TARRAGON & THYME

We have been at the storage unit most of the day shifting items already stored into a larger room and I must say its been a revelation as some of the things I had forgotten I had.  Especially it would seem I have picked up quite a few pieces of green vintage glass which will go very well with those pieces recently acquired.  Funnily enough I had been looking at similar items on Ebay.  We have shifted most of the stuff  just a little bit more to go and then to start on what I have in the house.  So both of us are cream crackered but it will be a job well done when it is all finished.  I have also tried to sort out different areas of the unit where specific items are stored so that when we are looking for something in the future I will have some idea of where to look.  Certainly all the Christmas decorations are being stored at the front of the unit as they are required every year as is OHs fishing equipment.  We want to try and free up as much...

Well we appear to have a garden clearer on board and he intends to start tomorrow. Yippee - a lot cheaper than the original quote and much cheaper than the lad who came yesterday but I have to keep an eye on the pennies.  Lets hope he clears up well and does a good job and leaves us with a clean canvas to start again.  Fingers crossed and toes plaited. Today has been a strange day as I had half a day off as I had an appointment with my Physiotherapist who is helping me with exercises for my core muscles and in controlling them which should ultimately help my back.  So everything has been topsy turvy today because this afternoon I was back to work.  I have been very stiff today and as I keep joking to my work colleagues stick me on a wall and I would make a very good barometer.  When I am really stiff it is usually a good indicator that there I rain about.  Its currently raining cats and dogs.  I think the barometric pressure has something to ...

Is slowly coming together and I have managed to pick up quite a few things for a reasonable price.  I have been lurking on Ebay a lot of late studying form and prices and learning how to be savvy with the bidding and the buying.  All a new learning curve.  I love the buzz of researching finds and the bidding process so much so I am thinking perhaps of maybe popping up a few things that I do not really want.  Just musing about this at the moment but something I am contemplating.  Saying that though I am not sure that the selling will be as satisfying as the procuring. Here are a few items I have picked up recently. Now this bowl I really love (the one above).  It is quite heavy and substantial and very different and attractive very arts and crafts. The bowl below is I believe known as a handkerchief bowl.  Will look lovely on the table at Christmas with lots of sweeties in me thinks.  I just love different. This l...

We have been let down by the gardener.  I contacted him through a local site in Peterborough and we made arrangements for him to come around to quote for the job.  He came and saw the state of the garden and quoted quite a bit of money (to me anyway) for doing the same.  I accepted the quote by email - the only drawback was that he was just about to go on holiday to Canada and would start the job when he came back.  He was due to start the work around the 13 April; but I received a text message saying he had been let down by the chap with the skip and would come the following week.  Again I heard nothing - I assumed that he would come that was supposed to be last Friday.  After chasing and chasing he eventually indicated that unfortunately he had had a bit of a bad day and apologised for not being in touch.  I then received a message indicating that he was bogged down and that he had asked his brother to contact me.  The job was supposed to be st...

So far this week has not gone to plan at all.  Yesterday I was ill with a tummy upset which had me up and down during the night and then needing to be close to the bathroom.  Fortunately things have calmed down a bit. Today I had booked off as the Dentist was going to do a longer appointment with a treatment assessment and then an extraction.  When I arrived he seemed a bit phased that I had not been to an assessment appointment prior to an extraction. I replied that this was how he had booked it the last time.  Then things settled down a bit.  However I have not had the extraction today.  I had to have a full mouth X-ray and this revealed that I need two extractions.  Apparently it is like spaghetti junction in my mouth below tooth level and so I have been referred yet again. (Because of the epilepsy and the fact that I will need anaesthetic they tend to let the Hospital deal with me as they are better equipped if I have a reaction...

And the call of the craft fairy is getting more and more persistent and I am getting more and more frustrated.  There has been a hiccup on the fishing front.  The Lake where OH goes fishing has been taken over by a private syndicate and at the moment it looks as though he has lost that particular lake.  He is a bit miffed about it as less than two months to be told that the lake is being taken over and no more is a bit of a bummer to say the least and hardly gives you anytime to find an alternative let alone gives me any time for crafting on my own.  Oh well these things are sent to try us.  Things will sort themselves out no doubt. Anyway I was browsing Pinterest and I came across this little make from the site Rachael Elizabeth creates.  A silk flower creation where you do not have to spend an arm and a leg.  Very pretty.  I have the wreath base already as I tend to keep a couple of these in.  I would like to make som...

