Catherine's 27th Birthday!!

Another year....wiser? That'll come later.

To celebrate Catherine's birthday, Mum and I joined Catherine and Mark in Woodstock for dinner at the Woodstock Arms. Everything about the meal was wonderful: the ambiance, our waitress, and of course the meal. Our waitress even managed to find birthday candles especially for Catherine's dessert! The four of us had great catch up, and we got a couple of nice photos to mark the occasion.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THING!!!

Shrove Tuesday

Easter and Lent in our house are always filled with many traditions including a meal on Shrove Tuesday. Within our Christian household we saw this as one of the days leading up to Lent, and a time when we should start thinking about what we can do without for Lent. Originally, the name Shrove Tuesday came from the verb shrive, or obtain absolution from sins by making confessions and doing penance. So in order for English Christians to start Lent complete absolved, they were require to shrive. Shrove Tuesday is given other names in other households such as Pancake Tuesday or Mardi Gras. But whatever you decide to call it, the idea behind the celebration is very similar: Mardi Gras of course is a celebration where you eat rich foods, wearing wonderful costumes, playing music and being joyful and thankful for what you have in life. Pancakes are eaten on Pancake Day as they use up ingredients like fat, sugar, and flour that were often not allowed during the Lenten period.

Pancakes are a classic dish in our family, as we ate them for our Sunday lunch, therefore we gladly ate them on Shrove Tuesday as well. Mum would get out Aunt Jessie Lapworth's electric frying pan, and make the pancakes from a recipe that was taped to the inside of the cupboard door above where the batter would be mixed. There are pale circles in the corner of this frying pan where four pancakes would be poured out to cook, and once tiny one fit perfectly in the middle. This would usually be thrown to us children, to keep us quiet while the rest of the meal was being prepared. All the ceremony surrounding the meal and its meaning are ingrained in me, and I was very much looking forward to our pancakes this year! Mum and I certainly enjoyed our pancakes and Oscer Mayer bacon (you can't usually get that brand over here in England so it was a treat!), but regardless of what you call this day and even what you all do on it, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Studio 64

Have you ever felt like everything in your path is preventing you from getting where you need to go? Like someone's telling you should go? That's sort of what yesterday felt like. For months now I've had this makeover planned. I won it one day after filling out a questionnaire on the street. Not expecting to win, I was thrilled when I got a phone call saying I'd won. I decided to drag Ed along for the fun of it. When the day finally arrived, I couldn't wait to be pampered, and made to feel pretty. As per usual, I had researched which Tube we'd need to take to get to the Studio, and how long it would take get there. I also planned which bus I'd take in, and where to meet Ed. Well you can plan all you want but if the great London Underground wants to be difficult there's no stopping it. The day started going askew when I realized I didn't have enough for a day return of the bus which was £16 (shock horror), so I had to get a single instead which was £13. This also meant I would have to buy another single on my way back! After worrying that I wouldn't get on a bus to London because they were all so full (was everyone going to London??), I thought I'd be late because of the traffic. Ed was having his own trouble trying to get his hair cut so he was running a bit late. After we finally met up in Victoria station there was the issue of getting a ticket for the Tube. In the past we've always been able to buy the tickets for the Tube downstairs by the entrance. This was not the case this time... so we queued with the other 100 people to get a ticket, and once I got to the card kiosk we got our tickets. Theoretically, it takes 20 minutes to get from Victoria station to Farringdon station...so long as the Circle line is running!! It was only when we'd be waiting for 15 minutes thinking how odd it was there hadn't been a Circle train in a while, that we figured out they weren't working. Not because the announcement said: "work on the line" or a sign saying "no service on the Circle line 21-22 Feb," more because there weren't any trains. So, plan B: take a District line and transfer onto another line to get to Farringdon. Nice thought, if there hadn't been planned works on District meaning there wasn't service between Embankment and Blackfriars stops, despite the destination on the boards all saying otherwise. Luckily we didn't take one of those trains, and moved on to plan C: taking the Victoria line to St. Pancras and changing to get to another line to get to Farringdon. This plan actually worked! So at Farringdon, and after Ed finally got his ticket to work to get out of the place, we set out to find the studio. I had phoned ahead to say we'd be late but the receptionist seemed to think I'd take the opportunity to take my time now, I mean really. I said we'd be there in half an hour...our half an hour was up in 2 minutes. Charging through the empty roads of Farringdon, Ed and I walked in circles for a bit until we finally found the Studio: a discrete grey sign, and chrome door. No one answered the buzzer and when another pair of people arrived to have their appointment we stood there waiting for 5 minutes. That was until a man wandered up to the door, looked at us curiously...and pushed the door open and walked inside. I bet they'd all had a great time watching on the camera standing out there when all we had to do was push the door! So anyway we were finally there, we had made it despite everything trying to stop us. The rest of the day went extremely well. As I was getting my makeup done, glad to be sitting there, Ed was sitting behind me getting his hair done. With my eyes still shut I heard one of the stylists say to Ed: "Well, that's your hair done, won't be long until someone comes and does your makeup"... to which I heard a shocked reply "Makeup?". Poor Ed thought he'd be getting mascara and red lipstick, but you couldn't even tell he had any on wen they were done. It was all for the photos, really. And that was an experience too! I don't really like my photo taken, but the photographer was really cool and made you feel relaxed. After the photos Ed and I had a private viewing of all the photos. I would have bought them all, but no can do. So we picked three that we liked, and left it at that. Although we almost didn't get there and I nearly broke a window to get in, but sitting and being made pretty was certainly a treat. Getting back to Victoria station had its troubles attached to it. We descended into the Tube station, and were greeted by a mass of football fans that had been recently released from an Arsenal's game. Luckily we weren't going through the same gates as they were, however we did share a train back to Victoria with them. So naturally space was scarce, but we managed in the end. Ed and I finished the day by having a burger at a pub in Victoria station. It was the end of the day, so I paid for my second single ticket of the day, and then slept all the way back to Oxford. Being "glamorfied" is tiring!! :) Here is the result of the day....

