. . . the disappointment, that is. The first week I was very positive and upbeat, but when a response to the viewing had to be prised out of the viewers after 4 days (they didn't answer their phone or emails), then you know they are not mad-keen, but I held the faith. I had slight misgivings about their country credibility when the Mrs (and her mother) turned up in smart WHITE trousers (to view a smallholding!) and the Mrs refused to walk through the grass to see the back of the house. Then the Mother was saying how FAR it was from the school (3 miles, but our children were picked up at the gate by the school taxi, so where's the problem there?) and her son-in-law came from the city and how would he cope living here? Well, we're both from the city, and we have coped perfectly well! They had come in over the top, as the Sat Nav stupidly brings folk that way if they are travelling from Carmarthen. The Mother was saying how FAR it was away from the main road and how NARROW the lanes are. Hmmm - you're meant to have grown up on a farm in the middle of nowhere in Wales. Really?
Now, it's onwards and upwards. This morning I shall chivvy Keith into putting up the new lights, and we will cut back the overgrowth by the side of the poultry house and blow the dust off the roofing sheets.
I have had the cherries drying over night - when I was in the bathroom around 2 a.m. they smelt WONDERFUL. Now they are sticky, but will probably take the full 24 hours than the 20 - 24 it said. They were a bit labour intensive, as first of all I had to put them in a water and vinegar bath to remove any horrid spray residue. Then scramble them around in same bath, and then rinse them off. Then I had to put them, 1lb at a time, in a litre of boiling water for 30 - 45 seconds (I chose the latter). Then drain them and put them straight into a litre of water with ascorbic/citric acid in for 10 minutes. I only had 1000mg tablets of Vitamin C so used one of these. Then they had to be drained and pitted and then laid out on the trays in the dehydrator. Apparently they have a really intense flavour and are worth all the faff. I shall let you know in due course.
My Artisan (hah!) Beer Bread was really tasty. The only "Dutch Oven" I have is my Le Creuset oval casserole, which is too large for the amount of dough I am making, so I am following a few 2nd hand Le Creuset and Le Creuset style round casseroles on Fleabay. Fingers crossed I get one at a sensible price.
I started my usual Panny breadmaker loaf this morning, half white and half Oat flour. This is SO tasty and is our favourite bread.
Right, that's it. I need to put some slap on and get away for the weekend paper. Gabby, our middle daughter, is coming to visit us this morning, so we have that to look forward to.
