I was finally able to get out in the garden today. A tiny bit of sunshine (though that soon faded), and no rain. I started clearing the long perennials border, and finally got the last of the Alliums planted, without needing a snorkel to do so! I pruned my tall Bathsheba rose and when Danny & co got home, he helped me lower the wooden obelisk into place whilst I fed the rose up into it. Just one broken branch. Earlier I had moved the metal support from Bathsheba and put it up on the bank around Jude the Obscure.
We have since struggled mightily with a solid wood (Birch) Victorian chest of drawers, trying to get it upstairs, but no luck. TWICE Pippi insisted on "helping", and nearly got crushed between it and the wall, as we didn't notice her slip past us. Little horror - trying to extricate her was a struggle too. Anyway, we couldn't turn it on the half landing so it had to come back downstairs again and is now in the kitchen, and my old Arts & Crafts sewing table has gone up into "I" 's bedroom. I ideally need to sell it anyway . . . If only I had that Unit . . . but no word. I will phone on Monday.
Below is the lovely Birch Victorian chest of drawers we laboured to get up the stairs - and failed. It divides the room in two anyway (it's an L-shaped room). I'm going to get some pine colour Briwax tomorrow at Malvern to make it pretty again.
I will be early to bed tonight, as I have a 5 a.m. start in the morning. Weather doesn't look too bad at Malvern but it will be cold to start with.
Some more quilt blocks sewn today. They work up quickly if I have no interruptions, but sadly there are plenty of those, one way and another. That's when mistakes get made! I have to watch the white fabric, as I've got it back to front a couple of times as it's a white on white pattern!
Danny & Co have really gotten into life in Builth, and "I" goes swimming (starts lessons next week) each week and Danny has Gym membership. They have joint swimming membership too. "I" has joined the Library and goes to the Lego club weekly too, and tonight they've all gone to the Cinema and we're all having fish and chips for tea tonight for a change. Someone recommended the best pub for Danny to check out the music in and there is also a mother and toddler group to join. I should be able to go to talks with the Local History Society again too - stopped after having Covid, and then Keith had to go up to bed before the talks ended. I may join a patchwork group in Garth too, now I have "cover".
Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.
it's wonderful to get things done in the garden. I know just how you feel. I am waiting for ticker surgery and low on energy, regardless I went into our wet garden and planted tulip bulbs. They had been languishing in the back of the car all winter and begun to sprout so I thought I would get them in and hope for the best. It was such a mood booster. My best friend is a quilter and I hear the same things from her that you are recounting about the puzzling out and sneaky patterns. Do you have a "stash" of fabrics as my friend calls it? I have great fun poking through it.
ReplyDeleteI see I'm not the only one nagged by unplanted bulbs! We must both be relieved they are in now and will bring us pleasure when they flower. As for a fabric stash, ahem, yes I do have one. Nothing like as big as it used to be, but still plenty there for quilt making and it still gets added to of course! There are such really pretty fabrics out there and it's hard to resist sometimes!
DeleteSorry to interrupt ladies, but just wanted to ask, do you have fabrics in your stash, that you take out and stroke and then put them away again, as they're too beautiful to cut into. Please tell me I'm not the only one to do that Anne Shropshire
DeleteLife sounds good! Busy in a good way, interesting. Having the young family with you is great. "I" sounds like a very busy lively child, too.
ReplyDeletePippi is a tiny terror, so naughty.
Can we see the ats and crafts sewing table sometime? Sounds lovely.
Yes, life has improved considerably. The relief is huge - I was finding it so difficult to bear all the worries and responsibilities on my own.
DeletePhotos of the table put up now.
The table is lovely. I think maybe it had a treadle machine set into the top? I'd love a little table like that to push right up to my big glass ocean windows for winter sewing. The chest of drawers is beautiful. I don't think I ve ever seen a cabinet made of birch.
DeleteThanks for adding the pics.
