My boy.

I had a last minute trip to Aberystwyth last week to collect Jourdan from uni as he was not at all well and too ill to get the train home on Saturday. Although I was a bit nervous about the drive, I actually made pretty good time, just over four hours each way. Very tired afterwards but also very pleased to get him home and off to the doctors the next morning for a weeks worth of penicillin. Four days of looking after him and he is finally back on his feet and feeling back to normal. 

It doesn't matter how old they get they will always still need their mums!

Acrylic on canvas

Back to work!

Nearly 2 years after leaving the hustle and bustle of office life I am now returning for a years contract in Reading. In no particular order - I'm going back to sitting in traffic, back to having to set an alarm, back to working really long days, back to being knackered in the evening, back to really looking forward to weekends, back to going to work in the dark and getting home in the dark, back to working my little socks off. And guess what - I can't wait!!!

A present for Clare

A present for a friend I used to work with some time ago. Clare was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2006 and is an inspiration to everyone that knows her.

This is a painting of a black and white photograph Clare put on her Facebook page, I stole it, painted it in sepia and delivered it to her doorstep this morning.

Easy crocheted beret.

A friend of my daughters asked me to make a beret for a 12 year old. After looking around the net I decided on this one, using sock yarn from my stash. 

I got the pattern from here (The Adventures of Gingerbread) and just kept decreasing until I thought it was about the right size for a childs head, hoping it will fit and equally hoping she will like it! Mind you if she doesn't I can always undo the rim, take off the last decrease row and redo it slightly bigger it for Rhiannon.

In the last two days I have....

Made the following:

2 Onion and cream quiches

2 Caramelised red onion and goats cheese tarts

1 courgette and cheddar cheese quiche

1 roasted squash and feta tart

1 feta, olive, basil and roasted tomato tart

1 baked risotto pie

1 salad of chickpeas in tamari and paprika, with a yoghurt and coriander dressing 

1 salad of lentils, beetroot and feta

30 mince pies 

and 24 breakfast bars

Oh and dished up 31 homemade wholemeal rolls.

phew!

Bloody foxes!

Last night we lost Susan and Florence. 

The one night when I was away with the dogs we must have had a visit from a fox, for the first time as far as I am aware and I am devastated. My two favourite girls gone. According to my neighbour it was very noisy in the night and I really hope that the noise came from the three girls left and not the two gone, hopefully their end came quickly. 

Arthur

14 years old - who said he wouldn't make his next birthday!