I just watched the latest Shaun the Sheep instalment, the farmer's llamas. Very silly, very funny, and a lovely way to think about Gran. Also helped by a side serving of in-date York Fruits!
Saturday, 26 December 2015
Thursday, 3 December 2015
Thursday, 5 November 2015
Offer accepted!
Dear Gran,
Today we had an offer accepted on a house! I know there's still a long way to go before we actually get the keys, but the fact that we were able to make an offer with such confidence is entirely because of you. It's such a bittersweet feeling knowing just how much you would have liked to see Chad and I in our own home and yet I'll never be able to give you a Skype-tour or send you photos or keep you updated as we navigate home ownership.
I will never be able to say a big enough thank you for making this next chapter of our lives possible, but you will be with us every step of the way until we have the keys to our very own front door.
Thank you. Love you.
Caz xxx
Today we had an offer accepted on a house! I know there's still a long way to go before we actually get the keys, but the fact that we were able to make an offer with such confidence is entirely because of you. It's such a bittersweet feeling knowing just how much you would have liked to see Chad and I in our own home and yet I'll never be able to give you a Skype-tour or send you photos or keep you updated as we navigate home ownership.
I will never be able to say a big enough thank you for making this next chapter of our lives possible, but you will be with us every step of the way until we have the keys to our very own front door.
Thank you. Love you.
Caz xxx
Friday, 30 October 2015
Slow cooking: an autumn/winter 2015 fashion
A few years ago, Gran gave me her slow cooker. You know how much I like kitchenware, yet it sat in our cupboard for a long time.
I recently came across a recipe that used a slow cooker and being able to use it gave me great pleasure. It's rapidly become a star gadget in the kitchen and in the last few weeks I've used it to make Mexican chicken stew, lamb pilaf, Chinese 5-spiced beef and have just this afternoon come back from Waterstones with the DK Slow Cook Cookbook. I'm very much looking forward to an autumn/winter of slow cooking in my delightfully retro 70s slow cooker. Thanks Gran!
I recently came across a recipe that used a slow cooker and being able to use it gave me great pleasure. It's rapidly become a star gadget in the kitchen and in the last few weeks I've used it to make Mexican chicken stew, lamb pilaf, Chinese 5-spiced beef and have just this afternoon come back from Waterstones with the DK Slow Cook Cookbook. I'm very much looking forward to an autumn/winter of slow cooking in my delightfully retro 70s slow cooker. Thanks Gran!
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
A grown up trip to the theatre
Several Christmasses ago, Gran gave Chad and I some theatre tokens, that could be redeemed at pretty much most theatres in the country. Given our very busy schedules, they sat in a desk drawer for an embarrassingly long time (thankfully they don't have an expiry date!).
However, half term giving me time to plan fun things, I have finally used them to book us tickets to see the Book of Mormon in January. It will be a lovely treat to look forward to - we will dress up, go for dinner beforehand and be very thankful to Gran for sponsoring a lovely date night. I'm just sorry we never managed to book anything whilst I could still tell her about it but so glad she passed on a love of theatre to us all.
However, half term giving me time to plan fun things, I have finally used them to book us tickets to see the Book of Mormon in January. It will be a lovely treat to look forward to - we will dress up, go for dinner beforehand and be very thankful to Gran for sponsoring a lovely date night. I'm just sorry we never managed to book anything whilst I could still tell her about it but so glad she passed on a love of theatre to us all.
What would have been
I meant to post this a couple of weeks ago...
I was cuddling Sophie the other day (as you do) and talking with Kelsey who was sat on our black couch for a bit whilst Jake was playing on the floor. He was playing with his lego and went very quiet for around 10 minutes whilst we were talking. He then very proudly showed us the "bus" that he had made and it suddenly made me think of being at Bushmead and the glorious delight that Gran would have taken in that very situation. I can even hear the sound she would have made when he would have shown her the model, and that's good enough for me.
