Making the Most of the Weather

When the sun shines over the August bank holiday weekend in the UK, you just have to give in to it and enjoy it. John had to work all three days unfortunately, but each evening we made the most of it, drinking cold beers in the sun, lighting the barbecue and sitting outside until it got dark. One night we had chicken and turkey sausages (from Lidl - very nice) with a warm roasted vegetable and bulgar wheat salad, another time veggie burgers with curly fries and corn on the cob. Dessert was ice cream or marshmallows toasted and squashed between two chocolate digestives. 

During the day the kids and I stayed home a lot. Apart from swimming lessons, the odd trip to the shop and seeing family, we hung around the garden pretty much the whole time, deliberately avoiding the beach and the inevitable traffic queues. I always love the way the garden becomes another room when the weather is warm for an extended period of time. The kitchen door always open, the paddling pool filled, the parasol up, the table covered in books, towels, drinks.

It was hot and dog walks needed to be done early, then Ziggy spent the rest of the day moving from grass to bed to an old duvet that Bella put outside for him. 

John was home on Tuesday so we made that our bank holiday. We went down to the beach late afternoon and spent a lazy few hours there. The sea was warm and clear and there was virtually no wind, it was absolutely lovely (and no traffic!).

I was conscious that this might be our last chance to swim in the sea this year and I really didn't want to miss out. Once we go back to work and school it's so much harder to find the time, the weather is cooler, and before you know it, it's autumn. 

 We finished the evening with the obligatory fish and chips, bought from the fun fair and eaten on the beach. I file these little moments away in my head, to be pulled out and remembered when I'm back at work and it's cold and raining.

At home, work on my blanket progresses slowly during the evenings, when it's too dark to embroider. It's too big for the basket now.

My parents returned from their holiday in France with the most wonderful bag of gifts for us. As well as a crepe pan (a frying pan just for pancakes - I am very excited!) and a tea towel embroidered with a jaunty seagull, there was a fabulous array of edible goodies. Sardines, caramel sauce, local sea salt, dark chocolate and raspberry jaffa cakes....and my absolute favourite, fish soup. Honestly, it was like Christmas! I absolutely love looking around food shops and supermarkets abroad. What people like to cook and eat interests me much more than what they wear, and I have spent many a happy hour or two in Super U on holiday in France.

Harissa paste. My mum said "I thought you'd appreciate the tin" - she was right.

One last thing: I have been nominated for an Amara Interior Blog Award in the Best Creative Skill category. Whoever that was, THANK YOU. It really, really means a lot. Shortlisting is determined by a combination of votes and judge selection, and so if you would like to vote for me you can do so here. Thank you.