blissfullyeccentric

Spettkaka (spit cake) | semiswede

2012-02-20T21:02:00.001Z

Facinating stuff!

Valentine

2012-02-14T19:23:00.001Z

Chef Tom is making me steak chips and salad, to go with either the cut price Tattinger, (Thanks to Jess and Andy for putting us on to that one) or the english sparkling wine I picked up for him. Feeling loved.

Take the chance today to tell your loved ones you love them, be they lovers, family, friends or pets. You never know how long you have with people.

Love y'all!

How can I serve you?

2012-02-07T14:02:00.001Z

This weekend just gone, I attended a conference on Transforming You Neighbourhood at a nearby church.

The speaker was from the Dream Center in LA. I had problems with the setting, (conservative, charismatic evengelical church with soft rock worship band and high production values) and the theological background of the speaker, as they brought back old and difficult memories from my past.

However, I couldn't argue with the main premise. If you want to see your neighbourhood transformed, his three main points were:

1. Allow people to belong to your program, group, church whatever, without requiring them to sign up to your beliefs.

2. Change the atmosphere of the area. His example was that his church's sports programs had made it cool to play sports rather than be in gangs. A local example would be planting flowers in a run down area to help people take more pride in it.

3.Be consistent. You've got to keep turning up and be reliable to see change. It takes time.

Alot of his work was very inspirational, providing homes for homeless families, and rehab centres for addicts. Nevertheless, I wanted to ask, if these were providing treatments to the problems, what would stop these problems arising in the first place.

Obviously treating these problems will go someway to preventing them in the future, but it's the bigger ones - how do you stop that family becoming homeless in the first place?

The biggest thing that stood out for me was the idea of radical service. In their adopt-a-block thing, they'd just knock on doors in the local area and say "How can we serve you?" and paint houses, fix broken things, etc..

I don't think this would necessarily work in Britain because of the British reserve and wariness of generosity, but I think it could be started among those you know around you right away. Neighbour doing up their house? Offer to help. Old person at church's birthday - get them a card and a present to show their appreciated.

Or bigger things done together - new baby amongst a friendship group? all put some money in a savings account for that child.

So I'd like to ask you dear readers, how can I serve you? Do you need advice on anything tech support, web or marketing related? Would you like to learn one of my skills like knitting or painting or dancing? Need a room decorated? Need help saving for a car or a room for a night? Can I cook you dinner? Do you want to come out for a drink? Need some babysitting?

Let me know how I can serve you.

Jan wedding flowers

2012-02-07T09:46:00.001Z

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Just a test

2012-02-01T15:20:00.002Z

View National Trust London and South East - Happy Places in a larger map

Can you be Ginger Bear?

2012-01-30T21:24:00.001Z

My mum is a playschool lady (Hi Mum!) and she made a lovely story book to read to the children about one of the bears in the toybox, Ginger Bear.

Some of the children loved the bear so much that they were refusing to play with anything else. So Ginger Bear has gone on holiday.

Here's where you come in. Could you send a postcard from where you are to the playschool as Ginger Bear?

If you can, keep it simple with something like

"Dear children

Am having a lovely time on holiday in XXXX, I have been to see XXXX

Love Ginger Bear

in nice big clear letters and post it to:

Daisy Chain Preschool

Methodist Church Hall,
Station Road,
Westbury,
BA13 3JL

Trying to do something about this

2012-01-29T23:04:00.001Z

The second person this year implied I was pregnant. The first at my dance lesson just asked outright when the baby was due, and today someone asked if I was knitting for my baby. Since the ectopic pregnancy, my stomach has been bloated and hasn't gone back to normal. So I clearly need to do something, so we're on a major health kick. Tracking the calories, avoiding the booze, and doing as much exercise as my dodgy leg can manage. Here's me and the sunday gang on a 2hour walk.

Half the Sky

2012-01-20T15:25:00.001Z

A lady at church let me borrow her copy of http://www.halftheskymovement.org/

I knew superficially about the horrors inflicted on women around the world. I knew that educating women lead to smaller healther families, and increased economic growth by increasing the workforce.

What I didn't know was just how brutally some women are treated, just because they are women. Rape being used as a weapon of war, culminating in rape with sticks or glass to kill the victim or stop her having children in the future.

I didn't know that girls married young cannot bear children as easily, and without access to good maternal healthcare, labour on their own, their babies die inside them.

In both instances parts of their reproductive system rot away, or tear, and then fistulas form so urine and feces leak through the vagina constantly. Making the girls outcasts for not saving their children, and because they are dirty and smelly.

Fistulas like these can often be repaired if the woman is able to seek medical attention, and projects throughout the developing world are trying to set up hospitals and teach local people how to repair them without the need for a surgeon.

