A challenging day

 There is something about setting an alarm clock which automatically sets your brain on sleep alert.  If you wake up in the night (guaranteed at my age) then your brain won't rest after that for fear of missing the alarm.  I woke at 1.30 a.m. and that was IT for the night.  My mind kept going over a YouTube post of Neil Oliver's I'd watched the previous night, and then a Facebook post about a concrete factory in Derbyshire having a pipeline taken crosscountry to the sea near Liverpool, where work was being carried out to store the CO2 it produced in an underground bunker.  (Compulsory purchase orders of farmland all the way . . .) W.T.F???

My stand yesterday, which included some of the attic pieces.  The big teal vase on the left has been on my windowsill for about 3 years now, but I decided I could live without it . . .  The Art Deco bowl to its right attracted everyone - if I'd had £1 from each person who touched and admired it, I'd have done really well!  I have small stools etcc on my list for tomorrow, to try and get things on different levels.    I have display stands but they don't have "the look" that other stands (with a lot less pieces to display, I might add) have . . .

To say it was busy yesterday was an understatement.  There were rarely fewer than 15 or 20 people upstairs all day long!  Apparently 720 visitors were throgh the door, which has only been surpassed on the first Fair after Lockdown, when there were 800.  So much for me worrying that the price of fuel etc was going to put people off.  They wanted to buy yesterday.  

I was very weary - around lunchtime I could have easily laid down on the floor for some kip! - but no chance of that.  Everyone did well apart from a friend who had bought no smalls, and it was smalls that were selling yesterday.  A favourite customer who has bought from me since the pre-Covid days when we met up at the Botanic Gardens Fair, finally bought herself the Swedish Inger Person dish she had been in love with the last few times we'd met.  I gave her a good deal on it and when she came back up the 4th or 5th time, I knew it would go home with her :)  I was SO pleased when she bought it, as it had definitely gone to the right home.  

It took me 15 minutes to pack up and then another 15 mins to fetch the car and for the lads who help out, to pack it for me.  Makes a big difference to have help, especially at this end of the day, but not having to carry big boxes upstairs at the start is a bonus too.

The wind was just getting up as I drove home, and it was a pretty gusty night.  I had my tea, but had to have a sofa nap just to last me through until bedtime.  I was bone weary, and not much better today.  I have to set the alarm tonight of course, and will need to be up at 4.45 a.m. in the morning as the first hour of the journey will be in darkness, so a slower drive.  I need to make some breadrolls today for my chicken with stuffing slices for breakfast (eaten around 9.30 at Malvern - I just grab a cuppa and a chocolate bar before I leave, as no time for a proper breakfast.)

I am meeting up with Tam and Rosie at the Elan valley for a walk later on.  I have to unload the car in a little while though.  This afternoon will be resting up.

I hope you are all having a nice Easter.

A shock in the attic

 

 My tea tonight.  I was very surprised I had the energy to make the cheese scone topping for the Beef Cobbler.  It was scrummy, and several big chunks of Cauliflower kept it company.  There is enough for two more meals.  That little stoneware storage jar was one I used to put my Chia Seeds in at Ynyswen, and was in a box with a much bigger storage jar of the same construction.  I used to have about 8 or so of them on shelving in the kitchen, for all my dry storage - flour, pasta, lentils, rice etc.

I had completely forgotten about this beautiful chair.  It dates from around 1800 - 1840 I think, and was once probably a nursing chair - and could still be used for the same today, or else for a hall chair to sit on to put walking boots on and off.  The rush seat has been professionally replaced.  It's going to the Fair with me on Saturday and I hope will find a new home as I don't have room for it in the house.

I had forgotten about these too.  On the left a lovely old copper ship's lamp, with the initials of a maker from England.  I have tried to polish it up but I think the salt has done a thorough job on it.  Part of its history.  Beside it is a Swedish crispbread pricker (very rusty nails, so not exactly usable any more!)  I had totally forgotten this.

As I had forgotten these lovely antique copper moulds - the brioche mould at the top is probably French.  You can guess I will be polishing them later on . . .

This is a stoneware jug from Stoney Down pottery in Dorset (we used to live next door).  Adrian Lewis-Evans was the potter and had some lovely glazes.  He used to lecture at Bournemouth College.  We bought this around 1982 I think.  Sadly, A. L-E died in 2021.

