Wednesday 26 October 2016

Wonderful Wednesday # 3


" Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
    I took the one less traveled by,
    And that has made all the difference."

Wonderful Wednesday my lovely ladies!!! Here I am, beginning this post, which I was looking forward to write, with one of the quotes I love the most and make me feel all the autumn vibes! This is my favourite verse of a Frost's poem my father used to repeat  when me and my little sister were little girls and we went walking in the woods together, picking up chestnuts and drinking hot chocolate from a thermos brought from home!It's a gift to have such good memories! 
Happiness comes suddenly, when you least expect it..for me it was on Monday night when, opening my blog, I discovered with joy some of the most adorable comments I've ever received from some of the ladies of this merry gang!!! Kate, Cat and Kerri..if you are reading this..the warmest of the hugs is all for you..you truly made my day!!! 

So, now let's go straight to the point:

1. Cooking dinner with my mum. Last Saturday two of my favourite girls came for dinner for the first time in my new house, so I decided to prepare something special ( we usually go for a pizza) to celebrate the beginning of my independance. After a quick trip to the sumermarket, my mum decided to help me so we planned the menu and started to cook together; we had so much fun preparing a starter of swivels of puff pastry with cheese, ham and grilled zucchini, a pumpkin and potato soup with chopped walnuts and the most fragrant of the apple pies! Living in my own flat means that the moments I spend with the family become unique and precious, away from the small disagreements of the daily life.

2. Jane Eyre. Autumn is Jane Eyre's time of the year, isn't it?! Rainy days, dark clouds, fallen leaves, the early morning frost, steaming cups of tea.. everything reminds me the mysterious atmosphere of Thornfield Hall. 
Having said that, you can imagine my excitement when, during my last trip to the local library, I found out that I could rent the first movie of the book, which I was looking forward to watch! It was such a pleasure to spend a cosy night in, enjoying that passionate and anguished love story, that never fails to move me. 

3. Cuddles with the little boy of a friend. Even though I've always had a sweet nature and a passion for kids, I really need to find a frog to kiss and turn into a prince before being ready to become a mum.. and I suppose it will take some time. However last Friday I went to my friend's house to visit her lovely newborn, a chubby little boy, with deep blue eyes and a soft skin, which smelled of babypowder. It was so nice to cuddle him and make him smile and giggle, but moreover to see my dear friend being such a brilliant mother.

4. Buying tickets for three plays at the theatre ( "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie is among them). One of the things I love the most about living in this new little city is the old theatre, renovated some years ago, which is just four steps from home. Going to the opening of the theater season on Saturday morning and buying tickets for three of the plays in the programme made me feel like a sophisticated lady! I know that is just a little theatre of a tiny provincial town, but the idea to spruce me up for an elegant night with my besties is thrilling!

5. Morning ritual. Since when I moved house, every morning I try to leave the bed at least half an hour earlier than usual in order to eat my large bowl of muesli and soy yougurt ( this week I'm all about the strawberry one) and sip my coffee on the sofa, wrapped up in my woolly blanket, warming my hands around the steaming cup. It's a morning ritual that I'm appreciating every day more, the perfect way to start a new day slowly, enjoying the silence, the pleasure to be alone with my thoughts and the beauty of the town that wakes up.

Despite the fog that wraps the town, I wish you a lovely day my darlings and I'm really curious to know what has made your week a beautiful one! Your comments are gifts that fill my heart with pure joy!!!
Here all the fabulous WW ladies which I must thank fo all the positivity and optimism they gave me in all these months:
Sally, Jo, Helen, Michelle, Sarah, Kate, Cat, Sam, El, MimmiKerri.

Love
Martina
Wednesday 19 October 2016

Wonderful Wednesday # 2




"I'm late. I'm late. For a very important date. No time to say " Hello, Goodbye". I'm late. I'm late. I'm late."

This evening I feel like the White Rabbit of Alice in Wonderland but, despite the complete lack of time of the past few days, I really really wanted to write this happy post, so here I am, wishing you the most wonderful of the Wednesday evenings!
How was your week so far? Mine has been full of new beginnings.. I finally left "the nest" last Saturday to move in my new tiny, lovely, cosy apartment which, I must say, looks exactly as I've always dreamt of. 
So this evening, for the first time in my life, I'm curled up on the sofa, under the woolly blanket I used when I was a little girl in the nursery school, sipping a chai tea latte and writing this list of happiness:

1. Pumpkin. Is there anything in the world more autumnal than pumpkin??!! Just thinking about all the yummy things that you can made by it makes me drool: spiced muffins with pumpkin and chocolate chips, pumpkin and potatoes soup with a sprinkle of cinnamon,  pumpkin's potato dumplings flavored with butter and sage, risotto with pumpkin and mushrooms or pumpkin and rosmary... I could go on forever! Maybe it's just because I'm waiting for my dinner to be ready and all that I can think is about something delicious to fill my belly with, but I swear I do love pumpkin so much!

2.  Going to the cinema. After months and months, I went to the cinema for two Mondays in a row and it was really the perfect way to fight the Monday blues!
I had forgotten how nice was to sink into a confortable seat, with popcorn and some of my favourite ladies to laugh or cry with!

3. Crispy leaves. Walking on a carpet of leaves, surrounded by the trees of the wood which are turning into yellow, orange and red, cheered by the squeak of the squirrels and the humming of the little birds is something that fills my hearth with joy. 
Last Sunday I decided to go for a walk with my dad, along a path  I discovered in my new town; we spent two hours in complete bliss, rejoicing of each other's company, telling stories, laughing and collecting the most beautiful crispy leaves, as it were lucky charms for my new little house.

4. Afternoon tea. To be precise, my new favourite pastel pink mug full of lady grey tea, with a sip of milk and a slice of the yummiest, scented and easy to bake lemon cake just came out from the oven..paradise! Coming home from work yesterday, after a busy,rainy day, and giving myself this little treat was one of the best idea ever..we deserve a goody like this sometimes, don't we?!?

I wish you a lovely night my darlings and, please, let me know what made your week a wonderful one...your comments always made my day!!!
Here all the fabulous WW ladies which I must thank for all the positivity and optimism they gave me in all these months: Sally, Jo, Helen, Michelle, Sarah, Kate, Cat, Sam, El and Kerri.

                                                        Love
                                                       Martina