I expect it did, then got "modified". Birch is a fairly unusual choice of wood - i would have been
Delete. . . it would have been a pretty old tree to give planks that size. We used to have a similar one, many years ago, which we bought in an auction in Dorset.
DeleteSo good to hear you are able to get gardening done and to be out and about. Have fun at the fair!
ReplyDeleteThe gardening cheered me up no end, and it's nice not to be so tied to the house. I did have fun at the Fair!
DeleteYes, sounds like getting down and dirty in the garden is just what the doctor ordered. Did you know that getting your hands in good clean earth is proven to be very good for you. I had a wander around the garden today enjoying the sunshine and flowers and birdsong and smells and making my usual mental list of things to do but there is no rush for me, I will wait until March before doing anymore cutting back or weeding or even seed sowing of sweet peas and chillies. Instead we had a lovely walk from home which does us both good and makes me so grateful to live on the greensand ridge. Hope you are having a lovely relaxing evening. Here we are cosy in front of the fire listening to Radio 4, and later we are going to watch Janina Ramirez exploring Sutton Hoo, somewhere we know quite well from staying on site in Mrs Pretty’s house many times. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Sarah. Just achieving some of the things on my "to do" list is very therapeutic. I have read about the bacteria in the soil are just what we need as they are beneficial to health. I'm going to get Danny to make that bed bigger and give it a different shape rather than being long and thin. I am desperate to get sewing seeds - praying that the glass is unbroken this time round. I had Radio 4 on in the car on my journey today and usually have it on if I am baking. I'm the only one in the family who didn't get to Sutton Hoo as the family went when I had to stay at home and care for mum.
DeleteGreat to hear that you are all finding things to do in the community. I spent 25 years only going to work and WI once a month and was perfectly happy but I've made an effort to 'join in' since we've moved and enjoy all my various activities. There's a large range of things to do in the village, a lively arts scene and for 'proper' culture the Arts Centre at the uni. It is worth making the effort if at all possible.
ReplyDeleteGlad you have joined clubs etc since moving. I have been tied to the house because of Keith's problems and not wanting to bring Covid etc back again. Evening anythings aren't possible because of getting him to bed.
DeleteHow lovely for you to have Danny and family living with you, the relief must be huge. I'm dying to get out in the garden for a real go. We have been given 2 lovely roses for our 50th Wedding, so want to plant them in pots as we will (hopefully) be moving later this year and will want to take them with us. Not lookin forward to the upheavel but OH has finally come round to the idea that it will be good to be nearer to daughter. Have a great time at Malvern. Hugs Xx
ReplyDeleteThe relief IS huge Gill. What roses were you given? I hope they will reward you with many years of beautiful blooms. Will you be moving far? Malvern was a good day out but I'm shattered now.
DeleteIt sounds like it has been a good day or two in spite of the chest of drawers proving unwieldy. I gather that Danny and Co have found their feet and their place in the new [to them] setting. Good that you can now have a bit of time to get out and about. Not gardening weather here quite yet but I am mulling possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThe youngsters have wisely chosen to jump in too whatever's going on - they don't want to be stuck at home with us old fuddy-duddies! At least I have company on walks now and look forward to showing them some lovely places to visit as well. Builth has more to offer than I realized.
DeleteHow lovely to be able to take part in the things you love, and help the youngsters as well. I love the table and the chest of drawers. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
You cannot possibly know how glad I am that everything is shaking out so beautifully for all of you! This post makes me smile.
ReplyDeletePs this was Debby
ReplyDeleteI am happy life is improving for you. The sewing table is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to read things working out better for you now. It also makes me happy to read it.
ReplyDeleteNew Lunar Year...things start to move!
ReplyDeletePositivity is starting to shine out, I am so happy for you, you did so well to hold the fort on your own for so long so be proud of that and enjoy the shared responsibility now x x Danette
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to see you back to your garden and roses Jennie. You have a bright spirit and having your family around will help with everything. Love the little sewing table, we seem to be both back starting on the adventure of patchwork again.
ReplyDelete