23RD MAY

It's been a good week here; part-sun, part-rain, hanging out with this guy, eating good food, drinking good drinks.

I'm starting these Friday links with the one I really want you all to follow (most of you are probably already there). Delancey is as good, as great, as everyone (here, here, here - I could go on) has been saying. It's the story of how hard it can be to create something good, a reminder that things that on the surface can seem so natural, so easy, may have actually involved pushing yourself in ways you couldn't have imagined. It's easy to tell the surface story and I can only applaud Molly, from much too far away, for being willing and able to share this more difficult version. Her words have always drawn me in and and, even though I knew what would happen, have happily visited Delancey, wish I could go and eat there, meet up with friends there, on more weekends than seems sensible given those thousands of miles that stand in my way, they drew me in here too, I sat on the train back from London early last week and I lost myself in the story.

Sticking with the good reads...

‘Let’s understand things before we embrace or degrade them’

And, because it's Friday:

25

We moved to the new house when I was 7. It was early in January and there was snow on the ground, a rare enough event in Sussex to make me remember it still. It was a new development and ours was one of the first houses that had been completed. We played in the street that was still part building site, I befriended an elderly couple who lived in the flats at the end of the road and whose name, sadly, now escapes me, and gradually the houses filled up.

I don't remember when Clive moved in next door but I can remember when he first popped his head over the garden fence and invited himself round for a cup of tea, I can remember when Mum told him that she wasn't making tea but that he could have a gin and tonic instead.

I can't really remember Clive not being part of our lives after that.

There are photos from that Summer dotted around the house, us at the lake where Clive went water-skiing, Mum sitting tanned in her bikini, Zoe doing handstands, me pulling faces at the camera. He invited us round for dinner which turned out to be liver casserole... Mum politely ate what she had been given, Zoe just the carrots, I cried and asked if I could go home and make a jam sandwich. He didn't cook for us again, I'm surprised we didn't completely scare him off.

25 years ago today it was sunny in Midhurst and it was the day of the FA Cup Final, Liverpool vs. Everton. It was the day that Zoe and I put on our dresses from Laura Ashley and went to church for Mum and Clive to get married. It was the day that friends and family celebrated with an afternoon party in the garden (or an afternoon minus 90 minutes when almost all the men headed inside to watch the football, a must watch match for our Liverpool supporting family). It was a great day, a very happy day.

And then we, all four of us, went to Greece for their honeymoon.

I'm pretty sure that Clive would never have imagined finding a wife and two daughters, and eventually a son and grandchildren, in the house next door to his, we certainly would never have imagined finding a Clive over the garden fence. All I can think now, over 25 years on, is weren't we all lucky. Happy Anniversary Mum, Happy Anniversary Clive xx  

THE HAAR WILL PERSIST

 'In meteorology, haar is a coastal fog. Haar is typically formed over the sea and is brought to land by wind advection. The term haar is used along certain lands bordering the North Sea, primarily eastern Scotland and the North East of England.'

The haar settled over Edinburgh this week. A cold, damp, mist. It's a word that draws blank looks if you mention it further south so it was a surprise to hear it on the main BBC weather forecast this morning,  'the haar will persit, another cold day.'

It can arrive in the Summer, a bright day, the city bathed in sunshine, but you look towards the Forth and see it creeping in, like the fog in a low budget horror film. Tourists look confused, locals reach into their bags for layers that are never far away, change their plans from going for ice-cream to going to the pub.

This week though there has been no sunshine, just a relentless grey sky and a permanent drizzle. It's supposed to lift. Later today? Tomorrow? Sooner would be better but until then I'm wearing my new favourite pink jumper, carrying my new favourite tote, and painting my nails a Spring shade to challenge the skies... 

TUESDAY

Is always the worst day. A little Fleetwood Mac because a baton twirling Stevie never fails to cheer...

21ST MARCH

...and it's almost the weekend.

Have you got plans?

Our favourite bar is one year old today so we're heading there after work for the specially brewed birthday IPA and a pork pie. Tomorrow I'm going on a trainer buying mission to replace the shoes that have been with me through three moonwalks with a new pair to take me through two in two months. There will be a 10 mile training walk on Sunday and I'm not sure what else. I haven't made pizza for a while, maybe an ice-cream at Mary's (just for a change)...

I'm looking forward to it (and hoping that the heavy rain forecast for Sunday morning holds off for long enough for us to walk those 10 miles) but until then...

I can always be tempted by another banana bread recipe

I wouldn't turn down a slice of this

Or one of these 

And, as it's now officially Spring, I'm looking forward to warmer mornings and think this might replace my porridge soon 

I sent Molly and Matthew a box of Scottish treats. If you haven't listened yet then go, go, go!

And some New Order to send you on your way...

HANG THE BLESSED DJ

I've had this stuck in my head all day...

Just thought I'd pass it on.

21ST FEBRUARY

A few things for a Friday... 

The Garden Edit
 
Brian's photos for Fort Standard (and everything in them)

This space

A new (to me) blog

A weeknight recipe

And another

Citrus-spiked muesli bars

And some Steely Dan to send you on your way.