Pay day again

A nice short day at work because I leave off at 2 pm on Fridays, I had to pick 65 bunches of radishes and then all the tomatoes. This took till 11.30 so then I pricked out lettuces till 1 and only had to weed for an hour. When I got home we had a glass of wine and I picked some more runner beans from the garden. We are shopping tomorrow and then out on our bikes, the forecast is looking good, I hope the wind isn't too strong.

Thurs

Work again so I packed my lunch after breakfast but left the washing for H to hang out because it was rather dull when I left. Once again it was the same old thing for me at work, 110 bunches of beetroot, 60 bunches of radishes and 60 bunches of spring onions. All this was done before 2 pm so I spent the rest of the day weeding a bed of spring onions. We had several showers so I was wet and muddy for most of the day. H hung the washing out but had to get it in again because of the showers. We had chicken curry tonight which was very nice. I am working again tomorrow so we will have to wait till Saturday to go shopping. I think I will have to treat us to a nice bottle of wine with all my extra money.

Wednesday

Work today, I had my breakfast, packed my lunch etc. and went to work. Apart from picking 20 bunches of beetroot I had to pick and bunch spring onions all day. I know I did 215 bunches this morning but this afternoon they kept taking them away so I lost count. The day flew by. I have to work again tomorrow so I hope it goes as quickly. We had an easy tea of eggs, mushrooms and chips. H made a loaf of bread and went out on his bike.

Tues

This morning H was expecting a parcel so we had to hang about for it to arrive. I did a load of washing, hung it out, got it dry and got it in again. I picked our first runner beans while I was out there. After his package arrived we changed and went out on our bikes. It's so long since I have been out with H I was really nervous. He was really good and took it steady, ( a bit too steady at times but I said nothing in case I couldn't keep up later )  We had cheese and pickle sandwiches for lunch and for dinner we had steak and onion pie with neh potatoes broard beans and our runner beans. It's work for me again tomorrow.

Monday

It was a busy day at work, 110 bunches of beetroot, 75 bunches of radishes, 250 bunches of spring onions and a flick over the tomatoes just picking the ripest off. I then just spent the last 35 minuites weeding. It was quite muddy underfoot but it was a nice mild day. I had cheese and tomato sandwiches for lunch and we had quiche, mushrooms, potato wedges, grilled tomatoes and courgette for dinner this evening. I had a nice long soak in the bath to ease my aching limbs but I am worn out so I don't suppose I will see much TV tonight.

Sunday

H was going for a long ride today with James and they wanted to leave early to miss a lot of the traffic and be back before the rain we had seen forecast. So he was up at 5 am sorting out bikes and breakfast etc. I asked him to get my mountain bike out for me so I could go for a little ride. When he took it out of the garage my front tyre was as flat as a pancake so he had to quickly sort it out for me. He put another tube in as he didn't have time to find the hole and repair it,it can be done later. They left here at 7 am. I hung out my washing, pulled some rubbish out of the garden, made the bed, took some meat out of the freezer and then I decided, as H had taken so much trouble to make sure I had a bike I thought I had better use it, although I would rather have carried on gardening. First I went to Felthorpe to what we call the crab house, it's a wet fish shop. I like to buy whole crabs and dress them myself which I have done since I was 6 and my dad taught me. However, today they only had dressed ones so I bought just one of them and also a lobster. When I left there I was going for a ride but I thought I had better go home first and put them in the fridge. I then went off again and rode a few more miles. I ended up with 16 miles. H rode 86.8 miles at19.5 MPH. He had earned his lobster sandwich. He had only been home a short while when it began to rain. We had steak, broard beans and new potatoes for dinner and watched the last stage of the Tour de France. Below is a photo of my lobster, it's work again for me tomorrow if it's not too wet to get on the land.

Wet

It began raining yesterday at around midday and when we got up this morning it was still raining. I have a rain measure in the garden and when I checked it later it said we have had 60 mil. which is over 2 inches. My boss will be over the moon. I spent £82.47 in Asda today. It was cool enough to do all my ironing, so that's all done out of the way. This afternoon no1 son came round, he had bought H and I some cycling specs'and they are really nice. H is going to try his out tomorrow. Our daughter in law sent me some plants she has grown and they are lovely, a blue perennial lobelia, a jasmine and two other plants I can't remember the names of. H is cycling with tomorrow with our son in law and they are leaving here at 7.30am. This means he will probably be in bed before 8 this evening. 

