Saturday 21 February 2015

Half term ramblings










How fast half term flies by.  There's been sunshine, roller skating, rain, football, fires, mud, hair cuts and pancakes.  Now it's Lent and I've given up sweet things and salty snacks.  I've done it before and I know that the first few days are the worst.  I went years eating almost no sweet food, but these days I like a pudding every day.  Sugar doesn't really agree with me though, so I always feel so much better when I give it up.  Just need to get through those first few days.  There's millionaire's shortbread in the fridge, with really thick plain chocolate on top.  Sigh.  Let's not talk about that now.

We took a walk by the canal.  It's sixteen feet deep which makes me ever so slightly nervous.  I tried to keep them away from the edge.  Especially the small slippery one.  The biggest boy spotted a goldcrest in the hedge, Britain's smallest bird (along with the firecrest).  It was the first one he'd ever seen, so he was glad we dragged him out.  The boys usually complain about going on walks, but once they're there they're happy as clams.

The littlest boy is thinking about going to live with the Queen.  I told him he'll be able to have a corgi and almost certainly a pony as well.  The biggest boy told him he could have his own cow too if he wanted.  I forget why we were talking about cows, you know how these conversations ramble on.  He wondered if he could have a trampoline.  I said he could have one in his room, the rooms are so big.  I think I shall go too.  A footman will bring me a perfectly boiled egg in the morning, on a nice tray with a glass of orange juice and the post.  After breakfast I'll take a turn around the shrubbery.  Oh it's going to be grand.  Anyone you'd like to move in with?  Do tell.

39 comments:

  1. CJ, how I love your blog posts! With dogs, ponies and cows, who wouldn't want to go and live with the Queen?!

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  2. When I gave things up for Lent, it was always sweets and junk food. I once lost a whole jeans size in the forty days. I should probably try that again. I would love to live with the Queen and I'll tell you why; a few weeks ago we watched a documentary about a year in the like of the Queen's garden at Buckingham Palace and it was completely fascinating. I can't believe all of that is going in right in the heart of such a busy city. I think I would also like to live with either Martha Stewart or Ina Garten, just for the food, flowers and beautiful table settings. I would definitely need much larger jeans in either case.

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  3. Your half term ramblings and great photo's made for a lovely read, thank you.

    All the best Jan

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  4. Sounds like a plan friend!!! I could get used to living there as well! And good luck with your sweets!!! You are so much stronger than I....as I just stuffed skittles in my mouth while watching a film with the hubs! Beautiful shots here!!! Happy weekend friend! Nicole xoxo

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  5. Sounds like a fun half term. I never knew canals were so deep! I think I could probably cope with 'slumming it' with the Queen - not entirely sure about the corgis though, I don't really see the attraction myself. Good luck with the sugar free Lent. x

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  6. I often walk at this spot - did you have coffee at the wonderful Stables cafe??

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  7. Lovely pics, it's good to see some colour and canal boats are such wonderful things to look at. Although Narrow Escape - from what? A wash?!
    Well done on giving up sugar. It is hard, I'm a pudding-a-day girl too.
    Who would I live with? That's a tough one. Maybe Tom and Barbara in 1970s Surbiton. Self sufficiency and Margot and Jerry for neighbours, fabulous!
    S x

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  8. A most enjoyable post and lovely photos. Lucky seeing a goldcrest, it's a bird I've never seen. I laughed about you going to live with the Queen, which I think sounds rather better than it would actually be. As for moving in with somebody I'll have to have a think about it. Flighty xx

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  9. I shall come and live with the Queen too please, I want to wander round her rose garden. I don't need a corgi or a pony or a cow, so I won't be very demanding, but I would like cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off please x

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  10. I think I would prefer to go and live on a canal boat (sorry Liz) What a lovely life, moving around at a snails speed.

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  11. Great photos CJ.. How lovely that you saw a goldcrest.. I haven't seen one myself. :o) xx

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  12. What an awesome blog post - made me smile! Especially the last paragraph! :D

    Take care
    Anne (Crochet Between Worlds)

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  13. If Mrs Queen would give me Balmoral Castle I'd be happy. But the pipers at dawn would have to go. As a Scot I'm allowed not to like the concept of being woken up by bagpipes every day.
    Gosh, half term already! Now that ours are 1) graduated 2) at university, the concept of half term is already a distant memory. It's always a welcome breather in the frantic pace.

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  14. Lucky biggest boy - I haven't ever seen a goldcrest - yet. Love millionaires shortcake but not with dark chocolate. As for living with the Queen I think not although maybe a cottage in ta quiet part of the grounds with free reign ti do what I liked in part of the garden would be good maybe including a friendly cow or a alpaca, Maybe Her Majesty's budget would stretch to both.

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  15. Hi CJ,
    love your canal photos and your posts always make my chuckle. We've had a very similar half term....including the haircuts :0)
    Hope you don't get too wet this afternoon.
    Jacquie x

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  16. It sounds like a pretty good half term!!! I am not sure if I want to live with the Queen as I don't think that I could keep my standards up high enough, but if you move in I will be sure to visit because I can scrape my standards up high enough for visits occasionally! Do you think that she has a really big TV with all the boxed sets available so that we could sit and gossip and craft and catch up on our TV shows at the same time! What a thought hey! xx

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I meant to say, well done on the sweet and salty things! I haven't had any sweets yet - quite a feat for me. I am very impressed that you are resisting the millionaires shortbread, although I wish that I hadn't read about it because now I have a craving again! xx

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  17. It sounds like you've had a wonderful half term, but I agree, these holidays whizz by so fast. I'd like to come and live with the Queen too, it sounds like fun.

