The merging of the days......

So we've done Christmas,

but in a low key manner with even Christmas dinner not happening.

I had intended to cook make the effort and cook a simple roast,

but was instructed by Lester to not bother,

that it was more better to spend the time outside in the sunshine,

than being stuck inside cooking.

So we had savoury rice and chicken.

followed by fruit and custard'

followed by a binge of chocolate (well it was Christmas!)

We are now locked into the routine of harvesting the animals,

with three piglets now in the freezer,

and one sheep.

One more sheep is lying on the freezer waiting to be made into smaller portions,

the rest are still on the hoof outside in their paddock.

It is not our most favourite work on the farm,

but has to be done.

C'est la vie.

Smeggy, the new range cooker,

what a joy she is proving to be,

..... first batch of scones.....

....... first cake......

..... first batch of bread

Verdict:

Scones: cooked fast, no burnt bottom (old cooker used to singe things with ease)

Cakes: Smeggy does not seem to like greaseproof paper, and will gleefully burn any sugar put on top of the cake. (old cooker used to do a nice crisp sugary topping, but would still enjoy singeing the bottom of the cake.

Bread: Cooked fast again. Had to take the loafs out of their tins to finish cooking so the bottoms of the loaves got properly cooked.

She is a glorious lady, is Smeggy.

.... and Lester marking the date on a jar of milk in the temporary kitchen.

I still do not have a sink in the proper kitchen,

but feel blessed that I do have a dishwasher to help,

and I do have a temporary table and we moved the dresser back into the kitchen 

so I do have some space to puts things on.

And in the temporary kitchen we do our grot work,

such as joint up carcasses,

cook pots of pig food, dog food, etc...

in other words,

all the messy work in done down in this space, 

which now becomes the larder and food prep area.

It is with some relief that I can now use the proper kitchen,

that I have a tiled floor underfoot which I can keep clean,

that I can do my messy work in the larder/ prep area,

and have a clean and tidy kitchen to cook in.

I am not bothered about posh kitchen units, and shall fill up the rest of the kitchen as and when,
feel blessed that I have what I have.....

No news on the Rayburn front.

Not to worry,

down to minus 5 the last two nights,

so the house is cold,

but we became conditioned to the cold when we lived in the caravan for three years,

so we don't bother switching on the fan heaters,

we just put on more clothes!


2015

It is now the first day of the new year.
We are going to have a slow day,
well as slow as any day can be on a smallholding.
Lester has said that he is going to tuck himself in with a book after he has done farm chores,
and that he might do that in the toasty warmth of our electric blanketed bed.
I said that I might do some sewing,
and mentioned that perhaps we shall put the electric fire on as a treat.
Maybe we will, maybe we won't,
because by the time the chores are done,
the sun will be out,
and yesterday afternoon I spent a glorious hour outside on my sun lounger,
drinking in the warmth of the sun,
and then it was as a switch had been turned off,
and suddenly it was as chilly as the insides of our freezers.
But it was not a shorts and t-shirt sunbathe,
I was still in my boots, knitted socks, Lester's thermal longjohns, ever so sensible knickers, Lester's thermal vest, a thick cotton long sleeved top, another one over the top of that, a fleece jumper, a long knitted cardigan, a fleece body warmer, a long knitted scarf, and fingerless gloves.
Well I did say that we are floating around the minus temperatures!

We have had a good year.
2014 was full of ups and downs, as per usual,
after all, what would life be everything stayed the same,
but most of all, it was the first full year of Lester being able to devote his time and energy to the house and farm after spending our first six years here chained to his computer.
It was hard at first getting used to having him take over so many of my farm jobs,
which took me away from the smallholding, and put me squarely indoors, mostly in the kitchen.
This I found challenging.
Lester was challenged by the physical work of running a farm, having been used to sitting at his computer all day.
We were challenged as a couple because we were in each others company most of the time,
and the delight of being able to have meals out,
of going shopping together,
of spending time together,
of learning a lot of new things about each other,
that is what 2014 gave to us a couple, which made those challenges not really challenges at all, rather they were adjustments.


I have been yabbering for ages on this post, so had better stop.
Well done if you have managed to get this far in my ramblings,
but, ummm, just to say that the sheep we put into the freezer last night,
that one of her legs weighed in at 4.3 kgs.
And that we have decided not to sell or give away any more of our animals,
and will explain why this is in another post.
Meanwhile,

Wishing you lots of adventures during 2015,
which will stretch you,
inspire you,
and make your heart sing.

Whatever it is that you have been putting off, go do it.

Vx