Thursday 28 August 2014

Pretty Pages

Sorry for radio silence on the blog I have been lost in a mound of calpol and paint samples.... who knew a 1 and 2 year old could have so much snot and who knew there were SO many shades of white?! Anyway between brushing layers of said white onto the delightful lilac walls of the new house and wiping said snot from little noses we have found this gem of a book. A true feast for the eyes. Sally takes her shopping list to the high street and finds all sorts of wonders....








Tuesday 19 August 2014

Under the Tuscan Sun

Well, it's back to normality with a bump. The autumn winds are a howlin' and the dark nights approacheth..... ok, so it's not all that bad but it is not aperitifs at sunset looking over yonder at the hills of Siena.... sigh...... Here are a few snaps of the lovely week we spent in Tuscany with my sister Grace, her husband Alan and their beautiful daughter Maud. We are extremely lucky to have had this house in the family since Grace was born over 30 years ago (woops, hope you don't mind me revealing your age sis) Yes, we are super spoilt - thank you Mum and Dad.
Tuscany

chewing the fat over some tiramasu ice cream
down in one

those lizards cannot escape me now
blackberries galore

yet more food

what's your favourite flavour?

standard 11'z

bounding through the cyprus'

evening drinks

higher

guess who?

A shop that sold anything to do with the crusades. It was, without doubt the SPOOKIEST place I have ever been in to - at every turn there was a knight looming while dark gothic music played. Hell. Lenny loved it and has started a knight collection. Brrrrrrr

warm

the eternal wait for the lizard

there you are!

another frugal luncheon

Mo Bot

Quietly eating stones

New story - thanks Auntie Ellie

Artful petanque

Pool reflection

Make of it what you will..... not suitable for little eyes....?!

Hitching a lift

losing his trunks 
silly Daddy

Sizzling snapper...... and Alan.....

Aperol o'clock

on board a sting ray

sun downers

bathroom window


pink sky

view

water baby

wild flowers and Chianti

Saturday 9 August 2014

OK, so this is mega cheesy. However, every now and then I like to indulge in a bit of fromage- I came across these 15 Small Steps to Happiness on one of my favourite tumblr's Moon and Trees but she got it off another who got it off another who got it off another so who know where it began.... I suppose it matters not I think they ring rather true.
(pic credit DevianART)

  1.  1. Push yourself to get up before the rest of the world - start with 7am, then 6am, then 5:30am. go to the nearest hill with a big coat and a scarf and watch the sun rise.

    2. Push yourself to fall asleep earlier - start with 11pm, then 10pm, then 9pm. wake up in the morning feeling re-energized and comfortable.

    3. Erase processed food from your diet. start with no lollies, chips, biscuits, then erase pasta, rice, cereal, then bread. use the rule that if a child couldn’t identify what was in it, you don’t eat it.

    4. Get into the habit of cooking yourself a beautiful breakfast. fry tomatoes and mushrooms in real butter and garlic, fry an egg, slice up a fresh avocado and squirt way too much lemon on it. sit and eat it and do nothing else.

    5. Stretch. start by reaching for the sky as hard as you can, then trying to touch your toes. roll your head. stretch your fingers. stretch everything.

    6. Buy a 1L water bottle. start with pushing yourself to drink the whole thing in a day, then try drinking it twice.

    7. Buy a beautiful diary and a beautiful black pen. write down everything you do, including dinner dates, appointments, assignments, coffees, what you need to do that day. no detail is too small.

    8. Strip your bed of your sheets and empty your underwear draw into the washing machine. put a massive scoop of scented fabric softener in there and wash. make your bed in full.

    9. Organise your room. fold all your clothes (and bag what you don’t want), clean your mirror, your laptop, vacuum the floor. light a beautiful candle.

    10. Have a luxurious shower with your favourite music playing. wash your hair, scrub your body, brush your teeth. lather your whole body in moisturiser, get familiar with the part between your toes, your inner thighs, the back of your neck.

    11. Push yourself to go for a walk. take your headphones, go to the beach and walk. smile at strangers walking the other way and be surprised how many smile back. bring your dog and observe the dog’s behaviour. realise you can learn from your dog.

    12. Message old friends with personal jokes. reminisce. suggest a catch up soon, even if you don’t follow through. push yourself to follow through.

    13. Think long and hard about what interests you. crime? sex? boarding school? long-forgotten romance etiquette? find a book about it and read it. there is a book about literally everything.

    14. Become the person you would ideally fall in love with. let cars merge into your lane when driving. pay double for parking tickets and leave a second one in the machine. stick your tongue out at babies. compliment people on their cute clothes. challenge yourself to not ridicule anyone for a whole day. then two. then a week. walk with a straight posture. look people in the eye. ask people about their story. talk to acquaintances so they become friends.

    15. Lie in the sunshine. daydream about the life you would lead if failure wasn’t a thing. open your eyes. take small steps to make it happen for you.

Friday 8 August 2014

Happy 1st Birthday Mo Man

Beautiful Maurice - I cannot believe a whole year has passed - on the other hand, feels like you have been with us forever. What a year of laughter and love we have had (with a fair few tears and tantrums thrown in!) - life has been so much better now you are with us. We love you so much - Happy 1st Birthday.