Friday 26 February 2010

A simple, lovely day.

This morning was delightful.  Rye half skipped, half toddled through to my room and climbed on the bed and loomed over me with a big grin on his face.  He proudly told me he'd slept in his room all night, in his own bed.  I told him how proud I was and we had lots of lovely cuddles and snuggles - even a little breastfeed and to my utter suprise there was still a touch of milk there!  Rather randomly, he also told me that my other boob looked like a cake.

Then it was time to fling the duvet back and start the day - although it wasn't done with that much exuberance; I intensely dislike getting out of bed in the morning; not matter how well (or not), I've slept.  A cosy snug bed is just too delicious to leave.  Alas needs must. 

This morning deserved pancakes.  Rye had about 6 with a touch of golddust honey on them and I had two small ones and a pile of sliced pear and apple, and gorgeous blood orange freshly squeezed juice, mmmm.
My charge arrived and looked slightly miffed that she'd missed the feast, (we were just finishing up when she arrived), although, mostly she turns her nose up at pancakes.

The spotty lurgy is clearing up nicely, spots all drying up so contagion over and even higher spirits resumed.  At 9:30am I suggested a walk; both children raced to the door.  Togged them both up and Rye enjoyed a ride around on his bike and C tottered in her new wellies.  Bit grey and murky, oh so nice to be out in the fresh, if nippy, air and both kids clearly relished stretching their limbs.
Watching the seagulls as they swooped and dived and made a unholy racket

We arrived back home in time for snack time, which the children virtually inhaled.  Nothing like a bit of fresh air and exercise to improve the apetite :-)  While they devoured my vegboxes arrived;
A mixed fruit and veg box, salad box and then yoghurt, milk, eggs, lemons and blood oranges as extras.  I have a lot of lettuce; there was a lettuce in both boxes and I have a couple bags of water cress from last week still left over and another lettuce.  LOL we'll be eating a lot of greens this week.  Maybe have a go at a green juice.  Thank goodness for my salad leaf dryer, makes quick work of drying leaves after washing them in salted water.

After snacktime, we played with the jigsaw puzzles again and I even brought out the xlyaphone and little electronic keyboard, which both kids played quite tunefully, rather than just bashing the heck out of em.  We were having so much fun with the puzzles, reading, music and singing songs that it was my rumbling tummy that gave hint lunch time was nearing.  We had some of the left over dahl and rice for lunch, including fresh bread rolls - well actually these were suppose to be Nigella's flatbreads but I'm assuming the overnight proving and use of wholemeal is why didn't turn out particularly flatbreadish, (normally, they are kinda like a thicker pitta bread).
Prettiness isn't perhaps a word to describe the look of these breads; but mmmm, very, very tasty.  Once lunch was over, naptime for C.  I barely read a page of my book before the Sandman worked his magic.  I came downstairs to discover Rye nodding off to cbeebies.  Cheerfully turned that off and pottered in the kitchen and then online while sipping a lovely hot cup of coffee, mmmm, bliss.

Tea was delicious, roasted vegetables with halloumi cheese and rosemary, with dressed salad leaves and a little more of the bread.  YUM.  Halloumi roasted is wonderfully delicious and it takes the edge off the squeakiness of the cheese.  Then it was time for the little one to go home and once she'd gone Rye requested we go outside again.  Well, how could I resist?  The murkiness of this morning had disappeared as the day wore on, until in the afternoon we had lovely bright sunshine and a brisk wind to accompany.
Loved the walk with Rye, very cold but again just lovely to be out of the house again.
Rye pointed out the moon to me - so beautiful.
We walked around sections of the estate I've not been around before.  All a muchness to be honest; and a bit claustophobic just how jampacked in the houses are and also such a waste of space too; the drives are really long but quite narrow so most people only park at the top end; but the entire stretch along the houses are either slabbed or concreted.  My drive is the same, and I lament at the loss of space frequently.  If I owned the house I'd rip it all up and reclaim the soil back, move the fence up and thus increase the size of my garden by quite a bit - especially as the small shed would  then fit on the reclaimed part.
Saying that, even if I had the cash, I wouldn't buy this house as it's too near the motorway, the houses are very small and well, I'd like a house with a bit of character if I were to buy.

Anyhow, back to our walk.  Inspite of the feeling of being enclosed in, and actually I live right on the edge of the countryside.. thing is, it's kinda blocked off by the M20, which is a shame because the countryside on my doorstep (almost), is the Downs; we had a lovely walk around and Rye thoroughly enjoyed himself and has really got the knack of the balance bike.  
When we arrived back home, he wanted to stay out in the garden for a bit, I watched him as I cleaned up the kitchen and he sat on his yellow tractor, and chattered away to the moon, waving and blowing kisses - bless him. :-)  Eventually, the cold got the better of him and he slammed back into the kitchen, decoated and wellied himself and then flung himself onto my lap and demanded cuddles. :-)
Then bath and bed.  The bed part too a wee while, but eventually after a few stories and a few renditions of the "Wheels on a Bus", he finally sighed and fell asleep. 

And now and nice hot cuppa, bliss.


2 comments:

willow81 said...

What a lovely day you all had. I LOVE halloumi- a rare treat now that I am doing my Slimming World. Why do you wash lettuce in salted water? Does it keep it fresher?

Joxy34 said...

No it just kills any bugs that are on the leaves so they fall off easily. Its a "trick" I picked up from working as a waitress many moons ago lol.