Superwoman, The Sequel

When I got my first flat, in 1977, I bought a copy of Shirley Conran's book. It had come out just a few months earlier, and on the cover it says "Now, for the first time in paperback, the best selling guide to household management for today's woman" I still have this battered old book - which claimed to teach  how to be a working wife and mother, save time and money, and buy the best and cheapest. Jam packed with advice on food, fashion, friends, finance... 

I've just bought this for Steph's birthday present. Sali Hughes is the Guardian's Beauty Editor. I enjoy her articles, and Steph mentioned the book, so I sent off for it. I felt I ought to read it first. My opinion- this is definitely today's equivalent of the Victorian's Mrs Beeton, and my generation's Conran. It is well written, funny, down-to-earth. A good read, and a useful reference book.

I do not agree with all of it - but as p284 says "It's fine to disagree" [my major differences of opinion with Sali include ideas about God, Gary, gravy and Botox] but then I wasn't 100% on board with Ms Conran either.

This one's definitely a ***** I think. Not so much for my age group - but very appropriate for our daughters out at work, with or without young families, struggling to manage in these post-covid, WFH, unpredictable times of recession.

The Queen's 2022 Christmas Message?

The UK 2022 Christmas Stamps go on sale this coming Thursday. Because they had already been designed, and approved, they will still bear the Queen's image.  

I think our late monarch would have liked this year's set. They depict the Biblical Christmas narrative, and were designed by young illustrator Katie Ponder. The story is told thus...

2nd - the annunciation to Mary

large 1st- angel speaks to Joseph

large 2nd - journey to Bethlehem

1st - the baby in the manger

£1.85 - the angel tells the shepherds

£2.55 - the Magi follow the star 

You can buy a commemorative pack from Royal Mail, and you can opt for one with a postmark from Bethlehem in Wales! The presentation card carries an explanatory piece written by Rev Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James' Church, Piccadilly [ see below] I think the Queen would have been very pleased with her words.

I look forward to hearing The King's Speech - but will definitely miss the wise words of Queen Elizabeth, whose 'annual Christmas sermon' was always a declaration of the Good News.

Some people call the Christmas Story the greatest story ever told. It is set in a particular time and place, and there are ways to know when and where it happened., mostly related to the visit of the Magi, depicted on the stamps this year. It may be, for example, that a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn could have been the ‘great light’ that the Magi saw, and these mysterious visitors definitely went to visit Herod, which locates their journey in the reign of a particular historic ruler.

But the time-specific details of the story are situated within a context that is cosmic. And that is often how births get described: an obviously fleshly, contingent process that has something inescapably miraculous about it. It is not surprising then, that the enduring and eternal yearnings of humankind for peace and goodwill, for light and love, have a place in the story too. The earthly, physical world of the stable is filled with the songs of the angels. Time meets eternity in the body of a child, and in the hopes of all who visit him.

Casting Off

 Until recently, I did not know that the phrase "cast off" had so many meanings.

When a sailor says "cast off" he means to release a boat from its moorings and set sail.

It also means to get rid of something unwanted or undesirable - not just old clothes, but also relationships. "She was cast off by her family, who disapproved of her behaviour"

It is a hunting term - to let an animal free to seek its prey [a hawk, or a hound]

And when a printer "casts off" a manuscript, he is estimating how much space will be required for the text.

For me, casting off is first and foremost a knitting term. I enjoy knitting almost as much as sewing. My October contribution to the Postcard Project has been a tiny square of knitting. 

I made it with fine wool on UK 14 [2mm] needles. Then I made some tiny needles using two plastic cocktail sticks with beads on the end.

Now to try and find some inspiration for the November stitching...

UK readers - don't forget to put your clocks back tonight

Mat Finish

I find it sad than when Syria is mentioned nowadays, most people think of war and bloodshed. For centuries, the people of Syria have been known for their creativity and craftsmanship. The capital, Damascus, has given its name to a number of items, like

• Damascene Plums - brought to England by the Romans - but now we call them damsons
• Damascene Steel - beautifully patterned, strong forged steel prized in swords and knives for over a millennium. 
• Syrian Silk Weaving from Damascus - aka damask

The local "Silver Social" group were advertising an opportunity to learn about Syrian weaving last Tuesday. I pedalled off to the Village Hall on my bike. It was a little disappointing. The woman just showed us some pictures of Syrian weaving, and said we were going to weave coffee coasters, using the photos as inspiration.

