The Food of Life

Day Twenty.

Ah! Now we are one fifth of the way through the 100 Days Project! I must admit that despite the one evil comment, I am feeling positive and somewhat changed for the better. I'm feeling a real sense of community with other 100 Days bloggers, and it's a opened up a whole new world for me. I spoke with my old friend Kellee of The Yellow Lamp today, and that was very lovely indeed. This blogging process is bringing us close again after some years of very little contact - she moved away and we've just been soooo busy, ya know? :) She reminded me that only horrible people make horrible comments on blogs. Still, I've left it there in case anyone feels like responding. I don't like to censor things too much, I like a dash of reality, so I'll leave it until its time comes.

Today worked out pretty well. It was market day in Machynlleth, so we collected our pre-ordered organic veg from the Treehouse stall, picked up the pre-ordered free-range chicken and local sausages from Will the butcher's, and bought some nice fresh sea bass from the fish man (there are two fish stalls on the market - one is right outside our house and leaves a rotten fish smell when he goes; the other is down by the Quarry cafe. We bought the fish from the one down by the cafe - partly because we have heard the nasty, racist jokes of the one outside our house). I spent the morning on Amazon, choosing self-sufficiency themed presents for my parents and surfing related gifts for my brother. Phil and I decided that after the huge expense of everything else we would not need presents ourselves. Still, I got a bit carried away and ordered a 'Stitch and Bitch' knitting book for myself and promised to get an Ikea magnetic knife holder for him (it's what he wanted, to be fair, and it might give us an excuse to get ourselves there sometime in the New Year).

Sorted out our room ready for my parents to stay in it, and got the lights and tinsel on the tree. Phil cleaned the pantry and the hall, and all we have left to do tomorrow is last minute floor-cleaning downstairs, and making beds. As soon as we realised that, Phil asked if he 'was allowed' (what?! There's a first time for everything, I suppose?!) to have a glass of wine, and so I suggested that he make up some mulled wine from scratch as he's been boasting that he'll be able to make it without touching the singular sachet in the cupboard. He rose to the challenge (a good chance to see if it'll work when my family arrives!) and I read the ingredients list from the back of the sachet, whilst pointing out cinnamon, cloves and the like in the dark and chaotic cupboard. It turned OK, though maybe he shouldn't have put the garlic (?!) in, but with a few spoons of sugar, I thought it tasted pretty good. :)

And so we relax again, job done :)

The Holly and the Ivy

Day Nine.

Horray! A sunny day! Crisp and bright, just as it should be at this time of year. Phil was desperate to go for a walk, and so the idea evolved that we would go out and look for some foliage with which to decorate the house. Last year we draped ivy around the window frames, along with some pretty plain fairy lights, and filled the rooms with holly and pine branches. We loved it so much that we left the ivy up until March (which was about the time when it started to disintegrate).

Personally, I find the plastic decorations tacky - often too gaudy and glittery - not to mention expensive. I'm not a big fan of fireworks either, so I guess you can make of that what you will! :)

As we were leaving the house equipped with a sharp knife and a pair of secateurs, our neighbours happened to be coming out from next door. They promptly went back into the house and returned with a Christmas card for us and a nice bottle of wine. We told them we were going to hunt down some nice foliage and they suggested we go to the park. They were right! Just fifty yards from our front door we gathered so much, it was escaping our arms as we walked back, overladen with leaves (and about five berries in total - but that's five more than last year).

Now our front room is like a scene from Narnia, and there's plenty more leafy sprigs left over to decorate upstairs too :)

Going to the park was not enough of a walk, so we 'did the loop' and walked around by the river. The air was fresh and bracing, and the views were beautifully lit by the setting sun.

I do have some nice pics, but Blogger is being awkward...