Monday 22 October 2012

Mussel Man

The Husband never cooks. He isn't here that much as it is. It's down to me (poor kids). But the Husband had something to 'fess up to me last week.

He broke the news that when he got home from work late at night and the house was quiet, he had got rather engrossed in watching a programme and was now addicted to the point he felt he should own up and tell me.

I waited - no doubt he was going to admit to something very naughty that I wouldn't approve of.

But no!!! It turns out he was hooked, absolutely hooked, on the Great British Bake Off!!!!

And as a result, on his night off last Thursday, he cooked:



I am not a massive fan of mussels so the dear boy also cooked a chicken braised in cider and celery. Even cheese on toast now has to have spring onions added to it. He's got really obsessed! The kids loved it and ate the lot!

Despite living by the sea, he had to get mussels from Cornwall via our local fishmonger.


No mussels in our neck of the woods it would seem.



It's been a long fortnight since I last blogged. And so I am back. I am frantically bashing out the keys on my  laptop while listening to the dulcet tones of the Prince's snore, as he is conked out on the floor. Oh the snore.....how can anyone so little and cute sound so reminiscent of an OAP?

Last week he had to sleep in with the Princess for three nights, while his bedroom was being decorated and fitted with a new carpet. The commotions were commendable. The Princess would keep getting up in the night and crying because his snoring was so loud. She tried ear plugs, but they were too massive for her delicate shell-like ears. She tried the four pillow method but moaned that she couldn't breathe.

It was a case of breathe and accept the rhinoceros who sleeps beside you. And breathe deeper and then try to sleep. At some point in the night please.

It wasn't the easiest of nights, especially as I work as a copywriter when they are "sleeping". I can't cope with distractions at that time of night, I go to bed too late already.

And then the Prince broke his bed on the third night. He was playing Trampolines before bedtime. But not for long. I have never seen him so shamed and red-faced when the bed broke with an almighty crunch (although the red face was probably due to the over zealous bouncing, to be fair).

So, a fortnight. It's been busy! Kids bouncing off beds, the Prince is constantly serenading me on the school run with his own rendition of "How to Save A Life" by The Fray, he has started a dance class where more often than not he is the only boy. Billy Elliot, if you will, surrounded by nine little girls aged between one and three. It's cute. He loves it. He's really taken to it so I sit there for 45 minutes in the church hall while he whirls and twirls round like Louie Spence on speed. I just have to work harder to stop him kissing and hugging all the girls. Talk about Georgie Porgie!

Then we come home and I have to play train crashes for up to an hour. It's little wonder I get anything done.

We've been in our house for a month now. I love it! It's not big, it's not small. It's just the right size for our little brood.

Cupboard love...


I've been asked by several people to put up photos of it. Our house is a work in progress and Cherry Menlove I ain't. So I've decided I don't want to showcase each room as it vaguely freaks me to think 130 people are looking at my kitchen and bathroom.

We have decorated our children's bedrooms now.  Both of their rooms were pretty awful when we first saw the house it has to be said! Now they are lovely and I want to concentrate on our room in the next few months. At the moment, it looks like someone has been to an All You Can Eat pea and carrot buffet and then chundered up the whole lot all over our room.

A few days ago, we received a lovely parcel from the Czech Republic. Lovely Tracy sent us this:


(I squealed with pleasure!)
 And what did we find?


"well, hellair!"


Rosebud reminds me of the comedian Miranda Hart!


Madame Fairy

 We were thrilled. Unfortunately the Prince thought everything was for him. Yep, ALL the dolls. He couldn't fathom why some bits might be for me and the Princess...there were a few battles and he thought he'd won.

But he hadn't.
"Nooooo they are both miiiiine"




A gorgeous jewellery roll (wrap?)

A lush bracelet which the Princess and I fight over. It's beautiful!




I love this masses. Thanks Tracy!

Still not letting anyone else have the dolls....
 There was something else in there for the Princess so we waited for her to come home from school.


SO excited!

Desperate to see what it could be....

It was Primrose!!!







Check out the slightly aggressive face of the boy, clutching
those dolls so tightly in case they were taken from him!


Primrose is very much loved already in our family

Hmmmmmm.

There she is, residing in the Princess's boudoir




Onto other things, I actually panicked this morning.

I walked past the Scope cherry tree shop half an hour before it was due to open and something caught my eye.

Can you guess?

Yes the glass cake stand
 Now, I collect cake stands and have done for several years, after I inherited a very old one that is about 100 years-old.

This glass one had literally been dumped this morning and you can't just pick it up and take it, as that would be stealing. You also can't guess the price, pop the coins through the door and take it. That's wrong too. It was a dilemma. A Gemma Dilemma, if you will.

So I phoned up Scope and begged the manager to save it for me once she'd arrived to open the shop. She said they would. I prayed no one would steal it in the meantime and dashed off to dance class with the Prince.

