❖Happy Homemaker Monday *1*❖

Monday 9th March 2015

❖Hello again❖ 

Hello again ........ I can't belive it has been almost a year since I have visited The Country Mumkin blog ....... I've missed the blog, I've missed keeping a record of our little life and my Dad has been nagging me to restart, so hear I am .......... I am going to start slowly with litle fairy steps, so it doesn't become too daunting or too stressful to keep up with the posts.  If you have the time, please drop me a little message at the end of the post so I know who is out there ~ thank you.  Here goes ... the first 'Happy Homemaker Monday' of 2015.

The weather outside is::::

It's bright but cloudy today.  The weather over the weekend was lovely, the temeperature reached 19 degrees on Sunday afternoon :)  I think the mild weather is going to last for a few more days, but I don't think the cold wet weather has left us for good.

As I look outside my window::::

The ducks and chicken who live in the garden are quietly grazing or snoozing.  There are piles of garden clippings that need clearing up after our weekend gardening efforts.  The trees are all still bare of leaves but if you look carefully you can just see the Spring buds pushing through.

Right now I am::::

Sitting on the couch typing up this post.  It is actually Tuesday morning, not Monday and I am all alone at home.  It seems very strange to be all by myself after having everyone at home for two weeks of holiday.  I'm thinking about what I want to get done today and trying to decide whether to work inside or outside.  The dog is asleep on the sofa in the next room (don't tell Mr Mumkin!), one cat is asleep on the fishtank (!) (the cat has just fallen off the fishtank!!!) and I can hear a chicken pecking at something just outside the door.

My simple pleasures::::

Chocolate orange minis with popping candy ~ mmmmmmmm

As I look around the house::::

The house needs a good tidy up.  It is always the same after we have spent most of the weekend in the garden, the house gets more neglected than usual.  There is a large bowl of oranges in the kitchen waiting to be made into marmalade and a bucket of parsnips (just pulled from the garden) waiting to be peeled and frozen.

On this week's to do list::::

Laundry
Cleaning (!)
Prune the fruit trees and bushes in the garden
Continue to clear the veg beds in the potager (veg patch)
Sew parsnips
Pot on tomato seedlings
Tidy my bedroom
Order more wool :)
Make a cake (I feel a need)

Currently reading::::

I don't seem to get much time to read at the moment, but I love books that I can dip into.  At the moment I am reading Mrs.Miles's Diary: The Wartime Journal of a Housewife on the Homefront and We are at War: The Diaries of Five Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times (I have been reading the second book for a very long time :) 
Night time reading with M and W is 'Septimus Heap: Magyk' by Angie Sage

On the TV this week::::

Poldark
Banished
The Sewing Bee
The Voice
Law and Order
NCIS New Orleans
Chicago PD

On the menu this week::::

Monday - Paella
Tuesday -  Chicken in garlic, creme fraiche and honey
Wednesday - Chili con carne
Thursday - Tagliatelle
Friday - Beef casserole  
Saturday -  Lamb chops
Sunday - Roast Pork

Our plans for the week ahead::::

Monday - Swimming with W's class (am)  English lessons at school (pm) Extra Activities (TAP) at school (pm)
H has her mock French oral exam (pm)
Tuesday -  R work (am)
Wednesday - M Sports Club (pm)
Thursday - R work (am) English lessons at school (pm) Extra Activities (TAP) at school (pm)
Friday - W handball (pm)  English tutoring (pm)  ** Comic Relief 
Saturday -  Six Nations Rugby (!)
Sunday - Mother's Day

What's happening in the garden this week::::

Last weekend was our first opportunity to get out and work in the garden.  We have started clearing the beds in the potager and clearing away the weeds.  Tomatoes need potting on and we need too sow some early peas indoors.

What I am crocheting, sewing or creating at the moment::::

I have an anigurumi doll and rabbit to finish.
A Millie scarf to sew together.
Need to catch up on the Moogly crochet-along 30cm squares (I have three more to do to get up to date)
LookatwhatIhavemade 2015 'Sophie's Universe' croche-talong blanket (but I have run out of white yarn!)
Also helping  M make some 'giant food' for her school project (!)   

Favorite photo from the camera::::

Thoughts, Quotes or Lessons Learned::::

‘Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow but only empties today of its strengths.’ 
– Charles H Spurgeon 

I hope you all have a great week!

Today I am going to link up with other "Happy Homemakers" here at Diary of a stay at home Mom so please pop over if you want to see what others are up to this week all around the world. :o)