Angel Jem's City Cottage

6 weeks since last I wrote to you. 6 weeks of work and life and work and life. I've done nothing and yet done so much, been nowhere and travelled to Russia. Lived and breathed beyond living and breathing. How to Hygge The British Way has taken over my life to an extent: I write there nearly every day, I have a pattern, a routine of books, recipes and random thoughts that seems to work. I love it, how could I not, it's so me, this home and safety and love that hygge generates, that I want to write for it as often as I must. I actually have my posts planned and ready to write when I set down. This leads me to feel guilty. Because Angel Jem is still me, still who I am, still who I seek to be. And yet, poor Angel Jem gets less and less time. I could just replicate the posts here. I could just cut, paste, change a little and post again, but that feels wrong. I can't even claim to separate the areas out because there are so many overlaps between my personal journal which...

I have finally come to the end of the longest time off since I started working for Peter in the summer... 7 work days or just under 2 weeks off work!! I'd forgotten quite how blissful lie ins could be, or how wonderful not to shower/dress/move off the breakfast chair until past 11am (one day until past 2pm!) could be. It's back to work for me tomorrow, so nose to the grindstone again! But I thought I'd share some pictures of my Christmas, before I gradually begin stripping the place again. I'm usually quite blue at this time of year, but I'm hoping that hygge will carry me through. A good blend of outside walks and indoor treats to keep me happy. That, and a regular dose of hot chocolate. My gratitude journal/commonplace book this year. I finally... finally!!!... finished the Mermaid's Tail blanket. Tail & all! Girls' night out at the Liverpool International Horse Show. Three children and two guinea pigs. Sarah has set the table ...

The Insurance man from BIBA on BBC Breakfast this morning was on about Whiplash claims again... You do know there's been a 41% fall in whiplash claims, don't you? I know he never said so, but there has. To hear how the Insurance industry rave on about it, you'd think every day we put in a claim for whiplash. We don't. And a decent lawyer will not put in any risky claims for whiplash because they know it gets laughed out of court. The other little insidious clause in the government's proposed reforms is to raise the small claims limit to £5,000. Like £5,000 is a small claim. That means 90% of accidents including accidents at work and on the road would effectively not get free legal representation. They'd have to go to court facing the insurers who, you can bet your bottom dollar, will be fully lawyered up. Are you cross yet? Cross enough to act? Here's what to do: 1. Read this website http://www.feedingfatcats.co.uk/ 2. Send Liz Tr...

There are so many people eager to see the back of this year. I must admit, I am one of them. I just feel trapped under a large boulder at the moment. No one thing, but lots of little things, just getting to me, making me feel on edge, worried, stressed. And i don't do stress well. To the wind up. What am I reading this week? I am back on the Hardy again. It struck me that I only have this novel and then Tess and Jude the Obscure to read and I will be finished with the novels. So, The Woodlanders it is, almost exclusively until I am finished and then... well, probably some light romance or a good old murder for Christmas. What have I watched this week? I watched the first part of Rillington Place with Tim Roth playing Christie earlier this week. we have the last two parts saved up to watch, so later on this week may be a space to watch them. We also have the interview episode of the Apprentice on tomorrow. I love that episode, every year, because it lays the candida...

I had a whole afternoon in Manchester with my beautiful daughter. The Christmas Markets are on,  and Sarah's never been. We had a good time, not least because there was a goodly amount of stopping for refreshment. Sarah's happy as long as there's a bookshop on the itinerary, and I was warmed by gluhwein and a pint of Kronenberg. How tired were we? Sarah slept on the way home, just after saying she'd had a brilliant day, and could we go again next year! My new friend.... Yes, I have what it takes!!! My final Chase from the beginning of the year is in the new book!!! Prize fund was actually £60,000 between 3. I have had such a good year after being on TV and radio. Being named in a book is the icing on the cake! I had a mint tea and a portuguese custard tart as my afternoon treat. The French macarons caught our eyes... and several came home with us! I did promise I wouldn't post a picture.... but I expect I forgot. Hi Sarah! You are too bea...

Have you ever had one of those weeks? I don't need to ask; of course you have. And December is the worst for being busy, racing, living by lists, having too much to do and too little time to do it. Mr AJ ( Peter Kneale Solicitor ) has an exam on January 6th. It's about Roman Law and he has me typing up revision notes. For the past two weeks I have been over familiar with the paterfamilias, with the law on legacy, inheritance, the potestas, the ius civile and all sorts of obscure things that I never thought I'd need to know about. I don't need to know about them, truly, but I type slowly and one word at a time, the same way I read, and so typing becomes a form of learning, because I have to read and make sense of it as well as just follow his voice. Add to that a family still heart-broken over the death of a cute guinea pig; a solicitor's firm still wondering what government changes will do to our business and those across the country; and teenage children s...

If you or anyone you know cycle regularly then you need to read this article .  Government whiplash crackdown would also hit legitimate claims from cyclists say campaigners This is wrong, yes? If you agree, then you have more things to do:- 1. Write to your MP. You can use the letter in this blog post  http://angeljemscitycottage.blogspot.co.uk/…/want-to-stand-…  as a template. Don't forget to say you cycle. 2. Sign the petition. If 10,000 sign, we get a response. If 100,000 sign we can push for a parliamentary debate on an issue that at the moment can just be passed with no argument.  https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/173099  takes you to the petition. 3. Share this post on any social media you're on. The more people who know what is proposed, the better. £5,000 doesn't seem like a small claim to me. I am writing this post because I work for Peter Kneale Solicitor . We handle a lot of claims for less than £5,000. We don't think it's fair that...