No one stole it! I returned to Scope and they let me have it for £1.50. I am so pleased. It has rather made itself at home already.

The one on the left is also from Scope.
The bonbon dish in the middle is from Cuckoo



The HOME blocks were a gift from Annaboo Sarah
 I was on my own again with the kids this weekend as the Husband was working. He works every other weekend and it plays havoc with our social life (because he works every evening too). So I am pretty tired today and looking forward to a more restful break next weekend.

We went to the beach just for a change (ha!)



Pirate face from the Prince there...

Role reversal

NEVER too cold for an ice cream, I am told
 That's me all done. The Prince has woken and is screeching for food (the gannet) so I shall leave it here!


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Gem ,loved catching up on the past fortnight. Primrose is sooo gorgeous. Glad to see the blanket is still holding up, phew :) So happy you got the cake stand,its beautiful. big hugs lovely,Xxxx

Tracy Glover said...

Hello,
I am screeching with laughter at the Prince and the dolls. I hope they weren't too crackers and odd? Primrose is quite floppy, but I wanted her to be like a proper floppy rag doll, so hope she is not too floppy. Right, will stop rambling.
The Prince is so cute. I love him! My mad ranty feminist side says, hey, why can't boys have dolls. I like how he is clutching them, bless.
I bet you had a job getting through all that sellotape.

DresdenFae said...

Glad to see that your back!

moleymakes said...

Oh my, I loved Tracy's little parcel for you. I used to love my rag dolls when I was little.

I loved catching up with your shenanigans. It's all go when you've little ones. Brings back lots of memories of when mine were little.

Unknown said...

Oh gosh those dolls are adorable. What a gorgeous package to receive.
Particularly love the 'miiiiine' face, I see that on a daily basis. And the idea of you being seen 'stealing' from outside Scope, ha. Very strange for someone to just abandon them there with not so much as a bag. Glad you managed to get back for it, I bet you couldn't stop thinking about it whilst at dance class...
Nelly xxxx

Julia said...

It has been a long two weeks without you Gem but it sounds as if you've been plenty busy! What a fab parcel to receive and your photos of the Prince with his dolls (and Princess) are adorable! As always, I have had fits of laughter reading yours post, please don't leave it so long next time...xxx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

To say I have missed you is an understatement. OH GEM, it is so good to see you back and what a FUN POST TO SEE WHAT THE PRINCE and PRINCESS HAVE OBTAINED! Your darling cupboard in your sweet cottage...what surprises are hidden there? What sweet love. NOW I AM NOT A MUSSELS FAN, but what a kind gesture on your husband's part, to at least cook! The chicken sounds delish, and the looks on the kids' faces with their beautiful new dolls is a wonderful day to get my day started! I am so late in visiting, but I have been pleasantly busy.

HUGS TO YOU SWEET FRIEND! Anita

thriftwood said...

Welcome back Gem ... what a great post! You've made me laugh out loud with the family's antics ... distinctly remember the bouncing on bed years and the trips to casualty that ensued! Lovely parcel from Pixie, what a treat, I don't blame the Prince, I'd want them all to myself too ... poor Princess, she seems very understanding. Lovely finds at the Cherry Tree too, and your home looks lovely from what we can see, you'll get there in the end!

Have a lovely weekend,

Claire xx

Tracy Glover said...

Thanks for your comment Gem. I send you a big kiss for that. it meant the world to me. It is a funny one, how much do you share? How honest should you be? Should you be afraid of sounding self pitying?
To be honest, I've always wanted to be a writer and I need to write and practise. Writing about my own life is sort of helpful, although I think some people probably don't get it and think I feel sorry for myself or should be 'over it.'
It may not be everyone's cup of tea and I've not had many comments so far on that post, but I think I need to write about what I feel strongly about, not just my latest purchases. I feel a bit shallow sometimes and like I'm not being true to myself.
It was all my life, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction as they say.
Comments like yours make it worth it. xxx

Helen said...

GEM!! I'm back....back again.... (Eminem reference anyone?) Love the look of the mussels, they are one of my all time favourite foods. Also the Prince with the dolls, definitely not letting go! Hope you are well my love and enjoying life by the sea :) xx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

My dear GEm!!! Oh what a delight to see you tonight! I KNOW, LIFE DOES GET BUSY and I have been delightfully busy with a large order for paper shoe Christmas ornaments and other goodies for a bridal boutique in town; I have not even had a chance to change my blog!!! I will work on a post tomorrow.

How are you? How about the Prince and Princess? Our east coast has been getting flooded and many are without power. I am in the MIDWEST in Minnesota, so we are safe and fine, but my heart breaks for the many on the coasts. I lived in Boston, Massachusetts and saw many a hurricane induced storm during my 11 years there. Here where I live now, we get lots of tornadoes but luckily, we have not been touched by one.

I look forward to a new post from you when you can.....your daily life and how YOU VIEW THE WORLD enchants me so! LOVE TO YOU and YOURS! Anita