Hairdressers

Work again, I had to do 50 bunches of beetroot, 30 bunches of radishes and then pick the tomatoes. While I was picking them the men cleared, tilled and fertilised a bay and planted cucumber plants, so when I finished the tomatoes I had to string up the new plants which took till home time. However, today was my hair appointment ( I go every 8 weeks ) I changed at work and went straight there. When I left off I got fish and chips on the way home for our tea and they were very nice..................

A picture of my hair.

Work

I was feeling alright this morning so I went to work. I took a cheese and cucumber roll for lunch and 2 dry cream crackers for coffee break. Anyway I was fine all day. I had to do 110 bunches of beetroot, 20 bunches of radishes, 70 bunches of spring onions and 24 bunches of carrots. I then spent the rest of the day weeding. Daughter just rang, she has had a catastrophe, her bath drained into the shower,overflowed and brought down her kitchen and hall ceiling. I  to go to work again tomorrow and at 2.15 I have a hairdressers appointment so it will be a long day as I don't expect to be home till around 5 pm.

Wednesday

Today didn't turn out as I expected, I was supposed to go to work and make it my first full week of the year. Well no chance, I woke up just before 3 am with awful stomach pains and spent the rest of the night up with an upset tummy. I hadn't been in bed long because it was after midnight before I went to bed. H put my sunned out in the garden and I spent the first couple of hours laying there sipping water. Later on I began to feel much better so I changed into my shorts and spent the rest of the day clearing up in the garden. It looks so much better already.H made a loaf of bread which smells lovely. All my washing got nice and dry even though it was pretty dull. Our runner beans are doing really well specially when you consider they are just growing in a pot.

Leek planting day

This morning when I got to work, first, I had to pull all the leek plants up from the bed in which they had been drilled.others joined me and we soon had them all boxed up. We then went to another part of the field to plant them again. My boss thought we would be planting them all day today and most of tomorrow but we had the whole lot done by 2.15. He was very disappointed because it means he will be very short of leeks this year. He says it is due to poor germination and the dry weather. I spent the rest of the day training the tomatoes up their strings. It was so hot in the glasshouse. Also, it was very dusty on the back of the planter and when I got home I was filthy. We had a a lasagne from my butchers for dinner so all I had to do was heat it up and add a few peas and beans.

Busy Monday

I put on a load of washing as soon as I got up, had my breakfast, packed my lunch, made the bed, dressed, hung out the washing and went to work. I had to pick 50 bunches of beetroot, 75 bunches of radishes and 200 bunches of spring onions. Then I was sent another list for 10 more bunches of beetroot and 60 more of spring onions. All this took till almost 1 o'clock. I then went weeding till 2.45 when I walked downto the greenhouse to pick the tomatoes which took till hometime. It sure was hot in the greenhouse!! When I got home had a cup of tea, a bath and my evening meal, that's it for me for today, I am just going to veg out in front of the t v for the rest of the evening........................................... A photo of the bit I still have left to weed. You would never know there are parsnips in there.

Missed 2 days!

On Saturday we had our family Bar B Q and a good time was had by all. We got up early and shopped. After Asda ( £128.44 ) we came back home, I dropped H off with the shopping and drove to the butchers where I spent an obscene amount of money on meat. H was out when I came back, on his bike. When he got back he showered and lunched before getting out the B B Q and putting up the wind break because the wind was strong in our garden. Everyone was nice and early apart from our no 1 Grandaughter who was on duty till late ( police) everyone raved about the meat, specially the steaks, they were so tender. The weather was perfect and the wind dropped. No 2 Grandaughter organised charades which was a laugh. I think it all went really well. That night I was so tired and had an awful backache which I often get when standing at the sink for long periods.

Yesterday we spent clearing up and sitting around,my back still ached and I still felt tired. H fixed daughters bike and put a few new bits on, no2 son cleaned his camper van and also went for a run. I baked him some flapjack to take home tomorrow and I also made a ginger cake. I have to go to work this morning I have just had my breakfast and put on a load of washing and the dishwasher so now I have to go and pack my lunch etc. my back still really aches so I had an awful nights sleep again, I haven't been out on my bike for ages and I will be loosing all my fitness. No 2 son is leaving today, he said goodbye to me last night because he will be gone when by the time I get home.  

