Pottering

 Lots of pottering has been going on despite all the plotting and planning that has been going on in respect of the garden.  Sadly no crafting has been going on as I have not been able to focus for the past week or more.

I had to deal with a slight cave in of items in the dining room yesterday.  I managed to get things sorted and organised so that they will be easier to get stuck in on when I do the major clear up in there which is some way off at the moment.  However has got things sorted a little better than they were.  Still loads to do though.

To tell you the truth there was an ulterior motive for dealing with bits in the dining room. I am still searching for the missing seeds and I suspect they are tucked away in the dining room somewhere.  There is another bag of them.  I also think there may be another bag upstairs.  Things have been moved around for one reason or another and split up.  I tend to work methodically, G works in a mess and then can never find anything so if he has moved anything out of the way it tends to cause more work overall as there is no rhyme and reason to the way he works.  Does my head in!  Especially when I have to go around and pick up all his tools. I have taken to popping them in a bag and then handing it to him as he always complains when he cannot find them.

In other news I am preparing and plotting for later on in the year.  I have used nearly all the jars I bought towards the end of last year for preserving and have therefore ordered a few more, plus some new to me jars in different sizes which I think will be very useful. The condiments cupboard now houses a lot of the jars - they are more uniform and I have used the little cardboard trays and separators to stack them in the cupboard in.  I have also organised and labelled the boxes so I know what is in each tray.  A lot more organised than it was.  Some of the jars I have ordered are also for the condiment cupboard  this time for the little stock pots that I use in various flavours.  Hopefully this should do a sterling job of getting this cupboard sorted out once and all.  When I cook this cupboard is in constant use.

I still intend to preserve as much if not more than I usually do and am getting in supplies in advance.  I may make another order yet, but before that happens there is an awful lot of sorting out to do.  At the moment I am alright for standard jam jars as I make a point of recycling them.  A lot I have had for many years.  I also save any suitable candidate bought commercially as well.  I have enough lids as I bought a load in last year.  I will need to buy in more replacement discs for the two part lids though.

And of course I need to tackle the under-stair cupboard and get that organised, decorated and the flooring that we already have put down in there.  That will be a good job done when I get to it.

Then it will be the Fireside cupboard.

I have also placed my compost order for the Strawberry plants as well as some sand to use in planting.  We are a heavier clay here in Peterborough and I understand that the sand will make the soil more free-flowing. I believe that this might be more than helpful when sowing carrots.

I have also purchased a collapsible table which I think will be a useful addition to this household. As I have mentioned before, I have wallpaper for the dining room, and I need to get paint a white gloss as well as some paint for the bathroom. I need the table for dealing with the wallpaper (it is a washable one), but it will also come in useful for crafting, and at the caravan. Means I will be able to take the sewing machine with me to work on some projects.  There is a very good Hobbycraft Store in Truro. When we go down there I usually pay at least one visit. Then there is the flooring that is required as well for the kitchen, bathroom and dining room.  I am trying to tackle or put into place the key elements that are needed to sort the house out a little bit at a time.  It feels like a real achievement when I actually get it ticked off the list.  Like the seed boxes, only small things really but have been wanting to get these sorted out for an awful long time.

There is one item I need to source for the preserving and that is an electric water bath canner.  I had one before but am looking for a replacement as I lost that in the fire.  There are a few more items that I would like in due course, but realistically speaking they are a long way off.  I am trying to get sorted before getting into my retirement - whilst I am able too.

I have been looking at the various gardening sites just generally browsing and dreaming with regard to fruit trees, plants etc.  Cannot do here not enough room but fingers crossed one day.  You have to dream its what helps me get through the tough days.  Always hoping, plotting planning and having faith that one day.......

I am not making plans this week I am just going to get on with whatever needs doing and then I will probably post about what have been up to.  There is a lot to do and now it is getting lighter I am feeling more inspired to tackle the garden in particular.  However there is a lot more than that to do.

If the weather is good this week fingers crossed it is, I will probably start sorting the garden out of rubbish and get G to go to the tip to get it out of the way with.  This is not something I can do for myself as I do not drive and as a result am heavily reliant on him doing and dealing with this.  Once the rubbish is out of the way with I can then start on the garden and get out for a couple of hours at a time weather permitting.

On the cooking front I removed a Chicken from the freezer last night to cook a Sunday Chicken roast. G went off to get some bits and bobs for his fishing.  He has decided that he is going to go back to his course fishing which I am pleased about.  It will give me a few hours on my own.  There is a local fishery that is not too far away from where we live. He will not be going for weekend trips away like he used to do. G came back with the bits he had gone out for.  He had also been and retrieved two of his rods from the unit.  He also came back with two decent joints of Loin pork for £20 and so I am cooking the chicken in any event.  Will have the roast pork another night. Plus there is a joint to squeeze into the freezer.  I am going to have to play shuffle in there as it is stuffed.  There will be some more space once the tray bakes are out and been used.

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend and is ready for the new week to come.  

Keep safe.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x