GARDEN GLIMPSES 23

As August drew to a close, and my first major cropping of apple trees resulted in so many apples that I HAD to dump a sack on E's doorstep, hoping she wants one this year, as well as last, when she did. I next have the passionfruits to look forward to - they do not last long once cropped! This year, the first picked was bitter, however.

This is a shot to update you on how the plants my friend gave me are going - they are growing well, and two are flowering. It is nice to see a small pinky-purply dot thru the kitchen window as much of the color is now gone for the time being as the seasons change.

September brings fall, and out came another burst of color - in the form of baby cyclamen plants. We have both white and pink. September made me commence a second batch of cider - this lot to be dry, the former sweet. I then aim to decide which I prefer and play with the apple/water ratio until perfected - if perfection does not arise this year. Below you can see the second batch in the sink being washed over. I additionally managed to persaude L to take a bag and B to take a pair of apples...

FALL CLEANSINGS 39

Before tackling the lounge, I removed family pictures from the windowsills. As you can see by the muck behind them, they had been in situ for several years - though I had cleaned behind them at least twice during the years I moved back in and became my Dad's carer.

I took the covering off the old settee and got to work one Friday, somewhat reluctantly as the task of sawing up a sofa was not exactly exciting. You can see how it looked when I was a child in the above photo - before it was recovered by a cheap sofa cover. We used to have a pet cat as I grew up - and it used the sofa as a scratching post - hence the ratty arm edge.

I began by turning it upside down and rescuing 3-4 fat-bellied black spiders. I caught these in a sugar bowl and tossed them into the yard sadly. They may only be bugs, but I felt upset having to throw them out of their home.

I managed to saw part of an arm off - but then hit a problem. It sounded and felt like something metal in there. The saw was borrowed from a friend, and so not wanting to risk damaging it, I stopped. After a moment's thought, I decided to pay my son a bottle of beer to help me out. He agreed to smash the sofa into pieces in exchange for a bottle of Brooklyn.

Saturday arrived, and he pushed, pulled, smashed, whacked, and tugged - while I trod and sawed. The result being...

...success! (& my friend's saw was not damaged!!)

FALL CLEANSINGS 38

Here is a reminder of the situation in the spare room - ugly wallpaper of at least 35 years of age, filthy carpet of circa 45 years of age, and piles of junk for the tip. Here follows a shot of the mucky carpet under the furniture once the 3 charity men had removed the two old brown cupboardy structures and some other hoarded junk of my late parents - and a certain vacuum cleaner that ate the muck up for me.

Among the junk to be tipped are 2 former floor runner vacuums - not as good as the new Henry model. These two lasted less than 2 years each, one had filter problems and a loose brush and the other wouldn't suck without cutting out - both were made in China, so it is only to be expected. The new vacuum is made in Britain and of a higher quality.

This shot shows the stuff I am retaining - which should easily fit in the center of the room so I can redecorate with a rug over it. In fact, apart from the chair there is really only some family photos, cds, videos, a backpack, and few bags of diapers...photos can be scanned/given to son, other stuff sold - though noone seems to want the chair, so I might keep it.

My next task was to dispose of the settee. Purchased in 1953 by my parents when they first moved into this house after it had been built, it had been in situ more than 60 years. However, I did not like it, prefer modern furnishings, felt it a dust trap, and do not even use a lounge...but the charity couldn't take it due to fire hazard restrictions.

SUMMER SLOSHING 14 & FALL CLEANSINGS 37

August ended with my re-tidying the pantry. As you can see, there is still plenty of food in situ -

This shot is some stuff from the shed going to the allotment shed. Having had a professional gardener as a father, there are plenty of tools - mostly good quality. This bucket is now sited at the plot for carrying horse muck and sieving soil. The following photo shows my late father's fork - now also at the plot, ready to get the soil in perfect condition.

This is my first attempt at making cider. I have two wine-making bottle jars and this one is now filled and gurgling slightly. I aim to make a second shortly - and have just been offered two more from a friend.

Now we get down to some serious autumnal work. The spare room... I called out a charity to remove whatever they wanted and was then awaiting a friend to take me to the tip with the rest. I need the room cleared and clean ready to strip the paper and repaint. These shots show the junk on the left and good stuff on the right.

GARDEN GLIMPSES 22

As you can see from the above pair of shots, I have continued to empty the back fence of my father's debris. The back fence is now looking fairly bare - finally. I had not planned to do this task until such time as I dismantled the poly tunnel, but - tis now done.

My father had several layers of fencing in situ, albeit iron posts, metal, plastic, glass, and wire sheeting, along with one fence panel rather than a real fence. I have let only one layer in situ, as the land is risen above the neighbors by a few foot and needs some support so as not to collapse.

I am now awaiting a lift to the tip from my friend L, so as to clear the rubbish from my yard shown in the top two shots - and this former coal bunker.

Apart from that hard work, I have been cropping my two apple trees. 4 crumbles PLUS the following two shots worth of apples constitute one half of this years produce - the second half remaining in situ for the time being.