Today's Hearts are......

Just a select few from the previous 27 days entries.

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Last night, well, where do I begin..... Actually it went quite well, as far as sleep overs do.  We collected the boys up on Saturday afternoon and immediately wished that we had earplugs in for the journey home, we somehow managed to survive the journey. 

Once home,  the sleepover gang played themselves tired with a good outside game and then played themselves silly with a good indoor game.

At the chosen hour, we bundled them up into the land rover and set off for our evening picnic.

The grand plan was to go to one of our favourite villages in the Dales, buy a banquet's worth of fish and chips and head for the hills. The volume of excited voices was almost to the point of excruciating, but as it was so good humoured and happy we gritted out teeth and grinned at each other in moral support.

We successfully confused the spotty teenager who served us in the chippy with our order. Eventually we left triumphantly clutching three steaming hot bags of food. Back in the landie, the boys drooled and complained at the emptiness of their bellies as the tantalising scent of piping hot chips with salt and vinegar and the appetising aroma of fish and sausages tormented them. 

We bumped and lurched up the green lane into the hills where at the top we spilled out a hungry horde ready for the feast.  For a few blissful minutes it was quiet - barring the slurping and smacking of lips and licking of fingers.

Suddenly as if on cue, the sleepover gang grabbed torches and scattered into the night. 

Up on the hills. 

In late winter. 

With snow still on the ground. 

In the dark. 

Miles from anywhere.

Gone. 

Vanished. 

Himself smiled benignly at their disappearing act whilst I felt incredibly responsible for losing all the children we were in charge of! Visions of lost, broken or at the very least partly dented boys kept whizzing through my head.

For nearly an hour a game of hide and seek with torches ensured. Shrieks of laughter and snorts of excitement came from all over the hills.  Then, with a wolf whistle I gathered them in. 

The sleepover gang were still buoyed up and galloped off in a frenzied pack along the green lane. Ahead of us, as we followed gingerly in the land rover, was the occasional bobbing of torches and the now increasingly primitive calls from the sleepover horde as they pretended to evade capture. 

We did eventually round up the savages and herd them into the land rover where they gnashed and snarled like the wild beasts they had become as they free ranged over the moors and dales.  One offer of juice and chocolate tamed the beasties and they calmed down and started to sing.

At home, they were dispatched upstairs to change - most of them had come back plastered in snowy mud and slushy water. Soon the kitchen was churning out hot dogs and tea.(One only ate the sausages and left the bread half chewed whilst another requested seconds and then thirds - despite all the sausage and chips and bread consumed on the picnic) The DVD chosen was a killin' fightin' alien vs human boy-friendly film. 

Finally we managed to usher the tired but resisting-sleep gang upstairs where, once in their PJs (one had forgotten both his pyjamas and his toothbrush) and shoe horned into various sleeping bags , we left them to sleep (err - nope, not a chance - a impromptu midnight feast occurred). (Only - one of the sleepover gang didn't like the flavour of crisps hidden away and another kept asking for more food)

Not counting the various loo breaks at 1.30am and again at 2.35am, or the furtive whispers of Youngest as he came to report that one of the sleepover gang had got up and dressed and was ready to come downstairs at 3.15am. Nor counting the various loo visits at 6am them again at 6.30am - it was a peaceful night. 

By 7.15am they were all up and playing on the computer, taking in turns to be troopers or aliens whilst one of the sleepover gang, still swaddled firmly in his sleeping bag, was fast asleep across the floor.

Once again the kitchen began to churn out food - bacon sandwiches, tea or coffee or juice (except one boy who didn't like bacon.....or bread..... could he have something else) so more sausages were grilled.

More games, more nibbling. Then, finally, thankfully, mercifully the clock said it was time to bundle the sleepover gang back into the land rover and return them to their rightful owners...............

We were all shell shocked...................... but apparently it was a successful sleepover. 

I might take some time to recover...........

27.02.10

Today's Hearts are........

....the life line of a certain computer game.

