My Weekend

Early Saturday mornings often contain one of life's most perfect moments for me. First off I get that stomach churning feeling when I open my eyes and think for a brief moment that I've over slept and am late for the morning preparations for work/school. Then right afterwards there it is :: The Perfect Moment :: that slow, blissful realisation that the weekend is here and all is well and the clock can be ignored. Ahhhhhhhhhhh, what a feeling that is!

And on Saturday morning, I experienced that exact Perfect Moment, yes I did, and it was bloomin' marvelous! There's something wonderfully luxurious about waking up and digesting the knowledge that the next 48 hours of ones life is totally unplanned, unstructured and can be filled with whatever pleasures and activities tickles ones fancy. Within reason of course.

Now if one starts the weekend experiencing a Perfect Moment such as this, one has to go about making the right sort of Perfect Breakfast to follow. Them's the rules in our house. And in the absence of pain au chocolat (Perfect Breakfast of choice), I opt to make scotch pancakes. Such a lovely thing to be involved with at 8:45am on a Saturday morning. J is in the kitchen with me making coffee and I say to him :: there's something so Homely and Comforting about making these pancakes, something kind of simply wonderful about standing at the cooker, quietly dropping blobs of thick batter onto a hot frying pan and creating these golden, bubbly circles for my family to eat. The Little People adore these pancakes, they are quick and easy to make (recipe can be found here), and I think they would score a pleasure factor of 9/10, for both production and consumption.

The morning continues, leisurely and relaxed :: 10am and I decide I need to bake.

I go through various baking possibilities and opt for lemon cake.

I am dressed accordingly, in pj's, dressing gown and pink fluffy slippers, with apron slung over the top for good measure.

I measure and whisk and zest and squeeze and the house slowly fills with the delicious scent of Saturday lemony baking.

J and I have morning coffee together and chat about how we would like to fill our afternoon. It's decided that we would like to walk to town and Shop a little, which is quite unusual for us. So on the spur of the moment, he rings his parents and asks if they would like to come have lunch and spend an hour or two looking after our offspring whilst we go Shopping. Of course they agree (oh my in-laws are the most lovely wonderful people), and so on Saturday afternoon we find ourselves at the top of the high street with two child-free hours of shopping stretching ahead. But before hitting the shops we decide to call into the town church. For no reason, other than the mood took us. It was beautiful, peaceful, serene. Unlike the shops, which were busy, chaotic and er, well un-serene, whatever that word is.

I am trying to find my festive spirit, it continues to hide. The shops were so unmistakably shouting out the C word to me, yet I could not quite get into the swing of it. We bought clothes, food, logs. Nothing festive at all, although I was quite tempted by this chocolate army.

When we got home, I made mulled wine and even put on some Christmas tunes. Yet I am still not quite there with it yet. But it will come to me soon enough, I know it will. Maybe next weekend when we go through the Purchasing of The Tree. Maybe then I will be full of C-spirit.

Early evening, 6pm or thereabouts. We have a picnic dinner in front of the fire, then ,J and Little Man play dominoes and Little Lady and I snuggle on the sofa together.

She is telling me a story about something or the other (it was very long winded and involved various Barbie Dolls doing various things, I confess I switched off a little). We play some hand games :: round and round the garden, one potato two potato. There is quite a lot of tickling and giggling involved, and I am in the happiest place.

Saturday was a Great Day.

Sunday morning comes around, and all is well. Various children come and go throughout the morning. In and out, they alternate between playing outside in the remaining snow and coming inside to run and shout and invent games or sit quietly making Hama bead creations and watching films.

I choose to sit here and alternate my time between crocheting and losing myself inside the pages of my latest magazine.

I love the feature on Winter Roses...

...and these knitted cakes (a Christmas present suggestion).

I continue to really enjoy my weekly magazine-fest, enjoy immersing myself in the pages, drooling and swooning my way through the styling ideas, the shopping suggestions, the recipes, the seasonal inspirations, not to mention other peoples houses and lifestyles and creations.

