Monday, 9 June 2025

Photo diary: Project 365, week 23

 An overall uneventful week... After last Friday's trip to the bowling place, I managed to lose my voice, and have been croaking for days, which wasn't the most pleasant experience.

My husband was away from Sunday until Friday evening, visiting Colombia. He likes doing a disappearing act, not telling me exactly where he travels. I knew he was somewhere unsafe, as it's his usual trick just to message me with short sentences, and only told me where he was once he came back, supposedly as not to worry me. Yep, that works. 


 Last week's Penandinkchallenge prompts were all Succulents-related, and I painted fairies of all kinds, including this Ice Plant Fairy.


Chez Maximka, Galina Varese art

What a striking shape and colour of a poppy, growing in the street, just next to the stone wall.


Chez Maximka,


Eddie's after-school meal of choice, noodles with a poached egg. He likes Soba the best, but says Batchelors is not too shabby either.


Chez Maximka,

On Wednesday morning we were supposed to have a chat on Teams with Sasha's new social worker. He left me a reminder message on my phone, and the transcription made me laugh. Selena Scary is my new name.


Chez Maximka


On Thursday my art prize from Manuscript has finally arrived. I won it a month ago, and the package got "lost", aka stolen in transit. I don't know what people who took it expected to find, it's a very niche product. Unless you are into calligraphy and painting with inks, it's pretty useless.

I was delighted with my stash. The shimmer inks are so beautiful, and the glass dip pen is good quality too.


Chez Maximka


I wanted to try the new inks at once. The Queen of the Night is painted on Clairefontaine Mixed Media Denim paper.


Chez Maximka, Galina Varese art

It was such a wet week, raining almost every day. I haven't had a chance to do much in the garden, and the weeds are growing, well, like weeds.

Roses look beautiful in any weather.


Chez Maximka, garden in June

One of my pet peeves - when supermarkets do a sneaky ploy to make you buy things which look like an offer, but are not on offer. Passing by the stand in Waitrose, saw the Dettol wipes on offer for £2.50, grab a yellow pack only to realise once I paid that I picked the wrong pack for £6. Why are those packs in the aisle corner of offers? It's clearly a strategy, not a mistake. Super annoying.


Chez Maximka


Operation De-clutter Children's Books continues. 
I enjoyed At the Sign of The Sugared Plum and Petals in the Ashes by Mary Hooper, and will take them today to the charity shop, hoping that someone else will like them as much. They are probably more suitable for tweens/teens rather than younger children as they deal with such harrowing themes as the Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666 in London. 

Both books are a mix of historical fiction and coming of age stories. If you're interested in the history of medicine, the first book gives a fascinating account of what it was like to live through the Plague and what remedies people thought would work to keep you safe (from powdered dried toads to Abracadabra amulets). 


Chez Maximka, historical fiction for children



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Wednesday, 4 June 2025

Degustabox May Box

 Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in May Box Degustabox?


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Cirio Polpa Finissima (£1.50) is the Product of the Month. This is the latest addition to the impressive Cirio range of tomato-based products. 

Cirio Polpa is an extra finely cut tomato pulp, which retains all the natural flavour of 100% Italian freshly picked tomatoes. Carefully prepared with selected tomatoes that are finely chopped and enrobed in thick rich sauce.

You can always trust Cirio to give an authentic taste of Italian cuisine in your own kitchen.

What mouthwatering meal will you cook? Pizza, pasta, oven-baked dishes?

Available in Ocado and Morrisons since 12 May.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Batchelors Super Noodles Air (£1.45) are new noodles from Batchelors, that are air dried and not fried.

High in fibre, low fat and a source of protein, these noodles are ready in just five minutes. You should receive two items - Super Noodles Chicken Flavour and Super Noodles BBQ Beef Flavour.

Nutritional values: 138kcal and 0.73g of salt (chicken) and 139kcal and 0.64g of salt (BBQ) per 1/2 pack. 

Available in the major supermarket chains.


Chez Maximka

Each pack is supposed to contain 2 portions, which we've never realised.

My younger son is a Noodles King, and was happy to eat the whole lot. As you can see, it's not exactly a ginormous portion. He also likes to add an egg and some spring onions to his meal.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Lorenz Crunchips X-cut Paprika 75g (£1.75) are paprika-flavoured crinkle cut potato crisps. 

These crunchy crisps are full of flavour and are great on texture. Lovely with creamy dips, or on their own.

Nutritional information: 519kcal and 1.4g of salt per 100g; gluten free.

