Rhubarb and Renovations

 

I've been a bit slow to pick the first lot of rhubarb this year, so yesterday I just went out and pulled off half of the stalks.  I just pull and cut until I know that I will have enough chopped rhubarb to fill my largest pan.  

Cooked with just a smidge of water and minimal sugar it doesn't take long to do.  Every year I wonder why it takes me so long to get around to actually doing it.  😄

Once it was done and cooled down, I divided it between four tubs, two for me and two for Alan.  I had some of mine with my yoghurt for breakfast this morning.  It was absolutely delicious.

I'll be doing an action replay next week as there is at least the same amount of rhubarb left in the garden.

https://youtu.be/40ZKOC2L0XM?si=glLFVDSph3988A9Z

The plasterers finished on Wednesday, a day earlier than planned as they had another job to do the next day.  They worked late into the evening to complete ours.  As you can see from this YouTube walk through, they have done an excellent job of it.

Alan is back at the bungalow again today painting some more of the walls and perhaps a couple of ceilings.  He wants one coat on in the main room if possible, before next Monday when the 'screeders' will be at the bungalow to screed the floor and get it ready for the underfloor heating.

Then he will be able to have some time off as we will not be able to walk on the floor at all.  Hence me booking us a long weekend away starting on the 10th, where there will be no tools, no work clothes, just rest, relaxation and the spa for Alan, and rest, relaxation and a couple of good books for me.

Sue xx

Peter and Paul

 

'Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall ... '

Or as was the case yesterday 13 little dicky birds sitting on a roof.  

They were there for quite a while, more than enough time for me to go in and pick up my camera, and then suddenly they were gone.  But I had the proof.  

I loved this nursery rhyme as a child, and then in a weird twist of fate I married a Peter and my best friend married a Paul.  We laughed many times about our little annoying 'dicky birds' and how we wished on occasion that they would fly away.

It took me 26 years to fly away from mine.  😄

Sue xx

It's the End of the Month Catch- up

 

It's been a strange sort of month, hot, hot weather, Mum in and out of hospital like a yoyo ... currently in once again.  The garden looks lovely ...

... and you would be able to see it, if the washing wasn't out on the line making full use of the glorious sunshine.  

I'm funni-osity ... as my Nana used to say,  I love pegging washing out but hate bringing it in and folding it all up, I think I need staff.  😄

Some meals have been so simple you can barely call them that.

Shopping has been bought, stored and in a lot of cases just eaten and then re-bought, I seem to be on a wine and fish repetition phase at the moment, well it's been hot weather, and cold wine at the end of a long and occasionally stressful day is sometimes just really necessary.  When the things that were bought to replace the contents of the jars were stashed in the lower food cupboard, they were dated as usual.

Fathers Day came and went, and as usual Alan got a card off each of my sons, and of course one off his furry Ginger son ... who also bought him a jar of Plum Jam and a few 'fingers of Fudge'.

As usual nothing off his own grown up children or his step-daughter.  He is used to that, but it still annoys me on his behalf.

The final things from the bungalow were put up on Facebook Marketplace for sale, but there have been no takers up to now.  I did have one woman from York ask if the gates were fifteen foot wide each and not in total. 

 Wow, that would be a wide driveway!!

My favourite read of the month was this book.  

As a few people warned me, it did take some getting in to, but once I did, wow it was good.  And I didn't see the twist coming at the end at all.  I have now re-donated it to the charity book table in Booths.

Talking of Booths, we have eaten and drunk in there far too many times this month, but Alan likes to get away from the bungalow and have a coffee and a bacon bun there.  I did offer to make both of the aforementioned at home for him, but I think he is afraid of then falling asleep on the sofa afterwards and not ending up back at the bungalow.

He was eyeing up the sofas in Booths café as we left today, so I think maybe he actually has a point.  Although I do keep pointing out to him that each time we pay for food in the café that is basically the cost of two floor tiles for the bungalow!!

Talking of the bungalow it has come on in leaps and bounds this month.  So here is the one and only time I will be showing the front of it on my blog.  

The plasterers are currently inside plastering the bedroom ceilings and walls, and Alan has been busy on the outside setting out the framework for the front garden.  It's been all go after a long time of planning and we are starting to see the fruits of our labour, our planning and our money ... which is very quickly running out.

Here's to July and hopefully more sunshine, more foody talk and more progress on our future home.

Sue xx

Shopping Catch Up for the End of the Month

 

24th  Aldi - £19.88

I didn't really need anything but on the way back from somewhere else Alan suggested calling into Aldi for the few bits he needed, so of course I volunteered to come in and push his trolley for him.  😁

A few cool salady bits, some ready cooked salmon ... gosh what a splurge ... and some ice-lollies.  Also they finally had Gingers favourite Tasty Licks in, these are really good for hiding his thyroid medication in twice a day, luckily he is addicted to them.

As we shared a trolley, we also shared the receipt, my things are in the box.

24th  Barton Grange Garden Centre - £3.29

So that's where we were on our way back from before the Aldi shop.

These buns are a bit expensive but they are delicious, and they make a nice treat every now and then.

27th  Aldi - £17.85

I may have splurged on some more salmon, this shop seems to be a bit fishy and winey, perfect for the hot weather.  

The receipt for posterity.

I had planned to write this post today, but after reading Sue's blog first thing this morning, I thought I would also add up everything that I had spent this month on food for myself.  Seemingly it has been a grand total of £113.39.

All these little shopping trips really do add up don't they, especially when I keep buying fish and wine.  But I guess life's little pleasures are never to be sniffed at, if you can afford them. 😄

The little laughing face is there because the cash is quickly running out on the bungalow renovations, so I might have to tighten the belt a little bit over the next few months.

Sue xx

June Renovation Updates

Last week the bungalow was fully rendered on the outside, so now it now looks neat, crisp and very smart. 

 I think the neighbours are starting to really appreciate that the worse house on the street is now looking much better and no longer lowering the tone of the area.  Of course, once the skip and the outdoor toilet are able to be removed it will be better still.  😄

While Alan was able to fit all the outdoor plug sockets, lights and other accessories, the solar panel guy came back and installed the electric car charger.  Don't worry Alan's work will all eventually be signed off by a fully competent and qualified electrician, before our building inspector signs the property off as now being ready to be lived in.

This was the state of play yesterday when I went round to the bungalow to do a pre-plastering walk through ... today this has changed already.

I can hardly keep up at the moment, the three plasterers, a grandad, dad and son work together so well and so speedily, they are a sight to behold.  How they have worked so well in this heat is beyond me ... however when we went round a couple of hours ago they were all topless!!

 https://youtu.be/-8ZCVRLmqw8?si=GIPTqtflrVKmRoRx

Hopefully the plastering will all be finished next week, at the speed they are working at perhaps even halfway through the week and I can do another walk through.  

Today we were actually sat in Booths ... where is was SO much cooler than home ... with a coffee and a cold drink each, designing the front garden and the off road parking area.  It won't be done for a while but Alan needed to know what stones to save before putting the rest in the skip and sending it away.

Exciting stuff, well it is to us, I do hope that you are enjoying the updates too.  😃

Sue xx