Tag: Home (page 11 of 19)

October 19, 2015 / 0 Comments

Maisy

Quiet. That is how I feel lately. Quiet. My family suffered another loss last weekend, this time of the four-legged kind. We lost an angel. I know that everyone feels this way about their pets, but this wasn’t a pet, this was a family member.

We got her just before Christmas when I was home from College and after the holidays, everyone went back to work and it was just me and her. We were buddies. We had almost 13 wonderful years with her.

On her punky days, the fur behind her ears smelled like popcorn. She was a people person, she preferred two legs to four. She was most content when you would just sit with her and she would often call break time when you were busy cleaning the house. Butting you in the leg with her head to tell you it was time to sit with her for a while.

She saved my dad’s life when he had pneumonia, she wouldn’t leave my mom’s side when she was unwell, you would physically have to carry her outside to go to the bathroom, because she refused to leave the room. She was always chief of security and would make her rounds to ensure everything was well. She loved candy. She loved laying in the sunshine, her long eyelashes resting on closed lids with her gentle little face turned to the sun as she sat sphinx style.

She loved children. She would sulk when suitcases came out and would often lie down inside them, daring you to start packing it. She loved visitors and hated when you left. She was so many things, but most of all she was a furry comfort, a four-legged friend. She had been through moves, deaths and births with us. She kept her wings hidden, but we knew they were there. She’s left her paw print on our hearts and for that we will forever be grateful. I’m reminded of this, which I shared long ago, but wanted to share again today, Lessons From Lucy.

September 21, 2015 / 0 Comments

Lights Out!

So much always happens on a Monday that by the time we’ve gotten home, made dinner, did the dishes, caught up with each other, finished up the chores and sat down to relax a little, it is time to go to bed.

Mondays poop me out.

September 20, 2015 / 0 Comments

Party of Two

It has just been the two of us this weekend. We’ve cleaned the house, re-organized cupboards, went grocery shopping, watched movies, cooked, ate dinner by candlelight, worked, read and just hung out.

This weekend has had a nice easy pace to it, which is always refreshing after a week of going, going, going. This coming week brings with it early morning starts and more late school nights.

It also brings with it, slightly warmer weather, but I’m ready for Fall. I think I’m wishing it here with my cooking. Last week we made a buttermilk pumpkin cake with a vanilla cream cheese glaze as a thank you gift for a kind neighbour, the house smelled spicy and exotic.

Today, we’ve got a pork tenderloin with sauerkraut and apples slowly bubbling away, one of my Nana’s recipes that I just adore. Maybe with all this Fall cooking, the weather will truly turn!

Here’s to the weekend, long may it last!

{Image found HERE}

September 14, 2015 / 1 Comment

The Last Jar

I feel Fall-ish. Our house has touches here and there. I’m waiting to see my first piled heap of golden orange pumpkins. I’m waiting to make my first batch of butternut squash soup of the season with homemade peasant bread. I’m ready for fall apples, so that we can make this year’s batch of apple butter.

We opened the last jar of apple butter this weekend. A simple dinner which consisted of a salad with cranberries, pecans and a mustard vinaigrette and fresh ciabatta rolls with sausage, sautéed onions and a heaping mound of apple butter. A perfect balance of savoury and sweet.

The shadows are changing, the sun is different, almost whiter. It was cold and damp yesterday afternoon, so we made a pot of warm apple cider and sat on the couch listening to tunes. It was a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. We talked, worked on school things and sat blissfully in silence.

Somehow, the weekend slips through my fingers too quickly and I’m all to ready for it to come again. But you find the beauty in the everyday and you look for the little things that keep you going. That’s all we can do.

July 9, 2015 / 0 Comments

Cacti

Amongst the aloe plants and orchids on our windowsill, live two cactus plants. With the summer heat they are very happy and appear to be growing by leaps and bounds.

July 7, 2015 / 0 Comments

Don’t Fight It

“Don’t fight it!” That is something that my Grandpa, used to say. When something just wasn’t working out and you were trying your damnedest, he’d say, “Hey, don’t fight it!”

I’ve taken his advice to heart this week as everything seems to be breaking. The fan in the bathroom, a leak in the bathroom that is causing water damage on the kitchen ceiling and the dryer deciding that it was ready to give up. I’ve arranged for the calvary to arrive, but that won’t happen till next week.

So, I can’t stress about something that I can’t do anything about. I just take a deep breath and I don’t fight it, because everything will eventually just fall into place.

May 7, 2015 / 1 Comment

A Wish To Build A Dream On

I dream of staying home on sunny mornings. Grabbing coffee with Mr. Michie, giving him a kiss at the bus stop and then waving as his bus pulls away from the curb. Heading to the grocery store when it is still early and quiet. Tending to our little flower boxes before our street has fully woken up. Cleaning, reading, making bread and drinking tea. Planning dinners and creating a cozy atmosphere to welcome him back home to after a long day.

