Tuesday 16 September 2014

It's not the countryside, but it is the seaside!


The boys and I are making the most of being NEAR our new home, and have started all sorts of activities, including swimming and a LOT of forest school. One week we went four times. Today we went to the beach for lunch, just because we could!


Sausages and Husband had their birthday. I've probably mentioned it before, but they have the same birthday, and when Sausages was born Husband made me promise that there would always be separate birthday cakes. Husband's is usually Nigella's Chocolate Guinness Cake.


Sausages had a knights and castles themed birthday this year, so I attempted a cake to match. I did the cake and buttercream, but I got Husband to do the finer decorating. I just can't decorate, see the Spiderman cake incident for proof!


I made some great sweetcorn muffins for snacks. I can't remember where the recipe came from, but they had cheese and spring onions and they were much better than the last batch. These are so handy for freezing and defrosting a couple at a time for afternoon tea. The little boys and I couldn't make it without afternoon tea!


These were another snack success: oaty banana breakfast biscuits. I found the recipe on this page and played with it a bit. I mashed three bananas with 1 1/2 (UK) cups of oats and some cinnamon and baked them for about 15-20min. I really couldn't tell you the oven temperature because I am not adept at using Mother-In-Law's oven. This made about 14 soft biscuits. We started eating them at breakfast, had some more for afternoon tea, Sausages might have helped himself once or twice...by bedtime they were all gone! Both boys loved them, and I'm sure they're only good for my milk supply. I'd really recommend them.


We have managed a little crafting this week, although more for Sausages than for me. I have finished clue 3 on my Follow Your Arrow and it looks lovely! I have an awful lot of yarn left, so I'm watching the last clues with a little trepidation.


Sausages recieved this kit for his birthday and was so excited to try it out.


These are his fridge magnets. I asked him if I could do one too, and when I put mine on one side to dry he gave me another to paint while I was waiting. He's such a sweet boy.


These are my fridge magnets unfinished. Sausages is excited to put them on the fridge in our new home. We're really hoping to be in next week, cross everything for us!


I'm still reading The Politics of Breastfeeding. My tablet tells me that I'm just over 20% of the way through. I'm only reading it when Bob falls asleep on me at home, so it's slow going, but I'm completely engrossed. Today I have been reading about breastfeeding and artificial feeding in relation to HIV. I'm learning so many new things every time I pick it up. If you are interested in infant or mother care, or the ethics or practicalities of infant feeding at all, you should read this book. I will post a more detailed review when I'm finished, but it may be some time.

Don't forget to pop over to Ginny's to see what all the other Yarn-Alongers are up to, and cross everything that we'll be in our new home by next Wednesday!

E

Wednesday 3 September 2014

I'm Still Here!

Still here, but still in limbo. Husband has started his new job and we still don't have a home. No, I'm not happy about that. My poor children have had enough, and are in complete meltdown. In an attempt to help them to feel more settled I have started to fill our days with "normal" activities and spending time with other children. It miiiight be working...certainly the local natural parenting community have been very welcoming!


It's taken a very long time, but I'm finally at (three rows from) the end of clue 2 on my Follow Your Arrow. There isn't much opportunity for knitting while we are all out of routine. The boys need my constant presence and attention. I was really hoping to be finished clue 2 and clue one of my Family Tree, but I haven't even managed to cast it on yet. And besides, I have some doubts about my yarn choices...shhh...


I read The Body on the Beach and I Don't Know How She Does It while we were staying at Mammar and Bapar's. They were charity shop finds, since all of my books are packed away summer, including the ones I bought for summer reading. Doh! The first I chose because I like the radio productions of some of the author's other works. It was a fine example of the gentle murder mystery genre


I Don't Know How She Does It was suggested to me by a friend a long time ago, when I was deep in postnatal depression and still trying to do my PhD full time. I wept and wept all the way through this book. It totally reinforced my conviction that the sacrifices we have made are worth it for the lifestyle we are able to have as a family.


The Politics of Breastfeeding is what I have lined up to read next. I have downloaded it as my first ebook. I'm having a bit of a love affair with my tablet. When Husband bought it for me, when I was expecting Bob, I didn't really use it to its full potential, and I'm still not, but I have started to expand my usage. I'm using it for my knitting patterns, since we have no printer set up, and for podcasts to listen to in the car and while feeding at night, as well as for catch-up TV during night feeds and now for reading! My favourite podcast at the moment, should you care for a recommendation, is Radiolab. During a long, traffic-delayed drive recently we all enjoyed the one about the extinction of the dinosaurs!

I'm desperately hoping to claw a bit more time for knitting or reading soon, I really find that without it I am Not Nice To Know. I need that little bit of focus to keep me centred. What are you crafting or reading this week? Don't forget to pop over to the Yarn Along at Ginny's to check out what everyone has been making!

E