Sea Air

With every passing day, life is slowly returning to a steady rhythm once more and I can feel my shoulders beginning to lighten from the recent stress and worry which have been weighing me down these last few months.  With the uncertainty and apprehension almost behind us now, it is with huge relief I can now see myself looking forward and making plans for the months ahead once again.

In recognition of what feels like new beginnings, at the weekend I thought it a good opportunity to have a ceremonial blowing away of the cobwebs with a walk along the shore. There is nothing quite like a good dose of sea air to awaken the senses and make me feel alive, especially since the previous day had been so wet and windy we didn't even leave the house.

The day brought with it some lovely bright sunshine but the wind was still blustering and, of course, along the coast it is so much stronger than inland, that there were moments when it felt more than a little arduous to be walking in it. But, most importantly, it felt so good. Exhausting but good. While billowy white clouds raced across the sky we trundled across the sand, breathing in the fresh salty air. We continued to walk for a while, stopping briefly to enjoy a light picnic lunch (holding onto it very tightly!) and a play on the swings, before retracing our steps once more.  By this time our pace had quickened as, although the wind was now predominantly against us, it appeared to be sending some very dark rain clouds our way.

As the wind whipped around us, it felt bitterly cold and, although we were wrapped up well, since I had forgotten to take along my mittens,  my hands had spent much of the time tucked away in my pockets. Returning home I soon had them warm once more, wrapping them around a steaming hot mug of tea, the day's exertion lending itself to me feeling tired all of a sudden, yet with a clear head and renewed spirit.
J. X

Ticking Along

It's been a while but, as the title suggests, life is ticking along nicely. I've been preoccupied with the everyday and, what with trying to keep on top of things, I feel like I've neglected this little space.

There has been nothing much noteworthy happening of late, with the exception of a welcome return to regular routine and, I'm pleased to say, life should be on a more even keel within the next few weeks. Lily has been back at school for a little while now and, aside from trying to keep up with the day to day chores, any free time has been spent relaxing indoors and ambling quietly through our days.

Following several sunny days, the weather has been very unpredictable and hasn't lent itself to us venturing far from home. We spent Lily's last day off from school paddling in the lake and picnicking on the shore.  A delightful treat of a day  and it was so good to feel the hot sun on my skin but, to be honest,  it was reassuring to see a return to more seasonable weather, I just wish it wasn't quite so wild.

Last week we celebrated World Book Day at school, with the focus being on poetry. Lily went dressed as a robin for the day, her chosen poem was 'The north wind doth blow.' I had somehow managed to assemble some soft fleece fabric into a cosy red and brown jumper, with the inside of a cereal packet fashioned as a beak (apparently she wore it all day!) and she won best costume in her class! She very proudly accepted her award of a book token and, after much careful consideration, has since spent it wisely on another 'Mog' book.

The days are lengthening and, with us finally being able to get back on track following a difficult few months, I'm hoping that along with some brighter weather I will begin to feel my mood begin to lift once again. Spring is on the way and it's a time to look forward and make plans for the months ahead. It's wonderful to feel I'm in a place where I can do that once more.

J. X

Flapjack

A few people have requested  my flapjack recipe, so I thought I'd post it here. Although I didn't think it was possible to go far wrong with just oats, syrup, butter and sugar, for years I used to struggle and would end up with something which was either so soft it would just collapse when I tried to pick it up, or so brittle it would simply shatter when I tried to slice into it. Fed up with disastrous results and having tested out various recipes found online, I decided, instead, to experiment with the quantities of the ingredients and have discovered a recipe which works for us. Not too crunchy, not too soft and it holds itself together remarkably well when we take some along with us when out walking. Not forgetting the piece Lily has in her packed lunch every day.

115g butter
115g sugar
3 tablespoons golden syrup
280g oats

Melt together the butter, sugar and syrup then stir through the oats. Mix well then put into a lined 20x20cm tin and press down. Bake at 160°C for around 20 minutes. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes then slice into nine or twelve pieces while still in the tin. Allow to cool fully. If  you're feeling frivolous you could always drizzle with some melted chocolate.

J. X

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