Just another Manic Sunday

 

I noticed the setting sun lighting up the trees across the valley with a soft red glow and ran upstairs for my camera, opening the window to half fall out to capture it.  The end of another busy day here.

    I began it by doing all the ironing which had piled up.  I wanted to catch up on some more episodes of Mountain Men, so watched that as I pressed the creases out of king sized duvets (2) and sheets.  I used to absolutely loathe ironing, but now I don't have so much of it I actually enjoy it and it helps to keep me warm too!  

    As I wanted to keep watching the recordings, I then set about going through the books and magazines in Keith's Militaria bookcase, and that took longer than I expected.  Magazines are going to a friend, and old antiques magazines and many auction catalogues are destined for the next bonfire.

    I was getting very involved with one of the Mountain Men story lines by this time, so carried on with clearing out the Craft Cupboard, which has to be totally emptied as it is staying behind here with the incoming folk. They were interested in buying a lot of our excess furniture, which was a relief as most of it was big and heavy and we didn't have room for it due to downsizing considerably.

    It was lovely to find again the x-stitch works in progress - some started and overlooked for many years.  I had so nearly finished the big Devon Village design, but then it got complicated with half stitches and 1/4 stitches and it was before I had a magnifying light, so hopefully now I can get it completed and framed (when we move).  Another one is Grandmas's Quilt, which I didn't get so far with, and another which is a gift for a friend WHEN I get back to it!

    At lunchtime, Tam and I had a pleasant walk up the valley to the next junction and back.  Lots of berries on the Holly trees, and we found what looked like Otter slides onto the lane near the stream.  Claw marks had been smoothed out by a wet tummy anyway.  We paused to check a lovely bright yellow leaved tree, pondering as to its type and took two leaves home for an ID.  Going through our tree books, it was a White Poplar.  One of the neighbours had a grant a few years back to plant native trees on one of his fields, and this was one of them, well-grown now.

    This afternoon I liberated the last of the Gooseberries from the freezer and Tam and I made a lovely crumble.  I can see me having a serving of that for breakfast as it is SO good!  I also cut back the Autumn fruiting raspberries - they are still offering fruit, but it's not at all sweet, and I wanted to tidy up that bit of the garden.

     Then I made 3 Shepherd's Pies, one for Keith's tea and two for the freezer when he needs a quick meal.  Then Tam made the Winter Squash galette we made a couple of weeks back for our meal.

    The Removal company will only move our freezers empty, so we will have to go through and eat the contents.  I hate getting close to Christmas with a big freezer to restock, but needs must.  We will have to go to Lidl in Llandrindod Wells to stock up once we've moved. I can't think of a way around it unless I ask a friend if I can plug the little spare freezer in at their house and then come back and collect it and contents once we are moved.  Tam has been very organized and booked us two close-to-Christmas grocery deliveries with just a few items on (to be added to later) for both addresses, so we are covered for Christmas food anyway.

    So, things are gradually being packed and there is more in the pile to go to a Charity shop next week, when we can book an appointment.  I've got two Tip runs to be done next week too and there is a list of things to do once we have a date to move.

    Enjoy your week.