Sunday, September 14, 2008

Easy on the legs

Well we are back from 9 days of glorious sunshine, several tons of prawns with garlic and a healthy glow a piece!

We did very little, mainly sun bathing, eating and swimming. Heaven. Didn't visit any sights at all, as we have been before, just soaked up the rays and chilled.

I dared to wear speedos around the pool, a first time for everything. I wouldn't be seen dead in them in public, but around the villa was fine. I managed to burn the backs of my legs on day 2 and couldn't sit down for 3 days, but otherwise it was fine! Fluorescent red is the new brown, you know.

The week in Portugal was wonderful, a much needed break and recharge. It is amazing how quickly you lose your tan when you come back though. I am sure the aircraft cabin air starts bleaching your colour the second you get on board!

Jase had to be at work at 6am the morning after we arrived back (well - up 3 hours after we got in)!! So I spent the day doing tons of washing and tidying up. Cleaned out the chicken run as it was full of pellets that the little minxes had scooped out of their feeders! After a couple of hours of them 'helping' me, the run looked great, nice and fresh. I also set up the other eglu and run, ready for the new arrivals.......more about that later *wink*

The veggie garden needs some serious attention. Blight has taken hold of the tomatoes as the weather has been so God awful.
I really need a few days to get out there and sort stuff out. Will probably have to wait until my part time week in October now. Am on a 5 days on, 2 days off pattern at the moment, its pants.

The rabbit is back - well a family member probably. Got back from holiday to a devastated flower border and several piles of rabbit currants! Really do not know what to do apart from fencing in the borders with green mesh. Don't really want to do that though. I guess when the plants grow you won't see it.

Got another loads of cooking apples from Mum yesterday. Have a tub trug full now, so need to get jammin'. I'm sure I can sell them on. It is very satisfying when you sell something you have made. I will never be rich with the jam making, but I do find it relaxing. I spend time making the fabric gingham covers and labeling them all nicely. They look good.

Need to think about starting the mincemeat in jars soon too. It contains no suet, just fruit and alcohol, so lasts for years.

Got a 'recipe' for runner beans in brine from Kate. I blanched them yesterday and sealed them in a kilner jar and they look really nice. Very fresh green, all cut up beautifully thanks to my new bean slicer. Will do lots more as and when I harvest them. The rabbit has done me a favour in that respect, as all the plants are producing at different rates.

I am tempted to add them to the stocking fillers pile, but unsure as to what people would think, getting a jar of beans for Christmas!!

Right, enough wittering on. Am in Hamburg tomorrow, so will pop out and get some more Christmas hamper bits and bobs.

Ta ta for now.

C x

5 comments:

  1. Christian, I love your blog and I check it often to see if you have added another post (alas, you often haven't got round to it). I feel I know you! I don't know which airline you work for, but I was worrying about you after Zoom and XL as you hadn't posted for a while.

    I am dying to hear more about your new chickens....

    PS I am afraid I am not keen on the idea of beans in brine as I think that was what Anne Frank had to live off in her days of hiding - that and sprouts - and she was rude about the effects it had on the young man who was hiding with them....

    KEEP BLOGGING

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks CL, I will try and update it more often.

    I am with a larger airline, so hopefully will be safe for a bit longer! Nice to know that you were thinking of me.

    I will have to read Anne Frank's diary - maybe will give the bean pressies a miss!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am sure your beans will be lovely...!

    I only wish I had the time and energy to jam and bottle produce - I have an allotment but am too lazy to even freeze the surplus French beans. Luckily my daughter and her university friends are happy for handouts.

    I would love to keep chickens, but OH isn't keen, though he has said reluctantly that I can have them. I am worried about the noise aspect as the neighbours are quite close. Also, it is a big commitment and OH is looking forward to our son leaving home and us being footloose and fancy free!!! (Apart from the allotment, I keep reminding him!)

    Keep posting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I also set up the other eglu and run, ready for the new arrivals.......more about that later *wink*

    And there was me thinking it was going to be later in the same post ...... are we going to be hearing the pater of tiny feet? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah! We want to hear about the new arrivals....

    ReplyDelete

stop me being locked up for posting to myself.....