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  18. What a wonderful half term....I need to kick the sweet stuff too, but I do like a bit of something sweet with a cuppa...not every cuppa of course!! Good luck, you will feel so much better for it xx

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  19. I recognise this canal and the moorings. My sister and brother in law have a narrow boat moored there! And I'll join you for a turn around the shrubbery. No doubt Her Majesty's gardens are wonderful. Do you think she has a veg plot too?

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  20. I am impressed with you giving up sweet and salty things for Lent - but as you say, the first few days are the worst, and it's a lot easier if there is nothing salty or sweet in the house - if I had millionaire .shortbread in the fridge it would be calling my name loud and clear! Now who would I like to live with.... umm, no-one springs to mind, I'll have to think about it!
    Glad you had a great half term - football for us was absolutely freezing today
    Caz xx

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  21. I not so sure I want to live with the Queen, she always looks a bit cross, well if I had her sons as my own I would be a bit cross too. But I would be able to hug that gorgeous baby.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  22. Looks like a lovely stroll, those narrowboats are beautiful, I would love a ride in one of those! Katie x

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  23. Now I call that brave, giving up sweet things with a millionaire's shortbread sitting in the fridge. I am VERY impressed.
    Loved the sound of your half term. What prompted the decision to live with the Queen? If you do move in with her, can we come and visit at weekends, please? x

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  24. Oh my goodness.. I am enthralled by your narrow boats there! I could happily live on one and go adventuring up and down and everywhere. Thank you for showing so many. I will join you in moving into the queen's house. Can I bring my whole family, too? ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  25. Oh my word, I almost choked reading your post, I adore the word ShruBberY so much, it makes me snigger like a big kid, especially thinking about you taking a turn in one, that sentence proper made me laugh!!!! :)
    Our half term has been rambling too, I was just about to do a round up of the week but the scant photos on my camera are dreadful, lazy, unfocused and not very adequate it seems. Ah well, such is life in the depths of winter x

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  26. It looks like a good half term! A canal side ramble, nosily looking at all the narrow boats sounds great. I'm not sure about going to live with the Queen, I bet she's a stickler for table manners and definitely wouldn't allow roller skating in the corridors. xx

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  27. Gorgeous photos! It looks so pretty! We ate pancakes too... even here in Israel. I am teaching my kids English traditions. My boys love to take walks with us and enjoy seeing birds and flowers. It's museums that I have trouble dragging them in to... but then Dad is not much better!

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  28. this post cracked me up. cows, canals, trampolines andmoving in with the queen! i've never thought about moving in with anyone, but right now i wouldn't mind borrowin the queen's cook, housemaid, head gardener, housekeeper, to help out with the chores. what a nice little fantasy...

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  29. Sounds like you had a fab week. I do enjoy it when the kids are off school. I love the idea of your boy wanting to move in with the Queen, can I come too! I love their imagination xx P.s thanks for your comment, the fabric shop is called New Threads & the fabric is really lovely, my photos do not to it justice at all.

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  30. A wonderful half term :-) Well done on giving up sweet and salty stuff for Lent. Between work and a moany 2 year old there's no way I could :-) I think sales of gin would increase dramatically! xx

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  31. I'd like to live with the Queen, too! It sounds amazing! As long as I could bring my little bunny along:) I'm really inspired by your ability to give up sugar AND salty foods. I think I'd have the biggest problem with no salty foods. Hope you're having a great day, CJ!

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  32. I want to live in one of those canal boats instead. Like a floating gypsy caravan. I would happily boil my own egg and eat it on deck, although I do agree that footmen could certainly have their uses. I need one to clean the bathroom for me..

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  33. Those little boats are adorable. I guess I'd just like to move in with someone very rich that lives near the ocean in a very hot place :)

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  34. I'm another who would rather live on a canal boat than with the Queen - the whippets would all need life jackets, but that's doable. And perhaps if it was a big enough canal boat I could have my own footman.

    I can never shake the association between a shrubbery and Monthy Python's Knights who say Ni.

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  35. The barges are beautiful. What a nice place to walk!

    If I were queen, I'd give your boys Corgi's and Cows and a Pony too, and some place to keep them. I'd give you staff, ha!

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  36. Your post has made me smile :) I'm not sure I could resist the siren call of the millionaire's shortbread and am so impressed by your resolve for Lent. I always feel a bit edgy walking along canals (especially by locks which seem very deep) and my children are almost all grown up now. The word 'shrubbery' always makes me think of Monty Python too, and living with the Queen doesn't really appeal to me but I wouldn't mind her gardens. Glad you all had a good half term :)
    Cathy x

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  37. Lovely pics of the canal and I love those canal boats. Not sure I'd want to live with the Queen, although it would be nice to have staff to tackle the muddy floors maybe. Jxx

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  38. Hi I am a Gloucester girl now living in Cornwall.Love your photos,used to see the Severn Bore brings back a lot of memories.

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