Basia

New baby

2012-01-24T14:08:00.003Z

Introducing our new arrival:

I'm in love all over again. Sounds gorgeous, and I'm very very pleased!

Traditions

2012-01-07T20:13:00.004Z

Happy New Year!

Had a lovely Christmas. A bit tiring, but worth it. Reflecting on it all, I join many others in wondering how so much time and energy can be expended in creating the spirit of giving. There's a good deal to prepare, and I go into each bit of preparation fully enthusiastic about its essentiality.

It starts at the October half-term, with pudding making. Then presents are thought about (because I want to be well prepared)... then Christmas crafts dawn, like card making and running up the table-cloth I'd been meaning to make with that fabric remnant bought earlier in the year... then all the Christmassy stuff we get involved in in December (performances, carol services, church nativities)... and somewhere in all this I squeeze in time to write heart-felt cards and letters, wrap presents, and buy all the food to see us through.

Finally, there's the cooking prior to and during Christmas. My mum and the children made a huge box of Polish pierniki (like gingerbread but much nicer); I baked a ham and made some Christmas muffins. On Christmas Eve I cooked the traditional Polish meal Wigilia (Vigil meal). On Christmas Day I 'co-ordinated' the putting together of the traditional British feast, and on Boxing Day I was cooking again (with left-overs).

When writing it all down, it sounds like an absolutely crazy amount of work. No wonder its more than a little tiring. I think we all agree that we like all the elements of Christmas I've described. I particularly like the traditions that we are passing on to our children. And it is such a rich part of life to have festivals that are properly celebrated isn't it! Most important of all, I hope that these feast times strengthen the bonds we have in our families and with our friends.

Home-made Christmas decorations 2011

2011-12-29T08:10:00.006Z

This year I got the idea of crocheting snowflakes. Rather than invent my own, I found a lovely book with lots of patterns:

These look like they must be very tricky to make - in fact, they only take about 10 minutes to crochet, another 10 minutes to pin out, and then a day or so of drying time to become stiff and ready to hang. Crochet is very simple to learn - especially if you know someone who can already do it.

I soaked the pieced in watered down PVA glue. To shape them, you make a paper template for the geometry, cover with clingfilm and pin onto a cork board. The pinned pieces are then left to dry out completely.

I'm so pleased with the finished results that I think I'll make some as gifts for next year.

Stove

2011-12-22T19:09:00.004Z

Look what my clever clever husband did:

BEFORE

YESTERDAY

And Decorated by me today:

Church nativity

2011-12-22T08:44:00.003Z

There is an Advent tradition at one of our churches in which the children enact a nativity during the service. This year, the older children gave us a funny poem (written by some of the teenagers) about getting back to the heart of Christmas amid all the shopping and stress. The younger children dressed up and while the Christmas story was being narrated the various parts of the crib scene walked up the aisle at the relevant points in the story.

Izzy was Mary, and Benedict was a "We three kings" as he liked to tell everyone. The church was packed, the children loved taking part, and the whole things was totally adorable.

Ralph the Green Nosed Reindeer

2011-12-13T22:19:00.004Z

Guess who was Ralph?

She did us proud. Star of the Infants' Christmas show.

Advent

2011-12-06T20:45:00.002Z

Curtains

2011-12-06T20:33:00.006Z

Lots of time (enjoyably spent) on these... mostly in the company of iPlayer radio programmes.

Worn out

2011-12-01T22:04:00.002Z

I am coming to the end of a busy week, and am feeling just a little ill from doing too much. Some of the things I've been up to recently (on top of all the usual mothering and wifing):

Curtain making - lovely big set for lounge. A finger and thumb very sore, but pleased to now be able to enjoy the result of lots of hard work.

PTA treasurer - getting my head round this new role, and straight into preparing for the biggest event of the year. Obtained, checked, and dished out £1,000 worth of float money for 23 stalls. Discovered that walking around with £700 worth of coins in a rucksack is quite hard work! More work tomorrow getting takings checked and ready to go back to bank.

Musical support for Junior's carol concert - enjoyed the fact that basic musical skills are very much in demand and appreciated in school.

Running 5K once a week.

Sock making - before starting on the curtains, I began my first ever knitted sock. Lovely technique to learn involving 4 open-ended needles.

Getting some research underway, with the aim of getting a paper written with me as the first author.

Star Wars

2011-11-19T12:44:00.001Z

We have finally succeeded in getting Aidan to watch Star Wars. He'll happily read about how the films were made, digest statistics on all the characters and ships, conduct endless research on star wars lego, invent his own version of Star Wars Monopoly ... but to sit through all that needless drama? What's the point of that?

Benedict is also watching the films. Not sure whether we should be letting him, but he seems to be enjoying them. He's often to be heard saying:

"I am Darth Vader. Pleased to meet you"

"Your head is a death star. I will shoot it with my star destroider"

"Darth Vader has a red light sabre"

"I have Luke Skywalker in my star destroider"

"There's R2-D2 - Izzy likes R2-D2"

"That lady is a bit like Princess Leia"

"The black one is Darth Vader"

"Space is in Star Wars"

Children

2011-11-16T16:57:00.005Z

Benedict looks at the "Ha Ha Bonk" joke book on the table, and thinks he'll try telling a joke:

"What does a big man does say to a little man does?"...

Later in the day, he'd realised that you should give an answer to the question.

"What did the big chimney say to the little chimney?" ... "You're too young to smoke"

... lots of laughter

"What did the big duck say to the little duck? ... "You're too young to smoke"

... more laughter

And joking aside :-)

Izzy has been running a Toddler Ballet class for Ben. Run and leap, twirl, then jump.

Greater love hath no man

2011-11-13T17:32:00.002Z

Just listened to "Greater love hath no man" by Ireland on Radio 3. I love this piece. Having sung it as part of a choir, it has extra poignancy. Lyrics, on this Remembrance Sunday:

Many waters cannot quench love,

neither can the floods drown it. Love is strong as death.

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,

That we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.

Ye are washed, ye are sanctified,

ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation;

That ye should show forth the praises of him

who hath call'd you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God,

that you present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy,

acceptable unto to God, which is your reasonable service.

Slate sign

2011-11-03T20:20:00.005Z

Just put up our gorgeous new slate house sign. Custom made by Atlantic Signs.

Holiday photos

2011-10-31T20:26:00.009Z

We had unusually calm weather, lending the river estuary a serene peacefulness. Ian took some beautiful photos:

Estuary viewed from inside Conwy castle

The sky as seen from the Great Orme

The river like a mill pond

The Great Orme

Snowdonia from Anglesey

Beautiful gate on Ynys Llanddwyn (Anglesey)

At the foot of the lighthouse on Ynys Llandwyn

On Anglesey again

'Mountain Golf': played with Gramps' home-made golf-club

3 happy children at Aberfalls

Aidan was in HEAVEN crossing back and forth over the river

Ben loves balancing on rocks in the river too

Christmas Planning

2011-10-29T07:35:00.002+01:00

We've just had a really good break in Conwy. (Photos to follow soon). Feeling much refreshed, I am making an Autumn resolution: to be organised for Christmas. Last year we hosted Christmas for the first time, and with all the best will in the world, I was totally exhausted when it came to the big day.

