Freedom at home

Hubby made marmalade cake again, we both love this moist cake, we have just 1 slice with our morning coffee each day, this time he used triple fruit marmalade, again very tasty. Have you any other recipes Maggie?

Our outside table, we have had for years, hubby stripped it back to tidy it up and match the chairs, sadly one side support for the struts had started to rot underneath, so hubby purchased a new larger square table. This is not the end of the story, the struts have been cut out and are stored in my shed, they will be handy for replacing struts on my greenhouse staging, the legs are stored as well, 4 lovely bits of hardwood, the rest has been chopped up for burning in our chimenea on a cool evening. 

Our new table is much bigger, but we often have more people here for BBQ's, it's darker, but it's just stained, hubby will sand it down and match the seating next spring. We are both pleased with how the decking is looking outside our patio doors, this view we see every time we sit inside. Grace managed to get into the photo, it was taken early morning when it's still cool.

I went on a Clark's shoe sale site and ordered 2 pairs of half price shoes, I was very pleased with myself, but a couple days later I got an email to track my parcel and found they were coming from China, I rechecked the site, it does look authentic, but it was a case of wait and see what they send me. My parcel arrived yesterday and as you can see, they did not send my shoes, I got a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, which when checking the site I visited I find they don't sell. I have requested a refund and a return label, I won't pay to return the glasses as the error is there's. I think I have been caught, oh well expensive lesson to learn.  

We did not go for a walk on Wednesday, it was just far too hot, even for the water front, we avoided the shade as we thought it would be mobbed, the news at 10 o'clock showed beaches here in the south full of day trippers, no social distancing, other places shut roads when car parks were full, loads of angry drivers.  We stayed at home, inside when it was too hot for us, I got loads of knitting done, I've finished my 1st hank of yarn and worked out how long I can make my top, I was asked how I can unpick and start again a question I am often asked, simply if it's not perfect I would only see the mistake and not the lovely top I have made, and that would stop me wearing it. I have always been the same, so starting again is always for me is an easy thing to do. 

Thursday and Friday was much the same, I am always fascinated that we can both spend all morning doing bits and bobs around the garden, keeping busy, when most our jobs are done. I have started removing the slate from my herb bed, and moved the much bigger Rosemary plant nearer the back, I have more to do, but I'm not going mad to get it all done quickly. I am toying with a trip to a garden centre, we have not been in one since early March, but I need a few items, I can't get from shops in the village. 

Daughter visited with Will and George, we stayed inside as it was so hot outside, we kept our distance, George on the rug on the floor, Will ate most of our fruit harvest, he loves all fruit, I had purchased some English strawberries as my plants are new this year and not fully producing. As ever we caught up on everything and everyone. We had a video call and saw baby Dominic and his big brother Jake for the 1st time. It's the simple family things which keep us going.

Today it is raining and much cooler, we got up to 32 on Thursday, I had been watering the garden tubs each day, the rain will top up the water butts as well as giving everywhere a good drink. So another inside day, which is OK, I have plenty of hobbies. It's becoming a typical English summer where it's sunny all week when most people are at work and wet at weekends.