Tales from The Shire

savingholmes

Glad the log slice was well received. 

Hope you both fully recover soon. Well done on the parcel posting.

SandyShores

I was just reading about your leak, its so disruptive when you have to have everything out, feels really messy.  Glad you have it sorted, annoying about the cost, but your health is more important and it could have been something more. You're still really busy and productive though.  Take care.

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

Glad the log slice was well received. 

Hope you both fully recover soon. Well done on the parcel posting.

Thank you SH.  I was pleased with the way it turned out considering it's the first I've done.

SandyShores said:

I was just reading about your leak, its so disruptive when you have to have everything out, feels really messy.  Glad you have it sorted, annoying about the cost, but your health is more important and it could have been something more. You're still really busy and productive though.  Take care.

I hate disruption in the house SS.  I've been reading back over my diaries recently and realised that there's been some kind of work being done on the house ever since we moved here - 4 years ago 😲  Although interspersed with periods of quiet.  We still have the macerator to be replaced and some making good by the decorator before we can relax for the year.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Black Friday

I hadn't planned to spend anything on Black Friday but realised that I could take advantage to get some things that were already in the plan:

• dining room curtains.  I choose the fabric ages ago and Mr F and I agreed that these would come under our decorating budget.  Ordered on-line and got £60 off, a free cushion and £37 odd in reward points
• a Fire Stick.  We had talked about replacing the television in our bedroom with a smart one then realised that we could just use a Fire Stick with it to get internet acccess.  £20 off and a tiny bit of cashback.  Added some electric toothbrush heads to the order and paid for both with vouchers that we've had since the beginning of the year
• Uncle F's Christmas present.  I know he didn't make it to the Nice List but I doubt he'll have anything to open on the day otherwise.  No deal on this one but it is the perfect thing for him and below budget.

Our walk with FDawg this morning was a very soggy one but I'm determined to get back out into the fresh air again.  Realised that our water-proof over-trousers are not very water-proof so ordered some products to restore them.

I've paid the remaining balance on the windows.  After paying the deposit the company didn't contact me for six months but, now the balance is due, they are emailing me twice a week 😡

I baked the gluten free version of the Twixmas quiche but am seriously unimpressed with it.  The pastry burnt at the top and was soggy at the bottom - and I never usually have a soggy bottom 😆  The filling is fine though.  It's ok for just us but I wouldn't serve it to guests.  We had some for our lunch today with chips and beans and will eat it up over the next few days I'm sure.  I'm just going to buy one in for Christmas.  Gluten free baking is not for me.

I'd planned to clean the living room this afternoon but Mr F finally gave in to the bug and took the afternoon off.  He's cosied up in front of the log burner.  I could be tackling the ironing pile but the pull of the log burner on a cold, wet Friday afternoon is too strong 🔥 The forecast snow is not expected to reach us now but we will have high winds this evening.  The new windows are making a big difference - it's quieter, warmer and less draughty.  The work Mr F did replacing missing mortar in the summer means we don't have a gale blowing through the en-suite any longer either.

As we had a big meal at lunchtime, I think we'll just have a cheese and ham toastie for supper.  I may indulge in a nice hot bubble bath and catch up on the Bake Off final.

Enjoy the weekend folks.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Glad you are already reaping the benefits of the windows. Sounds like you got them just in time.

Cornish_mum

Sorry to hear that you have been unwell, glad you are feeling better. Hope you are not affected by Storm Arden.

Have you tried a crustless quiche for the GF? I have used silicon bakeware to make mini ones (the recipe was from CBeebies! but quite tasty and incredibly easy as it was designed for 3-year olds).

CM

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

Glad you are already reaping the benefits of the windows. Sounds like you got them just in time.

Just in the nick of time I'd say SH 😃

Cornish_mum said:

Sorry to hear that you have been unwell, glad you are feeling better. Hope you are not affected by Storm Arden.

Have you tried a crustless quiche for the GF? I have used silicon bakeware to make mini ones (the recipe was from CBeebies! but quite tasty and incredibly easy as it was designed for 3-year olds).

CM

That's a good idea CM.  If I can't find a good shop bought one I'll make a crustless.  We've got 8 people staying for 4 days over Christmas so that's 12 meals.  It's enough cooking without GF too.  I'll do what I can but I think Mr Marks and Mr Spencer might be helping me out 😆

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Blimey!

Well Storm Arwen was a terror wasn't she 😲  We've not been too badly hit.  The house and annex are fine.  Our shed blew into the large fence between our and our neighbour's garden and brought it down.  It's our responsibllity so we'll have to replace that.  The ground under the shed has given way (there's a step down between us and next door) so said shed is teetering and we'll have to move it soon. However, looking at some of the neighbourhood photos on FB this morning, I think we've got off lightly.  Lots of trees have come down on cars and houses 😲

I'm shattered as the storm kept us all awake.  FDawg was frightened and kept barking for us to come and save him 🙄 I'm currently sitting in the nook which is in the eaves and I can't hear any sign of the wind dropping soon.

We took a tour of the outside of the house and put back dustbin lids and watering cans and other things that had become displaced.  The top half of a tree in the hedgerow had come down and the bonfire/home to our hedgehog had blown around the orchard (don't think hedgehog was disturbed though).  Then we came inside and haven't ventured out since.

I have done a little more Christmas shopping and preparation.  I made a wreath for the front door using feathers I'd collected from the orchard and paddock, finished making tree decorations for gifting to friends and neighbours and put the Christmas cake fruit in brandy to soak.

We had disaster quiche for lunch with sweet potato chips.  It wasn't so much of a disaster this time as the bottom crisped up after a warming in the oven.  There's still some leftover for tomorrow 😆  I think we'll be having something light for supper.

Not sure how long I'll be able to stay awake for this evening but I shall do some Baying if I can.  Need to find some extra funds for fence repairs 😆

Hope everyone is safe and still has a roof over their head

Fortune x

rtandon27

Gorgeous wreath Fortune!  You are so creative

savingholmes

Your wreath is stunning.

Ouch to your repair bills. Glad it wasn't worse. Sounds like you had a near miss