One of those days..

I knew how today was going to go before I even got up this morning. Paul was running late, I had one of my silly headaches, the Biglets were squabbling and Niamh was intent in being in the thick of it.

But actually, I've had one of those days.. Not one of those days, but one of those days when you're glad and grateful for everything.

I volunteer at a breastfeeding clinic and pretty much rain or shine, you will find me at 'Busom Pals' on a Thursday morning. After one unsuccessful bash at breastfeeding and two long term and hugely rewarding breastfeeding experiences, I am quite certain that support is the key to a mothers experience. I have had peer supporter training and coupled with the training I had whilst I was enrolled with NCT, means that I have seen a thing or two.
Sometimes I roll up to the clinic feeling jaded and sorry for myself. I have been helping down there for over 4 years and I sometimes feel like a piece of the furniture - over used and under appreciated! Recently we have had to campaign to get the outside play area cleaned and sorted so that our growing toddlers are amused and happy whilst we meet and talk with mothers and their new babies.
Then you get a day like today.
Today I met a third time mother with a disabled newborn. Downs syndrome to be precise, and one of the difficulties with a Downs baby is that they don't have a natural sucking reflex. Added to this they tire quickly, so breastfeeding is not always a natural choice. This mother blew me away with her determination. I came away from clinic today with a re-newed vigour. It seems silly really, but today I felt like I was able to make a difference.  That's why I go and continue to volunteer, and its easy for me to forget that sometimes.

I pretty much skipped home from clinic and Vikki had Niamh for me this afternoon. I was lucky enough to be able to go out for a bike ride and clear the cobwebs away. I cycled over to say a quick hello to Lucy before doing my short lap as quickly as I could. I managed to avoid all the rain and had cleared my headache by the time I was back.

After collecting Niamh and picking up the Biglets from school, I got home to find my foodie penpal parcel had been delivered. I can't go into too much detail until global reveal day, but I was so thrilled.
This month I have found making my own parcel up for my recipient quite tough, because I learnt a lot of lessons last month, and I want it to be perfect. When actually, receiving food that someone else has thought about and prepared especially for you is always perfect.

I quickly made a cup of something or other, and had a little nibble on something else and was able to take stock of my day.

One of those days - one of those great days.
Thanks for reading x x

WIAW #11

Clanettes!
Instead of showing you yet another picture of the porridge we eat in the morning (we are still eating the porridge we prep the night before!), I thought I would share some pics of the lovely meal my friend Magda cooked for me and a couple of friends last Friday. They were all kind enough to put up with my paparazzi imitations whilst we ate!

I like to think I'm a thoughtful guest, so I took Magda some of my absolute favorite treats and I even put some ribbon round it.. Good guest points ahoy!

Magda had clearly put a lot of time and effort into cooking for us, and we were greeted with wine, candles and lots of ambience.

To start our meal she had made what she calls 'pate rolls' and I'm not sure what the Polish/English translation is, but I am sure that these pastry and mushroom rolls were AMAZING!

Absolutely perfect to dip into this beautiful beetroot soup.  As I understand it you cook the beetroot in stock, strain it and then serve the liquid.  Just gorgeous.

Here is Magda serving up our main course

 Salad

Served with dauphinoise potatoes, with a cheesey chicken, salami and bacon stack. Just an amazing meal.

 Vikki brought baby Olivia, and as you can see, Olivia enjoyed her meal too!!

Oh look, we retired to the living room for pudding and somehow I managed to take a photo of my new boots!  Hello boots!

Pudding was out of the this world. Magda had made a trio of mousse's, and they were so rich and creamy and fabulous.

 I was beyond full, but it was so tastey I just had to keep nibbling a little bit more

Until I eventually admitted defeat and Magda kindly packed the last of the mousse into a doggy bag and I took it home for Paul.

Thank you Magda, you went to such a lot of effort and I really enjoyed myself - amazing food and good company x x

Dressing the house

So Halloween, or Samhaim (Sow-een) as we call it, is a pretty big deal around here.  Prob our biggest Sabbat on the wheel of the year. Traditionally its the last harvest of the year, when our ancestors would have brought in the very last of the crops before the first frosts hit. They would have decorated their houses and paid homage to their own ancestors. More recently it is known as the New Year and the wheels starts again at Yule. The way Paul and I celebrate Samhain has changed somewhat since the days before the Kidlets, although the essence is still there. These days its all about making it fun and memorable for the children, so that even once they have grown up and have chosen their own route through life, they can look back fondly on the traditions Paul and I hold important.

To try and make the 'season' memorable, we try and find seasonal things to do, see and participate in.  This year we went to a Pumpkin festival and although it rained, it was a lovely afternoon, crammed with mahoosive pumpkins, scarecrows and candle making.

The first thing we do at home, to make the 'season' of Samhain fun and light hearted, is to decorate the house.. We add one or two new things each year and we are getting quite a collection now!

