Last day

of August, time flies by, it has been a very hot month weatherwise and we are now suffering with hosepipe bans as well as sky high prices for gas and electricity this winter, can it get any worse? I really hope not.

Our postmen are on strike again. I was going to make the large runner and enter the set in the local show on Sunday, but the fabric I need has not arrived so it will be just three that go in. I am not killing myself to get the big one done when the fabric comes, it will only result in me making a mess, if I hurry to try and get it done!!

Yetserday I cooked 3 packs of pork belly into pork casserole, there are two servings in the freezer and one for tonight.  Laundry dried on the line, waiting for S to bring back the ironing she collected last week. She does a really goos job, my back really appreciates it!!

I bought a new printer some time ago, its driving me nuts cannot get it to print something I want.......wish I had just got a bog standard simple printer instead of a 'do it all' one. I do not seem to have much luck with printers, heaven knows why.

Its sunny, but there is a chill in the air, Autumn is coming, seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness, as the poet put it. I will not complain if it rains, we really need it.

So tonight, pork casserole, mash cauliflower and carrots. We finished the jelly last night, so migh just have ice crem for dessert.

Bank holiday

It has been a reasonable weekend weather wise, every one who went away will be travelling home today, one of the reasons why we take our holidays out of season.

Towels dried yesterday, a coloured wash in this morning, cleaner is not in till tomorrow so no sheets etc till then.

DB has just gone out to put some moss killer on the front grass, then I suspect he will be in the greenouse, we are still picking tomatoes, we are now onto the plum tomatoes.

I made a loaf yesterday, have not made bread for a while, have flour to use up and I also need to buy in some bread flour for the winter.

Need a quick trip to the Drs. to put in our scripts so we get medication next Tuesday. I am getting low.

Having a rest from the runners, I have had to send for more fabric for the larges runner, I have to say its quite wasteful on fabricand stabilizer. Yesterday I sat and sewed bits of stabilizer together, I also patched one piece. I have to make sure all the joins are on the top so I can be sure they do not get pushed up by the embroidery foot as its sewing. I will cut out the stabilizer so once the fabric comes I can get straight on.

Supper tonight is chicken, will do a salad with it. I used up half a bag of raspberries in jelly, so that will do us a couple more nights for dessert. On Saturday I got a container of rice pudding out of the freezer to use it up, a drop more milk and it was fine. 

Sunny, but cool

Usual late Sunday, DB out in the garden, towel load in the washer ..... its 3 load week this week. Cleaner not here till Tuesday so coloureds tomorrow and sheets on Tuesday.

I have finished the second to last runner, have two of them to clean off  the stabilizer with water and a cotton bud (Q tip). I plan to start the  next one on Wednesday. Having a bit of a break. I need to sort out the design for a tray cloth, have the border, but need to do the placement of the centre design...... watch this space. Its a chance to use the camera to place the design.

Supper tonight is roast chicken crown, I will cook it in the 15 - 1 uding steam roast, and the probe, the chicken stays nice and moist. Last time I cooked it on the trivet thins time I am going to try cooking it in the metal container on the trivet. It does not take long to cook, whilst the chicken is resting I can roast the potato's. cabbage and carrots in the steamer at the same time, soon done. We will have ice cream for dessert although I might do rapsberries in jelly, I have loads of them in the freezer.

Bank holiday weekend

It looks as if the weather is going to be ok this weekend, We are known for having bad weather on Public holidays. We rarely go out on a jolly, prefer not to spend most of the time sitting in queues on the roads. The same with holidays, we go out of season and well away from school holidays.

I am well on the way through the second largest runner, I have had to send for more fabric to do the biggest one. Have to say the larger ones are rather wasteful of fabric. I managed to put the inserts on the present one using squares that covered them rather than a large piece of fabric which has to be cut away. They are quite wasteful on stabilizer as well, so I have been sewing strips together. stabilizer is not cheap. The largest runner used the 9 x 14 hoop, which is a massive piece of stabilizer and you have to use it double to support the dense stitching.

Sausage and mash tonight with cabbage and carrot, possibly ice cream for dessert.

DB is out in the garden, it is not a bad morning, but did notice an autumnal mist hanging over the hill. I am on my way through to complete another part of the runner

sunny but cool

Its a bank holiday weekend here, we usually have bad weather any time its a holiday, but the forecast is quite good for this weekend. Not that we will be going anywhere.

The two new heaters came yesterday, I have to put the wheels on the small one which is going in the bedroom.

Yesterday I decided to do the larger two Celtic runners, I am more confident doing them now and also getting better at trimming them without cutting the stitches. I still have the instructions close by so I can check what comes next.