Then we were given a pre-prepared "loom" [string on a square of cardboard] and shown a table of yarns, scissors and needles. There were all colours and thicknesses of wool, and some balls of  "teeshirt yarn" 

I made a teeshirt mat in navy, blue and taupe, then a rainbow rug in 7 shades of DK. But I really do not need any more coasters. They have become carpets in the dolls' house. The afternoon was not what I expected - but I met some interesting people. 

George has been unwell, so the Manchester family haven't come after all [😢😢] But Rosie and Jess have visited Cornerstones this week with their mum and dad. We've enjoyed lots of Grandparent Time! 

Roll Up! Roll Up!

Twenty two pencil rolls prepared for the Pop-Up Shop. I used various fabrics from my Stash - Unicorns; dinosaurs; bicycles; tipis and a Peter Rabbit print. There are twelve pencils in each roll.

It costs around £1 to buy 12 pencil crayons in a cardboard box [I have been buying most of mine in Wilko's, currently on offer. I am not looking to make a vast profit, nor yet to charge for the time spent making them. 

Here is my question - what do you think would be a fair price to charge for these? I cannot decide, and would appreciate your thoughts, dear friends.

And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon

Don't get me wrong - I love my traditional Mason Cash mixing bowl. Steph gave it to me twenty years ago, and I use it often, it will be out again very soon when I make my Christmas Cake. The design dates back to 1901. And I like their Website with its interesting ideas and good recipes. But their latest range has left me a little confused. 

The "innovative" range includes what I can only describe as "utensils with an extra". Like this whisk with a citrus reamer at the other end of the handle. If I've been whisking egg whites, it will be rather complicated to stick the other end in half a lemon...unless I stop and wash it up first. 

Similarly the "solid spoon and jar scraper". You can apparently use the spoon to beat your batter, and the bowl measures quantities, and finally the plastic end of the handle can scrape the last bit of the jam out of the jar. 

But you have to wash the batter off the spoon before you can measure anything, and again before using the other end to scrape. Surely it would be easier to have a separate wooden spoon, a set of measuring spoons and a spatula? 

Then there's the "Turner and rack grabber" which is a sort of wooden fish slice for turning roasted veg etc in oven trays, and the handle has a hook for pulling out the oven shelf. 

And the bizarre ceramic egg store, with a spike to crack the egg on. Doesn't it get sticky? 

Maybe I'm being overcritical. But this Innovative Range seems to be full of gimmicks and I think these multi-purpose tools will be less useful than a set of separate simple utensils. 

My MC bowl is solid, strong and useful, I'm not surprised this design has stood the test of time. But this range seems too clever for its own good. 

The 4 in 1 bench scraper, dough cutter, scoop, measure and herb stripper is just too complicated. 

The older I get, the more I rely on the same simple tools which do the job efficiently. 

What about you? 

Some Things Old, New, Borrowed And Blue

 Once I got round to sorting out my wedding photos, there weren't many which were worth sharing. When we arrived, Robin was still sorting out things in the amazing geodesic bamboo and canvas tent. At 1pm there was only one "Mr&Mrs Almond" present - but of course, by the end of the ceremony there were two couples! Here we see Old Mr Almond chatting with younger Mr Almond! The bunting is also Old, and Borrowed [it was lovely to hear so many compliments on its woodland colours] I think this was at least its 8th outing. I've lost count of how often its been used for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries etc. 

Here is the bride in the woods, with her father, and her two sisters [the bridesmaids] in their New Blue and ivory outfits.

Robin  and Gillian's children, James and Breagha were there - James resplendent in his little kilt. Breagha nestled snuggly under a blanket in her buggy - she's the Newest girl in the family. She was born about 3 months before Jacob. 

Later the splendid woodland-themed cake was sliced - with the Old Japanese sword which originally belonged to Robin's grandfather, and Borrowed for the occasion. James was eager to assist his parents with this task!

I have no photos of the fantastic ceilidh. I was too busy dancing. I must check Bob's pictures! 

A great day, and very appropriate for Robin and Gillian, who love all things outdoors, especially forests. 

