Thank you to everyone for your comments on my last post. Some of you naughty ones would try tasting the wine and Cherie really made me giggle! We decided it wasn't worth the risk. The first bottle opened with a pop but didn't smell very nice and was full of sediment, the second didn't pop so must not have been airtight. It smelled awful, so both were poured onto a dry patch of the garden. We fully expected to see dizzy bumble bees and other insects but they all seemed to be unscathed :)
At the moment G is suffering badly from his neck problem. His tummy bug cleared up but the last 2 nights have been spent largely sleepless due to this head twitching he is getting. Last night he was in and out of bed so often that I got up with him and made some tea. We were still up and awake at 5am. At 5.15am we decided to try to get at least a couple of hours, managing to doze off until just after 8am. This morning he has managed to get a GP appointment because this can't go on. He has more than a week to wait until his physio appointment at the hospital and I'm sure that something more is going on other than a spinal problem.
For this reason my blog will go quiet for a while. I am exhausted; too tired to think, in fact. I will continue to read other blogs when I can and I am carrying on with my Stash to Cash challenge until the end of the year so might update the total periodically for my diary. There is no craft fair this month but I do have some online sales to total up.
Stay safe everyone and thanks everso for dropping in x
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
Monday, 6 August 2018
How Long Does a Bottle of Wine Last?
When it was cooler last week G decided to tackle the shed at long last. He hauled everything out from off the floor, added a new shelf and tidied it all up. So much stuff! There were containers holding just a drop of this or a bit of that so we used up what we could and gave some away, recycling the containers. Equipment used in his old gardening business which he no longer needed was given away too. He came across these tucked into a corner in a gift bag....
They are dated 2009!! I remember a friend of FiL begged some of our rhubarb from the last house and he made it into wine. We were meant to keep it for 6 months before opening it but we moved here in March 2010, popped them in the shed and completely forgot about them What a waste. How long can you keep a bottle of homemade wine for? Any records out there? :)
In the early hours of Saturday morning G was throwing up (and, no, he hasn't sampled the wine!) Somehow he picked up a bug which has laid him flat and off his food for 3 days. Not much sleep was had by either of us that night....
Today the weather is roasting again but it seems that cooler weather is on it's way, thank goodness. I will be so glad to get through the day without feeling sticky and uncomfortable. How are you all coping?
I mustn't forget to welcome a new follower: Margaret, I think...hello!
Anyway, thanks so much for popping in, take care xx
They are dated 2009!! I remember a friend of FiL begged some of our rhubarb from the last house and he made it into wine. We were meant to keep it for 6 months before opening it but we moved here in March 2010, popped them in the shed and completely forgot about them What a waste. How long can you keep a bottle of homemade wine for? Any records out there? :)
In the early hours of Saturday morning G was throwing up (and, no, he hasn't sampled the wine!) Somehow he picked up a bug which has laid him flat and off his food for 3 days. Not much sleep was had by either of us that night....
Today the weather is roasting again but it seems that cooler weather is on it's way, thank goodness. I will be so glad to get through the day without feeling sticky and uncomfortable. How are you all coping?
I mustn't forget to welcome a new follower: Margaret, I think...hello!
Anyway, thanks so much for popping in, take care xx
Friday, 3 August 2018
Mammoths, Wasps and Village Life
Gosh, such a lot has happened since my last post. The visit to West Midland Safari Park last Sunday was lovely. It rained on and off but didn't spoil the day. It was GS's birthday and the activity of choice for a birthday treat. There was so much to see that we didn't manage it all so will be grateful for the free return ticket later on in the school holiday. We were just going into the new Ice Age area when DD discovered a wasp down the top of her ankle boot which stung her several times before I could get it off her. This necessitated a trip to the First Aid booth and a dressing of TCP applied. Everyone for miles around could smell us coming afterwards...lol...but she survived. Anyway, we all trooped back to the Ice Age for an encounter with Mammoths and wild creatures of all descriptions complete with sound effects....
Their Dinosaur area was pretty impressive too but I haven't posted photos because many other bloggers have covered it. I loved the Bat Cave too (but not the smell !). As it was raining again after our picnic lunch, we drove around the safari park for a second time when it was much quieter and we could take our time driving through. GC thought it was ace.
