Snap Out Of It!

 Well...after visiting the Council offices in person yesterday...

And wonder of wonders getting to see a real person...

It became evident that trying to get a personal search as opposed to a regular search would take just as long...

So we wait...

27 working days so it seems...

I can only hope that they are working 5 days a week...

The timescale quoted via the estate agent today was a good week over what I had worked out...

But enough...

If this is our only problem then we are indeed fortunate...

I know a mother who is most likely shortly going to be losing her daughter...

Leaving a husband and two young daughters behind...

I have no reason to be complaining...

 

Just look at these beautiful hawthorn berries...

This was taken after I had picked some...

The evening sunshine was so beautiful and showed the berries at their absolute best...

Hopefully the ones I have picked will soon be turned into delicious hawberry jelly...

And if I have enough some may well get mixed together with rose hips and become cordial...

When the sun is shining I don't think you can beat an Autumn day...

Today however has been overcast from the break of dawn...

It looks as if it will be that way until after dusk... 

Blessings J. x

Would Screaming Help?

 Goodness me...

I feel fit to scream...or at least have a tantrum...

Daughter and her family are still ensconsed at ours...

Moving day was going to be this Friday...

WAS

However last Friday they had a call from their newly unfurloughed solicitor...

Because things have taken so long their searches were about to run out...

Before this Friday...

So she called the bank to ask if they could be covered by an indemnity insurance...

The bank would get back within five working days...

They apparently have this morning, and have requested new searches to be done...

The local council are at the moment taking 27 working days to complete searches...

Next doors searches for her new property were delayed twice...

Causing this whole sorry mess...

We were really hoping they would be in in time for Henry to celebrate his second birthday...

But no...

I just want my life back and for them to start the rest of theirs...

Eight weeks and counting have clocked up so far!

I am trying to tell myself there are far worse problems to have...

And I know there are...

But still...

It has been an awfully long time...

And breathe...

~

I have been finding the odd moment to slip away from our chaotic life and pick some blackberries.

How come the juciest ones hang beautifully just out of reach...

If only I were a little taller, a little wiser, a little richer!

Recently I have purchased some WECK canning jars and have been bottling and water bath canning apple sauce, pears in syrup, chutney, and stewed apple chunks.

The men and little men of the house seem to have constant hunger pangs...

There is always somethoing bubbling on top of the Aga or baking in it...

~

Work continues to dominate my life...

I have picked up a few extra shifts and can feel my back begining to say enough is enough!

However I have treated myself in a big way, and am doing a couple extra shifts for a few months in order to pay for my lovely coffee machine.

Normally I do not drink coffee...

I don't care for the aftertaste of instant...

And when out do not appreciate the strength of the regular brews on offer...

However I do love coffee...

Especially a late macchiato with ten mini marshmallows floating in it's frothy milk topping...

One per day is the usual treat...

Yum indeed!

We are shortly going on another berry hunt...

So Blessings, J. x

I Have Lived

As I walk along the country lanes I have soaked up the sights and smells...

Of blackberries...ripe and bursting with juicy goodness...

The sweet nectar eminating from the honeysuckle which rambles through the hedges...

Swallows...swooping and soaring...

Just beginning to gather upon the wires...

Hedges being cut...the fresh green smell of sap...

Heavenly...

Not forgetting the call of the wood pidgeon...

Serenading me as I head for home...

To our home which is full to the brim as eldest and her family are still with us...

We are hoping for some positive news any day now...

Early wake up calls are alright in moderation...

Bless their little souls...

I can't help longing for a little peace and quiet though...

They have been here nearly six weeks now...

Summer seems to have almost left us...

The colours of the trees are changing...

That old wheel is definitely turning...

Autumn will be here before we know it...

The nights are drawing in...

And cooler nights will be a blessing...

Speaking of which...

Blessings J. x

 

Early Mornings

So the latest here at Little Winter...

We have been joined by eldest daughter, son in law,

Small Boy and Pipkin...

Also grand dog, and pussykins...

It is a bit of a squeeze however we are just about coping...

Why do small children get up so early...

As in five am?

There is a reason nature doesn't give older women children I realise...

Yawn!

~

Their house sale went through and they are waiting for the lady next door to finalise her purchase...

It is progressing but slowly...

In the meantime Son in law is building a chicken coup and run...

We do not have a lot of patio space left...

I'm unsure how they intend to get it next door...

Maybe over the hedge?

The next chicken sale at the market is August 1st...

September doesn't have one so they are buying early for Small Boys Birthday...

~

My shoulders have turned to semi-rock...

There was a real panic here on Tuesday when we realised that the Sale Agreed sign had gone from next door...

It had also vanished off the internet...

Completely...

