No Spam this week, more a focus on travels, with beer.
Saturday saw us setting out for Peterborough, to visit Mum.  We have friends who can direct us around the countryside using teashops as references. (Just turn left then, after the Copper Kettle, amazing scones there!) Mr Cooper and I can do the same, but with pubs.  Saturday midday found us entering the Stratton Arms for a little light refreshment (Take a right on the 2nd roundabout on the Brackley bypass heading northwards, then left for Turweston.  Hot pies and filled rolls on the bar, 4-5 beers to choose from, and always a friendly welcome)

Mr Cooper can be seen rounding the corner, hot pies on his mind……………….

The Green Donkey cookery book is really about to begin.  3 years ago, my research started with making 3 different mincemeat recipes, and asking my extended family for feedback.  This year, I will use that information to make 2 types of mince pies, and create an illustration based on one of them.
My ideas are now beginning to unfurl.  Read on in the weeks to come to be amazed and delighted.
The first thing that will amaze you is the way that my family always used to decorate our mince pies.  But firstly, make the mincemeat.

As well as mince pies featuring in the first illustration, there will also be the Christmas Tree Fairy.  When I asked Mum if I could borrow her, Mum said I could have her, if she hadn't already thrown her away.  Luckily for me and the Fairy, she was still in the box of Christmas decorations, a little bored as she hadn't seen the daylight since 2002.
So this year she will be back at the top of the tree, and also as a big part of my first illustration.

Here she is, a little battered but still beautiful ( a bit like me, really)  

And don't worry, Si and Mark, she belongs to all 3 of us.  She can travel around to adorn trees in turn.

I did do a little shopping for Christmas presents whilst with Mum, but also made some impulse buys which had nothing to do with Christmas, but more to do with my love of kitsch food, and my boys.

Could it be that Sam is my favourite, as I bought him the most wonderful candy pizza?

The good things is that Sam is still able to learn from experience, his mind is not closed.  He told me yesterday that he had eaten it in 2 sittings, but had thought that might have been a bad idea.

  A thought that was later confirmed by how sick it had made him feel.

I have always loved dolls house food, and love the tale of 'Two Bad Mice', by Beatrix Potter.  And this love has grown to encompass plastic food, made to resemble (closely or otherwise) the real thing.

One of my most favourite false food photos I have taken was of a plate of plastic sushi.

This was found on the 'Bullet Train', which is an exhibit at the National Railway Museum in York. 

http://www.nrm.org.uk/  This train ('Series 0 Shin-kansen ) is the only one outside Japan.

Moving away from museum culture to general knowledge culture,  Sunday found the three of us parking in Ashton, where we were looking forward to lunch in the Chequered Skipper pub.

The village of Ashton was re-built in 1900 by the Rothschild family for the estate workers.

It is so picturesque and posh, as can be seen below. 

 Was the colour scheme chosen to complement the peacocks, or vice versa?

We did have a lovely lunch.  Pork for Mum, and rib of beef for me and Mr Cooper, which had been slow-roasted for 9 hours. Mum found the parsnips to be so over-cooked as to be inedible.  Luckily, I swapped mine for hers to avoid complaint, and discovered them to be amazing pork crackling instead!

Last bit of Ashton village knowledge.  One side of the pub sign has remained unchanged for years.  

Here is the 'Chequered Skipper', depicted in painted nails.

So after a brief whirl of gaiety in East Anglia, we returned for a couple of normal days (daytime TV and ebay sales, Mr Cooper, sinks and sewing, me) before Mr Cooper's birthday, on Wednesday. (Belated birthday wishes, Ella, hope you had a great day too!)

What did we do to celebrate?  Obviousley, as I am over 50 and Mr Cooper over 60, we went for a long walk dressed in sensible walking gear, with Mr Cooper's great friend, Kevin.
Mr Cooper met Kevin on his first day as a teacher, and Kevin's first day as head boy there.  They both decided the day ahead looked pretty dreary, and went to the pub instead.
If we had all lived closer, they could have met me sitting in a pub during lesson times, with one of my teachers. (Blazer off, of course.)
 It's those things we have in common that attracted us to each other, all those years ago.