I didn't know that paying for a girl's school uniform every year can help keep her in school for longer by relieving the financial burden on her family. She'll be better educated and the longer she stays in school the later her marriage will be, and so she will be older, and will find having children easier.

Some of these things are so small and simple and will make a real difference to lives.

I encourage you to read the book if you can, or look through the website to find out more about what we very lucky people in the western world could do to help. I've just sponsored a woman through Women for Women http://www.womenforwomen.org/, where I will be able to write encouraging letters to my sponsored sister. If you can spare the money to do something like this, please please do.

And if not, maybe you can donate a little somehting to a girls school uniform? http://www.womenforwomen.org/

And if you have no cash at all, could you spare time to publicise this? Or to write letters lobbying the governement to spend more money supporting female education and maternal healthcare?

This is about all human beings being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. This is about equality and looking after our worlds future.

From the Sartorialist - Dries Van Noten

2012-01-20T14:46:00.001Z

via images.thesartorialist.com

Love the live art at the show along with the boldness of the art on the jacket.

Trying to make Mario and Sonic Winter Olympics realistic

2012-01-18T23:17:00.001Z

Here's the bobsleigh...

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25+ Lunch Bags & Accessories To Make: {Free Patterns} : TipNut.com

2012-01-15T13:45:00.001Z

http://www.stumbleupon.com/to/s/1esKZY

...and is making me broody...

2012-01-12T16:47:00.001Z

via crucifixes-forladies.tumblr.com

Just because he's a bit lovely...

2012-01-12T16:46:00.001Z

via 29.media.tumblr.com

from http://doctor-who-companion.tumblr.com

Yoghurt Cake , Yoghurt Muffins (Yogurt Cake, Yogurt Muffins) of Any Flavour

2012-01-12T14:24:00.001Z

via azeliaskitchen.net

Reminder for later

Resolving to create things for you

2012-01-10T16:20:00.001Z

Hello all and welcome to 2012. A few weeks in, how are you feeling?

I like the fresh feeling of new beginnings. In the last few days I feel like I must have knitted a hoard of tiny baby things for friends. That thrill of the cast on new and full of potential in your hands.

I seemed to go through this last year. How lovely it is to have a blog where you can chart your personal life rhythms and know you're not going mad.

I often find myself resolving to eat less and move more this time of year, and I am trying, I am really trying. 40 star jumps, 30 sit ups, 20 squats and 10 press ups on the days I can't manage more, and wii fit and the gym when I have more time.

I'm resolving to be quiet and silent again more, and to create more, and to be happy.

So, given this is how I feel about knitting,

Knitting and Safety

Sat here knitting, writing, watching bad yet good telly I am surprised at how well I multitask. It's like my brain is so full of energy and noise that the only way I can concentrate on what I need to get done is to channel all the excess into other outlets until nothing is heard but the history noise. Slowly but surely I'm typing the words, knitting good rows and learning about lives I never lead.

Knitting is so soft and natural to me. It takes up my hands and fills both of them. I've been experimenting with crocheting, and the spinning with one hand, reaching in and out of chains drips slowly out my fingers. It's both frustrating and fascinating. I'm not sure I like the dense fabric of it much. I think knitting will always be my go to craft.

Some thing in me wants to knit primeval simple warm things to look after people. Blankets for babies, rugs for floors, simple sweaters for my friends to wrap them in my love always. I want to loop tales with hopes and prayers and make smiles. If only I had the money for yarn.

and I can sew, and paint, and make websites and cook and flower arrange, and that I enjoyed my making 5 things for people last year, can I make something for you this year? I can advise on email marketing and organise events and design flyers too.

What little thing would give you a lift this year, what would you like?

A tiny norwegian baby jumper

2012-01-08T20:03:00.003Z

Made following instructions in Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Without Tears.

Epiphany galette and the ninja game

2012-01-08T01:38:00.001Z

Here is my galette. It was tasty.

Tonight was family party night, and at midnight we went on to Charley's birthday do. They are playing the ninja game and having pen fights.

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A first sonnet for Epiphany | Malcolm Guite

2012-01-06T12:20:00.001Z

Epiphany
It might have been just someone else’s story,
Some chosen people get a special king.
We leave them to their own peculiar glory,
We don’t belong, it doesn’t mean a thing.
But when these three arrive they bring us with them,
Gentiles like us, their wisdom might be ours;
A steady step that finds an inner rhythm,
A pilgrim’s eye that sees beyond the stars.
They did not know his name but still they sought him,
They came from otherwhere but still they found;
In temples they found those who sold and bought him,
But in the filthy stable, hallowed ground.
Their courage gives our questing hearts a voice
To seek, to find, to worship, to rejoice.

via malcolmguite.wordpress.com

Today we're going to have an Epiphany party to end Christmas. We're going to eat Galette du roi, and have broccoli for bitter myrrh, spicy curry for fragrant frankincense and satsumas for gold. Whoever finds the bean in the galette will be the king of the party.
So when I saw this shared on Phil's Tree House - http://philipstreehouse.blogspot.com/ it touched me, and I thought I'd share it on again here.

