Saturday Happy

:: coming downstairs early on Saturday morning and loving that I still feel completely bowled over by the happy sight of my Shelves. Also loving that I can now photograph the flowers on my table without being overwhelmed by horrendous backdrop of visual doom ::

:: these are Fridays Fresh Flowers, the most beautiful, highly scented narcissi. The smell of them fills the room and is indescribably beautiful. Not every member of my family shares the same thought, but I care not ::

:: pottering. Happy happy. Watering the growing things on my mantel and loving them so very much. Lost count of how many successive yellow pots have filled these hooky tins this year, I will keep buying them week after week until they are no longer available ::

:: same goes for the hyacinths, think this is possibly the 4th or 5th batch. Pink this time, I'm really looking forward to them ::

:: pottering some more. Happy happy. Notice with a lurch of my heart that my new book is still sitting looking gorgeous in my newly acquired funky red wire In-Tray. Must make it top priority to find a Window of Opportunity for it ::

:: the urge to bake strikes, I immediately think Lemon Drizzle cake. Start to assemble ingredients but realise I've not enough sugar. Send Little Man running down to the little shop at the bottom of the road to purchase required sugar, then spend happy time making it happen. The resulting smell that fills the air is quite divine ::

:: suddenly remember that on Friday I bought the Little People new things from the discount bookshop in town and get them out. Am unsure as to whether sticker books involving animals, fairies, princesses, dinosaurs and lego people will still cut the mustard with 7 and 9 year olds, but I am pleasantly surprised by their enthusiasm ::

:: ahhh just like old times. I lovelovelove watching them become so engrossed with these simple books, just as I often did when they were much smaller. Sticker books are ace. Children busy with sticker books are ace ::

:: busy busy now, jobs to do. Dash upstairs to strip bedding off two beds and one cot. Big smile when I go into Little B's bedroom to see that he's managed to build the train track all-by-himself. My heart expands as I imagine his happy play ::

:: beds are stripped, washing machine sets to work, then a little spot of happy Pegging Out. It's not especially sunny, but there is a breeze and I am sure they will pretty much dry outside. I look up and down my back street and see there are many back yard washing lines full of laundry flapping in the breeze. It reminds me of a book illustration, so I go search it out and read it to Little B ::

:: this is a really delightful childrens book with the most heart warming illustrations. My Mum bought it for Little B's first birthday. It's called Peepo! by Janet & Allan Ahlberg. Little B is not yet at the stage where he'll sit still and be read to, but he does like doing the "peepo" bit of this book very much. And instead of reading the verse (which is wonderful but lengthy for a 2yr old), we do a sort of spotting game with the illustrations ::

:: 1 o'clock, and miraculously I am All Alone in the house. Children are out with friends, J has taken Little B to visit grandparents, and so it's just me by myself. I ponder over what to do with this precious window of time, and decide on something a little unusual for the time of day....a bath. A deep, hot, luxurious bubble bath. It is absurdly lovely to sink into the hot foamy, scented water in broad daylight, feels very decadent and naughty ::

:: post bath time now, and I am on a roll. I am continuing the naughty/decadent theme and feeling jolly happy with myself. I bring up to the bedroom a steaming hot cup of tea, a slice of still-warm lemon drizzle cake, and the Urgent Item from the top of my in-tray to deal with. I am in my pyjamas fresh from the bath, and into bed I creep ::

:: getting back into bed in the middle of the day feels kind of guiltily wrong but beautifully right all at the same time. As did the middle of the day bubble bath. And my friends, I can very, very, very highly recommend it. My pleasure-o-meter soared off the scale ::

:: this book, oh this book is fan-TAS-tic. I've read it all, cover to cover, devoured it, lapped it up. I'll be chatting more about it very soon, but for now, let me just say it's one of the bestest books I've ever bought ::

:: out of bed now, tea and cake in tummy, precious book on bedside table, back downstairs to real life. Bath and bed in the middle of the day!! HA!!!! yeah, I did that, and it was oh so GOOD! Pootling about and I spy my basket of ripple. Think to myself that it's been a while since I got it out and gave it an appraisal ::

:: it's looking very bright and joyful. I notice that the last six or seven colours have run through quite a rainbowy phase, so I decide that my next set of colour combos will shake it up a little. A few sparks need to fly I think. Still having a ball with this blanket, I don't think I really want it to end. Which is why I'm working on it oh-so-very-slowly. Eeeking out the pleasure of it ::

♥ What a gloriously simple, Happy Saturday for yours truly. So happy. So blessed. ♥

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Comments

[Jessica]

Can't wait to hear what you have to say about Homespun style - I've just been reading about it in the latest Mollie Makes and it sounds fantastic. We also love Peepo here - my son was given the same hard book copy that you seem to have for his first Birthday and we've spent hours looking through the pictures with him :-)

[Josie]

Hi. I live in New Zealand and just wanted to say a hello and thankyou for sharing peeks of your life. Yours is my fav blog and I adore your art, colours, house, walks and photography and conversations. Much happiness for your day. Josie :)

[delf]

I gave a try to your lemon drizzle last night : 4 fans here (out of 4...) Thank you!

