Thursday 4 February 2010

Just to say...

Just to say that I have fallen out of the saddle in regards to blogging. Not for any reason really, although not having any words in one's head is a contributing factor! 

Hubs and me have been nesting today. We both feel tired, the end of the winter much welcomed by both of us. Someone came by yesterday and was eyeing up our huge woodpile. Was almost slathering with desire for us to offload some of it their way they were. Hubs and me had pow-wow afterwards. The subject: what are we going to do if they come begging for some wood. The outcome: not to give them any. Our humungous wood pile is insurance against at least the next two winters of feeling cold. While we have managed to live the open air life in caravans for two winters, said person has been roasty-toasty indoors. If they can't manage to maintain responsibility for their fuel supply, then it is up to them to find someone else to cadge the wood from. There! Got that off my chest!

And so anyway, today was nesting day. Me in the house making a temporary kitchen, and Hubs out front planting some bulbs which had been donated a while back. December 2008, actually. They were being kept safe, ready for spring 2009, when bang! In came the hurricane of January 2009, and in the ensuing chaos, the bag of bulbs went missing. Last week they were found. Right under the last bit of tarpaulin in the tall barn. 

Hubs had the nesting urge which manifested itself in the planting of those bulbs out by the front gates. I took myself off to the market this morning and purchased some bright plastic table cloth to festoon the tables in the temporary kitchen. A quick sweep of the broom on the walls to remove the flaking paint, then out came the scissors, and a happily joyous hour then ensued as I covered the tables, and every other flat surface with blue and white checks and/ or yellow and green flowers. Mmmmm. Luverly! Actually it looks OK. 

And today we had our first sit down in our house. At our blue checked camping table, we partook of cheese sarnies, with homemade bread, followed by homemade cake. And we mused on how many meals we would have in the house during the years ahead. And in my heart there is a warm place, because I feel as if I am now home. And the house is starting to come alive, and a peacefulness is starting to grow here. 

That's all I wanted to say really. We have been nesting.

However, it would seem that little flying creatures would also like to nest with us. The robins, for instance, who are frequently to be seen sitting in the kitchen partaking of anything which is not covered over, there not being any windows in the house as yet so they have established flight paths in and out. And then there are the bats in the half barn. Not to mention the wag tails that go to sleep on the roof beams.

And sending blessings out to my Mum, who is not well in the UK. I wish she could be nesting with all of us here....but at least I can send a portion of peacefulness out to her, as I also do to you. 
 

20 comments:

countrybumpkin said...

Well, I think you deserve a little time out. And well done for protecting your woodpile I'd be just the same. We're off today to chop up a tree that came down last February, should have dried out a bit by now and will be ready for next winter. Like you we try to be prepared!

Vera said...

Glad to know someone else is of the same mind set in regards to the ownership of their woodpile. Hope your woodcutting went OK, and you have a nice pile of logs for next winter. Nice to meet you, as well!

Ken Devine said...

Mmm! You are making me think about our woodpile. It isn't very big, but then again we aren't living there yet. We have the chain-saw ready though.
A nice post.
When do you expect to have windows?

Vera said...

Hubs has a chain-saw too, Ken, but it won't cut through the old oak beams in our woodpile because it is an electric one and was not strong enough to tackle the rock hard wood. So a big-boys chain-saw it will have to be. I will try not to fret and fuss when he is using it! Only those chain-saw thingys look fearsome machines to me!
The windows? When the tall barn roof has been paid for, when the floor has been laid in the half barn, when the middle barn roof has been paid for and erected, then perhaps we will have the money to put in the windows! Not to worry, though, as the shutters are still in place and fill the window gap up by about 80%, and at least we have a roof over our heads! Still sleep in the caravan, though.

RainyWest said...

Sorry to hear about your mother and hope she feels better soon. I like the theme of you and the birds wanting to nest! Being a bird man myself (feathered kind of course!), it sounds like you would be in an ideal place to put up some nestboxes for your feathered visitors. Maybe at the side of farm buildings or trees.

Roz said...

