The Summer Holidays

Well the summer holidays are almost over, just the last full week of panic buying with uniforms and bits and bobs for the kids.  It always amazes me just how much my two grow over the six week break.

Usually I have real problems juggling work and home life during the long break, but this year it has been a lot less stressful with being able to do three or four day weeks and keeping the kids amused during the days off.  My Bex has also been invaluable in work helping with a revamp of the office.  This has given her taste of work and she has really enjoyed this.

We have been out and about and took some time out at Snettisham in Norfolk for a few days.  This is a lovely little town with a beautiful church and is not too far from Hunstanton (one of our favourite haunts), Kings Lynn, Sheringham and Cromer.   

Snettisham beach has the most amazing sunsets to look at.  The first night we were there the sunset was a deep blood red, but no camera unfortunately.  The next night's sunset was so clear and blue with peach tints.  I loved setting this photo up with my two happily discussing something between themselves and the sun's rays just escaping through a gap in the cloud.  I love moments like this.

A little later when the sun was just throwing the last glimmers of red across the evening sky, my Luke decided to take a dip in the very cool water (he's a water baby!).  A very special and quiet moment.

The next day we decided to take a drive to Holt where the amazing Poppyline Railway runs to Sheringham.  My kids are absolute fans of Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Express, so what better than to take them on the steam train to Sheringham.

The carriages had individual compartments and the kids took full advantage of using their imagination in thinking that the windows were frosting up and the dementors coming to take them back to Azkaban!  Once that had worn off, they both opened the window in the compartment and experienced the joy of having the wind blow through their hair while looking out of the train, something that can't be done nowadays in the cramped, airless carriages we now travel in.

The views from the windows were a delight.  The freshly harvested wheat with the sea as a backdrop.

And then the occasional Norfolk windmill...

Once at Sheringham we were able to take a proper look at the engine.  A great experience of seeing times gone by.

And now, we were at Sheringham.  A beautiful, busy, seaside town with a shingle beach surrounded by sea defences.  It was a very busy day, very warm and humid and also dark.  The colours of the beach huts and boats lifted the greyness of the day.

It was a very packed day and we had our return journey back on the Poppyline to take in the nostalgia and breathe in the fumes of times gone by.

When we arrived back at Holt Station, I was so happy to see the good old red London Bus that I used to remember.  I have many fond memories of the No. 25 that used to go up past St Paul's Cathedral when I was younger.  Mainly because my wonderful Grandpa used to be a clippy on that particular bus and I used to get on his bus on occasion and he'd make sure I got off at the right stop.  Happy days.

So now we are back, washing done, cleaning done and time for some baking.  I am absolutely hooked on The Great British Bake Off!!  I have bought the book and decided that I would have a couple of hours of getting to grips with the eight strand plait bread recipe.  I must say, it was a bit tricky but I persevered and am quite pleased with the results.  A bit more practice and I might get the plait more uniform. 

Yum!!!  Happy baking!!

A Summer's Day in Hunstanton, Norfolk

The sun has finally made it through the clouds and it has been a glorious week so far.  A little too hot for my liking and with the sticky nights that British heat tends to offer, not much sleep either!  But, it looks as though the Olympics opening ceremony will be dry.  I used to live near Stratford in East London so to me the area looks so alien and I wonder if the community spirit will continue once the Olympics are over.

I have taken a couple of days away from work this week so the first day was dealing with the chaos of my home now that the kids have had a couple of days off.  So after a hard first day and with the house looking clean and fresh we decided to take a bus trip to Hunstanton on the Norfolk coast.  Its nickname is 'Sunny Hunny' and usually when we visit it doesn't live up to its name but today it certainly did!  Usually we do this by car but I fancied a change and also it teaches the kids how to get out and about on their own.  We boarded the bus and went on a two hour (!) journey through beautiful villages and grey skies, but as soon as we got to Sunny Hunny, the cloud broke and, at last, a beautiful beach day!

Not just on the beach...the water sports were in full swing...

The Wash Monster was very busy.  This was manufactured in 1967 and was used by the US Forces to land in Vietnam.  Once you get out to sea you then meet up with another boat and then go on to see the seals further out.

 It then drives up onto the sand to pick up more passengers.  But look, sand and colourful windbreaks!

Then there are the pony rides...my two feel that they are too old to be seen to be doing this anymore, but it did look tempting...

 Look at this, ponies, sand, sea, swimmers, water sports - what is going on!!  Is it summer??!!

 Then there are the rides around the town... 

And then the fairground...

The colours are so beautiful and vibrant against a blue sky, rather than grey!

Luke and hubby then went off to swim in the sea whilst me, Bex and Mumsy went to our favourite...the 2p machine arcade...

...and here is the booty I won...

Don't ask how much we spent on getting these 'treasures'!

But then, all things have to come to end, so it was time to get some momentos and say goodbye to the beach until the next time...

Get back on the bus and drive past the wonder of Norfolk Lavender, somewhere I am yet to visit but the smells of lavender and the gorgeousness of the purple fields brings something beautiful to the senses.

