writer's block

Dalkruidjes  presented me with an award! Dalkruidjes is lovely, her blog is lovely and lovelily uplifting and words cannot begin to express how wonderful the woman is who writes Dalkruidjes. So there. and now i suppose i have to say thank you and how fabulous this is & how honoured i am. don't get me wrong - i am grateful, but how on earth does one live up to (etc) and oh dear - now i have to tell you 7 things you didn't know about me. 

i feel the pressure.......... 

more sleepless nights........ 

i'm getting sooooooooooo skinny! 

which is good, as i've just got myself the most amazing ski pants that show off my bum incredibly nicely - and so i'd better stay in shape

right. here goes.

1) these ski pants are the first i've ever bought myself. ever since 1994, i've been skiing in a pair of hand-me-downs from my then boyfriend's mother. they're too big and very saggy, but i never thought it was worth spending money on something you only wear one week per year when you have something that is perfectly functional (and in fact, what's on offer in the shops generally is not very flattering). 17 years on, i actually managed to find some gorgeous fitted ski pants and i have now decided i deserve it :-) the old ski pants have gone in the bin. mountains, here i come!

2) i absolutely love having friends for supper. it's such a bonus all-around: it inspires me to cook gorgeous food, which i then get to eat in the company of lovely people (who, yes, are also allowed to have some). mostly i look to jamie oliver, ottolenghi, nigella lawson for inspiration on the food front. they've all got such a lovely, inspiring, uplifting approach to food & cooking. the inventor of the dishwasher deserves the Nobel prize for peace by the way.

3) when i was 15 i crossed a motorway on my bicycle without looking. the car spent longer in the garage (5 weeks) than i spent in hospital (4 weeks). although i didn't think or realise at the time this had any massive impact (other than the crush i developed for the surgeon who stitched me back together & my subsequent desire to study medicine), ever since, my attitude to life has been 'live now, it might all be over tomorrow'. that does have an impact - and that attitude has been turned upside down again with the responsibility of having children. they're so lovely. on some level i've got to act like a grown-up. oh dear. still adjusting to that one :-/

4) i have planted 3 asparagus beds in my life. it takes 3 years before you can pick them properly. i've never had a season in which i've been allowed to pick them indefinitely - we always moved before that stage was reached. this year, we will be moving again. my goodness. again, it's the 3rd season for my asparagus - as if it's jinxed! so - please ignore any conclusions drawn from 3) and believe me when i say that wherever i move next, my new gardener will be double-digging an asparagus bed and my kids & i plan to be picking the spears for at least 10 years to come!

5) i found a lovely new bed mate. he should be arriving any time sooooooooooooon....... and i can't wait. i suspect i'll have to fight youngest over him though. he loves having someone to warm his feet against.

6) i like my house tidy. it winds me up if others make a mess where i had left the place behind neatly. my youngest, who speaks english mostly, has inherited one aspect of that. he insists on making my bed in the morning, proclaiming it 'netjes', and forbidding his sister to even touch the cushions that he has fluffed and flattened so carefully. i wish he had that attitude regarding the rest of the world. my bed is about the only tidy place in the entire house. for some reason it's always messy. 'gezellig' a friend of mine always says. 'overal ligt wat'. big sigh.

7) i love roses, tulips, and peonies. i love a tidy house full of flowers, family, friends, sunshine and happiness. i consider myself very lucky to have most of that most of the time.

my next task is to forward the award to 7 other blogs - but it's my bedtime now. i'm going to make myself a nice cup of mint tea & dive under my lovely warm winter duvet. So:

to be continued...