Widely available in world food sections, across independent and symbol group convenience stores.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Proper Mature Cheddar Propercorn (£1.90) is a new flavour of Propercorn, made with mature Cheddar cheese flavouring.

Mixed reviews in our family. I love popcorn, and I love cheese, but perhaps not together. Saying that, my guys rather enjoyed it. Have you tried this new flavour?

Nutritional values: 91kcal and 0.47g of salt per 20g (one pack is approximately 3 servings); high in fibre, gluten free, B corp, natural flavouring.

Available in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, ASDA and Ocado.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


The Hungry Boar Flamin' Piri Piri Sticklers (£1.50) are filled pork sticks, well seasoned, smoked and dried.

A good source of protein, these snacks deliver hits of heat and flavour.

Nutritional values: 451kcal and 4g of salt per 100g (one pack is 50g).

Available in Tesco and selected convenience stores.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Cape Herb & Spice Greek Style Lemon & Herb Rub (£3.75) is an exciting seasoning mix. 

This aromatic blend of iconic Greek Flavours is great with lamb, chicken and potatoes. If you're not keen on roasts, use this mix to flavour a salad dressing, or when cooking fresh fish. 

Blend a helping of the mix with olive oil and rub over your preferred cut of meat for marinading.

Ingredients include: sea salt, dried rosemary, roasted garlic, black peppercorns, dried oregano, dried lemon peel, dried spearmint, natural lemon flavouring etc.

Availble in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Pelagonia Chargrilled Aubergine Slices (£3.20) is a versatile product for a variety of recipes, from pasta to salads, from meze sharing boards to antipasti. These wonderfully smoky slices of chargrilled aubergines are just perfect as a bruschetta topping.

Nutritional values: 112kcal and 1.34g of salt per 100g; gluten free.

Available at Ocado, Co-Op and Booths.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box



Mixologist's Garden Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices (£2.50) are a fruity garnish for a cocktail or mocktail.

Ingredients: 100% strawberries. Enjoy with sparkling wine and ice.
Nutritional values: 310kcal and 61g of sugar per 100g (one pack is 10g).

Available in Tesco, Amazon, East of England Co-Op and on www.mixologistsgarden.com.



Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box




Nestle KitKat 4 Finger Hazelnut chocolate bar 41.5g (£0.85) - is a tasty bar of crispy wafer fingers covered with milk and dark chocolate with a hazelnut filling.

1 bar = 1 serving

Nutritional values: 209kcal and 20.5g of sugar per serving.

Made with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

We enjoy seeing new KitKats flavours and sizes, though we'd love to see the European KitKats to catch up with the Japanese immense variety of colours and flavours.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


Creative Nature Apple & Cinnamon Oatie Snack Bar (£1.40, see above) is a wholesome snack which combines natural ingredients with a touch of warming spice. 

Free from the top 14 allergens (gluten, dairy, nuts, etc), this bar is also vegan, kosher, and contains no added sugar or artificial sugars.

Nutritional information: 85kcal and 12g of sugar per 30g bar.

It's a lovely healthy snack that everyone can enjoy, at home or outdoors, on the go.

Available on the Creative Nature website - https://creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk/product/apple-cinnamon-box/


SqueezeIt Blue Rasberry/Bubblegum (£0.69) are still juice drinks with spring water.

Coming in bright coloured soft squeezy bottles, these fun drinks are refreshing and vibrant.

Made with sweeteners (aspartame and saccharin). Too sweet for my personal taste, but my sons enjoyed the drinks.

Available in ASDA, B&M, Home Bargains, Iceland and many more.

You should receive 2 items in your box.


Chez Maximka, Degustabox food box


And that's it for May. What a fun box!

Monday, 2 June 2025

Photo diary: Project 365, week 22

I'm not food-obsessed, honestly, but looking at the amount of food pictures in the last week, I started to question myself. 

I did a couple of sketches, including the Kraken with a bottle of rum. Not quite sure why I decided to draw this mythological creature from the ocean, though we did talk of Kraken (film) with my Mum the day before. She asked me if I've seen it. 


Chez Maximka, Galina Varese art

It was the Witney Pride festival on Saturday, celebrating the diversity. The postbox in the town centre has acquired a new yarn bombing outfit to match the theme. The yarn building in the middle of the installation is the Buttercross, the clock turret built in the 17C.


