No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

flowertotmum

Hiya..MLW..thank you i would seriously miss all of you ladies...Fern is ok just really tired and the damn cough is awful..but she is eating more now so thats a relief..
We have just spent the afternoon tidying the bedrooms and doing the bathroom..tots are in awe that i use baking soda and a little lemon juice to clean it all...they are learning slowly that you don't have to have the newest cleaning solution..just a jar of bicarb and a lemon lol...
Took all my bunting down and flags..we got them a little tin each and a mug as keepsakes for when they are bigger and can take time to reflect upon it all...they really enjoyed all of it..we sat with popcorn and a bottle of pop to watch it all...i know not everyone did but hey thats life you can always watch something else lol...
My dd heather is having lots of braxton hicks...lol thats evil of me but i did laugh when she rang me moaning about them..told her its going to get much much worse..but worth it..only 3 weeks to go..very exciting..i get cuddles and hugs but then hand them back best part of being a granny...
My chicken lunch went down very well thank you..got some left for sandwiches tonight
right i'm off to have a quick cuppa before tea..
love to you
ftm

[Deleted User]

FTM - glad all is OK with Heather - enjoy your cuppa, Lyn xxx.

flowertotmum

Morning all..well so far its not raining (yet)...my water barrels are full thankfully..but i might have to bail out the pond a bit...
SM..hows your dad and are you stil wearing slinkies under the boiler suit lol sorry had to laugh...
MLW..how are you.?.
Kaz hey hunni you all ok?
I have had to take fern back to doctors...he seems to think that fern has had a very bad virus that has wormed its way deep...she has some more anti-biotics..and so far they seem to be working...she has almost stopped being sick and no poops..yay...also my little girl is growing up she lost her first baby tooth yesterday...she was quite shocked by it..but felt better when we put it in the tooth fairy pouch next to her bed...and when she got up this morning she found a pound in it...wow the smile she had was enormous..and the rate of inflation is excessive but her dad said she is worth it lol...
Well i have spent a couple of days baking all manner of things for lunch boxes..got an extra one now with hubby having a packed lunch for work..its going to be so weird..just being me and iris..but i will look forward to him being home at a reasonable hour..and seeing tots before they go to bed..and perhaps getting a few outside bits done...
I really hope your all ok and having a lovely weekend..
love to you all
ftm

[Deleted User]

Hello FTM - we are just as waterlogged down here too, and looking at the forecast for the coming week think we are likely to remain so. I'm a bit tired today having been up all night with the lurcher who had a bad tum. It's his own fault little perisher, he will pick up and eat with delight anything the fishermen have left, be it thier lunch or rotten bait that's been on the beach for a fortnight, it all goes down the same!!!! How is your DH getting on with the new job? Hope it is all going very well. Glad Fern is on the mend, viruses can be very debilitating and when they're littlies can really knock the stuffing out of them. I'm glad the tooth fairy was so generous, it used to be 20p when mine were small , and that probably brought you the same amount of choc at the time! Aren't they lucky to have a Mum who bakes yummy things for them? You're a rarity and I'm sure they're very appreciative. Have a lovely Sunday and enjoy your day tomorrow with just you and Iris. Cheers Lyn xx.

[Deleted User]

yukky weather, again!! Anyway up to the allotment first thing and am shocked at the sheer amount of damage that the bleeping slugs have done, munching their way through pricey organic (useless) slug off, so unfortunately I had to scatter a few normal pellets today. Marigold companion plants are gone down to stalks, beetroot leaves gone, marrow half gone and so it goes all over the plot. A real devastating and disheartening time for the people new to allotment gardening

Strawberries out there are wiped, I picked 8 poor ones and threw 20 others out. I sliced and gently heated the 8 and will mix with rhubarb. Try gently simmered rhubarb and strawberries as a desert, it is lovely. I am digging them all out next month. The ones at home, hanging down away from soil are good though

My first organic small meat box was much better than expected. All well packed ready for the freezer and lean too. A very nice assortment, lamb, pork, beef, bacon, sausage, chicken. Impressed by that I have just been online to another small business (cornwall) and ordered fish of different types. Spent over £100 and got free p and p. It will last us quite a while

Took the bus to small closest town yesterday, not a rich community so lots of good value shops and was very happy at the prices of everything. Took my trolley out at long last and came back with it stuffed full, I couldn`t have carried nearly that amount. Its a rolser and funky and rolled really easily. Very pleased to have found a cheap shop that sells vim for £1 and bar keepers friend for £1.99 and great baskets for inside my panniers for £1, they are fantastic for carrying my plants safely to the allotment.

Sunny for a while yesterday so I went around my tomato plants and took the side shoots out again, also tied in to canes and cleared some leaves, shading the now developing fruits. Also fed with tomato fertiliser. A few side shoots were big as I had missed them previously

Covered blueberries with a net cage as birds will strip them, also picked gooseberries already for same reason, we like tart sauce. Put out celery and more parsley plants as they will cope with wet. Had very good veg from planters by the house esp the lovely cabbage. One is enough for 3 days. Also using brined beans from last year, ok too but won`t bother next year as frozen are nicer. Will be absolutely fine in nice veg soups though

Have absolutely enjoyed the amazing french onion soup from rescued autumn onion crop. Saute`ed a long time in butter, added a tsp mustard, beef stock s and p. Toasted white bread in bowls, soup on top and grated cheese on top of that. Got really great comments from people. I used a dangerous mandolin for slicing, lol dh is scared to go near it

Rosetta92

Afternoon all :wave:

Been lurking rather than posting for the last few weeks as back to work and a holiday have left less time for online. Am getting updates by email so I can follow the thread, but haven't worked out how to post from my phone.

scottishminnie wrote: »

Evening all. I've been missing a bit as my father has been in hospital so things have been a bit chaotic.

