Monday Morning

Today is the first day of term...

let's just look at a calming picture
of the Normandy countryside.

Deep breath.

Off I go.

nihil novi

Pierre Bonnard (1867 - 1947)
Modele se deshabillant

MrsM looks in her wardrobe
and says to herself
"If only I can find ONE thing to wear
that is clean AND ironed
I absolutely PROMISE that
I will never ever EVER be so chaotic
about my laundry and ironing again."

And MrsM hears a stern voice
inside her head
which says
"You said that yesterday."

Time Management

(1)
baked before bedtime

Strawberry cake

(2)
iced before breakfast

Chocolate cake

(3)
washed up after work

Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

Too
Much
Cake!

*****

It is a while since I have made the chocolate cake recipe - it used to be my favourite cake but it was quite dry - I think I will add sour cream next time. The lemon and blueberry cake, on the other hand, was delicious. I added blueberries to a standard Victoria sponge recipe and made a cream cheese frosting flavoured with lemon rind. It was light, moist and not too sweet. I don't eat as much sweet food as I used to and I think that my tastes might have changed. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

She Married Him

Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender

MrM, MrsM and MissM
enjoy an evening at the cinema
watching Jane Eyre

MrsM
I thought it was an interesting script
because it assumed
that you knew the plot.

MissM
To be fair,
the only person in the world
who would be surprised
by the ending
is MasterM.

MrM
What do you mean?
He studied Jane Eyre
in his first year at University.

MrsM
I am afraid that he was too busy
to read the whole book
because it was 'so long'.
His strategic approach was to read the first half
and concentrate on character analysis in the exam.
He never read the end.

MrM
Why am I not surprised?

High Noon

MrsM
What a shame that you fell asleep!
They showed the alternative ending -
it was a real movie-fan treat.
But really sad...

MrM (still groggy)
What!!
Gary Cooper died!!
I didn't know there was
an alternative ending.

MrsM
It was the director's preferred ending
but he was over-ruled by United Artists.

MrM
You should have woken me up

MrsM (kindly)
You were so tired
I felt sorry for you.

Saturday Morning

Henri Matisse
Odalisque with Red Trousers

MrsM lies in bed and reviews the week

Violet nail polish
Nasty shock in the morning.
Quite unsuitable for 'mature' skin.

Blue shirts for MrM
Too many.
All to be ironed.

MrsM sighs.

Green pesto sauce
After disastrous discovery
that jar of Tesco pesto was empty
forced to make some
with basil, parmesan and whatnot.

MrsM sighs again.

Yellow plums
sour, sour, sour
MrsM's cheeks have not yet recovered.

Orange handbook
MrsM's vibrant colour choice for 2011
has not been well received
Geographers prefer pastel shades.

Red and white spotty apron
It has not been a good week.
MrsM tries to think
of a reason to get out of bed...
She could 'treat' herself
to a new apron for her Saturday chores...

MrsM sighs deeply.

She is not motivated by aprons.
She makes alternative,
chocolate-based plans.

Misericordia

A new Head of Department
has just moved into
the office next door

and it is only two weeks
before the start of term.

I am working long hours
and my brain feels numb
at the end of the day.

Too numb to write.

Service will be patchy.

*****

Misericordia from l'Abbaye de la Trinité, Vendôme

Meanwhile...

MasterM is building sandcastles
just in case you wondered...

Shopping with MissM

The Great Bed of Ware

MrsM is browsing peacefully.
MissM and the Charming MasterN
are doing the hard work.

MissM
Hi!
We were looking for you
We've got everything I need for uni.

Charming MasterN
Don't worry!
It is all very good value.

MrsM
What's this?
A plain red duvet cover?

MissM
I haven't chosen anything expensive.

MrsM
It doesn't match your towels.

MissM
That's true.
But that doesn't matter.
Does it?

MrsM
Matter?
Of course it matters.
I can't let you go to university
with a plain duvet cover
that doesn't match your towels.
My life is too short
to waste it worrying about you.
Find a shop assistant.
I need to talk to someone.

among trees

Today I am thinking of
Alicia and Andy
as they travel across America.

Alicia has been a source of inspiration
ever since I started blogging...
she has shared their life,
the happiness and the sadness of it,
with insight and honesty
and her voice is always true and warm.

May this be
just the beginning
of their journey.