Until we meet again

This is going to be an interesting blog. I have been so busy here and what with one thing or another, I did not get to blog last night and so I am leaving a very short list of points for the Mr to elaborate on for me. Let's see how this pans out, shall we?  Indeed we shall - I'll be adding a few comments in this lovely colour as I go through.

So here we are, last week ( a long time ago) with a couple of shots of the sunset. Never ceases to amaze me how beautiful it is and this is typical of most evenings here.

Sunset

Still setting

The dreaded task of the humanure had to be completed. I hate this part. Cue me feeling a bit bad as really when you introduce humanure it should only ever be the responsibility of the one person to empty the buckets. With only one person there it's something that is required much less often though - which is a relief I think for A.

Humanure

All washed up and before I started work I decided to try and do something productive with the ever growing glut of cherry tomatoes. I chose a simple recipe: cut the tomatoes in half along the centre and douse in olive oil,  and mix in a seasoning of your choice, in my case basil, salt and pepper. You then oven cook on a low heat for around 4 hours. Some turned out a little more cooked that others, but you will get that I suppose.

First batch

Seasoned

Two baking trays - half a kilner jar. Hmmm. May need to fill this up.

Hmmm....half a jar!

I did, later in the week. Same seasoning obviously and hey presto - sun dried tomatoes, dried in the oven, so oven dried tomatoes. I'd love to make a custom dehydrator and do this with the power only of the sun. Maybe next year.

Another batch

There was still a pile of wood to stack and I made a good dent in it on Wednesday. Heavy work and in this heat, you have no choice to go slow!

More stacked

Nearly there 

As always, the puppies were wanting to be involved. They were climbing all over the logs as I tried to put them in the barrow and when I chased them, Thelma arrived back with her toy. So as the dutiful Mama, we played a while.

Still time to play

On Thursday I was working and was very busy, but whilst out doing the watering an (almost) disaster happened.  Rambo, not meaning to, walked over Thelma and stepped on her back paw. She hadn't been looking where she was going either, so a complete accident. The poor puppy yelped and limped off. When I got her upstairs for cuddles, she was limping and holding her paw up, refusing to put it down. I prodded, moved, stretched and had a good general feel and she did not seem in particular pain - she just didn't want to put weight on it at all. Poor Thelma. I did notice some slight, shallow grazing which I assumed to have been caused by Rambo's nails?

Poor puppy paw

Here is our three legged puppy, still running around, bless her.

And so it was to the vets on Friday morning, just to satisfy myself that nothing was broken. He confirmed no fracture after a good examination, followed up with three injections, one anti-inflammatory, one painkiller and I assume, as usual, an antibiotic, just in case of infection.  We were sent off with tablets for the following five days. This was not ideal timing because the following day they were due to go to their new temporary home with our friends. But these things are meant to try us, yes?

Later on Friday I had to go to the shops for last minute bits and pieces for their stay away and decided that I did not want her leg to seize up, if it was a muscular strain, so I bought another ball.  Here they are, Thelma totally unfazed by her "sore paw" which she was still carrying resolutely. After 10-15 minutes of football play, she was running around on the sore paw as if nothing had happened. What a Drama Queen! Still, very good news!

And so to Saturday morning. Dog transportation day.  This was an early start and I was rushing around so much that I took NO photos of the packing and such like (sorry love!).  Rambo jumped into the back of Thomas and lay down on his bed that I was bringing for him and we set off around 7am. I wanted to leave early as it gets so hot and with him in the back and not much in the way of ventilation, I just wanted to do all I can to make it as comfortable as possible. It was 19 degrees when we left, a fairly straightforward journey with one toilet break and we arrived around 10am to 28 degrees. Glad I left early!

It was a quiet day with Chaz and Ivan, settling the pups in, sorting Rambo and where he was going to sleep and stay during the day. There are chains for when he needs to be tied up (front steps) and he sleeps in the inner porch as at home at night.

The pups love it here and they looked relatively settled on what Louise considers to be her new bed!.

New sofa/bed

The day grew warmer and even though they were suffering with no mains water, we were able to use the pool. Even the dogs got involved and tried a bit of surfing!

Look at her!

I tried to get a video of Louise looking surprisingly chilled out on there and as soon as I went for the camera she got a bit too excited, managed to get her paws on the edge of the pool and when she tried to jump off, the inflatable moved away from her and she fell face first into the water. So I had to rescue her, poor puppy. She was not happy!!

Rambo is not allowed in the pool yet, mainly because the water is too low for the skimmers to work and he is still shedding a lot of fur. I think Chaz will give in and let him get in at some point though.  He was very, very good and I was very surprised because he usually runs and jumps into water straight away. He was very good indeed, bless him.

On Sunday morning, later than I wanted, I reluctantly left them all.  I had to stop in the village centre and set up the sat nav and I will admit to having a bit of a cry. I am missing these two so very much and like an over-protective parent, am really worrying that they will be OK and nothing will happen to them, silly,really as they are very much loved where they are.

Miss these two :(

The journey back was long and hot, but relatively easy.  I got back to see the Old School was still standing, always a bonus.

I spent Sunday feeling sorry for myself and trying to get used to no noise, no leg scratching and no puppy cuddles. I was not happy!

Still standing

Before long, another Monday dawned and yet ANOTHER glut of cherry tomatoes. They are still coming as well. This was the last lot I was going to be able to harvest and again, a simple recipe. Tomatoes, garlic (my own from the garden), an onion, basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Slow cooked and blended into a fine homemade pasta sauce.

Tomato glut

With my own garlic

Seasoned

A quick, if messy whizz around the pot with a hand blender and the result, a mere three pots of ragu. Still, it is from our own garden and the satisfaction we get from that is huge.

Ragu

One last push was made yesterday for the completion of Operation Wood Stack and it was a complete success! All of the large pieces which will need to be split or chainsawed are now safely under cover in the garage. What you also cannot really see is that the wheelbarrows and various tools left lying around the land are also safely in here.

To be split

Look at that stack!

Under cover 

All it need now is a brush and clean up. No time for all of that now though, so that can wait!

YAY

Today, I leave for Ireland. I am going to be away for nigh on three weeks, depending on the drive back. The itinerary is, 8 days in Ireland to meet my lovely new nephew, Jack and spend some time with the folks; drive to Sheffield, drive to Birmingham for the Mr's family and then to London for 2 or 3 days to catch up with my own friends. On my birthday, I leave for Belgium and two days/nights there to catch up with Himself.; then it is onward to Bulgaria again. I really hope I don't get lost!

So just to prove it wasn't me, should anything happen. Here is the school, a few minutes ago, all in one piece.

How I left it

Until we meet again....

A xx