Autumn In Norfolk

A trip to Norfolk seems to be becoming an autumn tradition for us. Last October we spent a long weekend in Wells-next-the-Sea and a couple of weeks ago we again headed down the A47 for five days in Little Walshingham. Having just a few days off during half term before starting my new job, and with Thomas having gone straight from his PhD to a new role at the university, high on the list of our priorities was to relax.

Our cottage in Little Walsingham was perfect for the job: with no WiFi or 3G signal, we had to abandon our phones and social media addictions and just... chill. We went for long walks, explored ancient ruins, picked blackberries, met friends, played board games. Most of all, we ate a lot of food, drank a lot of tea, had many pints of local cider, read quietly in front of the fire, and slept a great deal.

Sheringham was a nice place for an afternoon's wander, a classic seaside town where it was practically obligatory to eat chips on the seafront, despite the chilly wind.

Walsingham itself is a fascinating place to visit. The village is tiny, a maze of cramped lanes lined with half-timbered Tudor buildings and traditional brick and flint cottages. A site of pilgrimage since 1061, Walsingham Abbey was destroyed in the Reformation but pilgrimages were resumed in the early 20th century and it's now a major site of pilgrimage for both Anglicans and Catholics. It was quite an experience to sit in the pub one evening (the amazing Black Lion - do visit if you're ever in the area) and listen to a table full of robe-clad, beer-drinking priests debating who their favourite pope was. It was rather like an episode of Father Ted writ large, all the more so when the 'mean girl' priest started taking the piss out of a colleague for the speed of his Mass. Thomas and I decided that a trip to Little Walsingham is the priest equivalent of Ibiza; at least, there certainly seemed to be a lot of late-night drinking going on.

The Abbey grounds are now open to the public as a large park. The ruins, although there's not much left of them, are quite spectacular and we met the sweetest cat in the adjoining woodland, with whom we of course had to make friends. The glorious sunshine on our final day there brought the early autumn colours to life, the perfect weather for a long country walk.

Our few days in Norfolk were the perfect tonic and I've returned refreshed and ready for the challenges of this half term. Little Walsingham was just right for us, too. Quiet, peaceful, and away from the bustle of North Norfolk's seaside resorts, I'd heartily recommend it if you ever decide to visit the area.

Life Lately

Lately, it's the simple things that are making me happy: a crackling fire, bread fresh from the oven slathered in butter, a massive cup of tea on a chilly afternoon. We've had the wood-burning stove lit for the first few times this autumn and Thomas has also got really into baking (I think it's the GBBO that's inspired him) so we have the most amazing fresh bread each weekend.

I feel like it's been a long time since I blogged properly. I spent most of the two weeks before half term feeling rotten with a cold and throat infection - yes, another one. You'd think after 10 years teaching I'd be immune to child germs, but no. And then we were away for five days last week. Five blissful, internet-free days in Norfolk, spent walking, eating, drinking, sleeping and reading. Once I've sorted through the photographs I'll blog properly about our holiday.

We came home from Norfolk a bit early because I started my new job on Thursday, eek! I felt weirdly calm about it all (which, considering my anxiety levels have been sky-high recently, is really amazing). I just sort of trusted that it would work out great, and it did. I absolutely love the job. I mean, I spend my whole day looking at, reading and talking about books. What's not to like?! From this week things will get crazy busy, though. I'm still teaching four days a week until Christmas, plus fitting in my fifteen hours a week at Willoughby. 

What else have I been up to? Well, at the start of the month my lil' brother got married, which was pretty amazing! Steph and Richard both looked radiant, just so happy and in love, and it really was the perfect day.

Meanwhile, this weekend has mostly been about three things: sleeping off a monster hangover from a night in the pub on Friday, listening to Joanna Newsom's new album on repeat (so good!), and visiting Becky and her gerbils. She took me to the most incredible 40s-themed cafe, The Larder, where we feasted on bubble & squeak and Eggs Benedict: perfect hangover fodder (the gerbils stayed at home).

And the next few weeks have lots in store: the start of my manic 60+ hours a week work schedule; a trip to Sheffield to see Father John Misty; a Joanna Newsom gig; a weekend in London to visit my best mate; some time with my mum... what a great start to the new half term.

Finally, in case you didn't see my post yesterday, the thrifty gift swap is back. Details of how to sign up are here.

What I wore: Mod squad

I've wanted a Mod-style parka for quite a few years now, but hadn't found the perfect one until this summer. There I was, browsing the aisles of Sainsburys, of all places, when I happened across this lovely fella. Of course, with the unseasonably warm September it was only recently that I've been able to start wearing my new coat, but now it's a regular part of my wardrobe and I'm chuffed to bits with it. Warm and cosy, it looks great worn open over a dress but miraculously also zips up over the boobs of doom.

At the moment I'm mostly wearing it thrown over a dress (this is the heart print H&M dress I wore all summer, now styled for winter with thick tights and my trusty brogues) but it will be equally fab over skinny jeans and a jumper.

