No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

[Deleted User]

Afternoon everyone, hope you are all fit and well and enjoying life. The boy and I are on our own this weekend as his Dadi has gone to be taxi for DD1 on a D of E course she is running and also to build her some Ikea furniture so his lurchership is not as happy as he normally is. Never mind he'll be OK tomorrow when He Who Knows gets home. It's been an odd day here never raining heavily but non stop dripping from the sky, you put your hood up - you take your hood down - you put your hood up etc. so I haven't even thought of doing a wash load neither have I hoed the borders or been up to the polytunnel today. Hopefully the weather will improve this week but on the plus side it is so much warmer and it's lovely not to be cold indoors in the evenings, take care all of you, Cheers Lyn xxx.

katep23

Have got a cat running round the house having a mad 5 minutes, you wouldn't think she was 13 the way she is dashing about.

Have cleaned the duck houses today; first time for about a month we have been able to really clean them and know they will dry. Took the pressure washer to them then sprayed with Jeyes fluid so they are good and clean.

We have an egg problem - we are getting between 6 and 9 eggs a day from the ducks (not complaining!) and last week were looking after next door's chooks so getting 3 - 5 chicken eggs a day as well. We have about 5 dozen eggs at the moment! Trying to keep up with them but there are only so many eggs you can eat in a day! Still, it's a nice problem to have.

scottishminnie

Hi all.

I've been horribly busy recently and haven't had time to post much. Sounds like you have all been very productive too!

Glad your !!!!!cat is better Kate. Like the sound of your egg mountain. I'm sure you will be a very welcome sight if you start distributing them to friends and family!

I had been on the hunt for dried strawberries for a scone recipe and couldn't find any. It did get me wondering though if it would be worth buying a dehydrator and drying my own, along with other fruits and herbs. I spotted one in Lakeland around the £50 mark which I thought may be quite reasonable.

Do any of you ladies have one and would be good enough to share your experience? It's not something I'd ever considered before so I really have no idea what else/how much I could use it. Just thinking of all the lovely summer fruits I could dry and use in making granola etc during winter.

I planted my first lot of seed potatoes yesterday in my new raised beds (flags out!). I think the danger of frost has passed so now I need to go through all my seeds and work out a planting/sowing schedule for the remainder. I'm a bit concerned that it is so late however it really is unavoidable due to the weather this year.

My daffodils are finally in full bloom and I still have lots more to come out so the garden is looking much more cheerful. It also looks like |I will have a good show of tulips which I'm thrilled about as I've never had any before.

A friend visited over the weekend and brought a gift of pack of 9 primula so I filled 3 empty terracotta pots which were on the patio and they look great. So good to have colour!

Just looked outside and it is pouring - not good. I had hoped we could have milder weather along with no rain - ah well, we can't have it all!

[Deleted User]

SM T*sco Urban Fruits do a dried strawberry version at the moment £3.00 for 2 packets or £1.97p for one and they are delicious. I do have a dehydrator it was my combined christmas present last year and it is an Excalibur 9 tray, purchased for around £300 from Fleabay. I got it at the end of the autumn as they wanted me to be able to use it on the garden produce, but last summer was so dire there was very little produce to dehydrate. However I did save the onions which weren't keeping and now dry off overripe bananas and have a big jar of powdered beetroot leaves which are delicious as a sprinkle and smell just like crispy fried seaweed. I'm hoping to dry most of the surplus crops this year and thereby not have to rely on the freezers for storage, just in case we have problems with the electricity supply in the future. I have a nice big storeroom and lots of space for jars of dried produce. There are cheaper ones available, in fact I had a round one very cheap from Fleabay but it never worked properly and in the end the plastic trays melted so we threw it away. I think it's a useful addition to the kitchen, worth the cash paid. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn xxx.

scottishminnie

Thanks MrsLW - I will probably pop into MrT and pick some of these up and see how they work out in my scones before I buy a dehydrator.

I've discovered over the last few days that the fridge freezer in my utility room is not working. The fridge part is freezing absolutely everything regardless of the temperature setting. I've had it around 6 years so I suspect it's not worth the cost of getting an engineer out to look at it. The good thing is that I do have another fridge and freezer so I'm not completely stuck. I just need to work out where I can get one and get it delivered with minimal problems and drama.