Today, in front of me as I type is a gang of boys. Eldest is having a sleep over for his birthday and we have five (yes I know, I know - I need my head read) boys staying. The plan is to go on a night time picnic and whilst we wait for it to go dark enough, they are eating popcorn and tortilla crisps whilst building model battleships and robots and playing some sort of storm-battle-star-trek-war-game. 

They had just come in exhausted from a very loud and physical sword-light-sabre-magic-staff-shield-wooden-dagger-bow and arrow game in the garden and collapsed on the floor.

Plans of midnight feasts and ghost stories are being made and friendships cemented whilst the deadly serious wheeling and dealing of pieces of leg0 and Knekx goes on. Oh to be that age again......

26.02.10

Today's Heart(s) are brought to you by........

A wintery break on the island of Anglesey.

Thank you 

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25,02.10

And today's sponsor of the Heart a Day Theme is..............

my brother and fav sister in law.

A green and gold heart on a thong.

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Today I met up with my friend Angela for lunch in Skipton. We have a favourite cafe' were we meet and talk and eat and laugh. And today was no exception - in fact, today,  we laughed so much that we were wiping tears away. We were comparing our last summer holidays, both taken around the same time and in the same dreadful weather. She had me in stitches about a bicycle ride in the rain with trousers that go see-through when wet and I regaled to her our tent collapse.  With hindsight and laughter, these holidays were no longer being remembered as ordeals, but as funny experiences to be shared.  

That's what I love about Angela - she see life as a glass half full and with a shrug of her shoulders and a toss of her red hair (yes another one!) she gets on with life.  When we were saying our goodbyes I realised that she gave me more that a couple of hours of good company - she made me laugh and I feel so much better for it!

Thank you Angela x 

24.02.10

Today's Heart  is..........

...a yule present from Himself to me.

23.02.10

Today's heart .......

...is a cold cold heart!

Can you spot it?

The last few nights have been cold enough again to freeze the chook's water, so first thing I do is take up a kettle full of gently warm water for them. They queue up and drink, leaving little clouds of beaky-breath vapour, I've tried to capture the moment, but it is so fleeting.

Eldest came running in from the garden gently cradling a most beautiful treasure. The finest and most delicate shards of ice he had found in the water butt. It was magical - the ice crystals had grown outwards in feathery fir tree-like sails.

22.02.10

Today's heart is.....

... a little origami sweetheart ring.

Made during a quick tea break.

I am s'posed to be upstairs either painting or hanging pictures or something suitably industrious, but instead I stopped to stoke the fire, boil the kettle and talk to the cat.  And whilst having my brew, I thought that today's heart needed to be done - hence the above.  Anyone who knows me, knows I love wearing rings. Most of my career choices has meant I haven't really been able to wear them during the working day so at any possible opportunity - I put them on. 

And if you want to try making this one - follow this link, the piece of paper needs to be 7.5cm /3 inch square.

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The latest update on my 52 things not cooked before -

14. Cauliflower and caramelized onion tart - delicious hot even better cold the next day

13. Peanut Butter and Fruit Loaf - Strangely more-ish and probably very fattening - but hey who cares -  pass me another slice!

12. Wholewheat Apple muffins - eaten before they had a chance to fully cool

11. Potato and Tomato Curry - accidental success, but not made again

10. Tomato and Onion Sauce - keep making this one, ideal at the end of the week when the cupboard is bare

9.   Fruit Mincemeat Loaf - made this a couple of times

8.   Apple and Ginger Cake - only once, but will do again

7.   Barrovian Love Cake - only once - too 'eggy' and rich for me

6.   Yummy Biscuits - erm - not really

5.   Sticky Date Cake - feel the calories piling on now

4.   Fish Cakes - only once but will probably do again

3.   Masala Chai - no, nope, never, net, niks nie and in case you misheard - I'd rather floss the cat's teeth.

2.   Falafel - yum, had several times, will keep doing from now on

1.   McLoaf - a regular (no pun intended)

So - there.  

