Rugby

Something tells me my son may take after his Babo and become a rugby player!

Be careful what you wish for

I really truly believe that you can get a anything you want in life, just be careful what you wish for. For a while I have wanted a cat again, my old boy died over a year ago, so I have been thinking about getting a kitten and how we could avoid my husband's allergy to felines. Today a friend called to say that the vet near Siena had a bunch of scruffy kittens that needed homes. On Monday we should be able to bring one home, I will but an old armchair in the cantina (shed) and he can be a freerange cat like 'Sack' used to be. Wishes - I want to get chickens, a friend is helping me set this up and our landlord is helping us build a chicken run. I want to be more self sufficient - I now have a cupboard of tomato sauces and chutneys. I wanted more time with my children, I am there everyday after school now, I wanted to follow a dream and move to Italy and write books. I am living in Tuscany writing magazines and the books are brewing. Where am I heading with this rambling... Basically through sheer stubbornness and the power of really wanting something I have done alot in the last two years. With no money, no great plan just lots of enthusiasm we are doing what we wanted. So I am sending out some positive energy to all those people who still feel a long long way from their dream, remember some of this is down to how you view things. I have very little money at the moment - but you can't own the view, the seasons, the smell of autumn, the sound of my children's laughter anyway, so really I am as rich as I will ever be as I have so many things that are utterly priceless. Today the sun is shining, the old dog is snoring in the old chair, the kids are playing, we have chicken (Bat Wing Stew) for supper and are getting a little christmassy already, yes there will be work, finances and normal daily struggles but really I am content to be living this life full of crazy hair raising ups and slip slidey downs. Off to hunt for rosehips now in the chilly hills above Siena, in my ancient woolly sweater and stripey legwarmers........... the kids are horrified!

Confessions of a modern Mummy

Well, I love so many other Mummy's blogs out there and they inspire me greatly but the ones that touch a chord are the ones that are real, the ones that include the grubbiness and the gripes, the tears and the heartache. Not wanting to bare my soul totally though I thought it might be a good idea to share just some of the reality of my life. The ebb and flow, the dark and the light, the thoughts and ideas...

I cook from scratch always but secretly crave plastic cheese squares and angel delight

I recycle, re-use and reclaim but lust after a nightmarishly expensive designer sofa

I advocate gentle and peaceful parenting but flare up like a banshi at times

I hate shouting and violence yet love watching films with knights battling it to the death

I try and drink lots of water but this gets diluted with wine most evenings

I save energy wherever possible but love having lots of lamps in corners - it's just nice

I write lists about lists about lists then lose the list and write on a list to look for the lost list

I love silence but hate being on my own

I believe in herbal remedies but when I get ill I yearn for frozen chicken pies 1970's style

I hate TV but love watching films

I love plants and growing stuff but am a blatently lazy gardener

I am great at giving advice and rubbish at taking it

I change my mind with the seasons and my hair colour too xx

Digital Craft

Thanks to my lovely friend Gill I now know a little bit about the digital scrapbook and this morning whilst gary took the kids to school I completed our family christmas card...hope you like it.....

Autumn in Tuscany

Managed to take a few snaps in between the camera growling at me.... note the very old hound and the boy with too much homework. Also am cooking gnocci as too tired to make a roast dinner x

Camera not working

Oh god, once again the camera is dead, we have to send it back to England and wait for it to be fixed. I feel lost without it as the days are so stunning here at the moment, the countryside is all purple and yellow, England in the autumn is red and brown I think, Tuscany is v. different. Poorly - everyone has been ill, colds, sicknesss, fevers. We are over the worst but TT is the most horrible patient refusing vitamins, drinks and medicine. Today she was even cross that the sun was out as it would dry up the puddles and she has new wellies and needs the puddles!!! The sun is warm on my hands as I type and a gentle breeze is swaying the Acacia trees outside my window, my tea is steaming in a lovely hand painted mug (a gift from a special friend) and I feel calm. Tonight I will make a roast supper and light the fire and try (deep breath) to fix the sewing machine again. For now I am unearthing pictures of things I simply love rather that my pics..enjoy

Roots

Often wondered where our in-built personalities come from. I seem to be a real black/rainbow sheep, nothing in common with my family whatsoever. However there are ties there somewhere, bloodlines or energy lines. Watching my poorly children dozing today made me think of how their breath all came from within me, they orginated from me, it felt like a real basic and primal bondlike feeling flowed through us all curled up in front of the fire. I wonder how many other mothers are lucky enough to feel that depth of togetherness so acutely. I also came across this pic today and I look exactly like my children in everyway, and so another generation continues to live their own unique lives we may look the same but I wonder just how they will grow in time? - Also I love my Grandma's 70's hair in this pic truly fab.

Angels

This morning amidst the crazyness that is my home I decided to make legwarmers for TT. Cut the arms off an old top of hers and added elastic, bingo, stripy warm ankles. I think I had a little help from fairies or long gone great aunts as in my somewhat irrated mode I realised I needed to find a needle and cotton. I opened a very old needlecase and there was a readily threaded with white cotton gold needle, the thread the perfect length all knotted and ready to go. I didn't leave there, neither did Gary and I use this case all the time, magical intervention maybe. Pics to follow...

