Journals and Journalling

Thank you for your encouraging comments on my last post - cheered me up no end.

I make my own journals and notebooks. I love making them and get a lot of pleasure from this hobby. The time has come for me to now actually write in more of these journals. They're no good just sitting on the shelf looking pretty. So I've started keeping a journal - not necessarily daily - more a place to keep my thoughts and jots, and a few drawings and quotations I've found along the way.

The one on the bottom of this pile is my Christmas journal, where I keep lists of gifts given yearly, things to do, places I've been, meals I've cooked and such like.

The next one up is my Commonplace book. Here I jot down quotes or poems I've heard or read by famous people, authors, actors etc. If any of you watch First Dates on the tv, I even jot down the love and life quotes that Fred the Maitre d' and restaurant manager often says.

The third one up is the book I take to church to keep notes of the Sermon and any bible scriptures I've enjoyed.

The brown leather book is my travel notebook, which I lined with a map of the area where I live. Useful for days out and holidays - a sketch or poem recalling where I've been - to the beach - countryside - places of interest etc.

The ones on top are waiting for a suitable theme to be catered for and I have a few ideas waiting in the wings.

Bullet journals (bujos) and planners seem to be the thing of the moment (although why I'd want to plan and bullet when I mop the floor, clean the microwave and put the laundry on I'll never know)  but I can see that this format must suit a lot of people who lead busy lives.

So, for the moment at least, I'm quite happy just pootling along with my mutterings and jottings and occasional sketches - it keeps me happy.

Have a great weekend.

P x

Saying goodbye to January

February, for me this year is the new January! To say that January was a bad month is an understatement. I won't go into the finer details but suffice it to say I'm quite glad it's behind me now.

So, I don't as a rule make resolutions but this is the year that the hubster and I reach a certain age ending with a 0.  I've decided, in view of recent happenings and events that life is too short for faffing around and not doing anything positive. No I'm not going to do a wing walk or jump out of an aeroplane, in fact as yet I haven't thought of anything that could be that adventurous but .... who knows?

 Happy February friends

Spring is on the way!!

Px

A stroll through the woodland and country park

Last weekend we took a stroll through our local country park which we frequent quite often.  The weather was sunny but very cold so we donned boots and thick coats and spent a pleasant afternoon taking in the nature around us.

The walk took us through this wooded copse and out onto the open woodland and Hadleigh Castle that overlooks the River Thames.

I wonder if anyone's at home?

It didn't take long before a light mist started enveloping the surrounding 

hills and the sun was beginning to lose its strength, so no river view today

We are so fortunate to live where we do. Ten minutes away from the coast and downs, and yet only about 15 minutes from open countryside. Plus the added bonus of only being a 45 minute drive into London.

This pond was completely frozen over

As we came away the sun was just going down

So homeward bound for a well deserved hot cuppa.

Hope you all have a great weekend. P x

Batch cooking

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my recent post  and for welcoming me back into the 'blogging fold' again

I spent yesterday afternoon doing a bit of batch cooking. I do this once or twice a week and love that I can just dip into my freezer at any time and pull something out at a moments notice and heat it up within minutes. 

Chilli con Carne

Sliced potato topped fish bake

Lasagne - enough for six (friends round for supper soon)

We don't buy ready meals so this suits us when arriving home late or I simply don't feel like cooking!! Now that the weather has turned pretty cold here in the UK, these'll warm the cockles of your heart!

Bye for now, Px

It's all about books

Sitting here at my desk, keyboard at the ready, I'm looking for inspiration for my first blog post of the year which has been a long time coming. So, I'm glancing at my book case, crammed with all manner of reading matter. I love books, can't get enough of them. The trouble is there's only so many you can house at any one time.

This is just a small bookcase, there's another much larger one in my sitting room, one in my entrance hallway, one in the kitchen, one in my study upstairs and various nooks and crannies. Not forgetting those on my my bedside table and a great pile of books dying to be read on the floor beside my bed.

If on occasion I do take the trouble to go into town to dispose of a few books in the local charity shop - guess what - I bring another armful home with me!!

Well that broken the ice for my long awaited (by me) fingers on my keyboard once again. I must say it is very relaxing and a lovely way to spend time on a damp and foggy afternoon.

Back again soon folks.  P x