WHAT A GRAND DAY OUT!

Well! Hello there!

Sorry to open with such a gruesome picture - especially nasty if you are a vegetarian. But this is life in the country! Its Sootin season!

My friend turned up with a Gentleman who was a retired Gamekeeper in tow, he had been at one of the shoots - had spare birds and would I like them? Yes Please! love a bit of Duck, and I certainly can't afford to buy it in the shops - and how could it be fresher than this?

Of course it involved me 'dressing' the birds, not that great a job, but I feel if we want to eat meat we should be prepared to do the nasty side. I got a goodly amount of meat from them that now sits in my freezer - lovely duck with orange sauce on a cold winters evening!

On to our Exciting Day out!!

Hubby P has taken a few days holiday from work - to fix the roof primarily! but I thought he should have a least a days fun! So - off we trot to the local Household Auction, armed with a bit of cash and trusty picnic basket (no expensive cafes for us Credit Crunchers!).

I just love it all! - the smell of the old well polished furniture, musty old books, the anticipation in the air, the atmosphere, and then the buzz of the bidding as the Auctioneer drones on in his sing song-y voice!

We had looked at what was for sale earlier, and noted down a few lot numbers that perhaps we could have a bid at, Hubby P left me to go for a -break (smoke!) - That was it - I was so enthralled in it all, the Auctioneer mentioned 3 Antique chairs (my attention was grabbed!) -Chairs for renovation project (more bells ringing - he said renovation - that's the same as crafts/sewing/fun to me!!!) well my hand shot up! - I just had to have them! Got them for a £1!

Funny no one else wanted them! - No wonder when Hubby P went to track them down (we had not seen them earlier - they were stacked on top of a wardrobe!) - well! they all had 3 legs! one had no seat! but they had been beautiful - still were in a sad, crumbly, faded fashion. They just had to come home with us - to spend the last of their glory days fading away in our garden!

I think they look rather elegant!





As if they are just waiting for the Fairy Princess to take a rest amongst the flowers!

Hubby P managed to win this butter churn, it came with a crate of milk bottles! I like the churn, but I'm not sure what we will do with the bottles!

I won some Potty's (Chamber Pots)! again for £1 - no one wanted them. I have them in my bathroom for storing things in!

We got lots of other things - boxes full, because they sell things by the box, and if - for example I wanted some Willow pattern mugs (I won them for £1) I got the whole box of household items -an iron, heated rollers, clocks, pictures, and endless all sorts! Some things were really grim and went in the bin, but the rest - well we did a Car boot sale on Sunday! and turned a profit! What fun!

Just thought I would show you this -

Its a wonderful great big piece of woollen fabric given to be by a friend. Fancy finding this at the back of a cupboard! It really wants to be made into something rather fine, tailored into a nice jacket or coat.

Think I might put it on Ebay and share any earnings with my friend - I don't feel confident enough to put the scissors to it!

More Apples!

Hubby P came home with a box of windfall apples someone had kindly given him - we put them in the freezer (I made a few apple pies) and the peelings and cores I boiled up to make apple jelly.

Just before I put it in jars I added some finely chopped chilli - I don't know if it will work! - what it will taste like! but its a bit different!

Bad photo of the jars of 'Apple jelly with a hint of chilli'! as you can see I got quite a lot considering it was just the peel and cores I used, I will do that again -Nothings Wasted in the Crunch household!

Hope you are all having a good week Remember 'Gird Your Loins' against this Credit Crunch, and we will come out the other side!

Ta ra for now xxxx