The Summer's Over....

That's it, the last official day of the school holidays.   There was hollering over haircuts, spanking new school trousers  too small, brand new shoes suddenly too big.   The weather has been rubbish: rain, wind and cold....the cost, a lot; trips to the pictures, pizza, shopping and indoor entertainment-all designed to blow your mind at the minimal cost of £50 per trip, per family....roll up, roll up!  

There have been highlights; having them here has been wonderful, watching new friendships form, clubs being created and books being read.   They've baked cakes and bread and ate them with relish.   Seeing them play in the odd pockets of sunshine has been great, faces held to the sun to catch the rays as they stay out all day, coming back for dinner and juice and then running off again before the fork stops clankering on the table.

They've all grown at least an inch and have a grubby, rosy glow about them.   It seems like not the greatest summer to me, but through their eyes, it's been fantastic and filled with adventure and fun.   That's all that really matters.

Coconut Prawn (Shrimp) Curry with Noodles

Absolutely delicious; light coconut milk is used, making this a low fat but very tasty tea.   Recipe to follow.

Hearthbread pizza

Hearthbread topped with homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella, herbs and a drizzling of olive oil.   Delicious, but for kids (and dad) only right now!

Lettuce boats filled with roasted veg, olives, garlic and cured meats with a low fat dressing and mint

A great alternative to bread...well, not really, but when you're looking to loose a few pounds, then yeah, it works well!   I roasted asparagus and artichokes in a little olive oil, sea salt, mint and black pepper, filled the lettuce boats alongisde a little chopped chorizo and Parma ham.   Thin slices of cooked garlic and olives were added along with a little lemon and honey dressing.   Lovely.

Monday Memories

Kelly dressed up as Jesse from Toy Story 2 on her wooden rocking horse. She must have been around 3 or 4 so around 2003. I love how happy she looks and she really got into the part!

Fraser and Lucy were just around 2 years old when this picture was taken. The expressions were just so typical of them, it has become one of my favourites, despite them sitting in the hall of our old house with bags stuffed full to be taken to the charity shop.
This was our first trip to the zoo. They were so excited to see the animals and Kelly insisted on holding on to wee Lulu's hand. Aww. Notice the double buggy at the back with a single pushchair laying on top of it; three kids under two: this was life, Jim, but not as we knew it.

Kelly's first day at school. She was not yet 5 and looked so tiny; I didn't think it possible for me to be so happy and sad at the same time.

I used this as a profile pick way back in the 90s. I was an early adopter of the internet! This was taken on honeymoon in Florida in 1996. I recognise this girl but I don't necessarily see her looking back at me anymore. My eyes are the same but that's about it.....such is life, kids and time.

We don't need no education.

Schools out for summer! Woohoo!! I love love LOVE the summer holidays. I get to have my kids back, the sun shines (bwahahaha I hear the Scots cry) and we get to go on adventures. At heart, I'm an adventurer and the kids even more so. I look forward to this time of year and we use our powers of invention to come up with weird and wonderful activities. Watch this space!

I think the path to true adventure is to look in small places, to go on little trips and to chat to the most unlikely people. Me and the kids find it wherever we go. It usually involves little or no money, old clothes and mud. And strange people. I LOVE strange people. Don't ask me why, it's just the way it is.

To celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer, I tried to book us into our local restaurant Massimos for pizza. The girl answered the phone after a loooong time ringing and when she eventually answered, she sounded bored out of her skull:-
Me: "Can I book a table for this evening please?".
BW: "Well, that depends..."
Me"....really, what does it depend on?"
BW: "How many people it's for!" (Unspoken..."Like, duh! Moron!" *eyes rolling*)
Me: "There will be five of us"
BW: "We-ll, I have no booths left...."
Me: (Unspoken..."Did I ASK for a booth??") "Ookay, do you have a TABLE?"
BW: "Uh....no...maybe. (Silence)"
Me: (Silence...quietly banging my head off the wall)
BW: "I could give you a table outside the restaurant..."
Me: (Unspoken..."What, in the restaurant across the road where the staff are MUCH more professional?") "No thank you, we don't want to eat outside the restaurant"
BW: "Um....ok.....*click...brrrrr*

Sooooo, we had pastafest instead! The kids were delighted and Kelly said it was MUCH better here anyway. I love that gal.

We tucked into macaroni cheese, creamy papardelle with feta, pine nuts (yes!...pine nuts...I have them!) and cherry tomatoes alongside a nice crusty baguette.

Creamy Papardelle with Feta, Pine Nuts and Cherry Tomatoes

This is enough for two incredibly greedy people or four smug, not so greedy people.
Papardelle, cook as per packet instructions
Scant tablespoon olive oil
Onion, chopped small
Garlic clove, sliced thinly
Cherry tomatoes, around 8
3 tablespoons of cream or more to taste
Handful grate Parmesan
Pine nuts, dry toasted (very hot pan, add nuts and shake..for this dish, until dark)
Feta cheese, around a small handful, cubed

Add chopped onions to olive oil, heated in frying pan. Cook for five minutes until softened...if they look like they may catch and burn, add a droplet or two of water and stir. Add garlic..do not add earlier or it will burn...and stir, cooking for a couple of minutes. Add half the tomatoes whole and the others halved. Squeeze them about a bit. Stir, add cream, stir, add lots of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt. Drain pasta when ready and add to onion mixture, coat with sauce, throw in the Parmesan and pour into serving dish. Sprinkle over toasted pine nuts and feta cheese. You could of course add any kind of herb or even a little grating of nutmeg but it's perfect as it is.

My ankle is still swollen but it is much better, my knee is a scabby mess and I won't be surprised if they run away from me at the swimming pool, crying and screaming but otherwise, I'm fine. Lucy is all better by the looks of her running round in circles shouting 'Flapjack!' at the moment. I still have lots of work to do and have to cancel some activities we had planned because we are going on holiday this Sunday and we just don't have time to do everything. But I'm relaxed, chilled and think someone may have slipped some Valium in my wine....

Thank you Shona for a wonderful brunch this morning...bacon rolls, crusty ciabatta with roasted peppers and melted mozzarella, little cupcakes with fresh raspberry icing, fresh strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, fresh orange juice and hot, wonderful coffee...Maureen, Anne, Karen and I were delighted. It was a lovely way to end the year.