Hair day

We went shopping and before we went I did a load of washing, put on a loaf of bread and had my breakfast. Before we left the first load of washing finished so I stripped my bed and put on a second load. We then left and were home again by 8.10. We had a coffee and I hung out all the washing and then did a bit of gardening. We had cheese on toast for lunch and then this afternoon I had to go to the hairdressers. Because I knew I wouldn't be back till around 4.30 I cheated with dinner, I bought an Asda ' meal deal ' it's like M & S but there is not as much choice. However it was very nice. We had slow cooked coq au vin with dauphinoise potatoes, to which I added peas, Sicilian lemon cheesecake for pud and a bottle of white wine. I must say it was really lovely. 

Today I got my first new £5 note. 

Pay day

It was cooler at work today but we didn't get a lot of rain. I had to pick 80 bunches of beetroot and 26 bunches of golden ones. Then it was on to the onions to do 40 bunches of them. After that I went back to the yard and picked tomatoes till lunch time. Then it was back to the top of the field for 84 bunches of carrots, 12 purple bunches and 3 boxes of loose ones. It didn't take long because the boss sent Andy to dig them up for me which meant I also got a lift there and back. I spent the rest of the day back on the tomatoes. When I got home I had a nice cup of tea and our daughter rang. We have arranged to go out together on our mountain bikes on Saturday so that will be nice. I had banana sandwiches for my lunch and for dinner tonight we had giant duck eggs on toast, 2 each, they were really lovely. No work for me tomorrow so we will be shopping.

Wednesday

I had to pick onions first 102 bunches then I walked to the leek bed to trim leeks. I did 9 boxes before Andy came to move me onto carrots. 60 bunches of carrots and poor old Andy had to fork them all up and the ground is so hard we could hardly get the fork in. I then had a lift down to the greenhouse to finish the day picking tomatoes. I only had time to pick 2 boxes so I expect I will be back in there tomorrow. I had meat sandwiches for lunch with one of my apples and for dinner tonight we had chicken curry. H had his weekly Spanish lesson today and his teacher sent me a carrot cake. I had a huge slice when I got home and it's very nice, I will be able to take a slice to work tomorrow.

Day off

I have had a nice day. First I didn't get up till 6.30 so a nice lie in. I put on a load of washing and vacuumed all upstairs, had my breakfast and hung out the washing. We then had a cup of coffee and H got my mountain bike out of the garage for me and watered the grass seed on the front lawn which is now sprouting nicely. We each had a banana and got ready to go out on our bikes. It was a lovely ride, 32.92 miles almost all off road. When we came back we had a buttered crumpet and a soup in a cup. We also had an apple. ( we went scrumping while we were out) . It's a tree in a wood that we go to each year. I have just added my and H's ages up and it's 155,soon to be 156 so you are never too old to go scrumping. We felt like naughty kids. We had a bath and then I cooked dinner pork and apple burgers and sausages from our butcher fried eggs and tomatoes with chips it was really yummy and I love the way there is no shrinkage with the burgers and no fat in the pan. No 2 son rang last evening, he had a great weekend away, climbing. He said he will come home the weekend after next but we have just realised we have my brother and his wife coming to dinner so we hope son can change his plans because it will spoil our weekend with him if I am busy cooking and unable to go out. We planned to go to Sheringham next time he is home to look at all the wall paintings and then have fish and chips.

Monday

Spring onions first, 160 bunches then just 15 bunches of beetroot. After that I had to do 2 bunches of purple carrots and 32 bunches of normal carrots. Then I went weeding till 2 pm when I had to walk over to the squash bed and cut loads of boxes of them, I did several boxes fo each sort, butternut, onion, harlequin, crown prince, spaghetti and some yellow and green long stripy ones, I don't know their name. I forgot to get anything out of the freezer for dinner tonight so we had to have pizza that I could cook from frozen, with chips and tomatoes.i don't have to work again till Wednesday so we can lay in tomorrow, bonus. 

Sunday

Not much to write about today. Did a load of washing, got it dry. Collected 134 slugs and snails, dusted throughout cleaned the basins etc. and had a fried egg sandwich for lunch. We watched the cycle race in Belgum, it was pouring with rain and loads fell off. I made a cottage pie for dinner which was nice and now I am going to watch tv. The good news is, my knee is still alright.