I don't know whether it's the brass fireguard from Gran's house that sits proudly in front of our mantelpiece or the fact that we were sitting in the right configuration that led me to think this. In any case, long may Gran's memory take delight in her great-grandchildren!
I was cuddling Sophie the other day (as you do) and talking with Kelsey who was sat on our black couch for a bit whilst Jake was playing on the floor. He was playing with his lego and went very quiet for around 10 minutes whilst we were talking. He then very proudly showed us the "bus" that he had made and it suddenly made me think of being at Bushmead and the glorious delight that Gran would have taken in that very situation. I can even hear the sound she would have made when he would have shown her the model, and that's good enough for me.
I don't know whether it's the brass fireguard from Gran's house that sits proudly in front of our mantelpiece or the fact that we were sitting in the right configuration that led me to think this. In any case, long may Gran's memory take delight in her great-grandchildren!
Monday, 26 October 2015
A sticky toffee dinner
We definitely think Baba would have liked our dinner tonight.
The main course was made by Aliya who has decided that cooking is good fun. She made guacamole and nachos and Mum helped by frying some chicken for the non vegetarians. Good work, Aliya!
The main course was made by Aliya who has decided that cooking is good fun. She made guacamole and nachos and Mum helped by frying some chicken for the non vegetarians. Good work, Aliya!
Pudding was made by Max and Mummy and it was... Sticky toffee deliciousness! Even though Mummy had to translate some of the ingredients into their Canadian equivalent, the puds came out beautifully. We even had Bird's custard with them. Absolute yum.
We enjoyed talking about Baba as we had our very international dinner.
Lovely all round.
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Wise owl
She's everywhere, our wise owl.
Saturday, 26 September 2015
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Friday, 14 August 2015
International Left Handers Day
Is today!
http://www.lefthandersday.com/
I think she would have thought it silly, but impressive that such a recessive gene can be found in so many of her lineage! Just waiting to see what Sophie does...
http://www.lefthandersday.com/
I think she would have thought it silly, but impressive that such a recessive gene can be found in so many of her lineage! Just waiting to see what Sophie does...
Friday, 31 July 2015
Jake at the theatre
Dear Gran,
Jake is currently obsessed with the book "Room on the Broom". I'm not sure if you ever came across it, but it's a fun story involving witches and dragons and friendship, and Jake will have one of us read this story to him three or four times a week. He's recently decided that each of us is now a character, so Kelsey's the witch, I'm the dragon, he's the cat, Sophie is the frog and Hobbes is the dog, of course. I had heard of a walking trail where the characters and storyline had been set up around a park, and started to look for it online, and by accident discoverd that there was a Room on the Broom stage show that had rave reviews from the West End and was coming north to Chesterfield. The internet being what it is, I had tickets booked in under 5 minutes and we went to the 10.30 matinee this morning.
You would have had a whale of time. It was short, only an hour, but perfectly pitched for kids with all the characters as they appear in the book as puppets, lots of songs and some funny dialogue to keep us adults amused. Jake sat mesmerised through the whole thing, cuddling Hobbes on my lap so he could see over the tall person in front. He had this wonderful look of concentration and a permanent grin as he recognised bits of the story coming to life, and couldn't take his eyes off the stage. It was a brilliant introduction to theatre for him, and I sat enthralled too, wishing that you had been able to take him and see the look of sheer joy on his face.
I also started him on the tradition of a small pot of ice cream to go with, though the train timings meant that we stuffed ourselves on the ride home with delight. Jake babbled about various bits all the way back, telling me how Hobbes had shouted at the dragon to go away and how the dog was very silly. It was interesting trying to describe what would happen in the theatre to him on the way there, but now he's been once, I'm on the look out for his next performance. It may be a while till we get to Alan Acykbourn and G&S shows, but we've started off in the right place.
