An Unexpected - and Welcome - Surprise

When I got back from shopping in Llandod today, I picked up the post and noticed an Official Letter from HM Revenue and Customs.  I immediately thought, oh-oh . . . but when I opened it I was delighted to find that it was a goodly cheque in repayment of Keith's Income Tax overpayment . . . It will pay for the next lot of oil, which is a huge relief, so will go into my savings account.  There was also a lovely letter in the most beautifully decorated envelope from D - I treasure these envelopes as she always uses the most evocative stickers.  Todays were all Autumnal and just delicious.

I called at the Library before going on to Llandod, and joined so I could download the Borrowbox app, and also got this selection from the local history bookshelf.  Plenty to keep me quiet for a few days.  There are some splendid walks in the Drovers Roads of the Middle Marches, but not enough short ones - not sure if I'm up to 10 - 12 miles including steep hills at the moment (or ever again come to that!)  My days of 15 mile walks on Dartmoor are long gone.

I had a look in the charity shops in Llandod, and found a Weird Fish stripey long sleeve polo shirt in my size for just £5, which I thought was a bargain.  I don't think it's ever been worn.  My sense of smell is finally (6 mths on) returning just a tiny bit as I could smell the horrid stuff they spray all the clothing with.  Straight into the wash tomorrow of course.

I am still very aware I need to be frugal so although I was tempted enough to pick up a couple of magazines whilst I was out (and it was hard to put the Landscape one back, AND the Country Living Christmas mag, which both had lovely photos in and some tempting recipes) and a new Pinch of Nom magazine, I hardened my heart and just opened them out in my trolley and took photos of the recipes which tempted me the most.  Job done and money saved.

I did spoil myself a little and bought a tray of big prawns to go with a stir fry, having decided to have the high-faluting Ravioli Danny had left in the freezer (he told me to eat their stuff up as they have no freezer at present) in my home made soup at lunch time.  The ravioli are butternut squash, marscapone and pine-nut, and bulked out my soup nicely.  Those too, will last me all week with the soup. I've not bought prawns for nearly a year, so I will enjoy them in the stir fry.  Now I need to go and separate the reduced sausages I also bought, as well as the big tray of beef mince, into single portions and freeze them.  Ditto reduced red peppers at 28p each.

I didn't sleep at all well last night as the gale was making my windows rattle and I had Lulu being my personal hot water bottle in the small of my back - gosh she made me hot.  I've just had to collapse in a heap on the sofa, and once again woke up with cat-warmers in the shape of Lulu and Alfie.  He has escaped going to the vet today as his abscess is smaller and softer and has I think, drained a bit.  I'll see how he is tomorrow anyway.  

I've just cut up some more navy and red/white floral fabric (a slightly different ditsy print) to sew up into hexies tonight.  Tomorrow I have my Flu Jab so will be sitting quietly after that and may as well keep busy sewing.

I have also just about completed my Christmas shopping, so I'm glad about that, especially given December's outgoings!  House insurance is due on Christmas Eve; Car MoT at beginning of month; I will probably need to top up the oil by then unless I am able to just use it sparsely; I have two birthdays too, and of course there is Christmas.  I have just bought 3 more gifts (we're all having a frugal Christmas) and am just about done now.  I started shopping for gifts back around April I think!

'tis Windy yer . . .

 . . . and no-one about.  Haven't even heard a tractor or quad bike today, which is unusual.  Some days, loneliness creeps in. Yesterday was one of those.  I felt a bit lost by mid-afternoon and noting that my steps were well down for the day, I abandoned sewing and drove into town, parked in Co-op and had a walk down the town and went window-shopping, and did a circuit of the town and then back up the steep hill to Co-op again.  

I must have been putting that vibe out as Gabby said she felt I was low in spirits, and that was why she phoned.  Just chatting to her cheered me up and improved my evening (more sewing!)  I got these hexies sewn up:

  They were cut out and hemmed on Friday and sewn together yesterday evening.  I found a fat quarter sized piece of the red fabric in my stash, and the blue one is the fabric I bought from Ebay.  It matches well with the pattern already used in the quilt.  I am doing the tacking with one of my very many old reels of proper cotton, in a colour I am unlikely to use.  It is a pleasure to sew with and so much better than the man-made stuff.