DB is out in the garden, the gardener is here today, the front clematis need cutting back and now the soil is a bit softer he may be able to weed the herbaceous border. DB is running the greenhouse down, although he will put some lettuce in there over winter.

Supper tonight is fish and chips, not decided on a dessert, but it may well be plums.

A busy morning

and its raining!! We went to do our fortnightly shop this morning and also went to visit our old neighbour, so it was lunchtime by the time we got home.

It started raining as we left the supermarket, stopped whilst we were visiting B, but started again on the way home and is now tipping it down. We do badly need the rain, so I am not complaining.

Groceries put away, lunch eaten. I have a quiche in the microwave for supper with some salad.

I am part way through another runner, I am thinking of doing just one in the largest size which comes out 10 inches high and 25 inches wide. I could make it longer, but doubt I will bother. Wondering how much I should charge for them.......

Finished at last!!!

after a number of  binned goes. A larger and the smallest celtic runner. I finished the large one yesterday.

Apart from an hour in the sewing room, did not achieve much yesterday. We slept very late - 9.20am before I surfaced, so most of the day got away.

I have the bits cut out for one more large set, waiting on white fabric to come before I tackle a third larger one, should be here today.

Last night we made a concious decision not to use the central heating this winter. We have a wall mounted fan heater in the bathroom and I have bought 2 oil filled electic rads with timers and thermostats. One for the sitting room and one for the bedroom. The only gas we will use is a tiny bit for the top of the cooker and posssibly heating water for washing pots etc. Gas is going to be the most expensive commodity, so we will use as little as possible.

Supper tonight will be chicken and rice, we finished the crumble so will not have a dessert.

Celtic runners two different sizes and different fabric for the main part.

The weeks go by

it does not seem 5 minutes since we were saying 'Happy New Year' and here we are almost in the last quarter of the year. Apart from one hiccup this year has not been too bad, we are looking forward to a few days away in Norfolk next month.

We had a steady fall of rain for a couple of hours yesterday, so far its fine, it is going to warm up again at the weekend, its a holiday weekend here.

So after several disasters with the Celtic runner, I am on my last try, so far, its ok, obsessively reading the instructions and watching the video. just one segement to do. I have enough material to make another one and that will be it. One is for sale, the other one a Christmas present.

DB is in the garden. We were very late waking up this morning, so its a slow start.......

Supper tonight smaked haddock, paoched egg and the last of the crumble for dessert.

 

Wash day

Better nights sleep last night, wish I could sleep through without having to get up for the loo!!

Laundry in, quite a small load, I was late doing it last week, hopefully it will dry. We are not forecast rain, but there are dark clouds on the horizon.

Yesterday was a quiet day, I did do a bit of clearing up in the sewing room. S will be coming today to collect the laundry to iron. She has been on holiday. My cleaner is still away, hope she will be back next week, although Monday is a bank holiday.

No real plans for the day, need to phone B and see if she wants anything from Aldi, Thursday is shopping day and we will call in to see her for half an hour.

The extractor fan was fitted on Friday, chap routed it though the attic made a hole in the kitchen ceiling and small one for the outlet outside. I was aware it was working yesterday, just a faint hummm.

I have a gammon joint to slice this morning, will leave out enough for tonights supper and freeze the rest.

So gammon and salad tonight and more of yesterdays blackberry and apple crumble for dessert.

A late start

We were drinking tea at midnight, so no early to sleep for us. I think it was after 1.30am before I put the light out. So a slow start to the day, normal Sunday brekkie except we seem to have started drinking tea rather than coffee at breakfast.

Sun was blasting out but it seems to have clouded over. DB has gone out to the greenhouse.

Yesterday was a disaster day sewing. So far I have tried about 4 times to do the celtic table mat in a larger size.........on each one it has been a disaster......waste of time, fuel, energy, fabric, thread and satbilizer, good job the fabric was in the stash. I will have one more go, if it goes wrong again that will be the last. I laso had to buy some 'T' pins to hold the stabilizer agains the frame, I seem to have lost 2, so will have to go through the waste bin and see if I have left them in any of the fabric.......

Supper tonight, the last of the pork joint with veggies, will make a crumble for dessert, have apples and black berries to use up.  

A cooler morning

but no rain. I think I forgot to post yesterday, sorry. Nothing much to report.

The electrician came and put us an extractor fan in, it is not on an outside wall, but goes up through the ceiling, across the attic and out, a really nice neat job. So, thankfully I did not have a dust ridden kitchen to clean. We had covered up the stuff that sits on the side, but it was not neccessary, a quick flip over the glass to the cooker, hoover up the floor and it was done.