Pay day again

It was nice at work again, the breeze kept it cool. I picked the tomatoes, 50 bunches of beetroot, 40 bunches of spring onions and 80 bunches of radishes. It only left an hour and a half for me to weed before home time. I was home by 2.15 so I was able to watch the Tour de France. After that we watched a weather forecast and it now says it's going to rain on Sunday!!!! Which is when we were planing our B B Q for. I can't get in touch with no 1 son, I wanted to see if he can change to tomorrow the others can. No 2 son should be home this evening.

Sunny Thursday

Work again,cucumber sandwiches again, bunched beetroot again and weeding again. It was a lovely day though, perfect in the field with with a light breeze. We had salmon for dinner with new potatoes and broard beans. Daughter rang this evening, she swam a mile today in 51 minuites. I got an email from my brother in New Zealand, it's nice to catch up on his news. It's work again tomorrow.

Work Wednesday

I packed my lunch etc.etc. and went to work. I had to do 12 bunches of radishes and 10 of beetroot. Then it was spring onions, 250 altogether, then another 55 radish and weeding.  At 3 pm I had to go to the glasshouse to pick some more tomatoes, winde the cucumbers up their strings, and weed round a few tomato plants before hometime. 

H went for a bike ride with our daughter this morning, they rode 42 miles at 17.2 miles an hour. They are too fast for me !!! I am glad I had to work. I have to work tomorrow and Friday as well so it's shopping on Saturday again. We had a nice tea, sausages, egg,mushrooms,grilled cheesy tomatoes bread and butter and potato wedges. I am feeling stuffed.

 No 2 son rang last night and said he will be home this weekend so we are having the family round for a b b q.

Tuesday

No work for me today so I laid in bed till 6.15!!! After breakfast H went out front and cleaned the car, it looks lovely, just like new and it's over 5 years old now. While he was working on that I tidied up a bit indoors and then,after I had hung a load of washing out I did a bit of digging in the garden. We decided not to go out on our bikes because it was rather dull and we couldn't be bothered. I had a cheque that needed to go into the bank so H ran me into the City and I caught the bus home. I was home again by 10.55 and we didn't leave home till 9.22. I found a dragon that daughter had not found on Sunday so I took a photo and sent it to her. This afternoon no1 son came round on his motor cycle. It was nice because,although we speak to him every week we haven't seen him since our holiday. His work shifts make it awkward. We had lamb chops for dinner with new potatoes and broard beans.

            One of the dragons 

Monday

Work today so I packed a couple of cheese and cucumber rolls, dressed in my old work clothes and off I went. I had to pick 66 bunches of beetroot and then two of us picked 260 bunches of spring onions. I carried on with a bit of weeding after that until I had to walk down the field to meet the others at1.15 to plant cabbages. When they were done there was only an hour left and I spent it picking tomatoes, the first this year.I just had time to fill 3 boxes before it was my time to go home. H had a cup of tea waiting when I came home and I am looking forward to a lazy evening in front of the T V.

Soggy Sunday

I got up the usual time and did all the usual things. Then I made some bread rolls and some date scone bars. They both turned out well. ....... Recipe for date scone bars.

8 oz plain flour 

2 oz butter 

1 oz sugar 

Pinch of salt 

Half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 

I teaspoon cream of tarter

3ozchopped dates and 1/4 pint of milk

Put the flour, bicarb' cream of tartar,salt and butter into a bowl and mix together till it resembles fine breadcrumbs, add sugar and dates. Stir in the milk and turn the dough out onto a floured board and roll into a sausage approx 8 inches long, lay it on an oiled baking tray and then squash it down to about 3/4 of an inch high. Bake in pre heated oven 230 for about 15 mins.

Now I keep a diary and this morning I read what was happening in my house a year ago today. ( this was after I had made my rolls, date scones and taken some pork out of the freezer for dinner tonight ). Well a year ago I made date scones, bread rolls and we had pork for dinner!!! Now you can understand  my blog title " mundane life " etc..... PS the date bars are excellent for freezing.

