My March in Numbers

Joining in with Julie's idea of sharing the contents of the last month, I have to tell you that I ended the month much older than I started it.  A whole year.  That's what happens when you have a birthday in the middle of the month.  You can't possibly expect me to share the actual number though, can you?  Just because the meme is called My Month in Numbers?  OK, if I must share, it was 58.

 

It was actually a month of eating and drinking - a lot.  What with Mother's Day, Birthday and Easter I think it's fair to say that I may have eaten my own bodyweight in chocolate in the last month.  Plus I may have been in danger of over indulging in my favourite foods (if you're planning a dinner party and you are thinking of inviting me, a good menu would be a main course of anything involving lamb and a nice lemon dessert). 

 

We have a tradition at work where every half term, the people who have had a birthday in those 3 weeks all get together and bake cakes for everyone else in the office.  It kind of takes the pressure off having to individually cater for about 16 people - plus all those teachers who just 'happen to be passing through the office' as soon as a cake tin opens.  So the early Marchers chose a date  and I spent part of my day off on the day before cooking a lemon drizzle cake and some double chocolate chip cookies.  I took them into work the next day, only to realise that I'd got the date wrong and had baked a week early.  Surprisingly, the ladies in the office selflessly offered to eat what I'd taken in, just so I didn't have to bother taking it home again, you understand, they're so kind!

 

 

It was the month we bought a Aeroccino milk frother to go with our Nespresso coffee maker.  We ummed and aahed a lot before buying this.  Was it a bit of an extravagance?  Would we use it much?  What difference would it make to heating up a bit of milk in the microwave?  And the answers are Possibly.  Yes. and Lots.  Let's just say if my school secretary gig comes to an end I reckon that I could update my CV to include Barista and apply to join the local coffee shop.  This little piece of kit is amazing.  It heats the milk to the perfect temperature and froths it like any self respecting Italian coffee expert would do.  My cappuccinos are the talk of the town now.  Well, the talk of inside our house is probably more accurate.  If you like cappuccinos and you don't like giving your hard earned money to overpriced coffee shops - this piece of kitchen gorgeousness is well worth considering.  In fact, if you need convincing, next time you're in my area, pop in and try it for yourself!

 

Liberating Art

 

I signed up to join in the Liberate Your Art project, where you print off some postcards of your art and send 5 to Kat of Kats Eye Studio along with some stamps.  She then sends yours to 5 people elsewhere in the world and you, in turn, receive 5 back from other people taking part in the swap.  I've received four postcards, and now wish that I could ask for mine back so that I could tweak them and improve on them to get them up to the standard of those I've been sent!  There's such a variety of 'art' being shared, from photos to pictures of mixed media projects.  One of those I've received is a photo of the sender in her band, saying that her 'art' is music.  A clever twist!  I love joining in with anything like this, and think that I'm starting to show my age, because there really is something special in receiving something in the post that isn't a catalogue, a bank statement or junk mail.  (Since reaching my advanced age, there seems to be rather too much coming my way that refers to stair lifts and Saga cruises.)

 

Being a bit of a knit

 

One of my more 'are you sure that's what you want?' birthday presents this year was a ball of wool and some double pointed knitting needles.  Having seen Sian's amazing socks I knew this was something I had to try (who knows, she may one day organise a sock swap project and I need to get a bit of practice in) I love learning new crafts and although knitting wasn't new to me, juggling 4 needles and going round and round in circles was a novel experience.  As soon as I had casted off the final stitch, I knew that I wanted to make another pair; this was just a prototype, a practice session to see where I could improve, and I also needed to have a go at ditching the 4 little needles for one long circular one.  I was soon browsing the Wool Warehouse website and am now the proud owner of some rather gorgeous wool and a shiny new circular needle.  I would put money on the fact that by the time I go to bed tonight, there will be stitches on that needle!

 

Food glorious food

As for meals out, that happened 3 times.  The best one was a Puddings and Pies evening at a local restaurant.  It was exactly what the title of the menu suggested, every item on the menu was either a pudding or a pie.  This is my husband's idea of heaven.  We don't often have pies at home, due to my messiness is the pastry department.  Even if I don't make it myself and use ready made, my kitchen always looks like an explosion has happened in a flour factory. 

Mum's the word

The biggest number to share this month is 17.  The number of weeks into her pregnancy that my daughter has reached.  You can see the picture of Junior's scan in the photo collage above.  If you look carefully, you may be able to guess what she is having!

 

So that was March; I think the saying is 'In like a lion and out like a lamb' and weather wise it certainly lived up to that expression.  At the time of typing this, the sun is out, the dog is sunbathing, the husband is doing something that involves building a 'raised vegetable bed' in the garden and it's clearly time for another cappuccino!