Thursday, 30 September 2010

End of September.

I love this time of year, especially if it doesn't rain. I can actually work in the garden without getting into a muck sweat!!



The bananas have grown massively this year, so we now can't see the bottom of the garden, I love it when its like this. The phormium has really shot off and is looking impressive, definately fills a gap, lower down!

The brugmansias alwyas go mental flowering, I wish it was warm enough for maybe one more bar-b-que with the chimnea lit, so we could appreciate their scent.





I found this little clematis at a garden sale it is gorgeous and all the more so for flowering now!



This is one of the bananas I mentioned earlier, it is one beast, and we purposly left it in the pot so we could move it easily into the greenhouse!!! MMMmm maybe a task!!



this is the middle



and the top must be some 12ft tall now. Even though we have had 3.5C at night a couple of times, it doesn't seemed to have bothered them!



Isn't this a pretty coloured leaf, abit like patchwork.



Meanwhile further down in the veg garden for once I am organised



winter onions,



Kale type Brussel Sprouts.



Kale



Cabbage, Cauli, Brocoli.



Big changes afoot here!!



Emptying big greenhouse.



Small one is going!!



The most beautiful bloom on the Arum Lilly it is actually bigger thank my hand!



and one of my bromeliads has flowered!!

Thursday, 23 September 2010

Floored!!!

I wasn't going to blog about my kitchen, as my sister is visiting the first weekend of October and I wanted it to be a surprise for her, but I am so excited and thrilled with the finished result I can't contain myself!!!

First we had to empty the dresser, if you remember I was ably assisted by my dacshund! Then we had to dis-assemble the kitchen and carry it over the Rayburn and through to the lounge!! This was no mean feat, especially as neither of us is getting any younger lol!!

So the lounge looked like this.....



and the kitchen looked like this...



this is with the old flooring..



We where told it would take 2 days, so the cats had to go to the cattery as a latex screed had to be put down..



then the latex screed after all old flooring was lifted..



Darcy assisted with dusting under the units...

In fact it took 3, which to be honest I am not surprised about.



Anyway the end result is this



and yes we are thrilled!!





Now whilst it is still empty, I am going to paint!!!

Sunday, 19 September 2010

Keeping Busy!

The next 4-6 weekends are really busy, next weekend hubby is going up to Worcester to help move K. She finished her internship at Worcester Uni, and was offered the job, having been to 3 other interviews at other Uni's previously,always being their 2nd choice (lack of experience the reason why,)so bearing in mind the economic situation, she took the Worcs Uni job. Problem is it is actually less money than she was on as an intern, but has more responsibility???? No we don't get it either!!! Which means she can't stay in her lovely flat, she is gutted.
So last weekend we went up to help her flat search and of course this is totally the wrong time to look as Uni is just about to start.
Anyway to cut a long story short(well maybe not?) she is going back into a house share, with 2 professionals. On the plus side she will now have lots of money at the end of each month instead of just £40 a month, which she is excited about. She is already planning to go on holiday with her cousin D.

Then the weekend after that I shall have a whole weekend with my sister, its her birthday and she and her husband our coming so we can treat her and to dismantle our small greenhouse (another story).

The weekend after that, is the final weekend for K to clear out of her flat and what she has not sold, freecycled or Ebay'ed will have to be taken to the tip or brought home.

Then after that, I really must visit my mum!

Now that is just the weekends, don't ask about the weeks!!!

Anyway, this year I have done really well on the tomato front.....



pounds and



pounds



and pounds. I am thrilled, this is the first year I have had so many, the Plum ones have done exceptionally well and have been made into sauce and frozen. I have made a Hot 'n' Spicy Red Tomato Chutney and we have eaten loads. You just can't help yourself when your in the greenhouse, they seem to just pop into your mouth!!!



these are Courgettes and Petite Pain and Gem Squash. Oh alright, I know there is nothing courgette or petite about them, we have done well here too!! More chutney to come.



since the flood, the boards under the units don't fit, we are awaiting insurance claims!!!! But Darcy likes to go badger hunting (I think) as I am always finding him under here!





We have also been rationalising our stuff (yeah right!!) so whilst clearing out my dresser, Darcy went badger hunting in here too!!!

I must apologise in advance for the amount of doglet pictures that will be appearing on this blog, he is soooooo much fun and is now my 'baby'!!!

Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Quick Summer..y!

Life has been fairly busy in this household, and I can't think why I have left posting for so long?

Hubby is now redundant, his party went well.



We managed to get everything done in time, including my knee op. The garden was impressive and admired by everyone and plenty of 'Pimms' was consumed.

Two days after the party and 4 days before we went on holiday, the washing machine flooded the kitchen, we turned off all the stop cocks but the water still flowed apparently it was the hot water flowing through!!!





We went away to the Gower, our usual haunt. Darcy enjoyed digging lots of holes, but he was very unwell the first and second weekends.



I had plenty of cleaning and washing to do and he lost 10% of his body weight. He lived on chicken and rice and the vet we saw gave us some tablets and charged us a huge amount of money! When we got home we went to see out vet, ( as he was still not good)who took swabs, gave us food an injection plus a doggy type 'actimel' and the bill was £10 less than when we where on holiday?????? Unfortunately now Darcy seeks out food, its just like having a labrador again.

Mum and B came with us for the first week, on the Tuesday of the first week, mum was taken ill and we had such a battle to get a doctor to see her at the local GP surgery as mum had become unwell at 10.30am in the morning and she should have been there at 9.30am!!!!! I ask you!!

we came back early as we where rained out but the garden looked fabulous...









Since then I have picked pounds...



and pounds..



of tomatoes, definately my best year yet!

Chutney making is well underway



and I have had my hair chopped off!!!



I hope normal service will now be resumed and I look forward to catching up with all your blogs!