Lack of sleep and early start and today's Happenings

Last night because I was fiddling around sorting out one or two things in the greenhouse and watering up I did not get to my crafting.  It was 10:00pm before I got to sit down.  I did consider doing a bit but in the end decided that it was a bit late and I was a little tired in any event.  Tonight however I will try and get things sorted earlier so that I can relax for a while. 

Later on

Well that just is not going to happen.  We have a trip to the tip tomorrow and I have to sort out what is going and what is not.  There is quite a bit to go but even more to do.  Maybe tomorrow night! In the end this evening I spent a couple of hours in the garden including watering up the greenhouses.  I have also moved all the green garden waste bags out for taking to the tip.  They are currently on the patio slabs waiting to be loaded into the car.  In the process I have found all sorts of containers and so for the time being I have placed them on the edge of the patio slabs on the soil part between next door and ourselves.  They will get sorted onto their racking from here, but it will also give me a chance to clean them and fill them if I have compost and plants to hand.

In the end what I have decided to do on the crafting is on the nights when I cannot have a clear run with the cross stitch, I will slip in the grey, white and turquoise crochet blanket/throw I have crocheted.  It is one of my UFOs.  I thought it would be time spent wisely to neaten off the ends on any one square or more and then add the extra rows of white to each square.  That way a UFO is going to come together in-between doing the cross stitch, but it also allows me to concentrate and focus on other projects that are going on. This will be particularly helpful when I have limited time for crafting.

In any event Missy got too hot last night and we had to have the fan on and I also had to give her a wipe down in the early hours of the morning as she was just not coping with the heat.  I have found this to be an effective way of cooling her down a little and it also seems to soothe her quite a bit. She just would not settle and is quite vocal about it. Nothing is ever totally peaceful around here. After the warm water wash she seemed to settle down a bit better and eventually did nod off.  I did eventually manage to get some sleep but was up again at 8:30am so decided to give in and get up and get back to the kitchen. Sometimes you just have to admit defeat.  So back to the kitchen it was.

Started off with a visit to the greenhouses to open them up.  Checked if they needed water but not at present.  Will probably water early evening and give them a feed as well.  Planters got watered up last night the house end of the property.  Slowly starting to bring the Chives which were transplanted on and they are starting to green up a bit.

Then set about bringing the washing in left out overnight.  Lovely and dry.  Hung another load out and put another load in the washing machine.  That is due to finish soon so will be a repeat procedure throughout the day to get as much washing done as I can. It will be a perpetual motion throughout the day especially if I think I can get something dry naturally.  Everything always smells lovely if it has been dried outside.

G had no breakfast items and so I nipped to the shop and got some milk, bread, bacon, Chestnut mushrooms and a small tin of tomatoes and made him breakfast which he had not expected. It was an on the spur decision as I said that I would rather go to the Butcher and get re-stocked up again.  However they are not open on a Monday and so I had to wait for Tuesday in any event.  Whilst out I picked up some more herbs which had been reduced to 30p a bag (instead of 75p) whilst I was out as well and have started drying them.  There will be a dedicated post in respect of this in the next few days.

Now to get stuck back in the kitchen again. This is a really slow old job.  Will be worth it in the end though.  Its another really hot day.  Fortunately the kitchen during summer is kind of nice and cool.  Not so good in the winter though.

First job, washing up.  Did not get to it last night so have a double whammy, (including breakfast pots) plus whatever else I liberate from the kitchen.  Am also clearing the sink area and intend to strip out the under-sink cupboard, tidy and wash it out so that we are all ready for business again.  That will be a big achievement as we have a temperamental shelf in there which sometimes collapses!  The sink is now nearly complete and the top is nearly complete as well.  Its always a difficult one this is, but is starting to look as though there is movement.

The Surgery has also been in touch.  They want me to see the Vampires as they want some of my rare blood to make sure everything is okay.  I am not kidding on the rare blood front, I am registered at the Blood Bank and I can only have my own blood.  Apparently am also Rhesus this and that!  My Dad always used to give blood (I am same as him).  Difference is I cannot donate due to the many medical conditions.

More washing has been carried out and dried.  Washer has thrown a wobbler again.  Seems to be with towels or a boil wash.  Seems okay on everything else.  Looks like they will be coming out at some point.  Even more reason to get this kitchen all sorted.

I am waiting on one of two deliveries for wallpaper to the house.  One of them is due sometime today, so perhaps it is a good job I am going to be in the kitchen.  This has since been delivered and I am very pleased with it.  The wallpaper I have ordered is a vintage Hathersage House wallpaper in a beautiful Saffron colour.  I love colour. This is the colour I have in the dining room in any event.  It is a "happy colour".  I was going to do a change up in colour but when I saw this, I just loved it.  This is the second order I placed for three rolls of this wallpaper and it is arriving first.  The first which I ordered still has not been dispatched. Whether the dealer is away on holiday I do not know, but I hope it is despatched soon. So we shall see what we shall see.  

Little update.  Second/first order of wallpaper has now been despatched should be here in the next couple of days.  Eureka!

I do have a beautiful gold coloured vintage curtain, just the one which I think will be ideal for this window draped from a curtain pole. It is a very long curtain and I think should be the right size for the large back window. Now to locate it.  It is a beautifully thick cotton velvet curtain (vintage) which is fully lined.

It will be good once all the wallpaper is here.  Then just need to replace the decorating equipment and we should be set to start in there.  I already have a table I can use for cutting and pasting, but as we lost most of the decorating stuff during the fire, we do need to replace it.  I am intent on having a go at wallpapering myself.  Never done this before myself although I always used to help my Mum when I was at home.

This evening despite having the fans on, poor old Missy has had to have a bath.  She was puffing and panting and so I gave her a warm bath more tepid really.  Up until having the bath she just was not settling.  Apparently whilst I have been working downstairs her ladyship has been flat out but comfortable which was the main thing and my main purpose with giving her a bath in the first place.

I also paid a visit to the CS shop today and came away with some Royal Worcester Evesham server ware.  I ended up with a souffle dish, a covered terrine dish, and four flan dishes of various sizes.  My Harvest Festival server ware.

Right have a lovely evening everyone.  Full Moon tonight and it is a beautiful evening.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x