PODcast

About 15 years ago, I remember saying to a friend "When you hit 50, bits start dropping off!" I accept that as we age, our bodies may not be as co-operative as they once were. But much in the way of old cars, my annual MOT and service seems to be getting more costly as the years go by. A year ago, I was expecting a big dental bill, so I decided to sell some of my crafts in my Etsy shop. Those little birds flew away and I was so grateful to be able to finance my  dental treatment without dipping into the household budget. This autumn I'm facing the triple whammy of Podiatrist, Optician and Dentist [hence POD] so I am going to try and sell some of my handmade goods again.

This time I am starting local - I plan to have a Pop-Up Christmas Shop in the Carriage House outside. I shall do it towards the end of November, before I set up the Nativity Tableau. [I am still looking for the right little lamb to go with my shepherd boy...]

The Cornerstones Craft Machine is well underway, producing all sort of items. Since I got back from Scotland, I have been cutting in the mornings and stitching in the evenings, I spent Saturday "Stashbusting". Both the regular sewing machine and the overlocker have been in use, and my die cutter, as well as my envelope maker. 

Watch this space...

Peace

People often speak of having 'slept like a baby'. They have obviously not been near my grandchildren at night. Sleepless nights are usually an unavoidable part of life for young parents...

And yet, when a baby does go to sleep, there is something wonderful about their untroubled slumbers. They are not fretting about the next Prime Minister, mortgage payments, electric bills, the price of fish, climate change, natural disasters or war. 

They are at peace

The Bible talks about peace which is beyond human understanding, that whatever the outward circumstance, we can have peace in our hearts.

That is a very precious thought. [here's grandson Jacob, a few hours old] 

Still Tracing Rainbows

Yesterday Kezzie had a beautiful post about Bows over Billericay. It really cheered my spirits as I'd woken early feeling quite despondent about the state of the nation. It was grey and misty outside - and I'd just realised Steph's birthday card had not been posted. And my library book* was about to be overdue [and no chance of renewal, it was already reserved for someone else]

Kezzie's rainbow post was the incentive I needed. I made Bob a cuppa, then drove onto Dereham, catching the early post [hoping the card will be arriving today] pushing the book through the slot in the library wall, and buying fresh croissants. When I got home, before 8.30am, Bob had fresh coffee ready, little glasses of cool orange juice, and the breakfast table prepared. It was lovely to eat and chat. 

I spent the morning preparing my Sunday School lesson, then we had early lunch so Bob could get to the Hospice for 1pm. After lunch, work on my crafts and RAIN

And then I saw the rainbow outside my window. I went to the side door, the other half was clearer a faint 2nd bow above. [sorry the photo is so fuzzy]

These bright bursts of colour across the leaden skies bring such joy, don't they? And as Kezzie rightly says, it is good to share that joy with others.

Have a happy weekend, wherever you are...

[* after this post, I'd borrowed Ella Minnow Pea. LMNOP from the library. Loved it!] 

NEWS Report

The other week, Bob and I went with a small group of people from our village [mostly Parish Councillors and spouses] to look at the Norse Environmental Waste Services [aka NEWS]  plant on the edge of Norwich. It was a really interesting tour, and I learned loads about this state-of-the-art facility which has been open almost 20 years.

Recycling bin lorries deposit their contents onto a series of moving belts which travel round the huge building, and the various recyclables [card, paper, glass, certain plastics] are removed at different points.

At an early stage, there us a lot of hand sorting when stuff which really should not have been put in the recycling bins has to be weeded out and discarded. I was horrified to hear what the staff have to deal with.

Things like

disposable nappies

dead pets

bags of animal faeces

medical waste including 'sharps'

gas cylinders

ammunition 

lithium batteries

These things are all dangerous- some can pass on infection, others [batteries, ammunition and gas cylinders can explode or catch fire] Before we started we were given instructions in case of fire, and dressed in PPE. Here's a helpful video of what goes on

Much of the stuff which arrives is not recyclable. Dangerous items are removed and disposed of safely. Other stuff goes off to be incinerated. For every 15 tonnes like this that providesd the same fuel at 10 tonnes of imported coal. 

