Why I couldn't resist buying a hat!
I may also have mentioned I have a weakness for hats, especially a straw one these days.
Well, I couldn't resist, I ordered one!
I am so excited as I am going to pick it up today.
Alison has also offered to host a try-for-yourself taster workshop for millinery novices, the only requirements are very basic sewing skills and enthusiasm, well, that's my boxes ticked for sure.
As readers will know, I have very basic sewing skills - just another family trait I failed to inherit, but I can, however, tick the box for threading a needle, and I think I can manage a tacking stitch.
We had an aunt who was a milliner, maybe my enthusiasm for hats came from her.
I do hope some of her skills will be in my genes when I have a go myself.
I also had a great night out in the company of the members of Mundesley WI.
On one of the hottest days and evenings, who would have known that the weather would be this kind to us when we booked a demo last October?
I prepped everything as early as I could before the sun came round to the back of the house; every door and window was flung open to create a draft.
My timing was spot on; I checked and rechecked all my recipes for my demonstration, packed my bags, and was off.
Thank goodness for ice blocks and cool bags.
I enjoyed the ride up along the coast with the car windows open, breathing in the sea air, reminiscing about many a holiday spent in Mundesley.
A warm welcome greeted me as I arrived at the Coronation Hall to set out my table.
And what a fabulous night it was.
I have to say my evening was not without a few hiccups, but no one noticed, and I was able to produce a "here's one I made earlier" to save the day.
The evening ended all too quickly, but not before I had shared some of my go-to recipes and my WI life.
My thanks for the most amazing support from their member Angela Smith, who became my sous chef/chief bottle washer, plus the members on the refreshment team, who also helped with the washing up.
Now I have to come up with some more culinary treats as they have invited me back next year.
Staying on the subject of food and the WI, two of my passions, I took a little trip down memory lane after reading Mary Dorrell's EDP WI week published recently, which reminded us of the 2009 Love Food Hate Waste campaign.
It became such an important part of our lives back then to up our game around our food shopping and waste.
I must add that all the advice given at that time has stuck with us.
But I really was astounded at the costs Mary quoted for the new green food waste bins that arrived on our doorsteps some time back!
I have an absolute aversion to these bins; they blow away in the wind when emptied.
I feel quite embarrassed, but I shouldn't be, as I only have a very small amount to put in it, and I try to avoid putting it out until it is more worthwhile to do so.
I need all my vegetable scraps for our compost bins and apart from scraps left on our plates, plus the odd shrivelled mushroom, there isn't much to throw away, and we certainly don't need two bins!
I loved the idea of Mary's Friday Pie, but we hardly have anything left by the end of the week to make one, but we do have Tuesday treats, when my family come over for lunch, that's the day when I go in search to the back of the fridge for our leftovers, maybe I should rename it Fridge Raid Tuesday Tarte!
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