Ben
Jake is currently obsessed with the book "Room on the Broom". I'm not sure if you ever came across it, but it's a fun story involving witches and dragons and friendship, and Jake will have one of us read this story to him three or four times a week. He's recently decided that each of us is now a character, so Kelsey's the witch, I'm the dragon, he's the cat, Sophie is the frog and Hobbes is the dog, of course. I had heard of a walking trail where the characters and storyline had been set up around a park, and started to look for it online, and by accident discoverd that there was a Room on the Broom stage show that had rave reviews from the West End and was coming north to Chesterfield. The internet being what it is, I had tickets booked in under 5 minutes and we went to the 10.30 matinee this morning.
You would have had a whale of time. It was short, only an hour, but perfectly pitched for kids with all the characters as they appear in the book as puppets, lots of songs and some funny dialogue to keep us adults amused. Jake sat mesmerised through the whole thing, cuddling Hobbes on my lap so he could see over the tall person in front. He had this wonderful look of concentration and a permanent grin as he recognised bits of the story coming to life, and couldn't take his eyes off the stage. It was a brilliant introduction to theatre for him, and I sat enthralled too, wishing that you had been able to take him and see the look of sheer joy on his face.
I also started him on the tradition of a small pot of ice cream to go with, though the train timings meant that we stuffed ourselves on the ride home with delight. Jake babbled about various bits all the way back, telling me how Hobbes had shouted at the dragon to go away and how the dog was very silly. It was interesting trying to describe what would happen in the theatre to him on the way there, but now he's been once, I'm on the look out for his next performance. It may be a while till we get to Alan Acykbourn and G&S shows, but we've started off in the right place.
Ben
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Thank you Gran part 2
Like in Emma's post, we received Gran's life-changing legacy today. I would much rather be able to pick up the phone (or more likely email as phoning was always difficult with my deep rumbling voice) and talk to her about everything, but her spirit lives on through her generosity. Her words about a life changing amount of money in our thirties ring in my ears, and today marks the next step in our big adventure next year by becoming debt free (bar the mortgage). I've carefully balanced budgets, made cuts and wrote more rubbish on the internet than you could search in a lifetime to get to this stage, but to get across the debt-free finish line with 9 months to go is life changing for so many reasons. It's a massive weight off my mind, it allows us to live off our incomes even when Kelsey drops to SMP in September and means that once we sell up here, we can turn up in America with a massive nest egg and owe nothing to anybody. What a start to our new life! Gran, you probably would have liked the difference you're making, but I can assure you that I (and my little family) will always be grateful.
It's also not all about sensible finances. Jake is currently obsessed with Room on the Broom, so Gran is paying for me to take him to his first theatre trip on Friday to see the live version. We may even buy small ice creams at the interval, and I will definitely have my G&S CD on full blast on the ride there and back.
It's also not all about sensible finances. Jake is currently obsessed with Room on the Broom, so Gran is paying for me to take him to his first theatre trip on Friday to see the live version. We may even buy small ice creams at the interval, and I will definitely have my G&S CD on full blast on the ride there and back.
Thank you, Gran
Today some of Gran's amazing generosity has turned into a transformational amount in my bank account. This will let us all do all sorts of brilliant things, from the highly-pragmatic-and-boring-but-very-very-sensible (mortgage overpayment 1 now made, ISAs filled...) to enjoying some more frivolous moments - I have a feeling Aliya's dream trip to Mexico to Chihuahua state may be funded by Gran.
I'd give anything to have a happy and healthy Gran instead but as we can't have that, I will have to settle for knowing that she will live on through the changes she will help us make.
Thank you Gran. I love you.
I'd give anything to have a happy and healthy Gran instead but as we can't have that, I will have to settle for knowing that she will live on through the changes she will help us make.
Thank you Gran. I love you.
Monday, 6 July 2015
Gran's bequests ...
Gran left three bequests to charity: Woodland Trust, Retirement Education Centre and BMK Waterway. Here is the reply from the REC: she would have like to know this!
Dear John and Jane,
Thank you for your very kind letter and the
cheque for £10,000 bequeathed by your Mother, Margaret Harden, which we
have received with grateful thanks.
