TARRAGON & THYME

Been busy getting ready for this wedding at the weekend and trying to  make sure that we have everything that we need to hand.  Just have a few things to sort out tomorrow and I think we should be more or less set for the day. Going back to work today was a bit of a shock to the system especially after the lengthy weekend.  However I have booked off a week at the end of September my first real holiday this year when I may go off to see some of my cousins as well as potter here at home.  Whilst I am off I want to get the Christmas Cakes and the Christmas Puddings done then so I can tick them off the list and put them up securely and safely wrapped.  However they will be fed in the intervening period once a week and then stored in metal tins in the pantry.   I bought a set of three tins a few years back in two different designs. They only get used at Christmas/  One set are a red tartan and the others are a cream background with a garland design...

Its not just about gathering things together with crafting, which I have been heavy on in the last couple of posts and which may not be to everyone's taste.  In the bigger scheme of things its about planning forward. One of the things I tend to do is to add a few items extra to the basket each week in the run up to Christmas.  I have already started (a little earlier than usual).  Dried fruit has been on offer at my local CoOp two bags of fruit for £3 - which when it comes to dried fruit is not bad. So it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.  I have four bags of each which should take us through.  This however only relates to raisins, currants and sultanas which are the basics but I also added in mixed peel and cherries.  The dried fruit I have in stock is going into the home made mincemeat which I will start shortly. I will post separately about this. Home made mincemeat is far superior to the bought stuff although that plays its part if you ...

Phew, I got my lie in this morning thank goodness and I have had a slow day so far.  I have been cleaning but still a lot to do as when I clean I always bottom everything out and everything is scrubbed within an inch of its life. It has been a really warm day here - too warm for me to be outside and I really did not want to be cooking.  So I decided that I would take us out for Sunday lunch.  We have therefore been to the Fitzwilliam Arms (also originally known as The Green Man) in Green Man Lane Marholm.  It is a delightful thatched pub that also does really good food.  We had my mum's wake there, but its one of the pubs that my Dad and I used to frequent for our monthly night out for a drink. In the winter months it usually has a roaring fire as well. Here is a link to the website which shows the actual pub - its lovely on the inside too,  So if you are ever in the Peterborough area its well worth a visit for a meal. http://www.vintageinn.co....

On a bright Sunday morning it seems a little insane talking about Christmas planning and plotting, but in reality there are not that many weeks left until Christmas and if making stuff yourself if you work full time - time is indeed of the essence so the most of every spare minute must be made. When I was turfing the study/craft room out I found several boxes of bought Christmas cards and a couple of rolls of wrapping paper.  I know I am going to make some cards (hopefully and that is my intent) but they will be for family and friends and there will be the work ones and the colleagues ones.  Its good to wish everyone something good and is a positive vibe in this sometimes colourless world of ours.  But Christmas is vibrant and so full of life. So I need to start early in getting Christmas cards and wrapping paper all sorted out.  I also intend to do some little trims and little ornaments from the Christmas tree and also some garlands out of paper but also from...

I have spent the best part of the day in the hairdressers.  I have had my grey hairs removed and a colour popped on - I don't do grey hair I am afraid.  So I have had it tidied up a little bit in readiness for the wedding next week. I had an idea in my head that I wanted my hair to be up a bit as I don't do the hair round the face bit.  Even for work I wear my hair up simply because I have earphones on a long wire, a computerised toggle/key to enable me to pass through the building and that is round my neck and my glasses and I get in a bit of a mess from time to time - so hence the reason for my hair up. I had thought about a French pleat but Tony (my hairdresser) thought it might be a little too severe for me and she has come up with a very simple pretty hairdo that will be relatively simple for me to do at home but which is very much me.  I am not a fussy person about myself - I look after everyone else but not myself so much, so I am making a bit of an e...

A few years back whilst at work we had clients that we did some work for who didn't have much but who were a lovely couple.  As a thank you both my boss and I received one of her special "wine cakes" and it was delicious.  I have since been looking for a recipe but have not come across one and I assumed it would be similar to a Christmas cake and so I had set my intent to have a go at one this Christmas as something a little different "something for the tins" to pick at over the Christmas period. Whilst browsing this morning (Saturday) I have been mooching through a new to me cook book called better baking page by page and I have come across a recipe for wine cake.  Apparently it is best made 6 to 8 weeks before required as it needs maturing time just like a Christmas cake, so by my calculations for the diary of to do things we are really looking at the beginning of November this year (2017) as the fruit needs to soak in the wine a week before you actually ...

