So as we head out into the blustery day we are only too aware of the cat curling up, all cosy like, into a ball of fur on a plump pile of Alison's quilts with just one eye on the proceedings outside.She has got it so easy, she really does.
Having gathered all this produce Claire has had to work really hard to turn some of it into jams. She has used the Apples with some Rose hips to make a delicate jelly style jam which is delicious and our blackberries have been mixed with Sloes and a little bit of Port (which I won in a village raffle).
I have found that the nuts make a smashing little evening nibbles if roasted in butter in the microwave for about 6 minutes, stirring about half way through. Really tasty.
Alison and I spent all day yesterday decorating in the annex bathroom and kitchen and it is looking good. Once again I am with-holding pictures now until we do the 'Big Reveal!' but we are fairly comfortable with progress. Our deadline is the 9th of October for ALL the annex renovations to have been completed as on the 10th we are having two of the Thursford show cast members renting the rooms up to Christmas. The pressure is on...
We purchased the living room carpet and a washer/dryer machine today along with the Bathroom and the kitchen floor coverings and have been looking at Ikea sofas. Claire and I love the Ikea product names, it just seems that they make them up by tossing a handful of scrabble letters onto a table and sees what pops up. If you have ever played Boggle you'll understand that this would be the perfect tool to 'create' Ikea names. Simply put the lid on the Shaker turn it upside own and give it a jolly good old shake, then turn it upright again and see how many Ikea names you can invent....... BJÖRKEN (didn't she shout a lot from Iceland?) or you may get a SKUBB, or LEKSVIK, ALÄNG, or a ASPELUND, or even a BUMERANG! Not sure if Bumerang is appropriate language when selling a product, but don't blame me for the way these names sound. No. For all of the names above are genuine names of products sold in Ikea and YOU may well own it! So we'll probably end up buying a DINKYWINKZ or a GHOTK or a PHARTZ. Ha, Ha! I made you say the word phartz! Tee he he.
The Badger is now deflating and frankly whilst there is little or no danger of it exploding I still intend to avoid it as the stench is worse than shaking hands with a vet who happens to have one of those elbow length blue gloves on and it is wet! The tractors are rumbling through the village just at the moment bringing in the harvest which is mainly potatoes just now. When Claire and I were out 'foraging' on our bikes we were also on the look out for fallen goodies. By that I don't mean Tim Brooke-Taylor or Bill Oddie who have disgraced themselves, no, no, not at all! No, what I mean is the Potatoes or, as last year, Onions and carrots which fall to the road as the overloaded trailers bounce along, we had quite a harvest last year including a Sugar Beet! Does anyone know what to do with a sugar Beet?
We have more guests on Tuesday night and so on Monday Claire and I are preparing for them. It was a few days after writing my Hotel Inspector Blog that I found out from Alison that during the many boring Blaa, blaa, blaa moments on his feedback we were also told that we were only 3% short of a 5 Star rating and that our Bathroom, breakfast, Dining room and my hospitality ALL achieved a 5 star (top) rating. Still at the end of the day it is more what the customer says and so we will see how we get on with the couple arriving on Tuesday.
So as summer is given a swift punch to the gut and Winter waits on the side lines planning to cost me an arm and a leg in heating bills we sit out the rain storms and lay our trust in the magical rainbow force field that covers and protects The Old Bakery.......... I think I might have had a likkle bit tooooo mucshhh wine tonight......
Goood nights... Hic!
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