Hangover cures welcome

Oh my - what an amazing wedding! The venue was divine, the flowers beautiful, the bride stunning and the champagne flowing.
My grand idea of taking lots of photos went completely to pot when I realised that a) my camera really, really doesn't like taking photos inside (see above...I so need to read the manual), b) actually finding the time to take them was nigh on impossible and c) I drank a little more than I had intended to calm the nerves. The venue felt so cosy in spite of its size and the number of guests. The wonderful browns of the wood combined with the stunning orange of the lilies and roses and the warm hue of the little tealights dotted around the rooms was so incredibly Hogwarts it was fabulous.
Add a dash of live music, a splash of the Thames and an incredible view of the London Eye and you really did have the most perfect setting for the most perfect wedding. The food was sensational - smoked salmon with a dill potato salad to start, followed by some exquisite steak (for 200 people!) and the most amazing cake for pud. The wedding cake was from Choccywoccydoodah and was the tastiest piece of chocolate cake that I have ever had - and I have tasted quite a few... It was sensational. When I was planning our wedding, I salivated from afar when flicking through the wedding magazines - and now, having tasted the real thing, I know why everyone raves about them.
I do have one small confession - N happened to be ushing when they brought out the cake and I might have swapped my rather small piece for the rather large piece that he had been given...

So, having spent the day recovering from the night that finished at 2am combined with a potentially torrid black cab journey to lunch on the other side of London with the bride and groom, we are finally home with a bunch of wedding flowers to boot. I have inhaled half a packet of chocolate cookies, nursed a cup of tea and am about to pick up my poor, neglected knitting. Bliss. Oh, and I'm naturally not touching alcohol ever again. Until tomorrow night.

Wedding, wedding, wedding!

I am so excited! Our friends are getting married today at this amazing venue. N is ushing and I finally get to wear my beautiful Ghost dress which has been hanging in the cupboard since October! I must remember to charge my camera before we go. I want to take some arty photos which the photographers won't necessarily take. There were a couple of shots that we didn't get at ours - close ups of flowers, shoes and other random things. I was stripped of my camera before I got into my wedding dress. Grrr. They should make them with pockets.

Spring is starting to...spring?

Just before we left on Tuesday, I got a chance to take a few snaps in the garden.
The baby sedum shoots have been pushing through, the daffs have buds and N's garlic is coming along a treat (see below). N's also finished the path, which looks amazing. We also picked up some bargain plants at Woolworths and their yellow buds have finally turned green - having been lovingly repotted by N - and look as though they'll make it, that is until they are planted into our clay soil.
Fingers and toes crossed...

Hello little home

Our time in Germany flew by. It was good to be out there to support N's mum and the service was lovely. The church was incredibly peaceful and serene. We met lots of Oma's friends who were just so welcoming, ate far too much (as always) and bought a piece of art to remind us of Cologne. The weather was grey, grey, grey apart from this stunning sunrise on Wednesday morning.

Not enough hours in the day

I can write list after list but I still end up doing long hours at the office when we're about to go away, more often than not, having left a pile of not particularly nice work for my team despite vast amounts of planning.

The photo above was taken on my first trip to Cologne to meet Oma. I was full of excitement and trepidation. I'd attempted to refresh my very poor Year 9 German for the occasion, but was so shy that I chose to be a bystander. I've always been far better at listening and reading a language than speaking it - I happily handed that mantle to my sister when she was 13, taking the creative hat for myself.

N and I are off to Cologne tomorrow for his Grandmother's memorial service. Just over a year since I first met her, just over a month since she died. She was such a strong woman with a cheeky twinkle in her eye - we had some amusing moments when we both knew exactly what the other was thinking despite the language barrier. I only wish I could have conversed with her - to get to know her. I can't begin to imagine how hard it must have been for N's mum to organise the arrangements, especially in another country. I hope it doesn't spell the end to the family going to Germany and meeting up with distant family.

And...

...M is for murky Mondays. Roll on Spring!

S is for...

Saturday
summer fruit
salon
shopping
sly foxes
super friends
supper (impromptu)
stir-fried sesame oil green beans
Sunday
saplings
steaming soup (husband made)
squirrels
strolls
stitches
sleep

Why hello weekend, where have you been?

Phew. What a week at work. Busy, busy, busy. I am finally plonked on the sofa with a glass of merlot in my hand and Em's hyggelig v2* by my side. I have been counting the hours down to this weekend. I have a whole load of projects to start and I want to cook the Donna Hay cookie kit that I got for Christmas.

