any excuse for a costume.

I realise I'm a bit late with this post, but I buy a poppy every year without fail. Years of rememberence services with the Girl Guides will instill it into you. But this year, despite already having bought poppy, I couldn't not buy one from these amazing people. They even had a little stereo behind them playing swing music.

I love the fact they've taken an unpaid day, standing up outside in November and turned it into a spectacle. Bravo!

slow cooker goodness.

I love food. I love making it, looking at it, talking about it, smelling it, anticipating it and EATING it.

I've been in bed, ill, and haven't eaten a proper meal for four days (instead I have been consuming soup and honey on bread very cautiously) so on my first full day of recovery I figured cooking a meal for the family would be the best method of celebration.

In this case, chicken, chorizo and butternut squash stew.

I made it in a slow cooker because I was lazy today but it's just as tasty in a big ol' pan.

The exact level of retro-ness of the slow cooker is VERY important.

Basically, it's chicken, chorizo, butternut squash, onions, tomatoes and whatever else stewed up. It's better when you remember to add the kidney beans though. And even better with chick peas and loads of garlic.

Yum.

autumnal

I adore the city. I adore being surrounded by different people, different cultures, different experiences every day.

But there's really nothing like the countryside in autumn.