Yesterday morning I made bread (a half and half loaf, sprinkled with fresh black pepper and sea salt.

This morning I made a hearty soup with gammon, tomatoes, vegetables and then added a tin of spicy Taco beans towards the end.  That hit the spot on a chilly day.  I have enough for about another 4 lunches I think.

I have spent an hour or so this morning making the envelope back for the Llwyn Celyn cushion and it is now finished.  I'm very pleased with it.

Tomorrow I will have to take Alfie to the vet to have his abscess checked as the hole I found was from the bite, and the abscess is still forming above it, and hard to touch.  He is comfortable enough and eating, but I don't want it to worsen.

Now I'm debating do I brave the half a gale that is blowing and go for a walk . . .

A small triumph or two

 

As it was raining on and off this afternoon (and now heavily and steadily), I went up to my sewing room for a couple of hours, rummaged through fabrics I had left over from making the patchwork curtains for the Summerhouse, and found some to complement my screen print from Llwyn Celyn the other day.  I think they blend with each other perfectly.  The top photo shows it sat on the russet-coloured glazed cotton backing material I'm using.  The photo below on the carpet just shows the colours more clearly.  The dark holly green of the Christmas fabric on the outer border ties it together nicely.

Above, Blackberry, Ivy and a greener wild Strawberry leaf from my walk this morning.  The colours tie in perfectly with the cushion front, especially that middle border :)  After going across to see my friend Pam and take her some magazines, I did a 2 mile walk up the side of the valley whilst it was still dry.  It was good to be out again, and I saw a friend out riding her skewbald cob - hoping to get home before the heavens opened.  

I've made (and eaten) a chicken and home grown tomato curry for tea, and frozen two portions for meals as needed,  and I'm going to make Minestrone soup tomorrow with one of the (cheap) Gammon steaks I bought. The other I've frozen to be made into a tasty Risotto when I fancy it.

I've sat and read a bit more of Barbara Erskine's The Story Spinner and am really enjoying it.  I've not had a chance to touch it whilst Tam and Rosie were here.

I have also made an appointment to get all my banking with the same Bank, rather than accounts with 3 different ones!  One bank has been the one I've used all my life, then the credit card went with another bank because that was the local one when I was at Uni, so it needs sorting out.  We've also requested a copy of the Will because the Bank need it so they can make over the balance of Keith's current account to my name.  That will be easier if I'm with his bank.

I also had a grab it whilst you can moment and have taken advantage of the Audible offer of 4 mths at £2.99 a month, this mainly because having looked at what is on offer on Borrowbox, the books I had enjoyed reading in the past and now wanted to listen to again as they are doorstep sized reads, weren't listed.  £12 isn't the end of the world and is covered by only having one newspaper a week now.

I've been worried about Alfie cat for a couple of days as he seemed very stiff coming downstairs yesterday and today when I picked him up to go on the chair beside me, he squawked in pain.  I just lifted him again, very carefully, and found his chest wet - an abscess had broken open, so I've got some salted boiled water cooling to clean the area with.  He will be more comfortable now it's burst.

Lunch in Hay and Welsh quilts

 

One of my Romsey cousins and her husband have been for a few days' holiday in N. Wales so she suggested meeting up on their way back, and they would take us out for lunch.  Nowhere suitable is open in Builth on mid-week lunchtimes so I suggested we met in Hay-on-Wye.  Here's a quick view across by the Cheesemarket and market square.

Here is the screen printing from Llywn Celyn - don't think it was the one I actually DID as I would have noticed there was a small square out of one corner, but I couldn't exactly argue the toss, so accepted it anyway - there are no faults in it anyway.  I shall look out some appropriate border fabric and quilt it and make it up into a cushion.

We went to the Granary for lunch.  I chose a smoked mackerel pate with rye toast (yummy) and Tam had some spicy mixed beans on toast topped with a poached egg.  Sally & Ron had sarnies.  It was lovely to catch up on their news and so good to see them again.  They have kept in touch and visited ever since we've been in Builth, and Keith struggling with his health.  Incidentally Rosie has one of Sally's mum's Christian names, so there is a special link.