A couple of weeks ago I broke a tiny bit of tooth off whilst eating my morning cereal and the roughness has irritated my tongue ever since so I brought forward my usual check up appointment, thinking that the dentist would smooth it off for me. Did he heck. He took one look and when I was lying prone with his gloved fingers in my mouth declared that he would just ( and I quote) "pop a bit of anaesthetic in, quickly whizz out the two fillings and refill them" Aaarrrgh! It was a good job I couldn't speak. Anyway, job done within minutes and a bill of £59.10 to pay. Great..... :/
Changing the subject yet again, we attended a meeting at the village pub on Monday where we discovered two ongoing problems. The first is the potential closure of the village Post Office which would be devastating to village life. We have many of the older generation here who don't have transport, computers or smartphones and who rely on the PO for all their financial transactions like pensions and paying of bills. We are looking to set up a co-operative to buy the shop and PO and carry on the business. Pledges are being made even as I write.
The second, and pressing, problem is the potential quarry development on farm land close to the village. It would be so harmful to wildlife and crops, as well as the health of the villagers. At least 3 schools would be in the vicinity of toxic dust and heavy lorries clogging the roads. We need to do something fast.
Has anyone else tackled anything like this? Can the 'big guys' actually be stopped from getting their way? I do hope so....
Anyway, must dash, it's cooler today so I need to get cooking for once :)
Take care and stay safe x
Their Dinosaur area was pretty impressive too but I haven't posted photos because many other bloggers have covered it. I loved the Bat Cave too (but not the smell !). As it was raining again after our picnic lunch, we drove around the safari park for a second time when it was much quieter and we could take our time driving through. GC thought it was ace.
A couple of weeks ago I broke a tiny bit of tooth off whilst eating my morning cereal and the roughness has irritated my tongue ever since so I brought forward my usual check up appointment, thinking that the dentist would smooth it off for me. Did he heck. He took one look and when I was lying prone with his gloved fingers in my mouth declared that he would just ( and I quote) "pop a bit of anaesthetic in, quickly whizz out the two fillings and refill them" Aaarrrgh! It was a good job I couldn't speak. Anyway, job done within minutes and a bill of £59.10 to pay. Great..... :/
Changing the subject yet again, we attended a meeting at the village pub on Monday where we discovered two ongoing problems. The first is the potential closure of the village Post Office which would be devastating to village life. We have many of the older generation here who don't have transport, computers or smartphones and who rely on the PO for all their financial transactions like pensions and paying of bills. We are looking to set up a co-operative to buy the shop and PO and carry on the business. Pledges are being made even as I write.
The second, and pressing, problem is the potential quarry development on farm land close to the village. It would be so harmful to wildlife and crops, as well as the health of the villagers. At least 3 schools would be in the vicinity of toxic dust and heavy lorries clogging the roads. We need to do something fast.
Has anyone else tackled anything like this? Can the 'big guys' actually be stopped from getting their way? I do hope so....
Anyway, must dash, it's cooler today so I need to get cooking for once :)
Take care and stay safe x
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Rain At Last
Firstly, a very warm welcome to Elaine, my new follower...hello :)
A few days ago we harvested our potatoes from the trough we had used. There were 2.5kg of lovely, smooth skinned, yummy potatoes. They taste creamy and delicious and will last us a few weeks if we keep them cool, as we don't eat an enormous amount of potatoes in Summer.
In their place we have planted leeks (the compost has been totally removed, enriched and replaced)
The garden has suffered a bit with the total lack of rain. These Hydrangeas were a beautiful purple but are now changing colour as our soil is pretty neutral. We need to do something next year to bring the purple back...
Today is blessedly cool and we had some rain overnight. It began around 9pm last night and, at one point during the night, it belted down. Thank heavens. Let's hope there's a little more to come as the river level at Bewdley is down to 22cm.
Tomorrow I am going to a wildlife park with the family so you can bet your bottom dollar that we will have thunderstorms and torrential rain! It never fails...lol...
I hope everyone who needs rain has had some too,
Take care x
A few days ago we harvested our potatoes from the trough we had used. There were 2.5kg of lovely, smooth skinned, yummy potatoes. They taste creamy and delicious and will last us a few weeks if we keep them cool, as we don't eat an enormous amount of potatoes in Summer.
