Ducks and Parcels

I may not have written a blog for a couple of days, but I am always popping in to people's lives to see what is going on. It is just delightful to envisage people, now becoming invisible friends, going about their day to day business and especially going on to the crafter blogs and seeing what they are creating. A favourite of mine is flossie teacakes, and from her blog, you get such inspiration from the links on her blog. I wish I had more time for my crafting, but I expect the time will come. My eldest daughter Party of 5 has really got into the swing of it as well and has made some good blogging friends. She is having a really bad time with illnesses and has been in and out of casualty with the children and her husband, so it is good for her to write it down and get things off her chest. You realise then, when you get lovely comments, that you aren't the only one having a bad time and in actual fact, things could be a lot worse, so you feel better. Puts a good light on things and gets life back into perspective. I was very lucky to receive an envelope in the post from her, all ready for Mother's Day. It's hard being away from the girls, but it's lovely to know they have remembered. I have my little stash all ready to open on Sunday.

Yesterday we were really pleased with ourselves because we made our first confit of duck. It is France's answer to fast food and it is delicious, so we thought we would have a go. It was a brilliant day and we now have our first store of ready made meals. We were doing this at a friends house because we haven't got all the equipment yet and while we were waiting for various stages to be ready we were outside and they have been given this wonderful "thing" to hang in a tree and it is an optical illusion because as it goes round, it looks as though the ball is going either up or down when in fact it isn't moving at all. Anyway, when I got close up and looked up at it in the tree, you could see the whole tree through the glass ball. Just beautiful. Not sure you can see it very well in this photo, but perhaps if you click on the photo to see it larger, you will see what I mean.

Today was wonderful because the "Postie" arrived with a parcel. Oooh lovely! Addressed to me! Don't you just love receiving parcels. Well I thought I knew what this was, but there were a couple of surprises in there as well. This was from my daughter clarabellesprinkles and I ripped open the brown wrapping to reveal, 1) a book, her favourite, P.S I love you, so I can't wait to read that, 2) a packet of yeast to make our bread, 3) a book I had ordered, but as a surprise it is all wrapped up as a gift for Mother's Day, and 4) Not a clue!!! I have prodded and poked but I really cannot guess what it is. Also a card for Sunday. How lucky am I? Have a wonderful weekend everyone and a blessed Mother's Day to all, especially to my mum, whom I love very much and in fact I have just spoken to her on the phone.