No Camera, but I can still Chat ...

I have been so negligent this past week. I have missed you, dear blog, but circumstances just will not allow me to come and talk to you as often as I'd like. I'm glad of Patrice's weekly chat: I love the blether and the chance to meet up with the other bloggers on The Porch.


This week, Patrice asks:


1. Did you do anything special for Valentine's Day?


Erm.... Nope.


By that, I mean n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Last year I wrote this post on Valentine's Day, but this year, I didn't even do that.


If you read last year's post, you'll understand why it doesn't put me up nor down.


2. What was the last craft item that you made?


Oh, Patrice! Erm ... Uhhh ... Hmmm ...


I have no idea! But I'm guessing it must have been whilst still as school!


3. Are you planning a garden? Are you swamped with seed catalogues?


Oh, Patrice, Thank You! We had a question on Valentines... a question on crafts. I was thinking I'd have nothing to talk about (now, wouldn't that be a first). But  now, you come up with The Perfect Question.


My plot. My PLOT!!


It's now mid-February, and there's a wee while until I can begin planting, but I am enjoying going through last year's notebook with all the info from the plot, and browsing the seed catalogues. We've decided this year to make the plot slightly smaller, but be more intentional in what we grow. All being well, I may, in years to come, have the luxury of time to experiment and grow different varieties etc, but for now the primary aim of the plot is to feed our family. That means we'll stick to the carrot seed that worked the best the last couple of years. The cauliflower and broccoli - same. We'll grow our 'staples' and leave the 'fun stuff' for later years. Anyway, I wont say any more about this just now - a blog post is in the making (the first of many, undoubtedly, about The Plot!).

From last year, some brassica seedlings. I love this stage.

4. What cosmetics do you have in your purse?


Strooooooth. Another 'pass'. Of course, here on this side of the Pond, our 'purse' is the little wallet into which you place your money. What you call a 'purse' is what we call a bag, handbag, shoulder bag, or something similar. Anyway, the answer remains the same: no cosmetics.


Oh well, hang on. I do have hand cream in there at this time of year. Does that count?

You'd call these purses, wouldn't you?

(This photo was posted when I was doing the Harris Tweed posts, and the bags were in the process of being hand made - hence them being handle-less.)

5. When there is a room to be painted in your home, who does the painting?


Funnily enough, we are talking about some painting needing done now. We moved in here about five years ago, so the whole house was painted then, in one go. It was the Builder's sisters who did most of the painting then, but I'm not sure we can call on their services to touch up rooms here and there. Our hallway is needing to be redone, but of course we lost our paint pots in the garage fire and now we haven't a clue what our colours were called. 


You guys have no idea - I mean NO idea - what choosing paint is like in this house. The last time it went something like this...


I see lots of gorgeous photos in magazines of how I'd like my room (let's take the Lounge). I cut out pictures, I go into our local paint shops and come home with dozens (er, yes, dozens) of paint colour cards. I then narrow my choice down to about, er, nine or ten colours. I buy tester pots of each colour, take them home and proceed to paint sections of the appropriate walls in each of the colours. I mull over the choices for days. I drag siblings, in-laws, out-laws, friends, all-and-sundry in to help me choose. Eventually, I come to a decision.


I choose some shade of ... Magnolia.


Yep. I am, on the painting issue, quite predictable. If only I could save myself the hassle and rigmarole beforehand, it would all be very simple.

Family Room walls.... Magnolia.

You can tell from my use of old photos that my camera is still well and truly not working. I think the lense is irreparable. And I think I may cry.


Have a great week, y'all (I love saying that. You can't tell from the screen, but it is said in an authentic accent. It really, really is ;)