Chutney

Today is going to be a struggle; I've eaten a huge meal and done loads during the day and I'm tired. So while I will put effort in, it may not be that obvious.

The view first thing this morning

Last night was a night of good sleep and rest and I woke feeling much more rested than I had been yesterday. I need to amend my alarm call time as I don't really require being up so early now I'm not alone. There was a gorgeous view off the balcony with the fog in the valley over the river and we both went out there with our cameras to capture it.

Growing stuff on the balcony

The lettuce has grown really well and is close to ready to prick out to give space for the main plants to grow. We also already have some signs of life in the seeds planted in the little grow pots. There are three White Radishes, three Turnip, two purple broccoli, three cabbage and no onion. The rain yesterday pretty much waterlogged it but I left it there til later; only when I came back from collecting the men did I pour the excess water away.

More water incursions

When I got into bed last night I saw that despite the tarapaulin, and all the effort we had made to make sure it stayed in place, there had been water seeping through the bedroom window. I couldn't be bothered to get my camera before and when I woke the small water-marks had spread and joined into the one large one on this picture. We could also hear the drip drip drip in the corridor and sure enough there was evidence of such (and a continuation of the dripping) in the morning. Fortunately the storm was not a major one; now we just have to hope that this continues and the next storm is post full roof.

Mist in the valley from the roof

While the kettle was on I headed onto the roof to check out the puddle (it wasn't that bad so I didn't bother clearing it) but I did have my camera so I got another picture of the lovely early morning mist in the valley. Soon I would be driving through that.

Splotches, and a grey grasshopper, on the melon leaves

Before leaving I went out with the washing which we finally managed to get done over night and hung it out while A went in and fed the boys. She had some fun trying to get Rambo to sit and wait to go out but did very well and then, as I was still doing the washing, came and stood with me and I got Rambo laying and waiting for the duration. After this we let them play a bit and then went to have a look at the melons. They are growing really well though some of the leaves have a slight discolouration. I also spotted a pretty grey grasshopper on one of the leaves.

Mist line on the left

And so it was time for me to head off and I did so a little earlier than usual with the camera in hand hoping to get pictures on the way. I was denied by the fact that the fog was actually really thick all along the road and so it was actually cold and damp all the way; I put the heating on in the car! When I got to my usual waiting place however I just emerged from the fog and in front of me I could see the edge quite clearly. I got a picture and after I did the wind blew it across again and the divide was not visible any more; what great timing.

The other side of the ridge

I stopped there for five minutes and cleaned the car a bit, picking up the rubbish that had accumulated in the passenger footwell and then headed round the corner and down to their village. As I turned the corner above their village I stopped again as the view across this valley was also outstanding; you can see the wingmirror of Thomas in this shot as I parked and leaned across to snap through the passenger window. The men were ready and waiting as always and we were heading back quickly after this, with nothing of note to observe about the journey.

Overgrown bushes

For breakfast I used up the last of the Plum and Whisky jam which had been in the metal bowl in the fridge, on toast, and then opened one of the Plum and Apple jam jars. Lovely. It filled the hole and set me up for the strenuous task that I had set myself today. I was going to plant out the Red Orachs into their own bed in the fenced garden. First of all I had to cut back and prune the hedge which was overgrowing where I wanted them to go which I did without any problems, trimming the high branches with the secateurs and then digging out underneath so the shoots which have been growing this year are not in the way.

Cleared and with wooden borders

It was then the task to dig out the whole bed, removing more seedlings all the time, and then get a bucket of gravel, three lengths of wood of the correct dimensions (this took some searching) and then arrange the whole in the usual way. It did not take that long to do this bed; the soil was really loose already and I suppose it is also a pretty small area, but I was pleased again with how it came out.

Orachs planted and looking a little wilty in places

With the soil dug over I carefully moved the plants into the bed which was a little more difficult than I anticipated at first. Most of them went in and looked OK but a couple went quite limp straight away so hopefully they will prove as tough as they did when I put them in pots and recover quickly. I should probably have put them straight into the bed without the pot transition but I wasn't sure what they were or where to put them.

Roots in water, hope they survive

Taking a leaf out of my friends book I saved as many of the saplings that I dug up as I could and put them in a bucket which I then filled with water. My plan is to introduce these around the edge of the land where we want a bit more privacy and I will see how well the survive in the bucket before going to the effort of planting them. They have good sized roots on each one so I am hopeful this will work out.

