A new take on Lent

I like following Lent, if only to test out my willpower once a year. This blog sums it up perfectly for me, here.

This year, taking a different approach, I have decided to start a new habit, rather than end a bad one.

I am going to go to bed each night with my kitchen looking like this:

It makes me feel so calm when I see it like this. So let's see how it goes.

I am also trying to take a photo everyday, as I think it's nice to have a gallery which sums up the year in pictures. So far so good!
 

Today's offering - weather was perfect so went for a little lunchtime drive near work.

A month of festivals

Ah February. The cold month. The last month of winter before spring appears.

But things aren't so bad. Some of the best events of the year are in Feb, for instance:

- Valentine's Day
- Pancake Day
- Karneval/Mardi Gras/Fetter Donnerstag
- Chinese New Year
- Imbolc
- 6 Nations Rugby
- The awards season

With the exception of the last two, all these festivals seem to stem around the final gasps of winter and the first signs of spring. A bit of web searching has shown that:

- Valentine: well apparently was a Roman Christian who performed secret weddings but is set in February as the time when birds start to look for mates

- Pancake Day/ start of Lent. Well this is the last opportunity for excess before the last austere, food -short months of winter.

- Carnival: Europe's version

- Chinese New Year: a time to spring clean as the growing season begins (plus a legend of a terrible beast)

- Imbolc: Pagan festival marking the oncoming spring (which has transformed to Groundhog Day in US) and figuring out if the worst of winter is over.

So I learnt something there!

Here's a few pictures from me of the last couple of weeks.

 

Valentine roses made out of paper by my good self

Tasty, tasty pancakes. I am not a lemon & sugar girl. I like my toppings to be varied, so here you have halloumi with onions, peppers and tomatoes; bacon and maple syrup; apple and cinnamon. Nom!

Winter is not over yet! Still enjoying the odd snow day here in Scotland

 Valentine heaven: where the wine is red and the roses are white.

Me reminiscing over Karneval. Pic of the German celebrations back in 2008.


And now after all this indulgence, Lent begins! Next post coming up............

On Belgium

For the second year in a row, Mr G was heading to Brussels for a weekend conference (Fosdem).

Whilst Brussels doesn't feature at the top of 'Things to see in Europe', it was really time to join him. I stopped to think what I know about Belgium.

They have chips

 They have waffles

They have beer

They have chocolate











(Oh dear, I appear to have eaten it all!)



Well that was an easy decision and off I went.

Friday night is a big beer event. I arrived late and headed straight for the party.

Not the greatest pictures, but great venue and great beer.


Saturday the men headed for their IT talks, I went about town to shop and eat large quantities of the articles stated above.

A few shots of La Grand Place. 

That afternoon I went on the walking tour provided by the conference.

The posh shops

A nice park

Past the Antique quarter

Old buildings

All very interesting for an afternoon, but let's face it, not up there with Paris, London or Rome. Still, time well spent.

That evening I was adventurous and tried some rabbit for the first time. It was tasty.

Eating bunny

Sunday

In need of some culture I headed to the music museum. What a great place. You get a headset and as you look at the instruments it plays the music they make! Nice idea.

Great way to spend a Sunday morning.

That evening we finished the weekend off away from tourist hot spots, to a local favourite.

Rib joint!!

My enormous plate of ribs

Even better, the waitresses wandered past the tables, topping people up. Unfortunately for my earlier greed I could only manage the one plate. Seriously good though!

And just to be clear.........

In January I have been.........

Round up of the last month.

Started off well

Reading...................

George R. R. Martin. Onto second in the series now: Clash of Kings.

Needed a bit of a break though from all the rape and pillage, so have read The Hunger Games.

 

Watching.....

Les Miserables. I know this story so well, have sung the songs many times. The film did not disappoint.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  One of those 'bucket list' films I've finally got round to seeing.



Learning........

More World Archaeology. Cannibalistic Aztecs, Blood thirsty Chinese, butchering Romans. All good fun.


Meditating.

Trying this for 10 mins a day to destress a little.




Cooking..........

 Burns Night supper. Yummy!

Plus baking these delights for the local baking club (mine are the second to last photo).



Walking..........

Steadily and surely, which is particularly fun in all the snow.

I like this photo. Horribly over-exposed but looks like an old Victorian Christmas card somehow.



Looking forward to.........


February! Belgium, Valentines, Pancakes, Chinese New Year. What's not to like?!