Country Living

Good morning! Did you have a good weekend? Was it Wet where you live? It was here, yes, it was. It was indeed forecast to be Wet (my neighbour told me on Friday, she always seems to know the Forecast) but it was still a disappointment waking up on Saturday to grey Wetness. In the morning I had to go out to the shops for essential supplies (bread and wine, I kid you not) and I got Wet going to the shops, and even Wetter coming home from the shops :: trudging home with Wet flapping trousers and rain dripping down my face, I decided I was not going out again for the rest of the day.
So when I walked in the door and saw the post had been and saw it was a Country Living weekend, I was exceptionally happy, even though I was dripping Wet. I tried not to yelp with excitement, didn't want to get the odd look again from J.

I subscribe to CL, think I have done for the past ten years or so, and yet I still never remember which time of the month the magazine arrives. Is it the end? The beginning? The middle? A set date? Every month it's always a delightful surprise when the postman rams it through the letter box ker-plunk onto my dirty old doormat (note to self :: must buy this, or maybe this, this or this to replace the current monstrosity). And as it's generally a Saturday, its makes it kind of blissful.

I have a routine for CL-arrival weekends. I like to read the cover first, study the cover image and ponder what kind of an issue this is gonna be. I do not open it. I leave it lying on the table and I glance at it a lot throughout the day. I am of course Desperate to read it, but I can't just flop down and read it any old how. It has to be perfect. Peace and quiet preferably (very hard to come by on a weekend) and  extreme comfort (I need to be wearing pyjamas and either in bed, or snuggled up somewhere with a blanket). So I wait. Wait for the perfect time to enter the pages.

Early afternoon I bake flapjack. We have the in-laws drop by for a cuppa (well we call it a Brew up here in Yorkshire). And it's still Wet. So we have an afternoon of kids-in-the-house. Our own and the neighbours. Its noisy, fun, hectic. I manage to sit in our big armchair in the bay window and crochet quite a lot of hexagons as the kids play. Barbies are out, a train track gets set up. I drink tea and eat flapjack, later moving on to a glass or two of wine. Actually, crocheting hexagons whilst drinking icecold Semillon Sauvignon Blanc with CL on standby takes me pretty damn close to heaven.

Little People eventually tell me they're hungry and as I try not to generally cook much at weekends I do pizza. Jazz up a basic margherita with some rocket and goats cheese. Garlic bread. Carrot sticks, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Apple juice for the Little People (a treat for them, I make them drink water 98% of the time), vinof or the Big People. We sit on the floor and eat picnic style round the coffee table.

So its about 7pm now and I am on my second/third glass of wine. J has retreated to the dining table with his laptop and is doing some geekish computery stuff, he has that look which says Do Not Disturb Me. I am Hugely Desperate to delve in to CL by now, it's been sitting beside me unopened all day. I deploy bribery to deal with the Little People  in order to achieve a certain state of calm :: we all get into our pj's and I snuggle them up in blankets on the sofa, put Tom and Jerry cartoons on tv (best kiddie dvd's we ever bought) and give them little eggcups of mini smarties. They are Hugely Happy (apple juice and sweets on one day, woohoo!)

And so I am finally ready to go in. I like to casually browse through quite quickly at first, get a feel for what's on offer.

And oh I'm not disappointed. It's stunning. Vibrant. Bold. Mmmmmmmmmm.

This is certainly an issue designed for me, there is colour by the bucket load. Ohhhh this textile designer's house, page 92!

And Ohhhh those dahlias, page 100! I am swooning! Pour me another glass of wine!

So I am flicking through, seeing, pondering, absorbing, taking photographs. But I'm not actually reading the words yet.

No, I save this for early Sunday morning, sat in bed with my pink spotty mug of hot tea.

Total peace and quiet before the Little People get up and I finally get to read it thoroughly.

Cover to cover.
Enjoy it enormously.
It was worth the wait.

 

Comments

[Rhianon]

Just to let you know, I read your blog with the same enthusiasm - my escape!

[Krawuggl]

Just by chance I found your blog and especially this post of the Country Living. Your pictures here immediately stroke my eyes, simply because this is the CL issue I am loving so so much. The colours, the fabrics, the combinations, it´s gorgeous and I so much would love to have every single monthly magazine made like this. So, here I´ve started and now I am sitting in front of my screen for more than an hour, reading your words, admiring your crochet blankets with their charming colour combinations, wonderful recipes and little peeks of your daily life at home. I have enjoyed it so much, this all is extremely what I love and for such a long time was looking for to find in blogs again. Inspiration, fun and happiness, wit and the normal, daily life and 'madness'. I am completely overwhelmed and have to bookmark you in any case, so be aware of a new, completely enchanted reader.
Have a lovely weekend with lots of new things to share next monday,
best wishes from Germany,
Suzi

[RI]

I am a fan of CL too,and when my copy arrives,I make a cuppa, and I escape into the pages of wonderful colour.My cuppa is always made useing a teapot and Yorkshire Tea (no tea bags allowed in this house) I may have to start saying brew !{:>))

[Anna]

Ooh, it WAS worth the wait, got very excited when i realised I had missed two days worth of your blog!!!
Also found the Semillon Sauvignon Blanc quite inspiring...;)

[Tamar]

Oh my, I am drooling over those photos!!! it takes forever to get CL here, I just got the August issue, but the one you blogged about looks like heaven!! I know just how you feel about having to have the perfect time, spot and coziness to be able to sit and read it. What little joyed we have:)

[Julie Alvarez]

What a fantastic way to describe this simple pleasure (we all have our own, pretty much like this one) and drive us with anxiety through your tale until the end as if it was a Hitchcock movie!