We set off early to walk half  the Octagon walk,  starting from Walderton, walking anti-clockwise to Compton. Mr Cooper and Kev were completing the other half the following day.

The weather was kind, and the counryside beautiful.  We met a handful of fellow walkers, and beaters from a local family shoot.

One unexpected delight was turning a corner to find the tiny and unusual church in North Marden.

Although isolated, it was unlocked.  Very plain but perfect, with a wonderful roof. We particulary liked the semi-circular ( aspinal) end to the chancel,  being one of only 6 like this in England.

http://www.achurchnearyou.com/north-marden-st-mary/

Returning to the start of the blog, about travelling and beer, when we reached Compton, tired but happy, we then drove to the Barley Mow in Walderton.   http://www.thebarleymowpub.co.uk/
Here we had an excellent light-bite lunch with beer.
I can seriously recommend the warm quiche, coleslaw and salad.

Than back to The Gables to park the vehicles, and do our last long walk of the day.  Down to the Traveller's Joy for more beer (Seafarers for Mr Cooper, London Pride for Kevin and myself)
As well as drinking responsibly (we didn't drive again that day) we know how good beer is for us, being crammed with B vitamins.  When we got back, Kevin made sure we had another of our '5 a day' by introducing us to a Sloegasm.  Put a good shot of sloe gin in a flute, then top up with Prosecco.
Berries and grapes, only 3 of our '5 a day' to go now.

Next week, more walking, possibly less beer, but almost certainly another Sloegasm.
I hope you are looking forward to the weekend, and the next week ahead.  Always remember to drink responsibly, sitting down is a good way forward, I find!  Have fun, and see you all next week.

Last week Spam, and this week, Smash.

It is reassuring to see that this famous instant mashed potato mix is in fact made from real potatoes.  And just in case you were wondering what mashed potato is, or how to serve it, the serving suggestion really does point you in the right direction.  On a plate, as part of the main meal.
And with my artistic store cupboard very firmly in the 70s, I am getting ready to personalise a breakfast tray, as a present.

It will combine elements of this………….

and of this………………..

…………..but will include many other delicious, and personal elements. Where is the gin and tonic?
My niece Olivia, artist and Masterchef star, with her avocado cheesecake (instagram @oliviahaslam) wrote to say she was looking forward to seeing the outcome of my Spam and Smash artwork.  And so am I, the only thing in the way of that at the moment is I have to start the actual work.
Funny how that is the most difficult part of the process.
But, as the deadline for the completion gets closer (11th December, Juliette and Colin's wedding), the incentive to start it grows stronger, through actual necessity.

I am now between book club books, as our next meeting is in January.  I won't make the mistake of reading the chosen book too early, as then, with reading others afterwards, it doesn't stay so fresh in my mind. (Just older and more forgetful, really).
 So now I am free to have a little explore in the book world.

  I  re-visited a favourite book of mine, 'A young Man's Passage', by Julian Clary. I was working away in the shed one Saturday morning, and Julian Clary was hosting a programme on radio 4.  I had to stop work several times as I was laughing so much.  Shortly after that, we went to spend an evening with Julian in Chichester, as he spoke about his life, and his then new book.

Sadly we were not alone with Julian, having an intimate chat in a pub, but at a venue with many others.  But, 'we spent the evening with Julian' does sound a lot better.
At the end of the talk, I did have an intimate conversation with him, and we talked about that radio programme as he signed my copy.

Last week, I re-read this book, which is both funny and sad, and about surviving.  About life, really. And yes, it could be described as very rude by some, and it is certainly descriptive.
After this, Mr Cooper and I spent a very juvenile and to us, hilarious, half an hour imagining the results of lending this book to some of our more conservative friends.  Then we became sensible adults again, and did normal grown up things like watching the news (Mr Cooper) and preparing meals (me).

