Catch up on the Little Break

Thank you for being patient with me.  I am not sure I have had a successful break per se, have worked hard and got a reasonable amount done.  As I still have so much to do, I may go missing on the odd night during the week, especially if something is going well.

Wednesday 27 September 2023

I just had to get stuck in, in the dining room, as it is the through room in the house, the catch all where stuff gets left.  I have a lot of projects to do over the next few weeks and need the room as tidy as it can be as it will be a sorting room for other items and other projects.  Needless to say the kitchen now looks like a bomb zone as I have put lots of stuff in there for washing and then either re-homing or a home being found for it.  Utter chaos but there is always a method to my madness.

I managed quite well on Wednesday afternoon/Wednesday evening.   I have managed to get a lot of stuff cleared.  However I am also sorting out my preserving stuff and popping stuff where I can find it easily enough.  I am after some of the "Howgate-Wonder" cooking apples and will probably go and get some from the Veg shop once the dining room is a bit clearer. I did find my apple peeling machine tonight as well which will make tackling a big pile of apples easier.  I am also hoping if I get the apples (thinking at the moment on buying 3kg to start with) to use the cores and apple peelings to make ACV.  Never made it before so this is very much an experiment for me.   (Since then have bought 2kg of eating apples as well, which I am going to mix in with the "Howgate-Wonder" apples to give some texture so that can be used in a textured apple sauce that can be used for puddings as well as apple sauce).

Under the dining table is all sorted out, and as I say I still have a lot more to go.  Some stuff I cannot get rid of yet as it is missing bits and as I have said I do tend to keep stuff it will be in a bag either upstairs or at the unit.

A lot of my jars have found their way back under the stairs.  They do still have to be sorted a bit more than they are, but that will happen once I get everything in there.  It will all have to come out again in due course as the under-stairs' cupboard is due to be decorated out and new covers on the shelving.  I also need to do the fireside cupboard as well. Fireside cupboard may get bottomed out after dining room is sorted as I have items that will need putting out of the way.  There are three upper shelves to deal with and then one deep shelf in the second cupboard and the floor.  So some items that are not regularly used could be stored in the bottom.

In all honesty I have wallpaper that I could use to decorate the dining room which needs a good tidy up in any event.  So may suggest that at a pertinent point.  Quite happy to have a go at this as never done this before.  G has to go back in the bathroom but he cannot do this until I get the Pantry sorted out, so yet again there is a long and convoluted plan in place.  Once the Pantry is sorted and painted out, he can get on with the bathroom.  Although convoluted it is simpler to deal with matters this way on else I will end up duplicating work.  There are bits and bobs all over the place and before he can go on to the main bathroom part, this must be done so I can find stuff easily. For instance, I have my Mortars and pestles in the front room at the moment and they need to be in the kitchen or in the dining room. There are also various other pieces of equipment and loads and loads of books.

Thursday 28 September 2023

Not a good day; not 100% Took things easy.  Started some more knitting later on another free pattern but am not sure I have got it right.  Going to play a bit with this. I think the yarn used is a chunkier weight and so has knitted up bigger than it is supposed to.  Am going to have another go at it with the right wool and see whether it works out any better.  It is another seasonal decoration.  Another something silly but I am enjoying the playing around.  Must get back to the UFOs soon though.

Friday 29 September 2023

Went to the Butchers.  Came back with a tray of sausages, a tray of mince, a Gammon joint, a Pork Loin joint, Lamb steaks, a big pack of bacon, a pack of Beefburgers and a Chicken. Two Rib Eye steaks. Also bought in a lot of veg which was very much needed.  Have managed to get quite a nice selection.  There are still a few bits needed but getting there.

A pottering day mostly spent in the kitchen.

Visited the greenhouse and the chillies are really firing on all cylinders.  Have one tomato.  Not a successful growing season as I was far too late putting stuff in.  Everything has grown well just not given a harvest; as I say far too late.  However, it has started me off for next year.

Tea was Rib Eye Steak, salad, fried mixed buttered mushrooms and some fried onions.  Very tasty and a lighter meal than usually which went down very nicely.

Saturday 30 September 2023

The day started early, with us walking the dog.  From there we went to see Layby man for some potatoes and to see what other veg he had.  Came back with a tray of eggs, sack of potatoes, a big bunch of carrots with tops, a net of onions, four large sweetcorn and a sweetheart cabbage.