Oh, and the wonderful 'house husband' is slaving over a hot stove. It was so homely walking into the flat to the wonderful aroma of home cooking. So memory-evoking. It smells like home when I was small. I'm so lucky that N loves to cook - it does hinder my cooking skills somewhat, but I love it.

*yep - as Em is so tiny, I concluded that the hyggelig v1 would make a great mini skirt for her. So have cast on 94 st - so will see how it goes...

It's finished...and it's too big!

I am so pleased that Em's hyggelig is finished BUT...the cowl neck is massive and for once I even took the time to do a tension square. So I have two choices. Make another and cast fewer stitches OR add a corsage. Can't quite decide...whilst I ponder, here are two corsage options.

Any preference?

Good things today

1. Home early from work
   
2. Flat is almost tidy
3. Ecover limescale remover is one of the best products in the world
   
4. 1 1/2" to go until Em's hyggelig is finished
   
5. I am booked on a textile course which starts in April (beyond excited!)
6. Almost finished 'Portrait of a lady' by Henry James. Rather a slog...an early night is called for
7. Green & Black's butterscotch chocolate with a big of cup of tea in my new Cath Kidston mug. Real bits of butterscotch. Yum, yum!
   

What a wonderful weekend!

We've had such a lovely weekend. We started it by going down to Wiltshire to visit my Grandpa. It took us about an hour and a half to drive down from London, taking in Stonehenge and a fantastic field of alpacas at Fonthill Bishop. It was so good to see him and catch up. It's hard to believe that we haven't seen each other since the wedding. He took us for a great lunch at The Compasses Inn - a true country pub with a vast menu and even longer wine list.

And today, with my domestic hat firmly plonked on my head (albeit slightly askew), I set about playing housewife and cleaning the flat whilst N cracked on with the new garden path. I didn't get as much done as I had hoped - it always seems to take so much longer than you think it will! Have you noticed how you have to make a lot of mess in order to tidy up the small mess? Here are the plans for the garden. N spent today burying bricks along the lines to edge the path and laid patio slabs along the length of it.
We also have a major squirrel problem - here is N's wishful thinking...
To top the day off, I made a scrummy supper (the first of 2008!) in the Chasseur with potatoes, onion, pork and dijon, topped off with green beans. Yum, yum.

Behold the shining star of Danish design.

May I present the most beautiful bowl. I have long been salivating over all things Danish and when my friend (and bridesmaid) relocated to Copenhagen in July, I could not wait to book my flights! Being the fabulous friend that she is, she indulged my obsession at Christmas. Not only did she get us a stunning Rosendahl carafe (which marvellously matched the salt and pepper mills that I picked up at Copenhagen airport for N when I visited her in December), but she also bought me this bowl, called Sirio, by Inger Mehlum at Kahler Design. The tiny box window in the bedroom has been cleared of books (I have so many I don't know where to start!) so that it has its own uncluttered shelf which, as many will testify, is a rare and prized thing in our flat.

Some musings...

It has to be said that my fuse was rather short today. Everything ticked me off - moaners, groaners, crunchers, chewers - you name it. I think it's due to the lack of sleep I've been getting recently. Anyway - a couple of observations.

Manners - Lynne Truss recently wrote about the fact that people seem to have mislaid their manners. I commute to the City every day and am still astounded each morning by just how few manners the rich suits have (some might say that that is how they have become rich...). For the third day in a row, I was slammed into the side of the tube as men, who should know better, pushed me out of the way so that they could get a seat.

Limited patience -
1. I dropped my train ticket this morning which meant that I had to bend down to find it. The number of tuts and 'f-sakes' that were thrown in my direction was incredible.
2. Getting back on the tube to come home, I stood back and allowed someone on in front of me which resulted in the same response as above.
3. At the checkout in Sainsburys, the rather keen cashier beeped my shopping through faster than I could pack, let alone pay and tap in my pin number. Eye rolling and tuts ensued in the queue behind me.

Now, I've always been the first to beat myself up and get flustered when I've found myself in these situations. But no longer. I am making a stand. I am going to take a leaf out of my mother's book and take my time. No one has the right to rush me - unless it's N and I'm late!

Rant over and time for bed. Did manage to get a couple of rows on the hyggelig done so feel slightly calmer.

My treasured throw

This is the project that took a year to complete. It's heavy with the emotion of 2007 and the wedding which took over our lives. Pride swells every time I look at it. It covers both of us when we're being couch potatoes and and is sumptuous when draped around my shoulders whilst knitting.

Can't resist the close ups...

The finishing wasn't the tidiest but I was desperate to finish it before the new year started - it sort of adds to the handmade look and feel. And the best bit of all? It's machine washable - brilliant!