After the photo shoot...taking advantage of the background.

The cute couple :P

My Handsome Man!
Guess :)

Happy 3rd Birthday Ella-Bean!

My sister's little rugby-player-in-training turns three years old today!! And although she unfortunately had the sniffles, I believe it was a good day. We expect wonderful things from Ella, and she hasn't disappointed us once!

:D Happy Birthday Ella :D

Valentine's Day

This year's Valentine's Day was sort of squished into a tight schedule, but it was wonderful nonetheless. I drove down to see Ed on the Saturday, and was greeted by a wonderful steak dinner with sauteed potatoes and a nice glass of wine, all cooked and poured by my Handsome Man. The original plan was to go out for a meal and then for a movie, however all the restaurants we wanted were fully booked and the film we had wanted to see wasn't showing until the next week! So, we both decided on having a meal in and to watch a movie we'd both never seen. Then we polished off a tub of cookies & cream Haagen Daaz :) The following day, Ed got dragged shopping with me, and we celebrated Sunday with a Chinese takeout lunch. We don't get a lot of time together while he finishes his degree, but this was definitely time well spent together. I had a wonderful time being wined and dined and relaxing. Happy Valentine's Day all!!

Let it Snow!! (Just let the Grit Last)

All of this week, I'm sure you've seen on the news, there has been a major snow fall by this country's standards. They say it's the most snow they've received in a short space of time for 18 years! Though, not true for my past I know there are many people who've never seen this much snow ever! Furthermore, they've never driven in so much snow...

I have in my car, a long handled scraper, a shovel, and a cloth for the inside of the windshield. The only thing I don't have is kitty litter for getting myself out of a jam. The shovel did come in handy when I helped a man get out of parking lot! Also when I needed to get of the driveway. The latest trauma is that some of the councils are running out of grit! (this word always makes Mum and me laugh...we think of the Grit Busters!!)

Almost each day this week we've been able to go home early from work, so Friday I went around the village taking pictures of snow, and scenery. Once back at home, I used the last of the daylight to play in the backyard a bit. I thought of making a snowman, but thought I'd try something different this year. So, I built an Igloo! I had to remove the four inches of powdery snow to reveal the two or three inches of good packing snow. The Igloo is hollow, and has an entrance and all. Today, I wanted to go up to the top of Tew Church tower, mostly to get a look at the churchyard, but found that it was the perfect day for seeing the fields and surrounding villages under their picturesque blanket of snow. I've taken a few shots of the places I've been, and I hope you like them! I think they speak for themselves :)

Mapping of a Churchyard

Ever since we moved here, I wanted to map the churchyard at Tew. It is the only church within the benefice of four churches that doesn't have a map. Several people have requested to know where certain people in their family are buried, and sadly all we can say is "...sorry, we don't know." Now that I've finished my degree and I have some records from the 1800s, I have took on the responsibility of putting a location to these names. While the oldest part of the churchyard is not covered with nettles and daisies I'm taking this opportunity to map the oldest part of the churchyard. Eventually I'll move to the second oldest, and finally onto the part of the churchyard that is still being used. It's a long and cold process as at the moment I'm mostly outside for hours at a time writing down details, then when I'm back at home I enter the details into a spreadsheet. The research is turning up very interesting information about who's buried here, how, how much they paid, where they lived, etc. Some families are still living in the villages, others have all moved on, but hopefully when it is all done people can find their families, or even just enjoy knowing a bit more about the villages' past.

