Journey

A journey and a half!
Thanks to lorries spreading hundreds of litres of diesel over the motorway in a couple of places...
Luckily with some nifty map reading we had a nice drive off the motorway, not following any diversions. Twice.
Missing a turning later on...and when we got back on route found that our planned road that we missed..was closed!
Only four hundred and forty one miles..but we left at eight a.m and arrived at 10 p.m.. with steady driving and good breaks.
It's good to see brother again , and mutual friends who have stayed overnight too!

Jobs cancelled

So that we have a chance to organise ourselves and not take too much...but guess what, the car is still "cubed" as Pirate puts it!!
At least much of that won't be coming back... presents of plants, kitchen perishables that we'll eat with my brother...
Pirate is still stressing...he worries deeply about other people, and not being able to help upsets and depresses him.

At least we had a friend stay over last night...he stops here about every six weeks..and that always puts himself in a good mood!
A lovely person and it's a pleasure to make a special but simple meal to share.trave

Too busy..and time out

But needs must when deadlines rear up..soon we head South so jobs have to be done before we go.
Beetroot pickled..

Red onions acquired to make red onion marmalade on our return..they will keep until we do..

Banana cakes made..and I need to work out who would like what from the store cupboard on our family visits!

We had a nice ride yesterday over in the Kingdom of Fife, apart from when my gear cable snapped....Pirate rigged it up so that I wasn't on the smallest cog...

but it was still hard work!

It was good to meet friends at a race over there, then go visiting after our ride too. The wind was chilly but it was beautiful in the sun.

Stores progress and Velodroming

Finishing some processes today...pickled shallots, yoghurt and blackberry cordial.

We ventured to Glasgow today and Pirate did some racing on the velodrome there. No winning but general success and good to see friends.

Busy kitchening

Last night I thought..just get that fruit butter finished....cue one late night!! Result a dozen jars of Apple,Pear and Plum butter with cinnamon.
Today's production has been green tomato chutney with the tomatoes from a neighbour and onions.. shallots really...on the way to being pickled. They are presently soaking in brine and sitting next to them is a pot of vinegar soaking up spices.
Add to that two boxes full of hulled and halved strawberries in the freezer as I'm too tired to make anything with them!...They were eight punnets of reduced price strawberries bought yesterday, and left overnight they would spoil and waste.

I enjoy building up the store cupboard...houses should still be built with proper larders for food storage. No wonder food is wasted with no proper storage space.

Yet more gardening!

We said last year that we needed to stop gardening for others...but our last two regular customers are housebound.
Most other gardeners don't want the jobs...either no comeback to a contact or a sky high quote.
I photograph before and after each time so they can see what we have done.
Yesterday I mowed the lawn and cleared a path and himself tackled a Leylandii hedge.
Our reward wasn't just financial..at 5pm we saw swans flying over in pairs and small groups..at least 24..

Garden renovation

A garden that we had managed last year, given things a trim after we returned from New Zealand,but been prevented by the weather from working there often enough.
Now he has building problems so the shrubs right by the house must be cleared.
Hopefully we will have enough dry weather to do more clearing on Wednesday.