We are about to embark on a major development at
the Centre to provide two new classrooms for art and fitness, as well as
improvements for access and catering and generally bring the buildings in line
with current legislation. The bequest will go a very long way towards these
improvements and I will keep you informed as we progress. Hopefully, in the not
too distant future we will be able to invite you and your families to the
unveiling.
Sunday, 5 July 2015
New Generations Concert
Today I conducted my last concert for NMPAT, using Gran's baton. She came to see me conduct the County Junior Wind Orchestra in March 2014 at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton, where she took us as kids to see musicals! I thought of her a lot today, and hope I would have made her proud.
Monday, 29 June 2015
Pat
Pat's funeral was today. Afterwards the swimmers went to lunch at The Pheasant. Lots of shared memories. A happy occasion.
Sunday, 28 June 2015
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Mini toad in the holes
I first made toad in the hole at Gran's, using a recipe in the book she was given by her mother when she got married. The book now lives with Mum. Tonight we thought toad in the hole would make aa good quick dinner. However, having sold my Pyrex dishes recently, I didn't know what to do with the batter I'd just made... Until I had the brainwave of making a hybrid Yorkshire pudding toad! The mini toads were fab and I think Gran would have liked the smaller portion size too.
Monday, 22 June 2015
Knowledge and Grace
Dear Gran,
Today was a glorious day. Our daughter and your 4th great grand daughter was born, completing our pigeon pair as you delightfully called it. She's the spitting image of Jake (and also an old Russian woman!) and the sad tinge on an otherwise joyous day is that you didn't get to meet her, though you did know she was coming.
I wanted to explain her name to you as it's full of little cryptic secrets that I think you would have liked. She's been born exactly halfway in between your and Peggy's birthday and whilst she didn't get to meet you, we wanted her to carry a part of each of you with her. To this end, Sophia is also the Greek word for wisdom, which is the key trait Kelsey and I associate with you, whilst Grace is the key characteristic for Peggy, so she carries both of your best traits with her.
She's a Forbes Wolfson (no hyphen) like Jake, which means that when she gets to school, we're probably going to register her as Sophia Grace Wolfson, so she doesn't have to explain the two surname thing as well as learn to write and spell both! Grace Me Guide is the Forbes family motto (from Scotland), so she'll carry both sides of her family with her as well.
I wish you'd been here to see her as I think she's gorgeous. I'll keep you posted with our little family's adventures on here as I know that you would have liked that. To start, here's a pic that I would have emailed you to savour till we saw you in person.
Ben
Today was a glorious day. Our daughter and your 4th great grand daughter was born, completing our pigeon pair as you delightfully called it. She's the spitting image of Jake (and also an old Russian woman!) and the sad tinge on an otherwise joyous day is that you didn't get to meet her, though you did know she was coming.
I wanted to explain her name to you as it's full of little cryptic secrets that I think you would have liked. She's been born exactly halfway in between your and Peggy's birthday and whilst she didn't get to meet you, we wanted her to carry a part of each of you with her. To this end, Sophia is also the Greek word for wisdom, which is the key trait Kelsey and I associate with you, whilst Grace is the key characteristic for Peggy, so she carries both of your best traits with her.
She's a Forbes Wolfson (no hyphen) like Jake, which means that when she gets to school, we're probably going to register her as Sophia Grace Wolfson, so she doesn't have to explain the two surname thing as well as learn to write and spell both! Grace Me Guide is the Forbes family motto (from Scotland), so she'll carry both sides of her family with her as well.
I wish you'd been here to see her as I think she's gorgeous. I'll keep you posted with our little family's adventures on here as I know that you would have liked that. To start, here's a pic that I would have emailed you to savour till we saw you in person.
Ben
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
Gran - and Pat - would have liked tthis
When we bought our Italian house and set about renovating it, Pat got Mar to tell her all about it, show photos and share the delight.
Then Pat sent us a cheque to buy something to help decorate the house, and this is what we bought.