I hope your Dad is on the mend. Very impressed how you all rallied round to help with the animals.

kittie wrote: »

Sunny for a while yesterday so I went around my tomato plants and took the side shoots out again, also tied in to canes and cleared some leaves, shading the now developing fruits. Also fed with tomato fertiliser. A few side shoots were big as I had missed them previously

I remember Bob Flowerdew saying on GQT that you can root and grow on big side shoots to get more plants that will be at the same stage for harvesting as their parents. Have you tried this and does it work? I'm short of space for seeds in pots so was thinking I could do this next year.

Happy Sunday folks

R

scottishminnie

Thanks for all the good wishes. Dad continues to make progress - it was a complete hip replacement he had so it's long term recovery however so far so good. Mum told be she overheard him telling a visiting friend today that he's quite impressed with how we are managing. He's not big on praise do that's nice to hear.

FTM - I am indeed atill wearing my best undies under the boilersuit. I refuse to let my standards slip - I also can't live without perfume so the calves are being treated to a whiff of Hermes Faubourg as I pass by:)

A £ from the tooth fairy - my do I feel old!

There has been no gardening here this weekend as the weather has been dreadfully changeable- sunny one moment and thundering down the next. The showers may only last 5 minutes however everything is soaking wet. Goodness knows when I will get the grass cut next - my crop of buttercups is quite spectacular.

I picked up some bargains at Asda on Friday - they had jars of Robinson's mincemeat for 64p so I bought a couple for my winter store cupboard and picked up a jar of Finest pomegranate and blueberry jam for 35p. I don't normally buy jam however I figured that was a good price. There is a good thread (here) on the food board showing some reduced to clear items at Asda which prompted me to search for the reduced sheld edge labels. I'm a cynical shopper if I see something which claims to be reduced however it's worth keeping an eye on.

I'm off to run my washing machine on a 90 degree wash with some soda crystals. I popped a navy linen top in on a handwash today and it came out with washing powder spots all over and had to be properly handwashed to get rid of them. I then found yellow stains all over my white towels so I think it needs a clean out.

flowertotmum

Evening all..well what a wonderful day it has been..no rain and quite warm..i have had a fantastic day...hubby cooked lunch which was much appreciated,had some bubbly which went down well very nice.
The littlies were on fine form..they had gorgeous old styley dresses on..with their wellies and back packs, playing adventure girls..with binoculars and magnifying glasses in hand off they went to explore and look for bugs(ants) that they could look at through them..so sweet to watch them,they really do get on very well.
I spent afternoon making brownies,fruit cakes,ginger biscuits and french toast...
Then i walk in the living room and i think i may one day actually explode in a cloud of blue foul language fury...you all remember the (fat) man that parks his huge van in front of my house..well now he has another car too..so i have my neighbours 2 cars,1 van and 1 new car..its flipping ridiculous..i have to literally squeeze out the gate and around the cars..how he gets in and out of his is miraculous and a sight to behold(lol)..bit of twisting going on.He saw me looking and just gave me this creepy smile(shudders)..i have had it..i cannot get my pushchair in or out at all now...so i am going to ring the council and complain very loudly..and then keep doing it...also i am seriously considering buying a sign that says
"IF YOU CAN READ THIS THEN YOU ARE PARKED TO F**KING CLOSE"...for my front fence and gates...rant over..sorry

SM i am so glad that you remain in slinkies under the boiler suit ..one has standards..and i am so glad your dad is doing well..hip ops are a devil to get over ..but i amsure he is doing well and will be back to normal in next to no time....
You have just reminded me to do a service wash too...can't remember the last time i did one whoops...

Kittie your soup sounds fab..
Rosetta hi ya...
right going to have a cuppa and watch sunsetting...
take care all
ftm

[Deleted User]

Morning all, FTM how did your day go yesterday? I'm assuming that it was your first one with just little Iris. SM - Hope Dad is comfy and making good progress, I hope the calves appreciate the perfume! KITTIE - You aren't alone in having slug problems, we have just started picking broad beans and they are covered in rasp holes from slugs and snails, they aren't actually going after the beans inside but the damage to the pods is causing the beans to rot inside them , so annoying. DH has no compunction in using slug pellets, but I think this year is going to be problematic through sheer weight of numbers! Hope everyone has a good, albeit soggy day Cheers Lyn x.

Rosetta92

Morning all,

working from home today so I'm popping in before I get started. Usually I read the day before's thread on the train to work.

SM - hip replacement huh - beware - your Dad will be jumping round like he's twenty again in no time. Happened to a relative of mine a couple of years ago. And now he knows what good workers you all are think what grand schemes you could be roped in to

FTM hope your DD is turning the corner in the fight with the nasty virus.

To all with slugs - I find a circle of coffee grounds keeps the beggars away from special plants, but even my coffee habit wouldn't create enough for your marvellous veg patches. If you venture into some coffee shop chains (eg: Sbcks) they give away packs of used grounds for free. Or perhaps you could do a deal with a local cafe?

Better head of to work now. Have a lovely day folks.

R