Following on from this 'slightly rude' theme, this week saw us dressing up to go on our annual sleaze trip to Olympia.  Once it was to the 'Erotica' exhibition, but this year, 'Erotica' was taken over by new management, and re-branded as 'Sexpo'.
So on Saturday morning we found ourselves on Southbourne station at 8.50am, dressed as if for an exciting night out.  On the 2 trains we had to catch, plus the 2 underground lines to get to Olympia, I was the only person I saw in full evening dress teamed with scarlet 24 hour lipstick and long black  Dr Marten boots embroidered with red roses.  I was a bit worried about the showery weather, as my thick black lashes were thick and black with non-waterproof mascara!  But they survived!

Having been visitors to Erotica, and now Sexpo, for about 12 years, we have witnessed many changes.  It was here that we really first noticed the effects of the recession, and we have seen the number and range of exhibitors diminish in size.  Presumably 'Eroitca' was filled with luxury items.  And, where lots of people used to dress up, some in ways that made our clothes seem positively mundane, this year, most of the clientele looked like they were going out for a Sunday stroll in the countryside.

However, we had a couple of drinks at £10 a pint. then after looking round for a couple of hours, we made our carefully considered purchases.  Then, back onto south west trains for another difficult and disruptive journey.
When we finally got onto the last delayed train for our journey, I refused to stand anymore. We pushed into the small area of first class seating. 10 seats for the whole train.  Another couple, who got on at the next station did the same, and as the journey progressed, they began to look at us, then whisper and snigger.  Whether it was Mr Cooper's black leather trousers, my beautiful boots, or just the carrier bag Mr Cooper was carrying, I shall never know.

But we rose above it, like the grown-ups we are.  But then, we are not fat, ugly and stupid, like them.

Then home, and after a day like that, (10 hours away from home, 3 hours at the exhibition and 7 hours mostly standing on cramped, hot and delayed trains), we thought we needed a little lie down, and a restorative glass of champagne.  Mr Cooper then looked into his carrier bag at the carefully chosen purchases, then said 'Hang on' as he dashed around the house in search of batteries.
As he lay down again, champagne in hand, he said "Better no use that too much, I had to borrow the batteries out of the remote, and its Strictly tonight'.  Who says romance is dead?

And for the end of this week, I have to attend a 'Speed Awareness Course', to avoid gaining penalty points on my licence.  Because last time I went to see Mum, we went for a sedate county drive, but apparently not sedate enough!
We are off to see Mum again tomorrow for the weekend, where we will be driving very cautiously through Lincolnshire (very hot on speeding, apparently) so there will be no chicken roasting at The Gables on Sunday.
Instead, we will be having Sunday lunch at 'The Chequered Skipper' http://www.chequeredskipper.co.uk/# one of my old haunts from many years ago, and where the conker championships are held.

It is a truly lovely pub next to the village green…….

……………… and named after  the Chequered Skipper butterfly, which is local to the area.

So, will Mr Cooper stick with roast chicken, or choose beef? (the latter, I think).  Will Mum choose a pudding that I might have to help her to finish, having had to eat one already, so she feels she is not the only one having one (probably). There are worst things to do in life!

I hope you can get things done speedily if necessary next week, with no speed cameras in evidence.  

I aim to work speedily, but to enjoy my leisure at a slower pace.

Until then, drive safely, and be creative with your leisure time! See you all next week.

I don't collect as many objects as I used to. In fact, I am slowly trying to re-house many of my old treasures.  But last week, as I was working away at a hot sink, I thought about my lovely milk bottle that has been with we for many years and 2 house moves, and decided that it would be perfect featured on my 'Fluffy Goes To Heaven' set of paintings.

