welsh hills again

Did I tell you we bought a Landrover?  There is a justification for a four by four vehicle up here on our hill and we also need something from time that will tow the trailer.  I test drove one (not a new one, an oldish one!) to establish that I was happy to drive it, we bought it and then very conspicuously I did not drive it at all.  I am not generally a driving wimp.  I happily drive on motorways and up and down the country and in all sorts of weather conditions.  So why wasn't I driving it?  I think I was just a little bit nervous that I would meet someone coming up our single track steep hill and, instead of merrily reversing up hill, down hill or around the corners,  as I do in the cars, I would make an idiot of myself.  But Ian is away working at our son's house in Manchester today so I had the Landy and, without anyone to watch me, it was time to have a go.  And it was totally fine, although I did not have to reverse downhill around a ...

Last night younger daughter arrived with her best friends and their fourteen  month old little girl.  Today Karen from An Artist's Garden was coming for lunch so this morning I set to work in the kitchen. Yesterday I had produced two lemon drizzle cakes, one perfect, the other with a surprising hole in the middle.  However we agreed that this was fine as you could persuade yourself you were not eating yet another slice of cake but a bit more hole, with cake surround. Today has been a day for making Somerset Apple Cake, carrot and coriander soup and now a beef casserole with a cheesy scone topping. There was a small break there for going away and eating. I love being able to produce good food from the contents of my fridge and store cupboard.   I love the fact that there is always enough in stock to know that I can turn out something good.  I would hate not to be able to cook.  Of all the skills I have acquired as an adult I think cooking and dr...

Beautiful morning, coldish but bright and clear.  Builders working on the roof. Today is a bit of timetabled day!  Having already done the usual morning round of laundry, chickens, washing up it looks like this: 10.00am Take cottage guest to station 10.40 - 12.15ish  Drive to Manchester to have lunch with parents who are up visiting a friend. 12.30 - 2.20  Lunch, chat. 2.20 - 3.00 Drive my mother to the hospital so we can both visit my father in law who has been having a rather bumpy time of it. 3.00 - 4.00 Visit! 4.00 - 4.45 Take my mother back to her friend's house. 4.45 - 5.30 Drive to daughter in law's house to lend her my sewing machine and say hello to older grandson. 6.00 - 7.30 Drive home All this driving is not doing much for my carbon footprint.  Maybe I'll plant a tree! Actually went back to hospital for the first hour of visiting in the evening to keep him company until our older son arrived for a visit, so back about 9.00 pm....