Wearier than a weary thing

One of the first tentative blooms on Raubritter.

Today didn't go as planned.  First of all after I woke at 4 a.m. for the loo, I couldn't get back to sleep again, so at half past 4 I got up, came downstairs and started work on making a curtain to go under the draining board down in what was mum's kitchen. The old one had been temporary and was very shabby.  I can hide a box of books behind this now!  Having ironed the hems top and bottom and pinned them, I crept upstairs into my sewing room and shut the door, as I didn't want to wake Keith.  The curtain was soon made and looks really pretty, plus it lightens a dark corner.

The slate sink which came from the Dairy room next door was utilised as a draining board.  Sadly the idiots doing the work on this house at the time managed to break the other two . . .  It was a Council Grant, hence we didn't get to chose the builders . . .  The big Belfast sink and stand came from an architectural salvage place that used to be down in Haverfordwest (with a lot more stuff back at the old house he lived in.)  We have lots of memories of going on foraging expeditions there, for stuff we needed for the house.  We never know that yellow terracotta floor tiles were hard to come by until we needed some to mend the hall floor . . .

Here is the wall I painted this afternoon.  This was NOT on the plans.  It had been pale green.  I touched up a couple of flaked spots with - I thought - the same green.  It wasn't and a search revealed none in the shed either. So it had to be white instead - Earthborne clay paint as it's a breathing wall (backs on to the clay and slate bedrock) - and it was like painting with Treacle - it's a thick paint anyway, and the paint which was already on there quickly sucked the moisture out, plus the wall was slightly rough so I had to keep going over and then needed a torch to see which bits I had missed.  That took all afternoon in between dashing up to watch individual races at the Ascot meeting.

Last week I had to repaint the panels the other side in green Earthborne clay paint because I thought that was what I had used before, but no - one panel in I realized I had made an Error!  It went on darker and dried darker . . .  So I had to paint all the panels.  Neither of these jobs was on the cards!  Nor was oiling all the tiles and slate floors, which I also did recently.  

Anyway, I also managed some sweeping in the yard (more to do tomorrow) and a tiny bit of weeding, but I made sure I didn't go outside without a mask on, and when I had finished I came in and changed my clothes for non-pollened ones, and washed my hair.  That's the way in the summer - hair-washing every day, change clothes on coming inside after working or being out, all clothes, towels and bedding to be dried inside.  No sitting out enjoying the sunshine (which is just about to arrive I understand).  I am really trying to avoid having to go on steroids this summer, so fingers crossed.

10 days of rain has rather spoiled the roses, but you can see the changing colours of Vielchenblau.  The palest one just about to go over.  Such a sweet little flower and lots of blooms to come.

Right, I think I deserve to lay in the bath with a good book now . . .