Bits and pieces.

I had a bit of a do and it was lovely to see friends and we had so much food!

I tried to say 'I embrace shabby chic' but it came out as 'I embrace shaggy sheep'! Well, this is a towel rail a la shabby chic.

Finally, I managed to get down to a bit of digging! I was beginning to despair and to think that I didn't have it in me to do this gardening lark, but today it wasn't so hot, so after doing stuff in Sao Luis I came home and got swinging that enxada and picking out the creeping coutch  grass and pulling out the cherry tomato plants. They were prolific but I got bored with them! I have bottled some, but they are better to eat raw and I couldn't eat them all.

I have made chutney and other kinds of bottled vege. It's a good thing to do when it is too hot to be outside. I have also made some face cream and am going to make some soap when I can remember to bring the scales up from my house in Sao Luis.  The other day I made some laundry detergent which works fine and costs about 3€ for 20 litres. If you want the recipe just ask.

It has been a bit boring without R. I don't feel inspired to cook anything and am eating far to much chocolate!

I have white washed the house. It is so quick and so economical and it is good for the walls. None of that plastic paint for me.... I hope it will help to dispel the rain when it comes horizontally with the wind on our hill top.

Soon it will be time to order more firewood. I hope that my improvements on the woodburner will make a difference. Fire bricks and clay.

The chestnut trees are full of big bristly balls. Looks like a bumper crop in November.

The black hen is sitting on eggs, again. Let's hope it works this time, and that the saco rabo can keep his paws off.