A festive plate needs cake!

 

The most important thing that Paul and I like to remember at Samhain is our connection to our ancestors - to remember where our families came from, and who made us and what we are today. I think a lot of the 'spooky' ideas around Halloween stem from the ancient belief that our ancestors are closest to us, the 'veil' between the living and dead if you like, is thinnest on the 31st October.  We don't see it as spooky though, we have taken to celebrating Samhain a bit like the Mexican festival known as the Day of the Dead, where we spend the day doing exciting, brightly coloured activities, celebrate our family, our ancestors and eat festive food (I shall of course blog about this when we do it!).

I struggle to get a good pic of this, but I made this wall hanging a couple of years ago

Fire place ready for re-decorating Samhain style!

Happy Samhain Clanettes, may your last harvest be great and your family well x x

Get Fit, Feel Epic - Week 7

Thanks to Weight Wars and Moneysupermarket.com for hosting the last 8 weeks.  As we move into the final stretch I am feeling totally Epic!
This last week has been a tough week in terms of my ongoing post-op recovery. Swimming with Niamh last week, followed by 7 hours in sweaty lycra and a lot of physical exersion last Saturday gave me poorly stitches and I finally dragged myself to the drs last Monday for some antibiotics - you know you're in trouble when you gently knock your pushchair and cry out in pain.. Infected stitches are no laughing matter! Anyway, I pushed through as ever.

Lets re-cap my goals:
1) Cycle 300 miles during the 8 weeks - After 7 weeks I have cycled 209.52 miles
I have had an epic cycling week and couldn't physically cram any more in, cycling 67 miles! I am back in my cycling zone with a bang and am only dissapointed that I won't manage 90 miles this coming week, our last week, to meet my overall goal! I shall however, cram in as much as possible.

So, Monday was a turbo session (read about it here), and I have allowed 6 miles for the session - who actually knows how far we did or didn't do. Tuesday was a short ride to and from a run session, a round trip of 6.5miles. Saturday was a 15 mile ride with my friends Emma and Suzie, then Sunday was a 40 mile ride with Skyride. I have been one lucky lady for company this week.

The Skyride crew last Sunday.  It was a glorious day, although VERY cold in the beginning, the sun soon came out. I know I've said it before, but you really SHOULD find a Skyride local to you!

2) Run 60km (37 miles) in the next 8 weeks - After 7 weeks I have run 36km (22.5mi)
I put my running shoes back on last Tuesday and gritted my way through a very wet 5k. Running and waist bands didn't agree with my poorly wounds, so I didn't do another run this week. I was pleased that my time was pretty average for me though, so two weeks away hadn't impacted hugely. Yay!

3) Swim at least 12 times during the challenge - After 4 weeks I swam twice
3) A 45 mile sportive on the 21st October and associated training. I'd say I successfully trained my newly trimmer botty off this week ready for next Sunday.


4) Yoga - Stretching has been hard this week, any sort of pressure on my tummy has hurt.

5) Eat right - I AM IN THE ZONE! Oh yeah!   

Last weeks challenge!  Push ups. They are a great functional movement and you can improve your strength really quickly.
Day 1 - Do as many push ups as you can. 
Day 2 - 6 - Try and add more each day
Write down all your results and your progress all through the week! 

I wasn't able to complete this challenge, the very act of getting down on the floor and then pushing using anything like my stomach muscles was excruiating for the first few days of last week.  I did however do a token 6 pushups on Saturday and Sunday as I started to feel better, I added these into my morning yoga.

 

Your challenge this week: A good old fashioned scavenger hunt...take pictures of  (and be inventive)
1. You after a workout
2. A piece of fitness equipment
3. Where you sleep
4. Favourite Movie
5. Your source of inspiration
6. Something that makes you happy
7. Nature
8. Something you've grown or created
9. Something you really should stop
10. Something new that you love

I'm a bit of photo addict, this is a great challenge, I am on it like a car bonnet! 

Not So Sweet Smell of Non Scale Victories

Sometimes its important to focus on Non Scale Victories, or in my case, Non Exercise Victories. This was pointed out rather well by Rebecca at Weight Wars (As ever!), she wrote a great narrative this week that got me thinking - read it here.

Even with all the weight I have lost this year,  even now wearing a UK size 14/16, I am still a larger than average female, standing at over 6ft tall with size 10 feet. Wearing mens clothes and feeling frumpy is a way of life for me - despite my Mothers best efforts, constantly seeking femininity for me. Thank you Mama x x

Shoes have always been a particular issue. I could write and rant for pages and pages on the missing niche in the market.  Added to my already massive feet, all the extra weight I used to carry meant that I had big calves too, so even if I found a size 10 boot, it wouldn't necessarily zip up.

