Put away your purse & become debt-averse

Dottles1

Aw Foxgloves you are never boring.  I so look  forward to reading your diary each day

Pixiehouse55

Defo not boring, I love your posts, highlights of my day my dear. I sometimes think I need to record myself as I am repeating the same all day everyday lol but I also love my job, little giggles go along way after 41/2 months home with my people.   Well, our dogs having problems with smelly bums 🤣😂 Just looking in to changing their food. Its not cheap!!  One is a pure Saluki the other is a Saluki cross Pointer.  So I'm busy searching the Internet. Doctors this afternoon blood tests and womens stuff😁 3 yearly or 5 yearly according to your age!  Lots of seeds to put in to compost that friends have given me.  Furniture being picked up next Tuesday so the lounge floor can be re laid. Fingers crossed by 18th  it will all be finished and furniture back!!!! 😁
Keep Safe and Take Care foxgloves and gang 

foxgloves

Well that is kind of you both to say so, Dottles & Pixiehouse. I agree that there is a lot of humour to be had in everyday life, which is just as well, seeing as how we walk this way only once & may as well try to find something to enjoy.
F x

foxgloves

Wednesday Greetings diary readers,
Hope you have all managed to have a decent day....or reasonably decent......or well, sometimes I think we'd all settle for anything as long as it isn't complete cr*p, wouldn't we, according to what is going on in our lives at different times.
I woke up with my head hanging over the side of the bed - I don't know why I seem to get into this position. Thankfully I woke up before it created a headache. And would you know it, my first thought was whether that woman found her rabbit? I don't expect I shall ever know. If he got home, I'm hoping he is tucking into a big carrot & thinking about the error of his ways!
We've been out for a walk at an ancient site today - the first time we've been back since Lockdown. I sorted out a new annual car park pass, as that always saves us a few quid. We'd decided to treat ourselves to lunch there (their lovely cafe is still doing food but to take out & eat in the fresh air) but had completely forgotten that they are doing the current 'Eat out' gov't subsidy scheme, so when we were asked for the money, we queried it as thought the assistant had seriously undercharged us & didn't want her to get into trouble. Then we remembered & so that will be a saving on our August 'Personal Spends' money. 
I've had an enjoyable session in the garden this afternoon. Once we get into August, the best of my flower-packed borders are over so I like to start cutting back perennials & pulling out annuals which have finished. I've got rid of the sweet peas today, as they were over, but I like to move other things in pots into obvious gaps to keep the flowering going for a bit longer, so I brought a very striking geranium ("Dark Strawberry") to put in that space & it does provide that pop of colour without a naughty little trippette to the garden centre. 
Tomorrow, I think it will have to be Colanders at Dawn - there are heaps of tomatoes ready for picking.....in fact the plants of the beefsteak variety I'm growing this year are actually buckling under the weight, as not only are the tomatoes enormous, but so are the trusses. I can also see that the french beans, which I picked really thoroughly on Sunday, are ready for a re-match. I also need to use a lot of courgettes, so I think I will be doing loads of kitchen-witchery over the next week or so. 
Mr F's cooking night tonight & he is trying a new recipe - the Hairy Bikers' Channa Masala. It's one of those recipes where, if you have a good store cupboard, you can make a meal without having to buy in anything at all. There should be enough to freeze a couple of portions too, unless he pronounces that he could 'eat a scabby goat' as a prelude to piling his plate with a triple portion, lol! 
If I don't post tomorrow, you'll know I've been subsumed by a massive pile of veg!
Take care all,
F x

foxgloves

Just popping back to report that the Hairy Biker channa masala was yum & the portions sufficiently large for two of them to go in the freezer for a 'free' meal at some point. 
F x

Toni'sfriend

I love sweet peas. They are so delicate looking. Can you grow them in a container? 

foxgloves

Hi Toni's friend, Yes you can! They like regular water & feeding to keep them flowering, as well as really regular deadheading to keep those new blooms coming.Oh, & they will need some sort of frame to climb up, or a wigwam. 
One year my sister had a fab container of sweet peas. They were growing up an unusual black metal frame. I admired it & she said 'Can you tell what it is?' It looked like a fairly expensive decorative plant support frame to me, so I was really surprised when she informed me it was her old saucepan rack, turned upside down & sitting on top of a large flower pot! It really did look good covered in sweet peas!
You can sow them in October or March. I sow mine in October in my unheated greenhouse. 
F x

Toni'sfriend

Thank you. I think I'll try some. My grandfather used to grow them in his garden. Such beautiful colours. Wish I had a garden but my little porch full of containers is looking quite good. Very green. This is the first time I've tried growing anything and I'm getting quite hooked on it.

foxgloves

Yes, TonisFriend, it is very rewarding to see things grow and I always find that being among greenery & flowers is food for the soul. If you only have containers, you could try a sunflower variety called 'Teddy Bear'. They are dwarf ones with chunky very striking full flowers. I have them both in my borders & in big pots next to our front door. They look very cheerful & summery.
F x

Toni'sfriend

I've helped the children grow sunflower this year but I think I chose the wrong variety. They are huge. I'll remember that for next year.