The Final Furlong

savingholmes

Glad things are going so well. House decor sounds like it's uplifting too.

Dottles1

Evening all
"Exciting getting future work booked in and the prospect of getting work done on the house. How are you planning to upcycle the chairs?"
Sorry Savingholmes I missed this.  I plan to paint them and reupholster the seats.  I will probably put some new foam on and I have a lovely grey piece of fabric left from covering my noticeboard that should be enough for two chairs.  I have another two that have rush seats and have seat pads (the ones that tie on) so they will be painted and I'll use the same seat pads, as they will stay out of the way for when I have visitors.  I have already made a good start on sanding the table top so I will see if I can
get it finished and the legs painted next week.  
Friend P and her husband are coming over in the morning, he's going to do a few DIY jobs for me.  I have a couple of floating shelves that I want up in my bedroom, originally in the office so I'm shopping from home, and a couple of pictures to put up in the office.  The walls in this house are so thick that you can't just knock a nail in, believe me I've tried and ended up with crumbled plaster and bent nails.
It's been a busy day,I have podded a big bag of broad beans (curtesy of friend A's allotment) this morning which are now in the pan ready to make some broad bean dip. I t's supposed to be good for spreading on bread or for having with salad or crudites, I haven't made it before so I'll let you now how it goes.  I also have a carrier bag full of beetroot (also curtesy of friend A) to deal with tomorrow but don't want to just pickle it.  I'm thinking roasted with carrots and I have a recipe somewhere for beetroot hummus which I am sure will freeze.
I did some private work this morning (after podding) and then did both the monthly shop and the salad and veg shop from the farm shop.  My monthly shop is getting less, probably because I try to buy in bulk where I can and when there is a deal, like 6 tins of John West tuna for £3 which will last ages and the pack of 16 toilets rolls I got last week, therefore some items don't need to be bought every week/month.
I'm really enjoying organising my house, I seem to be decluttering as I go as I'm trying to only put back what is needed or looks nice in each room as it's done.  Ooh I didn't tell about this weeks FB bargains did I?  A wicker chair i great condition to go with the existing one in the conservatory for £12 and a pack of 2 new Silentnight pillows for £3.  I threw my pillows away when putting my bedroom back together as they were old and saggy, so was going to buy some anyway, now I only need to buy 2.  I have also decided t use a little cupboard that I love instead of looking for a coffee table.  Now that I have 2 chairs in there I can see that there's not as much room as I thought.  This little cupboard was in the summer house at my old place and I never found a space for it here...until now.  It will probably need a colour change  but I will consult friend P on that as it is her forte.
I have spent so much time this week digging, moving furniture, running up and down ladders that my body things it has joined the marines !!  I'm off to make some food and watch a bit of telly.
Have a great evening 
Dottles x

Dottles1

I've been on a roll today.  I was at the charity shop before it opened this morning getting rid of clutter that has come out of my bedroom, old costume jewellery that I haven't worn for years, a cardboard jewellery box that was free with something, pretty but DD2 gave a lovely little box when she visited in July and a lamp that was given to me about 10 years ago but doesn't fit with my room anymore.  When I go home I fixed the hoover which hasn't been working properly and did the weekly housework.  I then moved parsley and coriander plants from pots into the butlers sink and topped off with free gravel from a friend's garden, potted up a small hydrangea that I received as a present re potted most of the house plants that had outgrown their pots.  It was really good to be doing outside jobs in the sunshine.  The man came to measure up for the roof/guttering work that needs doing whilst I was doing the plants so hopefully I'll have a price very soon.  He tells me that he can't keep up with the amount of requests he is getting, probably because people are spending money on their homes rather than holidays in the current situation.
After lunch friend P and her husband came round to help me put up two shelves in the bedroom and 2 pictures in the office.  He is very thorough and has all the tools you could possibly need and is very generous with his time. Meanwhile I picked P's  brains about which furniture to use where and paint colours.  Sometimes it's good to have a second opinion and luckily we agreed.  A couple of cups of coffee and a scone each and the afternoon had gone.  P brought me a society garlic plant from her garden and I gave her a perennial geranium from mine and some of the free apples and beetroot I had been given.  I do love a good swap.  
Later I made some broad bean puree from one of the Cranks recipe books which sounds a bit yuk but is delicious and so quick to make.  I had some with wedges this evening and have a big bowlful in the fridge for the next few days.  It is good spread on crackers or with salad.  Oh and I posted a small filing cabinet on FB which sold within an hour and they are collecting it tomorrow morning. 
Phew, I'm tired just writing this but I've sort of enjoyed it too. However, tomorrow is definitely going to be a day of rest, I may play about with photos and stuff on my new shelves but other than that it will be a walking Tilly and reading my book sort of day.  DS is coming round to put my blind back up so I'll probably have a coffee with him in the morning, it's so lovely to have him to myself for a little while much as I love DIL and GD4. 
I'm off to bed now so will "see" you  tomorrow.
Sleep well all
Dottles x

