Hard Times...

[poliphilo]

This summer has been so wet!  Lovely weather for slugs. Ailz got up in the middle of the night a few weeks back and found no fewer than 14 of 'em sliming their way round the kitchen.

But not good weather for farmers. Apparently we can expect a  grain shortage. And a grain shortage means higher prices on bread and flour.

To add to all the other higher prices.

We're preparing for a tough winter. Energy prices have gone up so much we're not going to be able to have the central heating running like we're used to.

So we've laid in a stock of fleeces and woolies and we're hanging curtains in doorways.

And since there could well be power cuts- what with little Mr Milliband sticking out his little pink tongue at the Russians- we've made sure we've got lots of candles and tea lights.

Ailz has been trawling survivalist sites. Did you know you can use tea lights to boil a kettle?

It's raining again this morning. You can feel the chill in the air. The leaves are coming down.

An Indian summer would be nice.

We've just booked a mini-break in January- with Ruth- in deepest, dampest Somerset (rooms £9 apiece).  It's something to look forward to.

Comments

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I love it--bunnies in the parlor and on the stairs and snails in the kitchen!

Tony, I am moving! La-la, I can't stop myself--it's the tale of my life, I think, trying out every house with every possible view.

This house (see my post today if you have time) backs up to a farm that's in the center of our very small town, so that standing in the yard to take photographs this morning I heard a donkey!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Here's where we differ. the thought of moving- and all it entails- fills me with horror. Last time we contemplated it- a year or two back- I came close to having a nervous breakdown.

Do donkey's greet the dawn with their braying- or is that only roosters?

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Kate, who lives in a house next to the same farm, tells me that donkeys keep her awake at night, which I consider a rather exotic and intriguing problem.

Tony, here is a photograph of my living room, taken just this hour:



I consider myself an optimistic person, but this morning I am feeling overwhelmed and afraid I have made a terrible mistake.

It took me two hours just to tape these boxes together. I must now begin to fill and seal each one, with books, dishes, spices, photographs, journals, pencils and pens, and artistic clutter of every sort.

All I have to strengthen myself is orange juice and a signed lease.

Wish me luck--at this moment I am terrified.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You'll be fine.

And the new house is so pretty. Like a doll's house.

Our rabbits would love to get in among all those cardboard boxes.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I wish your rabbits could be here to play this afternoon--what fun, to see them investigating the boxes!

Kate's cat Vincent is like that--here is his icon picture, taken during my last move from the house I sold. He likes small places.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

He feels safe, I suppose.

We're taking the new rabbit to the vet's- to be neutered- on monday. I'm hoping that if I put her travelling box in her pen, she'll step into it herself- without us having to chase her down.