Saturday, 13 September 2025

Saturday 13th September - what have I been doing?

 Yesterday, Friday, I was busy...

No, the busyness goes back to goes back to Thursday...

Although,  come to think of it, did I mention the weird weather on Wednesday? It was such a dreary dark morning, and then I noticed how it seemed to be lightening up a bit. I looked out of the front window and saw that the sun had come out and there was a heavy shower of rain at the same time. I was actually sitting in the dining half, at the back of the house (it's all one long room from the front to the back of the house) and, lo and behold, no rain, no sun. This situation lasted a few minutes, before the rain stopped completely. 

Right, that was Wednesday's notable moment.

Our next door neighbour is a passionate gardener, but his garden in pretty much a scene of devastation surrounded by large pots of salvaged plants. They are having a downstairs extension built at the back. So, he has turned his attentions to ours, partly to show his appreciation that we are happy to have his wheely bins in our driveway, and to havec5he access to the back of his house through our garden. They took a fence panel out so that they could get the old garage out, and we've said we don't mind waiting for it to ge put back. Besides, it gives a grandstand view of the progress!

Anyway, he's had a wonderful time with BB's cordless hedge trimmers sorting out our hedge and shrubs. Then he appeared with a rake and set about the fallen apples under the tree... we went down to join in. At leat, BB did;  I stood on the sidelines cheering them on.

We got a good haul; we took some round to neighbours and he took some home and some friends will be collecting bags too. There are still a good number left on the tree.


I've been making apple pureé and freezing it in the little pots. We have dozens of them; back in 2019 my godmother was very ill with oesophagus cancer, and finding it hard to eat. Every week I would fill pots with apple pureé or a mixture of puréed potatoes and carrots enriched with eggs. We would put them in her freezer, and collect the empties...

So we have dozens of pots!

I consulted my trusty book; 'six months for apple pureé' it states. 


This book is wonderful! I think the magazine is longer being published, actually, I don't think I ever bought a copy. 'Will it Freeze' was published in 1976, and this copy is a reprint in 1979. Well worth every penny of 60p!

In the afternoon there was another sunny spell and I sowed some lambs lettuce. It took me a while to get to grips with the instructions but I eventually deciphered them;



See what you make of it! This was the only packet in the garden centre.

Finally, I found these on the Internet;


No, I didn't send off for them! BB wondered if they went off with a 'BANG' with every step...

Today... I had a bath. Oh, and made a fish pie. It was pretty good, which is just as well as the rest is in the freezer. Banana custard afterwards for BB, Greek yoghurt and... apple pureé for me. Mmmm.

I think that's ALL I'm doing today.


6 comments:

  1. As a young housewife, way back when, I used to buy H&FD every month. I even bought the binders to keep them in. I loved that little book, so informative. I had to let them go several house-moves back. I wish I still had them. I always keep an eye open in charity shops but I’ve never seen a single one anywhere.
    Anna.

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    Replies
    1. this is the same book... https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb
      And
      https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32157293797&dest=gbr&ref_=ps_ggl_2039220669&cm_mmc=ggl-_-UK_Shopp_Tradestandard-_-product_id=UK9780743237666USED-_-keyword=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2039220669&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Y6gsTHZP0Y0VDA1gMq2kS4Eced&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrJTGBhCbARIsANFBfgtxNMRFxsQCVHhsPr9xLk9iQzvgShQC5Zkd4C2YQcsRUHNUzkMshOEaAqWQEALw_wcB
      If you Google 'will it freeze ' there seem to be quite a few around second hand. No longer 60p though!
      I had only been married a year or so when I got my copy

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  2. Busy times!
    I love lamb's lettuce so I hope yours comes up to expectations.
    I must say, it's interesting watching other people's extensions being erected - all the pleasure without the mess!

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    Replies
    1. I'd love to have a similar extension; our houses are identical so I'm watching with interest. So far they've needed deeper footings than they had planned, had to dig a huge soakaway which wasn't forseen, and the gas pipe was where they thought it wasn't. Hmmm

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  3. When we were first married I got H&F Digest regularly. Never had a freezer till years later. I had the Christmas guide too. We went to the tank museum a few times when we lived in Dorset. Never bought the slippers though!

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    Replies
    1. I had the 'Christmas in your freezer' not sure if I've still got it. The red cabbage recipe and freezer mincemeat recipes were very good.

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