First Frost

 An early one too.  I will have to cut down the beautiful black leaves on the remaining Colocasia and dig it up to overwinter with its companions in the Utility room.  It was the only one which grew properly and has been stunning. I know more about growing them now and will plant a little deeper and earlier and not allow to dry out at all.  We had frosts into May this year (unheard of) so they didn't go in until nearly June.

I am glad that yesterday is over and done with.  I have had a somewhat stressful couple of days (tradesmen again) and yesterday I had to take Keith into Hereford to have his scan at the Hospital.  We knew the route as far as Currys, and had downloaded a Google map/directions for the last little bit.  We had to go to Currys anyway, as we needed a new answerphone.  Our phone answers but doesn't record messages any more.  With a nod to our increasing ages, we got one with larger buttons and a hearing-aid function.  It's been charging overnight so I'll change them over shortly.

       We worked out proximity of Morrisons (should we need to park there in future) but yesterday I wanted the peace of mind of being close to the Hospital to see Keith coming out after his appointment.  I sat in the car and began reading Woodston, the biography of an English Farm, by the excellent writer John Lewis-Stempel.  I was in the nearest car park and close to the entrance.  Phew.  You have no idea how I had blown this up out of all proportion, because I was stressed over getting the bathroom done (plumber's phone was turned off when I tried a few times.  Turns out he had to isolate).  He is such a good plumber he has been worth waiting for, but I wish he could have actually set a date instead of a vague, "mid-October".  I thought we were going to have to start all over again and lead times were, yes, another three months.  I have booked two companies to come and give a quote. Now I need to cancel them.

        Paying to get out was straightforward too (another unknown which had been worrying me). How have I come to this?  I once organized a Royal visit - from start to finish - to present the Queen's Award to Industry for the company I was temping for.  Now I get worried over leaving a strange car park!!  I will blame the strange times we are living in, and worry over Keith's health problems.

As we were driving past the end of the road, we turned off and drove to Breinton Farm Shop, as we have each time we've gone to Malvern Fleamarket recently.  They always have a goodselection of grown-by-them or Very Local heritage apples - I bought my favourite, Ashmeads Kernel, Breinton Delicious and Kent, and got Conferencepears for Keith.  They had Comice too, and he wants some of those next time we're near (which is soonish).

Finally, some photos of the spread for Monday, when one of my cousins and her husband came to visit.  The empty blue plate held a selection of Italian preserved meats once they got here but I forgot to take a photo then.  

Middle daughter G, who is a Cheese Hound, had a fabulous time at the Deli cheese counter, choosing lots of cheeses.  She went home with most of them, but we kept the Smoked Caerphilly, Lincolnshire Poacher and Cornish Yarg.  Yum!
 

Two different loaves, Tiger and Sourdough, and I baked a Tangy Lemon Cake (Drizzle by it's usual title) and also made a Quiche - it's got cheese pastry, and the filling was onion, bacon, and cheese.  Yummy.

The cheese pastry makes all the difference.  It was VERY short though, and the devil to roll out and I couldn't find the small flan dish I had before we moved, so probably had a rush of blood to the head and gave it to the charity shop!  (As in, "I never use this"!)

    Anyway, today we have sunshine, so Keith and I are off to Hay Market.   I must garden later . ..