Well I really am rubbish blogging nowadays
I seemto have little time and when I do have time I tend to flop in front of the |TV, when I might also do a spot of knitting, hand sewing or reading porn ( seed catalogues ) but little else.
When not half comatosed in front of the TV I have been decorating and sorting out the kitchen. I started by deciding I needed new cupboard fronts, which neccesiated new worktops , which were thinner than the originals, which in turn meant that I needed to re-tile! Of course, I needed to empty every cupboard, which made me do a good sort out. A by-product of this has been three rich fruit cakes with all sorts of ingredients. Two will beChristmas presents and the other is for here... to be served with a good chunk of cheddar of course!
That is about all I have made for Christmas. I usually make a lot of presents but, I am ashamed to say that without Amazon Christmas would be just about cancelled. Mind you the loofahs always make a good pressie. Here they are hanging out to dry.
I am currently building a new compost heap. I have piles of grass cutting cardboard, brash etc that need to be layered. It is pretty heavy work, but absolutely worth it. The gardens are producing nothing now, there is just a line of celeriac. The winter stores however, look pretty good, with potatoes, apples, squash, onions and garlic in the rabbit hutches in the barn. Two chest freezers full of veg and fruit, a bucket of waterglassed eggs and more jams and pickles that I could ever use. I always keep lots of dry goods in "under the stairs" all year round. So my prepping for winter is complete with candles and wind up radios/torches/phone chargers at the ready.
I now have three great granddaughters ! Thay are 4, 2 and two months I am privilaged to be trusted to look after these amazing little creatures from time to time. Alice, the two year old, joins me a couple of days a week, while her mother works in the office upstairs. She plays with her cousin's toys, wears boots that were her aunties' and digs holes with children's tools that have been in our sheds for nearly 40 years. Rosa, the 4 year old is now at school fulltime so I see less of her, but it's lovely when I do. Seeing these little souls running free, getting dirty, picking fruit, tomatoes and peas straight from the plant and embracing life on our smallholding is heartwarming. A reason to stay here?
I suppose this leads me to my reverie about whether I stay or downsize. So far I'm doing okay. I suppose I had been running the place virtually on my own for some time now as David had been so unwell. but I am aware that the place isn't as tidy/ ready as I would like it. I have had a couple of occaisions when I have shouted at him because I don't know how to do something he always did or understand some process he invented or set up. When taking out our old fireplace, the plumber asks where the pump is for the back boiler ?! ( turns out there was no pump , it was gravity fed) He also mentions that some of the system is "ingenious" !
I admit to a wobble afew weeks ago when I was asked who was my next of kin. Gracious. it has been David for 58years !
Anyway enough for now. I hope to get back to you soon to show you the plans, now in motion, for an "Event" I shall be hosting in early February.
Love Gillx
No comments:
Post a Comment