It snowed

I'm back rather sooner than expected with a shorter update for you - dinner is currently sizzling away on top of the kitchen petchka and my stomach is grumbling so I'm going to do what I can before dinner and hopefully not have much left to finish afterwards. One really cool thing is that I have got the record player and amplifier back in business so we were able to put music on last night and can listen to more tonight - I hadn't realised quite how much I missed that. Anyway. Onwards.

Sunday evening

It's a short enough update for me to roughly do it by the days, for old times sake.

A's choice - toast to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar - lovely

Chicken strips with sesame, and A couldn't wait

Lambs' liver - on the menu as "plucks"

Gorgeous grilled vegetables

My choice of the Pork neck

Pork ribs which are superb as well

After I published the blog we went out for our dinner to our favourite restaurant which was lovely. The carpark was absolutely packed, there were even three coaches parked up, and the main hall was full of a function however we got our usual table and ordered a nice varied selection of dishes, all of which were very tasty indeed. We packed up quite a lot of meat to take back for the puppies and they really enjoyed it. We also found out about the new years eve offering down there and we are almost certainly going to get our tickets bought soon.

Monday

Monday was the last day our workman was going to be here before the forecast cold snap. The alarm was still set and it was still a shock to wake up. He is very good and just turns up and gets started at dead on 8am.

This washing did not stay out long

Low clouds obscuring the parents' hotel

Sassy sat on her hutch

Neco asked for a portrait

The chimney has been renewed

The small room is ready to be floored

Carefully covered to protect from snow

A was off into town to get some last bits and pieces before the weather changes and before she went she hung the washing out to dry on the line in the vain hope that it wouldn't rain. I was out there as she drove away pulling it in as the rain started immediately. It did dry well inside on racks next to the fire so not a problem. It was very low cloud and pretty grim all day and rained on and off but never heavily - just that drizzle that is depressing and gets you soaked. Inside Neco was finishing off everything he could of the walls and I think he's managed to get it all done - now he really needs to find a labourer to help with the floors. It's crossed my mind to offer to help myself but we'll see - if he isn't back and the weather warms up I may call him and suggest it. We covered over the var before he left so the snow wouldn't spoil it and then it was pay time and off he went. We had a lovely quiet evening watching CSI, playing with the puppies and relaxing and off to bed where I turned the alarm off with some relief.

Tuesday

And so we get to today and an unexpected awakening as my carefully turned off alarm from the night before turned out to still be on and it woke us up and, as is usual, this time we both were awake and got straight up. Typical.

Not heavy but still falling

Thelma hides under the rocking chair

A warming up after going outside

Thelma wants back in

Rambo and Louise are much happier in the snow

The pear tree in the chicken enclosure

Rambo catches a snow ball in his mouth

The chickens and ducks don't like snow

A large difference since the last update

Trying to get the sewing machine working

Very excited to check out her first baking

A rather impressive loaf

We'd been promised snow and a light dusting greeted us when we got downstairs. It kept falling very lightly for most of the morning. A had worked a bit on Monday to allow us to have today completely off from work and so we had a nice relaxing start to the day, getting the fire going and doing various bits and pieces inside and watching the snow fall. The puppies were not very impressed but Rambo was very pleased as he loves snow and particularly enjoys catching snowballs. The birds had refused to come out while snow was falling heavily but did emerge briefly - they are not fans at all. A got to finally have a go at two new toys today - she baked a loaf of bread in the bread-maker my mum gave us, and also managed to get her new sewing machine operating correctly. We also headed out as we were expecting a delivery from the UK however it has not arrived, though it was due by Saturday. I snapped a picture looking across the front just as a contrast to the one in the previous update - how fast it can change here.

Skillet sizzling on the kitchen petchka

Parsnip and carrot mash, potato and leek mash, and lamb cutlets

Louise grins

So I got to just before writing about today before dinner became ready and I had to take a short break. It was lamb with two different types of mash and it was lovely! Ironically having just sat here and typed about how nice it was to have the music back I almost forgot to put any on this meal but I remembered in time and saved the day. I do love it. After dinner we sat and listened to the remainder of the side and the puppies joined us. Louise really is so dangerously cute and she knows it - if you could bottle that cute you could make a fortune!

What have I been up to?

I've not been back into Room 13 since Sunday - what with Bekir not coming I've not felt the urge and also I've just been wanting to relax a little and have a short break. I'm certain I'll be back to it and finishing what I can, working on the raised beds as well, this week. I did get into the tool room and clean and tidy it out so it's ready for me to do the raised beds wood and I also hoovered the kitchen and cleaned up a bit but mainly I've been, you guessed it, modeling.

Earth colour painted on, and an extra lump of rock emerging

The courtyard has paving slabs scribed onto it

Real twigs used to model trunks supporting the stairs

Stairway carefully glued into place

Nearly completed the inside of the walls

A cut down tree, and shovels in the background

I'm trying to get my town walls diorama finished and so have been focusing on that and not doing any more painting of miniatures. Part of what I was expecting in the most recent delivery is the tool to enable me to make a start on the model railway diorama so I really hope that comes soon. Anyway, I've been practicing lots of techniques and found that while I was rubbish at static grass application with a little effort, a lot of YouTube watching, and some patience I can do it OK. I am really close to finished on this now, just a few little details which I should get completed tomorrow. I am proud of my steps as I really didn't know how they would turn out but particularly like the little detail of the cut down tree and the ditch being dug.

And so there you have it - a nice brief update for you today. Thanks for reading.