And to you too, LHH!

Well, I'll tell you what. I may well have suspected all manner of mischief on the Willows' Grand Tour of the Whole World, but I did not for one minute envisage just what might befall them from the hands of others! I will trust that they are indeed now leaving the Land of the Free, and there's an irony for you, keenly to be welcomed on the Emerald Isle.

I can only recommend that you recap on their American Adventures via the links to your right. I will do my best to put up an overview of a whole season of travels but I'm too busy tonight. Now. Damson cheese in a jar...

Happy Valentine's Day, Banksy and Lisa R!

Prince Charming bought me a Banksy diary for Christmas. I was impressed. Provoked, interested and more than a little challenged by the cover, but exceedingly impressed! It's good to think, and even better to be made to think, I think.
I'm sure that this week's image was very deliberately placed, and it was the only one that I just couldn't live with! Could not bear the thought of the girl losing her love! Very painful memory of a balloon escaping from boot of car and small boy crying and small mum racing round block in exercise of utter futility!
So, in homage to Lisa R, here is my amended image of the week. Lisa does amazing things. Like Banksy. They make me think!

Blogogram to Frances

Release the Willows Three. Stop. Ransom dispatched. Stop. Amazon don't do damson cheese in a jar. Stop. Will belated reward for November's daily blogging do instead? Stop. Photographic evidence of Willows' well-being required. Stop. Immediately. So STOP hanging around drooling over sausages!!! Stop.

Pretty you, appreciative me, joy-full possibilities

Here comes a gush. Stop me if I run to sycophancy! It is simply that I cannot help being moved by blogs and their bloggistes just lately.

It is Pom Pom's fault tonight. Her latest pretty, appreciative, joy-full post makes me wonder why I don't revel in the lovely little bits of everyday.

So this month I am resolving to enjoy pretty you, be a more appreciative me, and explore all the joy-full possiblities that must surely lurk on dusty shelves?

Or maybe even behind closed doors! Happy hearts for February. Gush over. I'll leave you alone for a while- half-term next week. I'll be exploring the joy-full possibilities of chaos....

For Mise

Mise has, as always, pronounced le mot juste in the her commentary on mon petit bloggisme. I wasn't thinking of cake stands per se, except that obviously subliminally I was. I am delighted!


Maybe if any old subbing money ever leaves County Hall and discovers the location of my non-Swiss bank account I'll get the Portia cake stand. This would be suitably appropriate after a part-time month of coaxing Year 9 through A Merchant of Venice.

This is the cake stand I'd send to Mise. Elegant perfection. Cake only to be served by lady-at-home in hat to match surrounded by an intelligent but still cake-appreciating circle of fine acquaintances.

Or perhaps we need something for Valentine's Day?
If a cake stand did appear, and actually, what a fine idea, it would perhaps be one of these.
Which one do you want? I'll ring County Hall tomorrow...

Greatitudes 451- 470

Oh dear, 'twould seem 'twas November last when last I moved through blessings bestowed towards the one thousand goal. This is not good. And really I have a cosy home, a breath-taking family, interesting friends, much to do and the health with which to do it.

And also. Over the last month, suddenly and slightly overwhelmingly, I have been asked to sub. In two schools over five weeks now, and I have even been able to choose how many days I want to do and which ones. I have turned days down, and still been rung again. This is more than I can comprehend, and to be honest it is certainly more than slightly stressful, but nonetheless, I have discovered that not only can I still speak French/understand Shakespeare/know a paragraph from a parenthesis, but also teach it, and I do not dissolve into water at just any blast of teenage hot air. Oh no, it takes more than one blast of that. I get wobbly after five...

So. There we go! I am deeply grateful to Angela for all encouraging advice on the life of the substitute teacher. I am deeply, deeply grateful for the procession of local friends who enthusiastically offer school runs and for the willingness of grandmothers to spend a whole hour toasting pancakes and resolving conflict. I am tearfully grateful for a Prince Charming who will leap into action as the phone rings and pick up the slack, and will appear unexpectedly at the leisure centre straight after the latest phone call just when the thought of organising logistics as well as sitting through a swimming lesson is just too much!

Back at the strawberry ranch I am grateful for the excitement of a new slow cooker toy with which admittedly I have played only once, for tulips from HB and a very cheery cherry cake, for a super night at Book Club last week that resulted in a great idea for next time (see next time), and a homework that called for strawberries.

Finally, do you still have snow? I am determined to be thankful that we haven't had to clear our paths, grit our drives, rush outside with sledges and tubs for snowfort bricks. I am trying hard to remember that my parents can get around safely, that roads are not treacherous, and that it is gorgeous to bask in warm sun in February. However, I am also very grateful that Jo has "In the snow" as one of his reading books this week. Living vicariously is better than living entirely without!

Hooks amid books

Is it snowing where you are? Gosh, the weather from England does look wintry! But still snowless here. Lots of cold rain and grey skies, I gather from the safety of windows, not having been out all day! Did I ripple? No. Did I read? Well, yes, a bit. I finished The Blessing this morning while men were at rugby and I had gone back to bed with two croissants and a refusal to open curtains. Mostly since then I have avoided the presence of copious boys and school-friends playing hide and seek all over the house!

My utter lack of ripple progress was plainly seen on Wednesday night. Three of us are crocheting at breaktime now. Patricia is our guru, and Heather Boss claimed to be the novice. However, I think we can agree that I am sternly in the catch-up category, given that HB's blanket (hanging below my sad attempt) is now finished and she was that night working on its successor, and Patricia's blanket is actually her third project since we all started hookery in the bookery shortly before Christmas.

Come on, Mags, give yourself a shake!