All the card goes out to the Far East - because they need to make new boxes for their manufactured goods. Sadly the price of used paper has fallen - recycled paper is made into cheaper stuff like newsprint and fewer people read a newspaper now [most read online] 

Glass is an issue - the Norwich Plant would prefer not to deal with it, and until recently we were told not to put it in our domestic bins, but to take it to communal bottle banks. This pre-sorted glass is much easier to process. [One half full wine bottle which breaks can ruin the whole bin load] But the glass which goes to NEWS is sorted, washed and sent on to make new glass.. 

Plastic drinks bottles and regular translucent milk bottles can be sold for food grade recyclables. Cans, aluminium and steel, are sorted and sent on too.

The council says we can put Tetrapaks in our bins - but they are hard to recycle, so they are sorted and sent to regular waste. Ditto some heavily coloured plastics [even if they have the recycle symbol on the bottom] Our guide said he loathes plastic flowerpots and Cravendale milk bottles

It is so important to check your labels [see here] There is a helpful page of recycling myths here. We had loads of questions. And got really surprising answers

What about shredded paper ? No thank you  Not even tied in a bag? Staff do not have time to sort tied bags, and they may contain contaminants- all tied bags and sealed boxes are left closed and sent straight to waste!

Why can't we have food waste bins like they do in other places [Like Leicestershire, and Dorset] We do not have facilities to deal with it. No 'bio digester' locally

Is it helpful to crush cans, squash bottles and flatten boxes? NO!!! Many of the machines sort by shape - they can 'recognise' a can, a milk bottle etc. Crushing slows up that process.

One member of the group spoke about living in Germany where everyone had 'domestic' bins, but there were lots of communal bins for different recycling easily available in the towns, and people used them, it was considered antisocial to do otherwise. Our guide said that in many countries, people understand their personal responsibility in this - but in the UK, people say "I'll put it in the bin, and somebody else will sort it for me" We all need to learn to sort it for ourselves and put rubbish in the appropriate bin [and where possible avoid using some things in the first place] Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair and rethink come before recycle in the sustainability scheme

So I encourage you to look at how you recycle - and PLEASE - remember every area is different, do check your local provision and instructions. [Our guide was Very Cross with the Government for not having a standardised national recycling policy!!]

He said the two really busy times of the year were the holiday season [and many of the people who visit our lovely county sadly leave a lot of ill-managed rubbish behind] and Christmas [when people are too busy having fun to think about responsible recycling]

So please think about what you use to wrap your gifts - avoid foil and glitter, and keep sticky tape to a minimum.

"🎵Brown paper packages, tied up with strings, 

these are the best for recycling things...🎵"

Tights, Teeth, And Truss

I needed a few groceries, and Bob was going into Norwich to look round the new Hospice site. So I begged a lift, and he dropped me off at the big Sainsburys. How I loathe and detest all these black and orange plastic decorations for Halloween which are festooned about the place. I hurried along with my trolley and found myself in the Christmas aisle.

I wasn't concentrating properly. I actually stopped and went back to look again. I'd thought the sign was advertising falafels

I did not have a lot of stuff to buy, but I did want a pair of tights [in that shade variously called nude, bamboo, or hazelnut]  They only had them in Maternity sizes, all the other tights were black. The assistant said she was sorry, it was supply issues. "It's been like it all summer, and when we have had a few pairs in, they've sold out immediately" Which is exactly what they told me in Tesco last week. 

I took my bags up to the café, and ordered a coffee in my Stojo mug. The girl at the counter said she had never been asked to do the refillable-cup thing before. I forebore to say "Well, it helps save the planet and it saves me five shillings" as I suspected she would not know what a shilling was!

I had taken some small sewing with me and sat down and stitched away happily. I looked around - the store seemed very quiet, and the few café customers were either OAPs, young mums with buggies, or grans with buggies. Three OAPs arrived at the table next to me - one stayed to mind the bags whilst the others queued for coffee. She asked about my sewing, and told me they had come in on the Community Bus. How often does it run? I asked "I don't know, I am 92" she replied. Her friends returned- and one found the chair too heavy to move into place - so I got up to help. The other found the knee-high table too low for her coffee cup and balanced it on her knees. "This young woman is sewing" said 92 year old [I guess in comparison, I am young, at 67] They did not stop long, worried they would miss their bus home.