 I knew there was a reason why I had treasured it for so long.

For quite a while now, my 3 paintings of Fluffy Kitten's demise, and her ascent heavenwards have been incomplete.  Mainly because they had been under a bed and forgotten about for 3 years.

 After her tragic end, she floats upwards beautifully…………….

……….and she does arrive, but without the necessary objects that would make it heavenly for Fluffy.

She did so enjoy a fresh mouse, her next best food being lovely creamy milk.  So last week, I set out to rectify the situation, and supply a heaven for Fluffy.

Almost done now, but not quite.  Thinking that 'heaven' for Fluffy would be quite 'hellish' for the mouse population, I decided that once upstairs, they would be happy to live in celestial harmony.
  And thinking back to a favourite childhood book from many years ago, sugar mice would also feature as well, to replace their chewed-up furry cousins.

And why the Christmas trees? 

 For many years now, I have followed an old Polish tradition, told to me by my sons' Grandmother. 

 In the Poland of her childhood, Christmas trees were not 'planted' in the house, but suspended from the ceiling, so they twirled and twinkled, and were decorated only in frosty silver. 

Next week should see this work complete, and then I need to re-discover and finish my Cinderella painting, before she decides to disappear under a handy bed for a few years.

 And here is my Pink House Christmas tree.  Fluffy used to love lying under the suspended tree, occasionally relieving it of a silver decoration or two.

So, one artwork nears completion, and another is getting underway.

My collection of food items for a very important present is nearing completion.  Not every supermarket sells 'Smash' I have found, but buying 'Spam' has caused no problem.
 In fact, after using the tin in the creation of the artwork,  I am very much looking forward to a little Spammy treat, for not only does the front of the can offer a serving suggestion,

but the back of the can, as well as giving helpful opening advice, offers another tasty idea.

I rather think that I shall prolong the pleasure, and eat the Spam in different ways.Version one, have a Spam salad meal, like at junior school, in the days when salad was lettuce, cucumber and tomato.
 A thin slice of spam just called out to be cut into decorative shapes before being eaten.
Usually a house, for me, with smoke from the chimney as well, if feeling particularly adventurous.

And, having looked at the back of the can with the 'slice and fry' recomendation, perhpas another meal of Spam fritters, chips and beans.
With perhaps a small slice left over for a soggy white bread Spam and tomato sauce sandwich.
We certainly nibbled away at our culinary boundaries in the 60s.

As well as creating visual treats (well, in my eyes at least) this week I put the finishing touches to a reading for Juliette and Col's wedding.  I spent a morning assembling all the thoughts and ideas that had gathered in my head, writing and re-writing them in my favourite creative writing place (bed, of course) before trying the speech out on Mr Cooper.  Then, changing it here and there, adding it to an email  then pressing 'send' so it has arrived now with the registrars, all official, and just a little bit scary, too!

And as a 'thank you' to for Mr Cooper for being so patient with me and my creative processes (as he always is) I decided to spice-up our regular Sunday roast chicken by delving into 'Jamie's Great Britain' and experimenting with 'Empire Roast Chicken'.  The recipe gives instructions for a beautifully spiced and marinated chicken, bombay roast potatoes, and a spicy gravy too.

 My bit was the easy part, combining the chicken and the marinade, and leaving them overnight.
Mr Cooper had the challenging part, to follow a recipe for gravy.  And as I was leaving the house on Sunday for hospital visiting, Mr Cooper was asking me what 'roughly chopped' meant, as he had been asked to do this to the onions. (Sam said 'chopping when hungover.' )
Having explained some technical terms, I went to the hospital for a little lie down….

And then we re-united at 4 o'clock, to put it all together whilst drinking gin, and it was delicious.
So much so that we may well make it again, this Sunday.  The recipe is at the bottom of the blog, if you should also feel inspired to make it.  Drinking gin is optional.

