A Definite Chill

Sunday afternoon I smelt an old familiar smell

The smell of cold

Almost of Christmas

Well I associate the cold with Winter and as such Christmas

It came to me as the roast was in the Aga

Roasting

The cottage was beautifully warm

And I went outside to put some recycling in the bin

~

Today I have just come in with some damp washing

Retrieved from the line

And I was transported back to my parents' kitchen

The smell of washing drying around the Rayburn

The light fading fast

And a nip on my fingers and nose

~

Smells can set a scene in your mind

Equally well as a thousand words

I love these smell induced memories

Which transport me back to my childhood

And a feeling of being safe

Though all was dark and cold outside

Inside there was food, warmth, and love

~

Tonight I hope my family feel that feeling as they step through the door

Of feeling like they've come home

To a very special place

Even though our boiler is not working

And a shower is out of the question

We will manage

Though working form home today I have turned up the Aga

Lit the woodburner

And had my feet on a hot water bottle

It has been rather a cold day

With the promise of another chilly night to come

I wonder what the coming Winter will have in store for us

And will we be prepared?

~

Blessings J. x

Floored

Ah the beauty of the changing seasons

The catching of colds, and flu

And laryngitis

Yep and it's mighty hurty indeed

Last night I came downstairs 

In search of some pain relief

I was conscious of whimpering

Wishing I had a "Mummy"

To look after me as my own once had

Many many moons ago

~

Now although I cancelled my learners today

And have cancelled tomorrows meetings

I have still had to do a certain amount of chores

And keep roofers well fed and watered

For today was the day our front roof was removed

They worked well

Me not so

And sadly I didn't brave the ladder

Feeling decidedly wobbly 

Before the felt enclosed the roof once more

So chance gone

~

I did venture out on a short dog walk this afternoon

Just a little trek down the road

But not as far as the woodland

I had done so yesterday

And really struggled to catch my breath coming back up the hill

Hopefully tonight will bring a better nights sleep

For my addled brain

And creaking complaining body

~

I have just lit the fire

A gentle beast tonight as it's not terribly cold

Just a comfort for the evening ahead

A focal point

Ever changing dancing flames

Memories and memories even before us

In this little cottage

I love the sounds of a comforting fire

I love gazing into the depths 

Of glowing embers

I love the smell of woodsmoke

Of fingers tainted after tending the fire

It calms me and soothes troubles

It is company if I am alone

It provides warmth and light

~

I sit here and await my husband

Who has gone to our youngest's house

To spray the roof timbers with woodwormer

Youngest's caveman who is helping a friend take out a kitchen

And youngest who is working until a little later on

I can't think they would want to spend much time

Listening to me coughing, spluttering and moaning

Perhaps that is why they are all occupied?

I care not

It is what it is

However I wouldn't wish this virus on anyone

Strangely, though wooly headed I don't feel overly tired

Then I could sleep it off

Maybe I shall do so anyway

~

I think I have worked out

Why I have taken to writing as I do

With not a care for punctuation

In my work, though not assessing functional skills

I must correct every spelling and grammar mistake

In some cases this is demoralising for the student

They are not after all studying for an English degree

So OFSTED, this is a pulling a funny face

In your direction

~

And finally

A little something that was growing on a tree

Down in the woods a short while ago

Blessings J. x

Keep Calm and Clean Up

It's official

I have a man-child

He likes to help people

Other people

Nothing is too much trouble
In fact his mind is a whirl
Bits of this, bits of that
So sometimes
Just sometimes
He can forget important little details
That affect us quite dramatically
Take Friday evening as the example
Actually it was just about Saturday morning
I drove us home from our regular evening out at the local
It is rather a tight turn and I didn't want to hit his van
So I asked him to check that I would miss it
He looked and said yes it's ok
Then I was unsure how close to the porch my side I was
He said he'd get out and see me in
Job done
Fast forward through a very inclement night
Wind and rain dominated proceedings
He came home to breakfast just as I was leaving 
To go to the vet and do some shopping
I got in my car
Gasp
Very wet...as in flooded
Water everywhere
Wet seats
Sopping wet floor 
Wet in the cup holders
Down the passenger door
Now I couldn't understand where it had come from
Panic
I banged on our front door and urged him to come quick
He took his time
Oh yeah...I undid my window last night
And you didn't do it up!
Obviously he had noticed when leaving earlier that morning
Closed said window
And hoped I wouldn't notice???
I was rather wanting to kill him dismayed at the mess
That I apparently was to blame for
And obviously I was to clean up
Luckily for him I had to leave right away to catch the vet
My revenge
I purchased seeded bread
I love it
He hates it
Thankfully he didn't pass one comment on said bread
He lives still
~
I calmed down when young Henry came to visit later in the afternoon
Actually they all came to lunch
But I calmed down later
With cuddles
And ooohhhs
And the cute little bleating noises he makes in his sleep
Yes Grandma is smitten

Blessings J. x

The Power of a List

I have been struggling of late

With the little delight oft known as housework

Being away from the cottage for chunks of the week

I arrive home and basically want to do nothing

Especially not the housework

And so things have been left undone

Standards have slipped

I momentarily considered employing a cleaner

Though I don't actually mind cleaning myself

So lists have been made

A daily task list

A weekly task list

A fortnightly list

A monthly list

Just got to love a list!

Anyway so far it appears to be working

The psychology of being able to tick things off

Has mystical powers

Of persuasion and reward

The persuasion being the nudge to get a move on

The reward being able to strike the magical tick

Satisfying

Especially when this morning

I exerted a lot of effort scrubbing the kitchen floor

On hands and knees

Elbow grease resulted in a momentarily clean floor

So after an afternoon spent with my eldest daughter

And grandson

Whilst son in law helped hubby outside

We had a treat for tea of Chinese

To celebrate her first birthday as a mother
To this little chap

Once again time has run away...

