1st things 1st

Early morning may bring many pleasures but none quite so

resassuring in the murky darkness as the 1st cuppa.

(Ironically, I decided that my epitaph will be

I kept calm and look where it got me)

and the woodburner lighting quickly from last nights embers

(alas, central heating is not an option here).

By the time the kettle has boiled on the Rayburn

for the third mug of tea, the fire is

rip roaring away, primed ready for the rest of the day

. . .and so am I!!

What does it take to get you going on these winter mornings?

chocolate banana bliss

It started with 3 over-ripe bananas in the fruit bowl. . .

followed by a thoughtful flick of cook book pages. . .

a meeting of eggs oil flour cocoa and sugar. . .

and ended with a VERY gluttonous afternoon tea

The question I have to ask myself

(with the hindsight of chronic indigestion)

is how many chocolate banana muffins

count as TOO many chocolate banana muffins??!

3 very ripe bananas

125ml vegetable oil

2 eggs

100g soft light brown sugar

225g plain flour

3 x 15ml tablespoons best-quality cocoa powder, sifted

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 x 12-bun muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with papers. Mash the bananas by hand or with a freestanding mixer.Still beating and mashing, add the oil followed by the eggs and sugar. Mix the flour, cocoa powder and bicarb together and add this mixture, beating gently, to the banana mixture, then spoon it into the prepared papers. Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, by which time the muffins should be dark, rounded and peeking proudly out of their cases. Allow to cool slightly in their tin before removing to a wire rack.

back in the land of the living!

Thankyou all for the kind comments, emails, phonecalls, hugs,

cards and cakes that arrived following my recent mishap.

I'm touched by such thoughtfulness

even though I don't really "know" any of you.

Pleased to report that I'm mending well in spite of feeling a bit

sheepish about my own stupidity!

Bruce is enjoying a winter holiday getting hairier,

muddier. . .and needless to say fatter by the day.

Enforced time indoors has seen me clearing through the

stockroom cupboards where I found these two

vintage magazines from opposite ends of the spectrum-

A 1975 Valentines edition of Jackie and a 1927 copy of Home Notes

such a contrast between the elegance and simple lines

shown in the fashions of the Twenties, and the funky fabness of

teenage life in the Seventies

The adverts in both magazines make great reading!

The topic of making an income from home is obviously

a timeless one. . .

which era do you prefer?

from ouch. . .to !!!!OUCH!!!!

After the popping champagne corks at Christmas, our anniversary and New Year, my birthday at the beginning of January always falls a bit flat.
In 2011 I clearly remember saying "you know I'd really like to do something different for my birthday next year". . .

I woke on Saturday morning quite breathless and light headed and didn't put up much resistance when Mark said he was taking me to A & E.

X-Rays showed I had a punctured lung caused by my broken ribs and I spent a very un-jolly weekend strapped to an oxygen mask.

I've been allowed home today but must report back on Wednesday for further X-Rays to check its not collapsed any further.

A birthday to remember for all the wrong reasons- be careful what you wish for!

(and yes to all of you who've asked, I'm afraid Bruce did have a hand [or rather a hoof] in this mishap)

eating those words. . .

. . ."this year is going to be such a good one". . .you recall reading that sentence in my last post. . .?
Famous last words.
I had an unfortunate little accident and started the year with 2 cracked ribs, and one side of my chest is magnificently multi-coloured (a black-and-bloob?)

You couldn’t make it up could you?
I’m sure I'd see the funny side of it if only laughing wasn't so painful!!

Looking forward to 2013. . .
Calamity Elaine
xx

2012- bring it on!

Christmas Eve. . .The horses settled in their stables, the sound of rustling straw so perfectly apt for this evening as we bid them goodnight. Midnight Mass at our tiny local church, no more than 20 hardy souls in the congregation, puffs of breath rising in the air as we sing rousing carols and vie for warmth from the tiny radiator. Walking home afterwards guided by torchlight through the eerily dark woods singing schoolday words to the hymns. The cat coming to meet us, cream-tipped tail held aloft like a beacon to light the way. Drinking nightcaps in front of the woodburner.

Christmas Day. . .Champagne and presents. Carols on the radio. Cosily reading our books in front of the fire. Cooking Christmas dinner together and not eating until early evening. Downton Abbey. Heartfelt peace and goodwill.

