Housebound

Over the last few days we have been experiencing some beautiful weather. Days have been warm, bright and sunny, and there has been a change in the air that tells me spring is on the way.

Unusually for us, however, we've been staying home. Lily has had chickenpox!

I'm not really complaining. She was bound to get it at some point, and other than feeling a bit under the weather and with a few (very) restless nights because of feeling itchy, she's been fairly stoic and has been more perturbed about not being able to go swimming. Most of our days have been spent snuggling up on the sofa and the newly finished blanket has already proven to be very useful. 

The mild weather has at least given me the opportunity to fling open the windows and let in the fresh air, which, in my opinion, is always the best way of ridding the germs and it has felt wonderful to get the washing hung out on the line again. When Mog hasn't been lying with Lily on the sofa, she has found herself a nice sunny spot  in which to curl up and I've had to physically move her out of my way on several occasions - it's not easy to change a bed with a lump of a cat fast asleep on it but she was going to happily let me try.

I've been in the kitchen quite a bit this week too. I've tried out a few new recipes, including Mushroom Bourguignon, chickpea and pepper wraps, some delicious carrot cake, all successfully. Sadly, Lily was not impressed but I've also made some 'feel better flapjack' which she is very happy about. 

Yesterday, Lily turned a corner but, despite, feeling much better she is still required to stay off school for the remainder of the incubation period. Not a problem for us, especially on a sunny day, so from the back of the house we went for a gentle meander through the fields, past the newborn lambs, through the woods, where the wild garlic is beginning to grow and down towards the river, where Lily was desperate to take off her boots and have a paddle. The delicious warmth of the sun was just the tonic and really lifted our spirits having been cooped up for several days.

J. X