In their place we have planted leeks (the compost has been totally removed, enriched and replaced)
The garden has suffered a bit with the total lack of rain. These Hydrangeas were a beautiful purple but are now changing colour as our soil is pretty neutral. We need to do something next year to bring the purple back...
Our GS gave us a couple of sunflower seeds and the flowers are doing quite well. They obviously love the sunny weather. This one is the smallest. I'll let you know how tall they get. What's the biggest you have grown?
Today is blessedly cool and we had some rain overnight. It began around 9pm last night and, at one point during the night, it belted down. Thank heavens. Let's hope there's a little more to come as the river level at Bewdley is down to 22cm.
Tomorrow I am going to a wildlife park with the family so you can bet your bottom dollar that we will have thunderstorms and torrential rain! It never fails...lol...
I hope everyone who needs rain has had some too,
Take care x
Saturday, 21 July 2018
Hot, hot, hot and Rain Song
It's almost 2 weeks since my last post and it's been incredibly hot ever since, so much so that my energy has evaporated like the moisture from the garden. I still don't feel like eating properly as it's much too hot to cook and we don't really have an appetite for hot meals anyway. G is getting really fed up with salad but he doesn't know what he fancies, so that's no help.
Yesterday my GS had his leaving assembly from junior school and I went to the church service. It was lovely but I felt a bit sad that he will be at Secondary school in September and we will no longer have small children with Nativity plays etc to weep over :/ Children grow so fast, don't they. I still have a wee GD in Oz but I can't actually give her a real hug over the internet now can I.
Anyway, as I was driving home it began to spot with rain so when I arrived I got G to sing 'Danny Boy'. His voice is totally off key and it did the trick, it rained gently for over 2 hours! ...lol... Perhaps I should rent him out? It was blissfully cool all evening with a gentle breeze blowing through the open windows and cooling us down. By this morning it was more hot sunshine but now (4.30pm) the clouds have arrived and it's feeling a tad better. I must admit that I HAVE HAD ENOUGH NOW! More rain please? The water butt is still only 1/4 full.
I have had a bit more success with my Stash to Cash challenge over the last week. I cleared £15.30 at the craft fair and a neighbour has just paid me £4.50 for a couple of special cards, therefore the new total is
Stash to Cash total £110.92
I have some sales on fleabay but I will need to buy a few things in the next few days; more double sided tape, some gems and a couple of metres of thin ribbon for bows. I'll use the fleabay money so won't count the money raised from that sale .
Hope you are all coping with the weird weather across the world. Take care...
Thanks so much for popping in x
Yesterday my GS had his leaving assembly from junior school and I went to the church service. It was lovely but I felt a bit sad that he will be at Secondary school in September and we will no longer have small children with Nativity plays etc to weep over :/ Children grow so fast, don't they. I still have a wee GD in Oz but I can't actually give her a real hug over the internet now can I.
Anyway, as I was driving home it began to spot with rain so when I arrived I got G to sing 'Danny Boy'. His voice is totally off key and it did the trick, it rained gently for over 2 hours! ...lol... Perhaps I should rent him out? It was blissfully cool all evening with a gentle breeze blowing through the open windows and cooling us down. By this morning it was more hot sunshine but now (4.30pm) the clouds have arrived and it's feeling a tad better. I must admit that I HAVE HAD ENOUGH NOW! More rain please? The water butt is still only 1/4 full.
I have had a bit more success with my Stash to Cash challenge over the last week. I cleared £15.30 at the craft fair and a neighbour has just paid me £4.50 for a couple of special cards, therefore the new total is
Stash to Cash total £110.92
I have some sales on fleabay but I will need to buy a few things in the next few days; more double sided tape, some gems and a couple of metres of thin ribbon for bows. I'll use the fleabay money so won't count the money raised from that sale .
Hope you are all coping with the weird weather across the world. Take care...
Thanks so much for popping in x
Sunday, 8 July 2018
Talented Talon & Jobs on a Hot Day
It feels like another scorcher today (as it was yesterday) but yesterday evening I spent several hours in the blissful cool of an air conditioned theatre watching a wonderful acoustic band called Talon. They are known for being an Eagles tribute band but their talents extend far beyond that. I left on a high, especially after a hug from a member of the band! If you want to hear what I mean try www.talonmusic.co.uk/acoustic and click on the All Of Me video to hear Johnny Miller's version of the John Legend song. I buy a ticket for the show every year and it's the highlight of my year. I have to go on my own but I wouldn't miss it for the world :) Do take a look, they might be playing near you....
