Tuesday 14 January 2014

Sweet

Today we are having double glazing fitted here at the Bramble house. We've had draughty single glazed aluminium windows since we moved in more than 20 years ago. We had hoped to afford replacement wooden sashes at some point. That's never going to happen (currently over £20,000 for a terraced house!) we now realise, so have opted for UPVC in green on the outside to give the illusion of painted frames as a compromise.
It's cold here so I decided to do some baking to warm myself up and keep myself busy.
I subscribe to these chocolates (yes, you can subscribe to chocolate!!!) and get twelve 35g bags a month.
I have a bit of a backlog so wanted to bake something where I could use them up.
And this is the recipe I chose - I must be the last person on the planet to try it and I can see why people rave about it.
It took thirteen packets of the chocolate to make the cookies and they are very rich, and massive too!
I was looking forward to eating one with a cup of tea, but as I've been nibbling the broken bits and now feel in need of a lie down from an overload of sugar, I shall save that treat for later!
Have you tried this recipe?
What do you think of it?
As the double glazing is going to take five days to fit I'll have to think of other bakes to keep warm - maybe a slightly healthier one next time (or maybe not, I am going to be the teenagers favourite person this week if I carry on like this!!)
Thanks for visiting.
xXx

Monday 13 January 2014

Reasons to be Cheerful

I have started this post so many times, in my head, on paper, the computer...
Like many people I struggle in the winter months with 'low mood' (and to be honest, at other times too).  This is why I blog less during the winter even though I plan to blog more in the run up to Christmas!
I don't think I'm a full blown pessimist but nor am I a raging optimist either - I'd like to change that so after reading this article
(don't forget you can click on the pic to enlarge)
I have been listing three things everyday that have made me happy.
Some days I have struggled to find three things, and that's not because good things haven't happened...

Here are some examples of good things that have happened recently:



  Breakfast in bed courtesy of Mr B
All of us eating dinner together
Two new magazines delivered
Sunny weather
A friend called in to see me at work
Got lots done at work
YB made dinner
Enjoyed Meet and Make
Saw a squirrel in the library garden
New follower on blog

Today's will be:



Received a new magazine
Listening to music (The Beautiful South) on my Christmas present radio and Ipod dock.
 Whether or not I'm listening to music is a good indication of how I'm feeling. I love a good sing along but don't play music if I'm really down but I'm going to change that because how could I fail to be cheered by a sing-song?
I'm hoping number three will be that Mr B didn't work late!


How do you cheer yourself up?

This isn't meant to be a glum post but a post about appreciating the little things in life and doing so more. I am lucky to have a lovely family, great friends, a nice job, somewhere safe to live and so much more. I just need to remember it more!
This postcard (bought because I love typography) has been in my kitchen for a year or more, it's about time I took more notice of it!!
Thanks for visiting.
xXx