Lego

Amazing stuff Lego - I have fond memories of building garish multicoloured models from it into my teens (tasteful they weren't but then you had to go by the block size you needed/wanted colour sadly did not enter into the equation)

So fast forward to today - eldest child has an impressive array of lego models(from the power miners range to be exact. You didn't know they do ranges now? Yes - exclusive models, time limited runs as well it seems - Lego has definitely moved on!)

Youngest child also likes this lego - but being only 3 1/2 the inevitable has happened.....

Looks fine doesn't it? Sadly not - after being put back together there are 2 orange based flame thingies (I have no idea what they should be called!) missing. O has been no help in trying to locate them and the entire house has been turned upside down looking for them - it looks even more like we've been burgaled than normal.

Meltdown is in progress (from all 3!) and I am hiding. Here. Somebody let me know when it is safe to come out please?

Cardamom bread

A little baking this weekend courtesey of Rachel Allen - I decided to try her Cardamom Bread . Cardamom  is a spice I associate with using in curries, but am aware that scandanavian countries use it quite a lot as a "sweet" spice.

Now I must confess to being a cinnamon addict - give me a cinnamon bun and I am ecstatic. I have also managed to turn my children into cinnamon lovers too (still can't get them to love Spring Greens in the same way, but give me time...). The only thing better is homemade gingerbread.

However I forced myself not to substitute the cardamom for cinnamon - and it was very nice, with quite a subtle flavour. And I even plaited it too!

But I have a confession - I still like cinnamom better! Could be trying out snickerdoodles next..

Weekend

Still hot - the grass is dry and parched and I have a perfect excuse for not weeding - the ground is rock hard and I can't get them out!

Sadly the Fridge Freezer is STILL not fixed (I am not happy and I will not be using these repairers again) and without a repair date in sight!

On a lighter note I spent a lovely long weekend with friends at the Cotswold Water Park last weekend. Weather was mostly fabulous and it we had a lovely chilled time. We had rented a 5 bedroom house for the weekend - complete with hot tub in the garden. We did do some cycling and a little (very little) walking.

I have been attempting some bag making recently, but it has taken ages due to my sewing machine being extremely temperamental!

So I started with this:

And for a long time didn't get much further as I could only sew about 5cm before it all became a hideous mess of threads. I finally bit the bullet and called in Sewing Machine Service/Repairs man . Turns out that the upper and bottom tension parts have never worked quite right and needed adjusting. And all these years I thought it was me being a poor sewer!(Well it might still be, but at least the machine is working beautifully now)


Anyway I have eventually finished my Buttercup Bag. It looks very pretty, but I think would be better with a heavier fabric.

 It was quite hard to show the inside (it is not creased despite appearances), but these fabrics work beautifully together - I only wish I knew what they were!