Our Sunday Routine

This week has been a long busy week as I rushed through the usual never ending list of 'to do's'. It was a particularly challenging week with a few things going wrong (like mislaying my house keys twice!) and had me thinking how precious time is and how it does seem to start running away with you as you get older. My days are full to the brim from the moment I get up to the short time in the evening when I can stop, sit, and maybe watch an hour of my favourite tv, or catch a few pages of my current book. Those moments, when they come, feel stolen and I look forward to them during the day. We try to relax at the weekends but there are still some obligations to be met, especially the ones preparing for the week ahead. But on Sunday's I do try to step back from it all and really take time out, I may still do chores and organise things in preparation, but it is done at a slower pace with less stress on the clock. Thank goodness we don't have the tradition of eating a huge roast dinner at lunchtime - all lovingly prepared by hand.... In fact we usually have a roast on Saturday nights when I can listen to the radio as I chop and prepare and cook.  Sunday's are easier, they start slow, although still at an early hour. I make pancakes for breakfast - Scottish ones, the recipe is here - and they are eaten in the sitting room with Nutella or jam and a cup of tea or glass of milk depending on the age of the breakfaster.

Scottish Pancakes

The little one plays with his toys or stretches out on the sofa with the ipad. We stay in PJs and take our time. Then it's out with the dog, who I may add and have mentioned before, is happy to stay in bed well until 11am....! But he needs his fresh air and a stretch of his legs, which means I get it to. This morning was blissful in the autumnal light walking through the greens and browns of the fading summer foliage.

I usually make a soup for lunch, boiling up stock from the bones from the roast the night before if it was chicken. We Scots do like our soups in the colder weather, and I have a Frenchman here who adores soups too.  With big chunks of bread and maybe some cheese afterwards, this is a tasty and satisfying lunch with little fuss. I always think soup really doesn't take much time to prepare at all and I can do a big pot of soup in a jiffy. It's usually very traditional, nothing fancy in this house, a chicken and rice, or a lentil soup. Although I have a wonderful recipe for Pea and Lettuce Soup here if you scroll to the bottom of the post, one of my absolute favourites.

Pea and Lettuce Soup

In the afternoons we usually spend time in the garden unless it's raining, I'll potter about with plants while the boys swing from trees, kick a ball around or go fishing for minnows in the Water of Leith. On colder days we'll stay inside with a fire on and watch a film or mooch about doing not very much if that 'to do' list allows. Occasionally it does creep in and try to take over but I do really try to keep Sundays relaxed with few obligations. Although that in itself can be a challenge.

Woodcraft lessons in the garden, in preparation for winter.

Some of the potatoes from the garden this year

Relaxing....

There is usually a cake in the kitchen, quite a plain cake, nothing fancy with lots of icing or decoration. Maybe a Victoria sponge, or a plain chocolate sponge with a dusting of cocoa and sugar on top. Ready for a slice to be taken with a cup of tea in front of the fire at any time.

Always time for cake.....

I hope you are having a lovely Sunday too? 

Windy Walks and Cosy Reads

Everyday life here has its routines like all households and I actually really enjoy these.  In fact they are precious to me as they are the cornerstone of life with my little family. Walking Thumper twice a day is one of these routines and we often go along the same routes which are close by the house as I'm usually squeezing them in between work obligations. I think Thumper gets a little bored and needs a bit of a change so occasionally we head out in the car and go a bit further afield. This time it was to Craiglockhart Hill, which is actually only about 10 minutes in the car but is an exciting journey to new smells and places to explore for a doggy nose.

It was sunny but very windy the other day. At the top of the hill we saw the beautiful views

We headed down through the trees back to the car after quite a walk through the woods and up to the hill, and then the weather came in. And we got this

   

A full blown gale and heavy rain. It was pretty wild and it was definitely time to head for the car - although I have to say I love wild weather. But Thumper....not so much! 

When the weather turns to this I turn to books and cosying up next to a fire. With blankets and pots of tea and always some cake. And the rain lashing against the window - bliss! Scotland does bad weather very well and gives plenty of excuse for relaxing with books or an old black and white film. If you want some inspiration for books throughout the coming colder months may I offer my suggestions? 

The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy by Penelope Lively. One of the best children's writers I know of. A wonderful story set in Somerset, full of mystery and superstition. 

A children's story? Oh yes, but just as much fun for adults who don't take themselves too seriously. The writing makes good enough reading for any adult. This book isn't so readily available but it's worth hunting down a copy. 

The Taxidermists Daughter by Kate Mosse....actually any of her books. She can create atmosphere and suspense beautifully and her writing describes the creeping grey weather of Britain so well in this book.

House of Echoes by Barbara Erskine, (and again any of her books). But I do remember this was the first of her books I read many years ago and being really quite freaked out by how creepy the story was.

Good old fashioned ghost stories are Ms Erskine's forte and you can't beat them for a nice page turner which will give you a chill running down your neck!

You'll have noticed a theme to these books - a good mystery waiting to be solved in all the stories. Perfect reading for me. I hope you might be inspired to read them if you haven't already. If my love of mystery and superstition needs any explaining I can offer this.....

I was brought up in an old house full of antiquarian books and my two favourites were The Tinkler Gypsies and the one above, Witchcraft and Superstitious Record by J Maxwell Wood published in 1911. It is full of historic ghost stories and superstitions of Galloway where the remote farm I grew up in is located. And the nearby farms and villages named in the book were all around, allowing a young child's mind to roam freely amongst the old stories of these old places. So you see, all this love of mystery and ghost stories is really not my fault......

Until next time!

(I found this beautiful fungi on my walk with Thumper at Craiglockhart Hill. It was huge!)