Vela had gotten home the afternoon before and gotten right to work packing the things she would want to take with her to the Blackwood home.  Her own set of knives and a few of her special tools, of course, as those were hers and had become trusted.   There would be knives over there, of course, but a chef liked to have their own tools at hand.  Then a few of her cookbooks and notebooks (also holding various recipes and techniques or drawings of how a dish might be made) were added to a small crate.  Then she went to her room and put together a suitcase of clothing and personal items that she would want to have with her there.  A small picture of her parents was included to put in her bedroom along with the other things.







Then when she felt she had all she wished to pack, she went to sit down to look at the schedule.  She had an event she had been hired to put together two weeks later.  It was a large group but not a party or ball.  So, it was already well planned out, and only needed to be put into action the days before it.  She put that date on the list she would pass along to Eleanor so Mr. Blackwood would be aware of it.  She would make sure her focus at the house would be taken care of and not allowed to be let go hungry while she was working on the other event.







Then she had created a week's menu making use of the idea that he favored apples (see menu with recipes below).  After making a list (three copies of each list just in case) of the things that would need to be picked up at the grocery, things that would be found in the garden, and then a third list of the meats and produce that she would personally go pick out at the shops.  Finally, she looked at the time and realized it was quite late.  She quickly put everything in her portfolio and went to bed.







The next morning, she woke up early and was ready for when Angus came to take her to the Blackwood house.  There were about two small crates and two large suitcases with her smaller personal case as she waited inside her own small house that was more of a big kitchen/bakery in the way it was set up.







The Menu for the week.







Snacks to keep around all the time to rotate throughout the day:

Ultimate Seed Crackers


Trail Mix Granola Bars


Tuna Meatballs


Banana Bread Energy Balls


Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Bites





Sunday:

Breakfast:

Apple, Cheddar and Thyme Quiche

Lunch:

Sweet Potato Quesadillas With Goat Cheese and Apples

Dinner:

Curried Carrot and Apple Soup

Snacks to keep nearby in his workspace:

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, Apple + Gruyere Bites



Monday:

Breakfast:

Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Lunch:

Broccoli Apple Salad

Dinner:

Paleo Butternut Squash, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Snacks to keep around the workshop:

Mediterranean Frittata Muffins



Tuesday:

Breakfast:

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Lunch:

Alba Salad With Fennel and Apples:

Dinner:

Chicken Normandy

Snacks to make to keep around his workshop:

Sesame-Crusted Halloumi and Slaw



Wednesday:

Breakfast:

Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

Lunch:

Kale With Apples and Bacon

Dinner:

Green tea noodles with sticky sweet chilli salmon

Snacks to keep around the workshop:

Squash and Parmesan Crustless Mini Quiches



Thursday:

Breakfast:

Baked Hash Brown Cups

Lunch:

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Dinner:

Roasted Pork Loin With Apples and Fennel

Snacks to keep around the workshop:

Ham and Cheese Pastry Puffs



Friday:

Breakfast:

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Lunch:

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup With Apple-Gruyere Crostini

Dinner:

Cider, Apple, and Sausage Casserole

Snacks to keep around the workshop:

Turkey Bacon Avocado Bites



Saturday:

Breakfast:

Mini Almond and Raisin Cinnamon Rolls

Lunch:

Everything Pasta Salad

Dinner:

Spicy Grilled Pork Chops With Apple Salsa

snacks to keep around the workshop:

Strawberry Brie Waffle Bites

Angus arrived just a bit before he was supposed to and he was well pleased to see her ready to go. The big man greeted her warmly as he approached smiling as he doesn't even wait to start grabbing luggage. "Tis guid tae ye again Vela! Excited fur yer first official day oan th' jab? (It's good to see you again Vela! Are you excited for your first official day on the job?) He grins at her broadly as he easily hefts the two crates, one under each arm, and loads them up on top of the carriage.

"Ye keek lik' it, seem mighty keen tae git stairted! (You look like it, seem mighty keen to get started!)" He adds with a grin as he returns to pick up her luggage. The man would wave her off if she went to help. Explaining to her that cooking was her job, loading the carriage was his, and she shouldn't trouble herself. Besides, he knew exactly how to load things for them to be easy to get off the carriage when they arrived.

Vela had chosen a basic outfit that would not get ruined if she got food on it around her apron (once she put the apron on that is), a basic ankle long navy blue skirt, and a pale navy blouse with pleats in the front where it was buttoned up to her neck with a bow tie that matched the skirt at the collar.  Over the top of her blouse, she wore a black jacket that had a puff-up style at the shoulders and designed to be left open at the front showing the pleated blouse.  Her small delicate black leather ankle shoes finished the outfit. 

