Little House by the Railway Line

2009 Goals

Learn to make yoghurt
Pickle walnuts
~~Make marmalade~~
Perfect my granola bar recipe
Grow green beans to eat
~~Grow spinach~~
Grow peppers and winter squash
Save seeds from peppers and winter squash
Knit lots of dishcloths
Finish my hidden stars quilt
Make napkin rings
Finish cardigan back
Learn how to do water-bath-canning
Knit a pair of socks

Preserved this Year

February: Marmalade, 10 1/2 standard jars, 2 tiny jars
February: Blatjang chutney, 6 jars
March: Caramelised onion chutney, 6 jars
June: Elderflower cordial, 5 jars
June: Strawberry Jam, 7 standard jars, 3 tiny jars
June: Elderflower cordial, 4 1/2 jars (2nd batch)

Projects in Progress/ Planned

Navy and pink lap quilt
Hidden stars bed quilt
Sampler cardigan
Amish Alphabet Cross-Stitch
Knitted scrap blanket
Planned: summer blouse and skirt

Scripture Memorised this Year

Psalm 8
Psalm 103
Romans 12
Romans 13

Anniversary Weekend Away

16:29, Tuesday 30 September 2008 .. Posted in Bits and Bobs .. 0 comments .. Link

Yesterday was our first wedding anniversary! Since the first anniversary is paper, we decided to buy each other books. I got G a copy of "Practical Religion" by JC Ryle, and I don't know what he's bought for me yet, as Amazon haven't delivered it yet. We had a box of chocolates as well.

Quite coincidentally, we planned to spend the weekend away visiting family. We spent two nights staying with my grandparents just outside Birmingham, and then two more nights staying with G's parents in Shropshire.

My grandfather has been rather ill of late and is having difficulty eating and keeping food down. I think it's getting to the stage where he's so afraid of being sick that he makes himself sick. However, he seemed to cope alright while we were there and seemed encouraged by our visit. He's also bought himself a train set - one of his unfulfilled childhood dreams - which is going to arrive on Wednesday, so he looked a lot happier when we left than when we arrived.

We were able to meet up with one of my old schoolfriends for lunch in Birmingham, which was really lovely, and then went to the Birmingham Back-to-Backs, which was absolutely fascinating. I always find the social history of the poor more interesting than the stuff about rich landowning gentry in their fine houses, although that can be interesting in its place. There are four houses, each done in the style of a different period, where you can see how they lived and worked (as often they worked from home).

Whilst in Shropshire we also visited Dudmaston, unfortunately in bad weather that prevented us exploring the grounds. It was a strange house, as the parts on display are still inhabited, so there are modern day photographs and balloons mixed up with the old-fashioned underlying house. Most of it was actually an art gallery, full of beautiful botanical drawings of different speciesof auricula. Not at all what I expected, but pleasant none the less.

We also got a bit of walking done and saw a goldcrest while out - which I hadn't seen before, so I was very excited about that. I certainly feel very much refreshed and rested after the break from work and household tasks.
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About Me

Hello! I'm Jo, I'm 26 and I live in a small house in England with my husband. I work full time in an office, and in my spare time I help out with Sunday school and the church youth group. When I have time, I enjoy reading, cookery and crafts, and I'm trying to learn about the garden.

Links

The Cotton Patch
Sew and So
The World's Healthiest Foods
Daily Bread
Bible Gateway
E-Sword
The National Trust