The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Wednesday 27 October 2010

A day late this week but the kids have been on half term so it's all been quite busy around here.

Outside my window... is a little bit of watery sunshine trying to get through. We're having very autumnal weather at the moment. Last night when I drove to Cambridge, it was lashing down with rain and there were leaves flying about everywhere. It would have been perfect for a walk on the beach.

I am thinking... that I must get to the kitchen to start my applecake.

I am thankful for... the last few days I've had with the kids. We had a really busy time trying to fit in as much as possible, but we had a really good time. They're now away with J. to see their grandmother on the Isle of Wight and I won't see them till Sunday afternoon. It's not long, I've got plenty of things to do and I won't be bored, but sometimes I wish I didn't have to share them!

From the kitchen... roasted butternut squash with ricotta, and if I get time, a Dutch applecake for tonight's knitting meeting.

I am wearing... jeans, thick pink fleece and green bodywarmer. Yes, that bodywarmer again!

I am creating... Ysolda's Scroll Lace Scarf. Very easy to memorise lace pattern and very much enjoying it. Once that's done, another dishcloth, then p/hop's Cranford Mitts and then I'm on to that gorgeous baby blanket.

I am going... to enjoy the clocks going back this weekend and have a lie-in on Sunday with our free extra hour.

I am reading... nothing at all at the moment. Have been falling into bed and going to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow (I only read in bed).

I am hoping... that I can squeeze in a run before it gets dark this afternoon. I tentatively started running again last week now that I think my anaemia is a thing of the past and had forgotten how nice it is to exercise outside in the fresh air.

I am hearing... the rush hour traffic slowly building up on the road outside my house.

Around the house... it is very quiet, a bit cold and a bit empty. Over the years I have got used to being home alone sometimes and I do enjoy it, but during the day I'm so used to the children coming home at 4 pm that it feels empty when they don't.

One of my favourite things... is a top I bought in a charity shop a few weeks ago. I used to feel a bit uncomfortable in charity shops, wondering what had happened to the people who the items had belonged to. But I read so often of people finding lovely things, so the other day we went in and I found a lovely cotton top. Since then, we've been more often and I found a large cafetiere for £2.50, which is going to work (we love coffee at work).

A few plans for the rest of the week... knitting evening tonight - I only get to go once every few months - work tomorrow - attending the recording of a Radio 4 comedy show in London on Friday evening.

A picture for thought I'm sharing...


I took this photo on Saturday when we were in the park. I was hoping for a sunny or at least dry day. When we got to the park, it started to rain quite heavily. We were quite sheltered where we were and this puddle was at my feet. It was changeable weather and I liked the reflections in the water as the sun came out again.
The park was deserted, we had an icecream but then headed home to the warmth and a cup of tea!

Instructions for the Simple Woman's Daybook can be found here.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Tuesday 19 October 2010

Outside my window... is very changeable weather. Beautiful blue skies this morning, heavy rain half an hour ago causing a quick sprint to the washing line, and now the sun's out again.

I am thinking... that it would have been nice if I'd actually get to spend a bit more time with the children next week when they're off school (they're away from Tuesday evening to Sunday afternoon).

I am thankful for... having come back home safely last weekend - we did lots of driving in the lorry to pick up a few items from Ebay.

From the kitchen... another soup from the slow cooker, but not such a hit: squash, carrot and red pepper. It sounded appealing enough but turned out be very watery and flavourless. Added a good squirt of Lee and Perrins but even that's not helping. And this was only the first of 6 portions...

I am wearing... jeans, short sleeved t-shirt, grey cable cardigan and green bodywarmer. It's almost like a uniform - I wear this all the time when I'm sitting still and working, and get cold very easily.

I am creating... Still knitting my Ishbel. She's growing nicely, hoping to finish it next week before I. goes back to school. Have made a dishcloth for a swap over at Ravelry and that's gone in the post, but have signed up for next month's swap too and looking forward to making another one. Not to mention the ones I'll get in the post in return! I'd really like to knit the Cranford Mitts from P/hop, but also itching to cast on Brooklyn Tweed's Shale Baby Blanket. How could anyone not like that? Isn't it gorgeous?

I am going... to try and be a bit stronger and just enjoy the time I have with the kids, instead of feeling sorry for myself that I always have to share them. We have good times together, that is all that matters.

I am reading... bits and pieces from the Sunday Times from last weekend.

