"I'll admit I may have seen better days, but I'm still not to be had for the price of a cocktail, "(Margo Channing)
Saturday & Sunday treats and the art of barter
anyhow as I am writing this Chris is asleep on the couch and Sorrel is busy watching The Queen on dvd!
I have been acquiring the skill of barter and swaps in developing the allotment! Already I have organised a steady supply of water from next door's outside tap in return for 6 eggs weekly and Ned is servicing a petrol strimmer I am to acquire from Andrew for more eggs. The local farmer (with a ruddy face the size of a large pillow) has delivered my vast water containers today and Ann and her friends from the Prestatyn co-operative allotment has drip fed me seedlings of a whole variety of veg! Having more contacts through the Trelawnyd Flower Show committee may be of use to! I hope so.
Slightly colder and rainy today! At least the garden looks a bit fresher!
My trendy mother-in-law and hen naming...
38!!!! today and 28.5 lbs lost
Chris has gone riding now and I have just got back from fat fighters! TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS IS NOW OVER TWO STONE!! I am chuffed I have done so well. Carole has done brill too which is nice as both of us now feel alot more confident and happier with the way we look!
LBC and Coast in the afternoons
Oh for American service !
Sunny Sunday Mornings
For those few that are interested, the allotment is coming along nicely. I have put my main crop potatoes in this morning as well as broccoli and blackcurrant mint and oregano. My sweetcorn seeds are doing nicely ( I have visions of a field like the one Cary Grant ran through in North by Northwest (1959).
The "girls" are settling in nicely , although they seem to be going through a hokey kokey type of behaviour, as they are in and out and out and in, constantly in motion between run and hen house! The red ambers are the most bashful and hide for he majority of the time in the nest boxes, where as the beautiful whites strut around rather excited at their new found freedom. Robina, being the oldest is now enjoying her elevated status and marches around like some German storm trooper pecking the youngsters with random cruelty! It is all rather fascinating.
Working tonight then off for a week, which is great as Sorell is up on Friday and I can prepare the house, and garden and organise things for Chris' birthday on Thursday. Chris is off to ride Pippa this morning- smoking again and overdosing with chemical patches and gum! which is doing nothing for his anxiety levels. Hey hoSurrounded by "girls" and the clock takes pride of place.
This morning, after a disgustingly early start, I finished the preparations for the new hens to arrive,stained the hen house roof, put in the sweet peas under their allotment canes, walked the dogs up the Gop then drove to the back and beyond in Frodsham in Cheshire to pick the new hens. The poultry farm was a tiny, neat affair run by a charming young couple just starting off in the business and after a good three quarters of an hour "oooing and arrhhing" over a whole host of birds I picked 4 red rockets, 4 snowy whites and 4 mixed rarer breeds including a lovely "blue comet" with a gentle grey colouration. The "girls" are all almost at point of lay (ie they will start laying eggs in 2-3 weeks), and are very young birds to be let out in an outdoor run straight away.The breeder told me that they need 24 hours shut in the darkness of their new hut so that they settle in and get used to each other and therefore are less likely to scrap when they are out! (The pic is of two of the more surprised snowy girls!)
The early 19th Century Long case clock looks fab! I am so pleased with it as it a simple country piece that has not been tampered with for nearly 200 years! I think Ann has got just as much pleasure out of the auction and its purchase as I have .
A good 24 hours
Met Nige in All bar one for a coffee and glass of wine and we couldn't be bothered going to the Showroom cinema as we had too much to chat about. Had a excellent Turkish meal down London road then back to Nige's for more chat- a good night!
This morning drove to Dronfield to finally catch up with Kathryn in her new and slightly Kitsch flat. I liked it immensely as it is totally a reflection of her personality and is very cosy. The kitchen is my favourite room, bright sunny and ever-so-slightly 1950's and it was good to catch up over cups of tea at the kitchen table. I miss Kathryn and her dry-as-a-nun's-chuff sense of humour and felt a little guilty I hadn't made the effort sooner.