Frost. Fog. Stollen. Greenhouse construction parts 6 & 7 – now with added glass.
I clocked up some TOIL time at work this week, working Tuesday and Friday mornings. Had my appraisal on Thursday. “Glowing”.
A chilly night Wednesday gave way to a cold and frosty Thursday morning, with a streaky sunrise over Garway. Gorgeous, so we went for a pre-work stroll over to Thistly Field and back for photos.
The fog rose up from the valleys and over our ridge overnight, settling in for what turned out to be a few days. And Friday was cold too, so I broke out the fatballs for the birds.
Phil and I headed back to Thistly Field for a walk after lunch – and more photos – doing the loop back via Wellfield. The dad we’d met out on Tremorithic Road last Sunday drove by and stopped for a chat. Lovely.
Following the fatball logic, Phil and I broke open the Mini Stollen at teatime.
Saturday was fog bound from the start, and I felt ropey with a tension headache that lasted most of the day. (No, I don’t think it was penance for Starting the Stollen before the Festive Season officially starts.)
Still, that didn’t stop me making three and a half jars of grapefruit marmalade in the afternoon. That made up for a slightly frustrating morning trying to turn my Forty Acres 2020 blogposts into a Blurb Book.
Leaving the marmalade setting in the conservatory, I finished off Lost Acre sat in front of the log stove, and discovered that getting cold fingers and feet during the morning meant a return of my chilblains.
Sunday morning and lunchtime were spent working on the greenhouse construction, getting almost all the glass in, which was very satisfying.
Over a late lunch, we’d also spotted two Long Tailed Tits visiting the bird feeders. Magic! Then, in what was left of the afternoon, I did the Cockyard walk enveloped in fog. Enjoyable all the same. And I pulled the barbed wire out of the hedge / style into Thistly Field.
Tasty Hot Pot for tea, with more of The Good Lord Bird (not gripped).
Monday, the fog had finally – FINALLY – disappeared.
More greenhouse in the morning. Got all the glazing done plus we discovered a box with all the drainpipe kit in. A water butt is planned… Still got to build the “staging” (or shelving, I’d call it) that goes inside.
Afternoon: Bacton backwards, then bramble snipping, barbed wire winding and some hauling of big branches of brash to the bonfire.
Evening: Caught up with Hazel and Helen over Zoom. It was St Andrews Day after all.
In COVID news, we’re in Tier 2 from Wednesday/Thursday (confusion reigns as to when, precisely). I’d be more aggrieved, except that there are only 3 places in Tier 1… and two of those are Islands.
Telly: DNA (a great final episode), Intelligence (for light relief), Educating Greater Manchester(the big reveal), 12 Puppies & Us (who knew there were so many different types of Spaniels?), Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge (we both now REALLY want a pint) and The Good Lord Bird (still not gripped).
Podcasts: more History Extra episodes plus some Shedunnits.
Photos: Herefordshire week 48 on Flickr.
Phil: Weeknotes for w/e 2020-11-29.