"Great and Exciting Time"

I have been spoilt this week. One little student bought and gave me a chocolate bunny (with his own money), then Carlos gave me another one of his famous biscuits and then this. A card, drawn meticulously in vibrant color with such lovely words inside. I'm going to miss my little students.

Sombreuil

The last two mornings when I have walked out our front door I have just had to go out of my way to smell this beautiful rose. If only I could bottle it's scent up so I could wear it as perfume.

130 Year Old Cake and A Tea Party

Today Briar came running to give me a note asking me to a tea party. Since it was a beautiful day I suggested we have one outside and then we went to work making a cake. Not just any cake.. I used a recipe out of my 130 year old Mrs Beeton's cookbook just for fun.

I have to confess we didn't wash the fruit and dry it, I think our dried fruit these days doesn't need washing? And we also didn't use the lard! But I did use a teacup for the measurements.

After making sandwiches and getting teacups and plates out of my stash in my top cupboard we were set.


The cake was interesting, a gingerbread coffee tinged flavour. Perfect with tea.

Afterward we read a storybook with exquisitely painted pictures about a little dutch girl. Briar had wanted me to read it to her ever since we started it and then couldn't finish a while ago. It was the perfect finish to a special afternoon.

Scrabble with Solly

Last night Solly wanted to play a board game. Miracles never cease! We ended up playing scrabble. In the middle of the big empty living room that is being renovated. On a table covered with some old carpet and lots of building things we cleared a space. And we pondered and puzzled until there were no more letters left in the bag. (Or words as Solly kept calling them.) And he won!

Sunset and A Mad Goat

So on Sunday I had lunch with my gorgeous friends, Emily, Laura and Amy. It had been far too long since we had been all together so we had a lot to catch up on. But the most pressing thing to talk about was Amy's recently announced wedding! A week before I leave. I am so happy I get to be there for it.

Amy was house sitting for friends and later on in the evening when the others had left Amy and I wanted to go for a walk up the hill to see the sunset. But we had to outwit this rather vicious goat in order to be able to watch the sunset as he lives on the hill we had to climb. After having him menacingly come towards us quite a few times we managed to shut him on the other side of the fence and were able to watch the sunset in peace. It was stunning.
Amy remarked as we were walking down: "At least he doesn't run fast, he only plods." No sooner had she said this than he turned around and came tearing down the hill straight for us. We couldn't believe it and were so glad to have the fence between him and us as otherwise we would have been rather sore. I never thought a goat could be so grumpy!

Fig Tart

Luscious ripe figs, gift from a friend. Ben and Laura came for dinner, and afterwards we squashed into the makeshift living room to eat this and watch old family videos. Much hilarity ensued.

Deck Living

The renovating continues. And so does the outdoors lifestyle. Dishes dry in the wind. And early in the morning we shiver a bit, scurrying around to get ready for the day.

But in the afternoon, when the sun is out, it is a lovely place to work.

And inside the work goes on.

It is getting there! And soon we will have a lovely new (much bigger) kitchen!

A Sign of Autumn

The crabapples are ripe. The wind has a chill and freshness it hasn't had for a while. The sunlight has changed, it is golden and gentle. Autumn is beautiful.

A Little Gift

I got a special gift this morning. A little boy in my preschool music group came in with a wrapped homemade chocolate biscuit! He handed it to me with a smile and then when I thanked him he got all shy and hid behind his Mummy. Thank you Carlos! You made my day!

Saturday

Friday evening I spent at a country hall till very late, piping and filling cakes. All alone I was remarkably brave until I went outside to my car and a cow decided to bellow in the dark which shattered my strained but under control nerves more than a little. In fact I may have run as fast as I could inside, locked the hall door behind me and not ventured out again till my friends got there. I may have. Anyway the next day I was back at the hall, in the daylight this time and I finished the cakes and then got to go to the wedding! Which was straight out of a fairytale, set amongst pine trees at the top of a hill looking out over misty countryside. Under an arch of two old trees they pledged their love and the fiddles played. Then later the banquet began. Ending with cake as all good banquets should.

Friday

Mixing. Bubbling. Crushing. Boiling. Washing. Cracking. Measuring. Stressing. Whipping. Juicing. And tasting raspberry sauce. It needed a bit more lemon.

A New Chapter With a German Twist

These words you see above are the beginning of a new thing God is doing in my life. Yes. I am going to Germany!
It started back in January when I put my profile on a few au pair sites thinking that maybe this is what I should do this year. I wasn't really sure if anything would happen but I started getting contacted by families. And then an incredible thing happened. A family contacted me who come from the very same city that Marie comes from! And not only the same city but the same area of the city.
I couldn't believe it and though I hadn't been considering Germany as an option I replied. And then we talked. And I am going in May. To be an au pair for a family with two darling little children. I still cannot believe it but am so excited! A lovely family, a beautiful city, and the knowledge that yes this is meant to be. I feel blessed.

Evening Dandelion

Hope.

Sitting there barely noticeable until it is gone.

And all that's left are a few clinging seeds.

And someone crying. Because the pain is intense.

Why?

But she knows that out of this good can come.

And that is what she clings to.

Through the wind.

Because though it may bend her almost to the ground it will never break her.

The promise and the comforter who brings it is worthy to be trusted.