The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Wednesday 16 February

This week is going so quickly, that I totally forgot about the daybook yesterday.

Outside my window... the sun is shining. It's a very weak, almost watery sun, but with a certain softness to it that you get in early spring.

I am thinking... how odd it is that when you wake up on Monday, the week seems so long and Friday seems an eternity away. And then, before you know it, it's Wednesday and the week is half gone, and Friday's just around the corner.
And that happens to me week in, week out.

I am thankful for... last Sunday. Normally B. and I don't get to spend Valentine's together, as it's usually during half term and he goes skiing and I'm off on our seaside holiday. We don't really think that much of Valentine's, we often give each other little presents during the year, but because we were actually together this year, we thought we'd make a bit more effort. So he got me a pink John Deere hat which I love (to go with his latest tractor), and I got him some very expensive chocolates, which he loved, and we had a very big breakfast. Small, simple pleasures.

From the kitchen... was supposed to come broccoli and apple soup for lunch, but I didn't fancy it and had rye crispbreads with cottage cheese instead. Tonight we were going to have macaroni cheese but I have so much to do still that we may well end up having a toasted sandwich at Costa when we have finished our library visit this afternoon.

I am wearing... jeans, a red t-shirt with a red wool cardigan, a thin ski fleece on top and fingerless gloves to keep warm. Most of my clothes are now washed and ready for our holiday next week, which means you end up wearing things from the back of the wardrobe. The red cardigan is a bit itchy and really a little bit too small.

I am creating... I's fingerless gloves. I was doing well and halfway through the second one, when I found that I'd mistakenly cast on with needles 1.25 mm bigger than the first pair. Argh! So had to start again. I am on track to finish them for Friday, which is what she was hoping for.

I am going... to take lots of knitting projects with me to Lyme Regis. What I'm most looking forward to is being in a different environment, away from responsibilities and duties, and having time to do what I want to do. O and having a whole uninterrupted week with the kids, that has to be the best bit.

I am reading... Regeneration by Pat Barker. Only just started, picked it up from the library this afternoon.

I am hoping... for decent weather next week. Which only means that I don't want rain all week. Anything else is fine - snow, storm, sun, I don't mind, not even the odd rain shower. Just not wet all the time.

I am hearing... something on Channel 5 on the telly. I was watching Cowboy Builders with I. earlier and I haven't switched the telly off yet.

Around the house... it needs a good tidy-up. Dad is coming over on Friday evening and I want the house to be left fairly tidy while we're away. Nothing worse than coming home to a house that you've left behind in a messy state.

One of my favourite things... was this afternoon. After the library we had a coffee at Costa. The kids had gone to find a table and by the time I turned up with the tray, they were both engrossed in a book. So I got my book out too and we all sat there quietly reading for half an hour. It was lovely.

A few plans for the rest of the week... laundry, hoovering, packing. And work.

A picture for thought I'm sharing...


This morning's sunrise near to B's house.

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

Hearts garland

Not like me to post outside my Daybook, but I was very pleased with this and have wanted to post it since it was finished, but had to wait till it was received!

Tilly is the daughter of J's cousin, and she had her first birthday today. Happy birthday Tilly!

Pattern is from here.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Wednesday 9 February

My daybook seems to have permanently shifted a day!

Outside my window... it is grey and gloomy and very sombre. We had a gloriously sunny day yesterday which ended very cold, but this morning dawned with grey mist. The sort of greyness that lasts all day and can only be cheered by a fire and some candles when it gets dark.

I am thinking... that I must make some more fat balls. I made some for the first time a few weeks ago and to my surprise they were ever so easy, and a big hit with the birds. I have some empty coconut shells which could really do with getting out of my kitchen. I love seeing how the food in the old apple tree attracts so many different birds.

I am thankful for... the lengthening days. Although getting up early is not something I mind that much, it is so much easier when it's already getting light. It's still light when I pick the children up on Sunday afternoons and not quite dark yet when I drive home from work.

From the kitchen... pesto/cream cheese crispbreads for lunch, and one of the children's favourites for supper: twice baked potatoes, followed by tapioca pudding.

I am wearing... several layers again. It was warm enough last week to keep the heating off a few times, but now the house gets cold again during the day.

I am creating... dishcloths, dishcloths and more dishcloths. One of my swap dishcloths that I posted before Christmas, went missing in the post, so I promised my swap partner another one. I had also promised a dishcloth to a friend in return for a cake, and then there is a dishcloth to make for this month's swap. I'm also working on I's fingerless gloves and would really like to finish those before we go to Lyme Regis. I had plans for a few more items before we go there, but realise now that as always, they were a bit ambitious.

