Home Cooked Food.

As I got out of the damp, freezing bus, I thought about what a drippy day it had been. Even the weather reflected it. It was hot, muggy and raining. That and that hour and a half long bus ride was enough for me to want to collapse in a heap by the front door. I looked at my watch. Half past seven! I had left at six, and the house wasn't that far away. Utterly depressed, I opened the gate and walked to the door. But as I opened it I was pounded with the delicious smell of roast chicken sitting in the oven just waiting for me to come and devour it. It was lovely and warm inside, just what I needed. And out of the kitchen came mum saying, "Welcome home."

Home cooked food. That is what comfort and safety is all about. Coming home after a cold, winters day into a nice cozy warm house with the fire burning and a hot meal waiting. It's the kind of thing that just sends your spirits sky high. It shows that some people actually do care, not like that teacher that gave you a truck load of homework and told you that you have your final exam tomorrow. Home cooked food gives you a sense of welcome, security and comfort. This is what I felt when I walked into the house. It doesn't even matter what kind of food it is, as long as you know that someone took the time to make you feel good.

For me, home cooked food represents more than just a good meal. When I think of home cooked food I think of a nice house, lit by dim orange lights and a big fire, while there's a great big storm billowing out side. And then out comes a massive warm comfy meal and, again, it doesn't matter what it is. And after the meal you put your dressing gown on and sit in front of the fire with the cat and a good book. It isn't just the home food, its the comfort and welcome that goes with it.

What's great about home cooked food is when your whole family comes to stay, like at Christmas. Christmas always reminds me of home cooked food sitting at the table when the whole family is fussing about to get the table ready, or serving the food, or waiting for the potatoes to be ready or whatever, it's just always really relaxed and chill. The thing I love most about home cooked food with the family (apart from the eating it) is the preparing for it. When we set the table and pour the drinks and drool over the meal that's being cooked. Home cooked food always smells delicious, especially when it's something like roast chicken or turkey. It's never too formal or serious. My brother, my sister, my cousin and I always just sit in the lounge and play PlayStation or cards or just sit there, anticipating. That is my sense of comfort and security and welcome. You can just be your self around home cooked food, that is why I believe in it.

The Battle of Hastings Game

The Battle of Hastings game is a simple strategy game when you can either be Harold Godwinson or Duke William of Normandy. The game gives you choices for what you can do and you need to select the right choices to win. If you have studied the Battle of Hastings you can win very easily because the right choices are the ones which are historically accurate. I enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing that my historical information was accurate and winning the game. Whilst playing the game I learned how clever you have to be in a battle strategically because if you were William you needed to know just what choices and what risks you should take that would lead to victory. In the Battle of Hastings Harold Godwinson had just arrived at Hastings having walked 200 miles North to fend off Harald Hardrada, King of Norway. His men were tired and weak and barley fit for battle. Harold posted his men on the hill outside Hastings and made a shield wall. This benefited them because it meant the Normans needed to charge up the hill into the shield wall. Sometime in the battle, the Normans thought that William had been killed, and they started to retreat, and the English started to run after them. Then, William stood up and said he was not dead, and to keep fighting and the English were out in the open now and were caught unawares. William used this strategy many times and he eventually succeeded in killing Harold and won the Battle of Hastings. This game is a valuable learning experience because it gives you choices and it helps you see the logic and reasons for why a certain choice did not workout.