A couple of months ago, Liz and I nearly had coffee in the café - but Liz declared it to be totally lacking in atmosphere, and we'd strolled up to M&S instead. I knew I'd got an hour to kill, but didn't want to take up a space in that smaller, but much nicer establishment. I sat there and realised the noisy overhead fans [air-con, heating??] made conversation difficult, especially for the hard of hearing. The place was less than 25% full - and once the two Mums with buggies, and the grandparent with her charge, went downstairs in the lift, there were just 26 of us - and I was clearly the youngest!! The decor is soulless and all hard surfaces, it's large with a high ceiling. They could do so much more to make it an inviting place to stop for a coffee.  I was grateful that I could have WhatsApp conversations with Liz and Steph as I stitched.

Then I began to get anxious - we had appointments at 2 and 2.20 at the dentist. It is 45 mins from Cornerstones. I was 25 minutes from home. And I hadn't cleaned and flossed thoroughly. I sent Bob an urgent message. His event had taken longer than planned. But he reached me at 12.35, and we sped home. Just to say, embroidery floss is not as efficient at dental floss, especially when travelling at speed down the A47

We got home, brushed [and flossed] thoroughly. We were in the waiting room by 1.55. Both check-ups went well, but I am getting a replacement for my ancient partial denture which no longer fits properly [left lower jaw] . He fitted one for me at the start of the year [right upper] and I have been saving up for this one ever since. I shall be smiling a lot by December.

We came back via Wymondham Waitrose - having had no food since breakfast - they have a very pleasant café. And they did have tights in store! And Bob found some delicious yellow-stickered fishcakes for our evening meal. But I felt that prices had gone up considerably since I was last in Waitrose. We bought very few other items. Home at 5pm, having left at 9.15. Shopping unpacked and put away. 

We had a cuppa and watched the BBC News Channel. 

As I type this, Grant Shapps is Home Secretary and Liz Truss is still PM. By the time you read this, who knows? 

And this 'young' woman is still sewing!

A Morning Of Making

Another project underway, details to follow. But I spent an hour and a half on my knees yesterday in front of the coffee table in the lounge.

Using some coloured card from my stash, and my WRMK Envelope Maker I made a couple of dozen envelopes.

A number of blogs I have read recently have mentioned making envelopes. Either for 'orphaned' greetings cards, or because folk are starting to make seasonal greetings.

I had not heard of WRMK till 3 years ago, when I started finding their punch boards at yard sales and in CS.

They are not cheap to buy new- but I have certainly had my money's worth from my bargain buys.

You can make your own envelopes without such gadgets - I have been doing so ever since my Dad taught me when I was at school. And when life is less full, I will try and post a tutorial. 

But if you need a lot of envelopes, and you have a stack of scrap paper/thin card to hand, these nifty bits of kit save hours, and produce good results.

UPDATE  here's a video of the WRMK board being used

But We Didn't Go To Yosemite...

Apologies to all my dear friends in the USA, but my knowledge of the geography of your country is rather limited. Mention "Yosemite", and I just think of the film Capricorn One. Elliot Gould is interviewing the astronaut's wife after she has spoken with her husband who has [supposedly] just been to the moon. He talks about going to Yosemite like last year...and she says to EG "But we didn't go to Yosemite, we went to a film studios" [Great film, check it out if you haven't seen it]

Following my trip to Dunbar at the weekend, I now know much more about Yosemite, and that it is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. [Have you visited, Bless?]

In the middle of Dunbar High Street is a delightful statue of a young boy reaching up, to the birds flying above him. It is John Muir. "Who's John Muir?" I asked Bob [who didn't know either]. "Our B&B is in John Muir Gardens, he  must be significant round here" I declared. It was a cold, dark Friday night - we went back to the B&B and I researched JM. As we had a couple of hours to fill on Saturday morning, I suggested we should go back to the town centre, and visit JM's birthplace. 

There we learned that he was an altogether good bloke. Born in 1838, the third of eight children. His father was very strict - the only book needed was the Bible, and any free time should be spent on studying Scripture. John was a typical energetic lad, and he and his brothers climbed out of those high bedroom windows to go out and play in the evenings! He was a very bright lad.

