Photo diary: week 38, project 365

 The September sky is as blue as silk,

Silk - spread out for a party dress,-

Through the yellow thrill of the windy leaves,

In these summerdays' last caress.

And the sun is hot, and so kind - you feel

That your grief subsides for a while,

That not only you want to, but could forget,

And forgive, and relearn to smile. 

(Lydia Pasternak Slater)

September is rushing through like a freight train, carrying concerns, worries and memories. Soon it will be gone. The evenings are getting dark much earlier now, and the mornings are on the chilly side.

A couple of weeks ago Rodda's got in touch with me on Facebook, to say that I have won their competition. We're big fans of Rodda's. Scones are not the same without their delicious clotted cream.

When the prize finally arrived, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was all the wonderful things to recreate a Cornish picnic away from Cornwall, with scones, clotted cream, jam, a lovely picnic rug, a set of Cornishware including a cake stand and even a bottle of Brut made in Cornwall. How splendid is that?! 

The prize arrived just the day before our 25th wedding anniversary. 

When I look at our wedding pictures, we look so young and radiant. We had a simple ceremony in the registry office, with no family present. I didn't want to wear a white wedding dress. Three of my dear friends who were witnesses at the wedding, are gone now.

When I was a kid, I used to tell my Mum that I would marry a foreigner and an aristocrat. Fate sometimes has the last laugh. It's the case of you have to be careful what you wish for. I didn't consider that marrying someone from a different country would mean leaving your home, parents and friends behind. My life could have been so different. 

With such big milestones, you tend to look back and ponder. 

My main regret is being so far away from my Mum and brother. The best thing, however, that came from this marriage is my children. They are truly the centre of my Universe.

Monday was a stressful day, as we woke up to the shocking news to the shooting incident in my old University. I wrote about it last week, as I was finishing my previous post on Monday. It's still difficult to imagine how it could have happened. 

My niece was on the way to the doctor's when she had a text message from her friends, saying that they have barricaded in the classroom. Six people are murdered, five of them were 19-20 years old. My heart goes to the families of those kids.

Eddie and I enjoy watching the GBBO, mostly for the bloopers. I don't think I would have fun watching it on my own, without a running comment on what's happening on the screen. We laugh at the bloopers, and criticise the judges and contestants mercilessly. 

I don't get it, what's with all the hair?! Shouldn't chefs be wearing hats to cover their flying locks. Some of the contestants had their hair shaken all over the food. Cookies with dandruff, anyone?! So unhygienic.

I can't say I have warmed up to anyone in particular, but most likely I will be rooting for Giuseppe and Jurgen. My predictions are they would propel the vegan girl to the very end.

To munch something during the GBBO, I baked a batch of melting moments, i.e. cookies made with custard powder. Check out the recipe for Melting Moments at Claire Huston's blog. I had to buy a tub of custard powder, an ingredient which I haven't bought before. I either make my own custard from scratch or buy ready-made (more often). The cookies totally deserve their name, they are truly melting.

The monthly cheese club from Abel and Cole didn't disappoint this time again. It is a selection of British and international cheeses - Taleggio CasArrigoni (stinky but delicious), Laganory The Ethical Dairy (sharp and tangy), Roquefort (another delightful smelly wonder), and Merry Wyfe Bath Soft cheese (creamy and pungent). 

A feast with oatcakes and fresh fruit. And a glass of that Cornish Brut...

For a couple of days I worked on Carnovsky jigsaw puzzle. It is unlike any other puzzle I had in the past. I have lost my contacts with Ravensburger, and haven't done any jigsaw puzzle reviews in over a year. I forgot just how wonderful and therapeutic it is to sit, and find all the pieces, creating a picture.

 Carnovsky is a stupendous work of art. Technically it is three images, super-imposed on each other. To see each image you need different viewing glasses. It is truly magic. 

Book reviews have become a big part of my blog, as my content has slowly moved from  a baby-themed to foodie to bookish blog. This is something I enjoy. I love discovering new authors and books. Sometimes it is taking over my life to the point that my family reasonably mention that I'm not paid for doing that. I also feel a part of the book community, especially on Twitter and Instagram, and many authors follow me and/or request my services for book reviewing ( please excuse my boasting, but it genuinely thrills me). 

Sometimes the authors thank you on Twitter, sometimes leave a comment or send an email. It gives me a flutter to see my endorsements mentioned in books or book websites.

Last week I was thrilled to bits to read Helen Christmas writing on her website about the recent blog tour for Lethal Ties. Just look what she said about me:

I should have checked the product description better, when I placed an Amazon order for 16 mini KitKats from Japan. The total weight of the package is 185g. You get a variety of teeny-weeny chocolate bars. At £13 it is a costly mistake. 

How was your week?

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