THE BATTLE OF AVIES COTTAGE IS WON

We won,we won and I still cannot believe it, after all this time and after so much heart ache we won.
Today I received a letter from the head of H.R. Informing me that all my requests were to be met. We are to receive apologies from both the Estate Manager and the Maintenance Manager our shrubbery is not to be touched and we shall not lose our home.

Great was the rejoicing when the news came through and many the visitors who came with congratulations throughout the afternoon,it has been a wonderful day for us.

This means of course that there will be no future trouble as should any one step out of line again we have their admissions that they have been harassing us for some years and will have no leg to stand on in court. Oh how I hope that they will leave us alone now to get on with our lives.

Weather this will have any baring of the estates plans for our orchard and kitchen garden I cannot say but is it very likely that they will not wish to cause us any more upset so we have hope. We also have our Member of Parliament and several Of our Local Councillors coming to a meeting about that very subject in mid November so watch this space.

Baking this afternoon was tricky as the guests came and went eating the cookies as fast I they left the oven. However I did eventually get h=ahead and now have plenty of cookies in the tins. Today I tried a new recipe , the cookies contain chopped apricots and each has a little well of apricot jam in the middle. Judging by the way in which our guests devoured them I should say n they they are pretty good. The real cookie experts, my son's work colleagues will try them over the weekend, I hope the like them.

I tried out the cookie recipe I was given recently and I must say they were delicious and I shall definitely be making a batch for the cracker tin this Christmas as they are perfect for cheese.
I should like to thank Jan for the wonderful bag of tomatoes , both plum tomatoes and beef tomatoes were most welcome. I am making another batch of chutney over the weekend and they will be a fine addition to the mixture. Thanks again Jan I shall be sure and send you a jar of the chutney.

For now though I feel very tired, as it someone sneaked up behind me and cut the strings!
Tomorrow perhaps I shall begin to believe in our victory, now I just want to sleep for a week.
Before I do I give you a toast ladies and gentlemen .So perish all our enemies!

A RAGING CALM

After the turmoil of the past few weeks today has been unbelievably quiet and stressed as I was from yesterdays fracas I decided to give myself an easy day. Bread was needed but that is quite a pleasant task and afterwards Pa and I had our breakfast of pancakes together in perfect peace.

Ni ether of us felt much like work and so Pa played around with his computer for a while and I went out for a ride in the fresh air. I visited the garden centre and today the Christmas display did not seem so odd as it had in the sweltering heat of last week. Although it is by no means finished the decorations on sale are some of the best I have seen there in years and for once the prices seemed reasonable too. I could not resist a sweet little garland of cream wooden hearts and stars for Just £3.99 ans two larger hearts in the same material foe £2.99, these are for my bedroom.

Every year we buy a few new ornaments, not only to replace damaged ones but to remind us of each Christmas that we are together. Very room in the house is decorated from the front door to the loo. We love Christmas. Some of the decorations on our tree were brought for me by my father when I was very young, I have never forgotten the excitement of opening the box to find twenty four beautiful shining glass baubles, I thought that they were wonderful. There are only three of them left now but I treasure them still and every year they appear in pride of place on the tree and are then packed oh so carefully away after Christmas.

How it rained last night, the noise was so loud that it woke me and I went all around the house closing the windows to prevent the rain from coming in. The wind raged through the trees stripping away the glorious golden leaves which stuck fast to the windows as I watched.

That has been the tenner of the day calm within and raging without as the wind increased during the afternoon. Windy weather always makes our little cat frisk about and become playful, she was to be seen chasing leaves in the garden and trying to catch the spiralling sycamore seeds as the whirled down in their hundreds from the trees. Exhausted at last she flopped down among the catnip for a nap in the sunshine and protected from the wind by our shrubbery.

I thought that sausages and mash would be appropriate for dinner and so it was, he Cumberland rings were juicy and the mashed potato warming on a chilly evening. We can again return to the autumn menus which we were enjoying before the hot spell, stews, pies and thick rich soups.

It has been a lovely day, no worries, no disturbances and no noise, it has been a long time since we had such a day. Now that the dry spell ha broken I planted a box of pansies in the front garden as a pledge to spring, by April they will, I hope make a fine show among the forget-me-nots and pulmonarias. I think I shall make cocoa tonight for Pa and I before we settle down for the night and perhaps puss will sleep on the bed again mow that the weather has turned colder. Winter has its pleasures too.

TAKING THE BULL BY THE......HORNS!

WOW! Our meeting with the head of Human Resources was a scorcher! I had prepared a statement laying out the basic details and listed my requirements, which put simply that we should in future be subjected to no more harassment.