Sunday afternoon, 3pm, and we wrap up warm in coats and hats and scarves and gloves and head out into the darkening day. It's our town's annual Christmas Festival. The high street has been closed to cars and filled with festivities. A brass band plays Christmas carols, and there are stalls selling Christmas wreaths, hot roasted chestnuts, mince pies, mulled wine. And lo and behold bits of a fairground have magically appeared...

...the Little People are so stunned to see all this where there is normally a road, they are lost for words. They can't quite believe what they are seeing. A carousel...

 

..and fairground games! They beg us to let them try their little hands at hook-a-duck and triumphantly  come away with a giant inflatable hammer and a cuddly toy dog.
 

4pm and we watch a procession of children walk up the street carrying hand made paper lanterns lit inside with candles. The brass band is walking too, and we all go up to the churchyard to sing Christmas carols. Little Man is busily chasing Little Lady around the gravestones with his giant inflatable hammer. They are shrieking with laughter, which clashes embarrassingly with O Little Town of Bethlehem.

 

So we leave the church and the town and head back in the dark to number 24, to hearth and home. We are loving our fire this winter, it's giving us endless, cosy, fireside pleasure.  It's hard to photograph though :: I wanted to try and show you the coloured flames produced by these but the colours didn't come out very well. Ah well, you can imagine me can't you though, curled up on the sofa in front of the fire doing my thing...

...yup, crocheting of course. I got myself into a little bit of a hooking frenzy this weekend as the end of the hexagon blanket came into sight. I don't think I've ever managed to crochet so fast and for so long. I  turned out hex after hex after hex until finally, finally, when my fingers were almost too stiff to do any more, the last one was completed at 10.30pm last night, just as the fire was dying down to embers,. I am now working a bit of an edging to it, and can't wait to show you when it's all completely finished.

Yes, Sunday was a Great Day too.

In fact, the whole weekend remains locked in my memory as one big long extended Perfect Moment. Hope yours was too?

xxxxx

Comments

[JaneR]

Searching through the archives I came across this lovely post. Sometimes it can feel as though we are constantly looking to the next thing and not enjoying being in the now - what a lovely example.(And a bonus - it features one of my favourite cookbooks!)

[Jo]

Well, Lucy. The breakfast, the blanket and all that lies inbetween. Bliss! I had to work, so reading this was like enjoying a missed weekend! Thank you!
(I love the pj picture!)
Jo
x

[beck]

What a gorgeous post. Full of lovely photo's and so comforting goodness. Thanks for sharing your weekend, it really cheered me up! x

[Debbie]

Hi lucy,
Thankyou for your lovely comment on my blog (flourish and blossom), i love your house too, especially your view.....so so lucky, i totally agree with that weekend feeling !! and please do open up an etsy shop, you are very talented.....
Debbie xx
P.s. i have been a secret reader of your blog for quite a while but never leave a comment, i am always in such a rush, so here you go my first !!

[Liz]

What a lovely family you are. I wish I lived near you, I want to be your friend!!

[G]

Lucy, i found your blog some time ago whilst looking for crochet patterns - and would like to take this opportunity to tell you how much i am enjoying reading it regularly!

I am a beginner hooker, and have only made a couple of baby granny blankets. Your blog however, inspired me to much higher goals! I have now learned how to do several different edgings and have embarked on your bag (whilst struggling with my mental state which insists i should be doing a hexagon and ripple blanket at the same time!). I'm using Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran & a 4mm hook, and am halfway up the sides in various blues, greens and browns. The wool is beautiful - and i'm really glad i searched it out after you told us about it. I'll send you a link to a picture when its all finished so you can feel proud of yourself for writing out some wonderful patterns and being generous enough to share them. Not to mention providing inspiration to the hooker community...

[ElisabethB]

Yes, cook pancakes for sunday breakfast is great and bake a cake for the afternoon is also a great pleasure for me (and my family of course !!).
At each time I read your blog I say to myself : I must learn crochet !!
Thank you to share with us :-)

[Leisa]

Oh thankyou Lovely Lucy for sharing your perfect weekend. I enjoyed every moment of your post.