Every day we plonk umbrellas or walking sticks in Pat's Pot.
Happy memory.
Sunday, 14 June 2015
Birthday challenge
With Gran's birthday coming up this week, I challenge you all to do something that reminds you of her to mark the day.
Max has suggested a marmite sandwich or watching Shaun the Sheep! To kick us off, Max and I played two rounds of clock patience before bedtime, a game Gran taught us both (with a 30 year time gap). He did so well in the first game that he only had two cards left and asked me to take a photo:
Max has suggested a marmite sandwich or watching Shaun the Sheep! To kick us off, Max and I played two rounds of clock patience before bedtime, a game Gran taught us both (with a 30 year time gap). He did so well in the first game that he only had two cards left and asked me to take a photo:
Friday, 12 June 2015
Max the author
The second published author in our house! Max's short story has been chosen for publication in a local anthology.
Thursday, 4 June 2015
French Open
Anyone else finding that they're paying more attention to Andy Murrary's progress in the French Open than previously...?!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/33010749
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/33010749
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Not so violent now...
... That two of the African violets are blooming beautifully on the windowsill.
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
All together now
You should now get emails when anyone posts or comments.
I feel gran would have appreciated the sheer joy about his minons backpack...
Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Rick's workbench and tools
Yesterday two Men in Sheds from the new Bedford branch came to take away Rick's bench and tools for their workshop. They were thrilled to have such a robust, high bench - they haven't got anything like it. I think mar would have been tickled to know about it helping the next generation of Men in Sheds. Never thought of Granf as one those!
Jane
Sunday, 17 May 2015
Picnic with Gran
To: Mrs M Harden
Skylark 25
Keysoe
Beds
MK44 2JP
16 May 2015
Dear Gran,
Thank you for letting us come and visit you yesterday. It was a glorious day and Caz, Asad, Aliya, Max and I had a lovely - if rather rushed - picnic. Skylark 25 is looking beautiful from the outside and I hope it is just as nice from the inside!
Lots of love, as ever,
Emma
xoxoxo
Cousins
After a riotous day in The Paddock yesterday,,cousins continued to have a lovely bumblung time together. It's hard to say who enjoys their play sessions the most...
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Next big steps
As of a couple of hours ago, I have all the paperwork in place to satisfy my accountant husband... a letter of admission to the University of Toronto and a letter confirming a two year scholarship to help pay for it. Canada here we come...
I had the chance to tell Gran about our plans and, as you might expect, she was incredibly supportive (as the rest of you have been too), despite the fact it would entail us moving several thousand miles away from the UK - and even further away from the Tajik family.
I am so sad that Gran didn't get to hear the conclusion to my latest project (I take after Mum!) but know she would have liked it and been proud of me. Her inheritance to us really will be life changing as it will help support the latter years of my degree, which I see as the next step in my career and in my family's life.
Love you Gran xoxoxo
I had the chance to tell Gran about our plans and, as you might expect, she was incredibly supportive (as the rest of you have been too), despite the fact it would entail us moving several thousand miles away from the UK - and even further away from the Tajik family.
I am so sad that Gran didn't get to hear the conclusion to my latest project (I take after Mum!) but know she would have liked it and been proud of me. Her inheritance to us really will be life changing as it will help support the latter years of my degree, which I see as the next step in my career and in my family's life.
Love you Gran xoxoxo
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Anniversary trees
For our one year wedding anniversary, I paid for two new trees to be planted (by the Woodland Trust) in a new forest just outside St. Albans so Chad and I will always have trees to visit in the place where we spent the first year of our marriage.
The connection to Gran makes me smile; I'll post a photo when we have gone to visit "our" trees.
The connection to Gran makes me smile; I'll post a photo when we have gone to visit "our" trees.
