2011.09.11 My Day

As per my earlier post I haven't had much motivation to do anything today at all.  We have a wailing banshee in the house somewhere and I cannot quite locate where it is - we think but haven't ascertained exactly that a window may not be catching properly, but the weird thing is I hear it upstairs on the front with the double glazing in my bedroom and also in the lounge.  Both windows are the only double glazed ones in the house.  Curiousier and Curiousier.  Even the animals are hearing it so it is not quite my imagination.

I have however been into the herb garden and brought some more sage in and bay leaves to dry on the dresser; as soon as these are dry I shall fetch some more in as I readily use a lot of bay leaves and sage in my cooking  - and I do not like to waste anything at all if I can help it.  The poor dressers are getting really quite stuffed with produce at the moment.   A lot of it I use but I also give a fair bit away as a Christmas present or presents as well.  Two of us on our own would not cope with this, but as I say I have friends and extended family who are beneficiaries so it gives me chance to explore and to play.

Clothes pegs have their uses!

What you cannot see is that behind the freezer I have on the wall a dresser top which is a darker pine than the dresser you can see here.  It has a base that does not belong to it which is filled with my CD collection but the top part is stuffed to the rafters with pantry produce, as well as my Rumptopf jars stored on the top shelf.  All were Charity shop finds. The last photo just shows the home made produce's temporary home before being relocated.  I will take a photo of the hidden shelves another day so that you can see what I mean.  The end jars house my Chinese style plum sauce which is scrummy with chicken and duck or with cold cuts.

And during the week I got my mitts on a brand new crown corker so I shall get the brewery started when I have topped up with sugar again.  I have had to save for a few weeks for this.  I had one but it could not be found, but this is a far better one being a two handed gadget.  I have already tested it on an empty bottle and I am well chuffed.  It was only £9 odd from Wilkinsons, which isn't a lot but when you don't have much spare cash around, I go back to the old fashioned method of putting up a couple of pounds or odds and ends up until I manage to get what I want. I already have the cork version of this as well. 

Now will have to save up for some more kilner jars which really are very useful.

I am not doing a roast for tea tonight - we have scampi and chips.  I am in the middle of tidying the front room out and making it respectable again.  The front door leads straight into our lounge, and it gets a bit draughty.  I obtained some sealant during the week and OH says that he is going to re-seal the frame to make sure no draughts get in.  I also intend to put an inner curtain under the curtain we have there on a net curtain wire just to make doubly sure the room is kept as cosy as we can.  I don't have a curtain on the back door.  I have one to put up, but I intend to do the same with that as well i.e. put an inner curtain up in the same fashion.

I didn't start the elderberry and apple jelly last night, but I may start this tonight and then leave it to drip overnight to be finished in the morning.  I may however do the apple chutney the recipe of which is here:

http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2011/02/miss-smiffs-chutney.html

Well upwards and onwards if I can get back later on I will do if not have a lovely evening

Pattypan

xx