Dottles1

Morning all.  Apples were cooked and beetroot roasted yesterday and the blinds back up in the bedroom.  I was invited to DS's as he was making hm lasagne, my favourite so the apples will be going into a pie and some of the beetroot into roasted beetroot hummus with the rest mixed with quinoa and balsamic to accompany a couple of meals this week.  Does anyone know if you can freeze cooked beetroot as I believe I have another bucket full on it's way to me?  I will pickle some to use over the winter but I'm trying to think of some new ways to use it.
Yesterday was quite relaxing, I read my book and took a nap on the sofa, spoke to DD2 and spent time with DS, DIL & GD4.  A perfect Sunday I think.
Today I have have a Laura A red velvet chair being delivered to go in the corner of my bedroom, a bargain from FB then some admin o do for this evenings private work.  I'll probably do some more sorting out and maybe work a bt on the dining table.
Speak later friends
Dottles x

beanielou

Chair sounds lovely. 

savingholmes

Enjoy your new chair. It's nice to have others cook for you too. 

Dottles1

Thanks Savingholmes & Beanie and yes it is.
I've just popped on to say that I'm off to dd2's for the weekend so won't be about.  I really don't know where the time is going at the moment, I seem to be so busy.  I tackled more of the front borders (you'd think they were huge) yesterday.  I'm doing it all on hands and knees with hand fork and trowel.  There are a lot of perennial weeds that I'm trying to eliminate but digging as much root out as I can whilst also lifting and splitting geraniums that are trying to take over.  So far I have given one each to friends A & P, taking 2 to DD2 and have 2/3 for DIL plus one for a pot by the front door and I've still got 2 more plants to split !!
I saw my first cancellation of private work due to Covid this week.  No the client but somebody at her child's school has tested positive so everyone out and the whole family are isolating.  It's still a worry isn't it?  
I'd better get myself off as Tilly and I have a couple of hours driving to do, not that she's much help
See you all after the weekend
Keep safe all
Dottles x

beanielou

Enjoy your weekend with DD2 

Chrystal

Hope you have a lovely weekend  

Dottles1

Thanks Chrystal & Beanie  had a great time with DD2.  She, like me, lives alone so it was good t go and help with sorting some jobs with her.  She is very capable and independent but I know how sometimes just having someone with you can help to motivate or make a decision.  I arrived at about 3pm on Friday and we managed to sort out 3 rooms, put up shelves, build a bedroom unit, dig out a border in the garden, plant it and lay a membrane and top stones and sort through a mountain of clothes into sell, charity and friends piles and list loads for sale.  Phew !!  we also found time to walk Tilly in the park and have coffee and lunch there with one of her friends and to watch an old series of Line of Duty.  It was just so good to spend time with her and "be a mum" for a while and I was rewarded by her cooking delicious food in the evenings.  So it was definitely a workout sort of weekend but that's not a bad thing.
So, on to this week.  I did very little yesterday, met with friend P for a coffee in the morning and some private work in the evening but just chilled in the afternoon.  However, today I have a coupe of hours of admin to do.  Firstly I need to create a financial spreadsheet for business income, then check my personal budget, apply for a DBS, complete application for another company that is interested in working with me.  I also need to write some blurb for the workshops I have planned and send that off and finally update my contracts.  It doesn't all have to be done today but I am trying to get into the habit of setting aside some time each week to do business jobs. I also want to try to finish the front borders if I can but might spread that over a couple of days.
Returning to my fabulous chair for a moment, I had a message form the guy who sold it to me on Sunday to say that he had a LA cushion that has always gone with the chair and would I like it.  He then dropped it off yesterday and left it in the garage for me as I was out.  It is beautiful, velvet with red roses and is perfect for the chair.  Aren't there some kind and thoughtful people in the world?
The sun is shining here again this morning, it was so hot yesterday and loos like being the same again today, though the early mornings and evenings feel autumnal.  The weather really has been a bit crazy this year but I'm not complaining, I'll take a few last days of sunshine as we merge into the cooler weather.
The man who lives over the road has left free buckets of lavender from his garden out for anyone who wants to take some.  There are both flowers and stalks so I have a bunch in a jug in my bedroom and some flowers to go into a small bowl.  I could also make a few lavender bags for my drawers.  He also gave me some for friend P as he had seen her leaving.  I've noticed many people leaving things out to take locally.  There were the apples I told you about but I've also seen books, plants, children's toys and even school uniform at one house, all neatly bagged up with the school name a size on each bag.  I like this way of passing n things to those who can use them, it's the simplest form of recycling and a help in these times of redundancy and furloughs, I hope it continues.
Tilly has had a wonderful time at DD'S, being spoiled and cuddled and given the run of the house.  She loves meeting new people and walking in different places, I guess it must be all the new delightful smells she comes across.  Where DD lives there are trees on every street and at present, lots of fallen dried leaves.  Tilly adores scampering through them, sniffing and kicking them up, it's like watching a puppy play.
Anyway must go and get on.  Things to do etc. and if I get on this morning I will rewards myself with a n hour with my book later.
Have a wonderful day all and Ihope you are blessed with sunshine wherever you are
Dottles x