Book club this week, lovely to see the girls again, and catch up with life for an hour or 2, and then discuss the book.  A wonderful read this time, with a totally different slant on some events during, around and after World War 2.  The story has many inter-woven parts, elements that each form their own complete story.  Rush to your nearest bookshop now, tissues needed in parts.

The title reminds me of a kitchen happening this week.  As an ageing female, I am fairly invisible to many eyes, and if you put me in work clothes near a sink, it is sometimes a wonder that I am seen at all.
Just before my final shift on Thursday evening, Sam had found a battery operated label maker.
After much hilarious fun labelling items around the house, he gave me a prominent label to wear to work, in the middle of my T shirt.  "No one will notice it anyway'" he said.

But it was actually spotted towards the end of the shift.  Chef Mickey said, "Did Sam put that on you?'
 "Yes," I replied. "He knows me very well, you see".

Well, it's a good job I find my jokes funny, I can amuse myself for hours, and sometimes have to.

Well, the working week is almost over for me, and the weekend beckons.  We are off to London tomorrow, and I will tell you lots about that next week.
Not everything about it, as we are off to Mr Cooper's annual treat.  The Sexpo exhibition is on for the weekend, in Olympia (replacing Erotica) http://www.sexpo.co.uk/

I hope your weekend is looking exciting too, and the weather will be kind,whatever you have planned.
 Until then, add a little spice to it, and enjoy yourselves.  Will catch up with you all in a week's time.

Happy birthday, blog!  I posted my first blog last year, on the 5th November.  It was all about why I was not writing, and more to the point not illustrating, my cookery book that I had been planning to write for 3 years.  I am pleased to announce that this is my 52nd post, so I have averaged one a week. Now all I have to do is include weekly snippets in the coming year's blog, showing that my book is actually happening. That could be a little tricky at the moment.
Watch this space! I need to devote a specific amount of time each week to start those illustrations.  Ideas are moving around in my head, but in a hazy, translucent way . No bright ideas as yet demanding to be released, and put on paper.

This is my last blog of the first year, and the last one written during my convalescence.  It doesn't contain much evidence of hard work, unless you count eating!  It does drift through my birthday in a haze of food and alcohol.  I know it was my birthday, and not the usual drifty days of food and alcohol, as there were cards and presents involved, and many treats which don't usually happen.
Here goes then……..

The day of my birthday was bright and sunny.  I opened my cards, from my bros, my mum, my friends the Lemons, and Mr Cooper, and my presents from Mr Cooper.  Exhausted and overwhelmed after all that unwrapping, I then got ready to attend my second 'Creative Writing for Gourmets' event, at Tuppenny Barn. http://www.tuppennybarn.co.uk/
Like getting married twice in 2 weeks (to Mr Cooper, of course) which does extend the pleasure, we decided (well, me really) to extend the pleasure of a birthday by having an actual birthday, then a sort of Boxing Day birthday to follow.  One in sunny Nutbourne, and the other in sunny Stockbridge.

Although the weather was perfect, I was not feeling really in the mood for a 4 hour writing workshop.  Nothing at all to do with my age, and decreasing faculties, I had at least remembered where I was going, and why, but because of the disruptions battering my life from without.

But, Tuppenny Barn gave me a marvellous present.
All us gourmet writers provide an item for lunch, and today mine was a birthday chocolate feast,
Nigella's 'Cloud Cake', containing no flour, made only out of loads of dark chocolate, many eggs, a good helping of butter, and a little sugar for good measure.  Fill the sunken top with lashings of whipped cream, and it is a cake to savour, small helping by small helping.

Coming back to the writing, our first exercise was to spend 6 minutes writing about anything in your head, which would not be read.  I spent 6 minutes writing about the feelings surrounding emotional happenings which are beyond my control, and how this has had a 'freezing' effect on my creativity, and in the process of this, I experienced a definite thaw, and the day passed with much writing, reading, munching and laughter.  I was to have put the actual passage of writing at the bottom of this blog, as an optional read, but that might not happen, as at the moment I cannot find it!  All will be revealed at the end of the blog.  Or not, if it still remains hidden.