I have noticed that there is a patten occurring - oops, better either start trying less calorifically loaded recipes or take up a subscription to the local gym...............................

Decisions, decisions.

21.02.10

Today's Heart is................

..a little heart shaped icon on a box of B-blocker tablets.

A reminder that tomorrow - the boys go back to school

and I

go back

to work.

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Yesterday we went on a glorious walk. I was completely finished by the time we reached the car, this dratted cold has taken it out of me. But the views and the icy air certainly waved an invigorating wand over me and I do feel a lot better today - in time for work - grrrrrr. 

Out on the hills, drinking tea, eating fruit cake and watching sheep - bliss.

20.02.10

Today's Heart is..................

One from nature. 

I use it for a paper weight.

Found on the rocky beach near Kirkwall, Orkney. 

19.02.10

Today's Heart is.............

...a small Chinese silk keepsake box

For as long as either my Mom or I can remember, this little heart shaped trinket box used to sit on my Gran's dressing table. All we know about it's history is it was given to my Gran from a life long friend whilst she was living in Hong Kong.

If it could tell a tale - I would love to listen.

18.02.10

...And Today's Hearts are Sponsored by the Ladies who Craft.....The KnK

Stuffed hearts- using reclaimed fabric and squirrelled away lace

A very pretty mosaic heart on a pebble

A sparkly red knitted teddy called Val (entine) already much loved and cuddled

A cushion cover designed by a little girl and knitted by her Mom.

A beautiful quilt - although started before the challenge, 

it is almost complete and fits in so well that it just had to be included.

These are just some of the results from the   'Make something on a Valentine's Theme'  I set about three weeks ago.

It's lovely to see how different people rise to the challenge and set about to create their own ideas. 

My contribution for the challenge was a pair of fabric lovebirds. Who, at this moment, are suspended above the flowers himself gave me for Valentine's Day. 

Hmm... now to think of the next challenge.. Any ideas?

17.02.10

Today's heart is........

A salt dough decoration made by one of the boys.

16.02.10

Today's Heart is......

One I bought today at a charity shop.

One of our holiday treats the boys insist on doing, is lingering in one of our favourite towns - Hebden Bridge. It is only 11 miles away from us, but the road is a lonely windswept moor crossing littered with sheep and isolated farmsteads - and we love it.

The road - in places no wider than one car - clings to the side of the hills like a thin grey ribbon. During the summer months, the fields are dotted with white flecks, sheep, but during winter the sheep seem to look cream, brown and even pink against the brilliance of the snow.

Any hoo - at the beginning of the half term break, the boys sat together and wrote me a list of things that they wanted to do. So, whilst it was threatening to start snowing again, we set off for a day in Hebden Bridge.

We love trawling the charity shops. When we returned from Africa to live in the UK, we had literally only two pennies to rub together and our belongings were not due to arrive for some months. I learnt to frequent and love rummaging in these shops. The boys, are they grew up, discovered that toys could be bought for a few pennies and as they got older they found books and DVDs within their pocket money reach.

Sadly, the present economical environment and the increased savvy of the charities have together pushed up prices from these goodwill shops almost equal to the high street. I used to buy adult clothing to repurpose, but now I hesitate buying a second hand shirt with a button missing for just a little less than buying a new one.

Has any one else noticed this price increase? When we were on holiday up in the Orkney, we got chatting to a lady volunteer in one of their local charity shops and I commented to her how cheap their prices were. 

Her response? 

'Well - we have not paid for them, we were given them for free so why charge a lot? Every penny we make here is for charity....it you charge too much, people won't buy'

Why can't other charities see that too? Surely they have noticed that there is a shortage of cash going around and that their sales must have gone down? 

This little heart, however, was very cheap - Why? I suspect it is foreign made, with cheap labour, transported  in without necessarily benefiting the labour force who were employed to make them in the first place.

15.02.10

Today's Heart(s) are brought to you by.........

My Sister in Law.