Chez Maximka


It was the Bank Holiday on Monday, and Sasha's PAs were not supposed to work that day. My husband stayed in the UK this week, which was lovely for all of us. He came home earlier from his office to take Sasha out. We were just getting ready, when Sasha's PAs arrived, as if they didn't say anything the previous week about the Bank Holiday. Sasha was a bit bewildered, since we told him we would go together to his favourite cafe.

We decided then to visit the Middle Eastern cafe with my husband for a quick coffee and a sweet treat.
I have chosen a pistachio maamoul, served with ice cream and pistachio cream. It was a nice combination of flavours and textures. 


Chez Maximka, Lebanese cookies

My DH has opted for a Nutella Manousheh (a Levantine flatbread with melted Nutella and fresh strawberries). A very generous helping.


Chez Maximka, Levantine dessert



Spotted these cute Haribo Harry Potter sweets in Poundland, and couldn't resist buying a pack. I don't particularly like the chewy sweets, as they all tend to taste more or less the same, but my guys love them.



Wednesday is our Abel & Cole delivery day. Saying that, I sometimes skip two or three weeks. Our delivery guy is very friendly and usually cracks jokes.

Personally I could live on cheese and crackers. Santa Gadea goat's cheese is superb, so creamy and not too smelly. Didn't like this brand of Iberico ham, it was too oily.


Chez Maximka

This funny shaped cloud made me think of a mermaid's tail. Can you see it too?

I've been having low abdomen pains for quite a long time, and the pain isn't going away. I finally found courage to call the clinic a week before (I haven't been to see the GP since before Covid), and even managed to get an appointment. The GP examined me, we had a long chat, and I will need to do several tests, before we try to figure out what the actual problem might be. The blood test is in a month's time, as it was the nearest available slot.



Chez Maximka


Since Sasha was out with his PAs, my husband met me after the clinic and took to Coffee 1 cafe. While there, I had a call from our new social worker who wanted to "update" Sasha's files and talk to him. I said, You do know that he is non verbal, right? 

Is it too much to expect a professional to actually look at the file of the person they are going to work with? That information is on the first page, you don't need to read the whole life story. Sigh.


Chez Maximka



Friday was fun. All of us went to Oxford to the Hollywood Bowl. I booked the slot the day before, and almost gasped at the prices. I have never gone bowling before in my life, and didn't expect it to cost so much. 

Sasha was very happy there. He understood the concept, and how to hold the ball correctly. We used the frame to help him with the throwing/pushing. Sasha was thrilled, and actually did quite well.

Even I did several rounds. I didn't expect to enjoy the outing, but I had a very good time. 


Chez Maximka

Saturday I spent at home, because my throat was very sore, and I lost my voice. It's not because I was wildly shouting at the bowling (I wasn't). Not sure how and where I managed to pick up the virus, but feeling a bit sorry for myself. 


What did I read in the last week?

Snow Blind by Ragnar Jónasson is the first book in the bestselling Dark Iceland series. First published ten years ago, with over a million copies sold. I bought this Kindle book a few weeks ago, when it was on offer for 99p.

Ari Thór Arason is a rookie policean who accepts a job at the remote supposedly quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland called Siglufjörður. A young woman is found lying in the snow, like a snow angel, and an elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre. Are these events related? 

An avalanche cuts off all the roads into the village, and Ari feels like a prisoner in this strange place, homesick and claustrophobic, blinded by snow.

"There's something about a murder in a small community that's disturbing, especially at a time like this - the middle of winter".

This is a classic Iceland/Nordic Noir, with a strong protagonist in an isolated community.


Icelandic Noir


And how was your week?


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Monday, 26 May 2025

Photo diary: Project 365, weeks 20, 21

 

Playing Solitaire in peace, I was rather annoyed when my laptop shut down with a message Fatal Error. I absolutely detest using my iphone for blogging, so had to wait for my laptop to be repaired to write anything. Hence two weeks' worth of photos today.


Our darling Sasha kept showing me the images of the church in his social story and random books, indicating that he would like to visit the church. But, of course, he expects it always to be as jolly as the Christmas Carol service, or a very short visit, like when we go in and out after looking around (for example, when we are in Cornwall we always pop in at the local church in Perranuthnoe).

I told my husband we should sit in the back in case we need to make a quick escape. Does he listen? No, he plops himself right in the middle row. Sasha kept yawning (and rightly so, I felt like yawning myself; it wasn't the most inspiring service). When everyone got up to shake hands and wish peace to each other, he thought it was the end of the service and got quite upset that we all sat down again. As Sasha was getting distressed, they had to leave. Eddie and I stayed until the end. To be fair, nobody seemed to mind, as they all know our family and are aware of Sasha's condition, and everyone is very welcoming and friendly. 