This little piece came from a china shop in Manchester, and Keith bought it for my birthday one year.  I can remember my late m-in-law getting very uppity about it and saying that Sid (her husband) never bought her birthday presents . . .  I don't have a china display case any more, so I will pass it on for someone else to enjoy.  Just after we came out of the shop after buying it, I was delighted to see several Manchester police horses nearby.  Gosh, they were beautifully turned out.

There was sunshine this afternoon, so Alfie and I sat outside for a bit and enjoyed it.  I had a cup of tea and read my Elly Griffiths book.  Alfie is managing some small kitten biscuits now.

I need to sort out what is in boxes in the Library tomorrow, as I know I put my valuable Verwood Pottery Dorset "Owl" cider costrel somewhere very safe.  So safe I will have to go through every blardy box to find it now!  

Well, I have had a busy day and am glad to say I didn't fall down the attic stairs.  I have found other boxes up there I had forgotten about, so need to try and clear my old stock.  

I have managed to give away the most of a brand new pine bed base which was delivered minus the two rather vital side rails.  I have given them to my neighbour, who can soon whip up the side rails.  When that's out of the way it will make moving round up there a lot easier.  He gave me 4 home-grown Blackcurrants in return - they were taken as cuttings last autumn and have established well.

Happy Easter to Everyone.

In the greenhouse

 

I wasn't feeling 100% yesterday morning, and had to force myself to do anything, so I decided on a standing-still job which much needed doing and pricked out all my Cosmos seeds - Seashell Mixed and the Sulphur ones.  My back was complaining at the end of that. 

Two trays of Scarlet Emperor Runner Beans now seeking the light too.

Pippi admiring the Aubretia at the side of the house.  I was out there clearing the grass and dandelions from them and clearing up those leaves to be composted.  The "garden" here is just compost on top of the stone "jetty".  I have Aubretia growingup the steps too - again just compost on top of the stone steps.  An idea taken from a fabulous garden I saw in a magazine.  Mine is but a pale imitation.

Then I suddenly felt incredibly weary - my legs were yelling at me to rest and I was fighting to stay awake. I slept on the sofa for over an hour and a half and then had to just rest. I spent the afternoon on the sofa with a book.  An Elly Griffiths one, The Last Word, which I'd not read (found it on the Co-op charity table).  It doesn't flow like her Dr Ruth Galloway series.  Also from the Co-op table, I got the Night Hawks by EG and Queen of the North by Anne O'Brien.  The pile to read gets ever higher!

Fortunately I didn't have to cook as I had the other half of my Chicken Stir Fry for tea.  I will be making bread shortly (run out) and the cheesy scone topping for my Mince Cobbler for tea tonight.  That will do several portions.

I need to be sorting out what to take to the little Antiques Fair on Saturday and will probably load the car too and get that done and dusted.  I was awake for hours in the night trying to decide whether or not to go to Malvern on Monday.  The cost of fuel is a deterrent and also do I buy bits and pieces for the Builth Fair, wondering whether people will be coming to buy in May or September because of the cost of living going up so (a pox on Trump).  I tossed and turned - bedtime is NOT the best time to go through problems of course.  I didn't resolve the problem.  This morning, however, it has become clearer.  I can't read the future - don't know how that will unroll - but the Easter fleamarket is pretty well THE best one as people want to buy and dealers/house clearance folk REALLY want to sell.  Best buying opportunity anyway.  Plus I will have a day out in beautiful countryside, and see friends, and it's just so good to have a fossick around the stalls.  Even if I don't go to any other Fleas this summer, I will go to this one.

Evening light on the new Aubretia, settling in with the wild Primrose companions.

Right, I'll get a loaf started and then go up to the attic to sort out some blue and white china from ancient stock - pre-Covid of course as it hasn't budged since we moved in here. 

The first Swallow!

 I've never had one arrive so early before.  SO delighted to see it.