Happiness is a large pile of wood and no denying it - guard it with your life woman!!
wood = warmth = happiness in my book!!
I do hope your Mother is on her way to recovery and I look forward to reading your next blog when you feel inspired to do so!!xx

Vera said...

Mum has had two hip operations in close succession, and in her desire to be up and about did not allow for healing time, and broke her newly refurbished hip socket a few days after it was inserted. So back into hospital she has gone, in loads of pain, and thanks for your best wishes.
Good idea about the bird boxes. We have loads of trees around, but it would be good to keep the hotel effect continuing around the house area once the windows and doors are put in and our feathered friends can no longer share the house with us. Thanks for the suggestion.

Vera said...

Roz, under command from you I will indeed guard the woodpile. Done all this winter so far with good grace, but starting to wilt now. Thanks for best wishes in regards to my Mum. Guilt trip bubbling away nicely at the moment!

Roz said...

Oh dear! don't forget not to pack more than 10 kg if you use ryanair!!

Vera said...

10kg? !!!!!!!! That's hardly anything, Roz. I that for the suitcase, or the holdall or everything?

Land of shimp said...

I'm so sorry your mother is struggling, Vera. That sounds dreadfully painful, but hopefully she'll soon be feeling better. It must be a worry for you, but I'll send healing vibes towards the U.K.

Robins in the house, cheeky things! I like the thought of putting up nesting areas for them.

By the way, if said neighbor comes by shivering, and asking for a stick of wood, I'd wager you're likely to give it to him. I agree that he ought to take care of his own needs, of course, but it's often easier to plan to be firm, and staunch. Perhaps you need to take to hiding when said neighbor comes to call? Take the wood with you ;-)

the fly in the web said...

Do sympathise about your mother..mine is 94 and still going strong,luckily, but wants
1 hip replacement and
2 two knee replacements
after which she will deign to visit us again.
I do worry about her.
Apparently the NHS will do 1 and 2 as some assessment process has said that she will be once again totally independent afterwards!
Goodness only knows where they find their assesors.

Vera said...

Lofs:) How intuitive you are! You are absolutely right and of course we would give the neighbour some wood! Does that make us 'nice' people or 'silly' people: not sure on that one! Thanks for sending healing vibes out for mum. Try to do that myself, but past stuff gets in the way, especially when I am tired. So help from other quarters is much appreciated.

Vera said...

Oh Fly, mum's hey?! The thing is that my mum pushed and got one hip replacement, then didn't give her body time to heal before she pushed to get the other one done, and she had lost fitness meanwhile which meant when she decided to swing one leg whilst standing on the 'new' leg, the 'new' leg broke its hip socket. Also, I really do not have a lot of extra energy to cope with a visit to her at this time, so wrestling with the guilt thing quite a bit! Suspect you can understand that!

Barry said...

I envy you the ability to plant bulbs at this time of year. That's not something we will be able to do for several months yet.

Vera said...

Aw, so Spring arrives later with you then, Barry. Already the crocuses are in flower, and some spring blossoming shrubs are coming to life. Hope you are keeping well and in good spirits.

DUTA said...

I like the words 'nesting' and 'homemade', and you're being busy in the kitchen. You've got a home now, not a caravan. Thank God.

I'm sorry about your Mom's condition. Wish her speedy recovery and hope she's got some assistance there.

Vera said...

Hello Duta, I indeed have a home instead of caravans, although we are still sleeping in the bedroom caravan for the moment. Mum is getting on a lot better, and she has been moved to hospital near to where she lives, so she will have plenty of people to look after her. Am standing by to visit her if needed.

The Accidental Author said...

I'm absolutely with you on the woodpile (not literally obviously!). No self respecting French paysan will have less than a couple of years worth of wood stacked and ready. It was the bane of my life chopping wood though and one thing I definitely don't miss. Hope you Mum improves.

Vera said...

Hi 'Now not at all Lost in France', thanks for your encouragement in regards to our woodpile. We will protect it from all! I suppose now you are back in the Uk you have reconnected with central heating? Today, I envy you! Tomorrow I will have gotten over my lapse in enthusiasm for log fires and fresh air. Hopefully!
Mum OK at the moment. Hope your book writing is going well, love and hugs.