The above was typed up on Saturday

I have been having major issues with trying to blog

Blogger doesn't like my iPad at all

And our little internet connection speed we have

Doesn't often allow me to use this ancient laptop

Apparently born in 2012 it is a dinosaur!

I am unable to even comment on your lovely blogs at the moment

On my iPad anyway

So my apologies if I am quiet

I am reading and nodding in agreement

Or oohing at lovely photos

This little gem was growing in the woods

So I considered it would have been rude not to take a photo

And then mess with it just for fun

Lots has been happening here

I have managed to get another job

One that doesn't involve travelling for miles and miles

However for now I shall be keeping my other job also

We have a roof to pay for you know!

But I will be slowing down after that 

Especially come next autumn

When I will probably be looking after his nibs

For one day a week

Hope you can all still blog and comment

As your fancy takes you

Perhaps you are all using sensible computers

With super fast connection speeds!

Blessings J. x

Playing

Well I have been playing 
With photos in Snapseed 
Now a woman of my age
Probably ought to know better
However
Never one to turn down a challenge
Within reason
And so below... as on this iPad
I daren’t decide to try and
Intersperse photos 
Is my basket
I now carry this with me
On my almost daily woodland walk with Heidi 
And collect lightings for our hearth
Ash twigs
They make delicious snapping sounds
And keep me occupied 
Whilst Heidi sniffs her way through 
The woodland floor
My plan let me down slightly 
For the key to the cottage 
Lay at the bottom of the basket!
Anyway I hope you approve of said photo
The vintage look with a blur to the edge!
Not unlike myself 😉
Blessings J. x

A Minutes Peace

Just for the minute

Peace reigns at Little Winter

Heidi is asleep on the kitchen floor

Youngest who also has a day off

Has gone to check on their builders

They managed to leave on the outside tap yesterday

And completely drained the tanks

And water supply from the bore hole

They were not popular late yesterday evening

And in part are to blame for the inclement mood

of my youngest child

I have succeeded in making rather a lovely looking

Apple, cinnamon and sultana strudel 

I say it looks lovely

I cannot yet vouch for the taste

But what I can say is I regret very much

Sliding the tray in on an angle

After turning the strudel around

I now have a really burnt sugar and butter smell

Emanating into the room
And a very big sticky mess in the oven
Thank goodness it will burn off
Well I have half heartedly scraped away the worst
And am consoling myself with a cup of tea 
Which was here on the page but a mere moment ago
Blogger really doesn't seem to like my iPad

Cup of tea come back!

Alas upsizing this cup of tea seems impossible 

Never mind

Blessings J. x

A Long Week Past

How I have just chuckled to myself

I have been meaning to sit and blog for some days now

But how time flies when you're having fun working!

It isn't the actual work that leaves me so drained

Rather the endless miles I have to travel

Ah well the bills get paid

And that is rather important

Young Henry has been visited

And

Accommodated (with his parents)

He has been given many cuddles

If only I could hold him in my arms forever

Telling him of all the fun we will have

And all the capers he is likely to get up to

Over at Grandma and Grumps' house!

He is growing already and I feel a little sad

That one day too soon he won't be content 

To lie in his Grandmas' arms

But for now he is and I am relishing this magical time

Now you'll have to excuse me I'm afraid

For upon making this blog

Blogsy became no longer available to me

And I am having to learn over on Blogger

Getting photos to where they are available to upload

Is not proving an easy task at the moment

Sometimes it seems as though they appear as if by magic

But mostly they refuse to waft through the air

And stay resolutely where they originated

I know our broadband is all but useless at the moment

Which is rather frustrating to say the least

And so my meagre offerings to you today 

A young Ashmead's Kernel apple tree harvest

And some rather scrumptious apple and cinnamon cakes

Warm from the Aga oven

Delicious!

I hope you will all forgive me

But these past few days I have been relaxing

By reading a blog from the beginning

A most enjoyable time I have had too...

Tales From Parsonage Cottage...

I am nearly caught up now

And feel I could quite happily pop in for a cup of tea

In their delightful home 

So all the blogs I usually delve into on a regular basis

Will be eagerly caught up with shortly!

Feisty cat is not happy

He is confined to the cottage

As the other day he nearly got run over by a speeding car

Why he felt the need to go out the front

And across the main road I cannot understand

We have a large rear garden

Which backs onto farmland

Plenty of hunting opportunity

And much much safer

Silly Feisty cat!

I have begun lighting the woodturner

To ward off the evenings' chill

It has the effect of making me sleepy

And that feeling of utter contentment

The lights are dimmed

Shoes off

Bliss

I fear I have missed the blackberry harvest

The local berries seemed to come in waves this year

The first flush being dry due to lack of moisture

Then nothing

Followed by fruits which when trying to pick them

Squished between fingers

But refused to part with the bramble

Not a pleasant feeling

There will not be copious amounts of 

Hedgerow cordial made this year

I have begun collecting rose hips

I adore the syrup which is such a chore to make

But worth it

Served with chilled lemonade

A real Winter treat

But again I need to forage for many more hips

To make a batch worthwhile of the effort

I have just popped the kettle on

A final cup of tea

Before a lengthy drive to the edge of the County

I have a couple of people to see

Before winding my way back home again

Home

A place to feel Happy

To be at One with Oneself

To feel Motherly in that you want to take care of it and the people who visit

And Evermore

You'd be content to live there for Evermore

Yes...that's my definition of HOME!

How lucky I am

I hope it will not be too long before time and enthusiasm coincide 

And I am able to write in this space again

Blessings J. x