Sunday 17 May 2020

The Lockdown Effect

 Just like Lancashire council our local borough offers a green waste collection service for a yearly fee of around £40.00.  Although we have two compost bins one at the front and now one at the back, the green bin is a great way of getting rid of larger woodier tree and shrub clippings so we don't mind paying the charge.  We do however mind someone else using our bin as a dumping ground for their garden waste (because the local recycling centre is closed) especially when it is soil which is not accepted in the waste stream, grr!! As a result, Dave left a post on our local next door neighbour site and the following morning our 'neighbour on the left' offered to help Ben dispose of the waste in the general grey bin:







Another lock-down birthday and this time it was my mum's turn.  We had a video catch up and sang 'Happy Birthday' on the day and her parcel home made bunting from me and a handmade card from Pip arrived the following day:






The scissors were out and it was time for another at home hair cut courtesy of mum!  I've managed to neaten Pip's asymmetric cut and thankfully it is almost all one length, much easier to style:




Last week's veg box brought a bunch of beetroot so a quick search on BBC Good Food and we found a recipe for beetroot and onion tart.  The pastry contained grated carrot and was soft and light.  Gluten free pastry can be notoriously temperamental and it can be quite tough if the dough does not contain an egg but not so with this mix, a real winner:



Ben and Pip's relationship has strengthened during this time and although they have their moments they do have fun together:



Another week over and a new one about to begin, even though most days feel like 'ground hog day!'  Slowly we are making changes to our weekly rhythm, Friday has been declared a 'do your own thing day' provided it does not involve video gaming!!  Saturday is family chores and pizza/soup day :-) and as from today we will be having a lunch date with Mum H at 12:30 pm every day.  This will have a two fold benefit, accountability for me to ensure that lunch is served in a timely manner and a good way to break up the monotony of Mum's day.

Hope you are managing to stay safe and well xx 

5 comments:

Eva said...

Those are not nice people, dumping their stuff at your place! But your neighbors helped, that is great. Your days sound well-ordered, I like your new rhythm! Ours are a bit more relaxed now, with college classes more or less finished, but we are still following our regular homeschool schedule. So nice, Ben and Pip are enjoying each other's company. What was in the dough for the tart? And your crafting, is, as always, lovely. Flora really admired it, when she saw it.

doe said...

I agree with Eva. I think your new rhythm sounds so nice. We play a game every Friday or Saturday night and we watch a half hour of Friends every night (except game night). I find that the Friends episode is a great way to get us belly laughing, which I think is very healthy :) We also have dinner together, and Sunday mornings together.

Lunch with your mum each day! Sounds wonderful :)

I'm frustrated with our city as they have discontinued our composting. We're trying to get our Council Members to change this and we've started a petition. Fingers crossed and praying! We need to take care of our earth, not increase the greenhouse gases.

I'm glad you saw your Jacquie Lawson card. She has some sweet and fun ones on her website.

Now that your mum had her birthday . . I think you are the next one in line?!

Lots of love to all of you, San, xoxoxo

Kezzie said...

How utterly rude to just use your bin!??!! We've occasionally had an excess of branches and have had to ask the neighbours if we can put some foliage in theirs but they've always been happy and we wouldn't think of doing it without asking- the mind boggles!
Our council does our wheelie green bins anyway without an additional cost, as far as I know.
The bunting looks amazing as does the Beetroot and onion tart- yum!

elli said...

How rude of them to use your bin!

Where we live, we put brush piles out by the kerb and the city totes them away, on a schedule — Thomas and I were discussing the yarden ‘work of the day’ last week, including him collecting all the sticks and whatnot for putting out front — when the city brush truck went whizzing by, alas. So we've got a pile waiting (and growing) at the head of the drive for the next round, probably not til midsummer.

Happy Birthday to your mum :-) May is a lovely birth-month :-)

Alex Watson said...

It would really have been annoying that other people were dumping garbage in your bin! However, it's good that you are blessed with helpful neighbors.