This blogging malarkey

I'm quite new to this blogging malarkey, but I have to admit to rather enjoying it!  I quite like a good ramble, of the wordy variety.  And I'm just starting to get to grips with taking and posting photos, please bear with me while I get up to speed.

There are many reasons people blog, I've not quite worked out why I do it, but I'm sure it will come to me in time!

Anyway, I can see that I have some international readers, which makes me happy and curious all at the same time.  It would be lovely to hear from people who read my witterings, so please do say hello!

Cream first or jam?

One of my favourite things is a cream tea.  However, due to the highly calorific nature of such a treat, we usually limit these to our annual trip to Cornwall.  But, a couple of weeks ago we found ourselves in the New England Coffee House (one of my favourite tea shops) in Stow on the Wold (one of my favourite places), and somehow, ended up sitting in one of their very lovely little rooms with a cream tea.  I'm not sure how it happened, but we stuck with it, put the guilt aside, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!  

So, to the title of this post, cream first, or jam?  In Cornwall, the tradition is jam, then cream. However in Devon, it is the other way round.  So, being an indecisive sort, I usually go with the method of whichever county I happen to be in.  Bearing in my mind my earlier statement, that we only eat cream teas whilst on holiday in Cornwall, I always put the jam on first.  We used to also have an annual long weekend in Devon, so we would eat our scones cream first.  

So, what to do when in Gloucestershire?  As you can see, we stuck with what we know.

I've just booked our September trip, and am determined that there shall be no slip ups, and that our next cream tea will be somewhere on the North Cornwall coast.

Spring is springing!

At last!  The snowdrops have been out for a while, the croci are adding a fabulous splash of colour, and the daffodils are just starting to make their presence felt.  And one of my most favourite things, is spotting wee lambs in the fields surrounding our small town.

Next Sunday, the hour goes forward, then it really will start to feel like winter is on the way out.  It's still quite cold here, but I can now start to focus on spring and, hopefully, warmer weather.  I've even thought about putting the winter coat away!

Our next project is the garden, so, being quite a novice in that area, I've been scouring websites looking for inspiration.  I've been doodling layouts, and checking out hire charges for various bits of gardening equipment (yes, it's more than just popping in a few well chosen shrubs and plants!).

I'll be posting more on that soon, so do pop by, any advice or guidance always gratefully received!

Too old for Converse?

I've always had rather a 'thing' about Converse.

Back in the early 1990s, Converse Allstars were rather expensive in the UK, and being a student, I just couldn't afford them.  After graduating, I packed a backpack, and set off to California with an Amtrak rail pass in my hands.  One of the first things I bought were, you guessed it, a pair of Converse High Tops.

I deliberated over the colour for quite a while, but being an unadventorous sort, I stuck with dark blue.  They were perfect with the new Levi's I'd just bought.  Back then, Levi's were also very expensive in the UK, and were coveted by everyone under the age of 25.  Anything other than Levi's, just shouted out that your mum bought your clothes.

My trip ended in New York, where I went on quite a shopping spree.  It goes without saying that another pair of Converse High Tops (this time bright red) were at the top of the list.  Along with more Levi's of course.

Since then I've been back to New York a few times, and on every occasion have bought a pair of Converse, and now have quite a collection.  Even though they are now far more affordable here, and the price difference has decreased, I still see it as part of the holiday to get (yet) another pair while I'm there.  Obviously in a different colour.

I've seen converse worn with suits, smart trousers, even evening dresses!  And I've also heard of such things as 'bridal converse'.  But I usually wear mine with jeans.

So, to get back to the original question, am I too old for Converse?  Well, after careful consideration,  I think that as long as I can bend down to tie up the laces, I'm young enough to wear them!

So, back to the original question, am I too old for Converse?  Hmm, maybe.  But do you know what, as I get older, I care less and less what people think about me.  So, I'm just going to keep on wearing them, until, of course, I can't bend down any more to do up the laces.

February

February.  Closer to spring, although still fairly miserable outside.  But it does have Valentines day, right in the middle.  Hmm.  You're either in the 'send me over priced red roses and take me out for an over priced meal' camp, or the 'bah humbug, what a load of over priced nonsense' camp.  You can probably guess which one I'm in!  Having spent more than one Valentine's day alone, I'm well aware of just how miserable it can be, if you don't have the prospect of romance on the horizon.  It seems like the whole world has paired up, and that only gooey eyed couples are allowed to venture out on the evening of February 14th.  

Seeing the rows of cards, and stacks of chocolates (do you think I can use the phrase 'over priced' just one more time?) used to send my feelings of general inadequacy sky high, as I'd scuttle past on my way to the 'meals for one aisle', stopping off briefly at the end of the wine aisle, you know the spot, where the half bottles are.  Then I'd head home to sit in front of the TV and watch Bridget Jones.  Again.  Of course, come February 15th, I was back to a perfectly normal human being.  That is, just as soon as everyone else in the office had stopped comparing notes on the night before. 

Although I'm now happily ensconced with Mr Maud in our lovely house, I still baulk at the commercialisation of it all.  I resent being told when I have to be romantic.  And I'm fairly sure Mr Maud would agree with me!  

But however you feel about Valentine's day, it is just a day.  And I hope you have a very good one!

MM

The middle of January

We're now only two weeks from New Year, and all the celebrations that entailed.  But it seems a lot longer.  It's cold, oh so cold, and spring feels a long way off.  The trees are bare, our purses empty, and our waist bands just a little bit tight.  Everyone's recovering from Christmas excesses, and have their heads down, plodding to February. 

But January isn't completely devoid of fun and celebration.  On 12th night the 'Wassail' is celebrated.  No one knows when the tradition started but it is believed to be of Anglo Saxon origin.  And then of course there's Burns Night, at the end of January.  So, at least two excuses for a bit of a party.

And it won't be too long before snowdrops start appearing, then the croci, swiftly followed by daffodils.  Mr Maud and I have a major gardening project to take on this year, and I've already spent far too long on pinterest, searching for ideas.  My next stop will be all those gloriously colourful seed catalogues.

When I was little and looking forward to something, my mum would always warn 'don't wish your life away!'  But it is hard not to dream of long, warm (hopefully!) summer evenings.  So instead of counting the days until Easter, I'm going to take advantage of bright cold days by getting outside and enjoying the beautiful English countryside, and when the weather isn't quite so good, catch up on some reading. 

I wish everyone a lovely 2016!


MM