Hail, snow and ice

After visitors there is always extra washing, so having checked up on the weather, I pegged up two loads early yesterday.

Tuesday is my fun day but nothing seemed to go well: I missed my pilates class as I was on the PC upstairs and was checking a clock with the wrong time, then I burnt my toast for my lunch, and finally just as I was ready to go out, it started to hail very slightly. There was a note left to say the postman had tried to deliver a parcel put through the door when I was rescuing my laundry.

To save my washing I rushed out and brought it in to hang on airers with the dehumidifier on. By the time that was done, the hailstones got heavier. I took a picture, but was till determined to go out. My bike was ready to go but I wondered whether I could cycle through the slush and would have turned round if it was unsafe.

By the time I had got to my destination, I was pretty cold and fairly wet, but the afternoon spent crafting amongst friends was just what I needed. My jeans sat drying on the radiator, and despite offers to ferry me back home by a kind hearted friend I braved the driving snow, and cycled home. It was straight into a hot bath, and then a nice snuggle down for me. David did not get home till 7 just a few miles took over an hour due to the gridlock out of the University.

I didn't have time to stow the washing line away during the snow storm, and by mid morning, the icicles were dripping.

This morning the snow was still lying around, and the second lot of washing would not really dry over the icicles so that went onto the airers too. It was amazing to see snow in October with leaves still on the shrubs and flowers such as geraniums peeping through. Of course they will be all frosted now and ready to be dispatched to the compost heap.

First Visitors after refit all the way from Australia and Korea

It was Friday evening, and we had yet to move bookcases, books and other items back to rooms, when David's nephew called. Nathan and his fiancee: Yura were over from Australia and could they pop in to see us as they were travelling down from Leeds to Swindon?

Well we rushed and rushed and yes when we opened the door to them on Saturday afternoon, we were ready for them. After a quick pot of tea and cupcakes bought earlier in the day from a charity bazaar in Kenilworth, we took them on a walking tour of Stratford. They stayed over Saturday and Sunday nights. I even managed to find that 2 for 1 ticket to Warwick Castle which I had stashed away.

Nathan had recently spent two years teaching English as a foreign language in Korea, where he met Yura. They both appreciated my home cooking and we enjoyed getting to know them a little better.

Carpeting complete

When Mr Stasher said he wanted to take all the carpets up, I knew he meant business. All boards which could move were screwed down, and everything was carefully cleaned: vacuumed and washed! The smell of Pongo was definitely dispatched. I spent two days on the banisters
with the brushing wax and much polishing.

What with a new under stairs cupboard door, lovely new paintwork and new carpet, I just keep padding around in my hand knit socks, and breath a huge sight of relief now the carpets are complete, and the doors are now trimmed so that they fit.

Mercia Carpets from Kenilworth supplied and fitted the carpets. We had the same throughout the house, including the conservatory. There was one piece for the living and dinning room, and although there is a wall and door between them, they used one piece so as to have no strip. This was David's idea to help the flow between the rooms. We had the carpets fitted on three days, with time in between for us to move furniture around.

Pumpkin feast

This little pumpkin grew from the plant which I bought from the Kenilworth Lions Summer Fete in Abbey Fields. During the summer I willed it to grow and it produced one fruit which riped on the pebbles of the garden.

The outer skin was grey, but when cut through the wonderful green and orange colours were wonderful. Slow roasted with onions, garlic and olive oil, it yielded soft and tasty flesh which we had in various ways: as a hot vegetable on day 1, mixed with roasted red pepper etc with olives on roasted bread, then in a pilaf, and finally whizzed up into a soup.

Another Good Read

I'm pleased to have found an area of Kenilworth Library with a range of interesting books. Having enjoyed my Venetian Blues fix book, I read the follow on where Marlena moves to Tuscany. As well as the wonderful descriptions of the areas and her recipes, the author seems to capture and thoughtfully share with her readers the more sensitive and emotional sides of life.

Following on from that I've picked up another book, set in the area of France just across the Pyrenees from my sister Jenny. I am just getting into 'Happy Hour' by Patrice Chaplin. I am now getting to grips with the balustrade in the hallway, and am going to try using a brush on wax. I need to do a small test piece.

Last Thursday & Friday, I used several pints of elbow grease/wax and boiled linseed oil to revive my chests of drawers which were covered with rain spots. We had a severe thunder storm I think it was some time early last year, anyway it was in Swindon, we were out in the garden with Matthew and Veronica, and did not have time to rush inside to close the windows. I had really thought we would have to have them sent off to be reconditioned but at what cost....I had found out of course, and it was almost as much as getting some more from an antique shop!

Friday seemed to be one of those days, which just went so well. Work on the house, shopping etc went well, and then our evening out in Leamington was well above expectation. We went out to dinner to the Basement Restaurant and there was a good jazz ensemble: guitar, keyboard and vocalist. David had Fresh Sardines with sauce on toast, followed by gigot of lamb and veg, and orange crepes with chocolate and pecan nut sauce, I had red onion and blue cheese tartelette on a bed of mixed leaves to start with, main of freshest pan fried fillet of sea trout on the best pumpkin and Parmesan risotto I'd ever had, followed by a smooth creme brulee flavoured with Baileys. We'll definitely be going there again. The restaurant was full and the service and whole evening a delight.