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Willow tree
Mar paid for our weeping willow tree in Mochignano. Jane and I emailed her a picture each visit to show her the growth. It's a fine specimen growing beautifully. A great reminder of Mar and the BT garden
Saturday, 11 April 2015
First born lefty
Grsn was always entertained by how left hand dominate Jake was from a young age. He's recently got into "drawing" and it's now official: Jake is a lefty. Who wants to teach him to write?
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Dawn chorus
I didn't sleep well last night and woke up whilst it was still dark. I imagine that it was about 5am (I don't like to check clocks as it makes me more likely to worry that I'm not sleeping!) and for quite some time I was treated to the most wonderful series of bird songs as the dawn chorus got underway.
It made me think of Gran because she told me once that she'd forgotten to take her hearing aids out overnight and had similarly woken at around the same time and had marvelled at the dawn chorus that morning.
I wonder how the birds over Skylark 25 are today?
It made me think of Gran because she told me once that she'd forgotten to take her hearing aids out overnight and had similarly woken at around the same time and had marvelled at the dawn chorus that morning.
I wonder how the birds over Skylark 25 are today?
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Monday, 6 April 2015
A visit to Bushmead
Chad and I went up to Bushmead today to check on the house. It was a glorious Spring day and the flowers in the tubs outside her front door were blooming and looking so cheerful. The embankment and park opposite her house were full of happy families enjoying the bank holiday and I saw an ice cream van which reminded me of all the lovely walks (or pushes with Gran in her wheels!) we took by the river which may have involved an indulgent 99p flake...!
It was really really sad to be at the house without her, especially as it would have been a perfect afternoon to go out for a stroll and some gossip and a chance to get some vitimin D inside her, but now that I've been once I know it will get easier.
It was really really sad to be at the house without her, especially as it would have been a perfect afternoon to go out for a stroll and some gossip and a chance to get some vitimin D inside her, but now that I've been once I know it will get easier.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
3 reds and a yellow...
Just had brunch with friends, where we brought a cake from the co-op with 3 red circles and 1 yellow for how healthy it was for you. I feel a little disappointed that I won't be able to feed Gran with it as even a small slice would have almost a quarter of her daily calories.
Friday, 3 April 2015
Walking in Cornwall
This afternoon, Chad and I started planning our summer holiday... A week in Cornwall walking bits of the South West Coastal Path. I think Gran would've approved.
Our garden
I think of things everyday that I would like to have shared with Gran.
Yesterday I saw a wren darting across our garden, stopping only long enough for me to identify that it wasn't yet another sparrow! It's the first time we've seen a wren and I ticked it off with pride in the bird book Gran gave Aliya some years ago.
On the same day our garden was visited not just by the usual urban assortment of sparrows, blackbirds and pigeons but by blue tits and robins as well as the elusive wren.
On this occasion, our crazy pair of resident squirrels were nowhere to be seen...
Yesterday I saw a wren darting across our garden, stopping only long enough for me to identify that it wasn't yet another sparrow! It's the first time we've seen a wren and I ticked it off with pride in the bird book Gran gave Aliya some years ago.
On the same day our garden was visited not just by the usual urban assortment of sparrows, blackbirds and pigeons but by blue tits and robins as well as the elusive wren.
On this occasion, our crazy pair of resident squirrels were nowhere to be seen...
I saw this and thought of Gran...
Mum, Dad and I were talking tonight about our upcoming trip to the Lakes and the plan to get Jake up Alfred Wainwright's first Lakeland walk and we had the communal thought that "Gran would have like this". Thus the idea was born.
Long or short, pictures or words, any time you think of/see/do something that makes you think "Gran would have liked this", post it for the rest of us to look at!
To start you off...I did a crossword with my old buddy Mark the other week and he was one of the first people I managed to share my love of crosswords with back at university. In the same that Gran taught me and then used it as a way to keep in touch, Mark and I do the odd Telegraph crossword (much easier than the Grauniad!) over Skype and it helps to keep in touch. I don't think I told Gran that we did this as the "meetings" are infrequent, but I think she would have liked the idea of the next generation of solvers getting started.
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