Daphne Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I've had another thought on the apples. If you don't know which varieties they are (maybe some are cider apples?) you could take samples to Brogdale, presumably at this time of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 Soapy - I'll join in with you, although we used to do the hanky twirling thing (the girls didn't like using the sticks - darned shame that)! We are not far from Bampton - at least the docs there will see you when you call for an appointment! I've heard another big area of land near our old place has been sold with a view to putting another 1000 houses on it. There was supposed to be a new school but now they aren't. Next is the docs - they reckon they will be able to cope with all the hundreds of houses being built when we left, let alone a thousand more. We'd have had to arrange an appointment for the following year at that rate! We've joined Orchards Live (Liv or Lyv?) so they are a mine of information. I'm guessing some have to be because they've been here such a long time and it is still cider country. Our things have arrived. 5 small vans and finally everything was unloaded. They worked really hard and we are happy. We are also in a total mess and tired, but at least we have a proper bed. The inflatable mattress was very comfy, so thank you for the link. We had to pump it up a bit every 3rd day, and then it got a little difficult to turn over uphill! We've been very kindly invited to join the cattle peeps for dinner with some other people they know tomorrow night. So nice of them and so exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 Some amazing things happened today. Firstly (thank you tawny owl for that wake up call - please time it a bit later next time) we visited the new doc. Very nice man indeed - knew someone who lived in our old village! In fact pretty much everyone here knows Hook for one reason or another! One person worked in Feltham at the same time as I did! Small world. Anyway the surgery has the smallest waiting room I've seen since I was a child. Although very swish. I spotted 2 other young doctors, one of which if he didn't have a beard and moustache would have looked like he was 15. I had to roll my tongue back in (although why did I get the older fellow?). Each consultation is allowed 15 minutes (compared with our old 10) and if you have a few things to discuss, then let them know and they give you a double appointment! Er, unheard of - 10 minutes and come in number 9 your time's up! Soooo last night we were invited to dinner at the inn with the people OH met last week. Lovely people, lovely meal. While we were there we chatted to someone new and we were recommended a plumber. Our new cattle friends recommended someone who has free range chicken, ducks, geese and turkeys. OH rang the plumber - he's coming to service the boiler (due next month so we felt get it done at the same time) and fix up our washing machine - pipe wrong size, connector way too short and wide, but the pipe itself is flush to the wall and difficult to attach anything! Next week perhaps? Nope - he's coming tomorrow! He's also going to look into how we can get our dishwasher fitted in because there's no plumbing at all! Then he rang the chicken people. One deluxe box of one whole duck and chicken with giblets, plus another duck and chicken jointed with livers of each for £50. I thought that pretty good value. So when will they deliver - this afternoon after the school run! Brilliant! All fresh and now in the freezer - huge they are! I've only seen duck with white flesh - this is iodine coloured! I assume corn? Or is it because they run free? So we are really impressed with things as they are. Hopefully getting Squirt home here on Sunday - taking my mum for a joy ride and picking up my sewing machines on the return trip. The cube is almost put together, but as I saw a fox the other day I'm definitely getting some extra mesh for the cube run. Then next week I enquired about a couple of chickens to keep her company and I'd collect them at the same time (cream legbar and a welsummer) and she has relatives near here so will be popping them in on the way! Then I'll be having some more babies - Swedish flowers and some brahmas and I'll be well happy for a little while. Big walk-in chicken run arriving in October, and then I'll be looking for more! Yayyy 3 cheers for more hens disease! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Sounds like it is going very well. Can't wait to see photos of your new run and the chickens. The food you've been sold sounds delicious - I bet you will notice a difference in the taste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 Food certainly is Luvvie - had a pheasant burger today and it was lovely and lean - very tasty. Yesterday was a chilli duck stir fry and was super. We are eating more veg now and cutting down on portions. The plumber excelled himself, young chap with his apprentice. His little lad sorted out the pipes to the washing machine - yayyyy clean clothes! Then he actually plumbed in the dishwasher - took out a cupboard under the sink and all done! Little lifesaver! Putting up with Murray's missed bits with the Fairy Liquid was very time consuming as I put things back in the sink! Apparently our boiler is a commercial one! For high output and quite expensive to run. He said he'd seen a lot around here and gave us some ideas to change to for the better, so we will look into it and then get him to install it. Farmers market in Cullompton tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Sounds like you've found a fab plumber. Let us know what goodies you buy at the market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 I love reading all this. I wouldn't know where to start. I'd love to see some photos when you have time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 I'm being dim and still don't know where you are! The parts of Devon that we know well are Bude, Crackington, Boscastle and Hartland in the north and Bigbury, Totnes, Dartmouth and areas between in the South. Are you anywhere near? