Winter

MAKING sourdough pizza later. Can’t wait! Love pizza

COOKING lasagne last night, it went down extremely well. I don’t buy dried lasagne (or other pasta, apart from orzo) anymore. Fresh is so much better for an occasional treat

SIPPING cider, the rugby’s on

READING an excellent proof! If it continues to be as good I’ll be telling you all about the novel around the date of publication. *Do you like the books posts? Or prefer little mentions, rather than a dedicated post?

WAITING for my tulips to appear

LOOKING at their lush green shoots

Paramount Lebanese Eatery near Paddington, London. Recommend

WATCHING The Great Escaper with Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson. Glenda’s last film before she died. Michael’s last because he says he’s now retired. We saw it last night. It’s multi layered

LISTENING to the sounds of rugby on ITV

WISHING for world peace. It feels trite to write it now, and realistically will never happen

Love this! At Piccadilly Circus Tube Station

VISITING Tate Britain: Women in Revolt, so interesting that I’m still thinking about it and The Wellcome Collection: Being Human and The Cult of Beauty exhibitions this year, so far

This made me laugh hugely. It’s still making me grin

ENJOYING talking to a 101 year old man and his 92 year old wife earlier. Amazing! Something incredible about talking to someone that old…

APPRECIATING sunny blue sky days

The National Gallery, London

EATING a really good green lentil, chicken & vegetable soup this week, using leftover chicken from Sunday lunch

LIKING lighter afternoons and the fact spring is coming

LOVING having a good result for this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch, unlike a friend who only saw 1 bluetit during the hour

From Northumberland Avenue, London on Thursday night. No filter

BUYING another bargain yellow sticker (reduced) chicken, it’s in the freezer for another Sunday lunch. Yay! I’ve done really well for bargains lately, I found pork shoulder and a guinea fowl late last year too

APPRECIATING the opportunity to see The RSC’s (Royal Shakespeare Company) production of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, at The Garrick theatre, London, another very good thing I’m still thinking about

MANAGING receipts, ticking off items

WATCHING The Tourist. Into the second series now. It’s quite farcical this time around, lots of humour

HOPING for more QI on catch up, not sure why it wasn’t on this week. ‘Ultras’ episode is next, on 6th February (BBC.) Would I Lie to You was very funny with Craig Charles et al

Better isn’t it?

WEARING owl socks, black leggings, Seasalt top, newly cut (bit shorter than expected) hair scraped up into my version of a bun thingy

NOTICING the library reservation charge is now £1.30. It was £1.20 FIVE MINUTES ago. A friend in Yorkshire pays nothing, though wonders why as she says the district council is bankrupt

FOLLOWING my cousin’s photography journey. Incredible talent

A seven mile walk last Saturday, set off later than planned so walked home along green lanes in the dark. Bit spooky so sang “Babushka, Babushka, Babushka yi yi” loudly!

WATCHING Ghostbusters: Afterlife, again, before the new film in the spring

COVETING nothing hugely, except I feel I should be buying an air fryer. It’s weird, but there’s so much buzz and seemingly constant ads for them. Have you got one? What do you reckon?

FEELING a slight cider buzz, thanks Henry Weston

The Victoria Tower, The Houses of Parliament

HEARING Cheering crowds, shouting commentator, “YESSSSSSS!” across the room

LOOKING at daffodils in a jug on the side table to my right

Walking from The Wellcome Collection down towards the river, I took a detour along Denmark Street to see where Cormoran Strike’s office/home is set, it’s the building to the left of Hanks guitar shop, which is not nearly as photogenic, and had a vehicle parked in front

I hope your week has been a good one? What have you been up to lately?

*Don’t forget to tell me the answer to my question, please

I’m planning to be back again on Wednesday with an update about what I’m currently making and reading. Take care of yourself, enjoy the weekend

Taking Stock – August

Making: mini hexies. Make one, join as you go. It’s a perfect little project for oddments of yarn

Cooking: Leek, Salmon & Spinach crustless quiche

Will use smoked trout or hot smoked salmon & cheddar for even more flavour next time. Asparagus & peas, instead of leek and spinach? Once you’ve got the right sized dish and basic quantity of eggs etc sussed you can make any variation. Muffin sized too, for a lunchbox friendly version. (Ask if you want the recipe)

Sipping: a pink grapefruit margarita, last night. Inspo from Nigella’s At my Table book

Reading: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. It’s SO GOOD. Baby Theo sent me this as a thank you for his Patchwork Blanket (and a bottle of Brecon gin. That baby has v good taste!)

Waiting: for my next Craft Gin Club Box. You can get a half price box, it’s such a good offer (but UK only, I’m afraid) plus I’ll get reward points. It can be a one-off, there’s no need to continue the subscription. That’s what I thought I’d do, but they’re so good I carried on. See my blog Facebook page for a few pics of some boxes I’ve received and the referral code

I need to buy more bottle lights. The middle two were my first from the CGC, the others we bought elsewhere

Looking: more and more like autumn is imminent

Listening: to a dove coo

Wishing: for a crushed ice maker

Enjoying: looking back at my summer photos

Cawsand Bay, Cornwall

Appreciating: having my next reads lined up. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society by Chris Stewart ebooks are now available for me, on the library Libby app

A very good August read

Eating: nothing yet after sourdough pizza last night

Liking: the thought of wearing my woollies again. Scarves and gloves on chilly walks – oh yes!

Loving: Call My Agent, series 2, on Netflix. Never a dull ep

Buying: local eggs

Buckland Abbey, NT

Managing: dandelions, sort of. You’ve got them all, then at super speed HELLO we’re back!

Watching: combining and bailing in the fields. Looking forward to seeing freshly ploughed fields next

See the cloud of dust?

Hoping: to go to London soon, it’s been too long but … y’know…

Wearing: socks again. I asked if anyone had put on socks & woollies yesterday afternoon. Lots of friends said they had too. A few had even put the heating on too. Brrrr! It wasn’t a warm Bank Holiday Monday at all. 15° and overcast all day. Optimistically I’d worn shorts and a tee until 3pm, when I’d turned a pale shade of blue

Noticing: ripe blackberries in hedges now (eating them too)

Following: dancers and ice skaters on Insta

Sorting: makes. Concentrating on crocheting my GS Coast Blanket, the hexies and my chunky Paintbox yarn Star Blanket

Getting: groceries delivered soon, must move

Coveting: a luxury glamping weekend with a friend

Feeling: that it’s time for more jasmine tea

Hearing: talk about SharePoint

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Can you believe it’s going to be September tomorrow, already?!