The rest of the day passed peacefully, duck breasts with ginger were eaten (thanks again, Nigella)
and television was watched.  You must remember, that although the evening sounds fairly boring and mundane, we have been experiencing a period of convalescence which has, for the most part, led to boring and mundane evenings watching the telly.  But that will change next week!

Birthday Boxing Day!  A dry day, perfect for our trip to Stockbridge.  A regular occurrence for me, but a treat for Mr Cooper.  And the first treat of the day, lunch at Woodfire, cooked by that exceptional chef, Sam Hofman.  It was all done by Sam too, as he was the only chef in the kitchen!

Thinking back to when we went out once for lunch on Mr Cooper's birthday, and ended up having a drunken buying spree in Gunwharf Quays, which included the purchase of a great pair of black Levis 501s (expensive) and 2 full-sized purple tinsel Christmas trees (absolute bargains), we decided to learn from our mistakes, and not to eat or drink too much, or buy any more trees.

Here is that wonderful chef Sam, preparing one of the four mezzes that we ordered, Baba Ganoush.

We started out with the best of intentions, as we often do.  Though sometimes, we do start out with bad intentions, but not when convalescing!  We chose only four mezzes, we ordered only one large Peroni..

…………..but then, the freebies from the kitchen came out.  Oh well, we said, we may as well tuck in.
 In fact, lets go on to have a dessert.  In my case, Gorgonzola ice cream and a large Malbec.  Mr Cooper just stuck to coffee and brandy, forgetting caffeine is a banned substance for the next 9 months!

After that, time to see my other son, and settle down to receive more gifts.  Sam's gift to me is still in the making stage, but progress is looking good.   John gave me a beautiful and thoughtful selection of presents, plus a largish metal birthday card which is going to have a pair of legs welded onto it, so it will adorn my garden.

Time to go to the Greyhound, (thanks for our birthday drinks, Bex) and to the best room there.
Birthday Boxing Day hadn't ended, as my friend Juliette, from the exclusive 'Young At Heart' club, had left a wonderful assortment of gifts in our room (thanks for the room, Lucy).  Thursday just kept getting better and better!

Well, what could we do but 'enjoy', and relax, and then get ready for dinner.

A real treat to be seated in the dining room, receiving food, rather than in the kitchen, washing up from the dining room and the kitchen. After much deliberation, we made our choices from the new menu.  Hard choices, as there was so much we wanted to taste.  http://thegreyhoundonthetest.co.uk/food-drink/
After our starters,  carpaccio of buffalo for Mr Cooper, scallops and ox cheek for me,  and before our mains, the boys in the kitchen sent out a duck breast treat.  Venison and cod to follow, with a bottle of number 3. And to finish off, or more accuratley, to finish us off, peanut butter and chili icecream, which is just perfect, as long as you love chillies and peanut butter.  Just perfect.

Lovely to return home the next day to find more cards and presents. Thanks Sarah and Ali, thanks Rachael and Ben!

After all that, treats and laziness were put away with a little sadness………..work was very much on the horizon.  So, all my unfinished sewing projects were completed and put away, work dungaress, both for pigging and painting were found, plus swimming costumes.

We both approached the pool with trepidation, as it had been four and a half weeks since we had done any swimming, but all was fine.  I still remembered how to do it, and did it for a quarter of a mile! Mr Cooper remembered how to do it too, but then went to the jacuzzi to recover. We both remembered that was a good thing to do!

So back at work now, which is a relief. Goodbye inactivity, and hello wages and studio!
I hope you have a week of the activities you want to do, even better if they bring in your wages.
Looking forward to having your company in the year ahead.

Ps, I haven't found my writings from the workshop, perhaps it is their intention to stay private for the moment.