I am hoping... that next week goes fast.

I am hearing... a programme about a female singer in her seventies - not my taste, and I keep wanting to mute the radio when they play snippets of her songs.

Around the house... it desperately needs hoovering! Sometimes I wish I had double the hours in a day in order to get everything done.

One of my favourite things... is having a cup of tea with the children when they come home from school. We used to have it in front of the telly, but a few months ago we changed that and now we sit at our kitchen table, with placemats and a milk jug and nicely arranged biscuits. It's such a nice time of the day.

A few plans for the rest of the week... library tomorrow - that is always a push on Wednesdays as N. has golf till 4.15 - work from the office later on in the week - just a normal ordinary week really.

A picture for thought I'm sharing...

We stayed here last weekend - a very nice hotel in the south of Yorkshire. Originally we were going to go to Yorkshire in one day, but I thought it'd be nice to make it a weekend, and it was definitely worth it - we had a lovely meal in their restaurant too, probably the best meal I've ever eaten out.




Instructions for the Simple Woman's Daybook can be found here.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Tuesday October 5th

It has been a while since I did the Simple Woman's Daybook. Looking back, I can see I stopped at the beginning of the summer holidays, when life got busier with the children being home. They've now been back at school a few weeks and I'm slowly settling back into a routine. Not quite there yet - there are countless days when I fall into bed in the evening thinking 'I've not done anything just for me', and so the blog gets a bit neglected. But I do miss it, so I'm going to try and fit it in a bit more often again.

Outside my window... are lots of leaves flying about. It's been wet and windy here for a few days and it's truly Autumn. I don't mind the dark days, it's cosy to light some candles and draw the curtains, but I'm also hoping we'll soon have one of those sunny days you sometimes get in October - we haven't seen the sun for days.

I am thinking... that maybe I need an evening on my own. I've been feeling a bit grumpy the last few days, feeling a bit resentful that there are so many things I want to do and don't get round to. Maybe an evening alone will help.

I am thankful for... I always find this one so hard, it's so difficult to find something that doesn't sound like a cliche. A while back, I started writing a list of things that made me happy every day. That works really well to help focus on what is important and get things into perspective. Okay, I am thankful for the cosmos that keeps flowering in my garden despite the lashings of rain and especially, despite the neglect!

From the kitchen... golden harvest soup in my slow cooker, which came out again a few weeks ago. This is butternut squash, sweet potatoes, onions and lentils, and smells lovely. It's meant for supper but I might not last that long and have it for lunch instead!

I am wearing... jeans, long sleeved tshirt, grey cable cardigan and green bodywarmer. Not exactly the height of fashion but it's warm!

I am creating... so many things... I'm knitting an Ishbel for 11 year old I., who chose and bought her own wintercoat a while back and keeps pinching my Ishbel. I must put buttons on a cushion cover I made, I am making a blanket for our old VW camper, and I've just started on Cerisara, but am not happy with the needle size and need to go one size down, but those needles are in use for Ishbel. And I signed up for a dishcloth swap and have to knit one this month to send to the US. And this weekend I traced the pattern pieces for a denim skirt.

I am going... to Holland with the kids in a few weeks time and I can't wait.

I am reading... Yesterday morning: a very English childhood by Diana Athill. My boss recommended her books and I'm really enjoying it. She's very observant and it's beautifully written.

I am hoping... for a bit of sunshine on Saturday so we can spend some time in the park.

I am hearing... the news on Radio 4 which is on as background 'noise'.

Around the house... needs a bit of a clean. I think that might be this Saturday's job and might also involve the children.

One of my favourite things... is the new cushion cover I crocheted and that caused I. to say 'mamma it looks like you bought it in a shop'. Awww.

(it needs buttons still to finish it off)

A few plans for the rest of the week... having a half day off work tomorrow to meet up with a friend for a coffee, couple of days in the office, my Saturday with the kids this weekend and hopefully, fingers crossed, having a new oil tank installed on Sunday...

A picture for thought I'm sharing...

One of my favourite spots in the park. We often spend an hour or so here on Saturdays, it's a little out the way of the main thoroughfare but you can still watch the world go by. It's also near the icecream/coffee kiosk, always handy! It won't be long though before it gets too cold to spend long here and the kiosk will shut for the winter season.

Instructions for the Simple Woman's Daybook can be found here.