When they set off homewards, Tam, Rosie and I went into Booths and shot straight up to the Craft Corner end to peruse the books.  This time I concentrated on the Quilting books - though a couple of embroidery ones were tempting.  I nearly bought one called Stitch 50 Cats, which has some lovely designs in it, but thought on a practical level, how many cats am I ever likely to want to stitch?!

So instead, making Welsh Quilts came home with me.  The quilt with the Ohio Star centre on the top right on the top right would make up quickly (most of them would in fact) as it is less about the piecing, and more about the quilting with Welsh quilts. It is called Brecon Star and we live in the very top bit of Breconshire (Brycheiniog). If I ever get the time . . .

A lovely Pinwheel quilt (sorry about the flash). You can see more clearly here what I mean about the quilting is the important part.

A couple of pages showing the traditional Welsh quilting patterns. Somewhere in the book I read that it was the proximity of Welsh mining families in Pennsylvania who influenced the Amish quilt making and patterns. The Welsh strippy quilts are obviously very similar to the ones made in Durham (North-East Britain for followers overseas), the main difference being that in Durham the quilting patterns are confined to the margins of the quilting strips, but here in Wales, quilt patterns took no notice of the quilt top and designs went across the strips.

Anyway, a lovely from-me to-me treat and I felt I deserved it! Must stir my stumps now as Gabby is coming to lunch today, so I need to have a bit of a tidy-up and I want to go out for a walk now we have a dry morning.

A very wet day out - Llwyn Celyn

 Here is a link to when Keith and I visited Llwyn Celyn, 2 years ago now.  I am so glad Keith got to see it as he loved the house.  This shows the rooms and beautiful periodfurniture well.

Well, it poured with rain all day on Saturday and it was a repeat again yesterday.  I have to say, if you only go out when the weather is fine in the UK, you'd have very few days out!  So we braved the weather and drove through one end of the Black Mountains, past Tretower Court and Castle, through Crickhowell and along a series of back lanes to get to Llwyn Celyn.  With Tam's Satnav, we didn't get lost this time!

The view from the front hallway.  One of the lovely volunteers (a local) said she always told her children that the mist was Dragon's Breath :)

Tam and Rosie in the snug sitting room.  Rosie will soon be too big for that cosy sling!

The main room in the house.  There is a book of photographs of the farmhouse before it was taken back in time, and this wonderful old fireplace used to be bricked up and a hideous 20's/30's beige tile fireplace covered it up.  Just like at Ynyswen.

This is blocked up now but was probably the original Medieval staircase to the upper floor.  The house dates to 1420 by the way.

An interesting little cupboard in the wall.

Keith loved this upper sitting room with its vaulted ceiling.  It reminded us of our finished attic rooms in Ynyswen.

This old farm building is now overflow accommodation and has a roomy bedroom and bathroom.  This may have been like our old Cart Shed.

At the back of that barn was this big old stone trough for the cattle.

In one of the big barns were all the old bits which had been taken out of the house - hinges and door fittings mainly.

A jumble of old things found in the house, now a display.

A long view of the barn.

Rather than go back along the little lanes, we dropped down onto the A465 by the Skirrid Inn, and went into Abergavenny and paid Waitrose a visit.  Haven't been there for a couple of years now.  We bought lunch and a few bits including a nice Chinese stir fry mix for tonight, to use with leftover roast chicken.  We couldn't resist a bake each - I had a Cherry Lattice and Tam had an Apple Crumble Danish.  A lovely treat, eaten straight away in the car.  I got sandwiches for lunch (eaten back at home) - Seafood Cocktail.  I can honestly say it was the nicest sandwich I've ever had.  I would have put money on it being prawns and crab, but the crab element turned out to be flaked Pollack.  Gosh it was good.  Tam had a dish of Salmon Rice with Edamame beans.  I couldn't afford to shop there all the time, but it made a nice change, and their Essential items are the same as Tesco or Aldi in price (I got cheese and cherry tomatoes).