Its a nice cool morning, apparently will get up to 22c at some point, that I can handle.

I have a gammon joint to cook this morning, will slice it tomorrow when its cold. It will go in the freezer for salad or sandwiches. I have 2 small gammon steaks to cook for tonight, so ADB for supper

Another rainy morning

not that it bothers us, its cool which is the main thing and we need the rain, the garden has perked up quite a bit, even the grass is starting to show a bit of green.

I was very sad to hear last night that an old friend had passed away, he was a very wealthy man, but used his money to good purpose, he will be sadly missed.

Yesterdays coffee morning was very well attended for a change, quite a lot of laughs as well as general conversation. I got an order for one of the Celtic runners, have enough fabric to do a slightly larger one, so started it yesterday. I have got the idea now and find it much less of a faff to do them, I have found a way to cut close to the edge of the stitching without cutting it, which helps a great deal.

Towels in the washer, they will have to go in the dryer, its too wet to hang them out. When I read the meters on Monday we had used hardly any gas and less then half our usual electricity. It will be up this week.

Frittata and salad tonight, probably ice cream for dessert.

At last

its raining. Started last night and is continuing this morning. Thankfully, its the slow steady rain we need, I know thunderstorms down south have caused flooding.

I have laundry in the washer, it will have to go in the dryer, far too wet to hang it out.

Coffee at the little chapel this morning, have a bag of apples to divi out for anyone who wants them, they are fallers from the apple tree next door.

We will go round to the coffee morning in the car, fingers crossed the alarm does not go off.

Supper tonight will be sausage and mash, there is enough of the jelly for dessert, so we will finish it of.

Frustrating day

one way or another. The chiropodist came and was away. We went into Leicester to get the new key for the car programmed to the car. After 1 1/2 hours they came and told me that they had not been able to do it. They were in touch with Skoda to see what the problem might be. We had an appointment with our dental technician, then called at C & C for some lunch and to Harby to the post office, then home. I await a phone call from the garage to see what they are going to do re the car key. DB used the key to open the car front door and the alarm went off!! Brilliant.

Chicken casserole and rice for supper, will finish off the rasps in jelly for dessert.

What a fright

5am this morning, a crash woke me, somehow I had managed to knock my bedside table over, everything including a full glass of water on the carpet. Thankfully it was water and nothing else.

The chiropodist was due this morning, phone call at 8am putting it off till tmorrow. It will be an early start, I have to take the car in to get the new key programmed to the car and then on to the dental techie to get our plates checked, so a busy morning.

It was very hot yesterday afternoon, the kitchen was roasting after I air fried some roast potato's. Its cooler this morning but still be be quite warm. Laundry in the washer, no cleaner, she is in Ireland for 2 weeks, so will have to struggle with the duvet myself.

I did manage to finish off the rest of the free standing lace, all I need to do now is wash out the stabilizer and dry them. I think thats my Christmas stuff about done.

Egg and chips tonight. I did raspberries in jelly yesterday so enough left for a couple of suppers.

Phew its hotter than ever

 Well I have spent the night listening to the smoke alarm bleeping every 30 seconds. It is wired into the electricity, so no way was I going to fiddle with it. Rang the out of hours service and someone is coming 'within 4 hours' That was an hour ago, so we are still waiting.

We did nothing yesterday, it was sooooo hot, just sat in the cool, reading and drinking tea or squash.

Nothing really planned for today except more of the same......

I did spend a while sewing out some more Christmas ornaments, so I now have 3 sets, I need to sort out my list and see what is going where.

Supper tonight will be roast pork, potato's, beans and carrots, we will have ice crem for dessert.

More of the same

I managed to go to the supermarket, was up at 7.30 and in the shop at 8.20.

There were quite a few people in the shop, a few empty shelves but not too bad. I did buy a 5L container of still water, just in case.

By the time I got home the sun was blazing down and continued all day, the fan in the living room was on for several hours. Nothing much done at all apart from getting supper. was in the sewing room for a while, but did not do any sewing, just clearing up a bit. Spent sometime reading. exhausted by bed time, so was off to sleep quite quickly.

DB spoke to the Dr yesterday morning, he told him his XRay was clear which we knew, he has given him  a nose spray which we collected this morning.

I think supper may be something with salad, its really too hot for a cooked meal, I have some cooked gammon in the freezer will use some of that. It may well just be ice cream for dessert.

