I want to be a vegetarian

I struggle.

In my heart of hearts, I want to be a vegetarian.  I want to stop eating meat and not contribute to the meat industry or at least, just eat fish if I need to.  CBC doesn't eat meat now, he eats some fish but no meat.  I only eat meat out and on many occasions, I also eat vegetarian. I like veggie alternatives, particularly tofu and tempeh and various forms of soya (but not Quorn!) and I enjoy pulses and beans.

But I can't seem to make the full transition.

I regret this.

Today, one of the other musicians at church was saying she had prepared a roast chicken for lunch as we didn't have much time between the morning service and the afternoon practice for the carol service. I hadn't had any breakfast at this time and I was thinking of Roast Chicken all through the service.  I never cook a roast or meat just like this since as mentioned, CBC doesn't eat meat, only fish, and I just don't cook it.  On my way home, I called into Aldi and I bought a tray of Free-range Chicken drum sticks and thighs. I wanted to buy free-range so I was limited to buying this tray with 7 pieces in it.  I didn't want chicken breasts as they have less flavour.  All the dinner was prepared, I'd cooked leeks, roasted potatoes AND sweet potatoes. Cavalo Nero and French beans. I cooked the chicken and as I ate it, I'd eaten half of one piece of chicken and I didn't want anymore.  I just couldn't face it.  I ended up eating 3 pieces because I will not waste anything and I have an additional 4 for tomorrow.
When I actually cook it, I don't enjoy it.

Cut to tomorrow night and I ate three pieces of chicken (one is still left) and I really didn't enjoy eating it.

Yet, if there is a small amount of meat in something, I seem to enjoy it and crave it.  Small chicken pieces in noodles.

I know there are a lot of ethical reasons why I shouldn't and don't want to eat meat. Maybe I should just go for it.

But then I also don't want to be a pain when visiting family and friends...

I guess, what I need to do is just keep my meat eating minimal yet there's a part of me that feels I should go the whole hog (forgive the meat based idiom).

What do you think?

If you're a veggie, I'd appreciate your views AND if you are a firm meat-eater!

xx

5 brooches #48

Hello there,

I hope that all is well with you!

 Up first, I thought I'd share the context of the two brooches I chose here. I do like to try and theme brooches where possible and when I chose to wear this Cath Kidston clock skirt, I remembered my cuckoo clock pin which I bought in Germany in May and I happened to find this Fable and Black Once upon a time brooch when I was organising my brooch box and thought I'd make a little pun with it. Once upon a time? CBC and my work colleague were so nonplussed when I pointed it out! Oh dear...

Although the main piece of this nautical-themed outfit was this fish necklace by Scottish designer, Kirsteen Stewart which I bought in the Orkneys, I thought I'd point out the tiny ship with an anchor on the right. I just picked it up from Ebay but it's rather sweet and subtle

Here's the little deer (LITTLE???? That thing is gargantuan!) brooch from Gloriously Glittery which I teamed with this woodland dress.

This old red glitter heart-brooch picked up the textured hearts on this jumper.

 Here's the poppy brooch made by local ladies which I bought for Remembrance Day. All proceeds went straight to the fund, they made them for the love of it.

You can see I transferred it to my hat a week later worn with the heart brooch.

Have you worn any brooches recently?  Ann wore a beautiful little deer brooch here- hers really is little, not like my monster above! She wears beautiful brooches every day!

xx

Style Imitating Art: Tempest

"Tempest" by John Larriva

This week's painting for Style Imitating Art was this wonderful painting by John Larriva called "Tempest". The name is so suitable for it. It is so lively and full of movement and I am so intrigued by it. Is she at sea? Is that the background. Why is she so inadequately-clad in such weather conditions?  Is that her hair or a hat?  When was she painted?   What happened next?   Why has she such a serene facial expression? I, in that situation, would have gritted teeth and squinty eyes!

Here's what I came up with.

I knew that I had 3 black polo-neck jumpers around (which always make me think of Ilya Kuryakin from The  Man from UNCLE... or Patrick McGoen in The Prisoner) , so I had plenty of choice

 I took the blue background in with this skirt which has a sort of feathery pattern which makes me think of brushstrokes like the vigorous ones above.  I added the blue butterfly brooch which I felt gave a nod to the motion and movement of the hair in the air.

Wow, haggard or what?!?!?! I'm putting that down to cumulative sleep-deprivation. I hate colds- it's the whole, sniff, bunged up, cough cycle. I even added some Burts Bees Tinted lipgloss that sort of matched the picture! My Clarks shoes are a burgundy shade and I can see some of that shade in the painting around the ear area.

