Saturday Morning Bright and Early

Today has been a cracking day it really has.  Today I also remembered my Dad who has been missing from this mortal coil for about 16 going on 17 years.  We never got to say goodbye, just a phone call at work to tell me.  He went unexpectedly.  It would have been his birthday today.  Not only that it would have been my Uncle D's birthday.  He was the Joker of the family and his mirth, love and laughter is also much missed.  My Dad and Uncle D were terrible ribbing each other continuously. Never a dull moment from either of them.  Very much missed.

I was up just before 6:00am this morning courtesy of a Jack Russell who just would not settle.  I got up and she went out like a light.  It has been a beautiful and dare I say it warm start to the day.  I am in tee shirt with no jumper on at all and have been very comfortable.

By 6:30am we had had bacon butties for breakfast together with a mug of tea each.  Still she slept.

I needed to go to the Butcher's in any event and we were there at 9:10am and back here for 9:45am so matters were attended to reasonably early and quickly today.  I came back with 1kg of Kitty B sausages, 1kg of Back Bacon, half a kilo of Pig's Liver and a tray of eggs.  That's G's breakfast sorted and in the freezer for the next month.  I have packaged the sausages and the bacon up into portions

Missy was still asleep when we got back.  It is now 10:09am and she is awake.

I plan on nipping into town a little with my trolley bright purple with butterflies on which is sadly nearing the end of its life. It is currently in the washing machine to get it clean and then will be line dried.  I can then pop it back on its wheels and wander off into town.  Yes, I know, "street cred" but realistically I cannot carry stuff like I used to and so for practical purposes of getting stuff home especially if I am walking there and back which I sometimes do.  I will not be defined by a trolley but it is Purple!  If there is too much to bring home and it is not easy to manoeuvre then I send for the cavalry.  It is not often I go into town these days.  However I do need some more plant pots as I have a lot of potting up to do.  I am going to look in B & M to see what they have.  I also intend to look in Poundland.

I also need to go to Waitrose looking for Basil and Chive Plants and also a few food items.  Looking for English Strawberries and to see whether Gooseberries are in yet although I think may be a tad early.  We love Gooseberries here, but combined with Elderflower or alternatively Strawberries makes two lovely different jams.

Also need to go to Sostrene Grene to have a look around generally. I must say that this is a shop I am very taken with.  Their Peterborough store opened last year just before Christmas.  I loved their Christmas decorations, and have bought several items since, including green cannisters for dried Pantry storage, green hanging herb driers x 4 and planters for the fence and the garden. I am considering purchasing some crochet cotton from them for a new project for the winter months, but as usual I need to gather the threads together; buying a few balls here and there and get everything together gradually in readiness for starting.  Lots of other things are going on though besides this as is my general way of gathering things.

I have also been back in the bathroom and am still clearing in there.

Actual Doings

I got the Purple trolley all washed and dried, although it is sadly falling apart.  I have had it about 10 years and so will have to start looking for another one.  This has been my best one so far as it is quite light and simple to control.

I walked into town via a couple of Charity shops.  No finds in there today. I then went to Age Concern and scored a couple of vintage Witney pure Wool Blankets in a peach colour and a Raspberry Red colour basically a woolly Peach Melba!  I am extremely pleased with these as when I was growing up in the 1960's Witney blankets were considered one of the best blankets to have.  This is of course all before we were introduced to duvets.  However, I still have blankets in the house. They still have a place here. The oldest blanket I have is I believe from the War years and is a blanket that my Mum used to have on her bed.

I ostensibly went into town for some plant pots as supposedly B & M had some in.  None there at all in reality.  May have to pay a visit to B & Q as a result as I am nearly out.  I did actually get some Plant labels from Poundland, and some garden waste bags.  I have also picked up some seeds for Broad Beans both a standard sized one and a dwarf one and Garden Peas and some more Courgette seeds yellow ones.

I also managed to get to Sostrene Grene and spent some money in there mostly on crafting stuff i.e. cotton thread for crocheting a Winter project which is a bedspread.  Managed to get four balls of the background green, one of lilac, one of purple, one of Turquoise, and pink both pale and a deep maroon.  When I go back into town during the week I shall gather some more with probably a few more colours as well.  I also want to play about with one or two things as well so my exact colour scheme for the throw/bedspread will evolve. The background colour is to be a Spring Green. I also came away with four different cleaning bottle brushes, two very fine and two medium sized.  I also bought an Ice Lolly Mould to make some homemade ice lollies like my Mum used to make for us when we were kids.

I am planning to go back to B & M during the week as there are one or two items that I need to obtain from there - did not have much time to look today.  Also need to go to B & Q hopefully for plant pots.

Tea tonight has been for G fried Pigs Liver which was bought from the Butcher this morning.  I bought half a kilo.  That has worked out for two meals for him.  He is a little partial to Pigs Liver. I have to be in the mood to eat it.  Particularly like it done as a casserole with Liver and Onions with lots of gravy.

We have the first of the English Strawberries for tea as well.  We have both tasted them fresh and they are gorgeous.  Going to be served simply with some cream.  Bought two tubs for £4 from Waitrose.  Leaving them for a few minutes to allow my main tea to go down.

Have to water up yet, but will have the Strawberries soon.

I have had a Charlie Bingham's Thai Green Chicken Curry.  And it was lovely.

It has been a busy and productive day though and I am pleased about that overall.  I will be back in the bathroom and the kitchen tomorrow. If I am up early again like this morning, then I will go out into the garden first thing and start doing some potting on.

And finally the first lot of the vintage wallpaper in the plum colour has arrived.  Got a lot of stuff to get on with.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening wherever you are and whatever you are up to.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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