Simple Woman's Daybook: 25th January

Outside My Window ... rain again. Cherub is happy. She loves to jump in puddles.

I am thinking ... about colour schemes for our bedroom, even though it is third in line for redecoration. The plan is to do Cherub's this month, Star's next, ours in March and Angel's in April. We expect there to be some slippage, though.

From the learning rooms ... mock GCSE exam results for Angel (the only one she has had so far is chemistry which was rather better than we - or she - expected); mutterings about a day trip to France from Star; lots of vehicle related crafts from Cherub (the playgroup's current theme is Transport).

I am thankful ... for a brother who is painting the bedrooms for us.

From the kitchen ... baked potatoes and chilli for dinner. Cherub was inspired by I Can Cook on TV and we made tomato spirals this afternoon - very easy and very tasty, as were the fish triple deckers from last week. She gets very excited by the idea of making recipes from the programme and today's trip to the supermarket was punctuated by "we need basil! ... don't forget the puff pastry! ... have you got the puff pastry yet?" and so on.
(Note for Pamela ... I think you asked for the recipe for last week's chicken stir fry with sweet chili sauce. It was a cheat, I'm afraid - strips of chicken stir fried with a bag of pre-prepared stir fry vegetables and ready made sweet chili sauce.)

I am wearing ... grey-green trousers, grey v-neck sweater, stripey handmade socks.

I am creating ... more handwarmers, with the yarn left over from last week's mittens.

I am going ... to paint Cherub's dolls house pink to match her bedroom. It is a brightish blue which will clash horribly.

I am reading ... Reshaping Rural England: a Social History 1850-1925, finishing the last third after I got distracted part way through.

I am hoping ... for some nice, bright winter days. I've had enough of snow, ice and rain.

I am hearing ... the TV, which Tevye is half watching.

Around the house ... Cherub's bedroom makeover is well under way.

One of my favorite things ... Whittard's hot chocolate mixes. I bought some for Christmas, and I don't think I can go back to the jars of instant chocolate I used to buy.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... a meal at Cafe Rouge to celebrate K-Next-Door's birthday on Friday. An extra dance class for Star, who is thrilled to have been picked for a group who will take part in dance festivals.

A Picture Thought I Am Sharing ... last week's mittens

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