September 30th

Louisa Harding Hand Dyed Grace

The Louisa Harding Grace arrived today and it was worth the wait. It is gorgeous – so silky and such pretty colors!

I had a disaster in the kitchen this afternoon. I was making a bolognaise sauce for dinner this evening and all was going well. The bacon and onions were fried, the minced beef was added along with chopped tomato and garlic and red wine.  I put the lid on the casserole dish and left it to simmer. At least, that is what I intended to do!   In fact I had left the heat on high and when I went back to the kitchen some 40 minutes later, it was filled with steam and a smell of burning!!  I managed to rescue the top layer which had not burnt.  However, John remarked that it had a funny taste when he ate it!

Slip is not writing tonight as she is tired and has been a bad dog chasing pheasants and also touching the electric fence and getting a shock!  She will be back tomorrow.

September 29th

Today I woke up with a hamster face again – my saliva gland is blocked for the second time in a week.  I have been sucking lemons like crazy and it has gone down a little but is not right. I have an appointment to see the Doctor tomorrow afternoon if it is not better.  It hurts a lot especially when I open my mouth. And I have cracks in the corners of my lips and so sucking the lemons is pretty painful too.

No hand dyed Grace yet – maybe tomorrow!  I am having my hair cut in the morning – first appointment so that I do not get caught up in the delays that seem to increase as the day goes on.  Then we are going to the sea to get some shrimps and other shellfish – well, we will go if my face is not too bad.  Slip will come with us, she likes motoring!  Back tomorrow.

September 28th

Lots of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan at $3 a ball.

We went to the Catherine Wheel for a meal last night. I liked the actual building very much as it was light and airy – wooden floors, glass bar, subtle lighting and so on.  We had a drink at the bar – the wine glasses were like goldfish bowls, far too big in my opinion.  Then we went through to the dining area.  I had battered squid with a baby leaf salad and a tomato and chilli dressing to start with.  John had tiger prawns with rice and a salad with ceasar dressing.  The portions were large. For the main course I had supreme of chicken on a bed of leeks and celery and John had overn baked haddock in a shrimp sauce.  We each had a portion of french fries too.  I could not eat all my chicken – there was so much  – and so I managed to smuggle some into my handbag for Slip!  Also, one portion of chips would have been plenty for both of us.  One thing I did not like about the dining area was that it sounded hollow and when you put your knife and fork down it resounded with a loud twang.   All in all, it was good value and the food was well presented and fresh.
Today I cooked pork chops followed by rapberried mixed into a raspberry fool and fresh cream – diet next week!
I hope my Louisa Harding hand dyed Grace will come tomorrow. Back then.

September 26th

Unreleased KSH in Daffodil

Hmm.  My Louisa Harding hand dyed Grace did not come but the unreleased Kidsilk Haze in Daffodil did and it is gorgeous!  I also received a new Rowan book with designs for the plus sized person, I will put it in my shop tomorrow. Also I have most colors of Rowan Cocoonback in stock and KSH in Trance. I have also listed some discontinued shades of Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere and Baby Cashmerino in the Special Offers department.

Nothing much else to report – tomorrow we are going out to dinner at the Catherine Wheel which is about five miles again.  It is a newly built pub ( the former one was burned to the ground in a fire) and is all glass and steel! I will post a report on Sunday.

We are going to take Slip for a walk now and pick blackberries which I shall make into a pie for Sunday lunch.  Back tomorrow!

September 25

Louisa Harding Hand Dyed Grace

At last the Louisa Harding hand dyed Grace has arrived and mine will be with me tomorrow. 

Today I went grocery shopping and to the bank, came home and did a load of washing.  We then finished the needle inventory with John eating most of the Addi sweets that are in each box of needles.  Nothing much else has happened, we are going out for a drink tonight.  Back tomorrow.