A view of the oldest section of the churchyard

An example of what I have to decipher! The date at the bottom read 1699!!

Some are a bit buried, so will be near impossible to read.

Robbie Burns Day

This is a concept that is slightly new to me, but Mum knows more about it. The description of the Burns Supper Guidline according to the Burns Country website is "The annual celebratory tribute to the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). Celebrated on, or about, the Bard's birthday, January 25th, Burns Suppers range from stentoriously formal gatherings of esthetes and scholars to uproariously informal rave-ups of drunkards and louts. Most Burns Suppers fall in the middle of this range, and adhere, more or less, to some sort of time honoured form which includes the eating of a traditional Scottish meal, the drinking of Scotch whisky, and the recitation of works by, about, and in the spirit of the Bard. " Although we couldn't find the haggis Mum and Dad had brought back from Scotland, we still went out for a pub lunch with our friend Sue. Unfortunately, they didn't have any haggis on the menu so alternatively Mum and Sue enjoyed slow roasted ox tail, and I spinach and ricotta cannelloni. Mum was telling us how when they would get together with their friends to celebrate today, my Dad would read out the "Address to a Haggis". Apparently, Dad had a great Ayrshire accent and would recite the whole address in it. This version and translation were taken from the Robert Burns World Federation website:

Address To A Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn,
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!

The Translation

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

Two Scots celebrating by eating :)

Mum with Sue.

Pudding Club Evening

Tonight, my Mum and I went to First Annual Pudding Club in my Godmother's village. It was fabulous! The evening comprised of seeing 8 puddings paraded in front of us, after which we sampled each pudding in groups of 4. In the first round we had a portion each of: sticky toffey pudding , treacle tart, Windsor pudding, and bread and butter pudding. The second round included: chocolate fudge pudding, winter crumble, sherry trifle, and boiled apple pudding. While eating the puddings we had to fill out an evaluation for each pudding based on the presentation, the taste, and the overall satisfaction. This was not an easy task as I would have put the maximum point value for every one! Though our tummies were very full at the end of all the eating, we were very satisfied. There is talk about another one in a year's time. I wonder what they'll come up with then??

Offertory Burning

Today was a day both Mum and I weren't too sure what to do about. A man came and evaluated some of Dad's books in the hopes that he would buy some of them. Not that either Mum or I enjoy having Dad's books down from the shelves and being looked through knowing that the man who bought them isn't here to tell us where he got them, but at the same time the books have to be taken from the Vicarage as they're wanting to start structural work on the house. In other words, they have to be dealt with. We had our good friend Flo here to help us offering her expertise so Mum and I didn't feel out of out depths. Once the man had gone, the three of us ritualistically burned some of Dad's old teaching things in the study fireplace. This was a process we thought would be appropriate. In total we burned a model medieval village, an Anglo-Saxon model chapel, a model Viking ship, all of which couldn't just be thrown into a garbage bag, and also several books we though he'd like to read. Some German, some French, Latin, poetry, and many other flavours. Mum and I have plans to take some of the ashes from the fire place and scatter them over Papa's grave. To keep him out of trouble ;P

Flo, getting things going.
The Village, burning strong.
Me, feeding the boat into the flames, as is only appropriate.

Happy New Year 2009!!

As it has been the tradition for the past couple years, I spent New Year's with my Handsome Man in Kent. We saw some friends of ours in Canterbury then spent the rest of my visit at his Mum's house with Ed's Mum and brother Jack. Instead of going out and spending way too much money we didn't have on drinks, we spent the evening in with a bottle of champagne and Jules Holland on TV. Jack, Ed, and I also had a good time playing GTA on the XBox. I don't play very well but I like to think I amuse. Ed and I also went out on a few excursions: We went to see a film, and on another evening we went bowling with friends. I have to say the Wii had certainly helped my game ;P It was a great start to a new year, so let's home it's a foreshadowing.

Because I love you :P
Ben in action pose...
Jack in action pose...
Ed in action pose....
...and a shot of my bum!
We played pool after too. Ed and I won the double game, go us!!

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