making the birthday crown, which is also slow going, but mostly due to my tiredness.

Valerie

xxx

Cookies And Dip

Today Oscar and I did a little bit of cooking in the tidy kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banana Cookies

INGREDIENTS

3 Large ripe bananas

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1/3 cup of honey OR 1/2 cup sugar (we used honey)

1/3 cup oil OR apple sauce (we used apple sauce)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

1. Turn oven on to 180 degrees. 

2. Mix all ingredients together and allow to sit for 15 mins.

3. Spray baking sheet with oil and drop by tbs onto tray and flatten

4. Cook for 20 mins or until brown.

 

 

We also made some dip since Oscar has taken a real liking to dips of all kinds. It doesn't look very appetizing in the picture so you will have to take my word for it that it is actually quite tasty

 

 

Cucumber Dip

INGREDIENTS

One whole cucumber (peeled)

1/2 tsp salt

520g (2 cups) Greek-style natural yogurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Use the coarse side of a grater to grate the cucumber. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to combine.

2. Place the yogurt, garlic, oil and cumin in a medium bowl, and stir to combine.

3. Transfer the cucumber to a sieve and use your hands to squeeze out any excess moisture. Stir the cucumber pulp through the yogurt mixture. Taste and season with pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until required.

 

 

Valerie

xxx

52 Week Challenge - Week 2/3

Well, it took all week but I actually did the work-surfaces in the kitchen for the 52 Week Challenge. I feel like a bit of a slacker here, but week 2 was cupboards and drawers and this week is the pantry and spices and Duncan actually did those at Christmas, so a free week yipee. If I am being honest though, they are getting a little bit messy again so I guess I should make the time to give them a little neaten up. Here are the bullet points for last week and this week.

Week 2 # Kitchen Drawers And Kitchen Cabinet Organization

• 
  

  Step 1: Recall The Functions Of Your Kitchen From Last Week

  
  

• 
  

  Step 2: Declutter Your Kitchen Cabinets And Drawers

  
  

Declutter The Stuff You Shouldn't Have In Your House Anymore At All

• Broken items


• Duplicates


• Excess items (like too many coffee mugs, or plastic drinking glasses)


• Oprhaned lids or containers with missing lids


• Things you never use (because they are ugly, don't work well, you don't really like them, etc.)


• Things you haven't used in the last year, at least

• 
  

  Step 3: Sort What Is Left According To How Often You Use It

  
  

• Items used everyday


• Items used often (once every couple of days to every couple of weeks)


• Items used seldom

• 
  

  Step 4: Strategically Place Everything In Your Kitchen Cabinets And Drawers According To Their Zones

  
  

• 
  

  Step 5: Consider Kitchen Storage Solutions For Your Drawers And Cabinets To Maximize The Use Of Your Available Space

  
  

The Challenge website goes into details for each step, you can find it HERE

Week 3 # Organize Pantry, Spices and Food

• 
  

  Step 1: Declutter And Get Rid Of Expired Food Items

  
  

• 
  

  Step 2: Categorize What You've Got Left

  
  

• Dry goods, such as flour, sugar, etc.


• Canned goods, and jars


• Dried food, such as pasta, rice, beans and grains


• Boxed items, such as cereal and crackers, and also mixes


• Spices


• Beverages (not yet in the refrigerator)


• Root vegetables, such as potatoes and onions which are not stored in the refrigerator or freezer

• 
  

  Step 3: Make A Pantry Inventory So You Know What You've Got From Now On

  
  

• 
  

  Step 4: Organize And Containerize Your Food

  
  

• 
  

  Step 5: Consider Pantry, Spice And Food Storage Solutions

  
  

The Challenge website goes into details for each step, you can find it HERE

I guess you could say this post is pointless without photo's (who is doubting me lol)

 

 

 

 

 So there it is. Maybe now its tidy I will be inspired to decorate, its seriously lacking a personality, and you need a soul in the kitchen I think.

Valerie

xxx

 

Cold And Frosty

Both inside and out, it has been cold and frosty. My clothes hating child has been nagged all day to please let me put more clothes on him, but he has stubbornly refused. I have resorted to putting blankets on the sofa and snatching him up every so often for a warming.

Since it was so cold, we did not go out at all today, but that doesn't mean Oscar didn't find some dirt to play in.

If my bulbs don't grow, it may well be because Daphne from the scooby gang was deep dirt diving.

I took some photos of the garden, which I have to admit I am becoming more and more fond of, and Oscar asked me to photograph the front garden from his window too.

back garden

 

back garden

 

front garden

 

You may notice we don't have a fence between us and next doors back garden. It blew down in all the wind, and unfortunately the neighbour and the landlord seem to be at a disagreement about (the cost) of putting it back up. It had better get sorted out soon though, since Oscar has already taken some trips over there.

This afternoon Oscar took a nap for the 2nd day in a row which illustrates how messed up his sleeping pattern still is. I expect we will be struggling to get his little head on the pillow before 10pm tonight. I guess there is nothing to be done about it now.

