40 Commando March Through Taunton Edition

Sunday 12 May

Lazy Day.

Monday 13 May

The first of the courgette seedlings has shown through the soil.

Tuesday 14 May

Sold my shares in Lok n Store making a small profit and bought shares in Marstons.

Wednesday 15 May

It was a pleasant evening so I took the opportunity to cut the grass at the back of the house.

Thursday 16 May

  40 Commando Royal Marines marched through the streets of Taunton this morning.  A welcome home parade for the lads as they have just returned from another tour of duty in Afghanistan.  Loads of people came out to cheer them.  They marched past the shop and I got a few photos from the window but as you can see I was in the wrong position!  You can See Reuben in the bottom left wearing the orange and green.

Friday 17 May

Restocked the wine supply with some more bottles from around the world.

Saturday 18 May

A huge effort by everyone this week has meant that we have broken the back of the big job.  Nev and Louisa printed about 60 of the 105 today.  We still have some cutting and picking to do but we all feel the pressure is off.

Started painting wood preservative onto Mum's swing seat by the shed.

Early May Bank Holiday Edition

Sunday 5 May

Managed to get the rest of the shed painted with wood preservative.  Did some more preparation on the new veg patch.  Hannah is coming over tomorrow after work so we are having "Sunday" lunch then.  Home-made meat balls in a tomato sauce over farfalle pasta for tea.  Sampled a cheeky little Rioja, very nice.

Monday 6 May

No work today - its Bank Holiday.
Spent the morning planting the new veg patch with leeks and celariac, calendula and nasturtians.  Now its the battle against the birds and the slugs and snails to contend with not to mention the cats who seem to think I have just dug them a toilet!
Hannah came home after work and so we had lunch at about 3pm after which Han and Mum spent the rest of the afternoon in the shed.  Was a very nice day and I don't want to say this too loud but it was sunny too! with the temperature at about 20C!  Hush now, don't want to ruin it!

Tuesday 7 May

Back to work.
Won £2.00 on an on-line scratch card.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Have been starting work early and finishing late to catch up with this Crispin School leavers hoods.  Each one takes 45mins to cut and another 20 mins to pick and we have 105 to do!

Saturday 11 May

It was supposed to be my Saturday off but went in anyway to do more Crispins.

Han and Mum popped in but hardly had a chance to speak, just after they arrived we had a busy half hour - typical.

The Belgian Beer Glass Edition

Sunday 28 Apr

After my normal paperwork chores I decided to cut the grass back and front.  Then I painted wood preservative on the window frames of the shed.  I was going to see if I could do one side but it looked like we might get some of the wet stuff so I decided not to risk it.

Planted the courgette seeds. As it was reasonably pleasant in the garden, even with the impending wet stuff, I made a start of tidying the left hand side as you look from the house.  I'm in two minds whether to make a pond or to plant more veggies.  I've made a start of turning the soil over.
Haven't heard from Hannah, unless Mum has, she went to Plymouth again this weekend.

Monday 29 Apr

Start of another very busy week in the shop.  Doris phoned in sick!  Over the weekend she had been to Birmingham to see Beyonce.  Make of that what you will.  Reuben won't be in this week because of Exams,  mum has stepped in to do a few extra hours to help out.
My order of four Belgian beer glasses arrived today, got them on e-bay.  I'm very pleased with them.

Did some more digging in the garden before tea.

The Belgian Beer Glasses

Tuesday 30 Apr

Did some more digging in the garden this evening, nearly finished now, I'd forgotten how tiring digging soil is.

Had a relaxing half hour sat in the shed with a beer listening to the funny programme on the radio. 

Checked out a bottle of Nelson's revenge.  Its good but needs another week or so before it will be properly ready.

Bottled the next batch of Gran Cru.  A long wait of six weeks before this one will be ready.

Wednesday 1 May

I can't believe we are in May already.

Worked an extra hour in the shop this evening.  Have you ever had that feeling that you are being swamped with work and not sure that there is enough time to get it done by the deadline?

Doctor Dad got called out to Mambos this afternoon, where Hannah was suffering a nose bleed and couldn't get it to stop.  Apparently it all started with a sneeze!  She invites me to a pub and then doesn't even get me a drink!!!?
Sold my shares in Kingfisher to make a small profit of £16.00 which represents 5.5% interest on my original investment after costs.Not a bad return over 5 months when you can only get about 2% over a year in the banks!

Thursday 2 May

Worked late again this evening but I think we have now broken the back of this load.  least I hope so.

We have a wine merchants opened opposite our shop, so I popped in today to get some supplies for the Bank Holiday.  Wines from all around the world at a reasonable price.  The last I got form Phillipe were really nice.