His grandfather took him for long walks in the countryside and along the beautiful coastline, instilling in him a great love of nature, and wildlife. But when was 11, father announced the whole family [but not grandad, sadly] were going to make a new start in Canada. They travelled across the Atlantic, and on the voyage, plans changed and they went to Wisconsin instead and settled on a farm. John was expected to work in the fields after school. His father said he could only read books during the night hours - not waste daylight on frivolities. So the boy read at 1am - and invented an early-rising machine to make sure he didn't oversleep in the mornings. 

He built clocks, thermometers and many other gadgets. His grandfather had given him a precious gold sovereign when they left Scotland - and in 1860, he used it to pay for a trip to the Madison State Fair to show off his inventions. His intelligence was recognised, and this won him a place at Wisconsin University, where he studied chemistry, botany and geology. He became obsessed with the beauty of the natural world, and when his brother went to Canada to avoid being conscripted to fight in the Civil War, John joined him, and spent a year or so hiking, collecting plants, and studying the landscape.

Returning to the States, he got a job in a factory, where is skill as an engineer repairing and improving machines made him very popular. But a terrible industrial accident robbed him of the sight of one eye, and almost destroyed the other. After weeks of convalescence, in a darkened room, he wrote to his mother that his right eye was gone 'forever closed on all God's beauty" He declared he would waste no more time on mechanical inventions, but instead devote his life to "the study of the inventions of God"

He hiked 1000 miles from Kentucky to Florida, then visited Cuba to see the wildlife there. He travelled simply, and was very resourceful when things went awry. He finally settled in California.

It was here he found Yosemite, and fell in love with its wild mountain grandeur, the wildlife, the plants, the rocks...

When he found farmers destroying the landscape, to raise herds and grow crops, he was devastated. He petitioned the President, he founded the Sierra Club [the first ever environmental pressure group] and finally Yosemite was named as a National Park.

Muir was instrumental in founding the National Parks Service.John is regarded as the patron Saint of the American Wilderness. California celebrates John Muir Day on April 21st each year. In 1969, David Brower, who was then president of the Sierra Club, founded the Friends Of The Earth Movement. John's Dunbar home is now an 'interpretive centre' telling his story, and the work of the John Muir Trust

The birthplace is free to enter, the staff are friendly and very knowledgeable. The statue put up in 1997, is by Ukrainian Sculptor Valentin Znoba [and David Simpson, the son of the family which sponsored it, posed as the model for young John. Both Scotland and the USA are rightly proud of all this man achieved. 

I was glad to learn more about him [and Yosemite]  - and wholeheartedly endorse his statement

Journeying Mercies

The French wish travellers "Bon Voyage!" - many older Christians I know say "Journeying Mercies!" [which means approximately the same, but is less intelligible to the majority of people] Well, either way, we certainly enjoyed safe travels over the weekend, in a round trip of 750 miles or so. I was grateful to get home safely on Sunday evening. Still waiting on an OK to post wedding pictures, but here are a few other holiday snaps...

My outfit - like the actors Beryl Reid and David Suchet, I followed the rule "start with the shoes when planning your costume"

I figured the instruction to 'wear wellies' would be OK in a field of mud - but less comfy for the dancing. So my trusty biker boots began the outfit. With that, I had to have the biker jacket- and the thermal vest which has kept me warm for many miles riding pillion in heavy rain and high winds.

Plus my lovely Suffragette purple Snag Tights [last year's Xmas gift from Liz] and my ancient pink Laura Ashley scarf. That all dealt with warmth. But it was a wedding, and I wanted prettiness too. The 50p dress I got at the Swishing Party  at Ferndown three years ago was just right. Black, with a busy pink floral pattern.

It was just right for swirling round the floor at the ceilidh on Saturday night, and the whole "biker chick" ensemble received some very kind compliments.

We enjoyed Dunbar - our accommodation was very comfortable, hospitable hosts and a homely atmosphere. And decent coffee and good pastries at breakfast [also yogurts, cereals, juices etc]

Friday night's meal at Umberto's Italian Restaurant was great - good food at good prices, and very friendly staff.

Two signs we saw in the town which made us wonder.

Whatever are "Hot Ovoids"? Probably BBQ fuel - but it sounds like a posh name for boiled eggs.

And the beauticians offering gift vouchers for "Body Piercing Sunbed Nails" ?

No thank you!!

Other than than, Dunbar seemed a very pleasant town - and we learned much about its most famous inhabitant [post to follow]