Proud As Punch, Proving and Pilates!

Morning!

Yesterday I went to Felinfach to see the presentation my boys were taking part in at Canolfen y Felin. This was for the parents to see just how well the children had come on in their Welsh course and we saw just how confident they all were - hence the proud mum!!!

The boys were given certificates to celebrate their achievements.

They had also been making decorations for Christmas so we came home with cards, wreaths and tags and the proceeds are going towards a little Christmas party. None of the children the boys met when they went to school at Bont that first week have stayed the length of the course, go boys, so it will be fun to have that last time with the ones they have made friends with.

So that was yesterday really, apart from making a quick loaf of bread in the Rayburn at the same time as the slow-cooked chicken and rice for tea.

Today I am popping over to the Community Centre as we have a Coffee, Cake and Book swap once a month and this is the last one before January. I picked up a great casserole recipe book the first time I went. It was first published in 1965!

Whilst I'm there I'll have two loaves proving ready to bake when I get back. I am so chuffed I have not bought a loaf of bread since November 9 and am completely resolved to make all the bread we need, apart from things like wraps, but who knows; I have made japatis and panadia in the past so they could be a possibility, too.

It is my Pilates class this evening. Again, this is held just across the road. The teacher is a bit fluffy, my hubs would laugh his socks off if he knew I was standing there being asked to breath out my negative energy - don't really have much to be honest - and not very clear with her instructions some times, which can be tricky for a beginner like me. We are not sure if the class will continue after Christmas as a few people have fallen off and mentioned about the teaching methods.

Well, I'm away to have another cup of coffee. Flour etc is measured out for the bread so will get on with that, then I have a bed to make and a bit of tidying up before I head out at about 11am. I'll let you know if I come across another gem of a book!

Bye for now.xx

It is that time of the year I love!

Hello.

It's been a little while since my last post but my very favourite time of the year is upon us. 

         

I just love the new beginnings which come with September. The boys went back to school yesterday and I can't quite comprehend that they are in years 2 and 3! I'm slightly sad they will not see out their primary education in their current school because of our moving plans, but I'm making the most of things whilst we are still here. Two different playgrounds, a new book bag to buy and all the necessary lunch, PE kits etc made for the usually interesting morning at the beginning of a new term. Can't wait to get the raft of letters, which will duly arrive over the next week or so, about all the exciting things they will be doing, new class topics and field trips to be made. I tweeted a timetable I found yesterday so we all know what everybody is doing, seperate to the main home organisation calendar we have on the wall! Call me particular if you like! So,what have I been up to lately?                                                                                                                                                                                          

 I finally got round to a bit of sewing and decided to replace my ancient peg bag so ta dah!

 

I love the material and, though slightly wonky at the top, I am chuffed with it as it does the job. 

I've been working on something else recently but can't share it as it is a gift but pictures will follow later, I promise.

 

I found I had bought excess red onions and decided to make one of my fav recipes to use them up - red onion and balsamic vinegar chutney. Some of you may remember my tweeting about the last batch I made, once you get the onions but it's a piece of cake and very rich and yummy, possibly something to do with the glug of red wine the recipe calls for! I put the chutney in these oh so cute Kilner jars as they just give that extra zing when you have made something yourself and I love seeing them in the fridge. Have to check I open the right one as I use them for lemon curd too.

                                                                                                                                                                                   


Well, must dash as need to get some lunch and am having coffee with a friend via the post office before the afternoon school run.

Catch ya later! xx

 

 

"I Have A Dream..."

Do you have a dream or share a dream with your other half? We have a family dream but we are working hard to turn it into a reality.CHECK
  
Given the chance, or when we have worked hard enough, we see ourselves living on a farm or small holding. I would be happy as a pig in muck in my wellies and apron feeding the chickens.CHECK. We would have an honesty box at the gate where people could pick up a dozen eggs when they needed them.

 
I long to grow my own vegetables CHECK and herbs and that 
pig I was happy as muck in, well we would have one or two
to feed up then put in the freezer! 

 

 









 I imagine canning, jam making and preserving in my kitchen and making and baking yummy things, with our own eggs,CHECK in the Aga CHECK that keeps our house warm and cosy. The scrubbed wooden table CHECK would always be there with a pot of tea or coffee and a plate of home made cakes and bakes.CHECK

I would love fruit trees so that, come the autumn, I would make lots of chutney, preserves and pies to put in my walk in larder where I would also store the spoils from my labour on the vegetable patch.

We don't currently have a dog CHECK but I imagine, if we did, the boys taking it out as they charge around in their wellies enjoying the outdoor life - with me saying be back at tea time!

Come the winter there would be no problem if we were snowed in as I am sure we would have a monster of a woodpile CHECK. With all my making and baking plus a freezer full we would more than survive until "the pass is open, the pass is open!" (Anybody familiar with Seven Brides For Seven Brothers?)

This sounds perfectly idylic to me and we are trying to hard to eventually make this life for ourselves and our boys.CHECK

What dreams or plans do you have? I would love you to share them with me.

Hope to hear from you.

Catch ya later! xx

Baking Challenge Day 2 - oops!

Hi. I have a confession to make - I failed on day two of my challenge. I knew I had a lot on this week and thought it might be a tight squeeze to get it done and so there we are.

I had a tonne of stuff to do yesterday. With the decorating just getting finished I was in a bit of a mess downstairs and had to go out and get a can of paint anyhow. I had been given some lush red and also stripey green home-grown tomatoes and needed to get them made into chutney so that was on the agenda - see below how it turned out.

Also I had agreed to put a couple of things together as a raffle prize for a local hospital fundraiser so made a lemon drizzle cake and popped it in a bag with some of the rhubarb jam I made the other week - always useful when you have something in stock for a sudden request. So I am afraid the personal baking went out the window. We were going out as a family to one of the boys' after school activities so had to get a requested sausage pasta bake made for them before I did the school run. 

I feel I am full of excuses but glad I could help out so don't feel so very bad.

So just now I am having a breather after doing most of the cleaning up as the painting is finished.

Well, I now need to go and find something I can definitely get completed for the challenge today - I would be no good AT ALL on The Great British Bake Off with my time keeping!