Today will be a rest day (I woke at 1.30, came down an hour later and it's now 3.50 . . .) and we won't be going far. It is STILL raining.

Waving!

 I am here, but busy busy.  Just off to bed now.  Tam, Rosie and I had a lovely visit to Llywn Celyn today, despite it pouring with rain all day long.  I got to try my hand at screen painting too and have a lovely piece to turn into a cushion front.

Photos to follow tomorrow.  Meanwhile, replete with a roast chicken meal and a piece of the best  Dorset Apple and Ginger cake I have made, some Zzzzzzzzing needs to be done.

Hah - and talking of NETTLES!! And photo of Rosie-Posy!

 Today I have been helping Tam at her little allotment.  Thank goodness it's just half a plot say I!  Today I set to on the back half which was terribly overgrown, with Figwort like small TREES!  That's how good the soil is there! Lots of Nettles too, which had their revenge on me as it soon got sunny and I shed a layer and revealed bare arms.

I forgot to take a before picture of the bit I tackled, so this is to the side of it (and now half done too). That's Figwort at the back, nearest the edge of the photo.  The big leaves at the front are Comfrey, so that will be useful next year, for plant food drinks.

Now you can see the bench at the back AND the back fence!  Both were smothered in head-height Nettles and Figwort. Whilst I did this, Jon had Rosie and Tam was clearing the membrane of the path, which was 6" deep in good soil.  They intend to put bark chippings down, so she scraped up the soil and put it on the bed next to it.  T&J couldn't believe how much I'd achieved, but as I said, I'm no stranger to hard work - just wind me up and let me go :)  It feels SO good to have been able to help them and make a difference.

Tam has allowed me to sneak this one in, after she improved on my original phone photo. Rosie looking Quite Grown Up now!

One of the other allotments had a tremendous picking of cherry tomatoes.  I shall concentrate on those next year and not bother with the beefsteak ones.

After about an hour and a half's work, we went into town, parked in Tesco's and went for a wander round the charity shops.  I even went into the Oxfam Book Shop but all I bought was a little English Heritage book about food and cooking in 16th C Britain (£2.99).  The wind was a bit fresh, so in another charity shop I blew another £2.99 on a pretty coral coloured M&S cardigan.

Then we had a stroll along the Promenade, and went to get chips and Fish Bits at the chippy which fronts the Royal Pier, by the penny arcade and games room.  We waited AGES though (about half an hour) as they were doing meals for people in the bar the other side, so when it came, and we went through and sat on the Pier (a bit windy), our joint bag of grub was demolished in short order.  I'd not eaten since breakfast time and was famished.

I enjoyed my journey through the mountains as always, although it was a bit overcast for the first half, but I drove into sunshine.  There was a stretch of heath meeting the road, and the acid yellow of the Gorse (I think it's Western Gorse flowering this time of year) was echoed by the bushes of Meadow Vetchling on the verge.  Further on there were still a few blue flowers of Scabious, but I forgot to look out for the Chicory which I noticed last time.  Such a glorious blue flower.  I wish I could have just stopped and taken photos of the Mountain Ash trees which are an absolute picture at the moment.  The berries are orange but in the light today looked scarlet and were everywhere.  Yet, I was looking for Hawthorn berries and saw very few.  A couple of trees with some berries as I came off the mountain towards Aber, but it hasn't been a good year for them.  Too wet perhaps when they were to be pollinated (and of course, not many insects either).  Plus last year they had the most AMAZING flowering - everyone said they'd never seen anything like it, so perhaps they are resting this year too.

Home again now, obviously, and about to heat up the other half of the chicken stirfry and rice I cooked last night.  I'm glad it's something very simple as I'm quite tired now.

Tam and Rosie arrive late afternoon tomorrow so I shall probably cook Beef Cobbler, and I've got a decent chicken for roasting on Sunday.  That will make a nice change as I never have a roast just for me.  Enjoy your weekend.

Grasping the nettle hurts

 

One of my jobs today was to strip my bed.  However, I had to go in one of Keith's two chests of drawers for something and decided I would empty his sock drawer.  Then I thought I would make a start on going through his clothes, and seeing what HAD to stay as too many emotions attached, and what could go to the charity shop.  One far away in the opposite direction, so none of us would have the shock of seeing his clothing offered for sale.  (It will probably be St Michael's Hospice, in Hereford).  