It was not a complete disaster, but not exactly a success either. Oh well, at least for now Sasha changed his plans and keeps showing me the old photo of the bowling alley he went to with his old school. Bracing myself to a trip to the bowling place now. :)


Chez Maximka


I did quite a bit of gardening - covered my three potted berry plants (two honeysuckles/lonicera and a white currant bush) with netting against the blasted birds, who gobble up any berry growing in the garden.


Chez Maximka

We have a very old rose in the garden, which we inherited, when we bought the house. My Mum keeps asking me what the name of this rose is, but how would I know? It truly is beautiful, and the scent is amazing. If anyone could help me with the name, I would be eternally grateful.


Chez Maximka


Trying a new Magnum pistachio ice cream. The flavour is not overwhelmingly nutty, as you would expect, and a bit too sweet for me. The texture is nice. Still undecided, whether I would buy it again.


Chez Maximka

Gorgeous peonies that I treated myself with. Such a deep intense colour, and most beautiful shape. They lasted about a week before collapsing in a bright pile of petals.


Chez Maximka


For the last couple of years my husband works in Paris, so he spends three-five days there and the rest of the week with us. Not easy for me, but it is what it is.

Since he can just about make a coffee and a toast for himself, and cannot cook for toffee, he eats out, and often has a pizza in an Italian place nearby his flat. We went there once together, and since then I call it a "sad place" (as in Have you been eating pizza in the sad place again?). He says the pizza is good.


Chez Maximka

Stuck at home and not able to leave Sasha on his own, unless he has PAs to take him out, I have recently started to use UberEats more often for grocery deliveries. The problem is, of course, you don't choose the produce yourself. The last Uber delivery brought a rotting watermelon. They have refunded me after I sent some photos, but alas, the watermelon wasn't edible and I put it out in the garden for the birds. The contents were all polished off in a couple of days, so it wasn't a complete waste.

And here is my photo, let's call it conceptual art. 


Chez Maximka




There was an annual food fair in town last Saturday. It usually takes place in & outside St Mary's Church, with lots of stalls selling local produce.

Eddie and I were wandering around, checking out what was on display. He fancied a crepe with Nutella (£5.70, eeek). 



I got a little haul of cheese (including my favourite Oxford Blue), honey, blueberry and peach jam, very nice sourdough bread and some salami. 

On the way to the fair, some random chap stopped me to compliment on the Hunger Games badge on my jacket. 



In the evening Eddie went bowling with his friends, and then on to the sleepover, so my husband and I watched Eurovision on our own. I had to re-watch it with Eddie the next day. It was the usual silliness from most of the contestants. 

I liked the Italian singer Lucio Corsi's song the best, as the lyrics were beautiful. His make-up and outfit was a mix of Ziggy Stardust and the Venetian carnevale character of Pierrot.

Vocal-wise, I thought the lady from Israel was one of the strongest contestants. 


Eurovision 2025, Chez Maximka


Cerne Abbas Man Cheddar was one of the purchases from the food fair, and very nice it is. Sharp and crumbly, it's a proper Cheddar, not one of those plasticky varieties that give this cheese a bad name.




I saw this beautiful bouquet in Waitrose. Not sure if it's one of the agapanthus family, but whatever it is, it's very pretty.




A new Middle Eastern cafe has just opened in town. Looking at the menu, they have dishes from Palestine, Lebanon, Israel. Sasha was out with his PAs, and I invited Eddie to check the new place out after school. We only had drinks. I ordered a lemon and mint spritz, and could hardly drink it. There was zero sugar. It was pure lemon juice with ice and mint leaves. Perhaps nice with fatty rich and spicy food, but on its own, very sharp and sour. Eddie fared better with a blueberry and cashew smoothie.



One of my sketches of Eddie with a pistachio ice cream, using a photo from our last trip to Paris as a prop. It was a very quick exercise. I've nearly fisnished my Moleskine watercolour notebook, which I started last summer. I tend to use several different notebooks and paperpads for sketching, of different paper types and textures, rather than filling in one at a time, so it takes me longer to complete each one.

I'm quite pleased with this sketch. It might not be the best likeness, but I think it conveys the happy vibe.


Chez Maximka, Galina Varese art



On Thursday Eddie went to London to see Romeo and Juliet at Globe. There were only fifty tickets for the whole school, and they were allocated randomly. On the day of the trip we had a big argument, as my silly child was moaning that he didn't want to go as none of his friends were going. I was so cross with him, saying that if he didn't go, that would mean, he has taken a place of someone who would have been very happy to have such an opportunity. We parted ways on a sour note.

