I've started emptying my bedroom ready for the building of the new en-suite. Work was originally due to start Monday but has been delayed waiting for the basin and toilet to be available so should now begin at the end of the month.
After I get some help to move the mattress I'm going to be like the Princess and the Pea Fairy Tale as the only place to put it is on top of the double bed in the spare bedroom - I'll be sleeping rather high up!
The plastic dust sheets I got to cover things when the wood-burner was installed will come in handy to seal up the big built in wardrobe/cupboard in the bedroom and over the doors into all the other rooms. Although the builders will cover the hall floors and the bed frame and anything else that can't be moved and assured me there won't be much dust - I'm being prepared, as I'm sure there will be dust, it's quite a big job especially when it comes to finding out where all the pipes are and re-routeing them. They might have to knock down part of the ceiling - we shall see.
Better late than never for my first, and possibly only, handful of Runner Beans.
As I mentioned a while ago they had no flowers for weeks and then the flowers didn't set due to the dry weather. Thanks to runner bean growers Down Under who commented, we now know what to do in another very dry summer - spray them with water. I've passed the info on to all the people I know - we've never needed to know before as there's usually enough rain during our summers to help the flowers set.
On Wednesday I used the last of the huge tomatoes, the last two red peppers and some of my onions to make the 3rd batch of Red Relish. Definitely my favourite and now I've enough to last all through next year just in case there's a tomato failure. Just one more preserve to do before Christmas......... the Onion 'Marmalade' Chutney. I expect to put it off as long as possible as even with the food processor the amount of onions that need slicing will reduce me to tears!
During the week I've caught a few of the great events happening in London on TV but haven't sat and watched and queueing for hours and hours to file slowly past the Queens coffin doesn't appeal at all so I'll leave that to others. I'm sure much of the country will come to a standstill on Monday for the funeral.
This week I've been grateful for...............
- BiL mending my bike
- Fine weather to get some garden clearing done
- Not having to travel to London to view the coffin
- A few runner beans
Back next week
Sue
I watched a video of the que. Instead of going straight ahead, the line went back and forth across the sidewalk, through a rope line. The video was from overhead, and the visual of the line moving slowly but steadily down one one line and up another and down the next was almost mesmerizing.
ReplyDeleteThe queue is miles long and taking 24 hours to get in
DeletePreparing for your renovation is a big job. I agree with you, any construction project brings some dust. That said, in the end, having everything exactly as you want it will be outstanding. Your runner beans look good and the technique of spraying plants with water when there is little rain is fascinating. Your Red Relish and Onion Chutney sounds delicious. Having a good stock of both will be nice throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteNot looking forward to moving clothes etc out of the bedroom and with people going in and out for 3 weeks there will be lots of mess
DeleteSyringing runner bean flowers with water during dry weather to help the set is long-time garden lore. I can remember my father doing this to his beans more than 60 years ago when we had dry summers.
ReplyDeleteWish I'd known - the summer was just so dry
DeleteI will know what to do for my beans in a hot summer now. Thank you. Well done with the Relish making - I daren't make anything in the chutney line these days because the vinegar does for my lungs.
ReplyDeleteI hope the building work isn't too messy/dusty.
Other people suffer more than me when I'm doing chutney as I never notice the small!
DeleteThere always seems to be dust to go along with any renovation, but how lovely it will be when you have a new en suite :)
ReplyDeleteIt will stop the worry of the macerator thing breaking down
DeleteThere will be dust! But it will be worth it. I hope all goes smoothly. I don't think I'd have had the energy for that queue. I'm still baffled by the lady who went round 7 times. And was that fair? What if not everyone can get in - in effect she took the place away from six other people. Well done David Beckham for joining in with everyone else and not expecting special treatment.
ReplyDeleteHadn't heard about the lady or David Beckham. Walking slowly for 24 hours sounds awful!
DeleteSue, instead of laying your mattress on the spare bed, could you stand it on its side somewhere, even if its in the way for a while? I speak from experience when I tried to sleep on a 'double mattress' - it felt so unstable and I knew I would fall off! Please try it out before you're left on your own to shift it if necessary. Mine was covered over and stood behing my sofa for a couple of weeks! Quite a novelty and talking point when anyone visited!
ReplyDeleteThank you - I'll try the one on top of the other while I've got help here but will struggle to find somewhere else to store it
DeleteFriends who grow them brought me one steaming of runner beans. They are never popular in the shops I presume it is because they soon go 'floppy'
ReplyDeleteI've never bought runner beans, once you've had your own anything else wouldn't match up. I just go without!
DeleteI sampled some delicious chutney while in the UK in June and wish I had brought some home!
ReplyDeleteHundreds of different chutney recipes over here - I just make my favourites now
DeleteSue, cold onions won't make you cry when you slice them. Try refrigerating them first.
ReplyDelete--Maxine
I'll give it a go - thank you for the idea
DeleteI spent a lot of time chopping onions today. I cried quite a bit. I also had beans fresh for the garden to go with our grilled chicken. So good.
ReplyDeleteThey really sting my eyes - but I'll try that fridge idea above
DeleteYes, the fridge idea works well for onions, just one of the reasons I always store mine in there, but you do have to be quick and use them while they are still nice and chilled.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good idea to protect everything with dust sheets, dust gets everywhere no matter what the builders say.
Glad you got at least a handful of runner beans! I've been popping in and watching now and then, but I haven't been glued to it. Tomorrow I'll watch a little bit of the procession, I think (it's on really early here but I'm usually up at that time) but I won't be watching the whole service.
ReplyDeleteHope the building work goes smoothly!