TARRAGON & THYME

What we started with a room not in terribly good condition.  Fed up for waiting for help so decided to tackle it ourselves. Plans have changed slightly on the revamp of the Little Cupboard under the stairs due to the fact that I have not been able to get to start on the reparation work needed.  As the flooring is currently impeding us in the dining room the decision has been made for G to lay the floor to get it out of the way with. G started the flooring on Thursday 9 October.  He has more or  less got it done. (Now done apart the final titivating). He had to stop because he wore the battery out using the jigsaw. Currently waiting for it to recharge. It will certainly be a lot easier and cleaner with the new flooring than what was there. The original flooring appears to be made up of Terracotta tiles and is a little uneven.  As it is not a room where you can swing a Rat or go walkabout in at the end of the day that will not pose too much of a problem.  As ...

Boughten Items One of the things that I absolutely love to do in the Winter months is to cuddle up on the sofa and watch a film, keeping snug and warm - down time - relax time.  Over the years I have managed to gather together one or two throws that only come out at Christmas or when the weather really starts to get cold.  I have slowly been accumulating some extra ones as I have gone along.  Most of these are bought. Handcrafted Items However really and for my long term plans I hope to crochet a few to really make my home that bit more personal and warm and snug from a different perspective.  I may order in some wool in order that I can start creating a Christmas throw or two for Christmas next year.  Made up of squares so that I do not have too much weight to handle each time I do some work on the throw. In any event, you will not be surprised that I also have a small collection of cushions as well, which are also only brought out at Christmas.  I ha...

However today is even rougher and so much colder.  Bitterly cold.  I have had my thick quilted winter coat on today.  If this carries on for a few days the heating will be going on.  Time for the door curtains to be put up and also get the hot water bottles out.  Could do with a couple more. The draught excluders need bringing out as well.  Time to winterproof the house. Attended my GP Practice first thing and ran into several people I knew so rather than a Covid serious in-line wait it ended up being reasonably social.  Not that Covid jabs are not important.  Now topped up on both the Covid jab and the Flu jab.  I am considered "High Risk" and qualify on the Epilepsy front and also the Auto immune conditions of which I have several.  I am lucky and I do appreciate it.  G only qualified for the Flu jab.  He is not old enough!  So that is that all done and dusted until the next time. I had a bit of running about this mornin...

Definitely a day to stay in.  Very windy and rain most of the day.  A day to keep to the house. I am pleased to say that the Washing machine has been going and working properly, which I am very pleased about.  I get like a Bear with a sore head when it doesn't. I have started in the Study/Craft Room/Computer Room.  Have managed to get a lot of sorting out done today.  I came across a stash of embroidery patterns I sent for and so I have bagged them up individually. I have a bag where I put new projects and tend to keep them all together and reasonably accessible as it tends to be things that will go with other things and it is just easier to access them together at the moment.  Besides we are getting our traditional autumn weather at the moment and I therefore have projects to grab. I have given both of my sewing machines a good wipe down and got them ready for use.  I have found one of the cables to the ordinary sewing machine.  I need to locate ...

Wednesday I have managed since bottoming out the under-stair cupboard to just rest.  I had the initial flop and deep sleep in the afternoon after the Electrician came and was out for 4-1/2 hours.  I have since slept for another 12 hours and am feeling much better.  Apparently I was out for the count within about 10 minutes of going to bed last night.  That is not normally me dropping off to sleep for normally I am awake for quite a bit.   I had planned on starting the decorating works today, but I am still a little stiff.  I have to keep moving and I am therefore doing a bit of gentle pottering today in the kitchen trying to sort that out and then work everything from there.  It will happen, just perhaps not on the time-scale I had hoped, but that may not be a bad thing overall.   I am listening to what my body is telling me. It was not impressed and I know that this "self-abuse" is going to have to stop. I am trying not to get involved ...

I would just like to make a small addendum to yesterday's post.  In the end it took me 8 hours to empty out the Little Cupboard under the stairs.  There was a lot more in there than I had realised.  I ended up not going to bed last night, despite being desperately tired and my back and hips deciding that it had enough of all the lifting and bending involved in clearing things. Would just mention that there is a new Laminate floor going down.  The shelves are also going to be lined with vinyl and an edging strip added all the way around the shelving to stop jars jumping off the shelf and smashing.  I think I am going to need another tub of Plaster repair stuff. Will start with sanding down first tomorrow in any event and see how we get on.  I therefore allowed only one day before tackling the sanding down of the filler, but may have to leave it a couple of days as it is more extensive than I originally had thought.  In any event there is always somethin...

 for the work to be done. I have been working on the rest of the house today.  I have managed to get the under-stair cupboard completely stripped out and ready for the work to be commenced.  I did not realise that I had as many drinks bottles.  On and off for years I have made wine, cider and bitter. I have never got rid of the equipment as a lot of it is hard to find these days and some of it comes from my Mum and my Nan and some from my brother.  Plus it is also very expensive to buy a lot of the stuff today compared to what it was.  In any event they will not be going anywhere as I am feeling the pull to make more wine again.  I had considered it, but then decided not to get rid of.  Thought would start off some Ginger after we have finished with the Electrician and then hopefully it should be ready for next Christmas.  It is a lovely wine and very warming. It has taken me over 3 hours to get everything out of the under-stair cupboard! The...