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Bude, Crackington and Boscastle are in Cornwall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Yes, sorry but very close to the borders! We went back and forth a lot from where we were staying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Don't worry, I always thought Lyme Regis was somewhere in Somerset until my MIL told me it was in the last part of Devon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 (edited) Lyme Regis is in Dorset Edited September 11, 2018 by Ursula123 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Oopsie! Loving the geography lesson! Most places seem to be just an hour and a bit away - apart from where we used to live! We are close to Bampton which was the hub of central Devon until the motorways went in. In the other direction we have Hockworthy and then Holcombe Rogus (aka Hocus Pocus - I've also seen it written as Holcombe Regis - a village with many aliases ) - that has a super manor house - which we hope to have a look round at some stage! Squirt is now home with us, yesterday spent most of the day indoors with me and just a potter around the garden. She didn't look so well, I was guessing the long journey took it out of her, but thought I'd get her checked as she was snoring a lot. Found a chicken friendly vet (which needed yet another long journey) but just as well - she has antibiotics for a slight infection and good news she hasn't got it in her lungs. She has been prone to wheezes for many years, probably age, windy and wet weather hasn't helped! So with 2 doses under her belt she was much chattier and is tucking into scrambled egg and mixed corn - she's got her appetite back and its a treat after her 3rd dose - which she took really easily from Aunty Mostin but the little ratbag squirms around for me - but I'm winning there whether she likes it or not! Mwah ha harrr! The previous lady had her electricity on economy 7 - ultra expensive seeing as she doesn't have any storage heaters! Add that to a commercial boiler and well, money down the drain! We have to be in the house for 2 weeks before they change the meter system thingy. Technically we've been here 2 weeks but although she took the reading on the moving day, she didn't pass it on to the board until a couple of days after - well it was quite a hectic thing for her - she even left her hoover behind! We've done a couple of walks - OH more than me as I was on a joy ride with my mother to collect Squirt! Some super views but I need to upload them - and I can't find my linky wire at the mo - goodness knows what I've done with that! And Squirt is still eating! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 7 hours ago, Ursula123 said: Lyme Regis is in Dorset You are correct, West Dorset in fact. I had to look it up to make sure I get my facts right when I tell MIL she is wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 On 11/09/2018 at 8:54 PM, Luvachicken said: when I tell MIL she is wrong Good luck with that - let us know how you get on 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 So much for the farmers market. I got up and ready but his lordship had been out early and picking elderberries for his pontac sauce. He was happily sitting in the sun while picking the berries and popping them in a bucket for washing. I asked when we should be leaving. He said why. For the farmers market. What farmers market. The one you were chatting to the plumber about yesterday! So that was that - he'd forgotten and wasn't going to admit it! Meanwhile the chooks managed to ride out the stormy weather - which is picking up again. It was nicer this morning! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 A case of priorities.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Valkyrie, I am home from France next week so will give you a wave as I pass on the A361 on my way to Barnstaple 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 19, 2018 Author Share Posted September 19, 2018 Time it right and the wind'll blow you back here - I'll get the kettle on just in case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 One sugar please. Not looking forward to the weather, going to have to dig out some warm clothes, it is still vest top and shorts weather here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 19, 2018 Author Share Posted September 19, 2018 It's been quite mixed. I think the wind has died down but it's raining. It's also very warm when the sun does make an appearance. Quite a few blokes still around in shorts. I'm definitely not - trousers for me. But with the damp its been on and off with jumpers or flannel check overshirts. At least you can always ditch the jumpers if it gets hot again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 I think oilskins, sou'westers and fisherman's boots probably should be on the list of must haves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 The weather was dry for once in Devon! Home now in a much warmer France Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 It's been quite pleasant lately. But when the sun goes in - brrrr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 Sadly our Welsummer died while I was away on quilt retreat - I had taken them all to the vet as I was concerned about her going downhill too fast for my liking. The vet said she had very hard intestines as she could feel - poor little thing - and she was flinching when the vet prodded her. However both Squirt and Tufty were given a clean bill of health. I also started a worming session. Unfortunately OH had to dispatch her as she deteriorated even more. Not so sure about Squirt as she's not liking the weather, and has her ups and downs - I also think her eyesight isn't not as good. I know owls get cataracts, so possibly she has too. She flies down out of the door in the morning so still life in the old girl yet. Meanwhile I've been in touch with a wildlife lady who is going to help me turn the land into a wildflower meadow. I've just bought some yellow rattle seeds as per her instructions so that when the sheep come and graze next month I can use them to help tread the seeds in. Broadcasting them as I go (paying attention to the well munched parts first) - so I'll be out there with my smock and big floppy hat and some grass in my teeth. Hmmm, maybe I'll stick to warm trousers and a big woolly jumper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