Later on I went to the veg shop.  They have pumpkins in and are starting to get root veg back in like parsnips, sweet potatoes, and squash which I am quite pleased about as I like my root veggies.  I came away with a squash, two bowlfuls of eating apples and parsnip.  I was only topping up as I bought quite a bit of veg yesterday. I intend to go back during the week to see what other offers they have on as well.

I still need to get some sweet peppers, I need some for tea on Monday evening, but also require some for making a sweet pepper jelly.

Not seen any swede yet or Turnips.  Am considering bottling carrots, carrots and swede, a mixed veg for stews, swede, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, a Ratatouille baked beans, sweet and sour sauce, curry sauce.  All will be in the pipeline.  I want to have a back up plan with the food.  I do not have a freezer but that does not mean that I do not have to have food on the shelf.

Then I started tackling the dining room.  I am stripping the room out being as it is the through room.  I was not planning really on doing this room as thoroughly, but I decided to wash everything down in the process as well, including walls and ceiling.  I have dragged out the big step ladders. So the corner where the tumble drier is has been stripped out and scrubbed.  The tumble drier is not working at the moment, but that has been scrubbed up too.  G says he will have a look to see if he can sort out what the problem is at the moment.  The fridge was washed out the other day from top to bottom.  Needs to be pulled out so that I can clean up underneath.   I cannot quite manage it on my own.

Once the fridge is sorted I can then start on the Dresser where I store all my dried food items.  Then will work my way round the room; this may take a couple of more days am not interested in how long it will take, as long as it is a thorough clean out.  This is a precursor to getting the room ready for decorating; as I intend to wallpaper this room shortly.  G usually does the papering but I want to have a go at doing this as I think it will be a useful skill to have. Sorting the first Dresser is planned for Sunday.  I am also working backwards and forwards between the kitchen where necessary.

Tea tonight was barbecued chicken wings which went down very nicely.

I am a bit shattered from all the work managed to get achieved today; however need another good start tomorrow to carry on the good work.

Sunday 1st October 2023

Have a load of washing to do weather permitting.  If not up to being dried today will wait until tomorrow or whenever I can get the washing out for drying.

Well the washing did not go out to get dried.  G fixed my Tumble Drier. After a year without it, I have sorely missed it. I am so chuffed.  I am just going to have to be careful as to what items get tumbled because of the cost!

Have also sorted the Tumble Drier area out a little better than it was.  It was plugged in rather strangely which meant that the plug went across the fridge.  G has sorted this as well.  So two pieces of equipment freed up and now efficient to use, with the Dehydrator going on there too.  Will also be a bigger area for doing my pile of ironing in front of both of these which will be better than in the kitchen.  So some things are gradually and slowly coming together which I am pleased about.  It will make my life a little bit easier.

I did not get to the Dresser today, but that will happen tomorrow now and I have a chest of drawers which holds most of my hand tools.  I do not have room in the kitchen for any drawers, so this was the next best thing.  The best thing though is that I have managed to get most of the washing done and dried.  Just a couple more washes to do tomorrow and if it is fine enough that will be going outside.

I have been back in the kitchen for part of the day, washing my pressure canner and all my big cook pots down.  Currently my Excalibur Dehydrator is residing on top of the dishwasher in the kitchen.  I cannot use it up there and I plan to pop it on top of the tumble drier so that I can make more considered use of it.  My large cooking pots will then take up residence on top of the dishwasher.  I have a step stool so it will not be difficult to get them down when I need them.  I am going to cling film them though to  make sure they stay clean.

Tea planned for today, is a piece of roast pork with all the trimmings.

Updated:

Has gone down extremely well and was very tasty.

It was served with creamy mashed potato, roast potato, onion and parsnip.  Carrots, Cavolo Nero, broccoli, cauliflower and beans.  Very tasty and has gone down very well.

Meal plan for next few days:

Monday - Chipolata sausages and roast veggies.

Tuesday - Roast pork and fresh veggies

Wednesday - Cottage Pie

Thursday - Quiche, Chips and salad

Friday -  Egg and Bacon

The Preserving

Sadly not got to this yet.  Everything is okay and safe it is in the fridge and once the dining room and the kitchen are tidier I will be in there for a couple of days hard work. I have managed to get more sugar in the past few days so am stockpiling that a bit too. I am also adding to the pickle jar stash.  that is no bad a thing bearing in mind the plans.

So for the best part my plans have not worked out as I had hoped but I am not abandoning ship.  Just makes me more determined to get back on track.  But household duties do take precedence and do tend to interfere quite badly at times.

Hope everyone is keeping well.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x