Of course, this was quite a big emotional ask and at times the tears ran down my face and I sobbed loudly, but I persevered and there is some good clothing (some new) to help the Hospice out.  I did the same with his shoes - just keeping his running shoes as he wore those a lot and no-one would want them, but they have memories of course.  I will have to remember to add his walking boots to the bag.

Finally I stripped and remade the bed, with the autumn weight duvet.  I should be nice and snug tonight.  I may put hooligan cats downstairs as Alfie insists on being on one side of me, and Lulu on the other, and he gets jealous of her and has scrammed me a few times - latest one deep and nasty and needing a plaster still even after 3 days. It does feel very lonely up there without them though.

I also managed to do some more gardening today.  I carried on clearing the grass and dandelions from around the other two roses on the far end of the bank. The roots were dug out and all, then I laid down cardboard, some very good horse manure and finally bark chippings.  Now I need to work my way along the bank and remove the REST of the grass and weeds and put down cardboard/newspaper and more bark chippings. Progress anyway. 

I finished the afternoon sat outside with a late cup of tea, feeling it get chillier as I was busy with my stitch ripper, listening all the while to The Lost Bookshop.  Nearing the end now . . .

Next week one of my Romsey cousins is in Wales, so she and her husband are coming to take me out for lunch.  I'm looking forward to that.  Tam and Rosie are here at the weekend too, so a nice break from being on my own here.

What did I buy?

 At Malvern, there's a house clearance (I presume he is anyway) type stand who has boxes and boxes of "stuff".  I've bought from him before but sometimes he is a bit too spot-on with the value of something so I decide not to buy.  This time I bought:

Several lovely Victorian moulds.  I have a little copper one the same as the horse-shoe/hoof in the middle.  There are 4 of those.  To the left is a pretty jelly mould, and to the right a lovely copper mould.  He had several of these.  I need to polish it up now. I like items of kitchenalia like these.

The chap was muttering something about American tourist piece, ashtray etc.  It is of course a little brass(?) model of an Indian teepee, open at the top, and ideal for repurposing now for joss sticks.  It's fairly rare - none on Ebay, one sold on Etsy and I'm not joining Worthpoint to find out its value on there.

Both French ceramics and from the same pottery by the look of it.  Bought on different stalls and a change from all the blue/turquoise colourway I am normally attracted to.  Our friend Adam had the jug, and of course asked after Keith . . .  It's so hard having to tell friends that he's died and when friends of course reach out to comfort you, so hard to hold it together.

Not my normal fare, and I probably won't bother again, but this is an old vintage Davenports beer crate. Sorry it's such a poor photo.

A little child's chair with a beautiful Elm seat.  Needs some tlc, but I can manage that.

A little doll made from old Welsh fabrics.  No great age to her but as a quilt-maker she appealed to me, and just the plain simplicity of her spoke.

Above is the Mouse pattern I got (much reduced, 70% off!) from Etsy when looking up my bigger mouse from the other day.  Think they are going to be fiddly, but hey, I can do fiddly on occasion.

What I didn't buy, but liked the idea of . . . could make up my own pattern as simple enough.

Yesterday was hot and sunny again and I changed another bed, washed linen and one of the granny quilts. The tops are a generous size with just a little ruffle on the drop down edges rather than a full valence skirt.  The hexagon area covers the top of a double bed, but they are of course generous singles. I did 80% of the ironing pile too.

I did a good bit more tidying up in various places about the garden, and melted!  I rewarded myself with a sit-down in the sunshine on the step outside with a cup of tea and my stitch-ripper and began unpicking the poor quilting on the bigger applique quilt.  I'm just doing the border, not the entire quilt so will have to prevent myself getting OCD about the rest!  It was very pleasant sitting there, I have to say, and grief could be held at bay for a while.  I was listening to a new book on Audible yesterday and can really recommend it.  It's called The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods and I don't know why I chose it but am so glad that I did.  You get drawn in straight away.  I finally (sadly) finished Edward Rutherford's The Forest in the morning.

