Three books for my babies

I was inspired to do this post by Chris Stovell at Home Thoughts Weekly, so I urge you to click the link and read her lovely choices too.

One that helped them learn to read:

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson.

The witch tapped the broomstick and whoosh! they were gone.

One that helped them not to be afraid:

George and the Dragon by Chris Wormell.

'I say, you couldn't loan me a couple of lumps of sugar, could you?' asked George.

One that made us feel cosy:

Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough

Sid's dad slowly raised his head. 'I know a secret, Sid,' he said.

What are your three books for your babies?

A book for a cook

I had a lovely surprise on Monday. A delivery man arrived with an Amazon package for me. Amazon parcels are a bit Maria von Trapp - brown paper packages - and there's always something good within.

Monday's was no exception - a copy of Nigella's new book Kitchen: Recipes from the heart of the home.

It was a present from the lovely people at Appliances Online because I commented on Josie of Sleep is for the Weak's blog about them giving her a hob - a lovely Smeg to be precise - at the very time she needed one most.

Others have been the lucky recipients of Appliance Online's generosity too - and I'm the latest lucky blogger. I don't need a hob though as I already have a gorgeous all singing all dancing one. (Famously, when it boiled down to a decision whether to have a new kitchen or a new cooker - I plumped for the cooker and made do with the kitchen.) But Appliance Online thought - quite correctly - that the keys to my heart lie in the cookery book section.

I love cookery books but I (almost) never buy them for myself. To me they are like boxes of chocolates - a lovely extravagance best saved for birthdays and Christmas. In fact Christmas would not be the same without a new cook book to settle down with so I've already ordered this year's one from my husband. My family has been known to complain too when they ask for present ideas and are given a list which consists exclusively of cookery books. In fact there have been more complaints as I've had my head stuck in Kitchen for the last two days solid. I love it. It's stuffed full of great recipes (including several I'm making for R's 7th birthday next week and some yummy cakes for the Christmas fair next weekend). And there's the famous spaghetti with Marmite recipe which is divine. Don't knock it until you've tried it (unless you hate Marmite of course).

As for Applicances Online they've got a great website which is worth checking out (I've been looking at chest freezers to store garden produce) and you can follow them on Twitter.