My good friend who happen to be an expert in these matters having represented such illustrious establishments as The Dorchester Hotel arrived at eleven thirty dressed in a very smart suit, she really looked dangerous. We ran quickly through the statement and at high noon H.R arrived with unsurprisingly the Estate Manager in tow, the looks they gave each other when they saw my friend were worth the price of a ticket and when she sat down to take notes they were not at all happy.

The H.R. Lady said..can you believe it that she had forgotten her glasses...very professional...
we were all sure that they were in her enormous handbag the whole time , this meant that she could not read the statement.

The pair of them then began to shilly shally about all sorts of issues that were nothing to do with the point of there visit but I persisted in bringing them back to the point each time,.

Now since the whole reason that the estate has been harassing us for all of this time is to get us out of this house can you believe that almost her first words were would we consider moving....my friends pencil scratched away like mad.

They tried every way they could to break my resolve but I stick to my guns and insisted that the bulling stopped at once and that we were in future left in peace, I would I told them settle for no less, and that if we were to move to another property it would have to be very suitable before I would even consider it and in a good sate of repair. That went down like the Titanic!

They then went away to think about what to do having advised me that if we took the case to court we would find it both tiring and expensive by niw they were on the ropes. What they do not know is that we have anther friend in the legal profession who specialises in employment law, the other small detail is that Pa is a Trade Union member and they just love this sort of thing. I shall surprise them with these details should there be any more trouble.

After they left we all had a stiff drink and then I went off to the shops while Pa had a nap which he badly needed poor boy. I am very tired myself but I do feel that we have at least now nailed our colours to the mast and they know that we mean business.
We await the result with interest. One thing is certain I shall never be able to thank my dear friend enough for all that she has done for us, her presence was reassuring and reminded me to keep my temper and to stay calm. Her sound advice had been invaluable and today her presence stopped the Estate people from ganging up on me which I am sure was there intention as we had been told that H.R was coming to see us alone......nice try!

After all that the boys decided that I should take it easy for the rest of the day and fish and chips were ordered, I was very hungry a I had been far to wound up to eat breakfast this morning.

All in all I think we won this round, my friend was delighted with the meeting and thinks that we are well ahead at the moment. On thing is certain they had a much harder time of it than I, poor souls, I have never seen so many coconuts fall out of a monkey tree in my life . So now we wait, at least there will be no more disturbances this week and my son will be allowed to sleep at last.

NO SIGN OF THE AXE MAN

T

oday I am happy to report that the decorators were prevented from arriving at our house this morning and I also managed to stop,at least until next week the removal of our shrubbery. This meant of course that my son was able to sleep today without disturbance, even the bell-ringers at the church stayed their hands today and all was peaceful...now there's a novelty!

Pa had an early appointment at hospital for get the results of his EEG, first the great news, there is no cancer, now the good news, his epilepsy seems to be in remission, the not so good news is that he has to go into hospital at Charring Cross for a couple of days while tests are done. I am already planning lots of treats to take in when we visit, poor Pa he does go through the mill as they say “up North”.

I spent an age writing up an account of our problems for the benefit of the head of H.R who is visiting us tomorrow. I must say that my experience of these types has not been such that I set any store in her ability to help us but it is a stage which must be gone through on the way to litigation...hey ho! I do think I preferred personnel managers to Human Resource Managers, they sound like something out of Soylent Green .

I had a visit from a friend who is helping me with our case last night and she calmed me down with her common sense approach, she is a wonderful person and goes well beyond the call of duty to help when ever she can. Such people are seldom met with in these times and should be treated like gold, she has kept me sane these past weeks.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring this whole rotten business to a close, if not I shall see the blighter’s in court.

In the gathering gloom this afternoon I took a stroll round the kitchen garden and was amazed at how well grown the broad beans were already , the winter peas too look remarkably healthy. Under the protection of an enviromesh tunnel the spring cabbages show the promise of a good crop come spring. We shall have plenty of leeks and kale and the spinach which lasts until the first frost will reappear next spring as will the beetroot leaves. These with some sorrel make a wonderful healthy salad in early spring and will keep us going until the first lettuces are ready. I still hope to sow some lambs lettuce soon so that it wile be ready in time for Christmas, time is always a problem for me.

For our meal tonight I made a special pizza with ham,pannchetta, olives ,tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, served with a salad it was delicious and so easy. Tomorrow should be a baking day but as I shall be busy tomorrow I shall not bake any more bread until Thursday, this will give me time to prepare for the meeting and I shall be jolly glad when it is over.

