A look back at January, and forward to February

It's been an 'apron day' today - washing (machine and hand), bread making, bed change.  All morning it drizzled and I had almost given up and resorted to drying the clothes indoors when the weather cleared, the wind picked up and I managed to get both loads of washing dried on the line outside.  Result!

It was cold inside and the bread was extremely reluctant to rise so I tried the 'proving' setting on the oven for the first time and as the bread rose perfectly satisfactorily, I think that's a result, too.  It will be a last resort but if all else fails, it's good to know there is a fall-back.

In between kitchen duties, I managed to finish machining all the gridlines on the quilt (that was the target I set myself for the end of the month) so I can tick that off the list, too.  Yes, I want to do some machine quilting on the borders and part of the blocks, together with same hand-quilting, but the quilt is finished apart from the decoration.  Sometimes the goals simply need to be attainable.

So, at the end of January, how are things looking?  

• bedroom curtains lined
• tea-cosy hat knitted
• bowtie quilt stitched-in-the-ditch
• kitchen cupboards cleaned and sorted
• eaten from freezer/store cupboards throughout month
• hall cupboard shelved

Probably a few more bits and pieces along the way, but, all in all, a positive start to the year.  I have learned, very early on, that I can't do it all in one go.  I can't implement lots of new ideas and routines at the same time, I need to try one or two out and get those bedded in before I add anything else.  A little change at a time seems to be the way that works best for me.  I have plenty of ideas in the pipeline, but it's going to be a gradual process.  That's fine.  I'm OK with that.

I also want to record here the books I have read this month:

• The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
• The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
• The Story of Four Islands - Crawford Ivin (partly based on the IW)
• John and George - John Dolan

Not sure if I will remember to keep this list going but I've started with good intentions - sounds familiar!

And what of February?  It can often be the coldest month here, but at the same time it heralds Spring, so there's much to look forward to.  At home we hope to have a radiator installed in the guest room (the final expense indoors), have a proper sort out of clothes, and I need to set myself some sewing projects to complete.  I also need to spend some time getting some order in the sewing room which is currently in a chaotic state, once again.  Reading-wise, I'm trying to include a few of the modern classics in my library visits this year so I'll see what I can find on the shelves there next week.  Continue with the menu planning, which is working so well, and a tighter handle on the grocery shopping - it's almost there, just needs a little tweaking.  

And, obviously, some lists . . .

Oh, Mr Darcy

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."     Pride and Prejudice,  Jane Austen


I feel a little embarrassed to own up to the fact that up to a couple of weeks ago, I had never actually read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  How can I have been so remiss?  

Having made myself a promise to attempt to read some of the classics from a reading list (here), I was prompted to pick up a copy of Miss Austen's masterpiece at my local library, and for several days afterwards, I immersed myself in the love-life of Lizzy and Mr Darcy.  What joy!  What bliss!  What a wonderful read.  I loved the language, the dialogue, the wit and the ins and outs of daily life in the Bennet household.  It was originally published in 1813 - that's 200 years ago (that makes it a pretty old book!) and the language, I will admit, did take a little getting used to, but there was such an elegance in the conversations.  I think I was possibly most impressed by the letters - so, so long (they must have taken ages to write - in ink).  Nowadays we seem to have lost the art of writing interesting letters, it's all text-speak, and being a brief as possible.  

I had, of course, watched the brilliant BBC adaptation of the book, back in the 1990s, with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth (who will even forget the wet shirt as he emerged, dripping, from the lake?) so I was could 'see' the characters as I read, but even if I hadn't seen the television serial, I would have had no difficulty in bringing them to life.  I loved the book and need to acquire my own copy to read again and again.

It is now official - we are entering a 'period of settled weather'.  Hooray, at last, a break from the rain.  N and I enjoyed a lovely walk this morning; signs of Spring all around - flowers out, trees just breaking into leaf, birdsong so clear, woodpeckers drilling in nearby trees.  We passed a big magnolia tree, laden with huge white/pink flower buds - it should look magnificent in a few days time - I must remember to return with my camera, which I forgot today.
But the signs are there in our garden, too.

The paeony is throwing up beautiful red shoots . . . 

                        . . . and the crocuses were drinking in the warm sun all day. 

And I gave in and put the sewing table back up.  All's well with life again.