Friday 10 January 2014

January blues


It's been a tough week, I'm not going to pretend. Not quite enough to cloud my enthusiasm for this new year but still - it hasn't been easy. I haven't slept much (having fallen victim to the 3am racing mind thing that periodically haunts me), my back's sore (my own fault for spending too long at the computer and slouching), the weather's been grim and Joe has been a bit of a nuisance for the past couple of days. It could be down to teething. Or maybe he's just trying it on. I suspect the latter.


Lucky for him he's so cute.

So I've moved the computer to the kitchen table for now. So much more comfortable than trying to type at the sideboard. Weekend's almost here (it felt as though it would never come) and we're off to Lancashire tomorrow for the usual fruit and veg haul and - fingers crossed - a nice family walk.

I'm going to pay the butcher a visit too as I've decided to try at least one new recipe a week. I'm one of those people who has a collection of lovely cookbooks but uses only one or two. Basically, I'm a sucker for a nice cover and pretty photographs. So last night I dusted off Piri Piri Starfish and Venezia (both Tessa Kiros) and we're having piri piri chicken and pasta e fagioli. That's two new recipes - go me!

As for the sleeplessness... well, a hot bath is in order and there'll be a nightcap as well. Most probably Krupnik, the Polish honey liqueur. Tastes like firewater but hopefully it should do the trick.


Little Mr Difficult will be up against two of us, too. Monday to Friday it's me dealing with him but Jay's home soon and sometimes it's just such a relief to know I'm not doing it all on my own. We're thinking of maybe heading out on Saturday night to see a film - the Walter Mitty one (I heard the opening credits alone are pretty impressive).

There's something about it being One of Those Weeks which makes the approaching weekend seem all the more welcome. Good food, fresh air, family... just what's needed.

Oh, and I'm knitting too. It helps :)

9 comments:

  1. Those sound like wonderful ways to shrug off a less than brilliant week. Piri piri chicken sounds good. I'm trying to use more of my (many, many...) cookbooks too - we're in a bit of a rut recipe wise. Loving the sound of honey liqueur - enjoy ;) x

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    1. I will! And if you find any exciting recipes, let me know. I think we'll struggle getting hold of piri piri chillies, but we have loads of normal ones I dried out from the garden so it'll be fun putting them to some use.
      Hope you have a great weekend x

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  2. I sometimes struggle to sleep and find that chamomile tea with honey before I go to bed helps me sleep, that and having a break from the computer before I try to sleep as if not I struggle to switch off. Good luck with it and I hope you have a better weekend than the week you've just had!

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  3. Well the film may be on hold, depending on the babysitting situation but I'm hopeful we'll get to see it some time over the weekend...
    I must admit, I don't think my love of nice cookery books will end any time soon. They make excellent bedtime reading too. And some recipes I've tried have become regular favourites so it makes sense that trying new ones will mean I can expand my repertoire.
    Joe's just been a bit trying - although everything seems so much more difficult when you're sleep deprived. At least he gets a solid 12 hours a night! That's one thing I'll be forever grateful for...

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  4. Hi - and thanks for that! I'm a nightmare for messing around on my phone when I go to bed and it's a bad habit I need to break. But I've steered clear of Diet Coke since before Christmas so I know I've got some willpower!
    Hope all is well with you :)

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  5. Hope you have a really lovely weekend ... sounds like you deserve it ... Bee xx

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    1. Hi Bee - the same to you! All going well thus far (even after being kept awake all night by a usually reliable sleeper)...
      And the grey skies aren't bothering us today. Fairy lights are a truly wonderful thing x

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  6. Oh yes, I remember those weeks well. And as Sue above said, it passes, and at the end you'll still have your sanity intact and still love him, and you'll just remember how cute he was.

    I too am a sucker for a nice new cookery book and just bought Scandilicious Baking. I have Falling Cloudberries and Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. I love them both and often flick through them but can't in all honesty say that they are my most used cookery books! x

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    1. Hello! Thanks for your comment - most reassuring! I should just be grateful that weeks like that are the exception rather than the rule. He's usually such an easy baby but they all have to test the boundaries I suppose. And often the toughest bit is trying to keep a straight face...

      I have the original Scandilicious book. I haven't tried a single recipe yet but here's hoping 2014 will see me go for it. As for those particular Tessa Kiros books, I haven't used Apples for Jam much but the two from Falling Cloudberries are a salad made with chickpeas, feta and flavoured oil (now a staple in this house) and the carrot cake. It's the best recipe I've ever used, and the cream cheese frosting is sublime x

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