City Walk

Hubby and I had been trying to attempt a walk for a couple of days, but "Mum & Dad's" taxi service had been in full use, so on Saturday we seized the opportunity and did one of my favourite city walks. We parked up at Meadowhall - as we had dropped the DQ at work - and walked down the footpath alongside the river Don into Sheffield. The footpath is well maintained as it is part of the Five Weirs Walk , but the marvellous steel walkways are often victim to metal theft these days. This scarey spider has survived though.

Many of the old industrial units by the river are now derelict, but a few were occupied and in full swing.

We spotted some fab graffiti painted on one building.


We reached the city and ended up on the " Wicker" - one of Sheffield's historical streets, full of fabulous grade II listed buildings but sadly now a more run down part of town.
The Wicker Arches used to carry the main railway line from Manchester, but this line and station are no longer used.
Can you see the patched up bit? A relic from the Sheffield Blitz.
At this stage, it started to pour with rain and sleet, so we popped into a gorgeous little pattiserie. Its years since I stepped into an eaterie on the Wicker and it was really lovely.
Once refreshed, we took time to explore some of the great buildings on the road.
The history of some of these buildings are amazing and should be preserved. I always love finding history and interest that I have not seen before - in places that I visit or pass through often. Its all about looking that bit closer.

There are some fascinating old buildings at the end of the Wicker. Until the floods in 2007, these housed a furniture shop, but they are empty now. I hope they don't get pulled down.

I wanted to photograph this area as it is where 2 rivers converge. The tunnel on the right brings the river Sheaf (where Sheffield takes its name from) from its culvert under the city, to join the river Don.
Whilst it was still raining, we thought we would pop into Castle Market - Sheffield indoor market who's days are apparently numbered. I've not been to Castle market since about 1980, and the area around it is very run down, but we were both gobsmacked to find how lovely it was inside. It was really clean and tidy. I'm planning a return trip for a better look.
Once back outside, the sun was shining, so we headed down to the canal basin for our return leg of the walk.


I think that there is a certain beauty in some of the derelict buildings along side the canal.
With the sun now shining brightly, the reflections in the canal where stunning.


The river and canal must have been a wonderful breath of fresh air through the industrial part of the city in the past - it still is. It draws the wildlife right into the heart of Sheffield. We saw a Kingfisher - as we have every time we have done this walk. And we finally got to take a walk! x

Di's Broadcast to the nation!

My daughter had to produce a podcast for part of her Uni course - and I was roped in! I thought you might like a laugh!! Thank goodness my kitchen looks OK as I look a wreck - and I had made an effort at that!! (although trimming my own fringe minutes before filming might not have been the best idea!!). I only did it on the proviso that she photoshop me to look like Audrey Tatou. And "one of your fruits a day" has become another one of my sayings that gets repeated in mocking tones on a regular basis! We did film a complete meal, but the podcast had only to be 2 minutes, so you only see the pudding.

It was really hard to do - and as you will see, Delia and Nigella can rest easy - they certainly have no competition. x

PS My now almost completed wombled and credit crunched kitchen features many of the beautiful gifts that have been bestowed upon me by my equally beautiful "blends" (bloggy friends). Don't they look fab! xx

Mohair Distraction

Just before I put the sewing machine away for Christmas, I turned this luscious vintage mohair scarf bought on my charity shop jaunt with Deb for 99p .....

...into this very designer looking cushion cover for the conservetory.
I did try to wear it Deb, but it was too itchy on my neck!

Family Photographs

I'm supposed to be cleaning the house and finishing off the Christmas Preparations - but I keep getting sidetracked! This morning I stumbled across a box of old family photo's -allow me to share some.

This photograph reminds my sister of the day that mentally scarred her for life - as she STILL "mithers" on about it to this day. We were at our Grandma's house, sat on the wall of her Rose Garden. The dressing up box consisted of only 2 flouncy net underskirts. Playing at "weddings" and being the oldest, and the bride, I decided I needed BOTH underskirts - leaving her to be a bridesmaid in just her duffle coat.

This photograph was taken on a Sunday afternoon stroll through Millhouses Park in Sheffield. It features me - 18months old, my Mum and Dad, both about 21 years old! and my baby brother. I can honestly say that my hubby and I have NEVER been for a walk with the kids in a suit and pearls. Standards have obviously slipped!
I remember the day that this photograph was taken very clearly. I was 5 years old and sat with my brother and my lovely Mama's (mums mum) waiting for Mum to bring home our new baby sister. She had been in hospital for a week and was being brought home in an ambulance - no complication, its just the way the NHS did it in those days.
What a happy family photo! We are on holiday in Blackpool and I'm not happy at all am I!!!
And I often wonder what could have possibly been said in the few seconds that you get between shots in a photo booth to change our faces!
Little brother took no time at all to grow bigger than me! We often looked like twins when we were little - especially as we were dressed in matching homeknitted cardigans!

Another Time

I'm at the stage with my preparations for Christmas where I panic. I do the same every year, I get SUPER organised, and then decide something major - that I know I don't have time for, but I go ahead and try and fit it in anyway! Yesterday, I was laying a new kitchen floor, and today I decided to have a huge sort out of a few drawers. However, I'm so glad I did. I found this.

My Grandad had once been an employee of the Fitzwilliam estate. When he died, we found this amongst some of his belongings. I'm glad I saved it.

As I crank up the heating to keep us cosy, and set about wrapping all the presents and stuff the freezer with food, I am reminded that times would have been very different when Grandiwad (my name for him) received his Christmas letter from his employer back in 1944.

My kitchen this week

Just reporting back that "Herman" cake turned out delicious - so if you are lucky enough to be given a portion of "starter", then give it a go. I dutifuly gave some portions away, but kept one to make another cake in another 10 days time.

The young man has a Christmas job at a local supermarket. He's on fruit and veg, and at the end of his shift marks down the prices. He made me laugh when in his break, he sent me a text that simply said "Cucumbers 2p" - that's my boy!
So I popped in and bought a job lot before I picked him up, and the grandparents will have a home made jar of Cucumber Pickle in their hampers for Christmas.

The only thing that matters at Christmas

Is there anybody out there who can get past the first 3 lines without blubbing with tears and snot and everything!!!! All these ladies have husbands out in Afghanistan.

I heard this for the first time this morning driving to work. My colleagues didn't know what to say when I walked in, and when I tried to explain that I had listened to a song that broke my heart - they looked at each other and still didn't know what to say to me!!

If you forget some ones card, if you buy Aldi mince pies instead of baking your own, if any minor point threatens to ruin your Christmas - just think on.xxxxx