Tuesday, 3 November 2009

Not a lot has happened during the last few weeks. Paul hung the pictures in the lounge so apart from maybe a lamp/vase/finishing off bits and pieces then we're done in there. It might have been nice to have more modern pictures but as these are limited edition prints we wanted to keep them. Pretty rubbishy photos but I'm not as good with a camera as Paul.











Much sorting out has been done over the past couple of months and we've been fairly ruthless. Three local charities have benefitted from items no longer needed but still in good condition.

Paul's been in hospital since 12 October for his stem cell transplant so any other work will now have to wait a few months until he's well enough to continue. Fortunately only relatively minor works are left such as fixing a curtain rail in the downstairs WC and painting the understairs cupboard door. We're waiting for Neil to level the sun room floor then we can choose some carpet tiles for in there and also for the loft room.

Now the colder weather has arrived we've discovered that this house is quite cosy so hopefully there'll be no massive heating bills. The sun room really is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a cuppa, probably the most used room during the daytime. It's lovely and bright and with two radiators it's very comfortable in there, a perfect place to watch the antics of the birds visiting the feeder and bathing:

If the sun room gets too hot, the lounge is the place to be. Always cooler in there as it doesn't get direct sunlight. I wonder how warm it would get if the sun room wasn't there.



Against all the odds and a mighty battle with the tiniest caterpillars I've ever seen, my cauliflower plants that Steve gave me have survived and thrived. I do realise that putting six plants in a container this size was not the best idea, but I'm learning as I go along and I'll know for next year. So not meaning to boast (oh go on then, I'll boast!) here is my very first cauliflower. Photo taken today and it's about the size of my thumbnail. I think I'll let it grow a bit more before I harvest it! Gives a new meaning to "mini veg" - eat your heart out M & S!











I've had lots of red peppers on the four plants I got from Wilkinsons and they've been put to good use, even had enough to share with our neighbour Ellen. The leeks still look more like spring onions in size whilst those I gave to Ellen have grown much thicker. Probably something to do with hers being in the ground and mine being in containers and too close together. Another lesson learned! All in all I'm pleased with the garden, I've overhauled it, rearranged it, planted new shrubs and bulbs and successfully grown potatoes, carrots, runner beans, cauliflowers, peppers and leeks (sort of). The butternut squash - ah well, yes they did successfully bear fruit which grew to quite a reasonable size, then went all soft, grey, withered and dropped off. I now know that growing them in containers is wrong, a proper vegetable plot is needed which I don't have room for. Never mind, I'm happy enough to know that I managed to get them to grow at all.

I've had to call Petros back to repaint the scuffed walls in the hall/stairs/landing. He did tell me how to patch them and I was quite successful but the colour is a bit lighter seeing as it's about six months since it was originally painted. He's been back to have a look and decided that it would be quicker, and give a neater finish, if the three walls were completely repainted. He should be back in a couple of days to do this for me. Thankfully there's no more furniture to be taken upstairs so hopefully no further damage to the paint.