Hodge Podge Getting ready

People keep telling me summer’s almost over and pull faces, that’s there’s ex amount of days left until they go back to school, ok that may be so, but stop worrying about it, plan your next thing and go for it instead of sitting around complaining about it, I know I am.

Now I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I can’t wait for fall, still good sunny days, cooler weather where I don’t want to walk into the shower with all my clothes on and I actually feel like doing something productive. I know I’ve started making Christmas gifts that family members have said they would like earlier in the year and have probably forgotten about, so I’m hoping to put a few smiles on people’s faces.

I’m still working on my jams, a few pots at a time, as soon as I can I’m going to make some savoury chilli jam to go with cold cuts and cheeses, it’s slightly hot and is very tasty, the family love that too. I have most of the ingredients, I’m just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit first.

My potted garden is finally starting to bear fruit and I have tomatoes growing and green beans, nasturtiums and sweet peas, a lovely crop of mint, two different types of basil And some chives, we’ve been picking lettuce for a while now, only a few leaves off each plant so they can re grow, it tastes so much nicer than shop bought and the boys get a kick out of it. I’d grow something even if I only had a windowsill. And have in years gone by. Any space no matter how small can grow something.

My task next week is to start washing my winter blankets and making sure they are all ready for winter, I bought some of those vacuum bags and once they are clean, dried and aired they are going in there, ready to snuggle with when needed. Me and the boys like to snuggle with a blankie on the couch when it’s cold outside, not together you understand, but it’s is nice to lounge around in spare time on cold winter nights with a soft blankie, it’s comforting and helps me relax when watching the T.V.

There’s never a dull moment here, yesterday the lock to our front door self terminated and had to be replaced, enter our youngest son Simon, he stepped up to the plate and had it fixed in no time, we bought a new one and he had it in, in literally 10 minutes flat, so thank you for that Simon, it saved me a job.

Today’s going to be the in-between day, when you do maintenance on your chores, I blitzed the bathroom yesterday and today will let’s tidy all this stuff up or mum will throw it away day, which is the day before last chance before it goes in the bin day. I like to be reasonably organized but even with the best will in the world it’s not always possible, I’ve come to an agreement with myself, I’m not going to beat myself up if I can’t manage it all and I know I’m getting older and go all day tidying and blitzing, so now I do what I can then sit down, if I accidentally happen to do some crochet or crafts whilst I’m there so be it, once I’m rested I’ll go again, so to stop the stress feeling of not being able to do it all I’ve appointed a box in the lounge this box is the last refuge of things I’ve found strewn around the place and are there under sufferance, if it’s not claimed in a day it goes out in the bin, it’s so cleansing and I wish I’d done it before. Not that the boys are untidy, just sometimes they forget to tidy, so this will remind them.

Back to the kitchen, I think I will attempt some home-made bread today, if not then some rolls, it will go well with super tonight, beggars hot pot.

As always be nice to one another, I’m off to make that bread ....