This year, we host again - and this will become the norm in future, as my husband is now a parish priest.

SO. I am absolutely adamant that this year I will be organised!! And its no use saying, "Leave it all till Advent". Lists to the ready.

BUT... my kitchen is far from ideal. We have a lovely oven and hob that will be installed in the kitchen when it is re-done, and this will have to wait till the New Year. In the meantime, I have to manage with electric hobs that seem to have one setting (full power, or off), and an oven with a thermostat that seems to think that VERY HOT is the only setting you'd ever need.

Maybe I won't be making a Christmas cake this year...

Homework

2011-10-18T10:04:00.005+01:00

Had lots of fun helping the children with their homework. At their new school, we have half-termly homework. The children choose from a range of options - the list includes all different types of work, including art, writing, reading, singing and performing.

Aidan's theme this half-term was Japan. They read Kesuke's Island by Michael Morpurgo in class. He chose to make a model of the island. We used play-dough to model the geography, and covered it with papier mache. He then painted it all up. He did all the work, I just helped set everything up.

Izzy's class have been learning about healthy eating, the body, the emergency services and listened to George's marvellous medicine. She chose to make a collage of fruit with dried fruit, and to illustrate her own marvellous medicine. She's also done all this herself, with just some tips and pointers from me.

Modelling planetary motion with children

2011-10-15T15:32:00.011+01:00

This summer we spent a week at a place called Othona - a Christian community situated on the Dorset coast. I was looking for a family retreat that would also be a holiday for everyone.

The theme for the week we chose was Astronomy. There were exceedingly good talks each day, given by Roger the radio-astronomer, some opportunities to look through a very big telescope, and activities for all ages to participate in.

One of the memorable activities was the enacting of 10 earth years' planetary motion of our solar system. Each 'planet' was given a set distance to stand away from the 'sun' (a stick in the ground). A drum was beat to signify a 10th of an earth year. Each planet was told the rate they must pace in orbit of the sun in terms of drum beats.

Izzy was earth. (She painted the bib herself). She had the easy job of one pace per beat, and so completed a full orbit in 10 paces. Aidan was mercury, so was whizzing around at 3 paces per beat.

On this scale, the first 4 planets are all really close to the sun. Neptune and Uranus are very far distant.

Can you spot Neptune?

Other photos from the week:

Izzy painting Earth, me painting Saturn

Home made sundials (that really work)

Seeing sunspots with a telescope and a sunny day

Crabbing

Cutie

PS Thanks to Jo for many of these pictures

Gingerbread men

2011-10-15T15:27:00.002+01:00

Benedict's loving baking...

Benedict update

2011-10-07T21:57:00.002+01:00

Wearing his favourite t-shirt. (Thanks Mrs B!)

The toys get priority for the pillow.

A couple of days ago, there were building blocks, today there are DIY tools. This photo taken about a week ago.

Ian's new toy

2011-10-07T21:52:00.003+01:00

So is there some law of the universe that dictates that all men MUST have a sports car at some point in their lives??

He's very pleased with it!

Views

2011-08-07T21:55:00.004+01:00

It was a rainy day today, but the views from our house are spectacular in any weather. The sunset tonight cast beautiful light - couldn't resist getting snappy. (Click on photos to see them larger).

To the North

Looking from the drive

Bosley Cloud in the distance

(trees made to look autumnal by the low sun)

Rolling hills behind the house

Bilberry picking on the Cloud

2011-08-07T21:20:00.006+01:00

Went to Bosley Cloud on Friday. It's a big hill we can see from our house. Had a good walk, got some great views over the area we live, and also towards the start of the Peak District.

Ben hurtling

The children rediscovered Bilberries.

They now have the foraging bug and want to go back as soon as possible. I have promised pancakes and cream to accompany any pickings that make it home.

Holiday reading

2011-08-03T21:52:00.002+01:00

No prizes for guessing who's pile is whose!

Ballet

2011-07-05T09:34:00.005+01:00

Izzy is really enjoying ballet. She's been going for nearly a year now, and is often to be found practicing steps and inventing new ones.

Two of us mums decided to make the cardigan for the outfit the girls have to wear. Izzy's wearing an adaptation from a pattern. It's mostly made up of a super easy crochet stitch called the "treble". Crochet is a wonderful way of creating a lovely texture. It is very quick compared knitting, and easy to alter patterns. It gives a stiffer finish than knitting.

Hama creations

2011-06-26T15:30:00.003+01:00

Izzy is starting a hedgehog.

Benedict has made up his own picture.

Gooseberries

2011-06-26T15:22:00.003+01:00

Look who's been helping me pick Gooseberries this year!

Aidan's birthday

2011-05-25T22:20:00.002+01:00

Putting the new bike together in the morning:

Party at the Crocky Trail:

Friends... belated photos

2011-05-25T21:34:00.007+01:00

Busy boys
Pensive
Happy digger driver
All the children in the Den...
... happy parents relaxing
Stockley Farm Park day out

Grade 1 Piano here we come

2011-05-10T21:04:00.003+01:00

Today I entered Aidan for his first ever piano exam. Being a rooky teacher, this is a strangely momentous thing to have done.

We have just 6 weeks to get all those pieces learnt, not to mention all the scales etc. No more playing just for fun - I feel very responsible all of a sudden for making sure he's fully prepared. It's a good feeling though.

Happy Birthday Izzy

2011-04-19T08:14:00.009+01:00

6 years old!! Had a lovely party with her friends last week, and a great day with family on Sunday. One happy little girl.

Cutting and sticking - making Princess Tiaras:

The cake:

Pass the parcel:

Conwy boat trip birthday treat:

Rocket Stove

2011-04-14T15:40:00.007+01:00

When my husband first learnt about Rocket Stoves, he couldn't wait to make one. He had the children digging, cleaning and mashing clay out of the back garden. They made cob (clay, straw and sand mix), and constructed the stove out of a large tin can, some bricks, an old pan, and a piece of old drainpipe.

The idea is channel the heat produced by a fire to a specific place (here towards a hot-plate). You need a tiny amount of fuel to get the plate hot enough to cook on. The burn is very efficient, and the smoke that leaves via the chimney is much cleaner than from an open fire.

Our garden in Spring

2011-03-30T20:27:00.015+01:00

We've had some really warm weather over the last 10 days.

Here are some photos taken today of nice things to be seen in our garden.

Chickens .... Chicken

2011-03-22T21:26:00.004Z

We started out with three chickens. About a year ago one got foxed. Since then the remaining two have deteriorated in their laying capabilities. When they do lay, they frequently eat their own eggs. So for some time now Ian has been determined to give them the chop and start over with new hens.

Philosophically, we have always been of the mind that our chickens are livestock and not pets. We are meat eaters by choice, but in our modern Western world in which we live, we can be meat eaters and yet never come anywhere near the moment of death of what we eat. So we reckoned that we really ought to re-connect with where our food comes from, and be prepared to carry-out the deed itself.

And so it came to be, that last Saturday, we killed and cooked our first chicken. If you are interested in reading about how we all fared in this very very new experience for us then read on ...

