Author: MsWalsh

As I type I'm 40 odd yrs. Sometimes very odd :) I'm separated and now I'm also cat free. I love to cook, craft, read & watch TV. This is to be the place that makes me smile.
Books · Cooking · Life

New Year New Weight Watchers

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Well I had well and truely fallen off the WW bandwagon and found that I am now 2stone above my goal weight – eek.  I sat on the bus home thinking Oh My God!  It wasn’t the figures on the scales – they were exactly what I expected but what I can’t figure out is why I did it.  That is 28lbs worth of weight I shouldn’t have to work on.  The other scary thing is that at least one of those stones is a stone worth of chocolate!  Ah well these things happen and I’ll work on it through out the year and get back down to goal (again)  The main aim is to be down by my cousins wedding in August which is achievable.

Anyway I went back to the meetings at lunchtime and had a read of the new plan – basically it’s back to points again.  I didn’t mind it works for me when I do it so here I come.  In order to try and get off to a flying start I’ve my breakfast ready for tomorrow – it’s a fruit smoothie and I’m going to start on lunch when I’m finished writing this.  I’m somewhat curious about the smoothie – normally I’d have a bowl of porridge but have decided to go for variety for the week.

Ok now I’m rambling so I’m going to stop but I want to mention that I really have to willpower and bought yet another book !  This time it’s:  Fireside: A Family Companion yet another book to keep me entertained during those long winter nights – all I need now is lessons on how to turn the telly off!

Good night!

Books · Cooking

Yet one more new book

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Today I picked up my copy of Kitchen Essays from our favourite book shop – Chapters

Kitchen Essays

I really am looking forward to reading this.

Books · Cooking · Home

Book Buying

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Well we went on our first book buying session of 2009 and I think I came away with one or two nice things – well five to be precise.  I managed to pick up the following:

Battles at Thrush Green
Lark Rise
Toast
The Second Irish Christmas Book
The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady

However the absolute treasure of the day came from my Mother-in-law:
Christmas Recipes
I’m looking forward to sitting down and picking out things to make from this as I reckon it could be good fun and to top it off the book is beautifully done – the book is “written out in manuscript form and illustrated”.

On a slightly non-book related purchase – we picked up a duster made from ostrich feathers – it is so funky! It is funny how the little things can make you happy – just the thought of not having to sweep the ceilings – who would have thought it! So now I’m off to dance with my feathers – woohoo!

Christmas · Cooking · craft · Life

Thoughts for the New Year

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I don’t like to make resolutions but I do make lists of good intentions.  Unfortunately for me we all know about good intentions 😦

Anyway Christmas is always December 25th so why this year did it take me as such a surprise?  My preparedness was lacking to say the least and that is such a pity as I absolutely love Christmas.  Throughout the year I have my markers – I’ll recover until my birthday and the look forward from then on.  However I allow myself to think and get ready for Christmas very late – not 2009.  Any festive stitching and other crafty projects that I want to do will be done throughout the year come what may.

The other thing that I am hoping to do more of is baking.  Not sure what or why – do I mean baking or cooking – both I suppose.

I always look to the new year with great hope but then it zips by and I’ve managed to achieve nothing – well maybe not nothing but certainly not as much as I’d have liked.

The one thing I’m definitely going to do in 2009 is lose weight.  I’m nearly 2 stone above my goal weight so I’ve to knuckle down come the new year.

Christmas · Life

We’re off to see the wizard

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We’re not really.  The we in question is myself and my parents and we’re off to Waterford.  My original notion behind this weekend was I’ve to visit my two grandmothers and give out presents and cards.  As the folks were heading I’m getting a lift from them.  One of the reasons for the folks visit other than the usual was that it was Dads 60th last weekend and he’s going out for food with the brothers & sister.  I get to go as I’ll be there and they can’t have me on my own all night can they? 🙂

It will be a little bit odd as himself won’t be there and as mentioned earlier there is that carol concert that I’ll be at but without him 😦

I was talking to one of the girls in work about how this weekend I’d planned to go through the kitchen and make space for Christmas supplies – I’d like to know how the going away part of the weekend managed to slip my mind as I’ve had this planned since something like August!!!  Never mind I can do the kitchen another time – It’s not Christmas yet.

