Why I haven't been blogging of late...

Aside from working a bit hard:

• I have been curled up reading lots of lovely books with mugs of tea and welsh cakes and teisen lap
• I have been going to the gym a lot (truly unheard of for me). I am now doing a pilates class, a body conditioning class and one gym sesh a week! Just as well really given all the tea and cake I am consuming. I have learnt that I can't skip or breathe.
• I've caught up with friends, been on a lovely weekend away with N and have been planning our trip to California in April.

But now I am back, refreshed, renewed and ready to rejoin the great world of blog.

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

In 2008 ...

• I discovered some amazing new places: St Lucia and St Kitts in the Caribbean, Mykonos and Simi in Greece, the lovely Turkish coastline, The Trossachs in Scotland and Ely in Cambridgeshire

Little Venice, Mykonos by me

• N and I bought a tent and went on our first camping adventures: first at a friends hoe-down party on her farm in the Cotswolds, second in the garden of a friend's holiday cottage in Norfolk.  In true N style our tent has a lighting system and we took a blow up double mattress, sheets, duvet and pillows!!! Okay so it wasn't proper camping but now we have eased ourselves in gently we're going to properly rough it in 2009

• I attended 4 weddings: I danced a ceilidh in stunning Stirling, Scotland, had a fabulous time at the wonderful wedding of one of my university flatmates in a castle by the sea in beautiful Dorset, watched my man be the best man at our friends nuptials in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and attended my cousin's wedding in beautiful Wales.  Whew!

• Brilliantly my business has hit the ground running.  It has been somewhat of a gamble, In order to finance establishing iced I have had to leave London and N to return home to Wales.  I have had to work two jobs and have often found myself stopping work at 2.30 in the morning to go to bed for a few hours before having to get up and start the next job.  But this year has been amazing.  Hard work but amazing.  I have made so many wedding and celebration cakes, and despite the current financial crisis, orders are coming in.  Although I may have a few more dark circles under my eyes, I am loving absolutely every minute of achieving my dream. 

• I have learnt how to: knit, ride a quad bike ... and of course, write a blog -  this blog.  I have loved writing it.  Thank you for reading my rambling mumblings and thank you so much for your comments.  

I am so looking forward to this year.  I have no resolutions but I am going to do my best to make the year count in every way.  As I write N is on his way to Wales as we are heading to the Cotswolds for our 'gettingtogetherversary' / Christmas present weekend away.  I can't wait!

Happy New Year!!

Wishing you all a truly fabulous 2009!!!

Today

Biting wind stinging S's and my eyes and making our cheeks rosy; clambering over slippery rocks in sturdy shoes, navigating our way around rock pools and finally jumping down onto the soft sand.  Pushing stray strands of hair back from my face to make it easy to chatter as we walked.  Holding my gloved hands underneath my arms to stop them from going numb whilst staring in awe at the still sea-fishermen patiently braving the elements to catch their prize.  Hurrying up the estuary path all too soon to meander up the cliff and find my car again.  Jumping in the car, turning the heat right up and feeling our feet and hands slowly coming back to life.  Stopping at The Pelican In Her Piety pub for a warming cup of coffee, sitting in the dark flagstoned room with one of my oldest friends for a good long while talking about our favourite beach, men, books and friends we have lost touch with ...

Wonderful Things This Christmas

• N arriving on the 23rd to spend Christmas with me and my crazy Welsh family
• Christmas Eve at my aunt's house: my cousin has a little boy - aka the best boy who is six.  His father was working Christmas Eve so he arrived at the party a little late.  When he did arrive, he knocked at the lounge window in an enormous blow up Father Christmas suit! 
• Watching my Nana,who is nearly 90, beat everyone on the yo-yo we had in one of the crackers.
• Waking up on Christmas morning with N
• Giving my Christmas gifts
• Having twelve to lunch on Christmas day, some on folding chairs, all cwtched in together.
• All of us sitting in my parents cinema room after lunch with bags of popcorn, watching sing-a-long Mama Mia.  
• Chuckling at listening to my father compete with the best boy as to who could sing 'The Winner Takes It All' the loudest.  Believe it or not the six year old beat his god-father!
• Going to the ballet on boxing day to see Snow White.  We took the best boy.  Watching his face as the seven dwarfs started to dance.

Christmas can be a mixed bag for people for a lot of reasons.  Whilst it is a time to celebrate our love for family and friends it can also be a time which reminds us of those we miss the most and can highlight family grievances and tensions.  I hope your Christmas was truly wonderful.  If for whatever reason this festive season was less than happy I wish you all the happiness and love for 2009.

The weekend starts...

tomorrow! Hooray! I am super excited! Tomorrow afternoon I shall finish work early then hop on a bus then on a train and make my way to London. If my train is on time I should get to our (it's N's really but I think of it as mine too!) flat just after 7.00. I will have just enough time to spruce myself up, put on some winter pimms and lay out some nibbles before my lovely friends arrive. My lovely Californian friend, I, who was my cheffing partner at Le Cordon Bleu is visiting London with her talented architect boyfriend so it is a fabulous excuse for an LCB get together. Also coming is S who is now a chef at Claridges and Mrs and Mrs M. Mrs M and I had a lot of fun making chocolate sculptures back in the day, she now runs courses teaching children how to cook amongst many other things. What a talented bunch! I havent seen I or Mrs M for over a year so it is going to be wonderful! Friday I have off work which is great! I am meeting one of my university flat mates, Dr G for a spot of much needed christmas shopping and a coffee and then in the evening I am at a festive dinner party. We have no plans for the rest of the weekend, apart from visiting N's parents at some point. I need to do some serious knitting on the train though if I am going to get all of my presents finished on time. I am making hot water bottle covers and tea cosies and hats ... photos to follow....

Sunday afternoon recomended viewing: for a bit of old fashioned seasonal romance try Meet Me At St Louis - a classic.

Have wonderful weekends all!

Lovely things....

Lovely silvery white wintery things:

*Brissi Treat and Biscotti tins *Astier de Vilate - petit vase fleurs* Limoges tea pot* Tea light holders Red Direct*