Saturday

We were at the Doctors this morning by 8.25 for our flu' jabs. We were one of the first couples to be called in and were home again by 8.40. We had a coffee and I hung out my washing, H took our mountain bikes out of the garage ready for our ride. He also got his paint out of the garage so he can carry on with his painting of doors on the landing. There are 6 doors, 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom and the airing cupboard. He is painting goth sides so that's equal to 12 doors, so the one he is doing at the moment is 5 down and7 to go. At 10 am we got ready to go out on our bikes. I must say I was dreading it because I haven't been out for 3 weeks because I have had such a bad knee. Well we walked round to the car park at the back of us and offH went, I followed and on my 3 rd push on the pedal with my bad leg I got this searing pain!!! I thought well that's it, there is no way I can ride but there was no sign of H who had gone bombing off expecting me to follow him. Well I thought I had better try to find him even if I had to pedal with one leg. I slowly set off and found that my knee seemed fine and to cut a long story short it is cured!! I think there must have been something slightly out of place and the push on the pedal popped it back. We rode over 23 miles and it's fine I have been wearing a support on my knee for the last 5 days and now I don't need it. We had a shower and our lunch ( corned beef sandwiches and a slice of pineapple.) For dinner tonight we have got Cornish pasties with veg. and apple pie and custard for pudding. I am so happy, I thought I might never be able to cycle again but I can.

Day off

We went shopping first thing and after we had unpacked, had a coffee and I had read my tele' magazine,H went out and cleaned the car. When he had done we both spent some time in the front garden doing a big tidy up. Our neighbours went off in their caravan on Thursday morning so we could get stuck in without stopping to make small talk. It all looks much better. I got all my washing dry again and did quite a bit of clearing up inside as well. At 12.30 we popped down to the Marsham Arms for a coffee and I booked a table for the 18 th of November at 7 pm for 12 people. I went in while H sat in the sun on the patio and waited for me to get the coffees. When I came out he asked me if I had booked it and I said yes for ten people. H said ' no its 12 people' so I counted them up on my fingers and said see it is 10 only for him to point out that I had omitted to add him and myself!!! I went straight back in and changed it. This afternoon we watched a cycle race and opened a bottle of wine. We had a nice dinner of beef in ale with a Welsh rearbit and mustard topping. Potatoes and mushrooms. We had English strawberries and cream for pudding but it will be our last this year, they are not at their best any more but it has been a nice long season. 

Thursday

It was ok at work today, I picked tomatoes till 10 am then I had to pick 50 bunches of beetroot and 12 bunches or golden ones. After that it was 48 bunches of carrots and Andy joined me to pick 3 boxes of loose ones. We went down for lunch after which I was back in the greenhouse for more tomatoes. I thought I was in there for the rest of the day but at 3 pm Andy was back to take me to leeks and we finished trimming the first bed of early ones. We then washed and packed them and it was my home time. We had fish for dinner with cauliflower and mashed potatoes with leek and cheese mixed in, it was nice. No work for me tomorrow so we will be able to go shopping and on Saturday we have our flu' jabs to look forward too.

Wednesday

Today I didn't go to work because H had a hospital appointment to get the results of some tests he had ages ago. (His appointments kept getting cancelled ). Well he has had every test under the sun and there is nothing wrong with him. ( but he still gets stomach ache and bloating.) when we got back home he went straight off to his Spanish lesson and I blanched 11 corn on the cob I was given at work, collected 224 slugs and snails, took 2 steaks out of the freezer for tonight's dinner and made a loaf of bread. As soon as he got back, off we went again round to see our daughter in law and give her her birthday card and present. Our son was there too because he has 3 days off, so we saw him too, bonus. When we came home again we had cheese and biscuits with a cup of coffee. Our daughter rang to see how her dad got on and she and I had a long chat. Last evening  no 2 son rang, he had been on a climbing weekend and had a great time. Our steak was so tender and we had it with wedges and tomatoes. 

Tuesday

Today I went to work with my knee strapped up and I think it helped. Mind you I told the boss about it today so I did get lots of lifts on the tractor from one job to the next. First I had to pick 200 bunches of onions, I got a bit of help every now and again. Next it was 60 bunches of carrots and 40 bunches of beetroot. We then went to the yard to wash and pack everything. It only left me a little time to cut and box squashes. I took banana sandwiches for lunch and for dinner tonight we had broccoli carrot leek potatoes and chicken pie with gravy. I have got tomorrow off because H has to go to hospital for some results from some previous tests and I want to go with him.

