Living opposite...

...the church makes it easy when trying to direct people to our cottage.

It's also a pretty view or it is if I look sideways, as the church itself is slightly to one side. Opposite is the churchyard...there's no wall, and the ground is about three foot or so higher than the floor of our cottage, so I have a view of the headstones. At Christmas a delivery of several Christmas wreaths were laid at different stones, then a couple of weeks ago a bunch of red roses were laid at one closest. Now there are little bunches of daffodils popping their heads through the soil bringing a brightness to the grassy expanse.

I understand there's no electricity...oil brings the only illumination, and no regular services. It is still consecrated though. It has some very special murals inside dating back nearly five hundred years.

St Andrew's



In reading a book by a previous owner of our cottage, I note he was told that St Andrews lies on a ley line with a ley stone outside it's porch.

These are...

...what arrived yesterday. I just kept a smile on my face all day.

My door and floorboard bench, sitting waiting for the finishing touches.



I'll be making a cushion for it, and maybe a bit of polish...but, I'm thinking about that.

These boxes also arrived...

...with a few more out of shot. These are the start of the working side of the kitchen...sink and cupboards. I think you can just see a hint of the colour?! You can just see the colour charts balanced on one of the boxes. Which one to colour the walls...and doors. So many choices...and so little time.

I was also busy making some necklaces. A friend has a boutique just outside Norwich, part of which is the sale and hire of Prom dresses, and she asked if I could make some necklaces to put with the dresses...so...making some simple beads I put together some necklaces for her. I'll photo these and show a bit of sparkle...every girl needs a bit of sparkle for her party.

The bunny battle still continues. I'm down to only having one hole reopened each morning now, and I see there are two holes in the field next door, so I'm hoping they're gradually getting the idea. Otherwise, the whole area is due for a dig over. I only want them to move slightly...just a matter of ten yards...I do.

The finished...

....kitchen slate floor...



Tomorrow the couple of units arrive and the strange door bench. Then we have to decide about worktops.

After making...

...some beads this morning(burning my arm in the process, as the rod spanked and shot a sliver of red hot glass up my sleeve!), and waving good bye to the tiler who has finished the floor(photos to follow), I pulled some weeds, looked for another rabbit hole...as a baby bunny was nibbling the grass and my pansies, which I still can't find, did some ironing. Then feeling kind of bored I wanted to discover what was making such a smell on the stairs, so up came the carpet which is now sitting outside waiting to be thrown. Now if I thought I would discover beautiful( I didn't) wooden stairs...I'd have to think again. There, all old, bent...worn, painted brown, nails and staples everywhere, were my bare stairs, but I did discover the smell...it went out when the carpet went.

Now what to do with those stairs!

This is...

...where we walked yesterday...Holkham Beach
Through the pines behind the dunes, then down to the sea...paddling in wellies...

If you're ever this way, it's worth the visit... You can always park in the village and walk down the lane...

Next time I will take the camera!

A little bit...

...of slate floor...



it just needs cleaning and grouting on Monday, and then sealing on Tuesday...I'll be a smiley person then.

And what a week of sunshine we had, so taking full advantage of the beautiful weather I've been cutting, digging and beginning planting. Now old shrubs have gone, dotted around in piles, waiting for recycling...

My little recycled brush fence, which now has some hawthorn hedging growing by it.

It's been a good weekend...finished today with a walk along Holkham Beach...twenty or so minutes from home and I can be paddling in the sea! Today was wearing wellies!

Have I mentioned...

...the oak refractory table we've got? It belonged to my brother-in-law's father, and they wanted to lose it after it was "renovated", with someone varnishing it with polyurethane; now it's a beautiful pale orange, and very ugly. We know her beauty is under there, it just needs a little persuading to show itself again.

This table will go into the new kitchen, as it's just the right height for me to use for mixing, kneading, rolling, reading, writing, sewing...(you get my idea...), it's going to be the centre and today we found a chair for it, or rather a little settle. Walking through Swaffham from Saturday's market...with fruit pies, hawthorn for hedging, and three primula Victoriana....

...we found a maker in pine of free-standing pieces, and amongst all the new he uses reclaimed floorboards and doors. This is what our "new" settle is...a door and some floorboards! It's dented, has old paint flakes still attached, but it's beautiful, and so much fun.

He delivers it this week...and then you can see...

After that some wax, oil and elbow grease...with a couple of handmade cushions and voila, our first kitchen chair.

Then we came home and I listened to my team's commentary. Another bad day,, and although we didn't lose, we didn't win and listening to it, we found it tough going. This is after it being said it was a "must win" game. To make things worse (if possible), our local rivals can go above us if they win on Monday, when they play second placed Leeds. So, which is worse? A guess a draw would be best...

Also the club sadly announced the death of an old player. Bob Curtis played in the late 60s and early 70s. One of the players I can remember cheering. He had been ill for sometime, but still an unhappy event.

Our new...

...kitchen floor is nearly complete. Large slate slabs are being laid to make our two rooms one. Just a few edging ones to do then sealing, grouting and then sealing again to bring them to their full glory. At present they're dusty, dull and waiting... Our floor was a lovely mismatch of levels, and now only slopes gently, well we are talking old cottage... Totally reliant on the two men who've been laying it. A young man and his father-in-law, who have worked hard...in amongst the copious cups of tea and coffee I've made. Then next week a couple of cupboards are due to be delivered... Slowly we're getting there

I've been searching out old...or handmade bolts and latches ready for repainted doors, as those in place are those DIY store versions. It's a shame at some stage all the original pieces have disappeared and now the cottage is owed a little respect and dignity...

Whilst the floor is being laid I've been fighting the garden. Old shrubs have been attacked with vigour, trimmed and when needed, dug out. Grass has been taken from old flower beds, and little sprouts from bulbs now show. I made a small wattle fence, not your full hazel or willow one, but with the cuts from the shrubs(waste not want not), and this has plugged a hole in our hedge where a large bushy tree was cut down, before we moved in, and I must say I'm quite proud of myself. I've also been fighting rabbits. We have burrows in the garden, it might be a whole warren, but the little dears eat anything remotely green and within reach. So yesterday I started the fight back, closing all holes in the garden, leaving them the main one in the outside bank. This morning most of the holes were back...so, fork in hand they were closed again. Tomorrow I'm guessing they'll be back...and the fight for my garden will go on. I want to plant flowers...I like flowers, but if they're nibbled back...it'll be a waste of time and energy. So the rabbits have to go...humanely. They have large fields next door if they want house room, and all the grass they could want to nibble.

I refuse to say anything about last Saturday and football...apart from...*sigh*

A strange thing...

...happened on the way. Well not quite to the Forum, but you know what I mean, now don't you?!

There was I quipping about cupcakes in my last post and an invite came my way to a T and Cupcakes morning at a friend's boutique, in support of the Haiti appeal. So down to Norwich we went, and a beautiful (and tasty) array of cupcakes were before us...we just had to try some, and I can personally recommend the orange and cranberry, and the lemon ones. Then popping though my post box comes a note saying I've won nine cupcakes in their raffle...I did say the cakes were sublime, now didn't I?! All I have to do is find someone or two, to share nine cupcakes with!

Know anyone?!