I read in the front of one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks (I can’t seem to remember which one) that when Jeffrey comes home, the house always smells of delicious food, candles are lit, music is playing and he thinks that’s just how it is, but all of it is very deliberate. She is working to create a welcoming atmosphere. That stuck with me. I was very fortunate, I grew up in a loving, welcoming household. My parents (both excellent cooks), entertained frequently. Music played, candles were lit, the atmosphere was always relaxed. I have carried that with me and do it within my home. At night, the party lights are on, we play music, we light candles, we laugh and talk about our day. These things are so very important. When the world outside your door is buzzing and whirring away it is important to have an environment you can return to that welcomes you with open arms.

I have a project I am working on currently. Well, I’ve been working on it for a long time now if I’m honest. It’s almost ready to go out into the world. It’s like I’m roasting a chicken, I keep basting it and basting it and the skin is almost cooked to perfection, sizzling, crispy and browned and the meat is succulent and moist. It’s almost time to pull it out of the oven, but not quite. My project is almost done cooking. I hope good things come of it. I’m ready for a change, I’m not quite sure what, but I’m antsy lately, I feel unsettled. I’m ready to be doing something different. I’m ready for the next thing. The wind is blowing and I think it is carrying my heart along with it. Here’s to dreams, I hope more come to pass than don’t.

February 23, 2015 / 0 Comments

A Warm Gummy Bear Day

Now, I am not a fan of Ed Rooney, but I had a bit of his day today. I had a warm gummy bear day. Do you remember that scene at the end of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, when Mr. Rooney walks on the bus and he has to sit next to the girl who offers him a warm gummy bear? By the end of today, if someone had offered me one, I know that I would have also flicked it away in silent disgust.

This morning I was one of only three people waiting for the train, but then it was late and there was a crowd. A woman, who I see everyday waiting on the train as well, actually used her briefcase to block me, so she could get on before me. I’m going to try and chalk that up to the fact that her hair is always pulled back in such a tight bun, it looks like it hurts. So maybe the pain from her bun, causes her to always be so rude. Of course, all the men made sure they were getting on, pushing and shoving their way through. Gee, nothing like a gentleman to let a lady on first.

Tonight heading home, I got a seat on the tube. That never happens. Next time, I’m just gonna keep standing. The tube smelled awful, like that hot school bus smell with a bunch of punky kids on it and you know that they had gym class that day and haven’t showered, do you know what I’m talking about? The man who sat down next to me, hadn’t bathed in quite awhile, but I couldn’t politely or discreetly move as by that point the tube was packed and there was no room. I tried to breath through my mouth.

The teenage boy across from me had his finger so far up his nose that I was sure we would have to call for a surgeon to remove it, when he suddenly pulled out a ginormous booger and proceeded to fling it onto a ladies skirt! I think my mouth might have fallen completely open at this point.

A five minute walk from the tube to the train station, where by the time I got on a train, I was frozen solid and was so happy that for once the train driver had been kind enough to turn the heating on. This warm fuzzy feeling didn’t stay for long, no siree, it didn’t! It lasted only long enough for a man to get on with a huge tuna salad sandwich baguette. The smell of tuna baking in the heat of the train was utterly enticing, NOT!

I was so happy to get off the train and breath in the fresh air again. I slowly walked home. By the time I got to the cottage, I couldn’t feel my fingers, my nose, or my cheeks, but I didn’t care, I couldn’t take one more smell or rude person today.

Today was definitely a MONDAY!

February 8, 2015 / 1 Comment

New Hair, Hot Soup and Party Lights!

Yesterday, I pampered myself to a hair cut, mani and pedi. I work hard for my money and I think that everyone has the right to treat themselves once in awhile.

I have been through a ton of hairdressers since living here and I have finally found the right one! And it isn’t just the hairdresser, it’s the atmosphere as well. My hair salon of choice in London is the Aveda Spa in Covent Garden. I have been going there for over a year now and I always walk away happy. It is an oasis of serenity.

I hadn’t had my hair cut since the beginning of December. Between my work schedule, weekends being pretty busy and my lovely hair stylist being fully booked, it meant I had to wait ’till this Saturday. But it was well worth the wait! I got a lot of hair chopped off and I LOVE IT! I had numerous compliments; one by a complete stranger that passed me on the street, which made my day!

To celebrate the weekend and a new haircut, Mr. Michie took me out on a date. It was so very cold yesterday and all I wanted was some soup, so off to Cha Cha Moon we went. I had a delicious, warming bowl of wonton soup and a glass of their lemon iced tea. Heaven!!

We spent today, re-organizing all the Christmas decorations. I ordered some storage bags and they arrived this week, so we went to work. It was another downsizing exercise, just keeping what we need and donating the rest to charity. The house has been thoroughly Spring cleaned. It was a lot of work, but it was well worth it. I’ve put out a few of my Copenhagen surprises and a set of very happy party lights are now adorning the mantle.

One bag of unsorted items remains, but it will have to wait until next weekend. It holds the key ingredients to three separate packages that I plan to mail home. Still, I’ve accomplished a lot, so now I’m sitting back with a glass of wine, next to Mr. Michie, staring at our new lights. Here’s to weekends!!

February 5, 2015 / 1 Comment

Flowers

Mr. Michie brought home a bunch of yellow roses for me this past weekend as a surprise. They are just starting to open. Happiness is…