HARVEST HOME AND STRIMMING.

This morning we were as Pepys says “up betimes.” I made a breakfast of sultana picklets with butter and syrup, then we went our separate ways for a few hours Pa went into Brentford, my son went off to Twickenham and “Poor Cinders stayed at home to wash up and prepare a feast for this evening. Actually I quite enjoy having the house to myself, it is a rare occurrence these days.

I took the ribs off a large pork belly joint and layered it on a bed of sage leaves and six bulbs of garlic cut in half, this stops the pork from overcooking at the base and makes a terrific sauce. I stuffed some red peppers with mushrooms, olives and tomatoes, made some potato wedges and a couple of dips and a special dish of roasted shallots for Pa. This meal was to be eaten with trenchers of bread and followed by a blueberry jelly.

After all that food preparation I needed some fresh air so I went out in to the orchard to get some more apples, there were some pumpkins, courgettes and a small squash ready to pick and quite a few tomatoes. There are a lot in the house just now waiting to be turned into chutney if I ever get around to doing it. The ornamental gourds have produced a few pretty specimens too ,and the runner beans are prolific this year. By the time I had piled it all onto the table the kitchen looked like a harvest festival, quite a sight. Next I bit the bullet and got out the strimmer, blooming Henry...............it took ages and the long grass under the fruit trees was full of rotten apples and squelchy damsons which were whipped up by the strimmer and flung about, mostly at me, by the time I had finished I was besmirched from head to toe with lumps of unidentifiable goo.........yuk!

The result however was pleasing so I happily went indoors to wash my hair and take a bath. Afterwards I put the meat in the oven and left instructions with my son as to what time to put in the vegetables and set off to buy a pair of shears, I have had my old ones for about twenty years and now they are even more past it than I am! A very nice man in Homebase advised me on which pair would be best for me and I chose a pair with extending handles, this will make trimming the shrubs much easier as I find ladders a bit of a trial to say the least. The vegetables went in on time and when I arrived home all I had to do was crisp up the crackling and lay the table. We all enjoyed our feast and I washed up afterwards with my sons help.

We had an early start this morning so we decided to turn in early and watch a film, it sounds dull I know, there was a time, not so long ago when I used to come home with the milk. Now I find that the call of my snug bed with its deep soft mattress is to strong to be denied. It was quite time I hung up my guns, who wants to be known as the oldest swinger in town. Sleep tight one and all.