Another quiet day of Pottering and Pondering for me today, and I'm more than happy with that. It's also yet another day of wet drippy stuff too, it seems quite relentless at the moment.
I was forced to abandon my beloved sky blue crocs this morning and dig out my wellies instead to walk to school. The rain this morning was Proper Rain, a real downpour, and crocs would have been a disaster. It's not cold though here, I was still wearing a teeshirt underneath my old leaky raincoat, but wet, yes it really was wet indeed. The canal towpath was flooded in a couple places, so Little Man got to practice his long jump (he refuses to wear wellies to school) and Little Lady practiced her splashing. It was quite a nice start to the day, despite the wet :: we splashed and jumped and chatted and stopped to coo over some teeny tiny fluffy little ducklings covered in droplets of rain.
I came home from shcool and while I still had my wellies on, I went through my little morning routine :: coffee machine on to warm up and I step out into the rain to say good morning to my back yard flowers. Lots of growth is happening out there and it makes me so happy to see it. Mind you, the growth is balanced out by quite a bit of chomping action too, most especially my poor, poor marigolds which've been serisouly munched by the resident snails/slugs.
I picked a small sprig of fresh fragrant mint to bring inside, just for the pleasure of holding it's minty scent under my nose as I pottered about in the kitchen making coffee. And for the record, I confess I ate two-and-a-half pieces of caramel shortbread with my frothy chocolate dusted coffee :: tut-tut! Good job I don't have a bikini holiday in the pipeline.
From the kitchen into the living room with my coffee and tut-tut's in hand, and it's all looking quite untidy around these parts. Stuff everywhere. The stuff of daily life with children. Toys, colouring books and pens, shoes kicked off, clothes discarded, blankets and cushions all askew. I took the above photo just now, reminding me that for a delicious little moment around 6.30ish this morning, I was snuggled there with Little Lady. She had got up early, crept downstairs and installed herself on the sofa under the ripple blankie (now living downstairs as BB is finally On The Bed!!!!!!). She looked so cosy and snuggly that I could not resist and climbed in under the blanket for a quick mummy-daughter cuddle. The best start to the day.
So yeah, my precious cashmerino ripple blanket no longer lives on my bed, but has come downstairs to be shared with the family.
I took the above photo yesterday sometime, after I came across this charming little vingnette quite by accident. I was huffing to myself because I noticed that my precious blanket had been dragged off the sofa and strewn on the floor. But just as I was (rather crossly) about to scoop it up and re-fold it, I happend to notice this teeny tiny meal all laid out. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww, I nearly cried when I saw it, truly I did, I felt quite choked!
Little Lady has recently had her dolls house downstairs to play with, and the above little bits and pieces are part of a very sentimental collection of my own childhood dollshouse accessories. I have lots of wooden furniture, and many very small items
too, including these teeny little plates and miniscule cutlery. It has miraculously survived over 30 years since I was a small girl, and it delights me to see it still being used. Funny thing was that when I asked Little Lady about the above meal, she told me that actually it was not her that had set it out. Noone had seen him do it, but Little Man must have had a secret little play with the dolls house things when nobody was looking. Consider my heart strings well and truly tugged there.
So its the last day of school today before the long seven week summer holiday begins :: seven whole weeks, it's a little mind blowing thinking of aaaallllllll those child-filled days stretching ahead, but I keep thinking back to last years summer holiday stay-home days and remembering that child-filled days are good days and nothing to be afraid of.
Next week we have the pleasure of J at home with us, which I am extremely happy about. The weeks he takes as holiday from work throughout the year are usually planned and spoken for and for the most part taken away from home. We usually jaunt away :: to Dorset, Northumberland, the Lake District, for family visits, holiday cottages and youth hostels. But next week we are to be At Home together, and it feels like the greatest luxury.
I had intended to have a grand tidy up today, to make the house all spik and span ready for our week-at-home holiday, but to be honest, I am not in the least bit feeling like it.
Far more pleasurable to sit and chat with you instead.
All I need to do is focus on this gorgeous little pot of flowers and ignore the rest.
Yes, I shall zoom in and put my eyes on Macro Mode.
And instruct the rest of my family to do the same.
Have a fabulous weekend, whatever you get up to....have fun!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
What a lovely surprise to have clicked on your blog just in case and to find another lovely lovely post. I have enjoyed all your posts this week and consider them to be a little gift one of life's simple pleasures. Thank you Lucy and have a lovely little person filled summer. Much love Penny L
Posted by: Penny L | July 17, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Oooh! I had that dolly food when I was little, it is Barbie or Sindy isn't it?
Don't childhood toys evoke such vivid memories?
Cannot wait for the grand unveiling of BB x
Posted by: lucy@theantidote | July 17, 2009 at 02:20 PM
what a cute little food in a little dishes.. have a great summer break..
Posted by: nora | July 17, 2009 at 02:29 PM
Greetings from beautiful northeastern Pennsylvania, USA...Dear, sweet Lucy, it sounds as if you are having a wonderful day- surrounded by all of your favorite lovely things. I, too, love my morning routine...I was on a holiday in Italy for 3 weeks and so missed my morning coffee, backyard flowers, and 3 dogs. My daughters are grown and gone, but I remember special mornings with them. Don't worry about "picking up"...you will have a spic and span house when the little ones are grown and you will then miss the mess!!! Hope you are allowing some crochet time today...Emily V.
