Fanciful Friday

Today feels like an Amelie kind of day



Hope you find some sunshine too

Tulip Thursday

Not so much a 'Tip toe through the tulips" kind of Thursday, more of a "saunter into town, meet a friend for coffee and take time to smell the roses" kind of day...

Wednesday - Finding my Glee

My kind of Glee - 1940s style...

Same Again Tuesday

Not that I'm complaining! And so happy to hear that I'm not alone at the prospect of washing being able to dry on the line again. Never thought I'd do a post (let alone two) about my dirty washing ... oh the whiff of freshly line-dried washing....!

This Week - Good Morning Monday!

The perfect full stop to a sunny Spring weekend. Wall to wall sunshine. Time for some gardening, spring cleaning, catching up with some old friends over a glass or two. The gentleness of a Spring Sunday that allows you to nurse a hangover, spend time together, do some more gardening, get the homework out of the way. Open all the windows and let the sunshine in.



In short, the kind of weekend that makes you not mind about airing your washing in public!

A lot to embrace...

It's been a very domestic kind of week here. Lots going on, dance shows, concerts, usual homework stuff and all of this unfurling against the tragic backdrop of what is happening in Japan. It is so hard to comprehend the magnitude of this disaster and I sit typing this with one ear constantly listening to the very sad and unnerving updates on the radio.



It has been a week of sunshine and grey skies, mist rolling in from the sea days followed by spring in your step kind of days. The sunny days are of course what I have been waiting for, the chance to go out into the garden, feel that sun on my face and start to unfurl from my winter hibernation. In corners of the garden, hidden under winter foliage, the primroses are starting to appear, their creamy hues adding a much needed boost to the tired, neglected garden. Underneath the apple tree the daffodils are blooming and the old, discarded hyacinths that sat on my fireplace last year have popped up to keep them company.
All of this has brought a much needed smile to my face.



Last week my eldest daughter finally had her braces fitted. After seven years of trips to an orthodontist and a year in which she had to have 8, yes, 8, teeth removed she was finally referred to the local hospital for her treatment. The staff have been lovely, thorough and her treatment has been remarkably quick in coming.



But it hasn't been easy. I had no idea what a painful process it was. Watching your child cry and not being able to do anything is the worst, isn't it? For three days we were counting the hours before the next painkiller could be taken.



Two days after they were fitted, with a mouth full of ulcers and blisters, she had to stand at the front of a stage, grinning inanely with her mouth wide open for a drama piece she is working on at college. I don;t think I could have done that...



In a desperate attempt to get some carbs down her the other day, she grabbed a ball of bread and threw it down her throat which resulted in a very scary moment with me attempting a very poor heimlich manoeuvre on her (she is at least eight inches taller than me, and were it not so scary at the time, it must have been very funny to see).



What has impressed me so much this week is her complete embracing of the brace. She has tried to see the funny side of things at all times. she has not once tried to hide away in self consciousness and I am incredibly proud of her. I know that deep down inside she must be counting away the days till the darned things are removed and hoping that they will be off before University. And I spend my days planning calorie filled meals that are as sloppy as they come and that will keep my beautiful girl smiling.

For Lily

Mr Roses bought me this bottle of Lily of the Valley perfume from Penhaligon's for Christmas. Whenever we are in London and near to the shop we pop in for our fix of heady, floral scents. It is like walking round the most delicious greenhouse or woodland walk in the height of Spring. Each time we visit we daub ourselves in various aromas and spend the rest of the day trying to decide which is our favourite and, more importantly, which scent our favourite actually was...
You might remember that we bought Bluebell for our eldest daughter's 16th birthday and that for my birthday a couple of years ago I was lucky enough to receive Elizabethan Rose so we are well on our way to recreating our favourite cottage garden smells... But on this visit, I stumbled across the little bottle of Lily of the Valley and was immediately transported back to my childhood.



Not only did I fall in love with its deliciously sweet but fresh fragrance but it conjured up so many memories for me. Past Christmases of boxes of Lily of the Valley soaps, talcum powders and bath salts piled up in the bathroom or in my mother's bedroom. At the side of her dressing table were two little cupboards where she kept her perfumes. I remember so vividly the pretty packaging and fragrances that would fill the air each time I opened the cupboard doors... for me as a child, it was the equivalent of having my nose pressed up against the sweet shop window. Dreams of growing up, luxuriating in lily of the valley scented baths before putting on a new dress, applying my make up and spraying myself in some new scent would fill my head.
The scent was very much part of my early years, even my mother's handbags would offer up its beautiful fragrance when they were opened as she always sprayed her hankies with perfume before putting them in amongst her purse and keys (oh how times have changed).




Strangely enough Lily of Valley is purported to strengthen the memory and in the language of flowers signifies the return of happiness. So it seems very apt that today on what would have been my mother's birthday (her name was Lily), I bring out my bottle, take a sniff and remember.

A Right Royal Do...

Well if ever there was a reason to get me trying to knit again...




Failing that, I'd be more than happy to attend - got my woolly tights, twinset & pearls, favourite conga shoes at the ready... pass me a knitted tiara someone...

PS I have it on very good authority from somebody in the know that there's more on this one - fast forward for scenes from the Royal Knees Up after wedding party