Boxing Day Frivolities!

Our Boxing Day was spent eating what was left over from our Christmas dinner and enjoying more of Mum's home made pudding. Catherine and Mark joined us for the meal, where we dined on sliced beef in gravy, quiche, sausages, tourtiere, "shmam potatoes", my special brussel sprouts, carrots. And after pudding and some of my holiday baked treats, we spent the rest of the evening playing Wii (in attempts to burn off the calories gained during the meal). Mum turned out to be the star bowler, and we spent most of our time trying to perfect the technique to knock down the most pins possible. A good night was had by all, but the decision is clear...the diet starts tomorrow!! :) I have pictures of the bowling, however they're on my old school camera so I'll put those up when I get them developed.

Catherine and Me- Catherine dressed as a present.
Catherine, and Mark with me by our fabulous tree.

Happy/Merry Christmas!!

To all and everyone, I wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season where ever it takes you! I heard a sermon given at the midnight service on the BBC, the Right Rev'd giving the sermon explained how "Merry Christmas" was meant as a term to describe an occasion filled with drinking, and late nights, and general extravagances. He explained that "Happy Christmas" is more acceptable to describe a season of good cheer, family, and time honoured traditions in a more sensible context. I see where this comes from, however I still interchange the sayings freely given that the Christmas holiday season holds so many different meanings for different people, it can mean both! Some gather with platoons of family, have children running all around them, and eat until they pop. Others go to 5 different church services, and carol services and nothing else. Whatever we get up to, the aim is the same: maintaining or creating family traditions, and to feel that magic we all felt as children. In our house, we have a tree, we go to church, and eat copious amounts of food. But lately, we've had to change a few things. I still maintain that we need a tree which I decorate, and I wrap gifts in garish paper and ribbons, I bake millions of cookies and sweets, and Mum and I write what seams like a hundred Christmas cards ... and I wouldn't have it any other way. The only down side (and I know all of you who are forehead deep in snow might object) is not having a blanket of snow, and the smell of salt on the roads.

So whatever you do, whether it's with family, friends, or tucked up on your couch watching old films - have a good and happy holiday season.
With Love!

The Vicarage fire place, Christmas 2007

Christmas Baking!

Tis the season to expand those waist lines, and tomorrow will always be the day to start the proverbial diet. It's no different in our house! This year represents three years accumulated into one. Every time Christmas came round, so did about 4 essays and a couple projects on top. Therefore leaving no room for baking cookies, decorating a tree, sending cards, or anything remotely festive. Yes, I managed to put lights up but it wasn't enough for me. So this year I'm making up for it! Mum and I started planning our Christmas and Boxing Day meals while watching Nigella's Christmas on TV I gathered ideas of what I wanted to make as gifts packets. Mum and I have named this year's Christmas Holiday season our "Shmam Christmas," in honour of Nigella. I should explain this comes from an article Ed was reading, where a photo of her showed off her heaving bosom. The author of the article described these as "Nigella with her shmams out" therefore, our "Shmam Christmas". I started off baking some old classics: my Chocolate chop cookies, and whipped shortbread (which were always present in the hundred in our front porch growing up), and decorated gingerbread. I then added some new discoveries from Nigella's Christmas Cookbook: Peanut Butter Cups with Art and Soul, Christmas Rocky Road, and her extremely cute Christmas Pudini Bonbons. Mum got some edible gold luster spray for her birthday, so how could I resist using this on some of my calorific creations?? Now the rocky road is piled high, the peanut butter cups are lined up in their millions (the recipe said it yielded 48....so how did I end up with 115?!), and the tins are overflowing with cookies in their many varieties. These will mostly be used as gifts for friends, and for offering guests but the problem is I know how to make them...so what's to stop me making another batch of everything? By the way, did I mention I did all this in a day and a half? Happy Eating!!

Chocolate Chip cookies with oats and coconut

Whipped Shortbread

Decorated Gingerbread made with sweetened condensed milk

The Peanut Butter cups with Art and Sole (from Nigella)

Christmas Rocky rock (from Nigella)

Christmas Pudini Bonbons (or Pudlettes as Ed named them), also from Nigella

Happy 8th Birthday Morgan!!