Posted by: Emily Valli | July 17, 2009 at 02:32 PM
Everything here is so sweet. ^.^
Posted by: Simone | July 17, 2009 at 02:35 PM
Thank you Lucy for cheering up a very dark, rainy and thundery day! What an irresistibly fabulous recipe for what we used to call Wellington Squares - evoking wonderful memories and a bursting need to go shopping right now and get all those yummy ingredients! Your photos from last week's posts are just gorgeous and happy and inspiring. You are so talented and generous to share your beautiful creations. Have a very lovely weekend yourself :-)xx
Posted by: Trina | July 17, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Have fun enjoying all the simple family time that is to come next week. Those are the best, aren't they! Have fun and just sit back and let things happen.
xxxx
Posted by: Kar | July 17, 2009 at 02:41 PM
oh how nice! alas, our school summer holidays are almost over. Regular classes begin on 3 August, but since teen-age boy plays the tuba in the high school marching band, he must report for band camp ("one time, at band camp"....HAHA sorry I couldn't resist!:) name that movie!) on Monday. have a great day Lucy!!
melissa in the usa
Posted by: melissa | July 17, 2009 at 02:48 PM
I do love the teeny tiny meal on the ripple blanket. Away with the fairies, indeed!
Posted by: Kari of Writing Up A Storm | July 17, 2009 at 02:53 PM
Am 3 weeks in to the summer holidays...be a wee bit scared, managed to re-establish myself as the 'person who makes adult decisions' after about 10 days, Mark thinking this was indeed his role until then!! Have a time with J and the little people at home next week. It's pouring here too and I could go head to head with you in a snail/slug count! They have no appreciation of colour or form those pesky critters! Huge amounts of love xxx
Posted by: Alison Hutchison | July 17, 2009 at 03:26 PM
Have a great week with your family, enjoy everything.
Posted by: Raffie | July 17, 2009 at 03:29 PM
Love your blankets, your pictures... and what delightful little children you must have. Hurray to you!!
Posted by: Andrea | July 17, 2009 at 03:31 PM
I love the way you can make the mundane, the everyday, even the frustrating a delight. You and your camera bring me remind me to delight in the little things.
Posted by: Shelley in SC | July 17, 2009 at 03:34 PM
love that little meal all laid out :-)
enjoy the summer freedom although a very wet start here in Cheshire so desperately hoping for dry days!!!
Lesley x
Posted by: Lesley | July 17, 2009 at 03:37 PM
How sweet! And I love your wellies! They are so cute!!!
Posted by: Kelly | July 17, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Lucy - I just adored that post...everything about it. Enjoy your first days of summer break!
Posted by: susan@tickledpaisley | July 17, 2009 at 04:22 PM
I had some dolls' house meals exactly like those! There was a red jelly and a birthday cake too. My mum still has them all.
My mint green crocs have been filled with water several time this week on the school run.
Posted by: Sue | July 17, 2009 at 04:48 PM
lovely post, how cute that your lil man was playing with the dolls house bits bless him.
thanks for posting the recipe i cannot wait to try it out, i know they will be gone within two days in my house.
Posted by: Naomi Rainford | July 17, 2009 at 06:25 PM
Have a lovely summer holiday! We have already had 5 weeks, now it's 5 weeks left. Today we had SUN and 25 degrees, so we spent the day by the sea. Absolutely wonderful! Hope you and your family will have just as wonderful!!
By the way, please, show us your BB! Soon! :)
Posted by: Anna-Karin, Sweden | July 17, 2009 at 06:29 PM
It has been such a treat to find a new post on here every day this week :-)
My mum has a dollshouse at home, just the ELC wooden one with quite chunky accessories but whenever any children visit it is ALWAYS, without fail, the boys who play with the dollshouse!
Posted by: Heather | July 17, 2009 at 06:35 PM
I'd leave the housework if your home is anything like mine it will be all messed up again by morning!
I've just made your caramel shortbread and the alternative peanut butter one - delicious Lucy, thank you. Now it is I having the odd sneaky 'tut, tut!!' sssshhhhh.
Enjoy your week and take care,
Nina x
ps. thank you for the cushion advice it is very much appreciated - thank you. Nx
Posted by: Nina - Tabiboo | July 17, 2009 at 06:58 PM
I love the teeny tiny meals! We too had these dolls house accessories as children. However, are you sure they weren't put there by two bad mice? I think Beatrix Potter must have had the same dolls house set too!
Posted by: Kathleen | July 17, 2009 at 08:30 PM
I love those wellies Lucy, they are just so you! Hope you have a lovely seven weeks holiday ~ it does actually go in quite fast ~ we have had three weeks holidays already and so far so good! :O)
Posted by: Jackie | July 17, 2009 at 09:19 PM
I love your blog - came across it quite by accident and now check it out daily! I too love marigolds and was interested to discover from French friends that the word for marigolds "soucis" can also be used to mean little worries or problems. Helps to think of problems as marigolds eh? Hope the snails and slugs don't finish them off. Enjoy your littlies whilst you can they grow up all too soon.
Posted by: Jane | July 17, 2009 at 09:33 PM
those little plates and cuttlery are just so cool
Posted by: valerie | July 17, 2009 at 10:43 PM