My week in pictures

My week started off with dinner with friends at Tara’s Busy Kitchen. Chloe and Sarah popped over on Saturday evening for our monthly catch up. We always have a fun time when we get together.. We eat lovely food and have a glass or two of vino. Saturday was no different. Sarah was in charge of nibbles. I was on main course duty and Chloe was the pudding queen.

We had some antipasti to start with.. Marinated artichokes and some lovely stuffed olives. I had made some houmous so we had that with some rather lovely Parmesan and garlic cheese straws.

   
  
Our second course was a medley of salads. We had a mixed bean salad with a garlic dressing, roasted mixed root vegetables with a smoked paprika glaze and a quinoa, courgette and broccoli salad that was based loosely on a Deliciously Ella recipe.

   
  

  

   For dessert we had a mixed berry platter with either (or both like me!) Greek yogurt or cream and a drizzle of maple syrup. So yummy!  

After dinner we sat down with a pot of tea and some choccie to watch Strictly Come Dancing that I had recorded earlier that evening. What a treat… I love Strictly season. It’s the dancer in me I guess?!

Sunday morning I woke up to beautiful sunshine pouring in through my bedroom window. What a thrill to see this as we have had such a dreadful summer up to this point. I hopped out of bed, showered and got myself ready to get out in the sunshine and do a few chores. Once the boring bits were out of the way I popped up to the library. There were a couple of books that I was hoping to take out. The first being “All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr. Unfortunately the copies had already been spoken for so I will have to wait a bit longer for that one. The second book was “Gizzi’s Healthy Appetite” by Gizzi Erskine. That was available so I quickly pulled it off the shelf and into my arms so no one else could have it!! I picked a few more recipe books.. I have a bit of a thing for recipe books!! I have mentioned it before. I just love them! I also picked up a guide book of Croatia. Steve and I are thinking about planning a trip to the Dalmation Coast in July next year.

   
  

     

The library is such a wonderful resource and it’s right on my doorstep. (About a ten minute walk from my front door!) Whether you haven’t got the pennies for a new release or you want to do some research, it’s fabulous. I wish more people would make the most out of this free service. It really is a great place. Our library in Exeter is pretty big with lots of quiet spaces to sit and read, have a coffee and a slice of cake in the cafe or have some play time with your children if you so desire.

After taking my books back home and having a read and a spot of lunch I walked back in to town to meet my friend Emma (of Lorna Ruby fame!)

We had planned to meet after she had finished work for afternoon tea. As the weather was so wonderful I packed a blanket so we could take our tea and cake away and picnic in Northernhay Gardens. 

We stopped by Boston Tea Party to stock up on tea and cake. We opted for a coconut and chocolate flapjack and a wonderfully moist chocolate brownie. 

We laid out our blanket and made ourselves comfortable in the gardens. The sun was beating down on us as we chatted and consumed our goodies. It was truely wonderful in the early autumn sunshine. 

   

  

    
 

On the way back from our picnic we pottered through the rest of the gardens taking pictures in the early evening autumnal light. Stunning!

   

  

  

  

  

Miss Marple has been very poorly recently as I am sure you all know. She seems a lot more loving and sociable as the weeks go by. I am so happy that she is showing more love towards me. It makes me so happy!

   

  

  

  
 

My day off this week was on the hottest day of the summer that I can remember. I met my friend Lucy at The Glorious Art House in the morning for coffee in the courtyard.

  
  
I popped to the farmers market after coffee and purchased some rather wonderful looking yellow courgettes. The tomatoes at the market were particularly wonderful this week too.

   
  

 

After the farmers market it was on to The Real Food Store. I fancied a loaf of Emma’s bread. A baguette to have with lunch. So yummy!

   
After lunch I met up with another friend Emma Garnet. We visited The Welcome Cafe and sat in the garden for tea and cake. 

   
  
After our afternoon tea we did a spot of blackberry picking. The blackberries weren’t at their best. I think I will have to wait a week or two for the real blackberry harvest to start! I can’t wait!

    

My week has been filled with wonderful friends and sunshine. I am so lucky that I have such a wonderful group of chums that are there for me as well as I am for them. (I hope they would agree!) I have more lovely things planned with various friends and loved ones next week and I can’t wait to fill you in on that.

My ballet classes started again on Monday this week. I don’t think my poor old body has been without aches and pains since I woke up on Tuesday morning!! It takes a week or so to get back into the swing of things. I will probably wake up on Monday morning free from pain ready to start all over again on Monday afternoon! Hahahaha! I shouldn’t complain.. I enjoy it really!

Have a wonderful week everybody.

XX

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