Monday

Work was o k. I had to pick 40 bunches of beetroot, 24 bunches of carrots and then 90 bunches of onions. After that I picked 35 more bunches of onions, 10 bunches of carrots and 4 bunches of purple ones. Then I was taken down to the yard to help wash and pack everything. We had our lunch after which I had to trim leeks till almost the end of the day,I just had time to wash and pack the leeks I had trimmed before coming home. We had fish chips and peas for dinner which were nice. I have to work again tomorrow and have already  been told I need at least 200 bunches of Spring onions.

Sunday

After breakfast and coffee I went outside into the garden to do a bit of work. I began to cut round the bricks that edge our back lawn. At 10.30 I had to have a break to drive to the garden centre because H didn't have enough seed to cover the front lawn. When I came back I just waited a few minutes for a loaf we were baking to finish so I could put it on a cooling rack and then I worked in the garden again till H called me in for lunch.( dippy eggs ). I went straight back out and finally finished at 4.40 pm. When I came in I had a shower and when I went down a glass of wine was waiting for me. Then it was time for dinner and, would you believe we had pizza for our Sunday meal. It was lovely and took no time at all to heat up. I bought it yesterday from M& S.we had s slice of pineapple and a biscuit for pud. H spread the rest of the seed over the front and gave it a light spray of water to get it started. We finished our bottle of wine and now I will watch ' Countryfile '.

Saturday

I've had a nice day. We did our weekly shop first thing, came home, had a coffee and then H ran me into the City so I could do a bit of shopping. I bought our daughter in laws birthday present and card, 2 large tubs of peanut butter, a pair of specs for H and a pair for myself. I went into the bank to sort my money out and treated H to a bag of peanut sweets. I caught the bus home and when I arrived back I found H had taken all our front grass off the front lawn.! It was a terrible mess and he has made such a good job of it. The problem was we had an enormous heap of rubbish stuck in front of the house so after a lunch of crumpets and pineapple we went to the garden centre to buy a wheelbarrow. It's the first one we have ever had, we have managed 56 years of marriage barrow less. I went with him and I treated myself to a plant. When we got back we put the barrow together ( it was a flat pack ) and he went straight out and barrowed all the rubbish round to the back and dumped it on the patio to rot down so we can spread it over the garden. We had paella and potato wedges for dinner with strawberries and cream for pud.  

A PS from yesterday.

I forgot to mention the best bit of the day!! When I got home from work all wet through and chilly, joy of joys I found that H had done all the ironing for me, it's my most hated thing. I really couldn't believe it, I was so happy. It has made my week.

Friday

I went to work in the wet but it was still warm. I had to pick and bunch 90 bunches of beetroot,60 purple and 30 golden. Then I had to pick tomatoes till I left off. I only worked until 12 because I had a hairdressers appointment at 2 and I was wet and filthy so went home for a shower and to change. When I got to the hairdressers she asked if I wanted the same colour, yes please, so she went out back to mix it, I wondered what was taking so long when she came back only to tell me she had made a massive mistake and mixed the wrong colours and then couldn't remix it because she had used all the base colour. So I had to make another appointment and I will have to go again. We had a cheese and mushroom omelette for tea but we had already had cakes and wine to get over all the hassle of the hairdressers. 

Thursday

My daughter just sent me a text saying she had been so busy and still has to walk the dog so she will ring me tomorrow.( she always rings for a Chat  on Thursdays ) well that was a shock for me! All day I thought it was Wednesday!!! I went to work and had to pick 45 bunches of beetroot first and I golden one. Next it was 50 bunches of carrots and 2 purple ones. The second order was 120 more bunches of carrots and 30 purple ones, then 60 Spring onions. Third order was 10 more bunches of purple carrots and 2 really full boxes of loose carrots. I then went down to the yard and helped to wash and pack it all. All this only left half an hour and I had to cut squashes. I managed to do 10 boxes before hometime. We had a bath and I washed my hair. For dinner we had cod, a jacket potato and baked beans. This is the dog my daughter has to walk, lucky her.

Wednesday

A sweltering day at work. It was 19 degrees when I arrived at 8 o'clock and 31.5 degrees when I left off at 4. It has completely drained me. I had to pick 3 boxes of tomatoes first which took an hour and then Spring onions till12.30 when the boss said I could go down for my lunch and get out of the heat for 15 minuites. After that I spent the rest of the day picking runner beans.! Nightmare! I am allergic to them and if I brush up against the leaves I come up in a horrible blister type rash, so I had to cover up completely and it was soooooo hot. The plants are around 8 feet tall so there was no breeze able to get in. We had pizza for tea with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. I have to go again tomorrow and it's going to be just as hot.

