Happy Homemaker Monday

For more Happy Homemaker posts visit Sandra's Blog

The weather in my neck of the woods:

Here's the forecast for today (from BBC website weathercheck:

Monday

Becoming very windy with storm force winds gusting to 60-70 mph inland with 80 mph on coasts and hills. Cloudy all day with rain on the hills.

Monday night

Staying very windy. Rain on hills easing away and clear spells developing further south, where it will be dry through the night time.

Max. Day 17 (°C)
Sunrise 06:37

Min. Mon Night 11 (°C)
Sunset 19:32

Things that make me happy:

Sitting here indoors when there is a gale blowing outside! :)

Book I'm reading:

Just the Bible. I'm in Deuteronomy now. Still not started Bleak House by Charles Dickens, I will at some point! I read a coffee table style book about the Titanic from the library, it was very interesting. I might share a few facts if I get time.

With Chatterbox I'm reading Wind in the Willows, with Squidge I'm reading whatever she fancies last night it was Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson.

The girls have brought a stack of art books home from the library.


What's on my TV today:

Midsomer Murders

On the menu for dinner:

Piquant Pork. I will share the recipe later.

On my To Do List:

• Tidy house;
• Ironing;
• Work (also for those who don't know, I do 2 hours a day in the kitchen at my girls' school - yes, I'm a dinner lady!);
• Try to sew Squidge's Hello Kitty, she's developed two holes.
• Mend Chatterbox's coat (it got ripped at school).
• Church group tonight at our Pastor's house.

In the craft basket:

My art stuff, I'm doing a lot of pencil sketching at the minute.

Looking forward to this week:

Visiting some old friends on Tuesday night.

Tips and Tricks:

If you use microwave bean/wheat bags as a substitute for hot water bottles, put a drop of lavendar oil (or favourite scent) in the centre before heating. Lovely.

Did you know you can make your own by putting uncooked rice in a clean sock and knotting the end and heating in the microwave until warm?

My favourite blog post this week:

No specific posts.

No words needed (favourite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Hubs trying to light one of those lantern things, it was too windy and we gave up. (NB: It was an eco-friendly one with no metal parts - just in case you were worried!). It was so funny.

Lesson learned the past few days:

That I need to not watch so much news, it tends to stress me out!

On my mind:

• The tragic losses of 9/11 and the families who must be suffering right now.
• My dear blog friend Michele who has just lost her precious Dog Toby. My prayers go out to her.
• Boots' issue with next door's cat. She keeps fighting, she's going to have no ears left at his rate, we've had blood everywhere, trips to the vets for anti-biotics and other treatments. It really worries me and I'm wondering if she needs to be an indoor cat because these fights have been going on for weeks now.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,[a]
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51: 4-10

Happy Monday!