Black ribbed jumper- Primark
Brooch- Butterfly House in Honfleur
Skirt- Monsoon via Charity shop
Shoes-Clarks

I can't wait to see how everyone else interprets this one. It's not too late to join in. You have until Monday night to get your photo to Salazar at www.14shadesofgrey.wordpress.com - email her 14shadesofgreyblog@gmail.com  .  She doesn't mind if you do selfies or flatlays either and your interpretation can be very loose. I'd LOVE if it any of my blog friends joined in!!!

xxx

A pause for Advent 1- doing it now

Hello All,

This year, CBC and I shall be spending Christmas in Cape Town, South Africa with CBC's old housemate who lives there.  It's been planned for over a year and we are very excited about it.

But.. it means that Christmas will be very different. No church services and Midnight Mass, cold cosy excitement and anticipation, seeing family, no going between family in Essex, Kent and Northumberland. We're not exchanging presents with some members of our family as we will not be seeing them.  Christmas day will be hot. There will be no turkey, potatoes, sprouts,  but instead, a barbecue (A Bri I think it's called but I don't know how to spell it) no family.

In a sense, I feel very sad about it.  I am a real one for tradition and things not changing.

But, at the same time, it means Advent for me, will be all the more special. Luckily, my church has its carol service today on the first Sunday of Advent.  It means I will be there for it. It means I will take opportunities to eat turkey at work dos, it means that I will see family earlier if I can.

I've signed up for the Bible Society's #AdventChallenge which we be a different way of doing things.
I've said yes to a few more gigs and opportunities. My flute quartet have another John Lewis Christmas gig so I will be able to enjoy more carols.

What I am trying to say that is that Advent will be all the more special this year for being different.  A fresh new outlook.

Despite the fact I have a stinking cold, I will relish the carol service tomorrow as I relished meeting up with friends tonight. I will relish seeing family. It means we are going to Northumberland in January to see CBC's parents so in a sense we have something to look forward to.

And actually, perhaps being in South Africa for Advent will mean that away from all the usual trappings back here, I will be able to think about Christmas and Jesus and the true meaning anew.

How will you mark Advent?

xx

Circumnavigating the UK Day 9 part 2- the most wonderful Tresco Bloggers meet up!

I left you, in my last post from the cruise, at the gates to the Abbey Gardens in Tresco in the Isles of Scilly.

I had arranged to meet one of my favourite bloggers, the wonderful Anna of Anna's island style.  If you don't know this beautiful, kind-hearted lady, do go over and see her!

Brilliantly, Anna had a very clear plan for our day which was great, as I didn't!!!

What was brilliant was how brilliant Anna was at organising us! Mum was our very hardworking blogger photographer and I loved it!!

Our first destination was Pentle Bay which I have long salivated over in Anna's posts, where we discusses her year round sea swimming!!!  When I told Anna I was coming to the Scillies, I said I'd really like to go swimming to get the full Anna's Island experience!

This is one of Anna's photos!!! Hope you didn't mind me stealing it Anna!

Here's Anna off to swim!!!

Mum took this picture of me whilst I was getting ready to swim!

It was really funny as the water felt a little chilly but as soon as I got in (I just go in) it felt wonderfully refreshing.

Mum paddled around looking for stones and eventually Anna came back and was brilliant with Mum. She said, "Surely you came all this way to swim," and Mum said that she was just happy paddling because it was a bit chilly but Anna was not taking no for an answer and was brilliant at coaxing and then bossing her in!!! Mum was so glad as she realised how wonderful the water felt!

It was over all too soon as we had the schedule to stick to!

Hilarious trying to get back into our clothes on a beach with nowhere to hide!

We walked across the island and Anna and I talked about blogging and shopping guilt, life, blog talk, charity-shopping and Mum talked about various topics too! I wonder how she felt about all the blog chat? She seemed fairly happy!

As we continued along the beautiful paths, seeing many Agapanthuses flanking the path, suddenly, the sun came out and the landscape and sea was transformed!

Suddenly, here was the tropical island I had grown to love through Anna's photos!

Mum and I snapped away and would have happily stood there for hours but Anna was a brilliant timekeeper!!

Tresco had a really wonderful feel that day. It felt so exquisitely peaceful and you felt you had it to yourself but at no time did it feel remote.  It just felt beautiful and right.  Does that make any sense?

Here's Mum!  She adored it here! She's a real sea girl at heart.

We saw this wonderful ruin which again afforded stunning views.

We made our way towards Old Grimsby where we stopped for a refreshing drink in the Ruin cafe.

We then made our way towards the New Town where we stopped at Anna's house for something yet to come....

Mum and I sat in Anna's garden enjoying that wonderful sea air, yet more beautiful flowers and the wonderful sense of freedom and light of that magnificent island.

