Cambridge

I popped up to Cambridge yesterday to see my lad.

I love going there, it is a lovely city to walk around, so long as you keep your eyes open for the cyclists, they seem to zoom up behind you from nowhere, ringing their bells and shouting at you if you happen to stray just a few inches into a cycle lane.
Anyway I drove up, takes about one and half hours, quite a nice drive, head towards Ipswich and then pick up the A14, past Stowmarket, Bury st Edmunds, Newmarket and then off into Cambridge.  Jared has found a tiny, free parking space right near his house and I managed to squeeze in, which was good luck.
We started with a trip to Tesco, to stock him up on all his essentials and a few treats too!
Then into town for lunch

We walked past all the chain restaurants and some strange little sandwich shops until we found Fitzbillies, near the Fitzwilliam Musuem.  We have very different tastes so it is quite a challenge to find something to suit.  Jared had a steak sandwich with lettuce and NO horseradish mayo!  I had a cheese and celery tart with a massive pile of delicious coleslaw, it was very pink, lots of red cabbage I think.  Cups of tea too, to warm us up!

 We had a walk around the town.  The market was quiet and there was nothing that caught my eye.  Cath Kidston is a must and my £4 voucher was burning a hole in my pocket, but didn't see anything that I really wanted.  Then went into a shop called Tiger, went there before Christmas and picked up load of bits and pieces.  I found some small paper Easter egg decorations, some tin plant pots and some dishcloths - yellow with chicks on, will make washing up fun (not!!)

Then on to the river, where we declined a ride in a punt, it was a bit too chilly!
Time for tea and cake, we looked in some shops and then found Patisserie Valerie and my goodness they do big cakes, Jared ended up with a doggie bag!

 I had a custard pastry and Jared had a chocolate cake with a profiterole on top! yummy!

There is a shop at the end of his road which is a sort of farm shop, but always has flowers for sale, today they had loads of Polyanthus, 3 for £2, such a bargain so I had 6!   Here they are in the tin cans I bought.

After all that a long drive home in the rush hour! 

Christmas time.......

Wow! can't believe a whole week has gone by since my last "advent calender" post.  So much has happened.  Alice came home from Moscow, it was lovely to have her home and we had fun cooking a feast together.  Jared came back from Uni, I think he found it a bit quiet at home after living in a mad student house!

 Nine plus a baby and a dog on Christmas day filled our house with people!  Alice cooked lunch with a little help from my sister!  We had turkey rolled and stuffed for those who don't like beef, rib of beef for those who do and a nut roast for those who don't like either.  This was served with veg from the allotment - brussel sprouts, potatoes (mashed and roast) parsnips and carrots (felt very proud to do this) also swede and peas, Yorkshire puddings, little sausages, stuffing, bread sauce and cranberry sauce!  

The pudding was quite a hit - sticky date and raisin pudding with rum butter (we ran out of brandy!!) ice cream and a great big flaming fountain on top!

It was lovely to spend some time with my sister, here we are on Christmas day!

There were two cakes on my dresser!  this is the rich fruit cake with marzipan and icing that I made and....

The gingerbread house that Alice and Jared made, there were some silver balls left over!  Just to point out that it was made from scratch, not a kit!!

More guests on Boxing day and a buffet for lunch! 

Mr HH and me!

It has been non stop from the beginning of November, making gifts, shopping, writing cards, cleaning and cooking.  Attending parties, meals out and other events, 3 days spent with various family members, I have loved every minute of the planning and organising but then yesterday nothing - oh it was lovely to go to the allotment and do a bit of digging and then come home and knit - what joy! 
Looking forward to a New Years Eve Ceroc party tomorrow night and then two birthdays to prepare for -  more cake! 

 

Highclere Castle

Last Sunday I got up very early to join a coachtrip to Berkshire to visit Highclere Castle.  This is more well known to many as Downton Abbey, a  drama on ITV. Our Horticultural Society arrange a couple of trips each year to gardens and houses. 

The coach drove up the long drive way and took us right to the front door, where we were met by a guide who told us about our visit.

No photos are allowed to be taken inside the house, which is a pity, because it was lovely.  The rooms were not massive like some of the houses I have visited.  There were signs to show which rooms were used for the programme - I am looking forward to  watching it in the Autumn when the new series starts.

 The grounds and gardens were designed by Capability Brown and the 1st Earl of Canarvon.  Lots of trees and lawns, bet they take some mowing!

This old wall was quite lovely, with roses climbing up and a massive bed of penstamom.

A view of the house from below the wild flower meadow (saves on mowing)

The house framed by two trees.

 

This arched wall divided the lawns from the Monks garden, beyond this is the secret garden.  This was where they filmed The Secret Garden.

The most interesting part for me was the Egyptian Exhibition.  This is in the old servants area, downstairs.  The 5th Earl travelled to Egypt and in 1922 discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun.  There were lots of real treasures on display and some replicas.  

The story of his travels was displayed along with some of his personal possessions.  

Mmmmm.... a Magnum mint, just what I needed on such a hot day.

 

EASTER

I have so been looking forward to this Bank Holiday weekend.  4 whole days off work, it has been a long time since Christmas.  I know that I have been on holiday, but that is not the same as having time at home.  Time to cook, time to catch up on jobs, time in the garden and at the allotment.  

 

Started the weekend off with decorating this corner of my home.  

 

Hung my owls and paper eggs on the twigs.  Added a jug of daffodils and these hyacinth candles.

Easter Bunny!  A quick crochet project that I found over at Attic 24
The pattern comes from Janette at the Greendragon fly Thank you so much for such an easy to follow tutorial and pattern.

 

 Yesterday I got stuck into some cooking

A batch of granary rolls, to go with 

 Carrot and orange soup, which apparently "as far as your soup goes this one isn't too bad"!!!!!!!!!!!!  

After a comment like that I wonder if I should have cooked him a ham.  This went down well, unlike the baking tray which the glaze welded itself to and I had to tackle it with a paint scraper!!

Hot cross buns, toasted with butter mmmmmmmmmmm...  Made without peel, as someone is not keen!
Also managed to get lots of seeds planted in the greenhouse this morning and some more kitchen cupboard doors painted and we are only half way through the weekend.
 

 

 

BAMBOO AND CLIPBOARDS

My lasting memory of Hong Kong is one of Clipboards and Bamboo.

Scaffolding is built from bamboo poles, unlike in the UK where we use metal poles and clips.

 The platforms are constructed from bamboo poles, not scaffold planks.  It is all secured with black tape.

I put my water bottle next to these ones to show the size of the poles

One last bamboo picture (I promise!)  this one was half a bridge!!

And as for clipboards, they have an absolute passion for them, especially for anyone important, mainly car park attendants.  Our departure and return from the apartment was recorded whether driving or even on foot.  Why? At one car park our arrival was recorded and then the attendant checked his clipboard as we left and told us what was owed (no ticket machine there) We were ticked on a clip board when we went to the Big Buddha and the one pictured above was used to order our lunch