2015 snippets..

Back to it.

Back to work today

:(

Actually after 5 days of nothing but relaxing I'm quite looking forward to doing something. I will be in the office all day, trying to get rid of my backlog from this year so I can start afresh when I return in the new year. I have written my list, no change there and have a plan, again no change, when it comes to work I am the planning queen! Hopefully it will be a stress free quiet day.

I have my sprout and chestnut soup for lunch with some fruit for snacks, but I just know there will be goodies to tempt me, people generally bring their excess in to get rid of it. I have eaten and drank so much I am looking forward to eating healthy. I will stay away from the goodies!!

When I come home from work I will be packing! I am so excited, the sea is calling to me.

My hubs bought me a lovely bracelet for christmas so that I can wear a piece of the sea when I am feeling low. Its gorgeous and so thoughtful of him.

I shall wear it to work today.

Hatastrophy!.

Pulled the sewing machine out yesterday, have had an urge for a while to have a go at making a hat!

I love the baker boy style hats, so as there was a free pattern in my last sewing magazine, thought Id give it a shot!

I previously bought a lucky dip of 6 Harris tweed squares with just this in mind.

So after reading the instructions, cutting the fabric, giving it a  quick size check I was ready for the off!

Pretty simple construction, a bit fiddly, but easy enough to grasp the set up. managed the lining , quite impressed with that, I even got the peak done first attempt. But even though it was impressive getting a hat completed it certainly didn't look good, 1970's bay city rollers sprang to mind, a little too bright, the peak was far too big, and the sizing didn't suit my head. This won't even cut it as a dog walking hat. Looking on the bright side I enjoyed making it, now know how to make a hat, and can fiddle with the sizing, fabrics and shape. Failing that I will just buy one.

So here, without further ado is my 

Hatastrophy

Olives !.

The males are all out to watch the rugby, just me and the hound this afternoon.

I rustled up some leftover sprout and chestnut soup, which was delicious! I happen to love sprouts and chestnuts, no one else in the house is likely to eat it, but it will also do for my office lunch on tuesday when I have to go to work :(, [Im trying to have a left over food menu before we head off south ] and  as I was stood by the kitchen window I happened to look at my olive tree, I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw this 

Its absolutely full of olives! pretty sure that's not meant to happen in December.

We have had a few little bud type olives but none ever this big, towards the top they are actual olive sized!

They still look inedible but wow ! I should have put the lights back in the tree for Christmas.

The weather here is still warm and is very wet, its in a protected corner by the green house, so sheltered from the wind, its gone a bit wild to be honest, its growing fast . Come the spring, whenever that may be, I am going to have to give it a good pruning.In the interim I am going to do a bit of research to see if UK grown olives are edible.

Does anyone out there have an olive tree? do you harvest the fruits?

Just perfect.

I had a perfect christmas, well almost, some snow would have been nice.

Christmas eve was spent quietly, just us and hubs best mate, we shared a buffet super and watched a Christmas movie. Stress free.

Christmas day we were awake before the boys, despite all their bluffing about not going to sleep and being up early, we managed a quick cuppa relaxing in bed before they awoke.

It makes me happy that the boys still come jump on our bed to open their stockings

Santa was good to us we all had great gifts, things that put a smile on our faces

even the hound got in on the act with a big treat box just for him, though he was quite happy playing with paper!

After a quiet breakfast of pancakes it was dinner prep time.

Hubs dad joined us for lunch and stayed til the early evening so it was very much a quite TV sort of day, we skyped hubs brother and family so grandad could speak to them all before he went home, i'm pretty sure he had a great day.

Today I have a food hangover and am desperate to get out for a good stomp about and some fresh air then off to see my dad. Nothing much planned for this evening we shall go with the flow. I am just happy being at home sharing time with my family.

x