Yada yada yada . . .

 

I don't always know what I am going to write about when I sit down in front of the computer each morning.  Sometimes I have thought about it for a while the night before, and some days it follows a long standing theme, but there are two days of the week where I have to search my heart and brain and what comes out comes out.  This is one of those days. 

It used to be a lot easier when I first started blogging, which was some 16 or 17 years ago now back on My Space.  I think I led a much more active life and I had a lot more to write about. I don't do a heck of a lot these days for whatever reason I don't know. Health, the cost of petrol, too many obligations, etc.  I wonder sometimes how I managed to get everything done that I did when I was working full time because my time seems to evaporate into the ether now that I am retired!  Is it like that for everyone?  What say you? 

 

This is probably the only thing I don't really like about the Autumn.  Unwanted visitors in the form of HUGE and I mean GIGANTIC spiders that find their way into the house to hibernate for the Winter.  Even looking at this photo gives me the heebee jeebies.  I went to get a couple of crackers last night and look what met me.  Thank goodness I noticed him before I actually put my hand on him.  My spider ninja had to come to my rescue yet again and dispatch him out the door. This time I made him take it further away from the house.  Maybe this unwanted visitor will change his course and head for one of the neighbors instead of back in here.  

I come by my dislike of spiders quite naturally. My mother hated them.  So my sister and I ended up hating them. I remember one particular incident where there was a spider (probably quite miniscule in comparison to this one) on the mirror in our bathroom.  My mother, sister and I were in the hallway with a broom, around the corner of the bathroom door, trying to knock it into the sink by sweekping it off the mirror with the broom. Each time we tried, we . . .  all three of us . . .  squealed in horror.  

Simply put I hate them.

Almost as much as wasps. 

 

I have always loved scented candles.  They are one of my favourite things. I could spend hours in the Yankee Candle shops, picking up and sniffing to my heart's content.  I love most of their scents.  I scored this set half price in the grocery store the other day. Only £4. Pink Island Sunset, Cherry Vanilla, Strawberries and Cream, White Hammock, Coastal Peony and Raspberry Sundae.  All smell really nice. I also got a large jar candle for £6, Stony Cove, which was quite a bargain!  Yes, it came out of my grocery budget, but was worth it. When you have a dog, smelly candles come in quite handy when you have unexpected company dropping  by.

 

If there was ever a sexy language on the earth it has to be French. Perhaps Italian, but mostly French.  Even English spoken with a French accent is sexy.  To illustrate this fact I put all the names of those candles into an English to French translator.  This is what came up:

Pink Island Sunset, cerise vanille, fraises et crème, 

hamac blanc, pivoine de la côte et framboise. 

Apparently Pink Island Sunset translates into Pink Island Sunset. Who knew?  Pivoine de la côte et framboise . . .  super sexy sounding. I think I will say that to Todd when he gets up this morning. Give him a little thrill.

 

I bet I get about half a dozen e-mails like this every day.  Sent in reference to my food blog, telling me that I have lots of great quality but it isn't working well on Google search, that it doesn't work well at all on mobile phones, etc.  I find that quite mysterious because I have checked both on my mobile phone and on my iPad as well as my desktop and everything works perfectly.  I just ignore them. Do you get these kinds of e-mails???

 

Have you ever wished you could be like a cat?  They are so totally laid back.  Sleep anywhere, any time.  Just flop right down, usually on something you are trying to work on, and fall asleep . . . just like that! No if's, and's or but's.   

 

I quite like cats actually.  I would have one but for the fact that it is impossible to keep them indoors here in the UK.  The windows and doors have no screens, which isn't a problem in the winter time, but in the summer  if you want to let fresh air in, you have to open windows and that would be it.  The cat would be outside and who knows what would happen. Indoor cats live longer than outdoor cats.  Plus we have no basements, and where do you put the litter box?  Hmmm . . .   

Mom loved ginger cats. 

 

I am always finding tiny white feathers in unsual places.  They make me smile. Once there was one right on the door step, right in front of the door.  Guardian angel?  Mom?  Who knows  . . .  I like to think that they are a sign that someone is watching over me.  Actually last night I was brought up quite short.  I was going into the kitchen to do something and I glanced at the window and saw my reflection in it and thought to myself, "Fat Cow."  Immediately this came into my mind. "Don't call my daughter a fat cow."  Tears came to my eyes.  I knew my mom was speaking to me.  I felt it in my heart.  I miss her so much.  I have moments when the loss is excruciatingly unbearable.  Especially when I have things going on in my life that I would so love to be able to talk to her about, to share with her  . . .  sometimes you just wish you had your mother's lap to cuddle up in.  Sometimes you just wish you could feel her arms around you and her voice saying  . . .  there  . . .  there. 

 And now I'm crying.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

Everyday courage has few witnesses.

But yours is no less noble 

because no drum beats for you and no

crowd calls your name.

~Robert Louis Stevenson 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Classic Pot Roast for Two.  Delicious! 

Have a wonderful Wednesday.  I have to finish up my work for Chef Knives Experts for the month today. One last recipe for September.  This time it is a Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Lasagne. Its really yummy.  Hope your day runs well, don't forget!

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ 

 

And I do too!