 

And finally, I am feeling a little frosty within myself. This is a weird thing to say here, but I am not sure how else to approach it. The blog has a unique visitor counter (which you will know if you use Typepad), and so I know that a lot more people view the pages, than leave comments. I am fine with that, in fact I am just happy to find people are actually looking at it. What I do find odd, is that someone I actually know is reading the blog and not admitting to it. I cannot be sure of the reasons for this, but it feels like being snooped on. The blog is open for anyone to read (and to leave or not leave comments as they wish). But it does make me feel funny when someone see's me face to face and has never acknowledged they knew what we did at the weekend and even saw the pictures. Anyway, Typepad has a visitor trackback and an IP referral address log. I just thought I should say.

Valerie

xxx

Saturdays Child

Its not that I don't enjoy playing with Oscar, I do. But any full time parent will tell you, its often the repetition that's the killer. I fully understand the development gained from this sort of play repetition and that's why I am reluctant to cut it short. But sometimes it really is hard work, despite the cuteness.

 

 

I have to admit I was pretty glad when the weekend arrived this week, because health wise its been a really tough one. I have felt physically drained, which is probably what to expect with a viral lung infection.

With Daddy home to take over and let me rest and observe and craft, its been an altogether less draining day.

The veg box arrived bright and early, which Oscar now looks forward to. He was pretty impressed by the size of the cabbage this week.

Duncan has now taken over the total bread production in the house, which suits us both well. Oscar still has to kiss the dough though.

This one he named a 'Love Loaf' Isn't he a romantic.

They spent some time outside this afternoon even though it was absolutely freezing. Oscar doesn't do well with cold and that combined with him not doing well with coats either means he runs inside demanding hot chocolate a lot.

While the boys were outside I started another little felt crown. I enjoyed making the Epiphany crown so much that I have decided to make one for Oscars 3rd birthday next month.

And lastly I wanted to comment on some drawing related things. Mine first. My friend Laura has taken up a sketch a day challenge and has persuaded me to join in. I am notoriously bad at keeping up with these sort of things so we shall see what happens. Anyway, here is the link to my A Sketch A Day page. There is a link to it at the top left of this page too.

And secondly, I wanted to show 2 types of drawing from Oscar. The first one he did today on his chalkboard. He told me in advance that he was drawing a monster and then he did.

A pretty good monster for a 2 nearly 3 year old I think.

But we have been getting another type of drawing. He draws something first then studies it to decipher what it is. The first time he did this was about 9 months ago when he drew a circle with a straight line off it, and then studied it, then looked all pleased with himself and said a balloon on a string. Last night when I was sketching he did a drawing and then named it a chicken.

I can definitely see a bird here, I am hoping its obvious?

I don't recall the older children doing this type of interpretive drawing (and if they did it wasn't at such a young age). I am loving it and if anyone else's 2/3 year old draws like this I would be interested to know. Sometimes we have quite complicated objects and sometimes quite simple. I will have to start separating his drawing out into folders so I can see his progress.

Anyway, time for me to get sketching again.

Valerie

xxx

 

 

 

Friday Shopping And Fish

Does everyone still have fish Fridays? I seriously doubt it, but its still quite a thing here. I had it throughout school (fish and chips in the dinner-hall), I had it in the hospital when I worked as a nurse, I had it at art school in the canteen and the fish-man still comes around in a van on Thursdays and Fridays. I suspect its more of a traditional thing now as opposed to a RELIGIOUS act, but never the less, we do partake of fishy food on Fridays. So with that in mind, when the afternoon was calling us outside I threw some lovely ingredients (a bag or prawns, 5 pieces of white fish, a chopped onion, some sliced green beans, a sliced leek, a can of coconut milk, some boiling water and some bullion stock), into the slow cooker and headed on out.

I thought I would show you the area we moved to, (the area I desperately wanted to return to), so I took the camera with us.

The  little cottage is opposite the bus stop and once upon a time was a corner shop, but it stopped trading when the owners passed away

We took the bus a few stops and got off further down the road

The church is for sale if you are the market

The street is where I lived on my very own for the first time

Scary but exciting times

There are quite a lot of shops here, including all the usual grocery stores and a variety of more unusual ones

There are quite a few churches on this road too, It is such a shame about the scaffolding, I hope they can afford to have it repaired soon, its a lovely building really

Apart from all the churches, there are many bars, cafes and restaurants, some of which are fabulous to eat at. Unfortunately one of the least attractive buildings further down the road is the art school. I always think its such a pity that this place of wonderful creativity is so uninspiring to look at

On the other side of the road is a little garden area with a much more inspiring outlook

And finally the wall of windows is the home of the students union, and anyone who was at art school with me will agree that the less said about that the better

On my travels down this long and very diverse road I picked up some coloured felt, a sketchbook, some taramasalata (for Oscar), some Wasabi mix (for Duncan), and some organic porridge. Quite a successful trip out. By the time we got home the fishy stew was ready and even though it was 4.30pm it was only just getting dark. Hooray for the return of the light.