Oh the joys of country living. We have another viewing tomorrow, so it has - as usual - been all systems go to try and get everything shipshape and Bristol fashion. The house has conspired against us in various ways to come across as unattractive to buyers, so we have had our work cut out - removing cluster flies from the attic being one problem from sunny weather on and off this week - I stood on a stepladder to open the highest Velux roof window and was promptly covered in flies - most of them dead. Tam had to vacuum them off of my clothing and hair. YUK! I will still have to go up there and vacuum more up as near as I dare to the actual viewing . . . You know that bit in Escape to the Chateau where Angel says "Living in a Chateau isn't all romantic . . ." as she sweeps up a huge pile of cluster flies. Yup, I'm with her on that one!
Yesterday Keith and I were sweeping the top of the driveway clear as it was muddy and leafy where we park and not very welcoming. By the time we had slung buckets of water over the concrete to clear it, we had mud pies everywhere and boy was it hard work after a winter of less active pastimes! Then it was scrubbing down a wall green with algae, and that involved a stiff broom dipped in water and held above my head. Needless to say, I got covered in watery-algae and had to wash my hair again (I only did it the previous evening!)
It wad our wedding anniversary yesterday and we had planned a day out, but that had to be abandoned, as did my patchwork class the previous day, to try and do the outside tidying up necessary. House looking shabby as algae growing everywhere from 9 mths of rain! We popped out for steak for tea from Dewi's (fab local butcher) at Ffairfach and Tam cooked the meal as she could see I was worn out (it would have been beans on toast if I'd been in charge!) That was washed down with a bottle of excellent red wine, and how great it is to be able to drink it again!
As for the viewing, I have got to the stage where despair is taking over and I am thinking, these are London people (again) and won't understand living in the country or old houses. Let's hope I'm wrong.
Morning all. I am typing this to a backdrop of someone busy with a chainsaw across by the farm, so I am assuming an old tree may have come down in the night. It is another grey damp day. I was only saying yesterday, oh for one hot summer's day to be slipped into the mix to cheer us all up!
The "tottering" in the title is sadly only too apt at the moment, as the "bit of a cold" I came down with a week ago, is still manifesting itself and I have no energy, and it's now affecting my balance. I am OK in the day, but when I first lay down in bed the whole world spins giddily for a moment, and when I get up for the loo in the night, I can't walk straight and am staggering across the room. I nearly fell over the other night as just having laid my head on the pillow, Tam yelled "cat fight" - she's nearer the kitchen, where the cats are overnight, and could hear ructions. I - stupidly - leapt out of bed and then zig-zagged across the room with my head whirling. No damage done downstairs, just big black Sam surprising them all by bursting in through the cat flap. I shall be glad when I am done and dusted with this cold.
I have sat down far more than is good for a body (I am normally VERY active and only sit down for my afternoon cuppa and in the evening) and watched a lot of telly (some of it good documentaries, some just entertaining), made good progress with my William de Morgan x-stitch picture (which I am enjoying so much) and am over half way through C J Samson's hefty tome "Tombland).
Yesterday I submitted my accounts (with help from Tam). Boy, was I glad to get THOSE out of the way - I have a horror of anything to do with a) figures and b) the Powers That Be.
Today - a little ironing, whilst I listen to the Archers Omnibus, and some pootling in the garden to get it tidied up before the viewings start again. Tam and I went into the once-Wyevale-but-now-a-sensibly-priced-garden-centre in town and were amazed at the MUCH LOWER prices. We bought two wreaths for £1 each for the bases for next year and I got a load of bargain bulbs. Yes, they are late going in (e.g. today!) but they will still flower.
Right, this won't do. I've sat long enough.