WELL NOT ANY MORE BABY!! HELLO BRAND NEW, AVERAGE JOE SIZED CALVES, AVERAGE JOE TALL GIRL WEBSITE!! HELLO NEW BOOTS!! EXTRA LONG FOR THE TALLER LADY!

This 'normal' feeling of ordering new boots and 'knowing' they will fit is why I keep setting my goals that bit further and higher. Why cycling 66 miles was such a milestone for me last week. Its why I run when I don't want too, its why I turbo train at silly-o-clock in friends garages. Today I feel pretty and feminine, albeit with an 'edge' - woe betide I lose my edge!

I've come along way.

I'd say Non Scale Victories, or Non Exercise Victories are pretty important. Wouldn't you.

Sewing

Since we hit The Bers my list of 'things' to sew and make has got longer and longer and pretty soon I am going to run out of time.. The joys of procrastination!!

The number one thing people ask me to make and buy is still bunting, and I had a great project last week with an order for 'Cameron' bunting, specifically in yellow and blue, with triangle flags.

I use Bondaweb for my applique detail - in this case the lettering.  It uses the same principle as wondaweb, but comes in a big roll and feels like tracing paper.

The biggest lesson with Bondaweb is to remember to do everything backwards, so that when you iron it onto the first fabric, and turn the fabric over and cut out your deisgn to iron on to your second fabric, its facing the right way!

I have been doing this for a long time now, so I have a lot of templates.  The alphabet for example, I have ready printed in upper and lower case.  To remind me to do it backwards I have notes all over the templates.

In the beginning too, my flag sizes weren't quite right for the size of my lettering, so now I have ready cut templates to the flags to size.

Setting up for a bunting making session doesn't take a lot of time these days.  Good news for me!

 Once I have cut out my applique detail, again in this case the detail is letters, I peel the Bondaweb back off, stick it to my second fabric and iron it on.  Hey presto.

 Then its just a matter of the applique sewing, and then the flags are ready to be sewn together and turned the right way for pressing.

 I generally always make my own bias binding these days, seen here as the 'ribbon'. I posted about the day I learnt to make binding here - very exciting for me!

Then its just a matter of sewing the triangle flags inside the bias binding.  And Roberts your mothers brother!

Go and take a look at our Folksy shop The Tangled Muse and our website www.tangledmuse.co.uk You never know when you might need some bunting!

WIAW #10

Double digits Clanettes!  Week ten of recording what I eat on a Wednesday..

Breakfast!
We are still happily living the porridge dream here, the children prep the porridge in the evening and then we all eat it heated up for breakfast.

This morning we all had honey to sweeten it, and then Lochie and I also shared a banana on the top. Niamh had her banana on the side, and Bebe opted out of fruit..

Paul's office is 37miles away, and given that he mainly commutes on his bike, he is long gone before 7am in the morning and therefore doesn't get to share breakfast with us Monday to Friday. Similary he is home after the Kidlets have eaten their tea, so I either eat with them or with him depending on the plan for the evening. Its a long day for everyone.
We all eat at the same time during the weekend.  I think sitting down together for a meal is a good way to ensure we all see each other, we can catch up and I think it promotes healthy eating - the Kidlets generally eat (or not!) what we do and this also saves cooking time!

It took a long time to decide how to best approach food in this house, and I'm still not sure we get it right all the time.  But regardless, everyone is fed and watered and mostly happy about it, so it can't be too bad!

Lunch!
Today the bagel was the star of everyones lunch.

The children took cream cheese bagels in their lunch boxes to school, together with yoghurt, crisps, fruit and some more of the chocolate flapjack we made last week - it was back by popular demand!

Niamh and I shared lentil soup and bagel, followed by yoghurt and strawberries. The soup is another River Cottage recipe, which can be found half way down this page here. I just Love Hugh!  Hugh and Jamie are my go to guys. I like Hugh for soups and puddings and freezer filling dishes.  I like Jamie for quick and inventive mid week dinners - We could eat his Asian Salmon and noodles, or his Satay Chicken til the cows come home!

Snackage!
I had coffee with my friends Clara and Erika this morning, and that may have included a cookie amongst other things..

Then this afternoon I had herbal tea, obviously, with an apple and a slice of Soreen Fruity Five maltloaf.

Dinner!
This is a meal I mentioned a couple of WIAW's ago, and it has been sat in the freezer.

 

Its a savoury crumble, and is basically a vegetable ratatouille (this one is mainly roasted butternut squash but you can use whatever you have in the fridge), that I add curry spices too, and then make a crumble topping for (so butter, flour and oats with seasoning).

Tonight we had it with sausages and gravy. Not the most nutritionally balanced of meals, but OH MY WORD it was GOOD!

And remember - ALL herbal tea should be served specifically in a glass cup/tankard, thus making the drink 'special'.  Herbal tea is 'special' because it makes you feel virtuous.  I like to drink out of a glass half pint tankard, so I get to feel like a warrior in a tavern - virtuously obv.!