Tuesday

Lazy day, a bit of reading, a bit of gardening, a bit of tele, that's it.

Monday

Well, this morning I overslept !! H came in and woke me up at 6.20 and he was only just awake himself. I did a load of washing but it wasn't finished before I left for work so H had to hang it out. I had a slice of toast and a cup of tea, packed my lunch and went to work. I had to pick a box of runner beans first then 20 bunches of beetroot. After that I had to cut broccoli and pack cabbages, then it was on to carrots for  48 bunches and finally Spring onions. When we had finished those we all went down to wash and pack everything so it could be delivered. We had our lunch and then it was back up to the top of the field for 40 more bunches of onions, 2 bunches of purple carrots 10 more bunches of beetroot and the last hour and a bit was spent weeding. It was really much too hot to be stuck in the middle of a field and was still 27.5 when I got home. When I got home I had my cup of tea and a bath before dinner. Neither of us were hungry so we ended up just having a fried egg and fried tomatoes with a slice of bread and butter. I have tomorrow off but I bet I won't be lucky enough to sleep in.!

Sunday

I had a nice day. It was the usual start to the day, a washing load, a dishwasher load, a pot of tea, a slice of toast, a cup of coffee and a sit in front of the tele' till we were all up and about. Then hanging out the washing and a bit of housework till it was time to go out with S to meet my daughter, son in law, Grandaughter and her friend at Whittlingham park for a walk round the lake with the new puppy, Macey. The weather was perfect and it was a lovely walk. When we got back home I quickly got lunch and sat in the garden in the sun for a while before it was time to prepare dinner. We had roast chicken, sausages, roast and mashed potatoes, carrots ,Romanesque batter puds and gravy. I feel stuffed !! 

Saturday

Because I felt so worn out yesterday I have had a lazy day today. I laid in till 6.10 when I went down, put on a small load of washing and had a slice of toast and butter for my breakfast. Then I put on a mix for a loaf of bread and we had a coffee. We then sat and watched a really old film while we were waiting for our son to get up.  For lunch H had a bacon sandwich and son and I had a salad. After that S and I played our 3 games of crib, he won the first, I won the second but then S beat me in the third by one hole, it was really great fun. He then went to the climbing centre for 3 hours. When he got back we had a cup of tea and while he was in the shower I cooked dinner. Sirloin steaks. Sweet potato wedges.( ordinary spuds for H ) carrots and mushrooms. It was melon for pud but I must say it didn't have a lot of flavour. 

Friday

First we went for our weekly shop and then straight on to our butchers. When we came back we had a coffee and I read my new tv magazine.( I always like to know what is going to happen in my soaps because 9 times out of 10 I fall asleep and miss them.) When I had finished we changed to go out on our bikes. We decided to go for a road ride for a change. I don't think it was a good idea, it was so windy and it was too far for me as well. We rode 38 and a bit miles and I had had enough by 30 miles so the last 8 miles were a nightmare, both my hands and feet were dead and when the feeling came back it really hurt, my back was also painful and I have a sore b t m. We had cheese and biscuits for lunch and for our evening meal lasagne with grilled tomatoes and a huge mug of tea. No 2 son is coming home this evening so we are looking forward to that.

Thursday

It was another busy day at work and hot in the sun. I had to pick 4 boxes of runner beans first then tomatoes. It was really hot in the greenhouse!! I took a salad for my lunch and after I had eaten it the boss said I didn't have to pick any more tomatoes and I had to go with Andy to harvest more things. First we had to pick 2 bunches of purple carrots and 12 orange ones. Then 20 Spring onions, 1 bunch of golden beetroot, 8 fennel,12 beetroot and 4 boxes of leeks. ( so my blister hurts. ) it was 3.20 when we had done that lot so we just had time to wash and pack everything before it was time for me to go home.    I forgot to take anything out of the freezer this morning for dinner tonight so we had to have a make do meal. We had potato wedges, a fried egg, some fried tomatoes and some cod in breadcrumbs that could be cooked from frozen. Anyway it turned out well and we enjoyed it. Tomorrow I have got the day off so we will go shopping.

