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.