A nest for a puddin'

Here I am in Prague. Mush for brains last night, so packed a jumper and jeans. Not ideal in the heat of Prague!

No one is going out or meeting up, so thought I would stay in and chill out. Write my blog and catch up.

Dug up my main crop potatoes the day before yesterday. The leaves were looking decidedly tatty and possibly had blight. I didn't want to risk infecting the tomatoes, so up they came. Not a bad haul from a one metre bed. I chose Kind Edwards, as they get to a reasonable size for baked tatties. These ones didn't. Another month or so and they would have been perfect. Still, enough for at least 3 months. They were dried out on the patio table over night and are now bagged up in a triple layer paper sack and safely stored away in the outbuilding.

Now that we have a decent door that doesn't fall off it hinges, the outbuilding is water tight and safe. We plan to get some sort of shelving units and use the building for storage. Shelves heaving with jam and kilner jars. I can just see Jason's face!!

We had a wasps nest in the ensuite loft so I called out the local man to come over and blast them with powder. He noticed the Christmas puddings on the side and asked why I had so many. When I told him i made them to order, he said to put him down for one that feeds 8-10!!

We did a deal, he zapped the wasps and I will send him a pudding. Perfect. I can just imagine offering a pudding to someone in my old house in Town. Just wouldn't happen. I love where we live. So quiet and friendly. A real sense of belonging here.

My 22 jars of apple and damson jam have sold! A couple went to my hen course attendees and the rest to a friend of a friend who sells them to farm shops. He hopes his stall at the farmers market will be up and running soon. I also gave him a sample of my chilli oil, to see if that will sell too!

Less than 2 weeks until Jase and I go away for 9 days. Private villa, pool and sun. High walls and a bell on the gate in case you are walking around with only a pair of sunglasses on! Fat chance. I tend to wear a poncho.
Really need a break and I think it will do us the world of good. Not been an easy year so far, but life would be dull otherwise, wouldn't it? I would settle for dull at the moment to be honest. Too much crap going on in the world.

Anyway, have a couple of orders for Christmas puds and jams. The office is a dumping ground for spare jars, boxes, nice paper bags, cellophane and biscuit tins. I really must get it tidy.

Have finished my 'still life with chickens' book and it was quite good. Decided to try with Terry Pratchett again. Liked the last one from the Guards series, so have another one to try. Plus one about witches. Well, I had to get some points on my new Waterstones card, didn't I? I can't resist a book shop. Something homely about them. Has to be Waterstones or Ottakars though. They need more soft brown leather sofas in the shops though. Let me while away the hours.

The secret bramble patch that I sprinkled fertiliser on last year isn't ready yet. The berries are still green. I did find a wild apple tree close by though. Don't think it is a crab apple, as they are tiny aren't they? A little out of the way from the road, so it should be safe. Managed to park up and take a wander. Found millions of blackberries, but again, not ready yet. I hope they are still there when we get back. I would hate to miss out on a tub full o' berries. They make the most amazing jam and jellies. Will freeze some too for crumbles.

Enough of my ramblings, must dash.

Until next time.

C x x