Today, my niece turned 8! And is celebrating with her two new hamsters: Oreo and Peppermint, as well as the rest of her family. Hopefully the Birthday party went well, and her sleepover too. I remember being 8 and having a fish themed party with my family. My Mum made me a fish cake and (in the shape of a cake, not a cake made out of fish) and the glasses had fish on them as well. I had a bit of an aquaobsession :)

Regardless of the theme, Birthdays are special and I hope Morgan, that yours was special for your reasons :D
Happy Birthday Sweety!!

Volleyball ALUMNI Game!!!

Today, we had our first Alumni Vball match. Though the new guys gave a good fight, and made us really dig deep we took the game in 2 sets to 1. The original theme was a retro theme, so everyone was meant to get a retro vball kit and dress up...Do you think I could resist?? I went out and got some great material for some ribbons and used my Mum's badminton dress she made in the '60s as my main kit and threw my hair into pigtails. The piece de resistence was my hand-made "fluffy bum" knickers...which I wore OVER my own knickers!! Overall, my costume rocked! But unfortunately, I think I was the only one to really get the bug, so apart from Tanya (who by default is Old School) I was the only one who dressed up. I still rocked it though :)

Fluffy Bums!!!!

Happy Hallowe'en

Though we didn't get any kids at the door, I know our pumpkin amused the kids across the street! Mum and I had the decorations in the hall and our sweets in the bowl, so we were ready. Mum, of course wore her wizard's hat, and I wore a bobbley pumpkin head piece. We spent the evening working on my volleyball kit (and Ed's manly pink apron :D) so we had a good evening nonetheless. Hope you all had a safe and happy Hallowe'en!!

First Snow of the Year!!

I was uplifted one evening when I went outside to take the garbage out and instead of rain falling on my head it was snow! I love snow! I miss it so much. I grew up waking up to snowfalls that left 3 feet of snow on the ground. So over here where snow is sparse I take what I can get. I was thrilled enough that I danced outside and took photos just to remember it. I love listening to those glistening little flakes fall onto the surfaces making the tiniest noise only heard when thousands of flakes fall together, and I love seeing the ground slowly being blanketed in white. More of this snow settled over the evening, but this was the beginning of the first snow fall of the year (let's hope it's not the last!!)

My Poor Car had a Fever :(

Today, my Little Blue Midget had to go into the car hospital...twice. Everything was fine as I headed into Banbury to do a bit of shopping. It started when I was driving back home, and I noticed that the temperature gauge was climbing. The Blue Midget is pretty consistent, the temp always reads 70 degrees. When the warning light came on as the engine temp creeped up beyond 100C, I hastily pulled over. After waiting a while, while it cooled its heels, I then continued on the 3 minutes I had remaining to get home. Just as I pulled into our drive the car starting steaming and I heard it purge all of its cooling fluids. Cross, I stormed into the house and vented to Mum, half cross and half worried we'd lost a car. After topping up its fluid again, I tested the engine, and all seemed well!! So, I carried on with my day and headed out to a near by village. I didn't make it 2 miles when the engine started playing up again. Not taking any chances, I pulled over again and called the AA. 45 minutes later I was being pull towed to the garage... Luckily, I had a few things to do in Chippy while the car was being tended to. four hours later, I went to collect the car. Confidently, I drove to Tew to drop off a few things and then went to head home. I didn't make it a mile out of the village and the temp gauge went up again. By this point, I was tired and more worried (I needed the car as I was driving to Kent that weekend). The first time was pull-towed into Chippy it was daylight, and I smugly thought: "Thank goodness it's not dark!" Ha ha ha... Now it was dark, and I just wanted to go home. Luckily Mum was near by and she waited for the AA with me, in the dark. They arrived soon after and I was pull-towed for the second time that day. The car was in over night, and Mum and I were driving back to our house. So, I had to drive the Volvo for four days while the car was being mended. I arrived at work one day and my boss and colleagues asked "are your kids in the backseat?"!! I did enjoy not having to worry about stalling when I first set off in the morning. So, two pull-tows and two visits to the garage and four days without two cars later, and we have our Blue Midget back, fully recovered and much happier!
One thing I did enjoy doing though, was parking askew in the drive, as I didn't have to worry about fitting two in. A bit frivolous I know, but I take my small pleasures!