* Coat: Tu at Sainsburys * Dress: H&M * Shoes: Clarks *

A trip to the Botanic Gardens

Saturday was one of those weirdly hot, muggy, cloudy days we seem to be having a lot of lately. It's like the weather hasn't got the memo about it being almost October but instead of nice sunny days, we're getting the worst kind of summer weather. The forecast had promised some lovely sunshine so we'd packed a picnic and made plans to visit the annual Sculpture in the Garden exhibition at Leicester's Botanic Gardens. When the day dawned overcast and grey, we decided to stick to our plans and off to Oadby we went.

We've been talking about visiting the gardens all summer and in a way it's a shame we waited so long, as the majority of the plants are past their flowering now. But the sunflowers were still spectacular and I enjoyed crunching through the autumn leaves.

The Sculpture in the Garden show runs every year from June until October and features a wide range of art. I love the way in which the natural surroundings of the garden blends with the sculpture; sometimes very literally, as with this spider web.

Weekend in pictures

Bravely, The Boy ventured home to Yorkshire with me this weekend.  Despite a stinking cold on my part, we still managed to have a lovely and relaxing time.  I...

... Enjoyed a few ciders in Mooch, a lovely cafe/bar in Hebden Bridge (thanks to Lisa for the tip), where I was also lucky enough to meet my brother's girlfriend for the first time.  Nerve-wracking, but lots of fun;

... Shopped for vintage goodies, books and organic food in Hebden;

... Ate amazing vegan food, most home-cooked by my lovely mum;
... Walked in the woods (where The Boy made friends with a cat); 

 

... Rejoiced in the return to our screens of Strictly Come Dancing;
... Witnessed The Boy getting beaten at Scrabble by my mum (smart move, she might never have forgiven him if he beat her in their first match);

... Visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in glorious autumn sunshine.
 

Made: Sloe gin

As much as I love spring and summer, I have a real fondness for autumn, "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness," not least because of the glut of fruit with which to make cakes, crumbles, jams and this, the crowing glory of a fruitful harvest: sloe gin. 

You will need:
1 litre of gin (because of all the extra flavour being added here it really doesn't matter if it's quality gin or not: Aldi is great for cheap spirits)
1lb of sloes
3oz caster sugar
A large, air-tight jar or bottle

1. Pour the sugar into the bottom of the jar and top with the gin. 
2. Prick each sloe with a (clean!) pin and add, giving it a good stir (this is why I like to use a jar rather than a bottle, as you can fit a spoon into it).
3. Shake the jar/bottle daily for a week, and then once a week for at least two months, at which point...
4. DO NOT SHAKE before filtering.  Filter through a muslin cloth into sterilised bottles.  You should be left with a gloriously fruity, sweet purple liquor.  The thick gunge at the bottom of the jar can be used to add an unusual edge to a boozy trifle.

If gin is not your thing, sloe vodka works just as well using exactly the same method.  I'll be using the lion's share of this autumn's gin to give as gifts in Christmas hampers, but should you want to hog the whole litre yourself, it keeps for years and years.

Posts of 2012

Well 2012 turned out to be a funny old year.  I spent the first five months figuring out how to leave my life behind and move to America, and the final seven months figuring out how to stay in Leicester and reconciling myself to a life here in the UK.  I have, all things considered, had a good year though.

 

In January I spent the cold and dark evenings sewing.  I discovered craftivism and began pondering the politics of craft: namely, how I can reconcile my feminism with my crafty leanings.  This question was ably answered by something I saw on Twitter recently, which said, "craft is only anti-feminist if you believe traditionally feminine pastimes are less worthy than any other". 

February was a busy month: I visited Hay-On-Wye and fretted about the death of the bookshop, listened to Veruca Salt and Weezer, and obsessed about polka dots, but my favourite February post was "You're not fat: you're curvy". 

Remember how I was completely obsessed with the early 90s in March?  For ages, my listening, viewing and reading was entirely focused on living in the past.

 It was Record Store Day in April, and I learnt 7 things about life.

In May I started packing my bags and I wrote about books.  A lot. 

In June I was writing about the fanzine years, getting bad news and dealing with it (with the help of an amazing friend), and had a whole heap of guest posts when I went on a school residential.

July found me in South Africa  - with family and on my own -  thinking about how my heritage defines me, and falling in love with Cape Town.

I came home from South Africa in August, went to Summer Sundae festival, wrote about my friends, and thought about what I would save if my house was on fire.

In September the £100 challenge was underway and I introduced you to my parents.  But this post, On Being A Spinster, is one of my favourite things I've ever written.  I declared myself to be permanently single for very good reasons.  Three months later and, erm, I'm not single anymore...  Although this line from the post, "the best way to get me interested has been to live 200 miles away or be about to leave the country for a year" has turned out to be oh-so-very true :( 

Come October, The Music Monday guest posts started with some fab Q&A's (still looking for people to take part in future!), I went to Amsterdam, and I hung out in a cemetery on my day off, as you do.

In November I got sick, went to the cinema a lot, met The Boy, and pondered what my social media updates say about me (answer: I whinge a lot and I'm not very good at dating).

And finally, December the thrifty gift swap parcels started arriving and it was just one Christmas post after another.  I'm a bit obsessed...