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 you saw my post a couple of weeks ago (which I've since deleted), I apologise that I didn't upload. I have been wrapped up with a trilogy book I am writing and every spare minute I get, I spend on it. My deadline is fast approaching and the panic is slowly setting in.  However, amidst the craziness of my life, somewhere between college runs, food shopping and homemaking, I have managed to do draft a post that I've scheduled for this coming weekend. It's a collection of autumn slow cooker meals, batch cooking and some homemade granola balls.  For now, I'd like the thank Frankie and Mary for sharing this blog, once I get it set up as part of my routine (I have set work hours because I work from home) there will be some fun and useful stuff that I'll share.  If you aren't following my Facebook page, what are you waiting for? Hop on over and give it a cheeky like! All my blog posts will be shared over there and I plan to share lots of other things that may n...

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...

Life has been somewhat chaotic of late.  The biggest thing to deal with has been my moms cancer. Whilst she is now recovering and doing profoundly well I have to admit that it does still play in my mind of the usual thoughts 'what would I do without her?' So I've buried my head a little. As well as working away at the business to get it as established as I can. Then dealing with the arthritis. Plus remembering that I am a full time mom too. So in all, my attention hasn't been on this blog or the Facebook page but now I'm willing to try again to regain some momentum with it. So, I thought I'd share some tidbits of what has been created. I very much got into crocheting. We grew strawberries. Charley learned the chain stitch on one of our trips to the Midlands. We made sweet ice pops! Many, many boy camps! We made cake in a tin. I spent hours in the patio, reading and relaxing. Breakfast date. Charley an...

I don't get to post here as much as I'd like just now, with two businesses to run I find I am excelling at time management! However, I do have some fun posts in draft that I just need to edit the photos for which are on my to-do list (around #33) but for today I thought I'd offer a little freebie... please feel free to share and link back to me. Blue cupcake topper flags DOWNLOAD HERE Debs

The History of 'APRONS' I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a pot holder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.. And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the ...