Thursday 3 October 2013

Yarn Along!

Joining in with Ginny...



It's a quiet week in the Bungalow. Husband is under the weather, and Sausages is having a tough time with bedtime. What I mean by that, of course, is that we're all having a tough time at bedtime! It's been a demanding month for him: Husband going back to work after a summer that must feel like forever when you're two; a new playschool, which he loves and is stretching him in good ways; Mummy slowing down and not up for all the usual japes; and new swimming lessons where he has to go in without Mummy. This latter has probably been his biggest challenge, and he started the week before he turned three. He's a year younger than the other children in the class, and desperately wants to take part and do what they do, but is also quite nervous of doing it! I've been so proud to see him manage this in the last four weeks, getting braver and more independent every lesson, while I wobble on the poolside.

Back to the task in hand! The new playschool is further from home, so mostly I run errands in the local town, and find a bit of time for myself. This has meant more reading time, hurrah! This week I am reading Mayim Bialik's account of her own attachment parenting experiences. It's been a really good read for me. She and I agree on pretty much everything, but have gone about some things differently. It's like discussing the topics with another mum, but without worrying about offending or misunderstanding each other. Understandably, emotions often run high during discussions of parenting approaches! Dangerously, she has included topical recommended reading, some of which has found its way into my amazon basket this week. Oops! The scarily orange knitting is going to be a pumpkin hat for Sausages, by way of a costume for a Hallow'een party he has been invited to. There's no pattern, just a vague idea of shaping using purl columns, but I think it's going to be too small for his large head. Very orange toddler pumpkin hat, anyone?

Having Husband at home on the sofa in front of a film has meant that Sausages isn't climbing all over me today, so this morning I have put a Christmas cake in the oven, and a red cabbage in the slow cooker. That will cook all day, then be stuck in the freezer for Christmas dinner (if it makes it that far). In fact, it's so delicious I'm going to share the ingredients with you:
1 red cabbage
1 red onion
2 cooking apples
a slug of red wine
the juice of an orange
mixed spice
brown sugar
The quantities? Oh, I'm afraid I don't really cook that way, it's what I have in, or left over, or can scrump! I often freeze it in smaller batches, and defrost one every time I make a shepherd's pie with leftover roast lamb. The juices and cabbage are just perfect cooked in with the meat. I hope you have a go and enjoy it!

E



2 comments:

  1. Love the pumpkin hat to be! My kids are grown up but I remember those sleepless nights like they were just yesterday. Hopefully it's a very brief phase :)

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