What a difference a day makes.  We woke to sunshine and it has been such a lovely spring day here. Alfie was keen to go out first thing, but just had a drink from the rainwater bucket and sat in the sun.  I had some breakfast and then went out to do a quick and frugal shop.  I did, however, really want to get a replacement Blackcurrant bush for the one which never really grew an inch where it was planted (I may try and plant it elsewhere, in hope).  This one has lots of manure at its roots, and is tucked in with the good seaweed compost which is making my Garlic grow like weeds.  I also spotted a lovely Aubretia - two colours in one pot - so why not?  I kept the food shopping very low to allow the £12 for these.  I am going to be working my way through the freezer now.

We had a BIG train in at Llandod Station when I was parking in Aldi, so I quickly took a photo.  I imagine it costs an arm and a leg to travel on this beauty - 7 carriages and an engine, fine dining and luxury accommodation (it's a sleeper). Our Heart of Wales trains have just one carriage!! Occasionally two.  Aldi have their very cheap veg offer (Tesco is 15p but Aldi is 8p or even 4p).  I got carrots, 2 x onions, potatoes, and garlic x 3.

A little dappled shade when it got warmer :)

Two-tone Aubretia - two different colour seedlings had cosied up together.

I'm hoping this Blackcurrant will fruit well here.  

My moorland view as I gardened on the bank today.

First blossom nearly out in the orchard - this is a Pear (French name I can't remember).

I bought a reduced stir fry pack in Aldi today, and two chicken breasts.  One has gone to make the stir fry meal which will last me two days.  I cooked up the portion of mince I thawed yesterday and that will make several helpings of Mince Cobbler.  I bought a good pack of mixed frozen berries from Aldi to replace the one I used for the jam last week.  May turn this into jam too.

Just a few of the hundreds of Primroses which bloom here in the spring.  The house should have been called Primrose Cottage.

Thank you for all your comments yesterday.  I will just reply to you all and say thank you, or I will be saying the same thing over and over.

He's home

 But what they didn't tell me was he'd been operated on late and was still very groggy.  He came out of the cat carrier and his legs wouldn't hold him up - he was terrified - eyes like black saucers from the drugs - and scared of me too.  He was trying to run away and went up the stairs, before he fell down again, "ran" into the library then living room, banging himself on furniture.  Oh it was ghastly.  I managed to catch him and lift him up for cuddles and strokes, but he wasn't happy until he had gone upstairs and hidden under a bed.  He wants to go out, but he can't till tomorrow morning.  I have bought the bowl of rainwater he drinks from inside for him.  Poor lad had two broken molars right at the back - she thought from biting on a rabbit bone or similar.  He hasn't been catching rabbits for a couple of years so don't know, though he did have a fight with the feral tom a few weeks back and perhaps hit his face on a rock?

It was very distressing for both of us.  Once he was under the bed I put the thawed mince away and went down the town for chips and a bottle of wine.  I need a glass of that for my nerves tonight as it has been not the best day of my life (or his, poor chap).  It is so hard having to cope on my own.

I am off to try and "relax" now.  I've cancelled my birthday outing to Bath now - the vet's bill was £520.   I have my short holiday break in Denmark, and need spending money for that, and then £225 is going out to pay for my stand at the Builth Antiques Fair in May.  I will have to get listing for sale everything I can post or deliver locally . . .  Does anyone sell on Gumtree?  Was thinking about that rather than Facebook Marketplace.

Not at my most cheerful

 It is cold (8 deg) with a nasty wind, and I am sat here with the central heating on and a hotty botty stuffed up inside my fleece and a woollen blanket over my knees..  I still can't feel my hands.  I slept very badly last night - I was still awake at midnight, woke at 3 for the loo and lay awake ages after that. I was trying to work out the best way forward for Alfie.  Did I get the scan done - and perhaps find out he had cancer - or did I decide we would see how the teeth operation worked?  I discussed it with the (different) vet this morning.  With the urine sample, and the bloods, they could see that his kidneys were only just starting to be not quite 100% efficient, but it wasn't stage 2 kidney disease (as the other young vet said) and he didn't need a change to Urinary kibble yet.  Overall he seemed in fairly good health and the bloods hadn't shown anything obvious.  I decided that sounded positive and we would get his teefs done and see how he went on from that.  I did my best not to cry at the vet's but failed . . . life or death decisions are so hard when taken on your own.

Time for a cheerful picture - my dear friend Rosie in front of the lovely old French house with its fabulous cottage garden, at Akaroa in NZ.

