A link to share from 'Crisis at Christmas'

I hope this link works as this is the centre where I volunteered on Christmas day.( such a fabulous college) in North London.  Click on the YouTube video ( you have to scroll down a bit on the page that comes up)  to see how wonderful 'Crisis ' is. It was amazing to take part.  I have only just seen this link so thought I would share it.
http://www.crisis.org.uk/news.php/376/thousands-welcomed-by-crisis-at-christmas-in-its-40th-year

Almost time to get back on the allotment now. I have to admit that I have been putting it off until the weather turns and the evenings get a little lighter, which is happening gradually it was still fairly light the other evening at 4.45pm. I'm sure there are lots of you who have already started on your allotments. There are a few plot holders on ours that work whatever the weather, but I know from past experience its possible to catch up, so I'm in no hurry.

A Very Happy New Year to you all

Well it's all over and a New Year has begun ! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you have lot's of plans for the coming year for the allotment and garden.

The weather is dreadful at the moment, high winds, rain and grey skies, but we can't complain as it's still very mild for this time of year and as long as we don't have snow at Easter ( we have in the past !) I for one am happy that we are having a mild winter.

I worked my two volunteering shifts with the homeless in London, one on Christmas day and again on the 27th December and it was just as great as last year, but this year we had a beautiful College in Kings Cross in which to feed, entertain and pamper our 'Guests' . The kitchens were first class so the volunteer chefs were very happy  and cooked some very delicious meals over the 'Crisis for Christmas' week.  The showers worked a treat and were used a lot, although we did have a chap who stayed in so long that the steam set the fire alarm off.  We had to vacate the building and line the next street until all was deemed safe to go back in. So we had to make sure anyone using the showers only stayed in for 5-10 mins after that.

There was a doctor, podiatrist, optician, hairdresser, and all sorts of therapists who gave their time freely to enable the guests to have a brilliant Christmas.  We had entertainers, a brass band, and an Opera singer, bingo, karaoke and arts and crafts.  It was amazing what 'Crisis' had achieved.  The lovely actress Sian Phillips (who was once married to Peter O'Toole) was there again this year and she has been giving up her Christmas for a number of years and really mucked in and didn't mind what jobs she was given, a true 'Star'.

I was lucky that my family indulged me again this year in not minding me 'doing my thing'  and I made up for it when we all spent boxing day together and also New Year.  Next Christmas I will do other days though rather than Christmas day so as to be fair to them. It's addictive though.  Most volunteers go back each year.

I have to now get on and plan what seeds to sow and when to sow them, so a look through my bulging seed box is a must this coming week. I haven't been to the allotment for weeks it's too depressing in this dismal weather.

Wishing you all A Happy New Year.
M x

A happy Ending to the Orla Kiely mug problem

I received an e-mail from the Orla Kiely customer service dept and they directed me to the company who makes their mugs as they had offered to replace them for me.  I was very pleased and so grateful.

I contacted the company with my name and address and a photo of the mugs I have and within a few days they had sorted it all out for me. Apparently they had a bad batch that hadn't been glazed properly and mine must have been part of that batch.  I am so impressed with the speed and generosity of the company as I received more mugs than I had bought. They arrived this morning and are lovely. They also said that they are posting out two more in January.  Amazing customer service

I love them !!

Have a Very Happy Christmas everyone and a Healthy and Happy New Year

M xxxx



Does anyone else have a problem with Orla Kiely mugs ? or is it just me ?

I have just e-mailed Orla Kiely customer services as I can't be the only one who has a problem with their beautiful and  very expensive mugs ! the problem is the quality of the bone china mugs they use. Let me explain ! they stain so badly and even the dishwasher doesn't move the stains. I have resorted to using a kitchen spray that has added bleach, which I know wont be doing any good whatsoever to the long term life of the mugs, but I'm desperate. I have even used a teapot rather than putting the teabag directly in the mugs, but that didn't work either.

I have other bone china mugs that cost half the price and they never stain, so this is very annoying especially as they cost £8.50 each. What an expensive mistake !! I realise that you pay for the design, but I expect quality as well for that money !! OK moan over, and I am waiting for their reply.  In the meantime does anyone else have these mugs ?? and do you have the same problem.

I feel better now I've aired that !
M x

A problem with blogger

I seem to be having a problem with blogger and wondered if anyone else has ? I have tried to upload a new header photo on a few occasions  and every time I do I get a message saying " sorry but you have exceeded your photo upload quota"  but how come I can keep uploading photo's to the main body of my posts then ?? I don't understand, anyone else had this problem ??? if so please tell me what you did about it.

