The Cottage Smallholder

Can I use this thread for  'Achievements of the week'?

A few weeks ago, daughter's microwave ceased to function, and not wanting to spend too much money, she suggested that she try to cope without one (!!).

On Saturday, we collected one that we'd bought from e-bay – £16.50 only, and when we arrived to collect it, the lady of the house said "I only used it for heating milk!" – it looked brand-spanking-new.

Bargain! Daughter now has a new(ish) microwave.

Daughter has a large allotment and recently her shed (on the allotment) was broken into and her lawnmower was stolen. While chatting at a garden party last Thursday, a friend told us that he'd taken his lawnmower to the tip, but wasn't allowed to leave it because it was a petrol mower. He didn't want anything for it, and was happy to have it taken off his hands! £5 to charity is what it cost us.

Bargain. Daughter now has a lawnmower for the allotment.

Same friend was selling a nearly-new trailer, square metal type, that would cost two hundred pounds-ish I guess – £65.

Bargain – daughter now has a trailer to take her mower and manure etc to her allotment!

Lastly. Daughter and family are coming down to France on Sunday, and with two young'uns in tow, whenever they go out – to the zoo, or the beach, or similar, they need some transport for the littl'un – 22 months old.

Today we purchased a brilliant pushchair for only £25 (e-bay again!), which converts to a pram, and has a brand new rainshield from Mothercare. It is now in the topbox on the car – all ready for the journey – and daughter and her hubby know nothing about it. A surprise for them.

It's been a good week!  

Gives you that 'feel-good' factor, eh, Rae Mond?

Funny how typos can change the tense in one fell swoop – good was ggod !!!     

I think you're right !!!!!!!!!!   

  Tonight I was at a community meeting instigated by the Development Trust to initiate interest in ideas for the development of the Glen.  To say it was interesting is an understatement.  It was very well attended but there were of course different opinions on what was needed to boost the community.  As a result we have formed two working parties to look at different ideas.  They should put together reports in about 6 months time.  As a member of the Development Trust, I shall be on both committees – should be very interesting.

Next week there will be a similar meeting in my village to ascertain future development here.  I shall attend the meeting, but will not be on any working parties this time.  Other members of the DT will do it this time.  

I am really busy this week as our annual fete is on Saturday.  As treasurer of the Hall Committee, it is my job to make sure I have all prize and raffle money all sorted out , plus floats for all the stalls etc, etc, etc.   I have a long list of things still to do.    I just hope the weather is kind to us.  People are not so keen on Pipe bands and Highland dancing if they have to watch them in the pouring rain.

Sounds like you could be running the course I'm doing Danuta , after all its all about Development and is based mainly in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Well my achievement today is to get some chutney underway, cucumber, carrot and bean – no idea what it will be like but I had to use them up in something. Also dried peas and basil, pulled up onions so they can dry over the next couple of days, deseeded more cucumbers so that I can keep the seed and processed the flesh to probably be used in yet more chutney and made cucumber and gooseberry jam. Had hoped to do more but the problem was that the gas was turned off for repair works and so I have only had my microwave and slow cookers to work with.

I am in the calm before the storm, weather permitting it might be full on hay cutting, so if I am not on next week it is nothing personal

Today I have managed to finish drying peas and basil, put two loads of washing on and just waiting for the third to come out, weeded round some flowers that do actually exist in my garden, as well as weeding round the strawberries and the leeks (I hate bindweed ). Also sorted out some cucumber seeds as they were all floating on the top of the mixture of seeds and pulp which is not a good sign – good seed sink, bad seed float but really it was the amount of pulp that was the problem. I also picked two bucketfuls of patty squash , I knew I should have got them sooner. Processed some poppy seed heads before they went mouldy (I really need paper bags or maybe fabric bags -hmmm!) and some coriander seeds.

That's enough for one day TA, I should know I used to be a childminder and a children's workers for church conferences and the like