Ian researched the most humane methods, and we asked a Melanesian friend who is practiced in chicken slaughter over to help.

We asked the children if they wanted to be present. We've been quite open with them that our chickens will be eaten one day. We purposefully didn't make a fuss about what we were about to do, and they were surprisingly fine about it all. Aidan didn't want to watch the actual point of death, but was fine watching all the rest. Izzy was braver, and even had a go at plucking feathers.

Personally, I found myself squeamish at the point of death, and also when cooking the carcass. I think this is just something I will get over with time - I remember having similar feelings the first time I had to deal with a whole supermarket bought chicken.

Having cooked the bird (boiled for several hours) I wasn't sure if I'd be able to bring myself to eat it. Maybe I might have to draw the line at eating birds we'd kept ourselves? But with a little trepidation, I added a bit of the meat to our meal yesterday. I didn't tell anyone I'd done it, as didn't want to put the children off their meal. At some point Aidan said in a matter-of-fact tone: "so we've got some bacon here and a bit of sausage and some chicken. So that will be Betsy". I looked at him and shushed him, hoping that Izzy hadn't heard. But she then piped up cheerfully with "Ooh - so these chunky bits are Betsy. They're yummy", then Benedict joined in with "Eat Betsy, Eat Betsy". So so much for tiptoeing around the idea with them!

Does this all sound too barbaric? Well, its an everyday part of life, but with our modern way of living, most of us can go through life ignoring the fact that what we eat has been alive.

I personally feel that an important re-connection has been made. Living livestock to meat on the table.

Book Reviews

2011-03-22T20:34:00.007Z

The Map of Love by Adhaf Soueif (1999)

The best way to describe this book is a tapestry of words. It weaves stories of women from different continents, different times, and different languages. There are a couple of story lines that form the fabric of a large story. The common thread is Cairo.

Having visited Cairo two years ago, I was drawn to this book, listed in the Guardian "Book Group". Being written by an Egyptian, I hoped to get an insight into Egyptian history and culture. I wasn't disappointed. The story telling was exquisite - both in the choice of

words

and also in the skill of slowly revealing who people are and how their lives fit into the bigger picture; but all the while you get a lesson in the politics and co-existing cultures of colonial Egypt, and simultaneously of modern day Cairo. There is also a good sprinkling of Arab phrases and linguistics that will appeal to anyone who likes languages.

In short - I loved this book! Its a fat read, and won't appeal to those who need a little light relief from a book. It's a love story written for a western audience - but probably with the ultimate aim of giving us some badly needed education into middle-eastern politics! A very timely read given the current sweeping of revolution in the Arab world.

Dune, by Frank Herbert (1965)

This is the all time favourite book of a good friend of mine. I don't usually read Science-Fiction, but I thought I'd give this one a try to see what all the fuss was about! I don't know what I was expecting, but I've never read anything like it before, and probably never will again.

How to describe it? Well, there's a desert planet (Dune); it has a native population (Fremen) who have evolved to live in its harsh environment; and there is an occupying power (Harkonnens) who are there to exploit the planet for a narcotic type substance that is unique to Dune. The story-line involves fighting, struggle, plots within plots, strategy. Around the story you get an elaborate picture of the ecology of the planet, of tribal religion and how it might be manipulated, the coming of age of a messianic figure, and the nature of leadership.

Did I enjoy it? No. I think its a man's book! I particularly didn't like the portrayal of women, the heavy mystical tone of a lot of the dialogue, and the emphasis on power struggles. The ideas were interesting, and I have great respect for the author's ability to create a fictional world within a futuristic universe; but at the end of the day the flow of the story just didn't grab me.

What's happened to my blog?

2011-03-07T15:36:00.003Z

Goodness - I haven't posted anything this year. Hibernation I think.

News: Have had a trip with the children to see my parents; Benedict has turned 2 and has begun toilet training; had a minor operation on my nose; have read 2 big books; and have begun crocheting a ballet cardigan for Izzy.

Spring has begun in earnest in the garden. We now have a gorgeous display of crocus, primula, miniature daffs and tulips. The quality of the sunshine is growing, and its as if it brings life into the garden and into our lives.

Will post photos and book reviews soon...

Christmas cake 2010

2010-12-30T19:55:00.004Z

I didn't get round to icing the Christmas cake last year. So it spent 2010 sat well wrapped up in foil in the garage. A couple of weeks ago, it was resurrected - thanks to a good measure of Brandy. Today I've had a lovely time decorating - design inspired by the ivy we've got draped around the place, and an idea from the Good Food magazine.

And the good news is - the cake inside is fantastic! (Delia's Christmas cake recipe stands the test of time - literally).

Pierniki

2010-12-29T21:57:00.006Z

Pierniki are the Polish equivalent of Lebkuchen. I use my grandmother's recipe - and make these every Christmas. The children love making and eating them.

Snow baby

2010-12-03T22:07:00.001Z

Introducing Jessie Cat

2010-12-03T12:57:00.000Z

On Thursdays I take Benedict to a "Sing and Sign" class. We started these about 6 months ago. Sessions use repetitive songs in combination with baby sign language. (More about this in a future post). Every week a toy cat called Jessie makes an appearance. The children love it.

By the summer, Ben Ben was besotted with cats. He started becoming attached to anything in the house with a cat on it... in particular, a wooden jigsaw piece... he started taking it to bed with him... that's when I thought I'd better go out and buy him a proper toy cat.

Advent Fire 2010

2010-11-29T09:59:00.006Z

This year's Advent fire was last minute in the planning as usual - but you only need to advertise the day before with students. Had a good crowd. The children had lots of fun too.

Quotes of the evening: Aidan crying out "Play with it Frank! Play with the fire"

and later "I think they should teach children how to play with fire at school - I mean, how to play with it safely. It's such fun."

Ian holding a flaming Leilandii branch aloft. Look at the awe and wonder in everyone's faces. FIRE ... OOH ... AAH

Benedict had a go at feeding the fire.

Home made biscuits made earlier, but consumed around the fire.

Knitting!

2010-11-21T13:53:00.002Z

Really really pleased with this top. Knitted in pure wool, with a combination of twisted rib, honeycomb and subtle shaping. Follow this link for the pattern, free on line.

Illness, silence, and good company

2010-11-20T10:16:00.004Z

I've had a cold. Normally I power through colds. Being ill is for husbands, not for the likes of B the invincible. I generally have little pity for my poor suffering man. I can cope with being ill - why can't he?

I've had a cold. Not just any cold. It was a killer cold. I can proudly report that I didn't take to my bed once - how could I anyway... but maybe I should have. I have had so many doses of paracetamol, heated so many hot-bags, drank so many infusions. Poor me.

Yesterday afternoon was the turning point. From feeling oppressed, emotional, exhausted, I was brought back to my desired norm of feeling peaceful, self-sufficient, and able to cope once again. And the point at which this happened? I took some time to just sit in silence - maybe only 10 minutes. Maybe more. It was transforming. Maybe I should have a go at silence more often.