Fresh, fresh air (and some gluttony)

It was such a joy to open the curtains this morning to clear blue sky and piercing shards of sunlight. Up went the sash windows and in poured the fresh air. I can't even begin to tell you how rare this is - our ground floor flat is tiny and can be very dark at certain points in the day, even in the height of summer. Weather like this can't be sniffed at, particularly in winter, and could mean only one thing - a route march to Hampton Court Palace. And the prize for this 6 mile stomp? Lunch at a super gastro pub, The Albany in Thames Ditton.

Now, I have a confession to make. Despite living here for two years we have never fully explored Hampton Court Palace, its gardens or the park. In fact we've only been there once and that was for the annual RHS flower show and that was in 2006. On that occasion we hopped on the super little ferry at Harts Boatyard (£1 each) that merrily deposited us on the opposite river bank and off we walked along the tow path and into the palace.

This time, with good company and walking boots, we walked into Kingston, crossed the bridge and meandered along the river path. We then nipped into Hampton Court Park, having stopped to ogle briefly at a beautiful house, and came to the Rick Pond. It was so quiet and serene, and amongst the flock of white swans was the most beautiful black swan. I've always loved black swans as you so rarely see them - so magical. I spent a huge amount of my childhood mucking about on the river with my grandparents and it was always such a treat to see one.

Having been hissed at by his fellow white swans we made a swift exit onto the rather exclusive golf course and followed the curve of the river towards the palace. After a little bit of a trek, and with our destination in sight, we came across a huge herd of deer. Bambi eat your heart out!

The walk up to the palace was stunning and almost like a fairytale but with golfers. To enter the gardens you have to go through the most ornate gate - very french. The rear of the palace reminded me of the Schonbrun Palace in Vienna. The gardens are breathtaking and were created by Capability Brown (we had the name on the tip of our tongue, and eventually gave up and found someone to ask!). Having spent half an hour trying to get out of the grounds, we were eventually pointed in the right direction and our mission to the pub resumed in earnest.

After a few wrong turns (my fault), we eventually rocked up to The Albany and were shown to a table. We naturally ordered with our eyes and ate a ridiculous pile of food. Baked camembert, tapas, roast chicken and a hot chocolate pud, eased down with a couple of beers. We could not move. Or speak. Or see. The food broke us. We eventually got the bill and finally made our way home. We will definitely be going back to The Albany to sample more of their delightful menu (sensible ordering required) and I can't wait to go back to Hampton Court to explore, draw and absorb the architecture and structural forms of the formal gardens.

And so, the second week of January begins with a full tum, an evening spent slumped on the sofa (albeit with knitting needles in my hands) and the gluttony resolution in tatters. Lettuce and water for the next couple of days and renewed efforts to get to the gym I think!

At least the first project has been started!

I am so pleased that I have started Em's hyggelig. 134 stitches and so far only one mistake that was easily undone. Wine and James Bond do not help concentration.

Knitting on the round is quite strange but once you get past the first 3 rows and have been reassured that the pattern is indeed forming without you doing anything, it appears to be plain sailing. I love the Rowan All Seasons cotton - I'm using mauve and mole grey - I might even stir in a line of cream.

I can't wait to finish this. I feel like putting everything else on hold. Might have to make one for my sister in the deepest, darkest France to cheer her up and then perhaps one for me...

Happy New Year!

All hail to Mrs Brocket. Her book arrived, thanks to my wonderful in-laws, on Christmas Day and I have yet to put it down. It is so vibrant and inspiring. I am so pleased to finally have it in my mucky paws since spying it in Waterstones in Oxford one chilly Saturday in November and would have been so disappointed had it not been under the tree. I have already donned my pinny, made a raspberry and white chocolate tart for NYE and added a couple of Debbie Bliss books to my collection (marvellously on sale at John Lewis) so that I can try my hand at a JB cushion.

One of my resolutions (a seemingly never ending list) - and promises to my husband, N - is to use up the huge amount of fabric and wool that I have amassed from my crafty mother. My problem, like Jane, is that I love to just look in awe at the colours and textures of the balls of wool - and often don't want to ruin them by knitting them up. When I have taken the plunge, it has been an epic task. I have just finished my first major project - a moss stitch throw for our sofa which used up 30 balls and took an entire year - there was the small matter of a wedding to plan, but you know... My mission for 2008 is to pull together a project list. No new wool or whimsical fabric can enter our tiny flat until a project has left! As a gentle push, N bought me the most luscious Amy Butler knitting bag for Christmas.

The first two projects on my list are a Debbie Bliss Cowl Neck for my dear friend Em in chilly Copenhagen and a baby blanket for my friend who is due on February 29th.