As soon as we got home, it was time for a drink and to put up my little momento of my trip on my favourite window, a beautiful white wicker heart to hang against the blind.  I know, should be shells etc, but I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it in the shop. 

 

And now, after a very lovely family day, it is time to sit back and catch some of the Olympic Opening Ceremony...but just a little more hooky first!  I love the blanket I am working on, even though the warm evenings are making it a little bit too warm.  And I love my pergola in the garden when I have the tealights on.  The stillness of the night and candlelight is so relaxing and allows me time to reflect (the ladder is there as Luke sits on the top which is covered by jasmine, figs and a vine - his quiet space!).

Have a good weekend x

A Walk Along the River at Spalding

Well the summer holidays have now begun.  Six weeks of trying to juggle work and entertaining two teenagers, no mean feat!  And, wasn't this the worst thing when summer holidays started?  Straight away every shop had 'Back to School' emblazoned on the front of their windows.  My philosophy is get it out of the way right at the beginning, the shops are full with items, the children still have the teachers voices and school bells ringing in their ears rather than the end of the holiday where anxiety kicks in the new year, homework and hoping they get their favourite teachers.  The satisfaction of everything ticked off the list (I love lists) and then just to enjoy the rest of the time off with them. 

Looking out of my window this morning I saw a rare sight...SUN, and blue skies!  It looks as though the jet stream has finally moved so that we get some warm sunshine at last.  This will mean I can finally do the 'spring/autumn' clean!

But first a nice trip into Spalding with Bex.  The sun had disappeared behind a cloud for a little while, but it was lovely to go across the bridge without an umbrella.

 It was as though the flags were out for the blue skies!!

 and, how lovely to see some youngsters enjoying the sun!

When we got back from our little drive the sun was well and truely out and it was great to finally take some pictures of the flowers in the sun!!

 Everything is so overgrown now due to not being able to get out and prune, so making the most of the dry spell to trim everything. 

We also went to a wonderful place called Butters where you can get some really cheap plants, those that you buy in other leading retailers at a fraction of the cost.  I bought this wonderful plant for only 4 pounds!  It has given a cheery flash of instant colour to the front of the house.

 And as for the trimming, this is Coco after her trim!  She was exhausted at the end of it...along with me!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone xx

Updating the Shabby Chic Greenhouse

A dry day, a plan that was in my head for weeks, the satisfaction of the quietness and being able to complete a job.  Yes!  At last, the staging in my greenhouse is now white.  The difference was amazing.  Still many small jobs to get the greenhouse just right, but I thought I'd dress it a bit just to show the menfolk on their return from fishing, just how a greenhouse can be 'shabby chic'd'.  I put my summer bunting up to brighten the sides and above the back door to the greenhouse and watched my hubby's face.  The reaction was good...thankfully.  I am hoping that this will spur him into clearing the plants that have had a huge growth spurt around it.



After





Before



SO PLEASED!!!  Still some way to my perfect shabby chic greenhouse, but I have come so far.  So satisfied!
The summer holidays are about to start for my two.  I am taking odd days off here and there during this year's holiday.  Working for a wonderful place as I do, this is possible and so I have been filling my evenings on how I can surprise them each week.  The summer holidays are far too long and my two get bored so quickly.  My plan is to get the dreaded uniform shopping out of the way at the beginning so I don't depress them near the end of their holiday.  So the rest of the time can be for their enjoyment and rest.

So happy that I have completed one job on my list.  Oh and by the way, the sun shone today!!

A Baking Day

The rain was ridiculous today, relentless, cold and falling like stair rods.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this type of weather.  I truly love the cosiness it brings to my home and that the family are all together.  But, it just hasn't stopped over the last few weeks.  Just brief spells of warm sunshine and then guaranteed rain.  This is my garden this morning, mid July, the splashes of colour that usually cover my garden with cheery loveliness are spashes of more water!

So, with the housework done yesterday on a day off from work, I decided today would be 'A Baking Day'.  I went on the BBC Good Food website and found this recipe for some tasty triple cheese and onion muffins.

My Luke helped as the weather was even getting him down.  There's lots of ingredients going in but the result was absolutely delicious!



The wet ingredients





The dry..and lots of cheese!





Ready for the oven





A gentle mix





Ta Dah!

The savoury done, now was the time for raspberries and white chocolate!!  So with the bread in the oven and dolmades rolled and cooking slowly on the hob, time for some yummy sweetness!!

Again, this recipe was from the BBC Good Food website.  This website is really good as you can create an account and save your recipes in your own binder.  It's also good as you can read everyone's comments on how to improve the recipe.  This time Bex joined me.  Mention chocolate and she comes running, especially as she had spent a day at Cadbury World yesterday...Heaven!!  So with the ingredients for raspberry and white chocolate muffins, we set to work.

 The raspberries redness added real warmth to my day!

 So easy and so scrummy!!

 So with savoury and sweet muffins, freshly baked bread and freshly baked soda bread...and the dolmades still bubbling away, I have had a very very productive and enjoyable day in my corner of the house.  I had some lovely quality time with Luke and Bex, and then a bonus....

...The sun came out...albeit very briefly before the next storm.