Wonderful Wednesday #200

{I couldn't have put it better myself...}
Welcome, welcome pull up a chair!  Hello and a Happy New Year and the warmest of welcomes as you join me in 2018's very first #wonderfulwednesday post on what might go down in history as the worlds most 'un-Wednesday feelin Wednesday' ever.  Apologies i didn't drop by this little corner last week.  I hope you didn't mind too much.  I was knee-deep in work and funny hours and WELL, i just wanted to re-charge a little.  I do hope you're well?  And that you had a lovely Christmas filled with all of your favourite things but more than that, that you too, took time to rest and to switch off also...?

I can't tell you how much it pleases me that 2018's first #wonderfulwednesday is post number two hundred.  And woah, where did the other one hundred and ninety-nine other posts go?!?  How have i even found the words!?!?  And yet here we all are...and here they all come for another list of great and good!

1.  A new page.  I know, i know it's all you've been hearing, seeing - breathing even!  Whilst    i wittered away on Instagram the other day about not really being one for New Year's resolutions {not for any other reason other than that i could do without the extra pressure if i'm honest} i do like the fresh-start feeling a New Year can bring:  That 'all slates are wiped clean/new books started/new chapters on the brink of being written' and all-in-all twinge in my tummy that anything is possible and that this year can shape out to be lots of things that i might not even know about yet.  And whilst i do prefer to know what's what, there's also a little bit of excitement brewing too....can you feel it too?!?


2.  Family.  It's rare to get all of my family in one place for more than thirty seconds, let alone a day or two but one thing i do love about Christmas {mince pies, roasted parsnips and sprouts aside} is the fact that for Christmas - we all make an effort. Not just me:  Everyone everywhere. You're forever hearing tales of people driving hundreds of miles just to spend that one day with those most special to them and that's the warmest feeling.  I mean, i love presents - giving more, but receiving also - but Christmas really is about being with those most special to you.  Life is so precious and we should be so grateful for that time.  


3.    Lazy film afternoons.  I'm not really a T.V kind of a gal.  I've spoken on here at great length about how my attention span last little over half an hour unless i'm really hooked.  Of course there are the odd exception to the rules here and there but at Christmas i feel like T.V is so good!  All of the good stuff:  Some Ninenties nostalgia in a little bit of Home Alone, some festive GBBO, a little Harry Potter thrown in plus Christmas and New Year specials from all of my favourite T.V chefs.  It's the ultimate in cosy, nostalgia and Christmass-eyness all curled up in your pyjamas dunking Christmas tree-shaped shortbread in spicy chai tea.  Mmmm!


4.   Parsnips.  Because they *could* go down in history as my very favourite vegetables and that's a grand claim and a half!  This year we nailed roasting them to perfection:  all crispy and edges curled on the outside and squidgy-caramel sweet on the inside and tossed in a little maple syrup and a good table spoon of wholegrain mustard at the last moment.  Maybe if i made a New Year's resolution it would be to do more things with these heavenly vegetables *puts thinking cap on quick*.  


5.  New cook-books.  I tried to ask for sensible presents for Christmas.  I mean of course there were the odd indulgent 'less useful but damned pretty' ones that got through the net: More Anthropologie crockery, some beautifully soft black clogs that i want to wear with printed socks and maybe even more candles {but can you ever really have enough of those?!} but i mostly got cook books and man oh man have i been enjoying spending the last few evenings with my pretty pack of Liberty print post-it notes, book-marking and making long lists of things i want to make and cook and create, when life feel's like it gets back to normal and Wednesday's start feeling like themselves again!


6.  Lighter mornings. That's right now we are post-Winter Solstice {the shortest day of the year} i really am going to chit-chat about ever so slightly longer days until the cows come home it feels like i have a whole other day to play after work and i can walk to walk with daylight tickling my little cheeks.  Yes, yes i am that person and what of it?!


7.   Looking forward to Spring.  Because are you even truly and genuinely 100% British if you don't almost want this season to be done and dusted months before the next is scheduled to arrive.  I'm over-looking the fact that it's pretty much certain we wont see Spring up north in Cumbria until the end of April IF we're lucky....  I just want to open all of the windows, clean everything so that it shines and smells of lemon juice and sleep under cotton sheets that have been dried out in the garden.  It's not asking that much....is it?!


8.   Fig chutney.  Because up until not so long ago i'd not even tried any kind of chutney!  Who can even believe it?!?  Don't lose sleep, it's okay i've more than made up for it and have been chomping through jars of the stuff with anything and everything ever since.  Fig might be my all time favourite and whilst i'm not so much of cheese 'person', you can't beat fig chutney slathered on top of a warm cheese scone with a little Parmesan for extra measure.  


9.  Porridge.  Because i swear to goodness it's saved my whole life this Christmas:  For every morning breakfast and as the only rocket fuel which keeps me going until lunchtime and even in smaller portions after late, late shifts and a tired self when nothing else but tea and porridge will do.  I've hardly mixed up what i've been putting in and on it either - believing that it really has had super powers:  Oats soaked in warm water for five minutes and cooked gently in almond milk with mashed banana, cinnamon and a generous scoop of Maca powder.  Then all topped off with a good zig-zag of peanut butter and toasted sunflower seeds and a dusting of chai seeds.  It's the bees knees i can tell you!


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And golly gosh are we DONE!  All typed-out and weary but feeling most excited for this year!  There are changes afoot dear and lovely faces!  I've got plans for this little spot and for me and i'm determined that THIS year shall be mine for the taking!


But for now, enough about me!  Go forth and cast your peepers over  Jo, Helen, Michelle, Sarah, Kate, Cat, Sam, El , Kerri's, and Peta's blogs and catch their very own #wonderfulwednesday posts and what has been keeping them going on this very odd and un-mid-week feeling Wednesday!  Let me know what your magic has been lately and what has been keeping a smile on your cheeks!  

Same time next week...? When it shall hopefully be feeling far more normal and far less, Topsy-turvey!