Generally Gemma

Beautiful Post

A little while ago I was lucky enough to win a give away that Liz ran on her blog for a book that she loved, The Otherwise Girl. The parcel arrived a couple of weeks ago on one of those mornings when I was miserable and when I opened the door to go the work it was just sitting there waiting to cheer me up. I thought about it all day at work desperate to get home and open it up.

And when I did what a treasure trove to behold! Not only had she included The Otherwise Girl, but also Pomegranate Soup, tea, coffee, some Green and Blacks chocolate and some yummy Cadburys Snaps. (None of which made it to the photo shoot as G and I tucked in instantly!)

The Otherwise Girl was an amazing book. Short enough to read in a day but haunting and touching beyond belief. I loved every single second of it. It was everything that Liz said it was and it is certainly staying on my bookshelf to be read again and again.

Liz also very kindly included this amazing bag! Perfect size for my library books!

And the dearest, scrummiest fabric too. Liz, you weren't foolish to include it, or the card and bookmark you made for me. I love them all. Thank-you so much.

12 on 12

   

Fun                                                  Peace

 

Parcel                                               Exciting

 

Odd                                                  Peeling

Reading                                           Watching

 

Freezing                                           Chilling

 

Growing

Lonely!

Why oh why?!?

Oh I had tales to tell. Tales of sunshine, bbqs, fruit and vegetable picking.

Instead I had to buy cherries from the supermarket and as we all know that simply isn't the same!

Instead we had this!

And then yesterday for a change we had this

This is JULY PEOPLE! Yes July and yet in unseasonal Britain we now have year round rain it seems. G tells me that he swears that he remembers when English Summer was proper Summer. The whack of wood on willow of a cricket match, the buzzing of bumble bees in the daisies on the grass, the scent of an over enthusiastic Dad burning sausages over fire in the garden next door because he has drunk too much beer watching Wimbledon. Being an expat kid I didn't have these experiences. Well the burnt raw sausages I did but that is a post for another day.

Apparently there is yet more of this to come. Remember also, that I don't drive, so I walk in this. I walk in this in unsuitable footwear and my leaky raincoat and I get drenched. I also get splashed by inconsiderate drivers who think it is oh so funny to drive at full speed through the five big lakes on the road up to my work. I swear. Lots. Then I get to work and get changed. Did I mention that the temperature has failed to drop much? My favourite combination of all time, rain and heat. I'm as fragrant as a daisy when I get home and a pleasure to spend time with just ask G!

Two weeks and a handful of days till Spain and two weeks holiday. That is my mantra, I repeat it over and over as I slog through the rain. (Interrupted by swearing at cars obviously.)

Hu in a what now?!

Yes, I have reached that sad blogging stage where I blog about my lunch! However, this is not just any lunch this is a lunch that revolves around home grown and homemade produce as the picture above illustrates. It may not be the prettiest thing alive but it is my first ever attempt at homemade humous, humus, hummus. (How on earth do you spell it anyway? There seems to be some sort of confusion.)

G pointed out that it looked like something you would find on the pavement in town early on a Sunday morning. <shudder> Notice he didn't say on a Saturday night, we don't go out on Saturday nights anymore. It's so loud and busy and you can't ever find a seat. We are 80 year olds did I mention that!

Also note the strange perfect triangular space in the centre of my cucumber. I didn't cut that. It came like it. What on earth causes that!?!? Alan Titchmarsh and Sarah Raven have both been most unhelpful on the subject!