trying to be organised

Gradually things are coming together, but its nerve wracking and hard work!

So many things I want to get done, and just one month to go now.

We are getting back in contact with friends to let them know when we're coming..and daughter has had another breakthrough with the family tree hunting..one of my great grandmother's sisters emigrated to New Zealand,and married a Maori man..and we have cousins in Brisbane and Sydney and possibly Christchurch and northwest of Wellington.

The Pirate is away track racing on Derby velodrome track, and isn't a happy bunny...not winning, well,ok, he knows he hasn't put the work in to do that...but having to rely on someone else, and having to do as they want...and not much compromise...not good atall. At least he has been in the company of good friends. He'll be mightily relieved to arrive home tomorrow.


I've been busy Getting Things Done for three days!...No need to cut someone's hedge or grass as its a fine day...we've just about finished going round all the regular customers. No having to stop halfway through a job here on our house and garden to look after someone else's!

Yesterday the leeks were planted out, that should mean leeks to eat in April!

Today the car decided that its battery was exceedingly tired...it must have been colder than I thought, the last couple of nights and I didn't drive it yesterday..tomorrow morning's job will be to jump start the car and get it to a local garage to "drop test" the battery to see if it will last..or if I need a new battery.



Much washing has been done AND dried, apples juiced,filtered, bottled and pasteurised..twelve more half litre bottles in store.
I made a batch of Sophie Grigson's recipe for Carrot Garlic and Chilli chutney..nine jarsworth..its supposed to be like the chutney in M&S Wensleydale and Carrot Chutney sandwiches...which we've tried and were very good.  You're supposed to leave it for at least three weeks, however the eggcupful I had left over after bottling it was very good with tonight's curry!

The papering in the kitchen is finished, the tiling done all bar four L shaped tiles round an electricity socket.  Its good at last to move the kitchen contents back,and to have a clean,tidy,workable kitchen at last!

Now its feet up time.  I've watched a programme about the history of building the railways, which has been followed by one on the Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs. All 37 carriages...

Its fascinating...no commentary, just filming the trip..and great camerawork.