The Saturday Update

After our quiet weekend of getting things back to normal around the flat, it was also a regular work week.

It was nice to get back into a routine.  I also made a couple of trips into town to get Christmas decorations and a few other bits and bobs ready for this weekend - the first Advent already!!

The Christmas market started on Thursday - the stalls have been set up all week so it's a bit chaotic but nice and festive in preparation for our next family visit.

Also, on Friday I went to a training course at the evening school where I work.  It had been ages since the last one so it was good to catch up with colleagues and learn about Cuisenaire rods.

I've been a bit tired but better than last week.  Outside of work we have mainly been hibernating in the flat and catching up on our series'.  I feel much more on top of things than last week though so that is good.

This weekend will be about getting the flat decorated and getting my Christmas cards made and sent.

P.S. I cried with laughter.

Project Life - Week 33

This week was our visit from Dad and Gran so there are lots of photos again and just a little bit of journalling.  It was a really good week.

November Goals Review

I did learn to crochet and plan to do some more crochet projects next year.

I wrote three letters, Skyped and hosted a visit so it was a very social month.

I am all but ready for Christmas.  The presents are bought, the flights are booked, I just need to get the cards done and decorations up this weekend.

I did make it out of the flat every day this month!  That was already an improvement on last month!

This final goal is starting to haunt me.  I'm pushing it to the new year because there is no way I will get it done in December!

Recipe: Crunchy Polenta Fish Cakes

Ingredients:

• 125g brown rice
• 500g white fish
• 2tbsp creme fraiche
• 1tbsp fresh coriander
• 1tbsp frech mint
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3tbsp polenta
• 30g plain crisps (crunched up)
•  1tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1.  Cook the rice for 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. Mash the fish, creme fraiche and rice together until roughly combined.
3. Stir in the coriander, mint, lemon juice and seasoning.  Cover and chill.
4. Mix the polenta and crisps.  Divide the fish mixture into eight equal portions and shape each into a cake.  Roll each cake in the polenta mix.
5. Fry the fish cakes in the oil for five minutes on each side.  Serve with a leafy green salad.

Winter Garden

Okay, so we don't have a garden in the traditional sense but every year since we moved, we have been building up our little balcony gardens and while Nico is becoming somewhat of a whizz - and providing us with lots of tasty veggies for the kitchen, I can kill a plant just by looking at it.

When we got married this year, we were given a lovely rose bush as a gift and as it means a lot to us, we have been researching how to keep it alive this winter.  It turns out that it just needs protection from the sun so we used this hessian to wrap around it this weekend now that the frost is really setting in.  I hope it works!

Craft Corner: Link Up

Lately I haven't had enough time to rest, let alone focus on a new project so this week I thought I would share some of my favourite craft links from around the net with you.

A cute little Christmas project.

Some gorgeous designs for inspiration when I get around to taking this course next year.

Something new for me.

Very useful as I plan to do more of this next year too.

Project Life inspiration.

More Project Life inspiration.

And even more Project Life inspiration as well as many other craft ideas.

Finally, here is where I got lots of knitting ideas from.

I hope you find them as useful as I do!

Birthday Wishes

So today a very important lady in my life turns ninety!  It's difficult to find words to express what an achievement that is.  I wrote about her for her eighty-eighth birthday and all of that still applies.  She has two great grandchildren now and has travelled to Germany twice this year - not bad! 

If she achieves half as much in the next decade she will be one lucky lady - moreover, we will be incredibly lucky, as we are right now to have her here.  She has her ups and downs, like the rest of us but really, we wouldn't have her any other way.

While looking for words to express the sentiment today, I came across this poem and it seemed to fit perfectly...

Birthday Blessings   Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings now,
As your birthday nears.   Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there.   Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are.   Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"   By Joanna Fuchs  

 Happy Birthday Grandma!