The British Homemaker - One day at a time

Last July, I took the plunge and set up a simple blog to share the short stories that I'd written over the years. It wasn't until I was having a clear-out on my pc that I came across them. I have tended to write them, stick them in the folder and then forget them. So, over time, there has been quite a lot built up. Through July and August, I shared summer and generic themed stories, but with September already upon us, I have themed back-to-school and autumn stories to keep in line with the moment. As you may see a pattern setting here, I will also be adding Halloween, winter and Christmas stories through the rest of the seasons too. All the short stories I share on A Writer's Journey are free to read. They are also included in compilation books that are currently being added to Kindle Unlimited and Amazon. The books have extra stories, as well as there being longer stories. The current average word count for the regular free stories is around 5000 words, so it makes for a g...

If good intentions were as visible as the lack of posts here I'd have a pretty full blog! However, since the last post... all the way back to October last year (!!!) I have got lost in the fun, challenges and happenings of life. The diary I keep for this blog is still sat on the shelf next to me, loaded with things I've noted down or added to share here, but still they sit. At the moment I am working like a trojan getting orders out, preparing for my youngest to finish school for the summer and getting the caravan finished ready for us to take off on our travels. There is so much to share that I'm not sure where to start. When I started this blog I had so many hopes for it, so many things I wanted to share, experiences to lean back on and places I wanted it to go, a few years on my business has taken over much of my days, my health is up and down so I have to accredit that the time it needs to get back in control and I have a weakness for hanging out with my friend...

Do you like white Christmas trees? I have to be honest I have never, ever liked or appreciated them, that is until I saw my moms last year and I kinda sorta maybe almost liked it, a teeny, tiny bit! Being in temporary accommodation when Christmas came last year we had zero tree/decorations so I set out building my own, or at least I planned to when my mom offered me to use her green one. The kids jumped at it and who was I to say no? I mean, they'd had so much to deal with for the previous 8 months that I was going to do anything to put some magic back in their lives if only for a couple of weeks. I think I should learn to stop digressing! ;) This week I went into town to get a couple of things I'd 'added' to my list, one being a 6' white Christmas tree. Now for those of you that know me in real life will know that my Christmas tree is the pride of the season seconded only to the Saviour himself. I usually have a huge one, 8' high by 5' wide at the...

I love things to do with homemaking, diy and creativity and for the last 5 years I haven't had a fire surround for the stockings to be hung... an absolute must in my house but it just wasn't feasible in our former home given the ridiculous amount of doors in just the living room and radiators on the other. However, a few months ago I gained a dark wood one from freecycle with an electric fire, it needs a good overhaul in all honesty but I just haven't got to that on my to-do list yet. BUT that doesn't stop me enjoying the fact that the kids now have a place to hang their stockings and i get to play at mantel dressing.... or is it a fire place? Here in the UK we call it a fire place/fire surround but our fellows in USA call them mantels....so we'll go with both.. keeps the peace, dontcha think? :) I have a gorgeous dark wood framed picture of the baby Jesus above the fire place/mantel, {another to-do list project, lighten up the frame} which i...