Is it when one is trying to have a lay in the world and his wife come to the front door! Maybe luckier tomorrow. Right being as I am now awake I had better get a wriggle on. Catch up later.  Pattypan x

Its been a busy old week with one thing and another but that is about par for the course here these days.  I am supposed to be doing housework but I have opted not to as I am absolutely shattered.  Oh has ordered pizza as a treat and we are awaiting that to be delivered.  I might do a little bit of ironing in a bit  just to get some of it out the way and onto hangers and then popped away.  If I keep nibbling away at it, it will go down eventually.  But in all honesty I am cream crackered so I do not intend to do anything too strenuous but will get stuck in tomorrow. Update: The pizza was very nice and I am off to bed now.  Been waking up 4:30am to 5:00am most mornings (when I am usually up at 6:00am)  this week and it has kind of taken it out of me.  Fortunately the medication I think is starting to work; my feet do not hurt as much and I am not stumbling as badly as I was so fingers crossed this will ease things up a bit.  I want to...

Last year I invested in some cinnamon sticks 1kg off Ebay to make some candle holders - I have made them previously about 6 years ago but they have gradually fallen to pieces so my intention was to do some more.  However with being hospitalised for my foot I never got round to it.  However it is down on the list to do this year.  The cinnamon sticks were quite tall specifically for the purpose of tall church candles which I absolutely love come the winter months as they make a house really cozy and the scent of cinnamon as the candle holders warm up is lovely.  In case you had not realised I am a lover of cinnamon as well. I have a lot of books especially crafting and cookery books where I have seen decorations made out of large cinnamon sticks and yet I have never been able to source them.  This evening I nipped into Tiger as recently I have picked up bunting packs and also jam jar covers and material for patchwork and I wanted to see if they had...

I met OH through mutual frends who had found happiness within months of being divorced.  In fact I think they met in the solicitors office.  Wishing everyone to be as happy as they were they started introducing single friends to single gentleman.  I came within their orbit and so did OH! Anyway they had set up a previous date for him and things had just not worked out and I hear all sorts about how not well it had gone.  I asked what he was like to look at and my friend said a little bit like Bobby Ball and his catch phrase was Rock on Tommy and he also wore braces and would ping them as part of the act. So when they arranged the same for me I insisted that they came to as there was no way I was going to be left with someone I did not know in the middle of nowhere and if things were difficult at least I would have someone to speak with. We had arranged to go to a local restaurant which had quite a good reputation .  We walked in OH walked out.  It ...

I have been for an appointment with the Nurse at the Doctor's surgery this afternoon.  I have been trying for the past six weeks to get but with various situations with other members of staff it has left us rather light on the people front so I chose to delay going,.  I know I should have gone earlier but it really was not possible. I also had a review on the arthritis front.  Ostensibly I had gone for vitamin D medication which has been ordered by the Consultant at the hospital on a regular basis from now on in as my levels are particularly low.  Its something that seems to happen with people with immune system disease which shows up in the various different types of arthritis (I have osteo and rheumatoid) but also with long term immune disease like Raynauds, Scleroderma, Sjorgens syndrome Lupus antibodies,  etc. Sometimes the  Doctors forget to mention it.  I have an eight week course to take and then she has told me that I need to take an over ...

I popped into The Works at dinner time today (Monday)and ended up spending more than I had anticipated.  They had loads of bits and bobs in for Christmas decorating, and crafting; and apparently they will have more in later on in the week.  Ostensibly for Christmas some of the bits could be used all year round like the ribbon. Please note this is just me letting u know what I have found out and about on my travels. I have no connection with said company apart from buying stuff in my own right. Packaging for Christmas pressies Some berries to add to Christmas wreaths, packaging, or garlands. A big pot of PVA for £3 A  wooden cut out Angel for the fireplace or window cill or you could have them hanging from a chandelier or the like. Further wooden cut outs Another stamp Metallic mesh for decorating garlands and the like Some crayons for colouring in. Wooden Christmas tree cut outs for putting on packaging, garlands,...