Bunches and pairs

I'm not one to babble on about the inane goings on in my life, I'm sure you'd all rather not know and prefer to see photos of charity shop bargains!  However, as I'm under self imposed charity shop thriftyness at the mo (more bargains at the end of the month though, didn't say I was buying nothing!) thought I'd share some other stuff.

As you know, (I may have mentioned!) I'm in the process of moving house.  This is the first time I've ever sold a house, so it's all new to me.  It appears to be incomprehensibly difficult, with twists and turns, forms to fill in, certificates to supply and regulations to adhere to.  I feel I now know more than is necessary for any lay person to know, nay, is healthy for any lay-person to know, about FENSA, 17th edition electrical regs, building regs and planning.  And lets not go near boundary issues, permitted development (including the new neighbourhood consultation scheme) and tree preservation orders. 

See?  Told you I knew too much, my head is buzzing!   

It's a nightmare!

Anyway, I digress, it has just stopped raining and is a little warmer here, so I ventured into the quagmire that was a garden.  If you are in the UK you will know that winter arrived with a bang not so long ago and it has been raining like it's monsoon season.

The chickens are moulting and one in particular is a dreadful, oven-ready sight.  She has one tail feather left, sticking right up like a feather on a squaw's headband.  She has a bare bum and longer legs now that her feathery plus fours are gone.  I've picked her up and she feels like a hedgehog, with all the new feathers just coming through.  No, I won't do her the indignity of taking her photo!

I've been feeding the chickens Cabernet Sauvignon grapes off the vine.  As per usual, the weather has changed before they are ready, and as per usual there's not enough of them to get any perceivable amount of grape juice.  Added to that, this year they have maggots in.  So the chickens get one of their five-a-day and a bit of protein to help with feather regrowth, bonus!

The small pear tree, which usually drops most, if not all of it's fruit in June, has managed to grow two large pears to maturity.  I want to bite into them, I'm just not too sure now I've seen the maggots in the grapes! 

I feel the need for a visit to a nice big National Trust property, but we just don't have time at present. Him indoors is swamped with new students and never wants to turn folk away.  I'm sure business will calm down in the new year, but when you are self employed you have to take the opportunity when it arises, you never know when lean times are ahead!

So there you are, my October so far!

For those of you on Facebook, there's a sneaky peek at my latest charity shop purchase on my blog page, see the Facebook button to the right of this post.