Highs and lows...

One of those weekends when we're reminded why we are so happy to be living here, even if mice love living here too...

On Friday, some friends went to a comedy gig at the theatre, and a few of us met them afterwards for drinks in the theatre bar. Lovely to be out with some great women, for silly conversation and a catch up - something I should definitely do more often.

Saturday turned out to be a kitchen and shed day, with me making some bread, and a banana cake to use up the bananas that had been kicking about for just too long, and Mr Drookit out in the shed sorting out the devastation caused by dratted mice! Our stored apples and pears, and a dust sheet left over from decorating had obviously caused the local mouse population to think they were in heaven... A lovely toasty house and a buffet of delicious fruit right there, and no giant humans coming in to tell them to get lost - what's not to love?

So, the pears are no more, and lots of apples have gone. The dust sheet (a really good, thick one) is in the bin, having been chewed to bits, and used as a communal loo... bleugh! Hopefully they won't come back, but we'll just have to get out there more often and check, and hopefully scare them off. It makes me even more determined to build a better shed one of these days, with a brick base so that no pesky little creatures can get in...grrrrrr. Perhaps I should stop shooing the cats out of the garden (to protect the birds) and let them go and sleep in the shed to ward off the mice... Still, all the outdoor and indoor activity was followed by a lovely evening, curled up in front of the fire, eating Mr Drookit's home-made veggie stew with my bread, followed by banana cake. Simple pleasures!

This cat always miaows a hello as we go past. Not sure it appreciated having its picture taken! Rude! 

We headed out on Sunday to buy some coffee and bits and bobs, and went past St Peter's church - only to see that the doors were open, because it was 'clean-up' day, when volunteers come in wielding dusters and mops to do a spot of house-keeping! Off I went to do the shopping, whilst Mr Drookit went in to lend a hand. Of course, I had to go in and help out when I got back. Only one minor embarrassment when I didn't notice one section of the floor had been newly waxed and I ended up flat on my back! No harm done (except to my pride, of course) thanks to my bulky winter coat, bulky bag on my back, and general, natural, bulkiness... I got up, dusted myself down, and finally got on with dusting around the building once everyone had stopped asking if I was okay! Amazing how much dust and dirt accumulates - one junior volunteer showed me her dustpan with a couple of manky old Brussels sprouts she'd found in one corner, no doubt left over from the farmers' market.

Only the bit at the very end had been done when I slipped - even I would have noticed if it had all been this shiny!

The old place looked very lovely with the sun light streaming in through the windows - a job well done, I think.

Home again, and while I typed up my blog post, Mr Drookit did some piano practice - which always makes me happy. Then, drawing the curtains, and settling down with more homemade stew and homemade bread, was followed by an evening curled up in front of the fire - both of us saying how lucky we are to be just where we are. Bliss. x