Its getting hotter

31c is the expected temperture today and for the next 2 days, it is supposed to get cooler on Sunday.

I went in to town at 8am to do the shopping was back home by 9.20 and everything is put away. I bought a 5 litre bottle of still water, just in case we  loose our water. I have a bag of ice cubes in the freezer, I refill the ice trays each time I empty them, great for cold drinks.

I finish the small runner yesterday, I have to clean it off, then I will put a photo up. It looks ok, but not sure about doing another one. I think I may make some more tree ornaments unless I come up with sometning else. The runners are heavy on thread, almost 3/4 of a 1000m bobbin used.

Supper tonight is fish and chips as usual. Need to sort out a dessert.

The Heat

is affecting my brain, all the way into town to do my shopping and see mt old neighour, went without my bag!!! Idiot. We called to see B and stayed for an hour before coming home. I will get up at 7.30am tomorrow and go into town to do the shopping DB will have to stay at home we have the workmen coming to look at the roof where the bords were nesting.

Lovely day yesterday out for breakfast, 2 lots of flowers and then at lunch time a box containing a Cornish cream tea, all the makings of a tea, scones, jam, cream, Cornish tea bags and biscuits......a surprise and very welcome, so no cooking for me yesterday and the same today, we will have rolls with the last of the fruit crumble at lunchtime and the 2 scones, jam etc which we saved from yesterday, so no supper needed, with the heat we are not earing as much, and certainly not hot food anyway.

I managed 2 bits of the table runner yesterday, two bits to do today if I can be bothered.

My friend in the US sent me a card which was a bit early, I knew who it was from, opened it yesterday morning, thank you. B and I started a friendship some 20 years ago through a quilting site we were both on, it is still going strong, we have seen each other through the various strees and strains of life as you get older. I count her as one of my very best friends.

Another sunny day

 We are off out for breakfast, as of 8.03am this morning I am 79!!!! As a youngster anyone over 55 was ancient. My grandmother was 86 and my uncle 97 when they died, my mother 74. 

We decided to go out for breakfast to our favourite cafe at the garden centre, so it will be no lunch for us today.

Yesterday I decided on table runners for 2  presents at Christmas. I have enough fabric to do then in my dwindling stash, so will may be do some prep work later today.

It is rocking up to be another very warm day, yesterday was not too bad, but apparently this spell of hot weather is due to last until Sunday.

No idea what to have for supper, what ever it will be something with salad.

Hot, hot, hot

 the hot weather is back, its 21c just now, hopefully it will not get much hotter.

No plans for today except to keep cool, there is a cool breeze from the back door, but once the sun gets round to the back it will be baking out there. DB is up to the greenhouse to water. I need to sort myself out and do half an hour on the back patio, its a mess...........

I finished 2 sets of the free standing lace yesterday, I think I need to do a couple more sets. All but one of the designs I can do two at a time. I am waiting for more washaway stabilizer to come. I do a lot of lace, am thinking of getting a roll. I also watched a video for a table runner, think I am going to look at what Christmas fabric I have and do a couple. I do not want to have to buy fabric if I can help it. I need to use up what I have.

Chap from the chemist has just delivered our medication, I was short of a couple of tablets last night.

Super tonight is spag bol, I will do the sauce this morning whilst its cool.

Back again

the hot weather is back, the sun is shining fit to bust and the glass on the front windows is very hot to the touch, so the curtains remain closed in the sitting and bedrooms. DB has been out to the greenhouse to water.

Laundry in the washer, it will dry quite quickly I think.

Put my thinking cap on and decided to do some different tree ornaments in free standing lace, an angel, bauble, christmas tree and s snow man. Have done 2 angels, 2 snowmen and have the tree ready to sew today. Not sure how many sets I need.

Quiche and salad tonight. trying to get up enough enthusiasm to make a crumble for dessert, getting a bit fed up with raspberries in jelly. Wish I still made jam!!

 

Cooler

The sun is shining but there is a cooling breeze.

Usual Sunday breakfast, so have just arisen. DB is out watering his greenhouse, we had the first of the bigger tomatoes yesterday for supper. In the end DB requested egg mayo salad with half a jacket potato........duly served...

I finished the last of the book covers, the larger one hooping was definately the way to go 30 minutes straight and all done. I have them under a heavy weight to flatten them a bit. Now I have to decide what other things I am going to do. Possibly table runners or mats.

Supper tonight, the pork I cooked yesterday with roast potato's and veggies.

Its to be hot today

so DB and the forecasters tell me, so I need to cook tomorrows pork before it gets too hot. I will slice it tomorrow when its cold.

