Saturday Roundup

Its been a busy day here with lots of elbow grease and cleaning going on.  Still have a lot to do but it is deep clean session so it usually takes a little while.  Still ongoing but very slowly getting there.

OH has been fishing for a few days but has come home early I was not expecting him until tomorrow. As it had threatened rain and he did not want to have to pack the bivvy up in the wet (as it makes it smell not very nice and then you have to get it out in the garden to freshen it up and dry it out).  So he has perhaps been a little sensible as true to form it is now raining.

We have not long walked the dog and it started spitting whilst we were out and about.  We have then come home and I have had the job of bathing the dog.  She has to be bathed pretty regularly as she has a skin and a food allergy which results in her every so often getting really sore and she has a special shampoo that costs a lot of money.  We have just run out of that so will have to order more.  At least it helps her skin.  They think that she is allergic to the food colourings that are in most animal foods so she is on a special one which is mostly chicken or fish based.  That is part of it but not the whole story.  Her skin gets very dry as well which is the other part.

I have been to the veg shop and added some more fruit and veggies to the stockpile; I have more plums, cooking apples, and peaches and some veggies for tomorrow night's tea. I have also bought two trays of eggs to turn into pickled eggs for OH.  I also have to finish off the pickled cabbage this evening and get it bottled up.  I also have to bottle the cooked beetroot which was left to cool overnight

I did not manage to start the piccalilli last night so I have that to do tonight and then I can finish that off tomorrow.  So quite a lot to do as usual.

Right there is no peace for the wicked.  I am going to go and start on the beetroot and get that out the way quickly followed by the pickled cabbage.  

There is something very satisfying of having preserves on the pantry shelf to go to  be an ingredient in a particular part of a meal or jam in pastries or sandwich cakes.  Pickled onions with cheese and some fruit bread of some description to serve up with apple, pickled onions and a lump of cheese  It also provides reassurance when funds are low.  Hopefully when I start with the canner this will give even more security.  I am going to wait until OH is home on a Saturday before I start with this, he is pretty good technically and can sort out what I need to do and then I will take if from there.

Right catch you later on.

Pattypan

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