Empty for the moment. Excuse me whilst I take a quick PhD in how to construct greenhouse staging. In China, it is apparently easier to use self-tapping screws and a piece of metal with a narrow strip of metal inside it that the screws fix into. I had been looking at it the other way up - blank strip with one hole either end and nothing to attach the shorter cross strips to and I had screws with no nuts and those shorter strips of metal with holes. Hmmm, lots of head scratching and I had to go to Caerfagu to look at their greenhouse and staging (Vitavia one, just like mine, and it's where I bought my greenhouse from). I took photos (not trusting my memory).
So, round two will be tomorrow . . . I have two of them.
Yesterday was a real struggle for Keith as he was barely able to get around and I really feared I might not get him safely to bed. Anyway, we managed somehow and I had some wine to calm my nerves afterwards, and watched some tv programmes I like - I defer to Keith most of the time although I generally enjoy what he is watching (antiques progs) but some of his films are a bit blood-thirsty and there's a limit to how many Lovejoy programmes I can cope with!
I had a lovely morning out in the garden and started planting up the alpines down the big stone steps at the side of the house. I put all 7 plants in. I had half a bag of topsoil left which I used as a base, popped the plants in - the biggest ones on the corners of the steps where they met the wall - and then topped up with compost and laid some stone fragments against them to hold the soil in place. I'll get some bigger pieces from the edge of the paddock - remnants of a stone trackway from the stables up to the Big House, dug up when we had some of the paddock levelled.
Then it came on to rain so I came indoors and sewed half a dozen patchwork blocks. Tonight I shall applique some more of the Beatrix Potter figures in the centres of them. It's coming together nicely. Whilst I sewed, I listened to "Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone", which I have in hardback but didn't get very far reading it as too many calls on my time. It was lovely to listen to it as I worked.
I have to say, I would prefer to have Danny & Emma here of an evening, but this was all booked last year, before they knew they were going to move here.
I shall be glad to sit down and rest tonight as I had such a busy morning - putting several lots of washing on, and hanging it up, taking dry laundry upstairs, ironing various bits, making up "I"'s bed and D&E's with fresh linen, shaving Keith and giving him a hair cut, helping him with his meals etc etc.
Anyway, K up to bed with no problems tonight. Just off to bed myself now. Have a good weekend all.
Wonderful that the greenhouse has finally come together! It looks quite spacious and you are going to enjoy it! It sounds like you've had a very busy day, and much relief that getting K upstairs wasn't too difficult the second night without D's help. I hope you're having a good sleep tonight!
ReplyDeleteIt measures 6' x 10' and I will soon run out of room for copious trays of seedlings!
DeleteI did indeed sleep well last night after breathing a huge sigh of relief once I'd gotten Keith safely into bed.
Your greenhouse is coming right along. I hope you get a good sleep tonight.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I will have to get Danny to work out how the shades go up. I asked the handyman to set up the waterbutt system, as it looked complicated. Obviously too complicated for him too as several bits "left over" which we will look into fitting.
DeleteYou are such a hard worker! I admit I'd let D, E, and I change their own bedding. That bend annnd stoop is hard work.
ReplyDeleteThe eveing sewing, being read a good book sounds so lovely. I'm glad you had that time.
I never stop, truly. Once spring arrives, I could spend every day gardening - at Ynyswen I regularly spent 8 hrs a day doing so. In winter I enjoy family history in my spare time, and there is always housework. I got D&E to strip the beds so I could get the laundry done whilst they were away (and room on the hanging racks as no small childrens' things or their clothes needing the drying space). I made the beds up as no-one wants to come back to a stripped bed! They help me in other ways and Danny often gets Keith up and to the bathroom first thing, as well as helping get him to bed. Emma helps around the house too and they will help in the garden now the weather is improving.
DeleteYour greenhouse looks great! Tonight, Tim was watching videos of the Ukrainian war. The noise! I can't stand to hear the noise!
ReplyDeleteThat wouldn't be my first choice of viewing either. I try to avoid reality - have enough reality here with Keith's failing health.
DeleteI'm really looking forward to growing things in the greenhouse. Once the seeds are planted out, I will be able to grow cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers etc, then overwinter tender plants in there and start off seeds in the autumn to grow on.
hopefully you'll be in the greenhouse as you assemble the staging as it's torrential rain forecast all weekend.
ReplyDeleteHah - in the kitchen, with Keith supervising!
ReplyDeleteHOORAY! for the greenhouse, now you can really get going. Hope you get the staging sorted.
ReplyDelete‘Tiz proper job! Well done you for keeping the faith. It sounds as if you and K are going to have a fun day assembling the staging - hope it all goes well. We don’t watch anything murderous or violent or depressing on TV and that includes the News. We’ve enjoyed Catherine and David and Dolly the 2CV travelling along the south coast this week. I know only one of the shops they visited though and that was in Steyning where Catherine bought that practical bamboo and cane folding picnic table/stool with a carrying handle for £30 which sold for £50. The owner goes to the brocantes so he always has lots of Frenchy objets. I would have bought the table too as it would be just the job when we have afternoon tea in the meadow. Steyning is an interesting Saxon town. The buildings along the high street are raised high above the road as from Saxon times onwards the market would be held on the lower level keeping all the effluent away from living quarters. Is this why high streets are called high streets? Now I think about it in every old settlement I know the older houses are built high above the level of the road. There is also an interesting old church dedicated to St Cuthbert. From Steyning a track leads up to the Downs and Chanctonbury Hill which has a circle of very old beech trees atop which are supposed to have mystical origins. I like Steyning a lot and it has an annual artist’s studio trail where I bought my rusty iron plant supports made by a chap in his shed and always lots of music events going on in the church and pubs and an annual festival including literary events organised by the brilliant book shop. It’s got a nice friendly feeling whereas Petworth with its annual music and book festivals can be a bit highbrow and/or celebrity driven. Well, I’ve waffled on long enough and it’s time for breakfast. Have a good day BB and so pleased you have support at home now. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThe greenhouse looks great - so pleased it has been assembled and good luck with the staging. I would be flummoxed at the thought of doing it. OH watches a lot of tv and most not my cup of tea and its hard sometimes to watch stuff I have recorded because of this. Still catching up from stuff recorded at Christmas. I sit in the other living room and read to get away from the tv!
ReplyDeleteYour greenhouse looks fabulous and I bet you are itching to get seeds planted. We are going to have to devise a way to keep Sheva out of our raised beds as the beautiful soil is just right (in her mind) to use as a litter tray. We have our granddaughter for a few days from tomorrow and I've booked tickets to see Migration at our Odeon. OH will probably sleep through it!
ReplyDeleteSo good to see the greenhouse coming together! Still too cold here to start seeds in my greenhouse--Willis-the-cat takes it over as his winter quarters stretching on one of the shelves if the sun is pouring in. It sounds like you have had a busy and productive day.
ReplyDeleteI read 'Bees' when it came out. In spite of the meticulous historical research I'm weary of the peripheral characters and thinking 'let's get this story finished!'
I moved my Wooden greenhouse from one side of the garden to the other with the help of my son. The staging I decided to alter from along the side (end to end) and chop it down so I could fit it across the end. The to shelf I made int two smaller shelves. I can now grow tomatoes and cucumber down both sides of the greenhouse. I just have to sort out the rest of the garden where the greenhouse was.
ReplyDelete