Sunny Saturday

After I had just finished my blog yesterday I had a text from our grandson who is at Chester uni' to tell us he has got a first overall. We are very proud of him, he is the first one in our family to go to university.  This morning we went to Asda for shopping and as soon as we got home and unpacked we changed into our cycle gear and waited for our Daughter and son in law to come round so we could all go cycling. H and S I L went off and rode 52 miles at 20 miles an hour. D and I did 32&1/2  at 15.8 miles an hour. She rode 9 miles more than me because she biked round to ours and home again as well. She was much faster than me today, I wouldn't keep up with her most of the time so she had to keep waiting for me. On our way round we saw a dead snake on the road and later on a buzzard circling overhead. It was so warm we rode in shorts and t shirts. Bacon sandwiches for lunch and paella for dinner with strawberries and cream for pud.

Pay day

This morning I put on a load of washing, stacked and started the dishwasher, had my slice of toast,packed my lunch, hung out the washing,made the bed and went to work. I had to work in the greenhouse and it sure was hot in there. I had to fill and seed 12 trays, each with 308 seeds. So that is 3,696. I finished them by 10.50 but then I had to de shoot the tomatoes and twist them round their strings. I finally managed to get out of there at 12.25. Then weeding till 2 pm and home. A nice G & T and a wander round the garden but I soon came in because it was too hot.we had steak and onion pie with new potatoes and broard beans both free from work and very nice. I think I am going out on my bike tomorrow with my daughter. I will have to go shopping early.

Thursday

It was work today and it was all the same as yesterday. Radishes, spring onions, beetroot and weeding. The only diference was I took cheese and tomato sandwiches instead of cucumber!!!!! We had some rain there yesterday so there were loads of puddles, we haven't had puddles for ages. We had chicken curry for dinner. Daughter rang to see what time we can cycle on Saturday. I have to work again tomorrow so we will have to shop on Sat. which means we can't bike till 9.15 but H says if he feels as bad as he does today he won't be going at all. I will see how he is tomorrow evening and make a decision then.

Wednesday

Work today so i packed my cucumber sandwiches and my bottle of water and had my breakfast,

( toast ) I did a load of washing but it was raining a bit so I didn't hang it out. I had to do just 5 bunches of radishes 40 bunches of beetroot and 20 bunches of spring onions. Then I had to carry on with onions till coffee break. Another 30 bunches. After break I walked back down the field to where we were planting leeks. We only had enough for 13 and a bit rows so it didn't take very long. I then spent the rest if the day back on the spring onions. On the way home I drove through a real cloud burst, it flooded the road in a matter of minuites. H has been busy in the garden, he dug up my unwanted shrub and cleared the whole corner I wanted him to do and has made a good job of it. We had pizza and salad for tea, and watched the Tour de France. My daughter lost 2 lbs this week at her " fat club " weigh in but her daughter gained 1 1/2  I hope she has better luck next week.

Day out

This morning I got on with a bit of housework and put on a loaf of bread etc.before we got ready to go out. First we went to Wells next the sea, had a walk and then went for lunch. We both had gammon, egg, peas and chips. Then H had sticky toffee pudding and I had chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream. We both also had a cider. After this we were going to Holkcombe Hall estate for a bike ride.

( I forgot to say we had our little folders in the boot ). However the sky was really black towards Holkcombe, which was to the left but to the right the sky was clear so we went to Srerringham instead. We parked in Sherringham Park and cycled off road down to the sea. We crossed the railway line and watched a steam train along the way. We cycled to Sherringham and were so hot H bought us both an ice cream. After we had finished it we stayed on the road and biked back to our car up a huge hill. Our time was very slow because we walked all the way along the Main Street looking in the shops. We just had a cheese and tomato roll and a yogurt for tea. I was still full from lunch.

Monday

I put on a load of washing, had my breakfast, packed my lunch, hung the washing out and went to work.  I had to do loads of beetroot and spring onions and also radishes. I had 2 very short breaks, just long enough to eat a roll. I only had an hour at the end of the day to do a bit of weeding. We had egg, bacon, potatoes, peas and sweetcorn for tea with a buttered roll. No work tomorrow so we might go out somewhere nice. It all depends on the weather and the forecast is not too good.