Que lots of phoning and an agonising wait...

However it appears that as she knows they're here she doesn't want any more marketing...

We kind of guessed this but it was a bit scary...

~

Everyone in this household has a healthy appetitie...

I have been baking a sponge every other day...

Also a batch of rolls...

 It's not all work though...

I have found time to enjoy a quiet cup of tea and slice of cake under our new pergola...

 I have purchased some fresh paint for this table and chairs...

Just need some time and energy to get it done...

When I'm not making cakes such as this!

Blessings J. x

With Bated Breath

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day...

Eldest and her family are moving into our cottage with us until the house next door becomes available...

All being well next Friday their sale will complete...

We are getting things out of theirs so that a final clean can be performed...

And with good weather at the moment we have decided they may as well move in a few days early...

So...

A Mummy, a Daddy, two little boys, a dog and a cat are scheduled to descend on us tomorrow...

Hubby will be very busy indeed...

I am suffering in the shoulder department at the moment and am feeling slightly useless...

But I can look after one small boy...

And make food for everyone...

And worry...

Don't forget the worry!!

~

It has taken ten months to get this far...

There have been tears, frustration...

And hopefully soon we shall have joy...

I think it would be best if I get a good nights sleep tonight...

Much needs to be achieved tomorrow...

An adventure awaits!

~

Blessings J. x

Happy Birthday Heidi

There has been many a time that I really didn't think that Heidi would make this day...

But thankfully she has...

I really hope she's up for a woodland walk later on...

 

Here she is just the other day sporting some greenery she had 'picked up' along the way!

Keep taking those tablets Heidi :)

~

So for the rest of the day...

The dreaded shopping...sigh...

Hopefully it won't be as arduous as last week...

Well not exactly arduous as much as tedious...

I am hopeful of getting laundry dry on the line today...

Lovely crisp towels anyone?!!

And I'm such a good planner that I don't yet even know what I'm getting us for tea...

How's that for mega disorganised...

I'm blaming it on the impending move of daughter and her family that is keeping me on high alert...

And so tired...

Sleep in the Summer is not what it is in the Winter for sure...

Now next week I have another weeks holiday...

Don't tell the weather but I am really hoping to get handy in the garden...

Thoughts of a wild flower bed have in reality got out of hand...

Too much grass there also...

So I am slowly covering the area in cardboard and intend to mulch with bark later...

The large shrubs will stay...

But any flimsy bits need to move...

It's true that a garden is never finished...

~

 I have put my name down for a few extra shifts on our work rota to cover the next couple of months...

We could do with a little extra coming in for things we kind of want/need...

Primarily I'm thinking polytunnel fund...

Whether we make one or buy one...

The materials aren't going to come out of thin air...

I have no real idea of the cost...well I do but have no idea if we make it ourselves how low a price we can do it for...

All things steel have gone up in price we've noticed through the business...

I fear this is only the tip of the iceberg and that come Winter our purses are going to be prized open a little further for anything and everything we purchase...

This pandemic and Brexit is really going to bite...lets hope Winter doesn't choose to do so also...

~

Blessings J. x

Shopping

Apperently as a woman I am supposed to love to shop...

Well I really don't...

Get it from my list to trolley to conveyer belt to trolley to car to house to cupboards...

Yea right I'm supposed to love that?!

Tuesday is my current day of choice to shop...

Today...well especially this morning it was wet...

Shopping and getting wet...such fun...

Having to go to more than one shop to get the things on my list...

Just about made my day I can tell you!

So it was with much gratitude that when youngest needed to use our printer and she brought Bella with her we headed off down to the woods for an amble...

Heidi loves to 'run' around with Bella...though she tires very quickly now...

These two really are the best of friends...

~

Yet another sponge with jam and buttercream cooked and popped into the tin...

Does my hubby know just how lucky he is? Nah...

It's my duty as his wife of course!

This duty is not extending to much house cleaning today though...

The dreary weather is making me very tired...

And how come when I am so tired I cannot sleep well at night...

Crazy I tell you, absolutely crazy...

~

Anyway...it'll soon be time to start tea preparations...

My life knows no limit on exciting...

Talk about exciting...did I mention the other week when our oil tank sprang a leak...

Our recently filled with 2500 litres of oil, oil tank...

I only went to check on the washing before going out...and it was lucky I noticed...a leak...

Also a great split was forming down the front of the tank...

Hubby luckily came home quickly...armed with oil drums and a pump...

He demanded a bar of soap...and it worked on the leak but wouldn't have stopped the tank blowing...

Our neighbour is now 1000 litres of oil better off...though hopefully eldest and family will be getting it when they move...so a new tank is on its way... 

Life is never dull for long around these parts...

~

Blessings, J. x