Wednesday

At work today I had to go first to carrots and pick 2 bunches of purple ones and then 60 bunches of orange ones. Then it was 225 bunches of Spring onions. They took ages to do and my list was much longer but by the time I had finished the onions I only had time to pick 36 bunches of purple beetroot and 1 bunch of golden ones. I was also supposed to do runner beans and start on the tomatoes but it was home time so they will have to wait until tomorrow. We had smoked haddock for dinner tonight with jacket potatoes and grilled tomatoes. My washing all got dry again even though it was really dull and we had a bit of drizzle this morning. I have to go to work again tomorrow but I am hoping to get Friday off.

Tuesday

It's been a good day, I did my usual load of washing and hung it out, we had our breakfast and I read a couple of chapters of my book while drinking my coffee. We then got ready to go out on our mountain bikes. We went to Aylsham and back and it was a lovely ride. On the way back we stopped at Whitwell  station for a cup of coffee and something to eat. We both had an espresso and a slice of blackberry and red currant tart, it was nice. When we got home we were still hungry so we had a fried egg sandwich and a cup of coffee. The ride is 32 and a bit miles long and most of it is off road so it's good excersize. I got the washing in, all nice and dry again,then did nothing else till it is time for me to cook dinner. We are going to have cod in parsley sauce with broccoli, potatoes, courgette's and runner beans. There was a tree down across the track this morning.

Monday

I had my slice of toast for breakfast, packed 2 beetroot sandwiches for my lunch with my bottle of water and went to work. I had to pick 4 bunches of purple carrots and 60 bunches of orange ones. Then I moved onto beetroot for 20 bunches of them. After that it was down to the runner beans for a couple of boxes of them and finally to leeks. Andrew was already there and had pulled me some piles up to trim. We had to have 6 boxes so we trimmed 3 boxes each. It's the first time I have done any great amount of leeks this season and I have got a nasty blister at the base of my forefinger. For dinner we had a chicken curry which was nice. I have got the day off tomorrow so I am looking forward to that. I forgot to say I finished all my jobs by lunch time and had to weed all afternoon.

Sun

It's been a nice lazy day for me. We both got up just after 6 am and while I was putting on a load of washing H put on the dishwasher, the kettle and made a pot of tea. We had our breakfast and then a coffee. I hung out the washing, vacuumed upstairs, cleaned the kitchen and downstairs loo before doing a bit of baking. I made H some of his favourite shortcakes and also a ' boiled ' cake which has turned out well and tastes lovely. I had to try a bit just to make sure it was ok before I gave a slice to anybody else. We had cheese and beetroot sandwiches for lunch then I worked for a while in the garden. I came inside when it was time for the tour of Britain. For dinner we had a burger, a sausage, some fried tomatoes, 2 eggs and a slice of bread and butter. For pud we each had a little lemon cheesecake.  It's work for me tomorrow.

Saturday

We were up at 6.15, had our breakfast, put on a load of washing and a loaf of bread, then we went for our weekly shop. When we got back and had unpacked we had a cup of coffee, I read my new tv magazine and we got ready to go out on our mountain bikes. We had to wait awhile until the loaf was done so I hung out the washing and did a bit of clearing up. We did our usual ride and it was lovely, I enjoyed every minuite of it. When we came back we had kipper fillets with a slice of bread and butter for lunch and a slice of pineapple plus another cup of coffee. In the afternoon we watched the Vuelta with a glass of wine and for dinner we had duck ( again ) potatoes with rosemary and garlic and white kidney beans, strawberries and cream for pud. We had a cup of tea and finished the bottle of wine. 

Friday

I went to work with a headache but it soon went when I was out in the fresh air. I had to pick 12 bunches of golden beetroot and 50 bunches of purple ones. After that I spent the rest of the day picking tomatoes. I got 4 trays of large red ones and 9 trays of little sungold ones. I didn't have time to finish them, there are 2 full rows left to pick. We had quiche for dinner this evening with potato wedges and tomatoes topped with cheese.

Thursday

Really busy again today ! 40 bunches of beetroot first, then 50 of onions. Coffee break and back to work, 84 bunches of carrots and I had to dig them all up, I also had to dig up the24 bunches of purple carrots. It was lunch time then and after that I had to pick another 70 bunches of Spring onions which only left me an hour to work, I was supposed to pick tomatoes but the boss said it was too hot in the glasshouse so I had to weed for an hour instead. Now I have to pick them all tomorrow. We had steak and kidney pie for dinner with broccoli, cabbage new potatoes and gravy. Our daughter went to Blickling hall today and took the new little puppy for a walk , Macy, she is so cute. When they got back home she was worn out. Here is a picture of her in her bed. H says her bed looks a bit big but I think she will grow into it.