Apart from the ongoing saga of my parents-in-law (MIL back in hospital with a racing heart), what else has been happening this week?
We had the boys returning to school. They have all settled in ok, although Luke had some teething problems with his rather strict form teacher. When will they learn that to gain a child's respect you have to respect them, not dominate them or strike the fear of god into them?
Mum, bless her, has been down the allotment regularly harvesting what is ready. We have maincrop potatoes coming in now, along with more runner beans, cooking apples, plums, a bit of purple sprouting, we had to pull all the carrots and they were riddled with carrot root fly, but we were able to salvage some. And we should have had some lovely sweetcorn, we'd just been waiting for it to plump up, and when Mum went to harvest it at the weekend she found some vandals had beaten her to it, and have destroyed some plants, strewn the ripe cobs around which have subsequently been eaten by local wildlife, and we are left with a few cobs which are not ripe, but, fingers crossed, will come to something later. It has been a regular occurrence on the site, but the first time we have been hit. Hopefully the instilation of high, locked gates will help deter the trouble makers. Only time will tell.
I have managed to add to my jam store with damson jam and plum and apple jam, which will hopefully help to make up some jam hampers for Christmas, hopefully I'll be adding quince and blackberry to this. As far as Christmas goes I've also made a start on some longies for Sophie, it will take me til Christmas to get them done, as she seems attracted to the needles!
Stuart is planning to go back to work this next week, his recouperation has not been as restful as we would have hoped, but he has put a very brave face on it all.
Oh - i would be devasted about the sweetcorn - i am leavin mine for a week or so. Hope things have ettled downm and that your dh will not push himself too much too soon - especially back at work.
ReplyDeleteWere the longies ok? Hope they arrived.
Thanks Jacqui, they are perfect. I WILL get a cheque off to you this week!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry - no rush - especially with all thats going on. I was just worried they hadn't arrived. xxx
ReplyDeleteJust a thought and I don't want to intrude, but have your parents in law been assessed to see if they could have any help? I was thinking that your mother in law might benefit from a carer's assessment if nothing else. Hope Stuart's return to work goes well. Very sorry to hear about his uncle - we lost a close friend very quickly to throat cancer in February.
ReplyDeleteSarah, that is a thouht that has crossed my mind, but at the moment we are just playing it by ear, as they are not very willing to accept help. I have in a past life worked as a social worker with older people, so am vaguely aware of what is available (athough I'm sure criteria have become even stricter since I left!)
ReplyDeleteThank you for thinking of them though.