Here we are all dolled up for new year.

2012-01-04T22:50:00.005Z

We had lovely time at Lula's house. Here's to a happy new year for all you and yours.

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I'm a tiny jedi

2012-01-04T22:50:00.003Z

That is all

Funny & Unusual Romantic & Love Stories – Not Always Romantic » The Time-Traveller’s Wife

2011-12-30T13:20:00.001Z

The Time-Traveller’s Wife
Text/Chat/Email | Johannesburg, South Africa | Marriage
(I am emailing my husband. He is very into sci-fi, and we have lots of theoretical debates about time travel.)
Husband: “Hello, future wife. It’s sad but unavoidable that present me cannot tell present you that I love her. So, we’ll have to settle for this quantum ping pong that currently exists. I love you, too, in any case. And past you. And future you, after you. I look forward to minimizing our proximities, so I can be closer to my current you. More love. Past husband.”

Don't let a festive flower arranger get bored.

2011-12-23T18:34:00.001Z

Or things like wearable flowers happen. Here's my church flower arrangement, table flowers for my grandparents and some silly flowers on my head.

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Carol of the Bells (for 12 cellos) - Steven Sharp Nelson - YouTube

2011-12-21T10:25:00.001Z

via youtube.com

AWESOME!

Christmas bread recipe - Channel4 - 4Food

2011-12-20T15:05:00.001Z

via channel4.com

Hopefully making this bread this week to go with our pannetone.

What makes Christmas, Christmas?

2011-12-20T09:51:00.001Z

Stolen from Chronicles of a Reluctant Housedad, courtesy of Kate Takes 5

It's nearly Christmas - yay - am sat here in Santa hat. Here's what makes my Christmas Christmassy.

1. Sat home alone with the Christmas tunes on wrapping presents for those I love.

It makes me feel all tingly and happy. It's also best done by the lights of the fairylights on the tree.

I normally favour swing versions of festive songs and choral carols, but this year, I enjoyed the alternate Christmas playlist on Stereomood.

2. Midnight communion.

My dad would always come upstairs after we'd all gone to bed on Christmas Eve and read us the Christmas story from the bible. When I was a teenager, I decided I wanted to go to midnight communion, and so the story reading morphed in to Dad and I sneaking out at 11pm to walk down the road from my Gran's in Woolston to Peartree Church for midnight communion. When my sisters got older they came too, and I loved this little special thing we did just with Dad.

I love the magic of the Christmas communion, the waiting for the Christ child, old church words muddling with timeless winter celebration. The knowledge that the saviour was made a man on this world in the lowliest of low situations.

3. Carols.

My family are a family of singers. We'd sing in the car when we were little to keep ourselves entertained, and as we got bigger and my sisters more talented, we'd go all Von Trapp and Dad and Ellie would sing the harmonies whilst mum and I would sing melodies.

Dad said if you knew the tune to a hymn when you were in church it was your duty to sing out and sing loud to help other people who might not know it. I always sing loud.

We'd sing everything. Pop songs, hymns and best of all carols. Speeding to Southampton for Gran's for Christmas, counting the fairylights on the way, and singing carols over and over again.

Again as a teenager I decided we ought to go carol singing as I'd never been, and my family and another family would go to the old people's houses over the road and just stand outside singing our little hearts out. We never door knocked, but we did take requests.

Now we're older, I'm so looking forward to Christmas day today when we'll be at my Aunties, all 16 of us including cousins, granparents and Tom's dad, and my sisters will play carols and us three girls will sing around the piano.

4. Special tasty food.

I've taken on my mother's tradition of making Christmas pudding, on Stir Up Sunday. I made Tom stir it and make his wish, and it's sat in the cupboard under the stairs maturing, awaiting more and more brandy, ready for our little family dinner with Tom's dad on Boxing day.

We've also got smoked salmon and champagne for breakfast on Christmas day, a tradition started last year when we went to Devon with our friends - grown up, special and AWESOME!

5. Partying

The last hurrah for Christmas is our family party the weekend after new year. My Gran was one of 8 kids, and I'm the oldest grandchild. I've got 32 second cousins at last count, and every Christmas and August bank holiday we get together for a family bash. A party at Christmas and a picnic in the summer.

There's party games and food and dancing. Family bring their friends, and some of them have been coming so long they're practically family now. The kids love it till they're teenagers when it becomes boring, but when they get to 17 or so, they see the awesomeness of it all.

It's something I adore, and I'll do my utmost to keep it going for another 40 years.