Just for Patsy - not a lot of news.

I didn't do anything up the allotment yesterday, apart from let the chickens free range, collect the eggs and put them away late afternoon - torrential rain again, as it is today also and forecast for many days yet to come.

In my defence for missing yesterdays post (LOL) I did do two pages on Wednesday. At the time I thought I should have saved one for the next day - the flower photos - but hey ho I decided to post them both in case I was too busy to get on here - and I was.

I am really touched that so many of you look at my blog everyday and miss me when I am not here, but I figured if it was wasn't allotment related it wasn't worth talking about.............................so here is what you missed........boring LOL

After the chicken run, I had to drive to another village to get the layers mash as I am nearly out of it for the chooks, as we have family staying from today, so probably won't get a chance to go over the weekend.

I asked about organic chicken layers mash for them, and the cost has gone up astronomically to £11.25 a sack. The GM free, no added chemicals etc, is £5.55 a sack. As they feed on organic vegetation, and free range, I thought that it doesn't matter too much if the food isn't 100% organic, so long as there is nothing added apart from grit.

Another drive home trough puddles and flooded lanes. I then decided to go and look at a vehicle at a place that was recommended to me. Another magical mystery tour of this county. Took me a couple of hours but didn't find it. Now I am not a dumb blonde and I have a good sense of direction usually - but the instructions were rather vague - honestly. So when I got home (still before Pat was back from golf) I phoned up the chap who recommended them and got the correct and precise directions, then Pat and I went after lunch - still in the rain.

The reason that I could not see or find the place is because it is not advertised as a business i.e. it doesn't have a big sign up saying Landrover Dealer, or Ford Dealer or whatever. It just has a very little sign saying the name of the farm and that is hard to see in torrential rain. A lot of businesses are like that in the rural area where I live. Tucked out of the way, in barns - not on big industrial estates, or any industrial estates most times.

So I fell in love with one particular vehicle - had a test drive - great, really comfortable - but - and there always is one - no air bags.

So after talking to sensible grown up son, who doesn't have an impulsive head on him as far as I am concerned - told me that he was not comfortable with me driving around without an air bag. Sods law, that if I didn't have one, I would need it, and that my fragile neck and bones could not stand another car crash. (I was in one in 1992, not my fault, not that it makes any difference, an accident is an accident, but it did do some long lasting damage.) So with my sensible but disappointed head back on, I had to say 'no' and keep my little air-bagged baby for a while longer - or maybe for ever! LOL

My son said that I sounded very disappointed and that he was sorry if he put me off the car - but I just told him, that when you get older, the roles reverse now and again, so sometimes I need someone who will give me an honest opinion about something, whatever it is, instead of someone saying - oh yes it's lovely, go for it. I like straight talking, much better; you know where you stand then - even if it is not always what you want to hear, whatever the subject.

I forgot to mention that on the way back from getting the chicken food I saw a box of windfall apples outside a house with a help yourself sign. I did just that and took enough to make some more jam. So the evening was spent peeling those apples and ones I got over the weekend, and this is the result.


Opps will need to edit the photo - typo error - but not now - too much to do!

They need some pretty hats made out of Sandie's material, but I need to get into town to buy some pinking shears - they also need pretty labels too, it will make all the difference. The tall jar in the middle which is not quite full is for family - we have to do the taste test after all.

A number of years ago, on my second trip to Australia when I couried cricket tours, (which my youngest son came with me on to keep me company,) I heard a CD by 'Beautful South' we were in a car driving outside Perth. One of the chaps said at the time, now that you have heard this for the first time, you will always remember this trip.

Well, at last we have speakers for our old music system, and I put on Beautiful South, on Wednesday night when Pat was out bowling, and re-lived a wonderful trip. As the cd's were still in the machine, Pat put it on last night whilst I was jam making, nice and lound so that I could hear it above the noise of the extractor fan (we live in a detached place so it doesn't disturb anyone, and it wasn't loud enough to make the windows rattle).

So there I was, with Sandie's chicken apron on, stirring a huge pan of apples and blackberries, sugar and spice, singing away at the top of my voice to the disc. It sure was fun, and passed the time until 'setting point' was reached.

Eldest son has started to put some of my little video tapes onto discs for me, and we looked at the two he had done, when Pat and I spent three months in Australia - our last trip.

It was so nice to watch and remember. We were amazed the difference it made to actually see and hear some of the places we visited and stayed at. Looking forward to the others being coverted to dvd's now.

So that was my day Patsy - not very interesting. Today will be even duller at first, blog wise. Cleaning, washing floors, as baby will be crawling everywhere, and dentist.

Then the family will be here and the fun begins.

So probably not much blogger news over the weekend - especially with the non stop rain forecast.

Have a good weekend all of you - and rest assured I will be back on Monday - if not sooner.

Thanks so much for 'missing' me if I have a day off.