Photo 365 - 20

The other day when I posted a photo of Simon cooking some of my old friends commented that they have never seen my kitchen since we moved to this house 2 years ago.   Yes, the 2 year anniversary  was on the 15th of December.  Time flies.  Still love this house.

So I took a whole bunch of photos today which I will post later but here is one to be going on with.

It shows most of the kitchen.  Oh and by the way, for those of you that commented about Simon cooking, he is a very good cook as am I!  I do all the cooking during the week and dinner is served as he walks through the door at 6pm.  He will often cook at weekends and holiday times. Just thought I would mention that as some of you seem to have this idea that I never cook!

Catching up......yet again.

Oh dear all my good intentions of daily blogging have gone out the window once again.  It is a week since I have been here.  Well a week since my last blog.  I have been here, late at night, reading and occasionally, when I have been able to engage my brain, I have even left a comment.  How on earth did I find time to work years ago?  There is just not enough hours in my day. I need double length days. 

In my last blog I said I would tell you about my weekend.  That is not this weekend just gone but the one before!   We had a busy, busy time.  Saturday was our wedding anniversary.  33 years and counting.  I am proud of that.  I still love him just as much as I did on that day 33 years ago....most of the time!  Some days I could quite cheerfully strangle him! I guess that is a marriage.

Anyway, Saturday was a busy day.  The Christmas lights were being turned on in our nearest town of Bourne and it is quite a big event for a small market town.  They have a fair (albeit a small one!) and lots of stalls and the like.  The Three Counties dog rescue had a charity stall selling bric a brac  and the new calender for 2013 plus the Christmas cards.  They also had a tombola.  As well as the stall they had tin collectors out all day too.

Simon took me to the kennels first thing as normal.  It was a bitterly cold day.  He then went off to help the ladies set up the stall.  There was a need for man power!  Once that was done he came back to the kennels to collect Molly the Beagle who was doing 2 hours of tin collecting with him.  He returned at lunch time looking very, very cold.  I changed my coat and boots in the car as there wasn't time to go home.  Simon and I were manning the stall from 2pm to 4pm.  The stall was on the corner of the arcade and the wind whistles down there.  We were absolutely frozen.  We ended up staying until nearly half four as the people taking over from us were late.  

Our plan had been to go home and get washed and changed to go out for an anniversary meal.  We didn't.  We were both so cold we just couldn't face going out again.  We ended up having sausages and mash in front of the fire!  I seem to remember a few glasses of the red stuff too.  We agreed to go out the next day........Sunday.

Sunday was a nice lazy kind of day with Simon in his garage and me sewing.  I had a nice bath, put on my make up and glad rags and we set off at 6pm heading to our favourite local pub, the Bull at Rippingale a nearby village.  I had already planned what I was going to have.  A dish called drunken chicken.  I LOVE it.  Guess what?  They were closed!!!  WTH?  Never seen them closed before.  We decided to come back to Morton and go to our own local pub called the Five Bells.  We haven't been there yet despite trying out the pubs in other villages.  Not sure why we haven't yet tried out own as it has a good reputation.  Guess what?  they were open but they do not serve food on a Sunday night, only lunch time!  WTH?

OK now what to do?  We sat in the car park pondering and finally settled on the Three Bells at Edenham which is a village about 7 miles away.   We have been there twice in the summer and it was really good.  We were getting hungry by now so we made haste through the lanes.  Guess what?  We couldn't freakin believe it.......It was closed.  What is it out here in the Fens?  Does no one go out to eat on a Sunday night? 

We decided to cut our losses and just go home.  We came home through Bourne and as we were coming down to the main roundabout we both remembered that the new pub on the corner was due to open on the 2nd of December........  TODAY!  YES, lets go there.  NO.  It actually was opening on the third, the following day!   We went home.  I can't remember now what we ate but I think there were a few more glasses of the red stuff!

We finally went out on Tuesday evening as it is Simon's day off. We went to the new pub which is called the Sugar Mill.  It was very nice and I think we will go there again.  Just remind us not to try going out to eat on a Sunday.   Village life is very different!

On Wednesday I went up to Stevenage to pick up my Dad who was coming to stay for a few days.  I ended up going much later than I had planned as they had snow and Dad was concerned as he had heard on the radio that there was a 2 hour delay on the A1.  After speaking to my brother in law who said that it was fine I finally set off at midday.  You wouldn't believe that I actually did the journey the quickest ever.  Dad and I were back home here by 5pm.  

Dad stayed with us until Saturday.  We had a lovely, lazy time.  Lots of talking and reminiscing.  I gave him Mum's scrap book and he was very pleased with it.  On Friday Coralie and Denise came over for sewing.  My Dad and Denise had never met before so there was a lot of chatting and no sewing got done.  It was nice though and Dad did ask Denise about a few things he is having trouble with.  He has got himself a sewing machine and is getting into quilting.