Is There Something Wrong Here?!?

I checked the the thermometer on the other side of the kitchen window the other day to check how cold it was outside. On the 18th of October I was expecting 10, maybe 15 degrees C. This was not what was staring at me from the other side of the window. When I saw the thermometer read 40 degrees I knew something was up...I think we have to move it from a South facing window!!

Here's the proof:

Our 3 Year Anniversary!!

Today, I have the pleasure of celebrating three years of happy togetherness with my Handsome Eddie!! Though we can't be together on the actual day, he sent me a dozen roses in the mail :) They looked beautiful in the window basking in the morning sunshine. As the 3rd anniversary is leather I gave Ed some leather cleaner for the ancestral leather chair I gave him when we moved. Not a dozen roses, but I love him just the same :D

I hope we have many more years to come.
I Love you xoxoxox

A Home Made Stole

Recently, a friend of ours was ordained priest at Dorchester Abbey. As a priesting gift, Mum and I wanted to make a stole for Sue to wear on the day. Originally, we had wanted to make her a stole for her ordination to Deacon, but events were a bit busy. Mum used a stole that was worn by our Jesuit friend, Jim. This retired stole was given a new lease of life, and also represented Sue's Roman Catholic background. There were already some threaded designs in blues and browns, so Mum and I added crosses and butterflies made with cross-stitch. The butterflies were the new life Sue was starting, and also because the stole Mum made for Dad when he was priested had a butterfly on it too. Despite some worries, it turned out beautifully and everyone loved it!!

Sushi Making!!

These pictures have been a long time coming, but here they are at long last! Our family friend Flora came to stay for a couple of days and one thing we did to entertain ourselves was make sushi! After seeing a photo in a magazine on the Friday, we made it our plan to get the supplies and make our own version of the 'California' and 'Philadelphia' rolls. So we set out and got crab sticks, smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese, cucumber, plus of course sushi rice, see weed (or 100% sea vegetable as they say on the packet) rice flavouring, and soya sauce. Flo made up some wasabi but I gave it a miss...a little on spicy side, and for those who have eaten with me, they'll know what a wimp I am when it comes to spicy food. I used some bamboo place mats I bought from IKEA that made perfect rolling mats. Flo gave me a crash course on how to roll a sushi roll, and away we went! When all the rolls were made we cut and placed them on a tray and brought them out to Mum. We dined out on the patio (cause it was the first sunny day we'd had in weeks!) with individual pots of soya sauce. It was awesome!! Here are the photos as testament to the success of our efforts.

All the equipment.
Rice placement demonstration.
One Phillie roll ready to go!
Our stack, about to be cut.
Drool......
Mummy enjoying her home made sushi.
Flora enjoying her sushi.
Me enjoying everything they didn't eat :)

The Befores and Afters

I thought it was high time that I post the before and the after photos from the Vicarage. Apart from the books in the library we've cleared the house. Soon, they are starting to work on the electrics and plumbing and it wont look like this anymore. It's hard to detach from this wonderful house, but I'll always have my memories of it. Enjoy!!

The kitchen #1
Kitchen #2
Kitchen #3
Kitchen #4

Livingroom #1
Livingroom #2
Livingroom #3
Livingroom #4


Diningroom #1
Diningroom #2
Diningroom #3
Diningroom #4


Snug #1
Snug #2
Snug #3
Snug #4


Mum's room #1 (I love this one, because it looks like my Dad's in the room)
Mum's room #2
My room #1
My room #2
The little guest room
Catherine's room, formerly the big guest room
Upstairs hallway leading to the back bathroom
Mum's craft room (affectionately known as the Holy room because there was a hole in the floor when we moved in)
One of the three loft rooms
A crawl space in the loft, see the stone wall.

Stairway leading down from the loft to the second floor
stairs leading to the wine cellar (note the ancient fire extinguisher)
The wine cellar
The hallway leading to the back of the house...
And the hallway leading to the front door.

Now all empty...