The power of nature

Today is heart stoppingly beautiful. We have our first frost a gentle icing sugar coating on the hills and rooftops, we have tiny plumes of smoke dotted across the horizon where the farmers are burning olive branches and the mountains are in view in the distance. I am working like crazy to a tight deadline but am trying to 'make' time to enjoy the here and now of the little bit of heaven in italy.

Synergy and friends

Just wanted to thank those who have skipped onto my blog, wow, this is amazing to get messages from around the globe. What is so very strange yet totally lovely is that one Mummy out there is reading my blog from East Devon which is where I moved from 2 years ago. Very small world, I move from the west country to the hills in Tuscany and make a new chum only minutes from where I am originally from, the power of the internet........ or are there other more powerful energies at work I wonder? Plans for this weekend.... Chestnut and pumpkin soup, playdough, open fires and the garden, Olive picking is looming, but for now I have to work on a few less inspiring day jobs to bring in the reddies.

Mother and Child

Just thought that some of your wonderfully inspiring Mamas out there might be interested in a Mother and Child competition being run by Hallmark cards in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness for Mothers Day. You all take such heartstoppingly stunning pictures of your lives I thought this might be one for you lovely bloggers out there. http://www.hallmark.co.uk/info/cardsforacure/cardsforacure_comp.php

Fresh Air

Please follow this link to a gorgeous site and fantasic giveaway... a breath of fresh autumn air. http://gardenmama.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/10/my-entry-2.html

Unspoken Words

I have felt really, really unwell for days. My mouth, throat and ears are agony, the nerve along my jaw has a searing constant pain and I have run out of energy to fight this virus. I was wondering why I have this illness and am utterly sure that the physical is related to the emotional and have spent days looking within myself as to what might cause these symptoms. One repeating topic is Blue Dog and how much I still miss is warm body and his silver shape next to me, typing this breaks my heart and the tears flow, unstoppable and from the core of me. After he died I felt I had to be strong for everyone else and be brave and worse than that grown up. Well, I don't feel those things and even after a year of him being gone I still wish I had told him that he was my baby boy - my rock, he always, always made me feel whole, the smell of his soft fur soothed me in times of need and he eased me from teenager, to woman, wife, to mother. I want to walk with him in the hills and get annoyed when he refuses to come back, I want to stop the two dogs trying to take chunks out of each other, I want to feel his velvet ears brush past me knees. It will always shake me the depth of my love for Blue Boy. So it is out now, how I still miss him and always shall. But now I must let my love pour towards Leo, now another old boy, who too has a place in my heart and soul. x

Feel like eeyore

Once again I have hideous inner ear pain and a mouth full of ulcers. The Dr says it is shingles, great. I feel horrid and am hopelessly snappy with everyone. Resigned to a weekend of blankets on the sofa and old films whilst the children get away with murder. xx Need an energy boost, our diet is pretty damn good so not sure how to inject even more good stuff into it really.

Gentle Reminders

Am reading a wonderful book full to the brim of Tuscan joy. It is reminding me of why we are here, the things we wanted to do, be a part of etc Lots of recipes and references to the seasons and cooking. I am now planning to without fail take one morning a week to indulge myself in markets, architecture, food, culture and living and not get sucked into working the standard 10 hour days at my desk for little or no additional benefit. Yes the book is a little trite in places and makes me cringe in others but it has proved a wonderful kick up the bum to get on out there again. Check out 'Under a Tuscan Sun'

Recipe Ideas

Just wanted to add some more recipes ideas for my 'no spend' week Pizza using our own passatta Soup Scones and cherry jam Egg Fried Rice with chives If I can I am going to stretch the 'no buy' cooking until Friday!!!! That is 7 days from today, Just need to disguise the courgettes, pick more peaches, apricots (if ready), figs and peppers. Also plan to plant more seeds and see if we can grow peppers and aubergines indoors in tubs?

Foraging

I am determined not to buy anthing this weekend - can't anyway. The fridge is empty bar lemons, butter, eggs and various jars. BUT, we have veg in the freezer and lots of pasta/rice/polenta/orzo. So here goes a four/five day scavenging plan relying on our preserves from the garden and store cupboard basics.

1. Lentil Lasagne with homemade bread
2. Courgette Risotto
3. Figgy pudding (figs on tree)
4. Pasta a pomodoro & basil
5. Flapjacks / scones
6. Baked polenta with rataouille (from freezer)
7. Orzotto with veg
8. Spaghetti with herbs and oil
9. Pancakes stuffed with veg/rice
10. Courgette Bread
11. Fairy Cakes
12. Pasta Bake
13. Tomato and Bread Soup
14. Popcorn for nibbles
15. Rice fritters with tomoto sauce Phew. That should see us through, though maybe, just maybe I should cycle to the vineyard for a 5 litre bottle of Red, only 7 Euro. No, no must be strong!

Chutney and Mud

Today I am thankful for the autumn shower that watered the rhubarb, the friend who boosted by son's confidence, the supper simmering on the stove, the snoring dog by my side, the man upstairs ironing, the patient landlord nextdoor, my faith in the future and the fact that I have the freedom to make my own choices. http://holisticmum.blogspot.com/2009/07/thursdays.html I am also thankful for the inspiring bloggers out there who give encouragement in large helpings and inspiration in big fat juicy dollops x