Christmas Cookies

White chocolate and dried cranberry cookies

Twilight

Charlotte And Emily

Home

Home is the place your heart resides
Home is the place that you decide
Home is the womb that holds the soul
Home is the place where one is whole

Home is a memory that follows your being
Home is a dream for those agreeing
Home is the place where reserves fall
Home is the place you yearn to call

Home is the glow you hold in your eye
Home is the emotion that makes you cry
Home is safe and a place of peace
Home is where all pressures cease

Home is all these wonderful things
Home is the place you develop wings
Home is the place that you’ll find one day
Home is the place where your heart will stay 

Cold wet days have made me really glad to get home lately, how about you?

Have a lovely weekend

Valerie

xxx

off to school

Yarn

Yarn Along

I have not done a yarn along in a while so I thought I would start this bright and chilly November week off with some cosy woollies and a good book.

 

First of all, I have a confession to make. I absolutely HATE knitting on double pins, I hate it with a passion. It has taken me quite a while to find a basic knitting pattern for baby, child and adult mittens done on straight pins. Perseverance won out though and this is the pattern I have been making over and over this Autumn/winter LINKY and it could not be easier. The yarn is James C Brett, monsoon.

 

I am really enjoying this book. I would urge you not to be put off by the slightly 'Mills & Boon' title, because the subject of the book, the Paris wife, is Hadley, the wife of the late  (great) writer, Ernest Hemmingway. The books starts in Chicago in the 1920's at the time that Hadley and Ernest met, and follows them to Paris where they set up home and have a baby. The book is written from Hadley's viewpoint, so even if Hemmingway isnt your style, this book might still appeal, especially if you are interested in the 1920's and 30's art and music scene. I can recommend it (so far, I am half way in).

Valerie

xxx

Boyhood

I recently posted some pictures on Facebook of Oscar in his fancy dress outfits. They were met with much cooing about his cuteness (from his Aunty Susan in NZ, and various other lovely cousins and friends of mine). There was however a few 'Dear God' comments from male contacts, some joking and one or two, maybe not.

I would never want this blog to be a legacy which caused Oscar embarrassment in later life. That has never been my intention. I don't post much here about my older two children, because my older son (aged 23), in particular, gets easily embarrassed. I am also well aware though that things change as time moves on. I recall my older son being mortified when Duncan answered the front door to one of his friends wearing a sarong (David Beckham has a a lot to answer for with regards to 1990's fashion).  I was fairly surprised then, to see photo's of my older son wearing a dress, on his own Facebook page, last week.  Apparently it is the University basketball team initiation tradition, although I have to say, having been through Art College, its amazing how easily persuaded some men are to don a dress.

Anyway, the reason I posted the photo's is because I think they are adorable. But also, Oscar's maniacal obsession with Witches and Velma (from Scooby Doo), has been such a huge part of our life of late, that it would be a shame to miss out on a visual record of it.

So dearest Oscar son, if you are reading this blog aged 15 and hating me for embarrassing you, I am deeply sorry. I suspect though, that your unique, creative and flamboyant genes will help you to see past any gender stereotyping and appreciate it for what it is. A Mama finding joy in all the little things you do.







Valerie

Boyhood

I recently posted some pictures on Facebook of Oscar in his fancy dress outfits. They were met with much cooing about his cuteness (from his Aunty Susan in NZ, and various other lovely cousins and friends of mine). There was however a few 'Dear God' comments from male contacts, some joking and one or two, maybe not.

I would never want this blog to be a legacy which caused Oscar embarrassment in later life. That has never been my intention. I don't post much here about my older two children, because my older son (aged 23), in particular, gets easily embarrassed. I am also well aware though that things change as time moves on. I recall my older son being mortified when Duncan answered the front door to one of his friends wearing a sarong (David Beckham has a a lot to answer for with regards to 1990's fashion).  I was fairly surprised then, to see photo's of my older son wearing a dress, on his own Facebook page, last week.  Apparently it is the University basketball team initiation tradition, although I have to say, having been through Art College, its amazing how easily persuaded some men are to don a dress.

Anyway, the reason I posted the photo's is because I think they are adorable. But also, Oscar's maniacal obsession with Witches and Velma (from Scooby Doo), has been such a huge part of our life of late, that it would be a shame to miss out on a visual record of it.

So dearest Oscar son, if you are reading this blog aged 15 and hating me for embarrassing you, I am deeply sorry. I suspect though, that your unique, creative and flamboyant genes will help you to see past any gender stereotyping and appreciate it for what it is. A Mama finding joy in all the little things you do.

 

Valerie

Happy November 1st

I hope you all had a spooky and fright-tastic Halloween? We certainly did.

 

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Valerie

xxx