It was good timing for a recovery. We had some lovely people over for a meal last night. It's been so long since we've had adult company over of an evening - not since before Benedict was born. I love cooking for people, but have had no inclination to have a dinner party, needing my evenings to myself and more importantly needing early nights. We had such a lovely evening. I made a Venison sausage casserole (Delia recipe), and Chocolate brownies (Abel and Cole) with raspberries for dessert. No pictures - too busy enjoying the company.

Benedict's first attempt at dressing

2010-11-02T13:56:00.004Z

Oh dear. I left Benedict on his own with a pile of clean laundry. All was quiet. Quiet is something I crave, but where toddlers are concerned, quiet usually means that something new has been discovered. Today Benedict had a go a putting pants on. Aidan's are around his neck, and mine and Daddy's are around his waist. Too cute.

Chirk

2010-11-02T13:33:00.008Z

Just had a gorgeous little break. Around this time, my hubby's usually in need of a break. I found a cottage for the weekend on a handy website: Cottages 4 You. I was searching for something that was within an hour from here for a weekend in November, and out popped a cottage just outside Chirk. It was advertised as discounted for the 2nd weekend of half term.

The cottage was right on the Llangollen canal, just by the beautiful railway viaduct and canal aqueduct. The area is staggeringly beautiful - wooded valleys on the borderland between England and Wales. Adding to the charm was the autumnal colour display, peaking to its most glorious.

Just after the aqueduct, the canal goes through an unlit 1/4 mile long tunnel. Kids loved this with their torches.

If you're looking for a quiet break, 5 birth (3 bedroom) accommodation, with 5 star (our rating) standards - run a search on "Aqueduct Cottage Chirk Cottages4You".

Spare time spent...

2010-11-02T13:22:00.005Z

No time or inclination to blog lately. Two things have taken up my spare time lately:

and

The Larson books are compulsive reading - but well worth it. Perhaps best left for a holiday, as like me, you won't get anything else done once you start.

I'm thoroughly enjoying getting back to the knitting needles again. I went to the website ravelry.com for some inspiration, and into the loft for some wool. The resulting garment should be finished in a couple of weeks time ...

News Flash

2010-10-04T20:17:00.002+01:00

News just in. Boy of 19 months uses potty.

Sorry for the enthusiasm about toilet talk, but those of you with children will understand this is not an everyday event!

For the past couple of weeks Benedict had shown indications that he has a little bladder control. He usually has a couple of minutes without a nappy each nappy change, and recently showed that he knew that he needed the toilet. He sort of crossed his legs in response and kept it from coming out. I responded to this be getting out the potty and having a conversation about what it was for. So now in play, he sometimes sits on it.

Today, he got the potty out himself. I got him to sit down and read a book. After nothing had been produced (as usual) I tried to get a nappy on him. He then shouted PeePee and sat back down. After a little more reading, we had a result.

My other two were both exactly 2 when they were toilet trained. I'm sure that it will be around the same time for Benedict, but I'm still very impressed that he has bladder control at such a young age.

Highgrove

2010-09-24T21:06:00.003+01:00

Just watched an inspiring programme on the Prince of Wales' garden at Highgrove. Great to see the organic philosophy worked out in such a lovely way.

For those in the UK, you can watch by clicking here up until the end of September.

Chilli balsamic vinaigrette

2010-09-09T12:15:00.002+01:00

Every week we get a delivery of dairy and a bit of veg from a company called Abel and Cole. It provides a great service, and the food is very good quality.

I get a recipe card from them each week. Being a bit busy, and having lets say 'particular' eaters to cater for, I don't often give new recipes a try. However, this one made it to the table and has been a great success with everyone.

Prep time 5 mins

Serves 4-6

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp lemon, lime or orange juice (I use lemon)

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp soy sauce

1 chilli, halved and deseeded (I use the ones growing on my chilli plant - these are very small and red)

Place all the ingredients in a jam jar. Shake and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

House finished... almost

2010-09-02T21:58:00.004+01:00

The house is now tenanted, and almost almost finished. Really pleased with what was achieved and to have got it turned around in just 3 months. I hope our tenants like it and want to stay for a long time!! Well 2 years would be great.

Here's what the kitchen looks like now:

On the whole, I've enjoyed the project. It was really hard work to get it finished off during the summer holidays though. We've each spent a good number of evenings over there getting it clean, and getting all the last little jobs done. By the end of the month I was fed up of it, but have found another reserve of energy to get the inevitable teething problems sorted and fixed.

Am now looking forward to some time off (children go back to school on Monday).

Holidays and Legoland

2010-08-06T21:30:00.016+01:00

Holiday was good. It was a lot of travelling though. I didn't look forward to keeping Benedict entertained. In the end, the thing that came up trumps was a couple of Baby Einstein DVDs played over and over again. The kids were a bit sick on the way down through France. It was also very hot when we arrived at the campsite.

Then it rained a lot and was very damp. The site was next to a gorgeous lake and also had a swimming pool complex. It was full of dutch caravanners! I'd thought it would be predominantly Eurocamp type tents - in fact, there were only about 12 of these in the whole place! We tried to make the most of the place, but it was hard work being in a new environment (camping), with difficult weather, and surrounded by noisy campers. It took 3 days for everyone to regain appetites and have energy for having fun. We were able to enjoy a lake to ourselves (the weather turned colder), and some spectacular sights when it got misty in the mornings. On day 5 we had to pack up and leave as I'd only booked 4 nights!! (I thought that 4 nights' camping would be ample for a first attempt).

We then headed to Switzerland to visit a uni friend of mine and her family. This should have been a couple of hours, but ended up longer because of more travel sickness and lots of hills (very pretty) to negotiate. They live with their 4 year old daughter in an ultra beautiful skiing village in a lovely Swiss challet. It was a bit of a shock for them having a family of 5 descend, but we had a fantastic time there. There are so many lovely days out to be had. I have now been to Gruyere!

Had a days' rest in Hemel before going out to celebrate our anniversary at.... Legoland. Aidan's comment at the end of the day was "that was the best day of my life". Izzy had a pretty good time too. Benedict enjoyed jumping into my arms a lot (he didn't seem bothered that he wasn't allowed on any of the rides). Ian and I found the place exhausting. There were so many people, lots of queues, and many many opportunities to lighten your wallet. Fortunately our children are used to being told they can't have anything. So they were content to be bought a candyfloss each. We ended up staying the whole day (leaving close to 9pm!). If we had had to pay full wack it would have been £140 just for entry. All food prices were bumped up, and there are lots of shops selling lego and other toys, and pay-per-shot type stalls EVERYWHERE. They must make a killing.

Ian is on retreat in Canterbury doing lots of meditating. He gets back on Sunday. I got back here on Tuesday. Its good to be home. I've had a lovely birthday. My present was a ticket for a 'ball bouncing circus' in the lounge. Ace. Aidan did most of it - bopping a balloon with a stick and doing the odd spin in between. Izzy was full of wonder at how amazing the show was!!!

So we have a few weeks ahead of us, based at home. No more travelling. The children have settled down now (the first week of the holidays always seems to be full of friction and moaning). I will continue to do house sorting stuff, but its harder now that the children are all in tow. Pictures will be posted of the finished work in a couple of weeks' time.

