Chatback number 22

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Chilly but bright today. The cold and damp have done for the melons, but everything else is holding on, just. The sky is full of criss-crossing vapour trails. Got used to not seeing those when people weren't travelling.

Relieved to have found a man who says he will deliver almond and olive firewood of the size we want for a decent price. He's suggested we go round and see it to make sure it's what we want. Here, firewood isn't sold by the stere, cubic metre or whatever but by the kilo. Where we lived before, it was sold by the builder's rubble sack. Most villages round here have weighbridges, which makes selling by weight possible. OK if it's dry, but if it's green, you're paying for a lot of water.

Same today as yesterday, workwise. So better get on with it. First, though: coffee. I'll get it going and you can help yourselves. Last of the ginger cake in the tin. Help yourselves to that as well. The smiles are flitting around the tin too, so grab some of those as well.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Snadger]

Morning all

Someone mentioned 'Lonely old people' earlier in the thread and it got me thinking. I suppose I fit into that category but I am not the only one. When I look out my window at the houses around me at least half have a single person at the helm.It.s been less than 3 months since OH passed away and eventually I am managing to visit her grave without bursting into tears. I sit furtively on a seat close to her grave talking to her, all the time looking around to make sure no one is watching and thinking I have cracked up.
Anyway, snapping out of self pity mode..........I have my new toy, my Campervan sitting on the drive now and can't wait to start pulling it to bits! Priorities are a swivel plate for front passenger seat so I can turn it around and use it facing the rear with a table in front. It has a washbasin but no means of cooking so that's another priority and a total different internal colour scheme is called for.Fancy some pale blue tartan material for the seats so I will need to source that and have a go at covering them myself.

Lots to do so must get on, TTFN.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Blue sky and fine clouds … wish it would make up its mind!

We found a note in our letterbox last night from our electricity company saying they will be here at midday to replace our electricity box with an updated one. Presumably a smart one so they don’t need to send out peeps to read it anymore?
That was short notice!
Good job we have a gas hob so we can still make brews. No idea how long it will take.

Olive wood snoop?…..I have very good memories of using olive wood charcoal on holiday in Italy - it was amazingly good quality.
Oak is the big thing here but it takes some storing before it’s water content drops enough to use properly.

OH has a mate over today to help do more knocking out of the bedroom so I’m off out in a sec to load up the trailer with what they are chucking out of the window! Thank goodness no rain is forecast!

Best finish off my mug of tea first though. Got to get my priorities right eh?

See ya later peeps!

[Nicos]

Hi Snadge…did you hear my kettle boil? * passes Snadge a blue tartan mug of tea

Brill news about your camper - very exciting - do keep us updated with the work in progress!
And no - not cracking up…Helen was your closest friend for years - you need to continue sharing things with her xx

Right - I really must go - there’s already a pile of plasterboard and laths needing sorting….

[Bren In Pots]

Morning.

Snadger you and Helen were together a long time and you need time to come to terms with her not being with you, and If you're uncomfortable about folks walking by pretend you're taking on your mobile. xx

[Snoop Puss]

Snadger, I reckon just about everybody talks to whoever they're visiting at a cemetery. Nobody will think you've cracked up.

And yes, Nicos, I love using olive wood. Most of it will be from hard pruning. Really good for keeping a steady heat in the range. Makes fantastic pizza... The almond wood might be from prunings but also from whole trees that have been uprooted. Production slows after about thirty years, so the farmers regularly rip them up and start again.

Have just been out and watered a few things, including the leeks. I posted the wrong pictures in the Vine show. There are a few absolute monster leeks in among the ones still left in the plot. How they've grown so fast I do not know. Big recommendation from me for Chef's White leeks if anyone wants to grow summer leeks (they're not frost hardy, apparently).

[Nicos]

Add more posts snoop - I can move any already posted if you want?

[Snoop Puss]

^That feels a bit like cheating! I'll consult with Mr Snoop. I've already told him I want a picture of a beetroot.

[Nicos]

You can post as many piccies as you want - we have new rules for all Grapes this year to encourage entries

[lottie dolly]

Afternoon,chillier today,man here putting boiler from old to new kitchen,plus a servise and put controles on i can use ,
Snadger,it is a feeling that only only those in our position feel,a previouse neighbour used to say how it was for him,now i 100% know,i do not think it has hit me yet,i was dreaming of him last night,so weired,is good we have friends on here as well as around us at home,if you ever need to chat please PM me,share it as they say,is good therapy,good luck with your campa,
This odd words suggesting food and cooking is not good for me A i really should not,and B got to wait until the new things all set up,then it's a brake whilst i fill up the new kitchen,see what will go where,and unpack more boxes,by for now

[mothhawk]

Afternoon all. Definitely cooler today. Put a jumper on for my morning walk, haven't done that since April!

The washing machine broke on Sunday but there's a local repair man lives in the next village, so he was able to come out yesterday and fix it. It needed a new water pump plus he cleared out a lot of gunge from the draining hose. The machine is 11 years old and in all this time, apart from new bushes twice, that is all the repair it has needed, so it's doing grand service.

Looks like it's building up to rain now, so I'll nip and get the last of the runner beans in before it does. Then a fresh brew - tea of course. Anyone join me? I've made fresh crab apple jam tarts for my mum, but there's plenty to go around........

[Mr Bones]

Morning all

Cooler and it's rained on and off in the night. Forecast looks quite promising for today but still windy.

Enjoy your day

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

It looks like todays going to be dryer than yesterday but good news is my water butts are full again.

Enjoy your day.

[Nicos]

Mornin Bonesn’all

Blue skies here after a very wet and windy night.
Glad you got your washing machine sorted MH…apart from one or two items, it’s not the same hand washing is it?

I got put off using launderettes when I was a student in a city centre.
One morning I went early into one to find several tumble dryers on the go drying sopping wet sleeping bags which several people who had slept rough were drying after a very rainy night.
They said they had to do it regularly in winter ( not washing them - just drying) and they were still filthy and stank when they came out of the machines.
I know that’s not the case with most laundrettes but unfortunately the thought sticks with me - along with the sadness that people
actually live in those difficult conditions.

I do use them from time to time for large items like duvets, but the memory still haunts me.

Right…enough of that….on a positive note…Off to the tip then back to ripping out ( very carefully ) fibreglass insulation…it’s feeling good seeing the old bedroom disappearing. I think my destructive genes must outnumber my constructive ones!!!

***Remember we only have today and tomorrow to post in the show***…keep ‘Em coming folks!!

[Nicos]

Morning Bren - didn’t see you there!

I think my water butts have been full all this year