Seeing Angus, she smiled and gave a friendly wave. "It's good to see you again as well, Angus."  She indicated her crates and once it was obvious that he did not wish her help, nor needed it from the look at it.  "I am very excited to get to work."  She responded then moved to get up into the vehicle.  "You look up and bright today as well."

"As mah faither used tae say back oan th' croft, earlie tae kip earlie tae rise! (As my father used to say back on the farm, early to bed early to rise.)" The big man informs her as he gets her luggage up on thee carriage for her and then opens up the passenger door for her. "If yer waking whin th' rooster caws then yer waking tae late. A muckle breakfast 'n' solid wirk th' morns mornin' wull wake ye up sure enough! (If you are waking when the rooster caws then you are waking too late. A big breakfast and hard work in the morning will wake you up sure enough!)" The big man flashes her a grin before helping her into the carriage.

Once she is loaded up he sets them on the road back to the manor. They would arrive sometime after breakfast and Mister Lane was waiting when they arrived. "Ah, good morning Miss Rosewine I am pleased to see you were retrieved with little issue." He says with a nod of greeting to her. "I'll show you to your room, Angus will bring your things up after us. Once you get settled you can get started whenever you'd like."

Vela had a bit of trouble with some of the phrases, but then figured it out and smiled brightly.  "When you are the one creating the breakfast it makes for an early time to get up as well.  So, we are somewhat alike."  She enjoyed the ride to the Blackwood property and then stepped down with an eager mindset.

"Good morning, Mr. Lane."  She held on to her trusty portfolio and a small purse in her gloved hands.  She had put her hair up in a neat loose bun.  Following Mr. Lane she again looked around the lovely house as she went along.

They make their way through the house towards the servant's quarters. There were two styles of room within this wing of the house, smaller rooms for the less well-paid staff and three larger rooms for the ones who headed a branch of the household. The Butler, the Head Maid, and the Chef all got one of the larger rooms.

"How are you doing this morning?"

The man inquires as he opens the door to her quarters. Beyond the first door was a small living room area that had already been furnished with the basics. An area rug, a small table with two comfortable sofas facing each other around it, a small dining room table against one wall, a bookshelf with a few random volumes provided, and of course it had electrical lights already thanks to the renovations. There were two doors on the right-hand wall. One lead to a small private water closet, it had its own shower and toilet. The other door led to her bed-chamber, which had a vanity, wardrobe, and a large queen-sized four-poster bed.

The living space was around the same size as the one in her small cottage while the bedroom was actually a bit bigger. Overall it was not a bad arrangement for her, especially since it was not just free but somewhere she was now getting practically paid to live in.

"Wonderful, Mr. Lane."  She responded with a pleasant expression and tone.  "Have things gone well here so far today for you?"

She looked around the room with a surprised expression.  It was lovely and this would allow her to focus her cottage completely to her business while she would still be comfortable.  More than comfortable, she added mentally as she looked into the water closet. 

"This is lovely, Mr. Lane.  Thank you."  She took off her gloves and set them on the table along with her portfolio and small purse.  "It won't take me time at all to set my things in placement and be ready to get right to work."

"Yes, the renovations are quite lovely." Mister Lane said as she noted the shower installation, those had been put in recently. "While I hadn't dealt much with Americans before this Master Blackwood's assistance on modernizing this old house has truly made it one of the most comfortable abodes I've had the pleasure to reside in." While things like plumbing and electricity were becoming rapidly more common they'd not quite reached all the outskirts of Britain yet. It had taken considerable cost on the Blackwood's part to get this all put together.

"I will let Eleanor know you intend to make dinner for Master Edward tonight then. If you require anything, my chambers and office are across the hall. Eleanor has the room next to yours and when she isn't there, she will be in the kitchen with you. You'll adjust quickly I imagine and learn where people tend to be." It was a large house with a small staff so it would take some time but not too much.

Vela was quite impressed with the modern things that they had put into the house.  She hoped she didn't become spoiled by it.  Listening to where he and Eleanor would be, she nodded again.  That was good to know.  She had to find out where the ladies she had met the day before.  She thought she would enjoy visiting with them and the baby too, but not until she got her work done first.

"Yes, and I need to meet up with Eleanor about the menu I've created for the coming week and the list of groceries that I won't need to pick myself.  I want to also give you or is it her that I need to give to, the scheduled event I have in two weeks from now.  I have also arranged for my mail to be brought to me from the cottage each day.  I hope that is okay.  I wanted to keep that as the address for my business.  Personal things I have sent letters to my family where I will be staying."  She explained.

"Ah yes, of course." Mister Lane says with a nod of his head not surprised that tidbit had slipped her mind with everything else that had happened the other day. "If you require anything then inform Mister MacLeod, he is the one that goes into town for any sundries that are not included in our deliveries. As for keeping your cottage, naturally, that is quite alright. If you wish to maintain it for that reason it is your decision Miss Rosewine, is there anything else I can assist you with?"