@AndSmelly
Following on from September's gin, jam and chutney marathon, its marmalade time. It's a long time since I've made marmalade so I had to get the recipe book out to figure out quantities. Unfortunately I didn't do that until after I'd been to buy fruit. So 4 large oranges, a grapefruit and some lemons amounted… Continue reading Making stuff 12: marmalade
I've been learning to run for a few months now. It's been sporadic until these last few weeks. I did a couple on holiday last summer, started couch to 5km in September (still haven't finished), got a cold and stopped then did a few more in December. Learning to run: part 2Learning to run: part… Continue reading Learning to run: part 3
Its been a chaotic few weeks already this year. Work had been absolutely exhausting mentally, with some really long stressful days. Large boy has started cubs, husband's eczema is flared up, all three males have been poorly one way of another. Oh and I'm running almost every day. With all that and the first anniversary… Continue reading Casserole comforts
That dreaded moment when your reception child comes home with the newsletter that says "homework is to make a 3 little pigs house, it will be tested for strength with a hairdryer'. Not just crafts, but a challenge, a competition. I HATE crafts. I am not arty or good at engineering things. In hate glitter… Continue reading Making stuff 11: reception crafts, a pig house
Anyone who works in software knows the dread of release week - or in the current case, release fortnight. Multiply by two and add two more supervisions, plus another, then add a customer install and test session. The result: chaos. I feel like an octopus. I'm trying to do my own work, monitor others', keep… Continue reading When work takes over
Dear little man. I'm so sorry you aren't here, it's your first birthday today. I've been dreading today for months, but maybe it doesn't need to be horrid. Maybe we can think of the wonderful family you have, that you'll always be part of. We didn't get to hold you or love you or bring… Continue reading Dear Baby Boy3
Apologies, this is a "blah blah look at this great idea I stole" post. I saw one of those videos with 20 ideas of simplifying your life using a glue gun and some really specific item you have lying around. You know, like creating a sink tidy for your sponge with a suction cup and… Continue reading Top tip to keep car seats clean
I saw this great post by What Hannah Wrote: 20 Goals for 2020 (find her at @whathannahwrote) where she talks about goals, not resolutions. That got me thinking about what I want from this year. I don't have specific resolutions either. I'm not giving up meat, or alcohol, or petrol. I'd like to commit to… Continue reading What I want from 2020
Its been a while since my latest running journey began (see Part 1), its not been terribly smooth. I was beset by a horrid cold at the end of October that lingered for weeks. Then it was dark so early I found it hard to get out. I'm developing a hatred for the treadmill. I'm… Continue reading Learning to run: part 2
This is the story of the last day of proper holidays before going back to school and work. Here is dad back at work, up and out by 7.30am. Here is mum with a headache before the day begins (or was last night's gin measure too big? Or played too much on the Switch after… Continue reading The last day of holidays
Smelly Socks and Garden Peas 