Sunday 5 January 2020

Photo diary: week 1, project 366

Yotam Ottolenghi wrote in the latest issue of Feast: "There's a fuzzy period between Christmas and New Year when no one quite remembers what the date or plan is". That in a way describes all the winter school break for me, I'm not quite following the days or dates.
It's back to school tomorrow for us.
And amen to that, it was a rather stressful long holiday period, and so many things were put on hold.
Happy new year to you all, and a happy new decade!

This post is a mix of the last few days of 2019 and the beginning of 2020. On the last Sunday of 2019 I was trying to finish my Top reads of 2019 post, and taking some images of the books I've read in the last year, like A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison.
It's a wonderful magic adventure for children, with feisty heroines.

Russian dolls, Chez Maximka, best books of 2019

In between shopping trips, I took Eddie to Greggs. All sausage rolls were finished, so he has chosen a slice of pepperoni pizza instead. To me it's not a proper pizza. I like the Italian-style crust, thin and crispy, this slab looks more like an open pie than pizza.

Chez Maximka

The 31st passed in a blur of cooking and TV. We watched Billy Elliot with Eddie. I didn't realise there was so much effing in the film. It is a good film, though the language made me wince quite a few times.
Eddie told me that Tom Holland, who is his hero, was in a Billy Elliot musical production when he was a child. I wonder if he'd like to see the musical in the theatre.

I didn't take any photos on the 31st as such, though I did try to catch the fireworks just a minute past midnight. We could see some feeble attempts at fireworks over the garden wall, but it was more noisy than spectacular.

Chez Maximka

On the 1st of January Eddie and I went to the cinema to see Spies in Disguise. It was actually quite entertaining, if you don't expect anything too clever. Eddie had to see it, because Tom Holland is voicing one of the main characters.

Chez Maximka

I asked Eddie to take a photo of me, as I wanted to do the "ten year challenge". Yep, I know, I'm jumping on the bandwagon unashamedly. Eddie wanted me to make a double photo for him as well, but I told him he wasn't born yet a decade ago, so I couldn't possibly help him.


It's only week 1, and I've already failed to take photos every day. I'm just feeling so listless and tired, and lacking in motivation.
I walked around the garden yesterday afternoon, looking for some inspiration, maybe a flower.
I know a year ago we already had hellebores in bloom in the early days of Jnauary but this year there are only leaves on view.
The only colour in the garden is the bright red of rosehips.

Chez Maximka

I am trying to grow a red hyacinth in a jar on the kitchen window sill, without soil, but with pebbles and some seashells. The roots go down and sideways in a slightly creepy way. And the bulb shifted itself, so it's now slightly lop-sided.






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17 comments:

  1. Eesh! That's shocking there was no sausage rolls left. I am not a fan of Greggs pizza either. It's always so greasy too.
    I haven't seen Billy Elliot in so long. I think my teen would love it.
    You haven't changed at all in 10 years.
    Sending hugs! I hope you feel better soon. I think it's this time of year. I feel exactly the same.
    Good luck with the hyacinth. It looks very interesting.
    Happy new year, wishing you all the best for 2020 x

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    1. Thank you, Kim, that is shocking indeed, Greggs without sausage rolls! :) You're too kind, I do think I've changed a lot, my eyelids are definitely more droopy, and more wrinkles that I care to admit.

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  2. I looked at photos of me from 10 years ago and just ended up feeling depressed so the lest said about that challenge the better. I think that pizza is how it's made in school and my son isn't a fan either, we like Italian style pizza, not American #366

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    1. Thank you, Mary, I had some of the best pizza ever in New Haven, CT, in their famous pizzerias in the Little Italy. They were huge in size, but with a quite thin crust.

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  3. There's no colour in my garden at the moment. Everything is just soggy and wet. I agree on the days between Christmas and New Year. I try to keep a track on how many days left to New Year, but days of the week are meaningless.

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    1. Thank you, Erica, after stating last week that there is no much colour in the garden, I'm pleased to say that now the hellebore showed the first purple buds.

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  4. No sausage rolls? I hope you made a complaint lol. I've never been a fan of greggs and now I struggle to find snacks on the go now I'm wheat free. My friend kept her children up till 8pm to watch my live stream of the Dubai fireworks, tell Eddie I waved

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne, I find their bakes quite tasty but on the greasy side. The eclairs are not too bad either. I am going to tell Eddie.

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  5. Ah my favourite things, Greggs sausage rolls. Shame there were none! Eddie takes a good photo (and you have amazing skin). I never knew you could grow bulbs like that. Happy new year

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    1. Thank you, Emma, Eddie is photogenic, I think, as for my skin, thank you, it could have been worse at my age. :)

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  6. I love Russian dolls and finishing a Pinch of Magic last year which I loved. Sausage rolls that is a shame. Great photos and happy new year xx

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    1. Thank you, Susan, did you see that a sequel to A Pinch of Magic is out soon?

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    2. And the Russian dolls is a folding card of 5 dolls, which I submitted to an American magazine on crafts, forgot what its name was, that was years ago. They did publish my project, and then returned the card to me as well.

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  7. It is annoying when you want something and it is sold out. With their new vegan steak bake it happened twice. I've been having lots of Greggs this month, as I'm very busy. Plus, these bakes are amazing.
    I hope you are felling a bit better now, more relaxed. hugs xx

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  8. Agree that there is a 'fuzzy' period....I was getting lost as to what day it was!

    Interesting to see the bulb like that..didn't realise they would grow on pebbles.

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  9. Interesting quote, as you're stuck between two festive days waiting for new year. That's a strange way to serve pizza.
    My new year's eve wasn't that entertaining eother. Waited for fireworks that were too far away & not worth it.
    Ooo i want to watch Spies in Disguise.
    Wow, you looked pretty then and now! Hahaha cute Eddie.
    Ooo i haven't seen a hyacinth before

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  10. 10 years haven't changed you at all! We had an unexpected family party for New Year but there were no local fireworks and we had intended to be in bed by 10! #project366

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