Yesterday evening I went out for another evening function (gosh, twice in a week).  It was a Rotary Club quiz night down in town, and in aid of the Builth Heritage Society, which I've finally joined (rather than going as a guest).  Our team came 5th out of 14, which wasn't too bad, but I have to say was NOT due to my contributions, which were few and far between.  It was like trying to do a Codeword when they have just changed the Compiler and you don't have a clue what his/her angle is, favourite words etc!  So many things I had never given a thought to.  Which British county has the shortest coastline?  Which of these 4 countries has the longest etc.  One on Colours was quite fun - 3 colours found in Cluedo; who first appeared in A Study in Scarlett (which I knew).  I couldn't help thinking though, as the room was absolutely packed, well, if I'm going to get Covid again, it stood a good chance of wiping us all out in there if someone had it!

Today I have an appt. at the Bank to discuss savings and whether to invest some in an ISA.  I also have to phone the Council again after another letter from them saying that the last payment didn't go through as Keith had died and the Bank refused to pay it from a deceased person's account.  Yeesh.  If they had their way, they'd have £644 out of me in a month for 3 payments!  2/3 of my pension.  I don't think so.

I shall go to Aldi whilst I'm in Brecon anyway, and kill two birds with one stone.  Fortunately I don't need anything other than cat biscuits from Morrisons there, as they are so expensive.

I am looking out at grey skies this morning an the heating is on for half an hour as it's only 16 deg C (60 deg F) in here and I am chilled. Indoor jobs later I think. 

Being impetuous again

 That is something I haven't been able to do/be for several years now.  Keith and caring for him took precedence of course.  Like having things to look forward to, being impulsive had been put at the back of the cupboard of life and well and truly covered in dust.  

The weather was so nice and warm today - total wall to wall sunshine - that after doing the chores - stripping Danny's bed, washing the bedlinen and hanging it out, sweeping and scrubbing the bathroom floor, tidying etc, a short walk out blackberry picking (another pound in the freezer for winter), I thought it seemed a pity to waste such beautiful weather and I really quite fancied a drive out somewhere - somewhere up towards Shropshire.  I pondered the map and then realized it was a Monday, and the auction at Pembridge would be on.  That wasn't too far and was a nice drive through beautiful scenery.  I checked out what was in the auction and marked a few things off.  There are photos on their Facebook page, but you never know quite what to expect until you get there and can look more closely.  

I had a good browse and crossed a few things off the list.  I would just bid on one lot, a double patchwork quilt.  Not too bad a one, but it needed the old-lady-needing-glasses jab-it-quilting ripped out and replacing with my neat stitching.  A few lots earlier were two equally old-lady-1960s/70s single hexagon quilts with valences.  Not very desirable, but the fabrics were certainly of their time.  Idly I watched a few things sold and then the two quilts came up.  He tried to get £10 but no bids, tried £5, got a bid, and I thought to myself, oh come on Jen, that's cheap and put my hand up and bought them for £6 the pair!

They will need a good wash anyway, then I'll put them away until the next Fair next year.

Then the other quilt came up and I got it for £15!

See what I mean about the quilting . . . and those were comparatively good bits!  I think it must have been a kit at the time, as there is another exactly the same over on Ebay. Again it needs a good wash, but has no stains on it (unlike Ebay quilt) and then I can get busy with my stitch ripper on the dark days of winter.

I even stopped and bothered a church on the way home.  This is St Michael's and All Angels at Lyonshall.  We viewed an old house near here - it was the one where the elderly lady's grandfather had been the baker, the carpenter and the undertaker!  The layout was wrong too though, and she'd sold off all the paddocks around it for building plots, so it was a bit hemmed in too.  Plus no central heating and open fires.

The two views at the top of the page were taken from the churchyard.

All in all, a positive day and it was a lovely drive out.  Even the awfully feral Herefordshire roads had had a couple of makeovers in the worst places - about blardy time too as they were FULL of potholes.  You knew the moment you crossed into Herefordshire as your car damn near disappeared in an 'ole!