I am going... to go and make my hot water bottle and hot chocolate in a moment and climb into bed. Once again this post was written in the course of a day, it's been a long day and I'm tired.

I am reading... not that much. I pretty much finished the architecture book. We were supposed to go to the library last week but N. had a bad earache and we only popped to town and came home again. We'll try to go next week, so the kids both have something to read in the car on the way down to Lyme Regis.

I am hoping... that the parcels which I'm expecting, arrive soon. I still get excited about something nice in the post.

I am hearing... the dishwasher in the kitchen.

Around the house... it will most definitely need hoovering tonight, as my hairdresser is coming over and all three of us are having our hair cut. As we all have quite similar and very thick hair, it'll be interesting to see what she leaves behind.

One of my favourite things... is the way N. likes to pick wild flowers and put them in a little glass jar somewhere around the house. I've had snowdrops in an old pate jar for a couple of weeks now. He often picks them at the school bus stop in the morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week... work in the office for a couple of days and then my weekend at B's house. I'm hoping for some decent weather, a bike ride and a run, and apart from that some sofa time with my knitting.

A picture for thought I'm sharing...


If you look closely, you can see two 8 year olds on their way to the school bus stop early in the morning.

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

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Wednesday 2 February

Again a day late - this week's running away from me.

Outside my window... we have a little bit of sunshine, thank goodness! It's a blustery day today and the wind makes it feel colder than it would be if you were out in the sunshine now.

I am thinking... that I'll be very happy if the sheets on the line will actually dry today.

I am thankful for... having lots of positive comments at parents' evening last night for I. She is a quiet girl (not at home she isn't! She is going through a phase of speaking with an accent and has just discovered the Australian accent...) who works hard. She loves art, which I was maybe more proud of than the fact she does well in Maths and Science!

From the kitchen... lots of new dishes - very much into trying new things. Tonight we had cheesy veg crumble, which I really enjoyed and the kids hated (nothing new there!) This weekend I'm looking forward to trying out a Jamie Oliver recipe - I've had several of his cookbooks for years and would you believe, never tried any of them!

I am wearing... a change from my usual umpteen layers! Tshirt, fleece top, lycra bottoms and trainers - I did some exercises earlier this evening and haven't got changed yet.

I am creating... I's fingerless gloves. Slow going, it's just been busy the last couple of days with things needing to be done. So much for the 20 minutes of crafting each day - to be honest, it's been so busy I'd even forgotten about it. I got terribly frustrated on Monday when I forgot to bring my knitting when I went for a doctor's appointment - I got to the surgery and found that they'd cancelled the appointment (even though a few days before, I had asked them to confirm twice!). I had to wait 40 minutes for the next available appointment, and because of swine-flu, there are no longer any magazines in the waiting room. I was just cursing myself when fortunately I got told the appointment could be combined with another one I'd made for the following day, but that is the last time I forget my knitting!
I finished N's hat and now can't find the photo! Will update this post when it resurfaces.

I am going... to go and have a shower when I've finished this post and then climb into my bed with freshly cleaned sheets - yes, they did get dry on the line! (that's what happens when it takes you all day to write a post).

I am reading... a beautiful book about Frank Lloyd Wright. I never realised how prolific he was and how beautiful his buildings were. I specially like his early work.

I am hoping... that N. is alright to go to school tomorrow, as he came home with bad earache this afternoon. A dose of junior ibuprofen seemed to hit the spot, as he was much more cheerful when he went to sleep, but I'm expecting to be woken during the night!

I am hearing... very little - just the humming of the computer, the odd car driving past on the road outside my house and a little snoring from N.

Around the house... it needs hoovering. Again. Doesn't it always?

One of my favourite things... is checking out the discounted bunches of flowers on Mondays when we go shopping. Flowers are so expensive in Britain, specially when you're used to large Dutch bunches - I bought 30 roses for 5 euros on the market there a few years back! And they lasted ages. Anyway, the supermarket obviously discounts the bunches of flowers that haven't been sold over the weekend, and we've had some real bargains.

A few plans for the rest of the week... going to work, meeting my new colleague (yes, the one I interviewed last week - she got offered the job and started last Monday), picking up a new intern who's going to stay with us for 2 months, N. has a birthday party on Saturday so I. and I have a few hours together which I'm really looking forward to.

A picture for thought I'm sharing...


My hairy monster, who I love so very much.

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