A Provincial Lady

Just finished Silver on the Hill by Susan Cooper, so that's my first book of 2025 read. Have to say I really couldn't get into The Dark is Rising series. People rave about it, but reading it for the first time as an adult I had so many issues with it. I can see why kids like it though.

Threnody - completely new word for me today. Never heard it or seen it written before.

Slight dinner disaster this evening when I was grinding pepper over an egg, and the lid fell off and all the peppercorns went everywhere 😳. Thankfully whole peppercorns are pretty easy to pick off a plate so dinner was saved, but what a palaver 🙄

Any starter packs for county music on here?

Yay, it has been snowing overnight! Woe, it hasn't settled enough to prevent me from doing the 25 mile drive to the train station, or to have stopped the trains from running. Oxford office day it is then.

Oh my goodness. Homemade cocoa with a dash of ginger, pinch of mace and sprinkling of nutmeg whipped through is just lush. Perfect for a bitterly cold November night❄️

Hercule Poirot had it exactly right: stay warm, ride trains, keep a mug of hot cocoa on the night stand and pick the sort of career where people regularly invite you to visit their lavish country estates.

I gave up on being frugal with the heating oil today and have had the heating on since this morning. When the 'feels like' temperature outside is down to minus 5, sometimes it's better to just be cosy!

I can't believe she marries a Frankenstein's monster of both original tin men's bodies 😳. That is just not cricket 🤣

Here’s our Bluesky Starter Pack made up of the brilliant people and places that have a knowledge and passion for the Tudor world, contributing to, and featuring in, Tudor Places magazine. We’re looking forward to adding more people and places as this platform grows!

Bilbo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) saying "I am old, Gandalf. I know I don't look it but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart."

when you're old enough to have had a xanga and myspace and you're starting over on a new social media app in the year of our lord 2024:

Oh, that's a good idea! I'll need to look into getting some.

Yeah, me too. I have oodies, fleece lined leggings, an electric foot warmer if necessary, a hot water bottle, and lots of layers. Let's see how I get on!

I wonder if I could call in sick to work and state it's because it's too cold to get out of bed 😳. Considering I work from home and could bring my laptop to bed with me, I'm not one hundred percent sure the strategy would be successful.

Starter pack: women in Christian theology & ministry. go.bsky.app/93QuBQz

New to Bluesky? Love museums? We have you covered!

We're constantly adding new museums, libraries, and arts orgs to our Arts & Culture Starter Pack.

Today, we welcomed the @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social, @artukdotorg.bsky.social, and many more :)

bsky.app/starter-pack...

I think it might be too bizarre for me 🤭

It's now 4.30pm, and like clockwork I now have to endure a half hour of Merlin crying to himself downstairs because he is a poor and tortured soul, and his tummy is hungry, and I won't feed him until 5pm 😶.

Lunchbreak breadmaking, so I can have homemade broccoli and stilton soup with piping hot bread and butter for tonight's supper. Perfect for a snowy day ❄️

It's not settling, but the snow is so pretty from my spare room office window this morning!

New blog post. Not hugely cheery I'm afraid - goes down a bit of a rabbit hole with the Bible and then the Middle East
lisajaynegray.wixsite.com/home-and-hea...

Another blog post from me, on how to make easy peasy Scottish pancakes lisajaynegray.wixsite.com/home-and-hea...

A new blog post from me lisajaynegray.wixsite.com/home-and-hea...

Oh well. If I wanted a tidy house I wouldn't have pets I suppose 🤷🏼

Another day, another storm 🙄 #stormhenk

Sending so many hugs 🤗. Sounds awful.

Oh. I'm so sorry things are so hard just now. I've got no suggestions, but maybe Citizens Advice might? I know they are busy, but from what I'm reading they do eventually answer the phone or you can arrange a call back.

Goodbye, little monkey pants.

So did I 😁

The cat news was not good. Tomorrow she will be going over the rainbow bridge. I'm honestly not sure if knowing and having to wait is better than when these things happen unexpectedly. Either way it's bloody awful I suppose.
Why can't they live as long as us?