[Charissa]

Hello, I've nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award. You are one of my favorite shiny spots on the web and I hope my readers find their way here as well. Congrats!

http://032ad8a.netsolhost.com/madmad/2012/03/19/i-won-the-versatile-blogger-award/#.T2flsIEVGSo

[BeBe]

Lucy, what a wonder you are…your blog makes me smile every time I visit! Stay happy, enjoy your family and your town, these are the things that matter. Thank you for sharing! I had to smile, I love the smell of narcissus and my husband hates them…I get them in the winter (here in Florida we have things like that in December) and set them by an open window so the smell is not so strong. Enjoy your spring…it is already summer here in Way Too Sunny Florida!

[Martha]

We had a book like yours when our big guy was very little... Peedie Peebles... brought with friends from York.... we all loved the drawings and story.
You're doing such a good job showing us all how to enjoy the burgeoning Spring! I'm only my way out to the market and know I'll come back with pots of narcissi... they come in yellow pots here in Princeton, NJ too!

[Valerie Jones]

Lucy, you talk about how blessed you are in this post. I wanted to let you know that your blog has blessed me. I am constantly inspired by your photos. The colours of your work, whether they are of your crochet (my favourite), or of your craftsy things bring me joy. I hate to go on blathering like an idiot but I did want you to know that reading your words about life and all in it, to me, has been a joy. Blessings to you and yours.
Valerie, Ohio, USA

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy I was so tired this evening that I fell asleep on the settee.
When I read your blog I knew that I had just got myself over tired. I need an afternoon in bed with tea and lemon drizzle cake. The cake made me smile
because a few years back my mum kept making it and we girls teased her about it. Peepo book has such wonderful illustrations in it. Allan Ahlberg
was brought up near to where I live and I have worked in the primary school
he went to.
I keep looking at that book title too. There is an article on Selina Lake in the current copy of Mollie Makes.
Your blanket is looking very very good. Love the variation in the ripple stripes. Enjoy the rest of the week.xx

[Esperanza]

Hoy se celebra el dia de San Jose artesano!!!

Eres artista-artesana del crochet!!!!
Feliz Dia !!!!!!
(⁀‵⁀)♥♥♥
¸`⋎´♥♥♥
¸.•°`♥

[Melissa]

Oh peepo! I loved reading this book to my children when they were wee ones (teens now!). Thank you for the memory :)

[peli]

beautifull pictures...i just love your blog and i stop by everyday to check whats new. you are the one who got me in crocheting...i like your work so much i couldnt resist...i had to try some myself and its really addicting!
thanks for the inspiration! xxx

[Alice]

your ripple blanket is so inspiringly gorgeous! <3

[Lynne]

You inspired me to finally have a go at my kitchen bookshelf full of cookbooks and messy piles. Just finished it this morning and I love it now! Your ripple is just yummy, and I have been carrying my Homespun book around with me to every room in the house. It's amazing!!!

[idiosyncratic eye]

I love your bright colourful photos, they always brighten my day so thank you for sharing. I also love sticker books and lemon drizzle cake (although for some reason it's become lemon grizzle cake in our house), it's the simple things in life. Like crafts. :)

[Dinahsoar]

This was a feast for the eyes and heartwarming. Pegging laundry--it's been many many years. These days hardly any one has a clothesline in the states and in some housing developments they are prohibited. Sad in a way I think. The plate your cake slice was on was beautiful...but so was your cup/mug and all the pretties surrounding you. And that book--what little I could see--does look wonderful. Looking forward to seeing more. Next time I am at Barnes and Noble I'm going to look for it. And I think you deserve the middle of the day luxury bath and bed time 'cause you conquered the shelves of doom..

[Archie the wonder dog]

Seems like a perfectly splendid day!! Ripple is beautiful!

[Janella]

Have just read your post and it brought back memories - my daughter is now nearly 30 and Peepo was one of our favourite books, the illustrations are amazing.

[Carol]

What a perfectly peachy day, thank you for sharing such happiness.
Your ripple is looking beautiful.
Carol xx

[Nancy]

Hi Lucy, Could u help me, I am stuck on the ripple blanket edges. I have started it over several times and it comes out uneven and bumpy each time.I have followed your tutorial but Im still having problems. I Love your current ripple so much that I am trying to make one like yours. Thank You Nancy

[\val]

Hey, glad you had some happy 'me time'. x

[Jennie]

I love seeing all the cheery and colorful bits of your home! Sounds like a wonderful Sat. to me! Good for Little B putting together his train- I so miss trains- my youngest adored them and played happily with them for years! It was so sweet- but he's ten now and not nearly so easily entertained- you know how that goes! Your home and life are enchanting, Lucy!

[Sew Create It - Jane]

I have never tried bath and bed during the day...but it sounds blissful!

[CrochetBlogger]

Crochet on yellow pots = perfect!

[Anne Reed]

Domestic Bliss You can't beat it.Peepo was always a favourite and the lemon drizzle still is!lol Glad you enjoyed some me time. Anne x

[Linda]

What a great day you had, thanks for sharing it with us. Love the ripple.