I have been trying to knit up a body for the giant already-knitted and assembled teddy head I inherited from my friend Annie, who sadly died in 2016.  I went up one size needles but the effort was pathetically small and actually included the head with the body knitting.  I have tried size 8 needles and it's closer, but the head still looks huge.  I need someone who CAN knit to advise me.

I am going to make a chocolate apple cake shortly, and then sit and watch the last 3 episodes of The Other Bennet Sister, which I can heartily recommend.

Diesel here is now £177.9 a litre.  I shan't be going far unless on foot!

St Curig's church, Llangurig

 I have driven past this church many times, thinking, I really must stop and explore it.  Well, on Thursday I did, on my way home from Borth.  There is a wide pavement outside it, with the curb at road level, so a good place to park up.

St Curig (who died in 550), founded a monastery (clas) here .  A clas is a mother church.  By 1180, it was under the control of Strata Florida abbey. The tower has a broach spire on a square base and probably 12th C but remodelled in 14th/15th C.

I will visit again in the summer, and see what is growing here.  God's little acre.

A nice Medieval font.

Sir Gilbert-Scott certainly got around and yes, he was responsible for the restoration n 1877/78.   Below: The new chancel screen was made, based on detailed drawings of the 15th C screen.  You can just see the lighter wood at the top is just about all that remained of the original.

The Bell Tower (and Christmas tree shelter . . .)

There were 6 lovely wooden angels on the hammberbeam ends, holding different symbolism.  

I couldn't find the light switch in the church, so these stained glass windows relied on outside lighting.

These looked early stained glass.  Above and below.

The Compost Heap jelly cooking nicely before going in the jelly bag.  Once cooked up with sugar, it set almost in the pan !  Just two jars out of it - 2nd not quite to the top, and I donated this and a nearly to the top jar of the Jumbleberry Jam to my friend Sam two doors down.

A few jars for the family anyway.

I managed to get the urine sample from Alfie that the vet requested (if I could catch him in the act) so dropped that down to the vet's this morning.  Now they won't need to insert a needle into his bladder when he's having his teeth done (which is not without its risks).  Did I say I went in and asked for the op to be done sooner as he wasn't eating much?  Monday morning is now the day.  I couldn't mention (without crying) that the wait and worry was really affecting me too.  He is eating the Sheba with gravy cat food, but then all the others want that TOO!

Have a good weekend.

A lovely day out

 

Tam, Rosie & Jon were a little late arriving, so I had enough time for a lovely walk on the beach at Borth.  The last time we were there was in memory of Keith, last July.  My new (bright purple!) trainers were SO comfortable and money well spent.

There were several Cormorants drying out on the rocks.

Isn't this sweet?  Such a lovely seaside blue paint too.

This is Marin, who was a petting bunny and such a sweetheart.  Rosie loved the bunnies.

I've forgotten her name, but this was a little Rosetted Guinea Pig.

Rosie feeding just the prettiest bunny, with tufty ears.

Not so sure about those big horns, Daddy!

She had the slide to herself and wasn't resting that leg at all, as she wanted to climb the steps, but Daddy stepped in and lifted her up instead.  There was a little Wendy house at the top and Rosie went inside and was selling us ice cream!!

It was a lovely day out, and just right for a 2nd birthday.  We had ice cream too.  Rosie's now big enough to - almost - eat one by herself.

On the way home I stopped at St Curig's Church in Llangurig - something I have been intending to do for months.  I will do a post about that tomorrow.

I've just made the Compost Heap jelly - gosh, it set SO quickly with all the pectin from the citrus.  Made just under two jars.  Lumpy - wouldn't win any prizes - but so tasty and costing just pennies for the sugar and heating it.

I heard yesterday that one of my Hampshire cousins has just suddenly died.  He was in his late 60s.  So I had to pop out for an In Sympathy card for his family.  So sad.

A dusting of Wednesday's snow on the mountains as I drove through. I can't wait for spring to arrive properly.  It is warmer out, and the very slightest mist of green of developing leaves on trees, whilst the Horse Chestnuts by the bridge at Llanelwedd are actively opening theirs.  They are always early.

Back to work now.  Have a lovely weekend all.