Today I took the children over to Conwy. My mother-in-law received her new iPad in the post a few minutes after we arrived. I have had a lovely day playing with it, helping her set it up. (Effectively a very expensive toy, but very satisfying to use.) Children had a great time too as always.

Final bit of news is that Benedict has started talking. He began the holiday with a few very clear words like Mama, Daddy, Teddy. Now he's developed to the imitation stage and is trying to say everything he hears. Today he learnt Green, Nana, Boat, and Rain.

Happy day

2010-06-30T14:49:00.003+01:00

We've been treated to a couple of weeks of glorious summer weather. After the last few years of disappointing weather, I am determined to enjoy every bit of sun and warmth on offer.

I'm feeling particularly happy today, hence the quick blog entry! Maybe its the sun, or biking everywhere while Ian is away with the car, or perhaps the pleasure of gathering gooseberries, redcurrants and raspberries from the garden.

I'm also enjoying working with tradesmen to get work sorted on the house. The roof is about to be re-done. Lets hope that the coming week doesn't herald a sudden rainy season! If all goes to plan we should have our first tenants moving in on the 1st August.

Our house

2010-06-05T21:18:00.006+01:00

Yes, we've done it. It's been about 7 months since our first "viewing". It took a few months to work out exactly what sort of house to look for. By the end of March we had a shortlist. We offered on them all, and with a little haggling, one house came up trumps on price. We got the keys yesterday, so here are a few pictures...

A good bit of work needs doing. Wonderfully, we have friends eager to rent. Hopefully we'll have it ready for them by August.

Books books books

2010-05-11T21:07:00.006+01:00

As mentioned in an earlier post, I've joined a book group. The books on the list were all contemporary works, drawn from the Guardian book club list. As someone who generally avoids modern stuff in favour of Victorian classics, this was a good nudge to broaden my horizons.

The book group itself meets in a pub, once a month. Discussion starts well, but quickly spreads to other topics. This is interesting, though I personally would like to focus more on the book in hand.

I like to read things with depth that get me thinking - no doubt because I spend so much of my time with children and housework. Until joining this group, I hadn't found modern literature terribly satisfying. I suppose I hadn't really made an effort to get some recommendations. So I've been pleasantly surprised with the books that have been on our list:

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie

Opening up a hitherto unknown world for me - Nigeria and its recent history. A brutal read, covering the tangle of issues arising from being post-colonial, multi tribal, with rich/poor and educated/village dynamics. The book is set pre and during civil war. It conveys a story that we don't receive through our media snippets of African conflict. A must read, but with the warning that you will be emotionally exhausted by the end of it.

Stasiland by Anna Funder

The is non-fiction, written as narrative. It's the result of the attempt by an Australian living in Berlin during and after the wall came down, to get some record of people's stories. Funder catches people only a year or two after the wall has come down - many in the process of purposefully sweeping the past away with the rubble of the wall. She talks to ex-Stasi men, ex-informers, and also to people whose lives were utterly ruined living in East Germany or as she aptly coins it "Stasiland". Her accounts are dispassionate - she doesn't make the stories emotive to draw you in, but it telling it as it is, you are given a picture of the humanity of each person she talks to. A very very good book to read.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

This is a story of liberation on every level. The book is set between the two world wars, somewhere in the south of the US. Its the heartland of cotton, post-slavery communities, and poverty. I found the world that was described quite alien. A bit like America is alien to us Brits, but 10 times more owing to the world that evolved in these places being so cut-off from the history we think of for the same period of time in Britain.

It is a book worth reading, but for me the issues it covers aren't issues that I can empathise with readily. I watched the film the other week. Whoopee Goldberg's performance is just amazing, and had me literally weeping. The film doesn't explore all the facets of the journey of liberation that you get in the book - notably the journey in the main character's spirituality and sexuality.

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

I have just read this. I absolutely loved it. Desai is an amazing writer. She opens up the world of immigration from an Indian perspective, and does so on many levels. The story is crafted very intricately weaving in issues of colonialism, globalisation, Indian culture, prejudices, ethnic tensions, and life journeys. It provides a non-flattering picture of poverty and the uphill struggle of anyone with an aspiration to rise out of it.

Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureshi

Last one on the list, and not started yet! Review in a month's time...

Benedict update

2010-04-26T20:56:00.005+01:00

Happy Birthday Izzy

2010-04-17T20:39:00.002+01:00

A princess party... finding princess clues around the garden ... lots of little girls ... beautiful weather!

Cake: Easy Delia All-in-one-Sponge, sandwiched with raspberry jam and vanilla butter-cream, decorated with coloured regal icing. Princess painted with food-colouring (colours need to be bought from a cake-decorating supplier, as you can only get liquid ones from the supermarket).

Boy aged 7 makes quantum leap forward

2010-03-25T21:13:00.008Z

I'm absolutely amazed at Aidan's progress this year. I don't know whether it's his age, or the teacher he has this year, or just the change to junior school.

Today was the end of term. Aidan came out as normal, except for the fact that there was a large Easter egg in his book bag. Asking him where this had come from, he replied matter-of-factly that he'd won a class colouring competition.

Excuse me, but aren't boys supposed to find colouring-in boring? Mine used to. But for the chance of winning chocolate - this is what he produced:

After school, he decided to have a go at preparing some slides in power-point for a "mini talk" he's going to give next term on chickens. I showed him the basics of inserting slides, choosing layouts etc. and left him to it.

I was called back only to be asked how to cut (ie crop) an image. Later on we were treated to a slide-show complete with fancy font title page, and pictures copied from various websites answering the Google search "chickens".

Birthday banana

2010-03-01T21:02:00.001Z

Thank you K&N!!!

More funny child-isms

2010-02-25T21:38:00.004Z

Ian's just gone to Canterbury for a conference.

On being told of this trip, Aidan launched into a sincere description of what he knows about Canterbury. Something like:

"it's where the Easter bunny has secret tunnels underground with an Easter Egg factory..."

I've no idea where all this Easter-bunny lore has come from, and I was struggling to work out what this had to do with Canterbury ... then a minute or two later - aha - he's confused it with .... Cadbury.

For a bright boy, his gullibility regarding mystical realities is pretty astonishing. But its too cute a part of being a child to shatter illusions with realisms such as "Chocolate is made in man-made factories, and not by over-sized aeroplane flying bunnies who hide in burrows under Cadbury's".

Update

2010-01-26T21:21:00.004Z

Benedict has now learnt to walk forwards, though usually has his arms out like a bear for balance. He continues to be an utter cutie, giving everyone he meets lots of big smiles and coy looks. I'm really enjoying his company. He's a real mix of the other two - active like Aidan, but not too demanding and generally self-contained like his sister.

I'm trying out baby sign language with him. Like speech, babies seem to understand signs before they learn to do them themselves. I'm starting with just a handful of signs accompanied with the words they represent. So he now understands the words "all gone", "eat", "cheerios", "milk", "more". Today he made the sign for milk. He can answer in the affirmative by expressing joy and excitement.

House hunting is at a halt for the moment. We think we know what we want now, in which location and how much we want to pay. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of properties that fit the bill. We put our first offer in on a house that had been on the market since last May. But coincidentally, they got two other offers the very same weekend, both a good deal higher than our own. So now we either change our plan, or wait and see what turns up.