On a scratchcard - I won five times totalling £40.  So some nice things do happen sometime.  I was a little gob smacked. OH has the second door done and it all looks nice and tidy.  That's another good job dealt with. As I am busy I am not cooking today he has gone to fetch a Kentucky for quickness ease and no washing up! Have a small table from my Nan's that needs tightening up that's a job for OH as I am not very good with things like that do not have the strength in my hands to either grip or hold things let alone tighten some bolts up.  Then it will get a dressing finish.  Its an old table and has one or two scratches so it is going to get an oil and vinegar clean/polish to tidy it up a bit.  The oil and vinegar method has worked very well on my pine dresser. Its gone very chilly here after a really warm afternoon yesterday.  My Squeak (who is my old lady has the right idea - fast asleep).

When we went to stay at our grandparents when we were little we always had home made bread served in thick slices toasted and then my grandfather's honey slathered all over it for breakfast and it used to be delish as the toast was always done on the Rayburn and the bread was cooked in there too. So this morning we decided that we were going to have simple toast for breakfast but then I remembered the untouched jar of honey I obtained from the farm.  I had drooled to myself when I saw it a it looked perfect.  I am funny with honey I like it set but it has to be the right consistency otherwise I am not keen. I mean sugar crystals but not hard and the honey then just spreads as you can see from the photo below and it is just divine on hot buttered toast. The jar from the farm was £5.75 its a lot of money but if you like it - it is not.  This is an optimum product - it is pure and has not been blended with loads of other honey as per the big brands such as...

Well the Pantry door has had two coats of varnish and we like it and the rest of the doors are going to be done like it.  I referred to this in my earlier post but this is now a definite.  We just need to locate the sander and buy some sanding sheets and then he can start on doing the rest of them.  It will be a much better hard wearing finish in the long run especially with cats and dogs.  With the varnish on it will make my life easier with the cleaning as it will just need a wash and a buff up with a duster.  So things are slowly happening.  I have been scrubbing floors and have got a bit overheated hence this extra post for tonight whilst I have a breather.  I have a hot date with the scrubbing brush a little later. Once the garden is cleared I want to save up for a very large shed that we can put down the garden or sheds and pop the two freezers into and a load of the other stuff we are having to keep in the house so that I can free the d...

Well its been a bit fraught this afternoon as OH set to with the Pantry door.  There have been one or two choice words (unrepeatable) especially when he nearly put the door on upside down.  They are four panelled solid knotted pine doors and the deeper part is normally at the top with the smaller bit at the bottom.  Guess who got it the other way round.  Lets just say I raised my eyebrows at this point and sorted him out without being overly critical.  I held my tongue.  Sometimes quietness speaks volumes. Anyway Pantry door now nicely fitted and fitting snugly.   Sporting new white handles (I have round china knobs on the rest of the doors in the house but the pantry and the understairs door get a lot more use so have gone for white metal ones) they match in well they are white.  The door has just got to be varnished.  Thankfully after me insisting on new hinges we have bought pin ones which mean that ...

Well the Gardener did not turn up yesterday and I was a little disgruntled to say the least as the date was the date he suggested.  However it appeared that they had a bit of a disastrous day yesterday for one reason or another and he has assured me he will be here on Monday.  I do hope so otherwise it will be back to square one again and I want to get on with all sorts of things as per usual.  So I am in the hands of the gods. Its not very warm here this morning although the sun has been out intermittently.  We have already been to Homebase this morning and then had breakfast outOH is in the throes of putting on a new pantry door and to follow a new understairs door to match in with the ones already replaced.  So things are happening but too slowly for my liking but at least they are happening.  I think I need to learn to be a little more patient than I am which may or may not happen any time soon. Right I had better get a wriggle on I am prep...

Well I have gone and done it - chosen the paint for the kitchen and for the bathroom and bought it.  I have chosen a pale lemon for the kitchen called Beach Resort. I already have bright yellow tiles so I needed something that would tone in with what I already have in situ and something light as it is a narrow room. And a pale aqua for the bathroom aptly named water.  Yet again I wanted something light and clean looking. With white paintwork it should look lovely and clean when finished and should go well with the slate laminate flooring.  Now all I have got to do is to start painting.  The pale lemon goes well with the tiles already in situ and the apple green I have decided to put with it in the form of gingham curtaining goes well and looks fresh with the lemon.  That might have to wait until the end of the month until I get paid but every little bit that gets done makes it that bit further on with the project.  Now I need to source new ...