Two master builders at work

While I was pottering around doing this, and A was having her breakfast, the men were bashing and working away upstairs. Orhan and Mahmet were working to get the cement onto the roof for Bekir and Sally to then use to line the wall and provide a solid base for when the outriggers were attached. Today was a much cooler day and they were taking full advantage of it, working really hard and with much shorter breaks than they have been taking while it has been so baking hot. The slightly cooler (maybe only 27 degrees today) weather is set to remain tomorrow as well but it looks like being warmer again after that.

After this, and aiming to get the chore completed before my work got into the office in the UK, we headed into town to buy supplies for all the chutney and jam making that I am aiming on doing the next couple of days. We made a list but proceeded to leave it on the side however this wasn't a problem as between us we remembered everything and we even bought everything needed, plus some extra stuff like some fans and storage shelving (deliberately) and a Basil plant (by accident) however it was a good trip and A drove there and back and did very well other than beaching Lucy while taking a short cut over some wasteland. It was fine as I just got out the car and without my heavy proportions she got moving again.

And they are still working hard

When we got back we were both starving so cheese and pickle butties, with some crisps thrown in for good measure, went down very well before anything else happened and then I checked out the progress the men were making. They were flying along and I didn't disturb them other than to offer a coffee which only two accepted.

First chutney batch

I was doing paid work and also chopping apples and this went on for most of the afternoon, with me being able to juggle the two things quite effectively. My first chutney was the Apple and Mint recipe and, as I tasted it after putting it into jars, it was absolutely amazing. We got five jars of this and I can't wait to eat it. The smell was overpowering and the fumes from the pan while you were stirring were almost overwhelming but wow how tasty.

It was hard to fit it in the tight hole

Next I tried an Apple and Ginger jam and this was also pretty easy, though I had to collect the pips and cores and put them in a muslin bag for the pectin however this type of bag was the one thing we hadn't been able to get at the shops so a tights style pop sock had to make do. It worked very well other than being quite difficult to get the apple bits inside without spilling them everywhere.

Ralf taking a weight off

With the smaller amount of ingredients the jam only made two jars, though it used up the same amount of apple. It also tasted lovely and I may well make another batch. While I was cooking A was working on her audio typing and I had some music playing quietly and Ralf was totally zonked out in the middle of Room 13 being very lazy indeed.

Overflow storage unit

I thought I had run out of jam jars at this point so I went to check with Bekir to see if the shop in their village sold them and he said they did. After this I had a brainwave however as I had brought some with me from the UK and I found them; this meant that I was able to use up the remaining chopped apples, about 700g, to make more chutney. I used the base recipe for the mint one, but just without the mint, and while it was boiling away I set to and put together one of the two shelving units bought from Kaufland. It wasn't that difficult and as soon as it was up we transferred some of the stuff cluttering Room 13 onto the shelves, including all the jars of jam and chutney that I have made (some still left from the batch in 2012 J will remember) and just before taking the men I was able to jar up the final batch of chutney and add this to the shelf as well. I've got another to make tomorrow and at about £8 each they are a bargain and I may grab another couple if they are still on sale next time I go Kaufland.

Outriggers in place around two of the three sides

I went upstairs to check on the men and met them just coming down so I continued up and got a picture of what they have achieved so far and wow it is a lot. Most of the outriggers are already in place, and this is on top of having to restore the walls around the base and reinforce them with uprights. Mahmet has been helping all day on the roof and while I asked Bekir earlier to get him back on the fence, when me and A took a walk around the land we found that he had made far more progress than I thought so I am actually less worried now than I was; I reckon one more day and he'll have completed that job too.

Current state of the building

And so I took the men but this time caused a stir in their village by going into the shop and buying a load of jam jars. I was accosted by the handicapped lad who lives there who ran over to shake my hand, which was really nice, and he shouted out "goodbye" as I left as well. My journey back was boring as per usual however I got back to the smell of bolognaise being cooked. It was lovely, so nice I went back for seconds but as I was stood serving myself I heard my name being called and it was the Kmet, with the Little Lady, at the gate waving a parcel. I said to A that she should come with to meet the Kmet so we paused the Fawlty Towers that we had been watching and went out. The Kmet had his son with him, which was great to see as the last time I saw him he was just about to go to hospital, and the Granddaughter from next door also came hopping over when she saw us. The parcel was a very exciting one as it contained the emergency aid parcel from my parents of two bottles of Daddies Brown Sauce. As I recognised the packaging I opened it there at the fence and showed them, to their initial confusion.

So it is now time to wrap this up and head for an early night; both of us are tired after today. Tomorrow is market day which we aim to get down to early so I'm really looking forward to that.