Our neighbour from across the lane was buried today, he was an airman during the war and a damn brave one too,during the past few years his health has been bad and yet he always remained cheerful, his wife could not attend the funereal as she is very ill she has altzhiemers now. I remember them as keen bridge players who loved a gin and tonic, I raised a glass to his memory, we own his generation so much.

I am hoping for a little rain tomorrow for the gardens sake, but will happily accept the job of watering if we can keep the fine weather, just not quite so hot please.

REPELING BORDERS (AND THEY CERTAINLY ARE)

Last week while my son was at home the decorators did not appear until Wednesday when they did a little desultory paint stripping, on Thursday they painted the front and back of our house and on Friday they sat on our garden seat talking for several hours until three and then left.
This morning they arrived at eight in the morning and prepared to put their ladders up to my sons window and although I managed to stop them the following altercation woke him and once again he will have to work tonight without having slept.

After breakfast he decided to lie down in his room and rest hopping pt nod off for an hour or two but it was not to be, at ten thirty a joiner arrived to remove his bedroom window which was, he claimed rotten. Baffled I asked him why the decorators had spent half a day last week painting a window that was to be removed, he too was baffled. I think that in the light of all of this we may be forgiven for believing that we are the victims of harassment. What next, who knows? I moved my son into my bedroom for the rest of the day, needless to say he did not get much rest, the noise as they chiselled out the old window was very, very loud, this cannot continue.

Meanwhile I spent hours on the telephone attempting to arrange a meeting with my husbands Trade Union Rep, after five calls to different offices I am currently still waiting for a reply. In between making these abortive calls I marinaded some chicken breasts, roasted a pepper ready for skinning , made a tabbouleh and bake four large loaves..multi tasking I think they call it, by tree in the afternoon my head was splitting and I was inclined to say “Sod it”

It was at this point that the Head Gardener arrived and informed me of his intention to hack down the privet hedge in order to give the decorators access for their ladders, he intends to do this tomorrow morning. I gave him to understand that his attentions were not welcome and that should there be any noise trouble would follow. Totally exhausted by this time I poured my self a G and T and went to sit in the shade for half an hour.

On top of everything else Pa has acquired a tummy bug and visiting the bathroom has been difficult with people working on the windows, my sons bedroom window is next to the bathroom one. It never rains as they say.

Dinner was lovely but we are all tired and worn out with the worry of what is going on and our conversation was all about our problems . I am so worried about my son, he cannot function without sleep and this is the second week that this has happened , what to do next, I do not know?

The bright sun shine has been lovely today and once again the cat Twiggy has sent most of it lazing in the garden following the shade from place to place. Her nights are spent sitting in the window watching foxes and occasionally nipping out to catch a mouse while it is nice and cool.

I think that I should like to be a cat....if I had an owner like me, when I see Twiggy rolling in the long grass with a …..this is the life air..... about her I am forced to agree that is .....if you can get it.

THE WONDERFUL, THE WISE AND THE SERIOUSLY WIERD

On Sunday it is my normal practice to visit our local garden centre,it is such fun to look at all the lovely plants and to occasionally purchase a few bulbs say, or a packet of seeds. Today however the experience was to say the least surreal. Sweltering with the heat I entered the large covered area and found myself in a forest of fir trees, fake snow and twinkling lights, it was rather like finding myself in Narnia...until that is the Christmas carols began .

I sat in the middle of a mountain of coy looking plastic squirrels and sedate robins and the air was filled with glitter that had I imagine become detached from some of the more leary decorations. Granted I am the sort of irritating individual that prepares early for Christmas but even for me this was just too much and I hastened back in to the sunshine and headed for home sparkling as I went, hours later I still give the appearance of one who intends to spend the night clubbing.

Various unforeseen circumstances have prevented me from tackling the ironing this week not the least of which has been the heat. The situation has reached crisis point as once again the airing cupboard is dangerously full , added to which certain garments are becoming scarce.
Having spent ,most of yesterday in a hot kitchen I did not relish the prospect of spending all afternoon in the company of a steam iron and so I decided to be wise and to do the bare minimum necessary...this amounted to an hours work and by the time I had finished I was on the verge of collapse.