I haven't been a good blogger of late and I feel bad about that. I have however been reading other peoples blogs and it seems that everyone is busy doing Christmasy things. There is certainly nothing for me to blog about the allotment as I haven't been up there for weeks and I don't intend growing anything throughout the winter, I guess I'm out of love with my plot at the moment, but come the Spring I hope to be back in the mood again, fingers crossed !

All my presents are now bought and most wrapped and some even given out to those I wont see over the Christmas. I am working in London again this year with with the homeless.  'Crisis' has been going for 40 years this year and they do a wonderful job, not just at Christmas but all year round.

I will work an early shift on Christmas day and a late shift on 27th. I can't wait as last year I got so much pleasure from it that I didn't feel that I was sacrificing my Christmas at all, in fact it was special working with the people there, and we had such a lovely Christmas day.  I get to spend Boxing day with the family and give the grandchildren our presents to open then, so they have another present opening day.  We will also spend New Year with the family,  so what's a few days to give up for a worthy cause. In case your wondering ! my husband will be well looked after with the family and doesn't mind me doing  'my thing'.

I also get to spend time with my youngest son and his partner as they are volunteering again as well, so I will have Christmas dinner with them in the evening when we finish our shift. 

I haven't really put up lot's of decorations as we wont be at home, but a few here and there and lovely candles look warm and inviting.

A feast for the eyes as well as the table.

Here is a book you will definitely want on your Christmas list if you love Indian food and beautiful photography and all things Indian. I know I do and was very excited to be sent this book to review.  It's a very large coffee table book, covered in a sumptuous silky fabric, looking very eastern indeed.

Looking inside is indeed a feast for the eyes. The photographs taken throughout India by photographer Anson Smart are stunning. The colours are amazing and each section of the book is of a different region of India.  Then comes the recipes ! there are 250 and they look and sound delicious. I have to admit that some I wouldn't try as they seem a bit elaborate and need a lot of ingredients, but there are plenty that anyone with a longing to learn different kinds of spicy Indian recipes would care to try. I think most people think only of Curry when it comes to Indian cooking, but actually lots of regions of India don't actually have curry as we know it but they do have lovely spicy food that would be easy to try for ourselves. 

The author is Christine Mansfield and she is one of Australia's most celebrated chefs. She has eaten her way around India for more than two decades, and has collected family recipes as well as from prominent Indian chefs for this book.  Looking through and reading the book (there is plenty to read for the traveller) she clearly loves India and it's colourful people and quite obviously loves it's food and culture. So we can use this book as a way to get to know more about India as well as an insight into it's regional food (which is so varied) and of course there is all 250 of delicious recipes to drool over and perhaps try our hand at cooking.
If you consider buying it as a present or for yourself, do look around as the price varies from book supplier to shop.

Here is a selection of pages from the book just to give you an idea of how gorgeous it is.

If you get a chance to look through this book anywhere please do as I think you will fall in love with it. I know I have.

A bit of a natter about this and that !!

I thought I'd just have a bit of a natter about this and that ! there isn't anything going on at the allotment. I have nothing to harvest, and I don't intend to grow anything throughout the winter months this year.  I am having a break from winter growing. As tempted as I am by reading other blogs and seeing what others are up to on their plots make me feel a little lazy, but I really hate going up there throughout the winter, so decision made !!!! no growing this year.

The garden on the other hand has only just started to give up it's colour and be beaten by the colder mornings.  The dahlias are still clinging on and amazingly I have a sweet-pea which is still flowering ( I must look out the packet of seeds) I know it wasn't 'Cupani' which is a similar colour, but this sweet-pea has a larger flower.

The dahlia below was a surprise as I had forgotten to lift it last year and so it suddenly grew and grew and then flowered all summer and I have just cut it back this week. It had a beautiful Gladioli growing in front of it that complimented it colour so well.

I have no idea what this dahlia is called,(above )  but it is so pretty. I think I will take it up or at least some of the tubers. Trouble is I am running out of space to store them over winter. I have lifted all my 'Pink Giraffe' as they are so special and can't be bought (as far as I know) in garden centres and only seem to be available from dahlia specialists. I bought my one at the 'Hampton Court' flower show years ago, and now have dozens from lifting and dividing from that one plant. The photo's below don't really do justice to the colour, but as you can see it's form is unlike most dahlias and has many people (myself included ) fooled as to what it is when first seen.

I have had a little time to browse blogs this week and I have to say there are some very inspirational ones out there, makes me feel that I'm not keeping up !! I enjoy doing the book reviews and feel lucky that I have the books sent to me to review. The last one which I did as a giveaway is lovely. I do have another to review next week and it's an amazing book about India, both travel and cookery combined, so watch out for it. If you are a fan of Indian cooking and culture, it's possibly one for your Christmas list.

I hope you all have a lovely week-end and whatever you are doing have a good one !
M x