It doesn't look very impressive right now but
wait til its producing its crop

We no longer have to pay the council a stupid amount per day to park the car.  Reuben's Girlfriend's Mum has rented us a parking space in town for half as much as were paying to park at the Brewhouse.

Friday 3 May

Won £5.00 on an on-line scratch card.
After work sat in the shed with a glass of wine, browsing the gardening book and chilling out until Mum called me in for tea.

Saturday 4 May

Worked on for an hour in the shop.

Sampled a bottle of the Sicilian wine purchased from Phillipe on Thursday.  Not bad but not a favourite.  Minted lamb chops with roasted Mediterranean vegetables (with a chilli from our home grown chilli plant but only in mine) and sautéed potatoes for tea.  Yep, another series of Master Chef has just finished!

A Working Week Edition

Sunday 21 Apr

Mum made a nice Sunday roast and Hannah came round for the afternoon.  She seems to have settled into her new job so much so that she has got this week off as holiday!  I got another brew of Gran Cru on its way and Becca phoned in the evening, a nice steady day all round.

Monday 22 Apr

Sad to say nothing of any particular interest happened today.  Very busy in the shop trying to get a load of stuff ready for the end of the week.  It might mean working late for a few evenings, but we'll see how we get on.

Tuesday 23 Apr

Won £2.00 on an on-line scratch card, which cost £2.00! so I only got my money back!
This evening it was 35 degrees C in the shed so I opened the door sat in there and had a read of my gardening book.  Thinking of trying to grow celariac this year.  Did I mention that the beetroot, carrots and spring onions have sprouted?

Wednesday 24 Apr

Worked on a bit this evening catching up with a few jobs that need to be ready for Friday.  

Started this year's batch of Rhubarb Schnapps.

Thursday 25 Apr

Got home from work to find Hannah visiting.  She stayed for tea and I dropped her back to the flat at about 9pm.

Friday 26 Apr

Checked the next batch of Gran Cru, it is a little early but I think it is about ready for bottling.  Think I'll leave it in the tub for another couple of days though.

Received the forms from the Office of the Public Guardian for the annual report I need to submit for looking after Granddads finances.  It look like there is a few hours work to do there.

Saturday 27 Apr

Bit of a non-day really, one of those get up, go to work, come home sort of days.

Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Edition

Sunday 14 Apr

A normal lazy Sunday, catching up with the paperwork in the morning, Mum made a roast lunch, dozing in front of the TV in the afternoon.  But I did get the Nelson's Revenge bottled. Cheese and onion toasties for tea!

Monday 15 Apr

Normal Monday, Mum did the weekly shopping.  She left work at 2pm and I picked her up at about 7pm!  

Received a strange phone call from a woman asking for Hannah.  I told her Hannah wasn't at home but if she would like to leave her name and where she was calling from I'd pass a message on but she wouldn't tell me her name or where she was calling from.  I told Mum about it and she said she thought it was probably Hannah's doctor.  Told Han about it and she said she was expecting the call and the woman had been trying to call her all day but she was at work and couldn't take the call.

Tuesday 16 Apr

Very slow day in the shop which allowed me plenty of time to print Taunton Academy Leavers back print.  It takes about an hour to print 2 because of the names in them and we only have one cutter working now.

Cut the grass at the back this evening - it was getting very long.

Wednesday 17 Apr

A day in History.  This day will be remembered as the day of Margaret Thatcher's funeral in London.  There were some security concerns as two bombs were exploded near the finish line of the Boston marathon on Tuesday.  Even in death Mrs Thatcher still evoked some strong feelings, some people were heard to Boo the funeral procession as it passed through the streets of London.

Thursday 18 Apr

Nev's Birthday.  Reuben and Sabrina put up birthday banners and balloons in the shop!

It seems that some of the carrot and beetroot seeds have germinated already, there are just a few seedlings poking their heads out of the soil.

Friday 19 Apr

In the garden the forsythia is in full bloom which means winter has ended and spring has sprung (actually its nearly ended!)  The rhubarb is doing really well, I shall have to make some more rhubarb schnapps.  It was a pleasant evening so after work I sat in the shed with a beer listening to the funny half hour on radio 4 to chill out.  First time this year!

Saturday 20 Apr

It was Nev's turn for a Saturday off so it was just me and Sabrina in today.  We had periods of busyness but overall it was pretty quiet, took a lot of orders but not much cash through the till.  Cooked tea, which was a bit of a failure, tried to be a bit creative but it didn't quite work, gingered pork steaks, garlic roasted peppers and cheese and onion potato cakes.  Spent the rest of the evening surfing the web and sipping some red wine.  I haven't seen or heard from Han at all this week but I guess she is OK.