Boxing Day. . .Traditional bubble-and-squeak lunch, getting together with friends. Returning fresh-faced from a windswept ride on Bruce and scoffing chocolate cake (me not him- he had carrots).

Our Wedding Anniversary. . .Soppy cards. Red roses. A "day out" to Swanage in the pouring rain. Waiting 45 minutes in a crowded coffee shop for toasted cheese sarnies, holding hands and laughing as we people-watched and got hungrier and hungrier.

New Years Eve. . .Walking along the beach at Lyme Regis with dear friends. Finding fossils, and skimming stones into the sea for their dog to fetch. Hearty pub lunch (like we needed more food). Staying awake til midnight and letting off a huge firework in the garden. Shouting "Happy New Year" into the darkness and toasting 2012 as it arrives.

New Years Day. . .this year is going to be such a good one- no Resolutions, just an aim to make to the most of every day and stop worrying.

Bring it on! xx

simple pleasures

Christmas morning opening presents in front

of the woodburner, carols on the radio

croissants champagne and chocolate for breakfast

 a blissful day spent snugged-up in our own little world

eating, drinking, reading and napping in front of the fire,

with a welcome twilight walk in the countryside

to stretch our lazy bods. . .

simple pleasures and simply perfect

 I hope yours was as lovely

xx

On the Stalk

lots of lovely Farm Shops and Self-Growers locally

so we can buy gorgeous fresh veg-

my favourites at this time of year are brussels on the stalk

(even better since we've had a few sharp frosts)

and crisp leafy sprout top greens shredded and stir-fried.

As far as cooking goes

Ted likes sprouts boiled almost to a mush

(dare I say "just like his mum made")

and I like them lightly cooked with a firm bite

Sooooooo. . .

I've been roasting them!

Another dimension completely, they taste utterly divine!

Olive oil, a few grinds of black pepper. . .

mmmmmmmmmmmm

If I can fit them in the Rayburn oven,

I'm going to try roasting them on the stalk

on Christmas Day!

(PS I've also been roasting cauliflower- try it!)

(google images above, not mine)

Poignant reminders of Christmas past. . .

 

 I'll let the poignancy of these heartfelt mementos of a gentler age, now sadly passed, speak for themselves. . .

 

 

Wishing you all everything you wish for yourselves at this happy and reflective time of year xx

unfitflops

I offered to check a friend's horse this morning as she was making an early start Christmas shopping (my friend, not the horse- although that does conjure up a fascinating image!)

Trudging across the uphill gradient of a very muddy, waterlogged 10 acre field in welly boots that were 2 sizes too big, avoiding molehills that resembled mini-volcanoes as the icy rain sheeted sideways and the horse sensibly refused to leave the shelter of the far hedge, I tried to distract my mind from thoughts of revenge and concentrated instead on the searing pain in my calves, and how hard my bum muscles were working to stabilise my floundering gait.

Eureka! I've discovered the rural equivalent of Fit Flops!

it came. . .and it went!

thankyou for your sweet comments on my last post.

Yes you're all quite right, it was the humdrum of everydayness, the rainy (very) muddy days and November-into-December greyness that just got to me, but I'm pleased to report the crisp frosty landscape this morning with pink-edged sky was exhilarating, and as soon as the ice cleared I took dear Bruce for a wonderful wintery ride blessed by sunshine and birdsong, and told him all the things that were on my mind.

By the time we arrived back home any unwanted thoughts had disappeared into the fresh air (Bruce said if it didn't involve food it wasn't really worth talking about) and I'm back to "normal". . .albeit aided and abetted this evening by a glass of chammy- purely medicinal of course!

xx

boring boring. . .

I feel quite well, quite happy and quite joie-de-vivre-ful.
Life is very good, very busy, very eventful and very stimulating.
But somehow I feel boring.
I have nothing to complain about; counting my blessings I know I'm the luckiest person alive yet when someone asks me what I've been upto, my recounting of what were lovely times spent doing lovely things sounds like a rollcall of day-filling at its most bland.
"Ahhhhh" they say with feigned politeness, heads tipped quizzically. "Ahhhhh, I see" but they don't see, not really.
I don't look boring, well not if you appreciate The Dressing Up Box Meets Refugee Chic mode of dressing, but inside those pink tights and 40s hats there's a coredom of boredom seeping through.
Middle age? Time of year? Lack of dancing on the table (don't think I can even get UP on the table!)
I'm not dissatisfied, I love everything I do and do everything I love, so why do I feel boring?