Home alone. Mouse-proofing the apple racks. Sunday lunch. A long walk. Torrential rain and glorious sunshine. T-shirt weather, in November.
Into Abergavenny on Tuesday morning to drop Phil off at the train station, do a top up shop and to get my flu jab. Back to 40A for the working week, with VWW and Family Zooms as usual, then back to Abergavenny in the sheeting rain to collect Phil late on Thursday evening. It’s quiet without him.
The walk back from coffee at K’s in Kerrys Gate on Friday morning provided the perfect opportunity for a spot of blackberrying along the lanes.
We were due to have the power off all morning while the electrician replaced the fuse box, installed the lights and the magic switch in the snug, LED lights in the loft plus a timer switch for the fly zapper and a few other things, but an emergency job meant he only had time to do the snug stuff. Still, having a light switch by the door in from the kitchen, without any wiring required, really is magic. Technically, it’s a wireless / kinetic light switch and receiver.
Headed back down towards Kerrys Gate in the afternoon and on round to Riverdale and back along the river. Lovely.
Back home, chopped up some of the small apples from the orchard and got them simmering with the blackberries (and then left them too long so that they burnt the bottom of the pan….) and had just enough time to start to look at car insurance before FaceTiming with S&S.
We decided Friday night pizza should be accompanied by a film but The Dead Don’t Die proved too much horror and not enough (not any) comedy for me so we switched to try out Paris Police 1900.
A very satisfying day Saturday – starting with mouse-proofing the apple racks, which have been relocated to the garage. A good morning’s work courtesy of the 6mm wire mesh, a staple gun and wire snips.
Blackberrying in Thistly Field after lunch to get a replacement supply for tomorrow’s crumble, then restacked the apples into the relocated racks and then pottered in the greenhouse finally potting out the sage cuttings I’ve had growing roots in an old water-filled yoghurt pot, and applying the black, rubber nut & bolt covers dad had left over from Jean’s new greenhouse at the bungalow.
More tiny apple chopping segued into my cooking dinner (noteworthy as it’s not all that common an event) – Chetna Makan’s Black-Eyed Beans and Mushrooms – which we ate watching the first couple of episodes of Happy Valley, often recommended, and now on iPlayer.
It poured with rain overnight and all Sunday morning, with brief patches of blue sky and dry starting around midday. Very handily timed as Dad and Jean came for lunch, and they managed to get into the house with out getting drenched. A lovely lunch – leg of pork plus roast veg, all cooked by Phil. Jean brought a camellia and hydrangea from Dinedor, and some beautiful dahlias.
Washing up done, I spent a lazy late afternoon with the telly – I had completely forgotten that the clocks had gone back overnight and had got up at old time 7.15am / new time 6.15am. So that’s my excuse.
Hallowe’en Doctor Who then another episode of Hip-Hop Evolution. We’ve abandoned Paris Police 1900 and weren’t in the mood for Horrid James Norton / Happy Valley.
Out with the GVWC on Monday to recce next Saturday’s Challenge Walk: Eaton Bishop, Madley, Brampton, Cockyard, Wormbridge, Cobhall, Clehonger (17 miles).
A gorgeous day. I can hardly believe it’s 1st November. I spent most of the day in my t-shirt and got a rosy face. The only flies in the ointment were my Strava phone running out of battery – so only a partial map – and my feet / socks / boots getting absolutely sopping wet courtesy of a waterlogged farm track.
Back home for tea and Tunnocks in the conservatory, then out over Canns Hill to capture sunset over Hatterall Ridge.
TV: Four Hours at The Capitol, Nature and Us: A History through Art, The Dead Don’t Die, Paris Police 1900, Happy Valley, Effie Gray, Doctor Who, Hip-Hop Evolution.
Podcasts: History Extra, The Essay.
Photos: Herefordshire week 96 on Flickr.
Phil: w/e 2021-10-31.