[julia]

Sorry I appear to have written the first part of that message in some strange present/past tense - what can I say, my brain's scrambled, it's the summer hols!

[julia]

Glad I'm not the only CL obsessive weirdo out there! I used to get all twitchy if I leave my new and unread CL about and a friend starts leafing through it, now I just tell them not to let me see it or point anything out in it, in fact just to put it down actually! Fortunately they're used to me by now! My copy came through this morning and it'll stay in it's bag until the weekend.
Julia xx
ps. Oh how I miss the phrase "fancy a brew?", it just isn't used down here.

[Fi]

I hold my hand up! I'm a CL subscriber too! I want to climb inside the magazine pages and live there.

Hexagons are looking good Luce. x

[emma]

Ha ha! When I was 40 I saved up 4 copies of CL to read on my birthday on a beach in Cornwall in April. It was bliss!!!!!!! My friend Marilyn owns the house with the blue wooden stairs going over the bench. it is beautiful but they do jazz it up for the shoots. I normally have a subscription for CL and it is has run out - it shows you how distressing/tiring summer hols with the kids can be I had completely forgotten that the new CL would be out. Normally I am waiting to pounce on it and deal with it in a similar manner to you! Love Emma x

[sarah]

Hi Luce
I've deleted your email what a plonker!The T&J dvd's will be on Santas list definitely. Anything that mummy and daddy can enjoy to is a bonus! Had a browse round the dot com giftshop so much nice stuff don't know which doormat to go for their all so nice! I have changed my comments setting so hopefully it will work for you next time. Ps I'm really enjoying your daily posts I have a mid morning coffee break especially to read your post!! If I don't always comment it's because I'm dealing with my 3 and 1 yr old!! Love Sarahx

[Joanne]

Forgot to mention we've been to Seatown today and had a great day, stopped off at West Bay for some chips before coming home. Just wondering what your thought are on the new apartments there. Not a favourite of mine I must say.

[cathleen]

Lucy, I posted the recipe you wanted for the Chewy Chocolate Cookies on my blog. Enjoy!

[Lisa]

I used to subscribe to CL, but gave up when I had a years worth of unread magazines stacked by my bed. This co-incided with becoming a mum, no real surprise then that my time was suddenly full of things a 3 year old needed to do!
I made the oaty biscuits you gave the recipe for and they are delicious, will become a favourite here I'm sure.

[Janneke]

Hi again,
I just had to let you know: tonight i was looking through my old CL's and in the one from october 2007 i saw a picture (on page 83) that reminded me of one of your pictures from this post !! And you know what? They are the same, just another tablecloth, hahaha. Isn't that funny !
Greetings, Janneke.

[Rosepetaljam]

that is laugh out loud funny! I have a similar reverence to the arrival of CL and Delicious magazine. I sort of tease myself with them for a while and then create the perfect time to 'view', usually involves earl grey tea or nice red wine, maybe something to nibble on, peace and quiet (no TV/ bloody awful Playstation noise in the background) and, now don't laugh, I usually light a candle to create just the right mood - eek! i think I am as mental as you are!

[Joanne]

Hi Lucy CL should employ you to sell their mag after reading your blog you could get anyone to go out and buy it. we've got the T&J DVD's Little ones love them.
Wish I could crochet It seems to be a lot quicker than knitting. Love your crafting, photo's, words well everything on your blog. Joanne.

[jane]

Thanks for the sneeky peek at CL. I'll most certainly be heading out to buy it on Thursday. I may have to check out those Tom & Jerry DVD's as well. It's great to get tips on how to keep little people happy!
Jane.x

[Gill]

I don't subscribe to CL but reading your blog is just as inspiring, I love the stories you weave! And it's the simple things in life that make me happy too, what a blissful way to spend a day.

[cathleen]

This was truly delightful to read this morning, Lucy. You have such a way with words as you tell your story. Wonderfully colorful and cozy pictures. You are on my list as one of my favorite blogs to inspire serenity.

[Janneke]

Hi,
I just must let you know how i adore your blog !! The way you can write your stories, it's fantastic. Here in the Netherlands you can also buy CL, not in my little village but in a nearby town. So whenever i get the chance i buy one. I like your "hexagons". At the moment i am trying to knit a patchwork blanket, pffuuh, but after that one is finished i would like some crochet..... So please go on with your lovely posts, i read every one of them !!
Greetings from the Netherlands.
Janneke.

[Kali]

BLISS, indeed!

[Yvonne]

Lol, my CL has just come through the letterbox as I was reading your post. I'll be saving it to later when little one has gone to bed. Hexagons looking great.
Yvonne

[sarah]

Love CL but dont subscribe so will have to wait for my copy I have that mug on the front cover £1.99 from Summerfields! Will make a note of the Tom and Jerry dvds and I'm after a doormat for my new summerhouse those are gorgeous think I will be purchasing one too!!
Ps well done on completing you blanket it's really beautiful!
Sarahx

[Rosie Graham]

That sounds like utter bliss.
Rosie