I really must get my carrots and parsnips sown so I can start them off on my kitchen window sill. If I don't get moving soon there won't be very much in my raised beds which I made such a fuss to have built last year. I also have some pumpkin seeds which I brought home from the US earlier in the year which I intend to sow as well.
That will probably take up most of the beds.

Off to have some soup for lunch - it's nice outside but not terribly warm here today so soup seems like a good option.

katep23

Hello ladies, hope you are all well.

Packed OH off to a bike rally; bless him he had such a bad time this morning (trying to get everything ready, packed, loaded on bike, couldn't find something, everything seemed to be going wrong) that by the time he left I think he just wanted to stay at home - it's only the fact he is meeting his friend there that made him actually go.

Sent him off with his Christmas pressie (little gas fired stove/grill), 3 canisters of gas, 2 packs of bacon and 2 packs of sausages (all frozen), plus a dozen eggs from the egg mountain (carefully wrapped in kitchen roll - so at least I know he will have breakfast for the next 2 days! Plus toilet rolls, a few cans of beer, tea bags, milk - quite the OS bike rally!

So now I have the house to myself (well, I have to share with the pusscats) until Sunday - got a fire going as it feels quite chilly here, going to have something nice for dinner and a really early night.

Got lots of bedding plants yesterday so planted up my hanging baskets, they look so pretty and colourful and I had 2 bees come into the greenhouse whilst doing them. Also got several trays of lettuce seedlings plus 3 cucumber plants which were all reduced so need to get them planted ASAP.

Had an email from my old (previous to last one) company saying they might have some temp work for me (it pays to leave on good terms) so waiting to hear what that is but the money would be most useful. Applied for another 2 jobs today and got 2 interviews next week so things are looking up.

[Deleted User]

Hello everyone, it's gone chilly here again today but we still have some sunshine and the trees are beginning to come into leaf so at least it looks like spring, even if it doesn't really feel like it! We've been busy in the garden this week and He Who Knows has been painting preservative jollop on all the fences, I've given the summerhouse a really good turn out and thrown away loads of unwanted stuff that had been in there for years. Now we can use it as a summerhouse again Hooray!!! Made a foray into the local M*rrisons today and must make mental notes never ever to go again at the weekend, I usually pop over mid-week and today I remembered why, it was heaving and all my usual bargains on the meat counter had been got by someone else, boo!!! Hope all of you are fine and happy and will read up on all your news as you post, look after yourselves, Cheers Lyn xxx.

katep23

Ha ha, I went to Mr M's this afternoon - I only went there because Lidl's was heaving and queueing 5 deep at the tills and Mr M's was much quieter!

Got a few bargains, 3 lots of mushrooms reduced to 35p each, a big bag of chantenay carrots for 35p, 3 peppers for 50p and a huge bag of parsley for 50p. Didn't bother with the meat reductions as they never have anything good in there.

Got lots of veggie plants over last few days so have spent some time planting those in the greenhouse today, generally tidying up and finding all the snails I can to chuck in for the ducks. Also tried an independent nursery for the first time (was always a bit intimidated before) and their plants were lovely, healthy and about 2/3 the price of the commercial garden centre next door.

Dug over most of the bed the lettuce plants will go in but still about a third left to weed but it's raining intermittently so that may have to wait until tomorrow now.

Planning on making some whole wheat duck egg pasta for OH as a welcome home meal tomorrow and maybe some oatmeal apple muffins as well - we have a lot of wholewheat flour to use up as well as eggs!

flowertotmum

Hello everyone...i hope your all ok..and enjoying the sunshine..

Well its been all go here..done lots of things and got given some lovely fruit and veg from my greengrocer..he is going on holiday for 2 wks and needed to get rid of stuff...so i ended up with a box of lemons,a box of limes and bag of jaffa oranges...i had to set aside s few hours to zest,juice and slice them all...i have a box in my freezer now full of little boxes full of lemon juice,lime and orange juices..also little bags of the zest from each..and 4 boxes of open froze slices..which are just right to liven up up water..a few slices in the jug and bingo a refreshing drink...
The front garden has been dug over,weeded and given a good tidy up..looks so much better...my litter tray(flowerbed) near the front door has been de-pooped and dug over..i bought some black ground liner and laid it down then bought 2 huge sacks of bark chippings and some nice little fences, i got it all from poundstretchers for under £10...it looks so much nicer and so far poop free...my son has wire brush the edges of my porch and is going to paint it tomorrow..