to the day brrgh!  Wee bit parky! so on has gone the central heating to warm up the house just as I thought would be able to ease up a little.  Well these things are sent to try us but the house is nice and warm and toasty now.  So jumpers and gilet it is again today.  The office where I work is always cold first thing on a Monday morning due to the office being closed up for the weekend so I always go well prepared.  The cold makes me very stiff so I wrap up in layers and then as I warm up or get too hot at least I can strip the layers off one at a time. Right had better get a wriggle on.  A little Jack Russell has buried herself under her blanket and I still have a couple of things to do before I go to work. Hopefully it will be a good day for one and all. Catch you all later. Pattypan x

They looked nice but I was a little cautious. We have been taken in before by lovely looking Strawberries from the supermarket only to find that they were sour and had little flavour.  These were the right price too. £1.50.  Sometimes it is difficult with OH knowing what to give him but I just fancied these and I did a bowl each with no sugar on.  They were not bad just served simply with some clotted cream ice cream.  They went down a treat.  Plus there are some left so we may well have smoothies for breakfast too.  I love fresh fruit for breakfast especially raspberries picked straight from the garden. My gardener who is going to clear the jungle was let down by the skip people.  He was meant to have started last Thursday but has re-arrange for this Friday.  I did not cook dinner today as OH treated me to a super duper jumbo hot dog.  I only managed to eat half of it and was stuffed.  Hence the reason for someth...

Whenever I get in the doldrums (as I did yesterday) I tend to go for comfort food.  Food such as mashed potato, mixed veggies, peas, and sausages in onion gravy or toad in the hole.  Being as it has been wet, grey and miserable here we have had sausages in onion gravy.  I got them reduced and will get two meals out of them.  Its good and heartening to have good simple food on days like this.  The simplicity of the meal speaks for itself. What we are going to have today though is another question.  Unusually I have not as yet got my head around that one yet.  Probably something simple maybe pilchards in tomato sauce on toast or boiled eggs and bread and butter soldiers! I have had a bit of a lazy day today but I need to get a wriggle on as I have a lot to do as usual.  I have to clean the kitchen out again as OH has scattered dust to the four winds and all the scrubbing out I did last weekend has all to be done again.  But at le...

That is only for the back of the house.  The ones at the front are a thick cream Victorian Lace style panel net and I love them a lot.  However I am after something a little simpler for the back of the house.  Probably a plain voile. I will have to see what they have in store and then make my mind up.  Not sure whether to go for white this time or cream again. The door handles all 16 of them are all ordered and sorted. I have got a good deal on them they were 79p each are a mint green pumpkin shaped handle with gold trim.  If you ordered over a certain number you got an extra 10% discount so they will cost approximately £15 - free postage too. I have also been hanging my nose over some pink rose handles for the furniture in my bedroom.  Might have to defer on that for the time being but there is no harm in looking at the moment.  No harm in a little plotting and planning. I have also ordered 6 fat quarters of mixed green fabrics to go...

Work has started on the replacement kitchen laminate flooring and things were getting a bit tense in there earlier on- especially after OH had managed to cut four boards wrongly.  So I beat a hasty retreat and let things cool down a bit.  It is coming along well and looks good.  So good I think am going to get him to pop it down in the dining room and also the bathroom (which is downstairs on the end of the kitchen).  It certainly looks and feels a lot better than the old stuff. Once that is all down I can then paint out the kitchen and the bathroom and make it all nice, clean and tidy.  I have already been looking at paint and some tiles.  The slate grey is a very good contrast for my pine units.  Originally we had a small fridge in the kitchen that OH had put under the work top.  Could he get it out  - another few choice words and a lot of hammering later and it eventually came out - in pieces.  Oh well its out.  It did not w...

Some more finds from a quick visit to the Charity shop recently.  I do not always get around to have a look and can sometimes go for weeks.  Today however I popped around and found a charming dressing table complete with mirror and little drawers on the top of the table only to find it had been sold.  It would have gone beautifully into my bedroom.  Was only £35 in excellent condition and had four deep drawers underneath.  Never mind another one will come along when its right; but I did like that particular one. I also picked up these little bargains all for under a £10 all told. 4 x little heart Le Creuset moulds in a lovely shade of Green - £2 the lot. A Lakeland Shortbread Mould with thistles on - £2 A Green Leaf dish I quite like this and thought if I could get hold of a few more I could have a real centre piece in the shape of a flower especially if I can find a little green bowl to go dead centre - £2 I was right a...