Fun day Sunday

I have had a great day, i did a load of washing, scrubbed the kitchen floor, finished all my ironing ( really hot ) made some really nice bread rolls, began to chop down a big shrub in the garden, hard boiled some eggs and at 9.50am I cycled along the track to Costessey to meet my Daughter at her allotment. I arrived before her but I could get in so I began to do a bit of weeding. No sooner did I start and so did the rain. D. Then arrived and it poured ( just like last Sunday ) , but it was only her and I this week so instead of standing in the shelter looking at it we just went out and got stuck in. We cleared a nice patch, put canes in for the beans, planted a few greens and then D picked a load of peas and broard beans,also 2 courgette's. It's their first harvest. By this time we were wet through to the skin and I could feel the water trickling down my back and running down the the backs of my legs. D offered to put my bike in her car and run me home but I said I would bike, I couldn't get any wetter and it's only a 20 minuite ride. I had my hair in a long plait today and when I got home I wrung it out!!! H was home from his ride, he could see it was going to rain so cut his ride short and turned for home. He beat the rain and was home in time to get my washing in all nice and dry. As soon as I got back he poured me a drink, ran me a bath and while I was washing my hair he hosed my bike down for me. H ended riding 49 miles but son in law who carried on with the group did 80. He got rained on and there were several punctures  ( when your tyres get wet they pick up small flints that have been washed onto the road from the verdges. ) we had our lunch, my nice rolls with eggs mayo' and salad. We sat and watched the Tour de France till the rain stopped and then I did a bit more clearing up in the garden. We had a roast this evening ( chicken )  H has already gone to bed because he says it's all rubbish on T V. He has taken his Spanish book up with him and is going to read that. It's work for me again tomorrow.

Shopping day

We went to Asda first thing, posting a couple of letters through no 1 sons door on the way past. I spent over £107 on my shopping but I did buy 2 lovely garden pots. When we got home we had a coffee and then got ready to go out on our bikes. It wa s awful, the first half of the ride was alright ( tail wind ) but the second half was dreadful, it was so hot, the wind got up and head wind for 17 miles!!! I had a " dead " arm after 14 miles which I kept shaking it but couldn't get the feeling back and when we got home I almost blacked out twice and had to put my head between my legs. It's the worst I have ever felt on a bike ride. After I recovered I made some buns and a loaf of bread. My washing got nice and dry again. I re potted one of my house plants and then it was time to cook dinner.  We had cheesy tomatoes, cheesy mushrooms, potatoes and quiche with strawberries and cream for pud. The Tour de France started today so as it was so hot outside I sat in and watched a bit of that. Tomorrow H is going on a " club run" so I am meeting our daughter at the allotment to help do a bit of work on that. Our daughter also went out on her bike and came home with a splitting headache which was so bad she had to lie down. I think it must be something to do with the weather.

Pay day

I did a load of washing and also put on the dish washer. I had toast for breakfast and packed my cucumber sandwiches. I hung out the washing, made the bed,dressed and went to work. I had to do another 90 bunches of beetroot, 70 bunches of radishes and 50 bunches of spring onions. It all took till 12.30 so as I leave off at 2.30 on Fridays I didn't get much weeding done. It was hot in the field again. H sat in the sun for most of the day and he is so brown. We had curry for dinner and then I watched my soaps. Below are pictures of my weeding, before and after.

Thursday

I had to work again so I had my breakfast ( toast ) packed my lunch ( salad ) hung out my washing dressed, putting my trousers on over my shorts and went to work. First I had to pick 65 bunches of radishes so I took my thousers off. The radishes took less than an hour and then I had to pick 120 bunches of beetroot. The nettles are over waist high on the beetroot so I had to put my thousers back on. The beet took till 12.45 and by then  the sun had gone in so I sweated in pants, shorts and trousers all day. I pulled the weeds out of the parsnips till 2.30 and then I spent the rest of the day in the greenhouse de shooting the tomatoes and putting them up their strings. Guess what ? I have to work again tomorrow.!! It's ages since I worked a 4 day week. I think it will be my first one this year. We had pork, potatoes, peas and mushrooms for dinner. I had a cool bath rather than a shower because when you work on tomato plants everything gets really green and takes ages to wash off.

Hottest July day on record!!!

Oh my goodness, today was hot in the field. We planted for most of the day so there was no way we could get out of it. I took a salad again for my lunch and it  was pretty warm by 12.30 but I think it's more refreshing than sandwiches. I have to go again tomorrow!! Today it was the Royal Norfolk show. The last time I went it was pretty hot too, but that was several years ago. We had salmon,potatoes, mushrooms and peas for dinner which was nice. H has watered all my pots etc. for me today so I have nothing to do this evening except chill in front of the T V.