The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

fuddle

Afternoon

What a glorious day it has been today. So pleased you enjoyed the concert Lyn, hope you're enjoying your relaxing day with DD.

Yesterday was spent off road go karting and clay pigeon shooting. Neither of which I was particularly very good at but I did have fun.

Tea tonight is faggots. Sadly not prepared by myself but the supermarket. We're having ginger steamed pud and custard for after though and I can put my name to the pud

Kiddies have been making marbled easter chocolates this afternoon. Just how much chocolate actually made it to the moulds I don't know but they have enjoyed themselves.

My blueberry bush has buds on as do my raspberry canes. I have one daffodil in bloom in the front garden and the tree over the road is in blossom. Think winter might have gone! fingers crossed.

shanks77

Glad you had a good time Mrs LW sounds lovely
Fuddle sounds like you and yours are building some great memories for the future.
Jayze sounds like a lovely meal and the tickets sound like a good deal
Not a great day here had to drive ex down to see his mother who is nearing the end and due to the drugs she is on he was only in for 15 mins so a 3hr journey for such a short period of time but at least he got the chance to say goodbye.
Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend xx

camelot1001

Burtha hope the puppies are all well, what breed are they?
Popperwell, are there any bus trips from local bus companies? I hope you can continue to go out and about, sounds like fun exploring new places.
Glad you enjoyed the concert Mrs LW, must be very hard no to applaud!
Shanks, you are a good person.

Went for Brunch with DD this morning which was lovely, must do that again, the place was lovely and the server particularly good. We then went round everywhere needed to get the last minute bits and bobs for DDs trip, I think she has everything now. Also called and got another 8 bags of compost for my new garden.

Finished filling the little raised beds and then DD and I put up the mini greenhouse. Too cold to start using it yet but it's there now for when the weather is warmer.

Had a lovely roast beef dinner and am now feeling particularly stuffed!

wondercollie

Just when we thought winter was done with, well we were wrong. Started snowing late Thursday night and it's still happening. Not as bad as what our Maritime provinces have had but the grass is gone again.


I was sat eating breakfast and the tented awning thing on our deck came crashing down with the weight of the recent snow. So it's a goner.


It's the time of year when we have to do our income tax forms. I dread it, even though I know that I'm owed money by the government. Well, this year it's harsh. Mr. WC retired last year, between his wages he earned before the retirement date, his pension and his severance package (which we paid roughly 25% of in tax), I told him he had to stay home for the rest of 2014 in order for us to recoup some of the severance package. I've a couple of coworkers who retired and came back for the odd shift over the years and all of them told me horror stories about the taxes that first year, they owed between $5-7K. So I tell Mr WC stay home, relax.


Does he listen? No, he went and got a job after six months because he was bored (husband speak for not wanting to the jobs around the house he kept putting off). End result? He owes the government another $4500. Yes, you've read that right. On top of the $16K he paid in taxes last year, he has to give them another load of money.


I think he's hiding from me, because I'm furious at him. We won't discuss the accidental purchase of the truck either.


I could throttle him and told him that his taxes are his problem and they are not coming out of the joint account nor the slush fund I've put aside for the new flooring that we need. He has kept the money from his job separate from household funds, so he can use them!


He's not a happy bunny.


Other than that, number one son is still planning his move out for June 1st with his fianc!e. Unfortunately for him his car was rear ended on the way to work the other day. He's fine but the car has broken tail lights and he can't get his trunk (boot) to open. He's livid. He's not at fault so his insurance won't go up BUT and it's a big one, his car is so old it may be written off. It's only work $1500 and if the damages cost more than that, they just write a cheque and take the car. He only paid $50 but the engine is brilliant (friend's a mechanic) and it was the top of the range when it was new, leather seats, and all that kind of thing. It was well treated over the years and it's 19 years old. So fingers crossed for him.


So, pot roast in the slow cooker, Collie in the snow, and husband snoring


I've chopped up some apples and mixed it with frozen berries and am going to pour a cake batter on top for pudding.

manchestermargo

Hi everyone, Wondercollie my daughter lives in Halifax Nova Scotia and as you say terrible snow there! Hope it's gone by the time I visit in June!!


Hope everyone has had a good weekend. Back to work for me tomorrow but can't really complain as I now only work three days a week. Really enjoying having some time for me.


MM

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Wondercollie, that sounds very trying.

Today won't be particularly OS for me. Wash on this morning, gym, quick tidy up and then out for a haircut at the training academy this afternoon. Hoping to stop in for a look at the fabric before. It usually takes several hours for them to finish the haircut, but at £6 and generally a very nice job I don't dare complain. I honestly find it interesting to watch as well. I couldn't begin to work out how some of those little tricks work without seeing 'behind the scenes.'

Tonight's tea is a chicken and spinach pasta bake recipe I've never tried before. The chicken is left over from a roast we had a few weeks ago. I stripped it and made a pie with some and have some left. Will do a salad with it as well.

Bruce did make some lovely bread, although after all of that the website I was following suggested commercial yeast for your first attempt. It had a bit of a tang, but not quite as much as I'd hoped. I'll be finding another recipe to try it the long slow way later this week, although we've still got much of this batch left. OH ate so much of it with his soup he didn't want his pudding in the end.

Softstuff

FairyPrincessk wrote: »

Bruce did make some lovely bread, although after all of that the website I was following suggested commercial yeast for your first attempt. It had a bit of a tang, but not quite as much as I'd hoped. I'll be finding another recipe to try it the long slow way later this week, although we've still got much of this batch left. OH ate so much of it with his soup he didn't want his pudding in the end.

The tang develops as Bruce ages. So you use a bit of him for a loaf, but keep feeding him regularly and eventually he matures.

Exhausted here, so not saying much. Nearly at the finish line.

FairyPrincessk

Thanks for the hint Softstuff, I was hoping that would be the case.

Glad to hear you're approaching the finish!

ivyleaf

Morning all

Just had to don my wellies and wade into the back garden - the drain was blocked!

The garden wasn't all waterlogged, just the bit I had to walk through. Ho hum. I noticed earlier that there were odd glugging noises coming from the kitchen sink plughole, and thought "Must put some soda crystals down there in a minute," then found the soggy garden when I went to change the cat's water.

I hope the day will improve.

Sorry to hear you have yet more snow wondercollie. I hope it won't last long.

Camelot Is your DD going on holiday or for work? My neighbour's daughter has just come back from a business trio to SA and says the weather's wonderful there atm, not that she was out in it very much!

chickens11

Ivyleaf....Do you want me to come and sort your drains out for you with my power washer ?....ha ha ....
Fairyprincess.....Hope your chicken will be safe to eat , perhaps its me but the way Ive read your post makes the chicken 3 wks old :eek:....
Wondercollie....So sorry to hear of your financial problems with hubby , id be fuming too......
Lyn...Sounds like you enjoyed your concert .....

Its been nice here again today , and I notice in the garden lots of stuff is now in leaf bud , I did clean the pond out a bit yesterday removed lots of overgrown plants and topped it up, I looked today and its crystal clear water now ......

I did buy 2 artificial plastic box balls hanging on chains which I have put either side of the garage I put the brackets up and the balls and they look ok , I bought them out of B&M stores , im not doing hanging baskets anymore as they have to be watered daily , and im trying to cut my work load down and have a low maintenance garden.....Ive put quite a few Hebes in the borders , as they are loved by bees and butterflies and they dont need a lot of looking after once theyve established themselves ....

I had a lovely hot bubble bath just before tea , it was bliss in there , im a shower person normally but I do like to soak the joints now and again......Catch you all later Sheila