One of my favourite cake's - Tom's favourite - he say's it's how I won him over! It's easy peasy and this is the first time I have baked a cake in our Aga so I was pleased with myself.... I drizzled melted chocolate on it after it had cooled down... Perfect with a cup of earl grey or builders!
This is a present to my self as a "just because" it arrived so beautifully wrapped in old wallpaper and brown string and it's been on our kitchen table for 3 days now as I can't bring myself to opening it- I even chatted with Charlotte about it and were going to have to share it as she was bidding for it too..... It's a gorgeous conker colour vintage satchel.......so here goes...
Our latest edition to our home improvements - here you will see the results after last night/early morning decorating has paid off. What was recently converted from a work shop - now the original floor boards exposed, industrial stove from our old house, existing old AGA , old butchers block, a window looking out onto our herb backyard and a window the other end below the streets of Bath. oh thank heavens it finished in time for festivities and pumpkin carving!
Beer hops and artichokes and this yellowy flower that I'm not sure about are currently taking over this plot that I am about to turn into a vegetable patch - and plant winter veg such as Garlic, asparagus, broad beans, onions and pak choi...let the digging begin!
The final stages of project kitchen have been taking place today... window seat in the kitchen and an old singer sewing machine table that I have replaced with a slab of lead.
mmmmmm... my favourite things
The shelf..... From Tom's farm, we had some big bolts and took off some of the slat's to form this shelf.... more stuff to go on it but were still unpacking!
Today I have done the final coat of french gray on these cupboards and doors,they have been given a new lease of life and I got rid of the horrible gold handles and replaced with these porcelain . Where there used to be cooker is our new cubby hole to store saucepan's behind I hung an old coffee sack...
cutlery, bowls and basket's etc.... have been given a new home too.
It's all about decorating still, we were still painting at 1am this morning, I was actually really getting into it and listening to Mumford and son's and making Tom venison steaks on the Aga followed by lots of cups of earl grey... This is where we have our breaks and discussions where were going to put things..
Take one kilmner jar and sterilise, fill it with freshly washed ripe damson's, should be around 800-900 g.... and about 300g sugar,
Fill to the brim with gin, leave for 3 months, shaking everyday until the sugar is dissolved. This will warm your cockles up whilst out in your wellies...
5 years ago my Mum & Dad bought the shell of this barge,as their retirement project. we have named "achievement"... They have fitted out the kitchen,built the engine, put in the log burner
The day started with the sun peeping through and it turned out to be the perfect day. We arrived at Bradford on Avon marina at 11.30 am. The lorry arrived bringing the barge from their yard and shortly followed was the crane. Were all ready to go - I've done a big sainsburys shop for our picnic and dads chopped up logs and Tom has brought the cheese - whilst mum sits back and watches the excitement
It floats!! As it's a home-made boat - all the fellow sailor's/narrowboat owners were keen to watch from their moorings.
Our first lock was at Bradford on Avon and it went very smoothly. We learnt from a friendly couple how to open and close the locks using our windlass's and then we were off to find our mooring and have a cup of tea... This is the life, no TV, no phone signal, a log fire and a beautiful day 
This weekend we had steve and Gemma to stay and in return for a lovely roast lamb lunch they helped us throw paint round the walls.... and it looks great.....This is only the first coat...
After 5 hours of cutting in, sanding down, and painting it was taking shape,
and so was lunch - our first in the AGA!
