Elaina James

So just before Christmas we decided to put a hold on our ongoing kitchen development so that we could enjoy the festive break without emptying cupboards or rearranging furniture, something which seemed to have become part of our weekly routine recently. The granite worktop was cracked, the blind was up though somewhat slanted and the old laminate flooring that had seen better days was still waiting to be replaced.  But that was okay, it was only till after Christmas.  Good theory huh? Well we made it through Christmas with no issues, aside from trying to learn how to time the cooking so everything was ready to be served at the same time using the new electric hob and oven.  The oven cooks quicker than the old gas one and I haven't quite mastered the art of controlling the hob properly, my old gas hob was so much more responsive, it also made less mess when things boiled over... But now January is upon us and we figured the kitchen would finally be completed.  W...

Christmas for my family has always meant chaos and laughter, great food and a lot of washing up.  It didn’t matter if the Christmas lights stopped working after just being hung, which often was the case, or if the presents hadn’t arrived on time, it just meant Christmas was extended a little longer.  Whatever happened somehow Christmas was always perfect.  The last minute chaos to get everything finished in time, always paid off in the end and whatever didn’t quite get done somehow didn’t matter so much once Christmas actually arrived. Over the years our family has shrunk and the big Christmas parties we once had have become more intimate gatherings now.  In contrast, the number of Christmas decorations seems to multiply each year.  Perhaps we are trying to distract from all the empty seats, not that it will ever work. Those that are no longer with us, who time or distance have taken away, are always missed more at this time of year.  They each pl...

It’s been a tough week, it’s always hard going back to work after a couple of weeks off and this time was no exception.  On Monday morning I grudgingly crawled out of bed when the alarm clock rudely interrupted my rather bizarre dream.  Twenty minutes later l was downstairs, cursing myself for forgetting to put the heating on timed last night as I hurriedly packed my bag and shivered.  The fact that my trousers had apparently shrunk in the wash wasn’t helping my mood either. Of course their tight fit around the waist had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I hadn’t worn them for two weeks, during which time I had done nothing but eat generous sized portions and sit in front of the TV. I left the chilly house behind me and ventured out into the even colder outdoors.  I managed to time it perfectly as l drove off and found myself stuck behind a bus for most of the journey to work. Ironically, whenever I actually try to catch that bus, it results in me stan...