2010.07.25 My Day

I have had a good day today.  It started early with the constitutional walk which when OH is about we usually do to let Missy help get rid of some pent up energy and steam and also to help supplement the pantry with all the wild offerings.  We gathered a few more plums today.  I seem to have been bitten by every insect going whilst picking the plums.  It seems I was lunch!  There are loads more to come on other trees near to where we pick but they are sour at the moment despite their flesh being tinged pink, we think they will be ready in a week or two.  We picked about 4lbs today and there are still lots more left on the tree we have been picking.

We then came back I made a blackberry and Apple crumble in readiness to take to my Mum's to have as pudding, making the crumble by hand.   I then washed my extremely long hair and let it dry naturally before getting ready to go out.

So I took my basket with the fruit crumble in, a big bunch of fresh sage, a bag of cherry plums.  (Have promised mum to get her some for the freezer for use in puddings during the winter months and some blackverries too).  A tin of red salmon, and some fresh cooked beetroot as mum is rather partial to this and I got into trouble for taking some bits. 

My mum bless her heart had done a lovely lunch Roast Pork, apple sauce, new runner beans (grown in her garden), carrots, cauliflower, leeks, gravy and home made stuffing with Rhubarb Crumble and custard for afters.  Mum was grateful for my efforts but asked me to bring it back with me as she wouldn't be able to eat it on her own.  So home it has come will have that tomorrow evening with custard.  Needless to say my darling mum has not lost her touch with the cooking it was absolutely delicious.

Have had the most pleasant of afternoons, have pottered around at my mum's helping with things, doing the washing and drying up and not letting her do it but making her sit down and relax.

We also pottered in the garden I am now the proud owner of an Aloe Vera plant.  Mum has rooted it for me and it will be very helpful as I am when cooking a dab hand at burning myself, so keeping this on the kitchen window, should mean I will be able to use a leaf or two straight away on any burns.

It was really good to spend some quality time with her; I do love her very much but it is nice to just "be" with her and do things together without reams and reams of questions or explanations, just mutual love and trust.  She thinks the world of Missy and makes a great fuss of her anway.

We also paid a visit to my father's grave. In life, I used to trim him up every so often (unfortunately he used to have hairs that grew in his ears which used to irritate him and I always used to sort these out for him).  Today I have given him a peripheral hair cut using the garden shears to cut down the grass that is growing around the grave and giving the headstone a wash and brush up too with mum putting in fresh flowers and having a few words as you do.

We then came back and had tea, cheese and tomato buns (fresh baked) and then strawberries and cream, with sausage rolls and chocolate cake for afters.  Washing up again and then we have come home.  It has been a delightful and charming day.

I am currently on the lap top sitting on the settee. I have a very sleepy dog sat cuddled up on the settee with me.  She is flat out and sprawled, fast asleep on her crotchet blanket but she has to be touching you or snuggled right up into you as otherwise her little world is not right.

Here's hoping that all of you are keeping well and that this week is a good one for you wherever you may be.

Take care

Pattypan

xx