I don't have a sister and as a child would fantasize about having one. One who would share my room and my games. One who would go out with me or confide in me, someone who was a best friend. I used to envy my friends who had sisters but then my brother grew up, met then married my sister in law - so I adopted her (unofficially of course) as a surrogate sister.

When we'd  first met, she had come with my brother to the UK on holiday and they stayed with us for a couple of weeks. I dragged her off on a couple of my 'girls-nite-girls' get togethers, when after one of them, as I was driving back, I suddenly came over all protective of my 'little bro" and decided to give my new sister-in-law-to-be a stern talking to.

Look, I don't want you breaking his heart - I started firmly

"If you do - I'll break your legs" 

Quick as a flash she replied "Not if I break your neck first"

With the formalities over and done with and out of the way we got on with being firm friends. 

Which is a great relief - who else would have taught me, so patiently, how to crochet?

The tub the hearts arrived in, ready for their photo-shoot.

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Thought for the day.......

Is making peanut butter biscuits a combat sport? - Discuss.....

Well, it is in the hands of my boys.
The egg was whisked to within an inch of being mayonnaised.
The butter and sugar weren't just creamed they were pasted.
And once the dry mix was added to the paste, the resulting dough was rolled, slapped and thudded around onto the baking tray.
All this happened whilst elbows were used as lethal weapons, feet were stomped on and the bowl on my scales suddenly became a blunder-buss.
I finally stepped in and blew the whistle, when from out of the kitchen in a  floury burst, Youngest came sprinting for all he was worth, whilst Eldest was yelling.
"charge..........."

Sigh. This is the first day of half term, I ask myself as I survey what was once a serviceable kitchen and now looked like the opening scene from Terminator 2 whether I will survive to the end of the week.

I hold out little hope....................

14.02.10

Today's heart is.....

Is made with recycled buttons, 

hanging off a vase

filled with roses,

alstromeria

and

gypsophila

From Himself, taken by candle light.

This morning, a coffee was brought to me in bed. The curtains were thrown open and the sun poured in. 

When I came downstairs, on the table for me was a vase full of flowers and a card. 

I am smiling now as I write.

I gave Himself the lovebirds I made and he seemed genuinely pleased.  The boys, however, were indignant as they were not represented as little birds and I was firmly told to add two more - Himself and I just grinned.

It was in August 1995 that I met him.

I had run from a disastrous relationship in Africa and was immature, brittle and smart mouthed. I'd  managed to get a live-in job at a Field Studies Centre in Slapton, South Devon, where I scrubbed toilets, planted trees, waited at tables, made beds, built stiles and fences, milked cows and grew to love the countryside. 

The first person I met was Himself as he lugged all my worldly possessions out of the back of a pickup truck and nearly dislocated his shoulder. His first words were... " %!**#?  ^&(( - what do you have in your suitcase - the kitchen sink??!!"

It was the first time I'd heard a northern accent. He had such a deep voice. And something inside made me want to see him again. He was also at the Field Centre as one of the placement students. When we weren't working, the staff would go out in groups to thelocal  pub or to town, and occasionally a placement would join us. Sometimes Himself, sometimes one of the others.

After a while, only we would go exploring the moors and beaches, the villages and lanes. We would range far and wide discovering the world and each other. We became inseparable, and when at the end  year he had to go back to college and I had to go back to Africa, I followed my heart and followed him.

Years later he told me, that as he was driving down to the Field Centre, he had stopped at a motorway service station for a quick rest. As he was quietly dozing in the car with the radio on, there had been a tap on the window. He looked and saw a woman standing there, he rolled down the window and the woman  said "You are on your way to meet your future wife"

Himself said at the time he thought - **you're barmy** and just smiled at her, wound his window up and drove off (quickly).

It's strange how fate turns out. But I would do it all again.

My three, under a big sky.

13.02.10

Today's Heart has been ..............

Eaten.

These Apple Muffins didn't last long, actually I think that they took longer to cook than they did to cool down and get scoffed. 

12.02.10

Today's Heart is.......

