A Saturday

Well, what a week. With a full few days at home and at work and all the excitement of the general election, I staggered towards the weekend and just sort of collapsed into a heap. I can't even remember what I did on Friday night. Did I watch something on TV? Possibly. I've not idea what though.

John was working this weekend and I had decided to keep the two days as empty as possible, as free of excursions and obligations as could be. I needed to catch up with myself, catch up with the washing and ironing, with shopping and cooking, with the children. I can cope with a busy week and I can cope with a busy weekend, but I don't like it when they roll in, one on top of the other, like crashing waves.

So this was yesterday:

8.00 am (ish - all timings are very approximate)

After what is now considered a lie-in, I go downstairs to make myself a hot water and lemon. Once the children have had breakfast, I go back to bed for a little while to read. This is one of my weekend treats.

I have just begun Into the Water, having recently finished and really enjoyed The Girl on The Train by the same author. So far I am having a little trouble separating out all the different characters, but something is making me read on.

9.00 am

Back downstairs, showered and dressed, into a sun-filled kitchen.

I potter around emptying the dishwasher and tidying up, before making some breakfast and taking it outside to eat. It's not my usual weekend breakfast, just porridge with some frozen blueberries stirred in, but the cupboards are bare so no toast this morning.

10.00 am

Food shopping. I usually arrange a delivery to come towards the end of the week, but time ran away with me. John and I had already planned the week's meals and written a long list, so I bribed the kids with Lego cards for good behaviour and off we went. (Otherwise they squabble over who gets to push the trolley/hold the list, and hassle me for sugary breakfast cereals.)

11.30 am

Home, shopping put away, I hang out the washing I put on earlier, open all the doors and windows, pad around the garden in my bare feet.

1.00 pm

Lunch. I love my weekend lunches and often plan them during the week. Yesterday, I'd chosen a recipe in a May's edition of Olive, a food magazine that I hadn't tried before. I liked it and found a lot of recipes in there I wanted to try and will definitely buy it again. This was spring greens shaksuka, essentially peas, asparagus and spinach blanched then sauteed with some eggs and herbs.

It was tasty and light but filling, which is good as I am trying to lose a little weight at the moment and it's so easy to head for the bread every lunchtime - out of habit, as much as anything.

2.00 pm

An afternoon in the garden.

I swept, tidied and weeded, spending a long time on the lawn again. After so much rain the dandelions came out easily, and I started to enjoy myself. It's very satisfying, pulling out such a long root.

My sweet peas still have not flowered, but I am hoping that they are not too far off.

I love the way time passes in the garden. I think I've been out there twenty minutes and am always amazed to find it's been a couple of hours. I make myself a cup of tea and drink it outside sitting on the bench after a gardening session. It's one of my favourite things to do.

4.00 pm

I promised Angus we could make flapjacks together, and so we did. 

He is not as interested in cooking as Bella, so when he specifically asks if we can make something, I always try to say yes. These will be good for lunchboxes and after school snacks throughout the week.

5.00 pm

I do some ironing. Not all of it (there was another hour of ironing this morning) but just enough to make me feel better. I can't be one of those people who don't iron, I just can't. I like the way ironed clothes look and feel. I have, however, stopped ironing all bedding. Baby steps. 

6.00 pm

John gets home. I make the children their tea (pizza in front of the TV, a Saturday treat they absolutely love) then I sit down with some crochet. I am still working on the Wool and the Gang Summer Loving Bag. 

To my extreme annoyance, I realised a week ago - as it was almost finished - that I'd made a mistake with the stitch increases. I pulled it all back and started again, and am now about half way through. I'm still enjoying it though, luckily.

7.00 pm 

I remind John that's it's national gin day and that should not go unmarked.

8.00 pm

Bella and Angus are in bed, one reading, the other asleep. We cook and eat dinner, chicken ramen. It was ok but my broth was not up to Wagamama standards. A bit bland.

Then a film, more crochet and bed. 

I think this all makes me look a lot more industrious than I really was. There was a lot of tea and coffee making in between all this, a lot of looking at Instagram and the Guardian website on my phone, a lot of playing with and chatting to the children, a lot of staring out of the window.

Today was similar. I helped the children do their homework, finally conqeuered the ironing situation, cooked a big salad for my lunches during the week then took them to Bosham for a walk and ice creams. I really missed having a dog today. I always miss Molly, but some days more than others. 

Anyway, that is what my Saturday looked like. Yours was probably very similar. I hope you have a lovely week.

*

Flapjacks

Ingredients:

1 lb or 450 g oats

8 oz or 225 g sugar (brown or white, although I prefer the toffee flavour brown gives)

8 oz or 225 g butter

3 tbsp golden syrup

Method: 

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.
• Melt together the sugar, butter and syrup. I always do this in a large bowl in the microwave, although you could do it in a saucepan on the hob. 
• Stir in the oats.
• Tip into a square baking dish and press flat.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Once they are cool, cut them into squares. You'll easily get 16 large flapjacks.
• Store in a tin - they keep for ages, a week easily.

If you like, top them with 200g melted chocolate.