They came back from London around 1am. In the morning Eddie said that he actually enjoyed it, and it was very cool. Teenagers, eh?!

That's one of the snaps Eddie has taken during the break (no photos during the performance).


Chez Maximka



I could see that one of my potted honesuckle honeyberry plants had ripe berries.

And that's my ginormous harvest of ten berries. I had to laugh. I've been looking after the plant, feeding it, covering with a special netting against the birds, and that's my reward for all the trouble. The berries are an acquired taste. They are supposed to be rich in antioxidants and have several health benefits.


Chez Maximka,


And more pics from our garden - this ladybird looks so shiny, as if polished.




What I was reading these two weeks:

I finished two e-books by Eva Björg Ægisdottir - Girls Who Lie and Night Shadows, both from Forbidden Iceland series (books 2 and 3), which I started earlier this year. Icelandic detective Elma is the main protagonist. She arrives to her hometown Akranes after a tragic death of her boyfriend and joins the local police force. It's a small community, where everyone seems to know each other.

Both books are twisty and chilling. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a strong police procedural element, it's quite an addictive series with a likeable detective. 

There are murders, but they are not as graphic as in Camilla Lackberg's creations. I read a couple of books by Lackberg, and found them so explicit and full of unnecessary gore, that I am still traumatised, and I'm not usually that squeamish when it comes to thrillers. 


Chez Maximka, Icelandic Noir

How did your week go?



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Monday, 12 May 2025

Photo diary: Project 365, week 19

Another warm, very summery week.

The first white rose has bloomed, the scent is beautiful.  




Most of the photos this week are garden and nature-related. I feel rather downcast, and looking at the flowers helps me stay calmer. There is no specific reason, but depression comes and goes in waves, and some days I can barely function.

Tried to take several photos of the dandelion clock, against the green background...




...and against the clear sky. It's like a whole cosmos in one plant.




Walking through the town.



All week I was watching videos and reels related to the VE Day, and the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi Germany.

I salute all those who fought in Europe against Nazism. I salute their courage, and their sacrifice.
My father's father, Stepan Kravchenko, died in battle in 1943, leaving a widow and two young children. 

My Mum's stepfather, Dmitri Turilin, served in the Navy during the war. He was one of the defenders of Sebastopol. His ship was destroyed and sank. Most of the crew perished. My grandfather and his comrade survived eight harrowing hours in the sea before they were rescued by a small boat.
Dmitri was badly wounded and lived only because he clung to a floating mine, an instrument of death that could have exploded at any moment. Imagine holding onto something so dangerous, hoping against all hope. What an amazing will to live.

Dmitri was the only grandfather that I ever knew. I often think that blood and genes mean little compared to love and kindness. Strangely, people in the village would often remark how much my little brother looked like him when they rode together on horseback. And it was true, they did look alike.


A longer post about my grandfather can be found on Instagram if anyone fancies to read. I did this ink sketch, using an old photo. Sadly I don't have any photos of my Grandfather Stepan.




You can smell this bush from a distance, it has such a strong distinct scent.

I stopped for a second to take a snap of this blue blossom, only to be ambushed by a passing old dear, who started to tell me a long story how she had the same plant in the garden, but it died. I nodded politely and commiserated, all the time thinking, Please let me go.




I've been reading two books in the last week.

 Poe/ A Life Cut Short by Peter Ackroyd is a biography of Edgar Allan Poe, who was "heralded as the forerunner of modern fantasy and credited with the invention of the psychological drama, science fiction and the detective story". His own life was mightily dramatic. Not the easiest person to live with, Poe was a tormented genius and a miserable person. This book makes me want re-read some of his poetry and stories.

The Ghost and Mrs Jeffries by Emily Brightwell is a Victorian murder mystery, written in the style of the cosy crime/mystery. Apparently there are about thirty books in the series. I bought a couple of Mrs Jeffries' mysteries a few years ago in the charity shop. Not even sure what number in the series this book is supposed to be, but it doesn't matter. It's quite entertaining. High literature it is not. 

The premises of the series: there is an Inspector of Scotland Yard, a kindly but not very smart man. His housekeeper Mrs Jeffries and the household servants keep helping him solve the crimes without the Inspector knowing that he's being assisted. 


Chez Maximka, books about Edgar Allan Poe


And how did your week go?

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