Hospital trip went ok, we were home by 10am.

The gardener was here so some time spent in the garden. I have now made 2 successful book covers, another one half done on the machine. I stitched out the shape on the stabilizer and measured it allowing 3/4" all round, its worked well. Used a thinner batting which is better as well. Once the 6 are done I can sort out a table runner. Need to do two of them.

DB tells me we are due 10 hours of sunshine today, at the present its nice and cool, its to get progressively hotter over the next 6 days.......

Not sure whats for supper tonight, will sort something out later.

 

Hospital visit

DB has an appointment today for a chest XRay re his cough, Our Dr thinks is could be a side effect of one of the medications he is taking, so off we go this morning. Fortunately it is at our local hospital.

A bright morning, with quite a breeze, not forecast to be so warm today. It keeps clouding over though.

Much to our surprise our neighbour across the road who has been in hospital, was brought home last night. She is diabetic and only has one kidney which is failing, so she is on dialysis 3 times a week. She lives on her own since her husband died.

I made 2 book covers yesterday, I found instructions to make then in one hooping and they have turned out ok. I still think the batting is too thick though, so just another 4 to go.

Time to go, bye for now,

Another heatwave in view

yesterday was very windy, but it was very humid, the wind dropped and the temerature shot up, it was too hot........according to DB we are in for 10 days of high temeratures at the end of the month. Its pleasnt out just now, no wind.

Coffee morning at the little chapel, the usual crew, the numbers are fairly static. T came and cleaned the windows for us, so all sparkling again now. We are still dealing with spiders, they seem to come from nowhere, I disposed of 2 in the bathroom and one in our bedroom last night.

No plans for today, so might well get some stitching done. I have found a simpler version of the book cover done in a large hoop in one hooping, so going to have a go at that. If it works ok I might be able to get all the covers done.

Supper tonight will be salad. 

Cooler

and we still have quite a strong wind. I have a load of coloureds in the washer. Yesterdays dried quickly thanks to the breeze. The sun is trying to shine.

Meal prep done yesterday, cooked a beef casserole and also did some beetroot. We had half the casserole last night and the rest is in the freezer for another day.

It was very windy all day. We still have not had much rain, expceting a hose pipe ban later. I have been watering the pots with cold washing up water, pour it into a watering can and leave it to go cold then use it on the pots. Monday night I cut 2 more of the tree lilies, the wind yesterday blew the rest into oblivion, so I was glad I rescued the last two.

Coffee morning at the little chapel..... we will have a wander round later.

Not sure whats for supper tonight, will have to have a look at the menu list on the fridge door. 

More laundry

Washer on again this morning, also have a load of coloureds to do maybe Thursday.

Bright morning but windy, the temperature got up to 24 yesterday, not too bad, at least the wind will dry the laundry.

My cleaners car is poorly, so I gave her a lift home yesterday, she is borrowing her step fathers car until hers is mended. She is supposed to be going to Ireland for 2 weeks at the end of next week.

The tomatoes are doing well, plenty of the little , very sweet ones, you really can taste the difference. Always reminds me of Vi, the Chairman of Suntrap, she used to grow Gardeners Delight, she ate them like sweeties straight from the greenhouse.

Tomorrow is coffee at the little chapel, not sure how many will be there, its holiday time.

Supper tonight will be beef casserole, the first 'hot' meal apart from Sunday that we have had for a while. It was salad all the way whilst it was so hot. Apparnetly we are due another spell later this month.

The sun is back

but not forecast to be as hot was it was a couple of weeks ago. There is a breeze as well which helps keep it cooler.

Nothing much done yesterday although I did manage to get an hour on the machine making the third book cover, if this one is carp thats it will have to find a simpler pattern.

I cooked the chicken in the ninja yesterday, it was delicious, nice and moist, we will have whats left for supper tonight in a salad. We also finished off the raspberries in jelly.

Stripped the bed, sheets etc, in the washer, should get them dry, then another set for S who does my ironing.

I have had a message from my cleaner, she has car problems, so will get here when she can. Hope she makes it, it takes two of us to put the quilt cover on!! DB is hopeless, just stands and looks at it and I end up doing it myself.

DB has been out to the greenhouse to water and brought in a load of little tomato's, he says we have more cucumbers and courgettes coming. I cooked climbing beans yesterday, they were awful, I have told DB not to let them get so long, pick them when they are about handspan size.

Better get myself into gear and get on with the day.

Apricot roses on the obelisk, we cut the rose back late last year, all the flowers have been on the top this year. You can just see the purple clematis which is on the same obelisk.