I am about to join a book club - reading one book a month and then meeting to discuss. The first book I'm to read is "Half of a yellow sun" by Chimamanda Adichie. It'll be good to read things that I wouldn't normally choose, or wouldn't have heard of. Nice also to meet some new people, and to get out of an evening.

Our chickens are more subdued and less productive at the moment. Maybe its the cold weather.... one was taken by a fox before Christmas. We are now more careful and don't let them free-range at the weekends (campus is deserted so more attractive to foxes). In the spring, we'll look to getting another hen or two.

Children quotes

2010-01-25T20:35:00.005Z

Chest of drawers

Izzy: "Chestnut drawers"
Aidan: "Izzy - its 'chestive drawers' not 'chestnut drawers"

Izzy on seeing a record for the first time

"That's a giant CD Daddy!"

Benedict walking!

2010-01-20T22:07:00.006Z

Soooo cute. Ben's been walking for the past week or so. He's now getting quite confident, though is mostly going sideways!

Buying a house

2010-01-07T14:42:00.003Z

We're on the road to buying our very first house. Not to live in, but to rent out. Each step closer provides a whole new set of decisions, considerations, new jargon to learn and a lot of research.

Today I tried to sort out an "agreement in principal" for a mortgage. I've since discovered that we're not able to get a mortgage very easily. Buy-to-let seems to be what we need, but we're either on too low an income to even be considered eligible, or they won't consider us because we don't own/have a mortgage on the house we live in! So regardless of whether our finances are in great shape, the doors are closed for the moment.

I now find that we can't simply shop around and do the research ourselves... so the next step is a broker that understands the situation of people who live in tied accommodation.

Its very tempting to just buy a cheaper house and skip the need for a mortgage...

Happy New Year

2010-01-07T14:27:00.004Z

A cold and recently very snowy start to the year. One day off school for the children yesterday.

Our Christmas was lovely, though thwarted to start off with by a nasty bug.

New Year's resolutions: have more time!

Early start for Christmas

2009-11-24T11:31:00.007Z

The school Christmas fayre is this week, so I've decided to make some decorations to sell. I have very happy childhood memories of making our own decorations. Each year, I make a few to add to our collection.

These decorations took a couple of evenings to make. They're made using a craft foil that is gold on one side and green/pink on the other. I bought my foil about 9 years ago, having spotted it in a Cambridge art shop. I snapped it up, but haven't used it till now. If you want to get hold of some, its not easy! It took a good bit of searching, but I've found a supplier online: Ecreations.

The boxes are simple origami, each made from two 3" squares of paper. (Instructions). The stars are each made from 12 thin strips, each about 3" long. (Instructions). The baubles are made from about 15 semi circles of foil, each rolled into a cone, glued and then the collection glued together.

Hatchet reviews

2009-11-22T22:26:00.002Z

My hubby just bought a hatchet. But not just any hatchet.

And it appears that there are many others out there who think this particular hatchet is worth raving about.

On Youtube you can enjoy watching the most nerdy reviews/demos. Who needs telly when you have all these people waxing lyrical about axes, publicly on the net.

I think I'd rather watch knitting demos myself ...

Gooseberry crumble

2009-11-22T22:12:00.003Z

It's so yummy. This is now my favourite winter pudding. Only problem is ... I only have enough gooseberries in the freezer to make one more.

Sermon on "being religious"

2009-11-21T07:12:00.009Z

One Sunday a month we go to the cathedral instead of our usual church. Last week the Dean gave a very succinct sermon on what he sees as the purpose of "religion" and also of what the Christian calling is. It has inspired me to write a piece here about faith. My writing here is not intrinsically what he talked about, but more how its got me thinking this week.

For me, faith is a natural thing. Something that is hard to explain to anyone for whom it is not a part or ordinary life. I've gone through phases of trying to puzzle out logical arguments justifying various Christian dogmas. I've had long bouts of uncertainty, where the only certainty is that God is there. I've found that I'm unable to use biblical quotes, as many Christians do, to form the basis for what I believe. I see no justification for the assumption that words written, in this most inspiring of books, can be used as a sort of legal text of what "you must believe", and that each word was written by God. They inspire, but they are not infallible. A biblical scholar said recently on the radio, that the translation of the Bible is a continual evolution. The words are not fixed, and were not designed to be fixed, since they are the product of ancient oral tradition - evolving, organic, in flux.

Religion, and religiosity, have a bad press, and rightly so. The religious have abused their faiths. They have used their religion to judge others; to justify imposition of cruel practices; to justify war. Many religious people become estranged from the rest of the world through their piety. They develop neuroses and become, quite frankly, mentally unbalanced. Their religious neuroses supports wild beliefs such as 7 day creationism, or the suicide bomber's certainty of a ticket to paradise. They also support less wild, but still questionable, beliefs and practices.

But the press always focusses on the bad news. Bad press is the fuel for selling papers - the tapping into of our enjoyment for drama. What of the good press, the good news? What does religion have to offer that is good?

On our trip to Cairo earlier this year, I was struck by the positive impact of muslim faith and culture on the people who live in what must be one of the most over-populated cities in the world. This is something you have to go and experience first-hand; because the press will tell you about extremist muslim brotherhood plots, suicide bombings, the terrible conditions that people live in, etc...

The Dean in his sermon said, "The purpose of religion is to draw us closer to God". I believe he's hit the nail on the head. The religious practices are a human-made, cultural, evolving tradition in response to faith in God. They have been tried and tested, and do work, in their purpose of drawing people closer to God. This is in evidence in religious people everywhere. When religious people move from this realm, into the belief that their religions are God-made; that He is out there insisting on our carrying out rituals etc.; and that e.g. He will punish those who do not tow the line, they begin a life that leads to an existence divorced from the rest of the world. Arguably, their beliefs and practices lead them away from God.

It is the human condition that we have a tendency to be religious, and the weakness of humanity that this can be turned into something so destructive. Jesus was vehement in his criticism of the Jewish religious elite. His message was not anti-religious in terms of culture and tradition though. He practised as a Jew, till the very end of his life.

The Dean finished his sermon, by asking "so what for us?" ie what is the Christian calling? With Christ the cornerstone, it is his example we are called to follow. And this is quite simply "a sacrificial life". I agree, though in practice the calling is not simple. My religious practise of church once a week, is like spiritual sustenance - drawing me closer to God. I need this, and love going. Its not always been the case - I suppose its something that you grow into. The Eucharist is at the heart of this Christian practice. A weekly remembrance of the sacrificial calling.

Tipi

2009-11-16T12:28:00.005Z

As promised, here are the long-awaited Tipi photos:

Initial tripod...

Poles arranged in correct order onto tripod...

Add canvas, trimmings and juggler...

Two more wedding photos...

2009-11-14T18:34:00.001Z

Hoard discovered

2009-11-12T20:49:00.002Z

If all is going well, we should get three eggs a day. Often we get just one or two. Sometimes chickens just don't lay. Maybe they've had a fright, or they're not feeling like it that day - who knows.

Sometimes, chickens decide to lay in the garden. If they do, we won't usually know where! (NB: our chickens have a garden to themselves, with plenty of dense bushes and trees).