Ok now I’m wittering! I think I still have tonnes of stuff to do – I’m not packed, I don’t have the presents wrapped (I’m not 100% where the wrapping paper is).  However the cards are written and I have another two hours to be ready.  With that in mind I’ll talk to you later 😀

Christmas · Life

It’s almost Christmas

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When the Christmas issue of Good Housekeeping comes out on the first Thursday of November it’s official – I can start to plan Christmas out loud.  Then they start to mess with the dates of the Radio Times and that means it’s December and we’re almost there.  Well tomorrow the Christmas double edition of the Radio Times is coming out and then we’ll know that it is officially ‘Tis The Season.  I’ve my pink highlighter at the ready!  I will admit that I buy two of the Radio Times – one for me and one for him.  Sadly I tend to collect the Christmas edition – even if it’s only a new habit I’ve started – this one will have Wallace & Gromit on it –  Fantastic!!!!

Christmas · craft

National Craft Fair

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This evening we are off to the National Craft Fair – this is not to be confused with the Knitting and Stitching. At the K&S you buy the stuff to make yourself and at the NCF the stuff is done and being sold at fairly hefty prices. The price part is why I wouldn’t sell any of the stuff that I make/do ’cause between the cost of materials and time put into it you couldn’t get somebody to pay that price not when the high street shops cost even less then the materials you’ve used.
So this evening I’m planning on getting some essential oils (Lavender, Juniper & Frankincense) and a hat.  I’ve been saving for the hat so this year I will have the cash.  I was disappointed last year not to have that amount of money spare 😦  The year before I picked up a beautiful hat so I’m looking to add to the collection. Erm I seem to have lost the photos I had of the hat – I will just have to get some of the new one instead.

There is also a food hall.  I’m not going to buy any tea this year – I tend to go oh that lovely lets get some and then don’t use it – I don’t know why.  However there will be all sorts of other foody goodness.

I will post a list of goodies purchased when we get back.

Cats · Christmas · craft · Life

Decembery Goodness

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It’s the first of December – like you needed me to tell you that!

I was away for the weekend with my mother and her guild of the ICA  and I had great fun.  We were doing a weekend course in hand stitched Christmas decorations.  We headed off on Friday and came back yesterday after dinner.  I have to say it was great and you came home with something to show for it!

This is the wall hanging that we did, it is also a introduction to patchwork.

Christmas hanging-1

Santa part of hanging-1Tree part of hanging-1

I am having visions of this house getting overrun with fabric as I have taken a shine to this.

While we were away we went for a walk on Saturday morning after breakfast and before class and I happened to have my camera with me. So as we were coming up to the top of the road this is what appeared before us.
church-1

It really was lovely. However this morning December seems to have kicked in with the weather. As I type I have the heating on and the kettle is boiling for a cuppa ’cause when I got up this morning and looked out the window this is what greeted me:
opposite with frost-1
upper with frost-1

If I’m being honest this is the kind of weather that I’d like to see on Christmas day – wake up and it’s all white and then forget about it as it gradually goes – yes I’d love snow but that really can cause havoc so for safety I’ll sacrifice my dreams for a heavy frost 😛
Mind you even with that frost it can be dangerous – I’m expecting my mother over to me this morning as we are going to get an artificial Christmas tree for me (I think with cats in the house it’s the wisest choice) – anyway mam is coming over but I’ve a feeling that the roads will be slippery so I hope she will be alright getting over.

While I’m waiting for her to arrive I think I’ll hunt out my advent calanders and start opening windows!

Christmas

Carol Services

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Last year myself and himself went to Waterford in December to give out presents to the Grannies.  As a break from all the visiting we popped down the town.  As we were coming up from the clock tower we could hear Christmas Carols, I could see the speakers outside the Cathederal and figured that was nice of them to play music for the shoppers.  However after a minute of two of listening and discussion we realised that it was a broadcast of what was going on in the church itself.  Happily we popped in and stood down the back for a few songs.  Hand on heart – I can say that was one of the highlights of the festive season for me.  It was so unexpected to hear and see this lovely music performed live.

With last year in mind I’ve been keeping an eye out for this year – I’ll be down visiting the two Grannies and as luck would have it the carol service is being held that weekend too!  The only draw back is that this year I most likely won’t have his good self with me ’cause of work 😦  So in a way I’m torn I’m looking forward to hearing the music but I won’t have anybody to hold my hand and appreciate it all with me.

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Filums!

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Yesterday my copy of Love Actually and Under Milkwood arrived.  As I’m feeling under the weather I figured heavy concentration was never going to happen so Dylan Thomas will have to wait a week or so.  This evening however was Love Actually.  It is a film I plan to add to my list of things to watch with great frequency.  That list so far consists of:

Persuasion (Amanda Root & Ciaran Hinds)

Jane Eyre (Samantha Morton & Ciaran Hinds)

Peters Friends (Stephen Fry & Friends)

Miss Marple box set (Joan Hickson)

The Snowman

La Cenerentola & La Traviata

Love Actually

There are others but I can’t think of them right now – I’m putting it down to my cold.