I had to take this picture of Anna's sunglasses as I adore Anna's sunglasses and I am always mesmerised by them when she wears them in her photos!

Anna came out with a BLOGGING ICON- the wonderful Yellow Travelling Skirt which belongs to the wonderful Melanie Kobayashi at Bag and a Beret!

This skirt has travelled round the world and been worn and embelllished by many great blogging fashionistas and it seemed absolute destiny that it had arrived that morning to Anna!!!

She had a brilliant idea that we could both wear it together!

We were in fits of absolute giggles as we tried to get into it and shuffled around the garden like Siamese twins to find the best light!

Photo by Anna Parkes

Luckily I'd dressed for warm weather but Anna had dressed for it being bit warmer so she quickly changed and we carried on to the Gallery where she was Manager.

Oh it was glorious! All the Art work is based on the Isles and there is such a wonderful variety and different art forms. I would have happily browsed for ages but we had a mere 10 minutes. I got to meet Polly, Anna's wonderful assistant and summer-time photographer.
I bought a prettty card and Mum bought a 'Bag of treasure' which was a bag of little silver charms based in the seaside that was so pretty!

This is the famous beach where Anna takes her daily blog photos and is the view from her office window which has a wonderful prospect. What an amazing place to live and work!!

We walked along to the quayside to board the last boat back that would get us back in time for the departure of the tenders to the Magellan.

Anna was a wonderful host, ebullient, easy to talk to, down to Earth but creative and wonderful and full of heart. I felt entirely at ease in her company and felt really lucky I had the opportunity to meet her! I also loved the way we could BLOG TALK and share those things that every blogger thinks and worries about and is very reassured to think that others think too!

Another of Anna's photos!

We exchanged gifts at the end. Anna bought me a wonderful Puffin brooch made from ceramics and also a beautiful kit to make your own handbag. It was so lovely!!!!

One of Anna's photos

I had a truly lovely time there and any other blog meetup would be hard-pressed to match up to this wonderful experience with such a kind and lovely host!!! Thank you so much Anna.

You can read Anna's version of our day here

As we left Tresco to go back to St Mary's, Mum and I smiled beatifically at each other and felt like this had been possibly the best day of the cruise.

On arriving back to St Mary's, we had a quick scout around the shops, I managed to purchase a few presents and we got a free bag in Seasalt each!  I wish we could have stayed longer and I know for certain in my heart, that I shall return to the Scillies.  They have captivated my heart!

xxx

5 brooches #47

Hello y'all!

Here's another instalment of broochery  for you!

 The superhero combination is a new one for me! The wonderful Luan at Green Tea and Cupcakes  sent me a 3 gorgeous little wooden pins including these 2! I loved the combination of Minion and Batman! How cute and how different to anything I had!

 Both these have featured before. The cloud pin comes from the lovely @fairytalecollars on Instagram and the mountain is part of a set of collar clips with detachable chain! I liked the high altitude combination of hot air balloons on this Miss Patina shirt with cloud, kite and mountain!

 Last but not least, I decided to taunt the bespectacled cat with a little acrylic mouse which I bought very reasonably from the Bad Design Studio!

Have you worn any brooches recently?

xx

Cosy in the cold

This Sunday, I was so tired that I completely slept through all alarms and woke at 10.30. It was bitterly cold, bleak,  rainy and generally miserable.

Thus, I knew what I needed was items to keep me feeling cosy.

I am definitely one for cosy when feeling miserable or tired.

I've always ended up buying something fluffy or furry when I've slipped in the snow or been drenched in the rain!

I could have brightened up these pictures and edited them but I thought I'd keep the bleak weather in the background.

What did I choose??
Cosy Clement Ribeiro jumper from TK Maxx a few years ago in the sale. I bought 2 sizes larger than my own size as I think that's much better for Cashmere to have it oversized since it shrinks and also, it's much nicer to be able to cuddle up in it!
Cashmere scarf from CBC for Christmas 2 years ago. Thanks CBC!
Leggings and skirt cosy too!
Sheepskin boots from a brand called Ukala a few years ago.
And my Cloche that CBC bought for me for Christmas about 3 years ago!

These were taken after I went to go and finish picking the tomatoes that were still left on the plant.Most were green so I'm hoping they will ripen with the help of a few bananas!!!
There were about 178 tomatoes on the plant!

My garden looks so different in the Autumn/Winter. I am finding it hard to keep up with the leaves in the garden. I rake and then there are more the next day!

Sigh..

This week is another busy one. Practice at church for the Carol service; the postponed teaching observation, Niece's birthday party, Carol service, more rehearsals!

I hope all is going well with you!

xx