On Saturday we had a  family dinner for him at a pub in Peterborough.  His 86th birthday is this Thursday so we wanted a family celebration.  My sister and her husband came too.  Unfortunately her children were not able to be there and neither was Saskia as she is currently performing every weekend.  The rest of us had a great time and I think he enjoyed it.   My sister  took him home.  We are a bit concerned that he is insisting on spending Christmas at home on his own.  He says that he will not be alone he will be with Mum....she is buried in the garden.  Well, her ashes are buried in the garden.  I wish he would change his mind but I have to respect his right to do as he wants.  I just keep thinking that this could be his last Christmas and we will have to look back knowing he was alone. 

Yesterday and Sunday were fairly normal weekend days with Simon at home.  He was working in the garage. He is slowly moving stuff over from the barn now. He had to take Alfie to the vet on Sunday as we had noticed that he didn't seem well and was having trouble peeing.  The vet has diagnosed a urine infection and he is on antibiotics and pain  killers.  If he is no better by Saturday he has to go back for a scan of his bladder.  He is not any better so far.   I did some sewing.  I also did all my Christmas cards yesterday  and wrapped a few presents.  Did I mention that I am taking part in a secret Santa thing with my blog friend Kathy?  She is in the Orzaks in Merika.  Basically we each make something and swap with each other.  The idea is to use what you have.  I can't tell you yet what I made as it will spoil it for Kathy but I can confirm that it is right now winging its way over the pond.  I hope she is pleased.

Today is a housework day.  I didn't do much while my Dad was here and of course over the weekend with Simon at home for 3 days I still didn't do much.  I have a massive amount of washing and ironing to catch up on including towels and bed linen.  There is also dog bedding waiting to be done. I have lost count of how many times I have mopped the kitchen floor so far today.  Alfie is "dribbling"!  The mop is out constantly and I am having to disinfect it.   I did make a banana  loaf cake this morning  though so at least that is one good thing done.  Right now I am taking a bit of a break.  It is 2.20pm  and I still have to hoover upstairs. After that I will be nearly done, just ironing as each load of washing comes out of the tumbler.

Simon has a parents evening tonight and won't be in until 7.30pm so I have a bit of extra time before I need to start on dinner.  Think I shall do some sewing when I have finished all my jobs.  I am half way through another bum bag. Must do the binding on Verity's baby quilt too.  

Speaking of Verity...she is still off work.  I can't see her going back to be honest.  She is really suffering.  The flu that she had they have now said is whooping cough and will still be some weeks before it goes away.  It is not that which is keeping her from working though.  She has SPD  (symphysis pubis dysfunction) This is a condition of pregnancy where the pubic bones pull apart.  It is incredibly painful  Coralie had this too.  Verity is currently on crutches and really suffering.  They are saying she could need a wheel chair for the final months. 

OK, time to get back to the grind stone.  Hopefully will try to get back and blog tomorrow.  I am going to Ellie's school carol concert in the morning and I am looking forward to that.

Monday 17th September

Time is flying!  We have been in this house for 9 months.  It is strange because in some ways it seems like just yesterday and yet on the other hand it seems like we have been here for ever.  I have not once missed the old house. I have all my memories of it and that is all I need.  I also have 9 months of new memories for this house.  Happy times.

We had a busy weekend.  I went to the dog rescue kennels again on Saturday morning.  I am still finding my feet but it is good.  There was a lovely couple who came in to sign up their paper work to adopt a little terrier called Teddy.  The way it works, once a dog is selected a home check is carried out and then if all is well the dog goes for a trial period of around 2 weeks. If they decide to keep it then they pay a donation and the dog is signed over.  It has a forever home. Teddy was gorgeous and so happy and it was wonderful for me to see a success story.

In the afternoon I made a large batch of rich tomato sauce.  (Recipe in the spotty kitchen - click on tab at top of home page).  I  freeze it in 2 portion sizes.  Then I got down to peeling garlic ready for pickling.  I made 6 jars of Torshi Seer or 7 year garlic.  (Recipe in spotty kitchen).  They smell wonderful. After that it was sewing time.

Guess what?  Saturday evening TV just got better.  Strictly Come Dancing has started!  You know how I don't really watch TV?  Well every year I get hooked on Strictly.  I love it.  Shame that they still have Bruce Forsyth presenting it.  He is just so not funny.  Wish he would retire.  At least they have got rid of Alesha Dixon as a judge and got a proper one in.  Darcey Bussell, now she knows a thing or two about dance!!  For me the start of Strictly tells me that Christmas is not far off. 15  weeks to be precise!

Sunday was a quiet day as Simon went off to a car show. I spent the day sewing. I finished a play mat for  my coming grandchild.

I also finished my purple wall hanging which is going to go in the hall. I am really pleased with it. With those 2 projects completed I set about making more of my felt brooches.  I made 20 in total.  Mostly heart shaped as they are selling faster.   This weekend I sold 12 on EBay plus a little owl.  It is small things like this that I want to build up a stock of so that I can have a craft stall at the dog show next year.  I will post photos soon.

Oh, that reminds me, I had a phone call last night from a lady called Marion who runs a stall on Peterborough market once a month to raise funds for the dog rescue. They sell whatever they have had donated to them.  I had offered to help so she was phoning to see if I still wanted to.  I think it will be fun.  It is certainly different to anything I have done before.  It is a good way of making some new friends as well as raising money.  I  will be helping from 10am until about 3.30pm.

OK, guess that is it for now.