The girls are doing good...fern has lost 2 more teeth..Iris has fallen over a few times and her knees look a real mess..but she is so brave..and only cried once..bless her little heart..

I have decided to redo my back porch area...its ok but could be better...i am going to paint it Pearl grey and have bright white woodwork..i got cheap carpet tiles from £land for the loo and porch way..they are really good too..not bad at all. I kept the fruit crates from the veg man and have painted them a pale green..these are for shoes and wellies..i am going to move the girls coat rack and put it above the crates..i have 2 lovely wallpaper samples to go into frames for the loo itself and i have bought some new bits for the loo..brush,toilet roll holder..a hoping it will look nice clean and fresh plus the white paint will hopefully make it look bigger...
The back garden is coming along lovely..our new grass has taken well and where our old shed was we dug it over and have rolled it..got some lovely meadow mixes to spread there..am hoping to have a wild flower corner ..it will encourage the bees and butterflies i hope.
I am still making my own bread and cakes..i made some italian herby bread and we had it with lasagne..lovely...
I have been very frugal for the last month with everything..we may need the money soon...simon had an infected tooth root..well its gotten worse..the antibiotics didn't touch it and the dentist gave him more..which made him ill...so he had to go back..the dentist was concerned by this time and x-rayed him again..it seems the infection is not confined to his root anymore..it has spread up his face which is swollen and tender..and he gets shooting pains in his ear and eye..we are very worried by this..the dentist has referred him to the hospital for treatment..its going to be a general anaesthetic and 3-4 wks off work til he has healed properly...in the meantime he is having some different antibiotics and painkillers to cope with it...i am really hoping that the hospital doesn't take too long to get in touch..its unfair on the chap..he can't eat prpoerly or drink without getting very sharp stabbing pains which last for hours...
He is at the moment setting lettuce in the greenhouse..its throbbing but not too bad...

Sorry for got to say..i am hoping to have paid it forward..i was chosen as a World book night ambassador..i gave the books to a the local church and spent a good afternoon chatting and serving tea and cakes to the congregation..which was lovely to just sit and chat with the old ladies about all sorts of thing..very interesting..

I have simplified my clothes too..i gave the rest to charity and split some nice tops between my older girls..we kept a few for cutting up to make into squares for quilt making...i redid my airing cupboard..and stored a lot of blankets in those storage bags that you suck the air out of..that was fun..so now i have a lot more room and its an easier choice to get dressed in the mornings...i did hubby a favour and did his wardrobe too...the girls have had a major re-vamp in their wardrobes too..i love those storage bags..you can get soo much in one bag..

I have made a few buys on ebay..
A spring for the front gate it keeps blowing open..this will keep it shut.
12 metres of elasticated bead cord for making little necklaces and bracelets.
360 coloured sticky dots..can't find them in town

I have done 2 shops
and won't need to do one now for a while i hope..
We are looking into replacing the blinds in the bedrooms..but just looking at the moment.
I have been to the charity shop and got some books for the girls..7 for £1..nice as they are the horrible histories..


So thats what i have been doing ..what have you all been up to..
Katie..did you pass your tests?
MLW..hey hun how you doing?
SM how are you?
love to you all
ftm

scottishminnie

Wow, FTM you are like a whirlwind. I'm absolutely in awe of the amount of things you manage to achieve while home schooling as well:)

I haven't been around as I'm having major problems with my phone line and broadband connection and sometimes I only have one or two minutes per day- sometimes none at all. I'm battling BT who have now closed down 2 faults claiming the customer confirmed it is all fixed when the reality is they haven't even had the courtesy to even get in touch. I'm getting to exploding stage:mad:

Sowed some more potatoes and my onions today which is progress. My carrots have sprouted in the propagator so they will perhaps go out next weekend. Sadly we had a bitterly cold Saturday followed by a miserable wet Sunday and Monday so my gardening was limited. I did make a massive pot of soup today as it was "that kind of day" along with 4 lots of stovies for the freezer. I can't believe it is May and I'm still making winter type comfort food!

I haven't done anything about the fridge freezer yet, I'm just managing with the main one in the kitchen right now. We're off for a short break later in the month so I'm inclined to wait until after that, no point in setting myself up for more delivery hassles before we go.

I hope the rest of the country had a more seasonal bank holiday and were able to enjoy the weather and hopefully I'll be back online a bit more this week - fingers crossed.