Today, Ian discovered no less than 14 eggs nestling behind a tree stump. Anyone need some eggs?

Wedding!!

2009-11-12T20:24:00.002Z

A selection of photos to give you a taste. It was a fantastic day. The happy couple were - needless to say - very happy. Krys' dress and the cake were made by our mum. Krys made the neck ties for the groom's party. They did all the bouquets and table arrangements themselves too.
Lots of family, lots of friends. Weather held out too.

Quick update

2009-11-04T21:43:00.002Z

Have been spending all my free time lately indulging in dress-making. I'm to be a bridesmaid, and set myself the challenge of making my own dress. Bit off more than I could chew. Three weeks of all the free-time I could eek out of busy home-life, and I'm done. With just three days to go till the big event (little sis will at last tie the knot). Have thrown in some home-made bow-ties for the boys for good measure. Pictures of all these lovely creations to follow...

What else? I have more good piccies to add - next week when I have some time. The Tipi for a start. We have one. In our back garden. Yes we really do. Ian is a happy man.
Then there's some funny ones from the Stag-Hen weekend we went to a month back. Also, an update on Benedict will soon materialise. He's a cutie.

Like baking?

2009-09-24T22:24:00.002+01:00

I like baking. I've just found (via my cousin's blog) a blog full of very very enticing recipes:

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog

They use American ingredients and measures, but I look forward to trying some of these soon.

Ben's baptism

2009-09-15T21:07:00.004+01:00

Had a fantastic day. We had many dear friends and family join us for a Eucharist with baptism and renewal of marriage vows (10 year anniversary this year); followed by drinks reception then barbecue.
Lots of hard work, but worth it. I was thoroughly exhausted for the whole day, but that didn't matter.
Photos courtesy of my dad:

Update

2009-08-21T22:08:00.004+01:00

We're at the end of week 5 of the summer hols. I'm tired but happy. This summer has been characterised by lots of work to be done, lovely weather, crazy children, and very little time to myself.

The good news is that the building work finished on time. The new house layout complete with new kitchen diner is fantastic. It looks great, but the main thing we're enjoying is how much more family friendly its proving.
Still more jobs to be done, but for the most part its all usable. Its like moving house again.

The chicken house got finished in the last few days. At last. It's the most well built structure you can imagine. Ian had to refine the design today, as the chickens were roosting in their nesting boxes instead of on the purpose made roosting bars. Will post a picture of the chicken palace when some time materialises.

Benedict now has 4 teeth, has started solid food (eating heartily and enjoying it) and he's almost crawling. He's been a rubbish sleeper for the past month! I'm coping, but am more than ready to get him into his own room. Each morning, he gives me one of his gorgeous smiles, and he's instantly forgiven! Last night was better (9 hours in a row) so fingers crossed that a full 12 hours is on the horizon.

Mending Wall, by Robert Frost

2009-07-09T10:54:00.001+01:00

Another poem from Robert Frost:

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'

Benedict

2009-06-14T21:36:00.002+01:00

I've been rubbish at providing updates of Ben. Here he is at last, at 15 weeks.
He's now giggling a lot - especially at his big brother; can bear his own weight quite happily; and dribbling constantly.

Digger in the back garden

2009-06-14T21:34:00.001+01:00

Having an extension done is a bit unsettling. We've temporarily lost the use of our back doors, as they open onto the building site. On the other hand, there are novelties to enjoy such as diggers...

Chickens

2009-06-14T21:32:00.001+01:00

You'll have to wait to see photos of our chickens. In the meantime - here's their house-to-be under construction.

Tag-along Izzy

2009-06-14T21:30:00.002+01:00

Here's Izzy on her first shot of the tag-along. The first few outings, Ian had to cycle very slowly. It wasn't long before she was shouting "Daddy! Look... no hands... can we go faster?"

Shave horse

2009-06-14T21:25:00.004+01:00

Here's Ian sitting on his very own home-made "shave-horse".

Anyone heard of a shave-horse? Well my hubby's been on about how this is a must have bit of kit to go with the draw-knife he bought last year. He finally got a bit of time over the bank holiday weekend to get making. It made him so happy - as is evident from the photo!

No time to blog

2009-06-08T16:03:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the absence of news. Time is a little scarce at the moment!

So a quick update on life here...
Benedict is now 3 months old. A regular cutey, very much loved by all - especially Aidan and Izzy.
We now have chickens! 3 hens arrived complete with borrowed "Egloo" housing about 2 weeks ago. They are enjoying free-ranging in our recently acquired "extra" garden, and we are enjoying eating fresh (very yummy) organic eggs. We are in the process of building them a new house so that we can return the Egloo.
Our house is in week 2 of building work for our new extension - building a new kitchen out the back. Preparing for the work has been lots of work for Ian, and now the builders are here, its all a bit odd. We can't get to the garden from the back of the house, as this is now a building site. In about a month we'll lose our existing kitchen, and have to cook with temporary arrangements. Maybe an outdoor kitchen would be fun. It should all be finished by the 7th August. So far, the builders have been really considerate and helpful! Hope this continues.

Sorry for the lack of photos. I have a good few to share, but just need a little time to get them sorted out.

Egypt (day 10)

2009-04-09T16:58:00.004+01:00

Just about to go out to the oldest hotel in Cairo - the Mena House - for a curry. We're told its one of the best restaurants in Cairo.

Wednesday we visited the Cario museum. This is stuffed full of antiquities. They litter the two-storey building. The highlights were the Tutankhamun treasures and mummified crocodiles. Quite amazing.

Today we visited the oldest mosque in Egypt. It was my first visit to a mosque, and I was hugely moved by what I saw.

Egypt (day 7)

2009-04-06T21:04:00.003+01:00

At last another chance to write.

Friday was a fantastic day. We went south of Cairo to Dhashur - site of three very interesting pyramids in terms of the evolution of pyramid building. The black pyramid - one which was built of mud brick and faced with stone (the stone is now gone, and the mud-brick has weathered into a bit of a heap); the bent pyramid - one whose angles were started wrong and corrected half-way up; and the red pyramid - the oldest "true pyramid". We got to go inside the latter. NB Izzy was much better by the middle of the day.

Saturday evening we had a faluka (boat) ride on the Nile.

Sunday morning Ian and I headed for Coptic Cairo to experience a church service. We stayed for about half and hour, sat in the respective male and female sides. The service was totally incomprehensible - not much similarity with Roman/Anglican litergy. Lots of wailing singing though.
Coptic Cairo is fascinating. Four very old churches and a relatively newer synagogue. The architecture is very different to other parts of Cairo.
Ben was kissed by I don't know how many Egyptian girls and women! I think they like babies here.

Today we went to the Khan-el-Khalili market and tried out our haggling skills. We started in the spice market - I bought saffron and vanilla pods. We also went rug shopping, and got "hijacked" by a chap who took us to all sorts of stalls and back-street shops trying to find what we wanted. Not bought anything yet though. Tempted by hand-woven silk rugs...
Not sure that I enjoy haggling - its rather pressured, where you need to know what your price is and know when to walk away. It was worth it for the experience. The children did really well. I think they'll remember today.