Afternoon all. I slept so badly last night and am feeling bejeebered now! My nose was all bunged up and then I was thirsty, but my water stein was empty and I couldn't face going all the way downstairs to fill it up (don't trust cold water upstairs for drinking as held in tank in attic which isn't sealed. OK for washing in but that's all). At 5.40 a.m. I thought Sod It and got up and came downstairs, read a bit of my book "Tombland" by C J Samson, then did ALL the ironing (big bedding too).Then I had to deal with the kitchen floor - it had needed a clean anyway but I came down to a scene of carnage with a nearly-decapitated rat on the floor. I carefully scooped that up on cardboard and left it outside for Keith to deal with. So I mopped the floor, and would you believe, when I turned Radio 4 on it was a programme about rat eradication!!Then I made a start on the oven. I had wanted to clean that totally before Christmas but ended up running out of time and so just did the shelves and tray. Last night we had a roast - a piece of Aberdeen Angus beef from Aldi (I don't normally buy meat there, but it was Tam's treat). It was full of water (and gristle) and blew the door open at one point - imagine fat sprayed everywhere too. I had my air purifier on in the sitting room as the log burner was lit, but it started to give higher readings. I went out to check on the spuds, opened the door and was nearly overwhelmed with black smoke. We had to open doors and windows and when Tam took the air purifier out there it read 795! 8 - 10 is good . . . I beat a hasty retreat and have vowed never to buy supermarket meat again for a roast. Aldi have now received a Complaint about poor quality!Since that burst of energy I have been feeling tired, so have been doing some x-stitch - a little William de Morgan tile design which I bought when we were at Wightwick Manor on my birthday. Now I'm feeling guilty as there is still work to be done but I can't garden as it is raining, nor can I walk for the same reason. Right, back to work now.
Well, we got to the beach today - only had a short walk along the actual beach though as it was pretty wet underfoot where the tide had been really high and was only just retreating. To our surprise, the car park was crammed with cars - then we noticed burning braziers on the beach, and found out that this was the annual New Year's Day swim. We had missed it but all I can say is, rather them than me! I imagine that water was pretty darn cold!
I was thinking of the high spots of Christmas today - not just ours, but other people's Christmases too. As we were driving home on Christmas Eve I think it was, we passed the new neighbours at the smallholding just across the river. They had bought some sheep and just as I was driving by I noticed the wife was with the sheep in a pen in their yard, and her husband was taking a photo. Both were grinning like loons and obviously SO happy. When I spoke to them recently, he said he wished they had made this move 20 years ago!
Then there was saddest thing I read, a little before Christmas, on a FB post. It was a couple who had returned the birthday gift of a My Little Pony which had been given to their 4 year old daughter as it was unsuitable. (They were English, btw). They did NOT believe in magic, and she wasn't allowed to see any Disney movies, have stories with magic in them, and My Little Ponies were tainted by magic - apparently. No, their child was going to grow up in the world of reality, and they had already told her that Father Christmas did not exist. She is just 4 years old, for heaven's sake. How despicable to force your beliefs on a wee child and in a way, remove that element that makes childhood special - deleting the "imagination button" and that special magical atmosphere that Christmas brings.
I can remember my children writing wish lists to Father Christmas and sending them up the chimney. I used to show my children "Fairy Forests" of moss, and we had a "fairy glen" in the corner of the paddock. We read fairy stories, and folk stories connected with the superstitions of yester year. The girls knew some of the poems for the Cicely Mary Baker Flower Fairies books off by heart (as did I). They loved Enid Blyton's fairy stories, and when they got older, the works of Tolkien, and Philip Pullman. They discovered Mythology from many countries, and I considered it part of their education - the girls went on to read Archaeology and Anthropology and you can't escape mythology in either of those subjects.
I can remember Danny coming home from school, aged 5, and telling his older sisters that Father Christmas was just someone dressed up. Tam was 9 then and Gabs 7, and they still believed in Father Christmas. I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach that their innocent belief should have been destroyed.
So part of me grieves for this little girl, robbed of her innocent hopes and beliefs by her narrow-minded parents. I hope she still discovers the magic in this world of ours anyway . . .
Sorry for my absence, but I have had a bit of a cold which nailed me to the sofa and filled my head with cotton wool. At least I have read a chunk more of "Tombland" and watched more tv than usual, and read bits of my Christmas books.
I took the tree down yesterday, and was promptly in the doghouse with Tam, who wanted it to stay up longer, so here is my alternative "Wintering" of the hall - little birds and baubles from the main tree on some beech I gathered before Christmas.
Our beautiful new bedding was soon washed and on the bed. It's 300 count so very fine. LOVE the colour and William Morris Strawberry Thief design. I must get started on the William Morris heirloom quilt the girls bought me the fabrics for 2 birthdays ago . . .
Here are the Meeces and Mr Robin waiting to be put away for another year.
The Christmas tree decorations, gathered over many years, when we would each choose a special bauble for the tree. About to be carried back up to the attic.
Finally, a view of our valley from a recent walk. Off to the beach today to blow away the cobwebs and I hope, clear my nose!
I had some lovely gifts from T, G and D, including this William Morris bedding (plus a matching spoon rack and milk jug). Danny heard my plea for a new blender and got me a great one (yet to be used) so I was able to chuck out the one I'd paid £1.50 for at a car boot sale many years ago. It had seen better days, especially after the lid fell on the floor and a big chunk broke off!
