Sunny and bright today. No wind which makes such a difference to the air. Frost this morning too @floralies Expecting a high of 12°C this afternoon.
Swiss ball exercise class this morning - still haven't got the hang of finding my balance with one foot off the floor, let alone two. The other exercises are doable!! No running or even standing on the ball @Nanny Beach just pilate-like positions to hold for about a minute.
CB has been and fitted security bars to the study window. Insurance in France likes you to have shutters but there is a big lilac in the way. French windows open inwards.
I've swept up loads of leaves. The mulberry tree has dumped most of it's leaves overnight. They tend to do that when there is a frost.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Quick pop in to thaw out, I'm making cakes in my downstairs kitchen, which takes a while to warm up and the second you open the door to pop out to get something the cold air rushes in. I have got the oven on and two slow cookers and the dishwasher so it is starting to be a bit more bearable. The marzipan is not easy to roll though, very stiff.
I have a lot of sympathy for of you awaiting plumbers/heating engineers etc. not easy trying to stay warm and leave yourself mobile enough to do things, I currently look like the Michelin man.
Charlie back at school this morning, 6:20am train. We really enjoyed the football together last night and have plans to go to Limoges Christmas Market on Friday evening. I do miss him so much during the week and fretting about the bank loan for my new house and being unable to make any serious plans about it is getting to me a bit, it's like I daren't allow myself to dream for fear of tempting fate. Luckily, I have lots of Xmas cakes to do so I am really trying to focus on that and stop worrying, nothing I can can do so silly to get worked up. Frustrating though.
Right, must go back to the marzipan, before it gets even harder.
Take care in all that cold weather everyone.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
Afternoon all, still can't get used to these dark afternoons but fortunately we did have some sunshine just before lunch. I've been a bit more industrious today, had my usual walk, then got outside after coffeee and wrapped my three daleks in the old duvet I re-purposed, now to see if it works to keep the heat in. I've also bubblewrapped my plastic camellia pot and moved some others nearer the house wall. I'm now ready for the hard frosts!
After lunch, I nipped up to the Cemetery with flowers for my best friend's grave, later than usual as we were away last week. Can't believe it's now 14 years since she died, she was only 64. When I got back, I cleared out the grate and the wicker basket with all my gardening mags (really must have a clearout!) as we've the sweep coming tomorrow.
OH stayed in bed this morning, he's feeling poorly so I do hope he hasn't got the horrible virus that AuntyRach and others have just had. I rather think I'll decant him to the guest bedroom tonight so he can keep his germs to himself!
Better take emergency supplies for the journey then @Punkdoc, plus a snow shovel. Hope we don't get snow here, I detest the stuff.
You'll get there in the end @D0rdogne_Damsel, house buying is always very tense and I gather very slow in France.
@Busy-Lizzie, I always remember a holiday gite in France once where we were aghast to find only wooden shutters and no glass, it wasn't that warm either that week.
Just read back yesterday's posts. Those strawberries @Pat E! Hope everyone else's current ailments are going in the right direction. Still tired after yesterday's Christmas Market. It was really successful - more people came than ever I think and all the stallholders and shops/pubs/cafes did really well. I was able to help out with the raffle we were also running in aid of the local foodbank from time to time. We raised over £900! But, having been on the street from 6.45am, until after 5pm, I was mighty cold - and tired - by the end. Had a warming cottage pie cooked by OH from the leftover roast and tried to keep awake for the SAS thing but could hardly keep my eyes open so to bed, with a hot water bottle. Today has been a day off but I have looked through some of the photos our official photographer took. He sent up a drone and got some amazing overhead shots. Here's one:
Thank you @Lizzie27. This was just the top end of the street, there were over 70 stalls in all! Here's a pic of our town crier who also did a wonderful job - even delivering personal messages from Father Christmas to children who were on his 'good' list!
Posts
Sunny and bright today. No wind which makes such a difference to the air. Frost this morning too @floralies Expecting a high of 12°C this afternoon.
Swiss ball exercise class this morning - still haven't got the hang of finding my balance with one foot off the floor, let alone two. The other exercises are doable!! No running or even standing on the ball @Nanny Beach just pilate-like positions to hold for about a minute.
I hope everyone is well and warm.
Tui
I've swept up loads of leaves. The mulberry tree has dumped most of it's leaves overnight. They tend to do that when there is a frost.
Quick pop in to thaw out, I'm making cakes in my downstairs kitchen, which takes a while to warm up and the second you open the door to pop out to get something the cold air rushes in. I have got the oven on and two slow cookers and the dishwasher so it is starting to be a bit more bearable. The marzipan is not easy to roll though, very stiff.
I have a lot of sympathy for of you awaiting plumbers/heating engineers etc. not easy trying to stay warm and leave yourself mobile enough to do things, I currently look like the Michelin man.
Charlie back at school this morning, 6:20am train. We really enjoyed the football together last night and have plans to go to Limoges Christmas Market on Friday evening. I do miss him so much during the week and fretting about the bank loan for my new house and being unable to make any serious plans about it is getting to me a bit, it's like I daren't allow myself to dream for fear of tempting fate. Luckily, I have lots of Xmas cakes to do so I am really trying to focus on that and stop worrying, nothing I can can do so silly to get worked up. Frustrating though.
Right, must go back to the marzipan, before it gets even harder.
Take care in all that cold weather everyone.
After lunch, I nipped up to the Cemetery with flowers for my best friend's grave, later than usual as we were away last week. Can't believe it's now 14 years since she died, she was only 64.
When I got back, I cleared out the grate and the wicker basket with all my gardening mags (really must have a clearout!) as we've the sweep coming tomorrow.
OH stayed in bed this morning, he's feeling poorly so I do hope he hasn't got the horrible virus that AuntyRach and others have just had. I rather think I'll decant him to the guest bedroom tonight so he can keep his germs to himself!
Better take emergency supplies for the journey then @Punkdoc, plus a snow shovel. Hope we don't get snow here, I detest the stuff.
You'll get there in the end @D0rdogne_Damsel, house buying is always very tense and I gather very slow in France.
@Busy-Lizzie, I always remember a holiday gite in France once where we were aghast to find only wooden shutters and no glass, it wasn't that warm either that week.
Keep warm everyone.
Still tired after yesterday's Christmas Market. It was really successful - more people came than ever I think and all the stallholders and shops/pubs/cafes did really well. I was able to help out with the raffle we were also running in aid of the local foodbank from time to time. We raised over £900!
But, having been on the street from 6.45am, until after 5pm, I was mighty cold - and tired - by the end. Had a warming cottage pie cooked by OH from the leftover roast and tried to keep awake for the SAS thing but could hardly keep my eyes open so to bed, with a hot water bottle. Today has been a day off but I have looked through some of the photos our official photographer took. He sent up a drone and got some amazing overhead shots. Here's one:
Keep warm and rest for another day or two.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I finished mulching the shrub bed with the wood chippings that the tree men left me last year.
No glass Lizzie! That sounds very primitive. Double glazing here.
Thanks for the kind words @Lizzie27, I know it'll all be fine, but certainly doesn't feel like it at the moment. All par for the course I suppose.