This morning while it's a little cooler I need to crack on with a bit of housework. It's been sadly neglected with the energy sapping weather we have been having, so it's:
May I offer a warm welcome to Cathy, my new follower …. hello!
I now have another £6.63 after fees to add to my challenge pot so total updated below. I'm slowly getting there :)
How are you spending your day? My Son, who lives in Australia, has been COLD. It's only 20 degrees...Ooh that sounds good at the moment. What's the temperature in your part of the world?
Stay safe and thanks so much for popping in x
Stash to Cash total £91.12
This morning while it's a little cooler I need to crack on with a bit of housework. It's been sadly neglected with the energy sapping weather we have been having, so it's:
- Change the bed linen and put it in the wash
- Mop the kitchen floor
- Clean the bathroom & en-suite
- Vacuum the lounge
- Breath..... ;)
- Crafting! Yippee!
- Lunch
- More crafting ;)
May I offer a warm welcome to Cathy, my new follower …. hello!
I now have another £6.63 after fees to add to my challenge pot so total updated below. I'm slowly getting there :)
How are you spending your day? My Son, who lives in Australia, has been COLD. It's only 20 degrees...Ooh that sounds good at the moment. What's the temperature in your part of the world?
Stay safe and thanks so much for popping in x
Stash to Cash total £91.12
Friday, 6 July 2018
Relentless Heat & Home Produce
The relentless heat has continued all week, with nights so humid and hot that it has disrupted our sleep. Last night, in particular, I was so restless that I just couldn't sleep, even with the windows open to let in the cool night air. My joints ached, my back twinged and I was hot to the extent that I got up at midnight to sit in the cooler living room for a bit. I went back to bed at 1.30am but slept fitfully. I know I should be grateful but excessive heat really doesn't suit me and my tummy feels bloated because my normal eating patterns have been disrupted :( Pleeeease let us have a drop of rain soon.....
On a happier note, a very warm welcome to my new follower, Rosemary, I don't always moan I promise you! :)
Also on the plus side, we have been eating some absolutely gorgeous strawberries from our pots, a few tasty radishes too and our potatoes are almost ready to eat. The flowers have gone over so they should be ready in about a weeks time, I think. Apparently, potatoes stop growing if the temperature reaches 25 degrees, which it certainly has for about two weeks now, so they could be very small (but perfectly formed, I hope!) I'll show you when we dig some up.
On the Stash to Cash challenge, after fees and postage there is £25.31 to add to my pot from selling my makes and I have some bids on items closing today on eBay. I am going to persist with the monthly craft fair until the end of the year because I would like to make a total of £120 for shhh… Christmas ...gifts and the next one is a week tomorrow. The current total is below....
Enjoy your day folks and thanks everso for popping in x
Stash to Cash: £84.49
On a happier note, a very warm welcome to my new follower, Rosemary, I don't always moan I promise you! :)
Also on the plus side, we have been eating some absolutely gorgeous strawberries from our pots, a few tasty radishes too and our potatoes are almost ready to eat. The flowers have gone over so they should be ready in about a weeks time, I think. Apparently, potatoes stop growing if the temperature reaches 25 degrees, which it certainly has for about two weeks now, so they could be very small (but perfectly formed, I hope!) I'll show you when we dig some up.
On the Stash to Cash challenge, after fees and postage there is £25.31 to add to my pot from selling my makes and I have some bids on items closing today on eBay. I am going to persist with the monthly craft fair until the end of the year because I would like to make a total of £120 for shhh… Christmas ...gifts and the next one is a week tomorrow. The current total is below....
Enjoy your day folks and thanks everso for popping in x
Stash to Cash: £84.49
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A new blog: Small Treasures Revived !
I have begun a new blog: Small Treasures Revived. I can't work out how to put a link to it but clicking on 'my profile' should ...
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I have begun a new blog: Small Treasures Revived. I can't work out how to put a link to it but clicking on 'my profile' should ... -
First of all, I want to say an enormous "THANK YOU" to everyone who left kind and concerned comments on my last post and to Stephe... -
My new herb pot! It was election day in the UK on Thursday and I was lucky enough to be employed for the day as Poll Clerk in my local area....