Another week

Sunday 7 Apr

Quite a busy day for a Sunday.  Did my usual Sunday chores first thing (catching up with paperwork and stuff).  Set the "Nelson's Revenge" brewing.  Reconciled the business accounts ready for the end of year close down.  Mum made a lovely Sunday Roast Beef lunch. An afternoon snooze.   Hannah and Matt popped round later in the afternoon for a quick visit.  They hadn't been gone long when we received a call saying they had lost electric power in the flat.  So I nipped down and was luckily able to restore the situation.    Cheese and onion toasties for supper and ice cream for pud.  Yum yum.

Monday 8 Apr

Margaret Thatcher died today.  Her name probably doesn't ring any bells with you but she was quite a famous lady.  She was the first female British Prime Minister, known as the "Iron Lady".  She was Prime Minister at the time of the Falklands War (of which I had some small part) and in my opinion she gave this country of ours the kick up its arse that it needed at that time.  However, she did have her problems, she introduced the Poll Tax (now known as the Council tax) which was very unpopular and she took on the miners and their Trade Unions during the miner's strike.  But all the same a sad loss and I believe she will be buried with full Ceremonial Military Honours.

Tuesday 9 Apr

Won £4.00 with an on-line scratch card.  Not quite enough to come out to see you!
Nice to speak with you on the phone this evening.

Wednesday 10 Apr

Won £3.20 on the Euromillions - still not enough to come out to see you!
Nev took a day off to take the family to Lyme Regis, the shop wasn't overly busy so we coped ok.

Thursday 11 Apr

Yep, it's Thursday.

Friday 12 Apr

Won £4 on a lottery on-line scratch card - looks like the Peru visiting fund is growing, but not quite there yet!
Got home from work to find Hannah visiting.  It seems the She and Matt have split up.  I think Mum and me suspected that something hasn't been right for some time.  Shame really as they have been together for some time.

Saturday 13 Apr

And there we are, another week over, they don't half seem to go quick nowadays.  Hannah has gone to Plymouth with her friend Tash for the weekend.

We have four chillis growing on the chilli plant.

Easter Bank Holiday Edition Part 2

Sunday 31 Mar

Easter Sunday

Had a bit of a lie in this morning.  Actually it was a longer lie in than I intended.  I forgot the clocks went forward last night and so thinking I was getting up at 9 am it was in fact 10 am!  Duh!

Did the usual Sunday chores, catching up with correspondence and paperwork that I should have really seen to when the letters arrived.

Sowed the carrot, spring onion and beetroot seeds which just leaves the courgettes which will go in at the end of May.

Thought Han was going over to Matt's but got a text saying she was in the flat.  Asked her if she wanted to come home for Sunday lunch but she declined.

Mum cooked the lunch but hardly ate any of it.  She was complaining of a dickie tummy which doesn't seem fair if you spend the time and effort to cook the food and then can't eat it.

Rest of the day spent in front of the TV and ipad!

I have only one Easter egg left, Mum has all of hers because of her upset tum.

Bank Holiday Monday 1 Apr

Not only a Bank Holiday but it is also Granddad's birthday.  I suppose I really should have gone over to see him but I didn't.

A bit of a lazy day watching TV and eating chocolate.

Bought some more home brew stuff on line.

Made a slow cooker beef stew for tea, really tasty.  I tried putting in some chunks of Chorizo sausage (Spanish sausage) and I reckon it improved the flavour.  I suspect you may be very familiar with  Chorizo where you are.

Tuesday 2 Apr

Back to work, loads to do not only with the preparation of printed garments but it is also the end of our VAT quarter and the end of our financial year.  Lots to do with bringing the accounts up to date.

Won £4 on an on-line scratch card!

Mum did the weekly shopping and we finished up yesterday's stew for tea.

Wednesday 3 Apr

The home brew stuff ordered on Monday arrived today - how's that for service?  Got some more Belgian beer and also some "Nelson's Revenge" and 24 plastic bottles to put the ale in.  Thought I'd try bottling it instead of putting it in a barrel.  The barrels seem to have lost their seal which stops the brew brewing.

Thursday 4 Apr

Mum met up with Hannah for lunch in town.  Then in the evening Mum went down to the Winch for a bite to eat with the ladies.  

Our internet connection has been playing up for the last few days, last night was terrible, it would connect for a minute or so and then disconnect for several minutes.  I think I might have to look into getting a new ISP.  It might be worth looking at BT Infinity again.

Friday 5 Apr

Not much in the way of exceptional happenings today.

Saturday 6 Apr

I had today off as apparently this Saturday is the only Saturday this month that Doris can work?!!

Made a start  putting a coat of wood preserver on the shed.  Chose cedar red as this year's colour but you will see from the phots it is quite dark, a little darker than I was expecting.  I took the phots with my iphone, reckon they came out pretty well.  Anyway I got the front done and will do the rest as I fancy it.

This evening we met up with Andrew, Wendy, Nev and Hon down at the Winch for a couple of beers and a bit of a laugh.