Friday 22nd November - a blow for independence!

 Read the title as you like... did I strike a blow for independence, or was I unsuccessful? 

This what I ended up with, so the overall result was a win!

A small table and chair now fill the space between the front door step and the bay window. 

 I've lifted the pot of pansies off the paving onto the table as well. That corner gets all the morning sun, and is usually sheltered from the wind. So I decided I would scandalise our very conventional road of fifties semidetached houses and bungalows by Sitting in the Front Garden with my morning coffee when possible! I haven't bought a purple dress and red hat to wear. One step at a time... although, thinking about it, there's that red hat I bought for my cousin's wedding...

I've long been envious of the way my Canadian friends talk about sitting on their porch enjoying the sun. I think this far more customary over there than over here. In American novels (think 'To kill a mocking bird') the families sit on the porch and greet the passers-by. 

The sun doesn't reach out seating area in the back garden close by the house until late afternoon these days, so if I want to sit in the sunshine it has to be the front garden.

My plan was to go out of the back door, trailing my 30ft oxygen tube, and carry the lightweight table and chair up the drive as far as the lead would reach - about halfway. Then I went out of the front door, but - horrors! The lead wasn't quite long enough!

Just then a lad came along walking to the sixth-form college. Aha! 

'Excuse me,' I called. He didn't heat he, never even noticed me! He was miles away, ears full of the sound of whatever his ear phones were filling them with!

BB came hurtling out of the front door... 'I thought I heard you call'. My independence came toast sudden end, and in fact I was very grateful as he accomplished in under 2 minutes what I had spent a while doing. 

Tomorrow, if it is sunny, I shall be out there, with a cup of coffee and a magazine and a cheery 'good morning' for any dog walkers, joggers, fetching-the-milk-and-weekend-papers, and anyone else as they pass by. You have be warned!

Thursday 21st November - why have I never thought of this before?

 It's obvious when you think about it.

It's just a sheet of bought short crust pastry, sliced into rectangles. You splodge some mincemeat into the middle, brush the edges with beaten egg, top with another rectangle and bake. The recipe gives the details and timings for ovens and airfryers.

I much prefer homemade mincepies to any of the shop bought ones, especially the ones made with sickly sweet pastry, but the whole rolling out and cutting out endless circles.... I guess I might have been put off hy regularly making 8, 9 or 10 dozen pies in the weeks either side of Christmas.

This short circuits the whole rolling and cutting and flour all over everywhere process. I'm going to make smaller ones, and without the icing...

I'm all for shortcuts!

Wednesday 20th November - lost and found

 The glitter thread I've been searching for

was hidden in plain sight in one of my two main sewing boxes. I found it straightaway this morning. Of course!

Here's the view over Paris in my Adveny calendar this morning.  I love the way the scene reflects the time of day. There's a mighty bell in one of the churches which chimes the quarters.

The grey numbered baubles relate to the doors on a traditional Advent Calendar; behind each one is a surprise! 

PS I don't get any reward for sharing my enthusiasm for Jacquie Lawson calenders! They an English Company; Jacqiue Lawson has retired but is still involved in the business.