Thursday 27 June 2013

They're here .....

 
They're here...... one of my favourite crops has finely started to ripen. 
 
Just in time for Wimbledon some might say but I'm sport phobic, so for me it's just in time for our holiday.   I had my fingers crossed they would, there were lots of little green strawberries last week, hence me buying the pot of double cream to take away with us, and I was right to do so ... 


 
 
..... this is what my daily harvest looks like on the way back from feeding the chickens every afternoon.
 
The hens are in full lay at the moment and all the broody girls are now going about their business and laying again, so it's an average of about ten eggs a day and a big handful of strawberries.
 
The first few years I grew strawberries I would wait and pick every couple of days but now I pick daily because the more you pick the more you get.   Every day there is another handful and I only have to save two days worth in the fridge to give us enough for a lovely pudding of strawberries and 'whatever'.  We're using up everything in the fridges and freezers as part of the £2 House Keeping Challenge, so up to now we have had them with  Crème Fraiche and with ice-cream and of course a few get eaten just as they are the absolute best way when they are bright red and deliciously fully ripe.
 
The Geese have just finished laying, they only lay for around 8- 12 weeks each year and then naturally stop.  I put the last four eggs out at the farm gate yesterday ...
 
... and they were stolen .....  no money left in the Honesty Tin!!
 
What a sad end to the Goose Egg season.
 
*** *** ***
 
Today I am getting everything ready for loading into the car for tomorrow, we can't pack the car until the last minute as the dog beds will go in first and everything else on top but I am getting everything ready to go in.  We're taking our own summer-weight duvet off the spare bed and that will be popped into a duvet cover today to make setting up the holiday flat a quick and stress free job.  We are taking our oldest kitchen tea and hand towels and they will be used to wipe every where down before we leave and then thrown away, always nice to come back with a bit less.
 
We both take pride in always leaving things as we find them and my final job in any holiday home is to clean the bathroom and kitchen and do everything I possibly can to leave it ready for the next person.  Yes, they employ cleaners and I usually have to leave the vacuuming to them as vacuum cleaners are not left in the flats, but I make sure that is all they have to do.  Why do I do this and not have a break from housework you might ask - well because my very first job when my youngest was only months old was to clean holiday flats on a Saturday morning when his Dad could look after him.  As soon as he progressed to nursery I progressed to cleaning caravans every Monday and Friday, so I do know the sense of relief when you step into a nice clean flat or caravan and all you have to do is put some bleach down the toilet and hoover the floors.  It makes up slightly for the folk that do have a holiday from housework and use every pot and pan in the place rather than wash pots and wipe nothing down all week or tidy after themselves, leaving the mess for the 'paid cleaners' to do it for them.  Yes, I've seen it all and some of it's not nice!!
 
Well I better get on with it, the menu is now planned -
 
Friday
Salad and Cheese/Salad and Meat Buns for the journey
Fish and Chips for tea.
Strawberries & Banana with Cream
 

Saturday
Bacon/ and Poached Eggs on Toast
Salad and Cheese/Salad and Salmon with freshly cooked Baguettes
Garlic Kievs (Chicken & Veggie) with Rice and Salad
Strawberries and Mandarins with Cream 
 
Sunday
Bacon/ and Poached Eggs on Toast
Late lunch at Mums
Garlic Bread and nibbles for Supper
 
Monday
Poached Eggs on Toast
Rice Salad for the Journey home.
 
Snacks/Treats
Large pack of Grapes
Scones with Homemade Jam and Clotted Cream
Large Bag of Kettle Crisps (Approved Foods - brilliant buy)
Twix - 1 pack each
Snickers - 2 each
 
Drinks
Tea
Coffee
Sparkling Water
Low Calorie Bitter Lemon
Fresh Orange Juice
White Wine
Port
Lemonade
Cider
 
All this food is coming from home, partly from what I bought yesterday and partly from the freezers and cupboards, I don't think looking at this that we will have to buy anything else, except the Lattes on the motorway to go with our picnic, we could take a flask, but we enjoy the treat of a C*sta Coffee too much so we don't.
 
I also have to pack a 'doggy bag' with food, leads, poo bags and a couple of treats and toys for them.   Their beds are going to get a good wash today, that's if I can prise them out of them, they seem to be determined to have a bit of lie in this morning, maybe they know they are off on an adventure tomorrow!
 
And hopefully, if it will all fit in the car on the way, there will be lots more space on the way back.
 
Well I better get started :-)
 
Oh, and there will be some of my favourite photos popping up each day on the Blog starting tomorrow, so you don't miss me too much. (Categories -Animals/Vegetables/Us/Food)
 
Sue xx

12 comments:

  1. I always clean up before we leave too - we're friendly with the owners of our regular place now and they always appreciate it as they have 4 properties.
    Have a wonderful trip - I'll be sure to say hello if I see you!

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  2. Have a great holiday Sue. How sad about the egg thief - Hope Lady Karma was watching intently!

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  3. Have a lovely holiday Sue (and LH) xx

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  4. Like you I always have a thorough clean around when we leave a holiday cottage. I don't like to leave a mess for anyone. Even in hotels I strip the beds and leave all the laundry in the bath or in a pile.

    I hope you have a really love break.

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  5. Wonderful strawberries, we have lots here too. Hope you have a fantastic time, it is well deserved for you both I think.

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  6. Hi Sue,
    Your strawberries look lovely. I have just come back from shopping and resisted the tempation to buy some, but I am not sure why!! I have also cleaned holiday appartments with Butlins a few years ago, and it was an almost impossible task - half an hour to clean a 3 bedroom flat (including the cooker and defrosting the fridge) We are lucky on the campsite that we only have to clean toilet, shower and washing up block but even those can be fun sometimes!! Have a lovely holiday and I look forward to more blogging next week. x

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  7. Sorry about the goose eggs being taken that is rude and mean.

    I take lots of bits and clean around when I arrive at a holiday home. and then as I go along. I was a chamber maid through a school holiday. you look at people differently don't you after.

    Have a great time away and I just wanted to add I love your blog I have read back through most of it now. there are lots of tips! Thanks

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  8. Have a lovely holiday, hope the weather brightens up for you though! Safe journey! X

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  9. Will someone be harvesting for you whilst away? We too clean the house and strip the bedding, put the towels all in a pile in the bathroom. Then any bedding, towels etc we haven't used, we leave a note on them to say so!

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  10. You can only hope the person who took the geese eggs desperately needed them. Such a shame though.
    I hope you have a wonderful holiday! I'm just getting organised for mine too, the build up is so exciting.
    Best wishes.

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