Snow...for Josh & Natalia

Nat SO wanted snow during the month that they were over in England....wouldn't you just know that it would arrive a week after they flew back!! Just so that you don't miss out, here are some snowy pictures of the village to cool you as you swelter in 45 degrees in Sydney (gotta be honest guys..the thought of that sort of temperature makes me feel sick..what on earth do you do??) Ethan has snow down in Bournemouth too:-)
I took these pictures at 8 o'clock this morning when it hadn't been snowing for long. By the look of all of the cars still parked most people had seen the weather report forcasting more snow and if they had any option, decided not to venture out.  It has now been snowing all day so we have 5 or 6 inches. Chickens decided to stay in, and so did Baldrick...Queenie couldn't care less about the weather and went out murdering hunting as usual ( no chance of rescueing todays victim - Queenie spotted me and shot back out of the catflap with her prize...perhaps she still remember last weeks episode) Anyhoo...here are the pix from this mornings' walk...maybe I'll make a snowman tomorrow:-)

 

The firstborn returns...

 At last! After 2 years and 4 months in Australia...my precious firstborn came over for Christmas :-) and I thought I'd post about it before it dissappeared all to quickly in my rear view mirror!
I made Christmas stockings with our initials on out of some old curtains to honour the occaision :-)
(I didn't leave out the mince pie, whiskey and carrot for Father Christmas...the boys sussed that I was scoffing them a while back now LOL)

The teeny weeny Xmas tree was, as in bygone years, "cat friendly  deterent" - nothing electrical , draped with chilli and popcorn chains, and decorated with dried orange slices, little bundles of cinnamon sticks and pine cones...a few orange slices were stolen but it was pretty much left alone by Baldrick & Queenie

 

Yaay...my baby home:-)

 

...and he brought his lovely girlfriend Natalia :-)

 

In honour of Mum...we had prawn cocktails to start on Xmas Day...it's been a bit of a family tradition since the 70's I guess...back then it was served in a glass and accompanied by a glass of Leibfraumilch

 

Bon Appetit! (actually, it wasn't as good as I remembered and I found it a bit bland...maybe it needed Mum's magic touch)

 

and followed by cow & roasties & 'snips & sprouts & carrots & creamed leeks & yorkies (that didn't rise loads, but tasted perfect) I don't usually eat meat, but I made the exception for this one day..I would rather that we all sat down and ate the same, and I don't think the boys are ready for a meat free Xmas day yet (and Nat is from Chile where they are PROPER carnivores LOL) Doesn't bother me as I'm not a "principled vegetarian" I just think we don't need it and it's expensive so why bother?

 

 

I made Cola de Mono to make Nat feel at home a bit....was delish...think I'll do this every year now.

I loosely based it on this recipe and used brandy..

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/isas-cola-de-mono/

 

 

YUM!

 

Anyway...enough from me for the mo...hope you had a lovely Xmas and got to see your special loved ones too

 

 

 

Second born returns to base...(and an extremely un-frugal weekend)

Finally Ethan is back home for the summer. Last weekend I had to make 3 (yes 3!!) trips to Bournemouth to collect all of his stuff - he's moving to different digs so EVERYTHING had to come home. If I had remembered that there was SO much stuff I would have hired a van  rather than stacking a KA to the gills...nevermind...we live and learn eh?  Ethan didn't actually come home until Thursday as he was filming  ( I went to this audition Mum , but I won't get it as I'd been out clubbing the night before and was badly prepared ) so the last lot of unloading the car was down to me :(
All home now and I'm enjoying spending time with him....Thursday evening we went for a long walk up Marridge Hill and I introduced him to the Chorus Line Cows...yet again all we had to do was say "Hello Girls you are all looking beautiful" and they all came running (yes, really running) to the fence to see us...are all cows so gregarious? How did I get to nearly 50 without realising this? ( I always talk to animals and small children...and pretty much in the same way I've realised...haha...that explains my kids LOL)
On Saturday I bullied asked nicely if Ethan would come with me to look at a new car...I fear the KA won't survive it's next MOT ( to be honest I really don't rate them much...my last one cracked the chassis when I hit a pot hole (obviously I didn't know that at the time) and when I took it in for it's 1st MOT a few weeks later they wouldn't even let me drive it off of the forecourt...cost to repair meant it was cheaper short term to get a new one (£1800 there and then or £160 per month)) - haha....look at me...just realised I'm using double pairs of brackets...how sad...my brain works in Excel formulas - DOH!     Anyway, finally a car was chosen and I'll pick it up on Thursday evening. It was quite late in the day once we finished at the garage so we stopped off in Reading for Sushi....

I think the last time we went to Reading was last August when we went for Sushi..oh well, I don't supposed once a year is wildly extravagant. Ethan took the opportunity to have one meat dish while he could as I have no meat in the house at all...breaking him in gently to a meat free holiday with a fried brekkie this morning...

That's a Linda McCartney sausage and quorn bacon...looks odd but I think it tastes good...egg is shop bought as girls still off lay....how stupid am I buying eggs from a shop??  There's an honesty box just over the bridge...could have bought half a dozen fresh ones for a quid. Anyway, Ethan's verdict was that you shouldn't regard any part of the meal as "meat replacement" you should just enjoy it as tasty in it's own right.
We both had a lovely long chat to Josh in Australia on Skype this afternoon...he's coming over for a month at Christmas with his girlfriend and trying to plan an itinerary. So many friends and family to see and he also wants to show Nat London & Paris...I guess it would be sacriledge to travel half way round the globe  and miss them out!! :-) I'm getting excited about seeing him already (it's 2 years ago this month that he went out to Oz)...by December I'll be unbareable and bouncing off of the walls!!


Just a short walk this afternoon...we stopped off to take a peek at the village horticultural show (but I forgot to take my camra) There were some beautiful veggies...I was so jealous...the slugs and my inattention have spoiled mine this year I think...clearly they paid far more attention and were justly rewarded. The flowers, cakes, photography, artwork, jewellery and sewing were also fabulous...these sort of shows really bring home how talented people in your own neighbourhood are , don't they. I was inspired to pick a few sweet peas from my garden....

they smell wonderful, and the colours are lovely..I'm afraid my cheapy camera and lack of photography skills really don't do justice.



 Typical Sunday and yet more food....trying to feed Ethan up...we currently weigh the same but he's 6 inches taller....if I can fatten him up a bit then I'll look less chunky by comparison LOL. ( Since I gave up smoking I just want to eat 24/7....I've even come down from bed to grab food..what's that all about??

Quorn Roast, Cranberry Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Runner beans & honey roasted carrots.

....and a glass of ale :-)

Have only just realised that Ethan sat to dinner with no shirt on....how did he get that one past me? I think I'm going senile!!!.

Anyway, all full up now and need a little nap.....just like Baldrick...

Do you think he's comfy??

Night night, sleep tight  :-)