Today a shiny coin…probably as the calendar progresses there would always be several dotted amongst the days.

This one a 20p. Oh and always minted from the year in question.

There were certain things we always got in our sack of pressies and clementines were one….watch out for others.

And yes I make sure everyone gets one still

A hand made felt star Christmas tree decoration (made by my Mum)…..just one of the lovely handmade decorations that have appeared in my advent calendar from my Mum the last few years. This one has a permanent place on the notice board above my desk (which is empty of notices and full of nice things).

Read my post from day 1 to find out how my advent calendar works this year

Even as an adult there is something fun in finding out what’s behind the door each day. In recent years it mostly been chocolates and lovely little handmade gifts from my mum. Each year she sends me a little parcel of goodies to put in the refillable calendar. How fab is that. This year though she had been a little too busy to do that.

So instead I’m going to post something each day that she has given me not just in advent calendars but more generally things I know she has passed on to me.

So day 1..

LISTS

Yes that list making habit comes right from my Mum.

I can picture the book she had where she wrote each year how long Christmas dinner took to cook, what presents we all got (and totting up of their costs to be sure to be fair)….and in summer the list of what we needed for camping trips. It was I think a triplicate receipt book with loose carbon paper in the back. Acquired from I don’t know where and put to another use.

A book of detail yet mystery from the shortening of words she chose to adopt. Her own kind of code.

My own list making ranges far and wide and is less contained in one place. But there are notebooks and lists, many of them.

I got a bit carried away and scooped up large quantities of goodies.

Including this hoooge cauli

Which handily has a radiator in the background to allow you to assess the scale of its hoooge-ness

For the record I also bought:

12 rashers of smokey bacon

3 types of sausage (4 of each)

2 pork chops

2 pieces of ribeye

2 lamb chops

1 lamb breast

1 lamb neck fillet

1 piece of pork belly

1 fillet smoked haddock

the hoooge cauli

beetroot

kohlrabi

potatoes

rainbow chard

a squash

pippin apples

raspberries

apple and ginger juice

3 quiches

1 slice of poppyseed cake

dozen eggs

ticklemore cheese

berkswell cheese

single gloucester cheese

cumin gouda

Then I staggered home….

I also happen to love brown cheese, this one seemed more savoury that some of the ones I’ve tried.

It came from deepest darkest Norway courtesy of Ms Scandilicious.

Note: for those who’ve never tried in brown cheese aka gjetost is rather an acquired taste been a rather unusual mix of sweetness yet savoury umami. Its made from why left from cheesemaking that is simmered slowly until it crystallises and thickens. i love it, many don’t.

Love the look of this definitely need to head along and see what its all about, especially as its at St Bride’s Where I’ve been meaning to go for a while.

This is one.

When I first lived in Wanstead I thought it was nice as in the adjective, rather than Nice as in the place in France

Either way their croissants are flippin nice.

The one above is a cheese and ham…done properly with bechamel mmmm.

Find them here:

Nice Croissant, 119A High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL

Don’t be put off by its lack of shiny newness its the real deal.

Collected a real mix of green and red.

So what to do with them…not sure there is enough for chutney.

Suggestions welcome.