Below is the Lekue bread making gizmo. I bought fresh yeast today as the recipe booklet seemed to call for either fresh yeast of baking powder. Yeast it is then. I will try it out tomorrow - as I am deeming tomorrow a "get back to normal" day, though I'll still watch the racing in the afternoon as we did again today (and I had a 16-1 winner in the first race, with a fiver on it! Tiquer it was called). I also picked the winner of the Welsh National (Potter's Corner) but didn't have a bet on that.
My first attempt at using anything NON metal to bake in!
Tam and I hit the sales today (I wouldn't bother if she wasn't here but she wanted jeans and I wanted to see what we could get in the M and S food hall that was well reduced). We couldn't face dealing with a half price turkey so instead we got a half price chicken, which has been cooked up and will be made into chicken curry tomorrow and frozen. We got a reduced by a third Thai Curry meal box so that is tea tonight. (Reporting back - not to my palate, but I forced it down).
Tam got some jeans, but isn't sure about the fit so they will go back, and I got some purple velvet trousers which are gorgeous and DO fit! I also stopped at Matalan and got some bootie-type fleece-lined slippers to keep my ankles warm. Bought some for Gabby for Christmas and so waited until the sales for some for me. I am waiting to see a photo of Danny now, wearing the rather psychodelic shirt we got him for Christmas. Just his style!
Exercise today was strictly around the town but we will get out tomorrow morning for a proper walk.
I will leave the decorations up for a few days more but they will probably be down on or before New Year's Eve so we can have natural daylight in the sitting room again (the Christmas tree is in the bay window with the curtains pulled for the duration).
Right, my new books are calling and so I shall go and read another chapter of Dancing with Bees, which I completely recommend.
Morning all. Boxing Day and I can hear the birds chirping as the sky begins to slowly lighten.
We had a truly lovely Christmas and no meltdown from our exhausted daughter who works in a jewellers and still had customers in the shop at gone 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. She has already left to go back for the Boxing Day sales, as she is working.
We drank champagne as we unwrapped our gifts (G always gets given champagne at Christmas by well-heeled customers so she has made it a Christmas tradition now). I have ALL the books I had hoped for and some lovely thoughtful gifts beside. We had daft films on tv and there was such happiness and laughter. I am indeed blessed.
We don't eat Christmas lunch, but eat our meal between 5 and 6, and the kids told me to take the day off (once I'd made the roulade - although Tam whipped the cream for me) and they cooked a splendid meal.
We sat down to a leg of locally-shot venison (local Shoot gift) with all the usual trimmings, including a luscious gravy by Gabby which had a piece of dark chocolate added. Wow! is all I can say. Danny's Yorkshires were sky high as always. He has the knack. The crackers got overlooked and Keith and I were washing up when there was great hilarity round the table and exclamations of "these Christmas crackers are EMPTY" - they were ones Tam had found at a charity shop for £1.50 and she hadn't read the packet - they were ones you made up yourself!!
Then we played Articulate and were all helpless with laughter - we literally laughed until we cried at one point. It's a brilliant game when you have had a couple of drinks and I was totally useless at it!!
Now today we are back to normal. We have to take Danny back to town as he's working tomorrow, and then we will sit down and watch the racing this afternoon - which includes the King George VI steeplechase, which will be hotly-contested between Altior, Clan des Obeaux and Cyrname. I have been following National Hunt racing since I used to watch it with mum as a child - one of these days we will make it to Cheltenham for the Festival! Keith has 3 (Christmas present) shares in racehorses (two flat, one jumper) which add to the piquancy. It would be lovely to see one of "our" horses in action.
(For anyone who thinks racing is a cruel sport, get a reality check on the cruelty of ignorance and go to Prince Fluffy Kareem's home page on Facebook and see how horses really suffer elsewhere in the world. This is a charity I hold dear to my heart - not one penny is wasted and they can work miracles on horses which would have been instantly condemned to death had they been in this country.) Sadly, horses do die when racing, but they also die in road traffic accidents, in their stable or field and it is a fact of life. In Cairo, they are suffering from injuries and physical problems which were mentioned in my Victorian horse books - ignorance and desperation have stayed on in Egypt.
Anyway, time for breakfast now and a walk is planned for later - I am feeling slightly jaded from being up early to see Gabby off, and from yesterday's alcohol intake being higher than normal!!