My shady garden called to me and at last with a relatively clear conscience I repaired to a seat under the apple tree to laze away the afternoon with a book. Twiggy our cat had draped herself gracefully along a branch in the shade one eye open the better to observe the comings and goings of a family of mice who have been busy laying up a store of cherry pits and damson stones for winter . They were quite safe as Madam was much to hot and bothered to chase them.
I too watched these tiny creatures hurrying about their business,they are a a source of wonder to me,so very small yet so full of life. Never truly still for a moment, even when they are resting they are all a quiver as if they are aware that their life is very short and they must make the best use of every moment or ,perhaps, as if they are afraid to stop. I watched a very small mouse eating a raspberry with great enjoyment, these mice ate almost all of my redcurrants again this year and yet watching this tiny creature eating with such relish I cannot grudge them a treat;after all there is plenty in the garden to go around.

Mid afternoon a gentle breeze began to ruffle the leaves and the pungent whiff of barbecue lighter fluid assaulted my nostrils. Why in God's name do people enjoy standing over a smouldering fire in sweltering weather doing appalling things to beef burgers, sausages, steaks and trout? Why can they not make do with a salad or a normal Sunday lunch?
I do not agree with the smoking ban in Public Houses because people do not have to go there but if smoking is banned in such places then the filling of ones neighbours home with the foul reek of parafine and causing the closing of window in hot weather should also be banned. After all is does cause a nuisance....yes I know I am an old grouch! Enough said.

Our evening meal was home made beef burgers with caramelised onions and a big salad and I cooked them on the griddle indoors too. We had iced cream for afters and lots of sarsaparilla to drink....I avoided the gin today as I had a headache.

I shall be relieved when the weather cools a little as it has been almost impossible to sleep these past nights even with a fan in every room, I am a northern lass and have been used to moorland breezes cool and fresh. I love the sun shine but I do find intense heat oppressive.

Next week will be a busy one for me and it could be a decisive one for both me and the kitchen garden, I am not particularly nervous as I know that I am in the right, however having to persuade others that this is the case may prove difficult. Getting others to voice their views can also be difficult but as I pointed out one of our neighbours “qui tacet conentire” silence denotes consent!
I knew that studying Latin would come in handy one day. Thanks Mr Buss.

OCTOBER BLUE

I opened my curtains this morning to be greeted by a rising mist in the fields across the lane, it's top gilded by the morning sun in such a way as con only happen on an Autumn morning.
My joy increased when I remembered that it was Saturday which meant no decorators, I mad coffee for my son and I and went back to bed to enjoy my first proper lie in this week.

I came down to earth with a bump when P a proved well nigh impossible to wake, we called, we cajoled, we threatened vengeance all to not avail, I decided to get on with breakfast any way and by the time my son and I had eaten four pancakes each the old.....I mean Pa was awake and ready to eat. We ate in the kitchen with all the windows and the door wind open and we were still far too hot. Before we had finished our meal my sons friends began to arrive for the \Saturday game and so of course I made pancakes for them too, it was a lovely start to the day.

Breakfast over I set about baking a batch of cookies, I had intended to try a new recipe today but having received a request for date and walnut shorties What could I do but oblige. Five dozen cookies later and very,very hot indeed I went out to the garden for half an hour to cool off....I now have twelve mozzie bites to prove it...bum the gin and tonic did not work. I shall keep that to myself however since today Pa treated me to a large bottle of my favourite gin, medicinal of course,now don't grass me up please3!

Back in the kitchen I made two luscious lemon drizzle cakes, we are to be inundated with visitors next week so I thought it best to lay in a good supply of viands. Every one is aware of how hot it was today so I will not dwell upon my sufferings in a hot kitchen, as soon as the sun was over the yard arm I helped myself to a large G and T and then another and then I felt much better.

Earlier this week I made a purchase with which I am very pleased, having seen some lovely chenille curtains I really wanted a pair for my bedroom. The green velvet ones I have at the moment are thirty years old and once belonged to my mother. Over the years they have fade to a silvery green but how I longed for a pair of rich terra cotta curtains to match my Autumn patchwork quilt. I decided to have a rummage through e.bay and found a pair, brand new and exactly the right size for six pounds forty five pence and with free delivery, my son was suspicious but I thought I would try my luck. They have arrived and they are gorgeous, exactly like the ones in Homebase selling for seventy five pounds. Rich terracotta is a lovely shade for winter and I also picked up two voile panels for eight pounds, together they cast a wonderful glow, I cannot believe my luck.

Pa treated us to takeaway tonight as I had spent most of the day baking, we chose pizza and I made some dips, altogether it was a real treat. While we waited for the pizza delivery we played three games of quoits, first to a hindered to win and I did....twice, the boys are furious.

I am told that it will be hotter than ever tomorrow, I have some ironing to do bit I shall only do the bare essentials and then I shall sit in the garden swing with my little cat, a glass of iced lemonade and my copy of wind in the willows, could anything be more perfect?