Egypt 2009 (Day 3)

2009-04-02T19:40:00.003+01:00

We had to postpone the pyramids trip yesterday - Izzy was sick all through Tuesday night. She was listless for much of Wednesday, so we plumped for a day at the house. Nice and restful.

So Giza happened today. Izzy wasn't terribly well, but we didn't want to have another day at the house.
An hour's drive along the Cairo ring-road (observing the noticable lack of highway code) and through the busy Giza suburb passing many a donkey pulled cart. We got our first glimpse of the pyramids just after crossing the Nile. The polluted air made them look like mountains rising up in the distance. They reminded me a bit of the slag heaps outside Edinburgh, but on a much larger and geometric scale.

So the pyramids. They're staggeringly enormous. We visited the biggest one first. Its base blocks are about 1.5m tall. Pictures will have to wait till we get back home. The children were pretty impressed by the whole place. We got to visit the boat museum - this houses the reconstructed boat that King Kufu had made. Fantasitically preserved, this is the oldest wood we'll ever see. Aidan took lots of pictures - he was very taken with it.
Finally we walked down to the Sphynx. Another quite extraordinary sight. Especially the lower parts that had been preserved from the weather through being buried by the desert.

There were loads of Egyptian school children everywhere. They all wanted to practice their English on us. There were countless requests for pictures of Izzy - they thought she was beautiful! Unfortunately for them she wasn't in any mood for all the attention, being hugely grumpy from sickness.

Ben spent the whole visit fast asleep strapped to me, hidden under a muslin for shade. What a good boy.

Have finished the day with a barbecue of local fish. Yum. Must go now. Dhashur tomorrow.

Egypt trip 2009

2009-03-31T19:35:00.002+01:00

Arrived yesterday with a glitch-free journey. We were greeted with a dry heat - weather is set to get hotter (up to 30 degrees by the end of the week). The landscape is uniform yellow-brown, except for the watered areas.

We're staying with family, in a huge marble-floored house. They have a maid, a gardener, and a driver. Its a different life. Today spent time settling in, visiting the school and seeing a little of ex-pat life. Tomorrow we're off to the great pyramids of Giza, and to sample some local cuisine.

Ben is now a month old. Smiling lots and more settled. He did a 7-hour sleeping stint last night, so I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Aidan quote

2009-03-20T20:46:00.001Z

"Mama... can you tell me a joke?

... I want to see whether I have a sense of humour"

What would Izzy like for her birthday?

2009-03-20T20:43:00.003Z

Aidan thinks he knows how to find out what Izzy would like for her birthday. He decides to use suggestion to get her to agree to something that he himself would enjoy playing with:

"Izzy. Would you like a remote controlled car? You know you can get ones that go up walls?"

Izzy thinks, then replies:

"Well, I would like a remote controlled angel"

!!!

Introducing Benedict

2009-03-02T11:32:00.006Z

New birth, new life. What can I say. He's awe-inspiring. So tiny, and precious.

Benedict was born on Saturday 28th February, after a 75 minute labour, in the comfort of his own new home. He conveniently chose to arrive when his siblings were happily asleep upstairs, on a day when it was possible to have my own community midwife present, and presented no need for emergency plans to get to hospital.
We were able to take him to bed by midnight, and he spent the next 9 hours sleeping/feeding next to me. We woke to a beautiful calm sunny first day of March.

I am recovering well. I won't pretend that a short labour is easy. It was pretty intense, and I was phenomenally glad when it was over. But as all mothers say, the pain is soon forgotten.

Thanks be to God for another precious life brought safely into the world.

Fun photos from February

2009-02-27T20:30:00.005Z

Climbing boys

Playground binoculars

Tree feller strikes again (root extraction)

Bump at due date

Waiting for a new baby to arrive

2009-02-27T10:29:00.003Z

I'm currently full term with baby number three, and am living in a surreal in-between time.

This pre-birth time is heavy with the weight of the pregnancy, physically demanding waddling back and forth from school with children, and yet a lull time of peace and time to myself. There is the anticipation of meeting a new person, who is as yet an abstract being. Who are they?

And in the near future, post birth, an entirely new world will have come into existence. As our new baby enters our lives, it will shift all our realities. This shifting is something that we can't know or prepare for until it has actually happened. Birth brings about the creation of love in all connected with the new life.

Marmalade 2009

2009-02-06T20:42:00.000Z

I had some help this year!

Weekend in Conwy

2009-01-18T20:50:00.006Z

A weekend in Conwy while Daddy was away skiing

Little fairy

2009-01-10T14:54:00.003Z

Excellent Christmas present

2009-01-06T14:57:00.001Z

You've probably seen the calendars you can buy where each day is a sheet of paper with either a joke, puzzle or tip for the day.

Aidan got a calendar from his Ciocia (Auntie) and Uncle - but this one is a paper aeroplane to make a day. Here are the first week's offerings.

Home-made candles

2008-12-14T15:31:00.000Z

There were lots of things to make at the Sunday School Christmas party. One of the activities was candle making.
You start with sheets of coloured wax. You warm it in your hand (or on a radiator) and it becomes malliable. Then mould into a shape around a wick and leave to set.
Admittedly, our children didn't do much of the making of these finished results!

Christmas cards 2008

2008-12-13T16:26:00.001Z

We've made lots of cards today. About 30 I think! Most are going to Aidan's class-mates this year.

Lego creations

2008-12-10T19:59:00.003Z

Am posting this to immortalise it before it gets dismantled. Commissioned and co-designed by Aidan, I spent much of a Saturday morning building this twin propeller sea plane. The propellers actually go round!

Basia

New baby

Traditions

Home-made Christmas decorations 2011

Stove

Church nativity

Ralph the Green Nosed Reindeer

Advent

Curtains

Worn out

Star Wars

Children

Greater love hath no man

Slate sign

Holiday photos

Christmas Planning

Homework

Modelling planetary motion with children

Gingerbread men

Benedict update

Ian's new toy

Views

Bilberry picking on the Cloud

Holiday reading

Ballet

Sponsored cycling and Music exams

Hama creations

Sponsored bike ride

Gooseberries

Aidan's birthday

Friends... belated photos

Grade 1 Piano here we come

Happy Birthday Izzy

Rocket Stove

Our garden in Spring

Chickens .... Chicken

Book Reviews

What's happened to my blog?

Christmas cake 2010

Pierniki

Snow baby

Introducing Jessie Cat

Advent Fire 2010

Knitting!

Illness, silence, and good company

Benedict's first attempt at dressing

Chirk

Spare time spent...

News Flash

Highgrove

Chilli balsamic vinaigrette

House finished... almost

Holidays and Legoland

Happy day

Our house

Books books books

Benedict update

Happy Birthday Izzy

Boy aged 7 makes quantum leap forward

Birthday banana

More funny child-isms

Update

Children quotes

Benedict walking!

Buying a house

Happy New Year

Early start for Christmas

Hatchet reviews

Gooseberry crumble

Sermon on "being religious"

Tipi

Two more wedding photos...

Hoard discovered

Wedding!!

Quick update

Like baking?

Ben's baptism

Update

Mending Wall, by Robert Frost

Benedict