Yesterday we travelled through the Forest of Dean to visit a property in the unwooded strip where it reaches the mighty River Severn. It was in a quiet spot overlooking fields, on a river's edge, and within walking distance of small shops, Dr, etc, yet handily placed for travelling back to Wales to see our children or up to Yorkshire (ditto). It needed a chunk of money spending on sorting out a damp problem - the vendors had chosen to splash their dosh on high-end en-suite bathrooms until they were skint, and just paint over the damp and do some VERY dodgy DIY "improvements". However, the asking price was cheap enough to allow for proper improvements to be made. There is so little on the market at the moment that even less than perfect properties are being deemed possibles, should our recent viewing here bear fruit.
We began the day having a wander (and a shop) around Abergavenny Fleamarket, and bought a lovely pine trunk to go in the Unit when my OH has replaced the hinges with the size of the set in ones which used to be on it. I bought a cookery book and two new Kilner storage jars (for the nuts which OH couldn't resist in Lidl this week). I think we had every season of weather yesterday. As we sat in the car park with a cup of tea, we could see it was snowing up on the Brecon Beacon hilltops, whilst it then rained with us, then the sun came out and later in the day we had hailstones and finally a cloudburst just outside Llandovery!
I am making progress on my x-stitch - gate and sheep so far. I need to work on it under my craft light though so can't take it with me to work on.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my breadmaker decided to pop its clogs and so I bit the bullet and bought myself a Panesonic one as everyone says how good they are (pleased with mine).
Hand-made (though I can bring it to dough in the Panny)
vs. a quick bung it Panny loaf!
See you on my return.
I eat so little bread now that I just use my stand mixer to mix and knead the dough, then bake 2 loaves to slice before freezing. They last well over a month unless Fran is home, she likes to start her day with poached eggs on toast.
ReplyDeleteHave a good trip must catch up when you get back
ReplyDeleteHouse-selling and house-hunting equals stress. Hope all goes according to plan.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased I haven't got a bread maker as that bread looks so very good I would eat it all with lashings of farm butter.
yes I would just scoff the lot myself! I was interested to know you were looking in the Forest of Dean, we rented holiday cottages there 3 years running when the dogs were very young and liked the area very much.
ReplyDeleteVery jealous of your move to the forest. Both sides of my mothers family come from Westbury on Severn and it's environs.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your trip and hope all goes well with house sale/possibly buying. Your new breadmaker looks almost the same model as ours and we are very pleased with it :)
ReplyDeleteKeeping everything crossed for the house selling and buying this spring! The Forest of Dean would be a lovely area to settle in.
ReplyDeleteBread looks yummy, never tried a bread machine. Hope the weather is not too bad for house hunting, the cottage in Whitby gets damp here and there, apparently all old places suffer a bit, not much one can do but keep the place warm.
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ReplyDeleteOne line of my mother's side of the family hailed from the Forest - the Meeks. Last May, when we stayed in Hereford for the Malvern Spring Show, we had a couple of hours wandering through the northern part, including Drybrook, where my wonderfully named forefather Barzillai Meek is buried. The we meandered through the lanes, looking out for small cottages that may have been standing in his time - the first half of the 19th century, before swinging down towards the Wye. Maybe that's where I get the sense of comfort from being near, or in the sight of, trees.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a successful offer for your house so you can put in an offer for the one you want, always a bit stressful playing the waiting game.
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of baking bread but no point in making it as we only eat about three slices a day!
Thanks for visiting my blog. By the way, I love your header, it looks so cheerful.