Is an earring.

Well, half of a pair of earrings really.

Just it's a bit difficult taking a picture 

of both of them, 

at the same time 

by myself......

I inherited these, among many other earrings, from Himself's mother.

 I am sad to say that she and I had a prickly relationship, 

we both loved the same man and neither of us was prepared to share. 

As a young (and immature) woman, I could not see why she hung on to him so fiercely, 

but now that I am a mother to two boys, I realise and understand why. 

I wish I had the insight then of what I know and feel now. 

I also wish she had seen our boys, 

it might have improved our relationship.

Despite both boys looking more like me that Himself, 

I see hints of some of her facial expressions in the Eldest.

I have found this post quite hard to write, as it is making me recognise my selfish behaviour 

with no way of saying sorry.

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Time to change the subject.

Still adding to my 52 new recipes challenge, I can now add..........

9. Fruit mincemeat loaf - so successful that good half was eaten on the first day and most of that was eaten still steaming hot! 

10. Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter - please ignore the uninviting name and just do it - this is a recipe from a site called Smitten Kitchen and the recipes are brilliant!

11.Potato and Tomato Curry - a happy ending to  poor prepping and checking of the contents of the store cupboard....... 

Moral of the story is - check what you have in stock BEFORE you get half way through a recipe and go to reach for the ESSENTIAL and MAIN ingredient and find nothing there! 

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Originally, in my germ laden fuzzy head, I had a vague idea that I would make Chana Masala (Chickpea curry) and in a fit of misplaced and unwise inspiration, decided to photograph it as I went along. I diced, sliced, grated and chopped. All the time having mini intervals for streaming eyes, camera positioning and general unwellness. But - being  stupid stoic and  persistant  selfless - I continued......

All through this photo-shoot and cooking, I was putting together my goodies for Knit n Knatter and getting the boys ready for their music lesson with lead-weight blocked sinuses and rheumy eyes.

 The recipe called for ground cumin and coriander, which I measured out and began to crush with the pestle and mortar. It needed chick peas .....................

Then just as Himself stepped into the kitchen from work, I found or rather I couldn't find the ESSENTIAL and MAIN ingredient - the chickpeas. 

I was almost overcome with the situation and rather started Himself as I had a mini but necessary strop - only a pathetic one though coz in my state I was not in a fit state!

After all three of my men carefully took three paces back and made soothing sounds at a safe distance, I recovered myself.

I reached for some potatoes and with their skins left on I par-cooked them instead. Added them to the now ready sauce.  

Unfortunately having spent all my energy cooking and photographing it - 

I couldn't eat it, 

much to Himself's delight 

as it meant more for him 

and he ate it all!

Drat this cold...Sniff.

11.02.10

Today's Heart is ..........

Part of a story,  are you sitting comfortably?  Then I shall begin.

Still under the influence of a pernicious cold that has lingered for nearly 10 days, I took to my sewing machine for comfort and crafting pleasure.
That and the fact that nearly three weeks ago I challenged our Knit n Knatter coven to make something on a Valentines day theme and I still hadn't started mine.

(Please note gratuitous usage of a scrappy heart pin cushion so to continue this month's theme)

I had been gifted some lovely fabrics and one in particular wove itself into my mind for a particular project. So after wearily doing yet another load of pungent washing, I cut out two little bodies.

(Please note further gratuitous usage of a scrappy heart pin cushion) 

At this point I have to say that the house is looking similar to  Mr Woo's Laundry as I am surrounded by  washing hanging everywhere, but - hey - that is so much more preferable to yesterday's bad smell everywhere!

Oh - where was I? 

Yes, yes, 

Today's heart and tonight's Knit n Knatter. 

After some delicate bird surgery, even more delicate cutting of the smallest hearts I have ever made - remind me not to do that again, I went cross eyed....

I have for you now , via a shaggy dog tale....

Today's Heart(s) are .......

.... on two Love Birds

Twirling in the winter sunshine

I will gift them to Himself this Sunday

with my love