The middle poly-tunnel has had another good weeding - again. We have carrots and beetroot growing and swede leaves - they should be swedes but there's nothing under the soil! and can now add radishes to that harvesting list I did the other day.The runner bean canes have been taken down and stored away. I picked off a few of the remaining beans and brought them in to dry out. I wonder if we will be somewhere to sow them next year?
A family who were caravanning here in the summer asked if they could come back at half term so we swept out the loos, cleaned the spiders and daddy-long-legs out of the basins, turned the electric back on and Col cut the grass again, then we had another phone call so we also had a motorhome in for 2 nights - all unexpected income is gratefully received.
When we sold secondhand farming books at Country Fairs we always took a trip down to Colchester every October for the big Save The Children book sale. We hadn't been for years but decided to pop down there this year to see if I could find any books off Furrowed Middlebrow's Blog WWII booklist. No luck on the list books but I managed to find a couple of books to add to my Home Front shelves. 'Jambusters' by Julie Summers and 'Don't panic, Britain Prepares for Invasion' by Mark Rowe. These were £1 each. Col was also pleased as he found 3 canal books to add to his collection.
I've been reading every spare moment because it's library van day on Friday and the pile of to-be-read is still rather high. The Norah Lofts book which was suggested to me in a comment had teeny print so is going back unread. Those that I have read have been added to the separate books page.
Apples are featuring large everyday because we are picking to put out for sale. Eating one for lunch and then Col has another helping of apple something for his desert after dinner. Apple crumble, apple pie and apple puffs so far. Thanks to Bovey Belle for lots more ideas HERE . We've also picked, wiped and wrapped in newspaper lots of the best cookers and stored them in a box in the shed.
The feature in the local paper brought us 3 viewings for the house with yet another couple very interested but with a property to sell before they can buy. We are thinking about taking the house off the open market and just waiting for whichever of the 3 couples comes up with the dosh first! It's not so good showing people around when everywhere is damp and grey and as it's getting late in the year we are might as well stay here for winter.
We've been cutting wood every now and again so the wood heap doesn't get too low and I've been chopping kindling and bagging it up.
I made a double batch of Tomato and herb rolls after going to the freezer before dinner one evening and finding there were none left. I usually know when I'm running low - must do a freezer check to see if we are short of anything else.
The Christmas book has been retrieved from the drawer and filled in with the few ideas I've had for presents. Once again it's Col's Dad and Brother that cause me the biggest headaches. I've written a list of predicted spending and will aim to come in below.
Splashing out one whole pound I bought some fairy lights from Poundland and fixed them along the top of the dresser. It will cheer up the kitchen on winter afternoons. And as we didn't grow pumpkins this year due to Col not being well enough to prepare the field in May I splashed out another £2 on 2 small ones for display and to use later and yet another £1 went on a Pumpkin shaped tea-light holder from the charity shop. I'm blaming fellow Suffolk blogger Sadie for this mad extravagance! her photos of the lovely seasonal things she uses in her home have given me a new way at looking at our home - ideas I hope to carry on with when we move.
Col has had a couple of trips to the doctors because a regular blood test ( a year since the heart 'event') showed up a possible problem that may need treating with yet more tablets. Good Grief - he'll be rattling!
And Finally
You've heard about people who are robbed by someone coming in through the back door when they are in another room, well after lunch yesterday I found £2.50 laying on the worktop just inside the back door. Who? Why? That is the question.
Back Soon
Sue
PS Thanks for all the comments on the late October harvest - much appreciated
