The Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY, June 29th, 2009 ...

Outside My Window...
It's very early and the sky is that indescriminate colour of greyish early dawn, but rumour has it we are going to have a stinker of a heat wave this week! Not bad . . . not bad . . . I am not really a lover of heat waves, but then again, beggars can't be choosers, and it will be nice to have the sun and heat for a time. It does rain an awful lot over here. Todd will absolutely love it as he doesn't mind the heat at all. Myself, I find it just drains my energy to nil . . .

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."
- Russel Baker

I am thinking...
About all the hooplah re Michael Jackson's passing. I know he was a big star, and I agree that he was close to genius when it came to music and his videos, but, for crying out loud, we are not talking about some great political leader here, or someone who did something great to help and change this world we live in! I just don't get it.

I am thankful for...
Two feet that are firmly planted on the ground and in reality.

From the kitchen...
There is some leftover blueberry tart on the counter, a banana bread, and some cheese scones . . . but not a lot of anything else. I do have plans to do a bit of baking this afternoon, but a lot depends on how hot it really gets.

I am wearing...
A white cotton nightie with pin tucks down the front and some embroidery across the yolk. It's one of my favourite nighties. I only really wear it in the summertime when it gets very hot. I always feel really feminine in it and a bit like a princess. I know . . . me<===wierd. I am creating...
I am still working on something really special that I hope to be able to tell you all about really soon. I hate that I haven't had time these past few weeks to pick up my paints and brushes. I am just itching to get some painting done! I have 3 comissions that I need to get started on and soon!

I am going...
Only a few days more of work and then I am on my summer holidays for a few weeks! I can't wait! I have Young Women's on Thursday evening and then our Scripture Study Group on Friday evening. I think we have a picnic planned for Saturday to kick off our holiday. We will probably go to Sissinghurst for it, or maybe Bodium Castle. It all depends on what kind of mood we are in. We're so lucky to live relatively close to some of these wonderful historical sites. Perhaps we'll go to Battle. We went there with some friends a couple of summer's ago, but it was a very rainy day when we went and we didn't get to see as much as we would have liked to see.

I am reading...



The Commoner, by John Burnham Swartz. Set in the year 1959, this is the story of a young woman named Haruko who married the crown prince of Japan, the heir to the Crysanthemum throne. She is the first non-aristocratic woman to do so in the history of the most secretive and mysterious monarchies in the world. It's both interesting and fascinating and I am quite enjoying it. I do love oriental culture and find it very interesting to read about.

I am hoping...
My play list stopped working for me a couple of days ago, something to do with the titles on it not being available to listen to in this country. I have gone to the site and can find no imformation about this at all and in fact nobody's play list works for me, and I can't seem to be able to listen to any of their music at all. I wish I could find a site that had music on it that I can listen to. I miss it, and I don't understand the why's and wherefore's at all!!

I am hearing...
It's very quiet in here this morning. The birds are being very quiet, which usually means a very warm day and the fridge is humming away. I can hear the clock ticking on the wall and Jess snoring by my feet. A couple of mornings ago I heard a sound like a small humming bird beating itself against one of the windows down here, only to discover that it was one of those huge French Hornets that come over here in the summer from France! I hate those things. They scare me to death, but my hubby the hero took care of it for me.

Around the house...
yayy!! We got the kitchen painting finished. Now all I have to do is get some new curtains made for the windows. It doesn't look much different actually, but it does look a lot fresher.

One of my favorite things...
Is visiting other people's pages and reading their blogs. I have not had a lot of time these past few weeks to do that. I don't know where the time seems to disappear, but it just seems to fly by. I miss visiting them. They become like old friends and when you haven't had a chance to read their words for a time, you really do feel a sense of loss. I know that my readership has dropped in these past few weeks as well and I am wondering why . . . mayhap everyone is busy and feeling a lack of time just as I am.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
There are a few more days of work until my holidays to get through and then I must get all packed for our trip to Austria. I have to get my mother's birthday present packed up and into the post as well. Speaking of my mother, she had cataract surgery last Thursday and could really use some prayers. It hasn't turned out that well and she has almost lost her sight in that eye altogether now. She had Shingles down that whole side of her head and face for most of the past year and a half, along with a type of infection in that same eye, which has really given her a lot of problems. If you could spare a few prayers for her, I would really appreciate it, as would she.

Terri, is having her shoulder operated on tommorrow so a few prayers for her would be much appreciated as well. Todd and I went to visit her yesterday afternoon and it was so nice to see her. She's doing quite well, considering she has had a shattered shoulder and arm for almost two weeks now and all the pain involved!! I cannot believe that they have let this poor woman go for so long without doing anything about it. That is the National Health Service for you! Millions of pounds get pumped into it each year, and yet the services go down, down and further down. Where is all that money going to I wonder. It's quite disgraceful. There has to be a better way.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Hollyhocks are all in bloom and so very pretty. I just love cottage garden flowers like hollyhocks and larkspurs . . . the garden is at it's prettiest right now. Oh, I do love this time of year . . .

Why not hop on over to Grandmother Wren's to see some of the other daybooks for today!

I went to get some bread out of our bread bin yesterday to make Todd a sandwich and it had all gone mouldy. What is it about the bread today that it goes mouldy so quickly??? It doesn't seem to last any time at all! Anyways, I quickly made him up some of these really delicious cheese scones. You can have them put together, in the oven and on the table in less than half an hour!

*Hurry Up Cheese Scones*
Makes 10 to 12

Printable Recipe

These are so quick to do and very, very tasty. Best of all, they use ingredients which I always have in my store cupboard.

2 cups self raising flour
2 cups of grated strong cheddar cheese (I use Cathedral brand)
1 1/3 cups of whole milk
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 225*C/425*F. Lightly butter a large baking tray. Set it aside.

Mix the flour, cheese, salt and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl. Pour in the milk and stir all together just until combined and equally moistened. It will be a very moist and sticky mixture. Drop by heaped soup-spoonful's onto the prepared baking tray, leaving a good two inches between each. (about 1/4 cup full each)

Bake for about 10 minutes, then turn the tray around and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until well risen and nicely browned.

Serve warm, split in half and spread with plenty of cold butter.



If you'd like to see what I got up to with the last of my strawberries, take a peek at The English Kitchen. Delicious! (Who says simple has to be boring?)