[Gretchen Cantoni]

Dear Lucy,
You are truly amazing. I only found your blog today as I was searching for how to crochet Hexagons. Wow! You are a lovely writer as well as a very creative and energetic person. Although I am an American I have always felt a deep kinship to and longing for Britain. I've visited a couple of times and as soon as my feet touch the ground I feel I belong. Thank you for your lovely writing that fills me with love for your language and homeland. Sincerely, Gretchen. PS, my husband's nickname for me is Lucy..

[Devon Hanna]

Hi Lucy,
What a wonderful sounding weekend,,I have to tell you my mother went to England many years ago and got me that exact cookbook,,I still have it,,Love all the pictures and stories,,,keep them coming...cheers
Devon

[Account Deleted]

oh I'm so envious still of your beautiful crocheted blanket, how I wish I could crochet.

[Josie-Mary]

What a lovely weekend you had, the blanket's looking good... can't wait to see the finished pictures. Your socks/tights are lovely.... where did you get them??? :)

[Cynthia]

What a lovely weekend you had, thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures.

[Fiona]

Oh it just sounds lovely. I love that Saturday day morning feeling too. Blissful. We had an equally perfect weekend, buying our tree, sitting in the weak sunshine in a country pub drinking mulled wine to keep us warm and eating the most amazing roast lamb cooked by my lovely hubbie to be. Your crochet blanket is looking beautiful. I'm loving the colours you've used. Look forward to seeing the finished article. Have an equally lovely week and hope you manage to start to feel Christmassy soon.

[Katy]

sounds like a brilliant weekend!

[elizabeth of course]

What a LOVELY weekend! I'm thoroughly jealous as mine was chaotic and decidedly unfulfilling.
I cannot wait to see that hex blanket completed! The colours are so wonderful!

[Helen Lambert]

what a lovely weekend Lucy...I love your blankets...I once went on course at Rowan to learn ho to crotchet ...but w never learned how to make beautiful blankets...I dont suppose you have a patten.......
love and hugs H

[Lynn]

And that was One Extended Perfect Post -- I savored every bit of it. Thank you! (Chuckling that the inflatable hammers are a part of festivities over there, too...)

[Hen]

Sounds like a fabby weekend all round. I love getting up and baking and realising I'm still in my pjs around lunchtime! I'm in love with that big blowsy pink rosy wallpaper in the Country Homes & Interiors mag. Haven't got a wall for it, unfortunately. Look forward to the big hex reveal...
Hen x

[A Thrifty Mrs]

Looks and sounds blissful to me.

[vanessa]

Now that is a perfect weekend! My perfect weekend would involve me doing lots of crafting................... but as that is a solitary occupation, and doesn't involve Hugo's participation, it's not something I really allow myself to do................ so the perfect weekend alternative for me is a long walk with Hubby and the doggies, and a picnic on top of a hill, with noone else around.................... then returning home to the fire side, a cup of steaming tea, the weekend papers............... and if, If i'm sneaky, a bit of knitting!!!!!!!!
Gosh I know what you mean Lucy, about the christmas spirit! It's eluding me at the moment................. and I'm normally the first one to get the decorations up.............. I'd have them up in november if I was allowed!!!!!!!!

[driftwood]

it sounds perfect!

[cathleen]

I am reading this post just smiling and smiling. It is as if I have picked up my very favorite comfy, cozy book that I love to read over and over from cover to cover while still in my jammies and drinking my tea covered in a patchwork quilt. I LOVED this post today, especially, Lucy. It made me feel happy, peaceful and even a little nostalgic for a little sister. I have five brothers and always wished for a beloved sister. You would make a perfect little sister. You are such a treasure of sweetness and delight. Really!!

[Funkymonkey]

We had a similar weekend, busy, yet relaxed.Saturday has to be my favourite day!

Tracey

[kathy]

Hi Lucy, aaww, that was lovely. What a lovely weekend. I and my family had a lovely weekend too, funnily we went to the town near my parents' farm on Friday evening where they had the same sort of fair: indoor pannier market full of lovely stalls, outside the square was closed of traffic and there were funfair type stalls, carol singing and a childrens procession with their lanterns. Very similar! Kathyx