Today Ady was very productive feeding the animals and washing Willow ready to touch up some bits of rust with white paint, the kids played and Scarlett spent some time hanging out with Benji
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And I did some sorting out the inside of Willow and some painting my nails 🙂
The floating hour seemed to keep jumping about somehow, with it feeling both earlier and later than we expected in equal measures. We spent some time chatting to the group of women who stayed here last night about WWOOFing and our years plans, some time chatting to a group of ramblers who passed by the van and wanted to talk. Ady told me it was really funny chatting to them about Home Ed which is coming up daily atm with the explaining of our year. One of the more mature ramblers was questionning it quite closely and asking things like ‘well aren’t you inspected to make sure you are doing it properly’ so Ady said ‘yes, sometimes they do like to come and check up, ask questions like basic maths and who is the queen, you know just they test people of your age on driving every couple of years to make sure you are still ok’ 😆 The woman then turned to Scarlett and wanted to ask her about what books she could read but Tarly listened to her question and then deadpan pointed out ‘Benji is eating your coat’ and sure enough the goat had crept up to join in and was chewing at the back of her jacket! 😆
We had lunch and then caught Michael and Tanya just as they were about to go out as we’d been asked by Jill next door to get some sausages for her and bring them over when we went swimming this afternoon and we’d handed the cash over to Tanya yesterday. We were early but in possession of loads of sausages so grabbed our swimming stuff and headed over there. Jill took the sausages and asked us about what we’re planning next as we’d mentioned we were supposed to be leaving but have now had our next host mess us about. She asked if we’d be interested in staying with her and doing some work and showed us her next project which is clearing a very overgrown patch of land with a greenhouse in the middle of loads of bushes, weeds and shrubs trapped = it looks like the castle in a Ladybird book of Sleeping Beauty I had as a child, all surrounded by thorny bushes after 100 years with just the turrets peeking out. She wants to return it to the kitchen garden it was in the 60s and she showed us an aerial photos taken back then showing it as a proper allotment sized plot with beds and loads growing.
We went off for our swim, lovely again 🙂
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When we came out there was a freshly baked rhubarb cake waiting for us and Jill with further temptation in the form of the keys to Orchard View Cottage which she showed us round and offered use of and a fridge filled with food for the week in exchange for help on the veg patch project. She also wants the kids to do some photoshoot work for her modelling some clothes she is involved with marketing if she can get some sent here. We agreed we are interested but need to talk it over and check that the next host along who I had already contacted to see if we could arrive early with had not already replied to say yes as I don’t want to mess anyone about.
Back at the van we had not had a reply, so I sent a second email explaining we now have another host sorted so will be there Monday 4th April as initially planned (which she has since replied to confirming), we told Michael and Tanya (who have invited us back for Easter as they have various big events happening and would like help if we’re available) and have arranged our last mornings work here tomorrow. We need to check with Jill that moving across tomorrow evening will be okay and that’s it all sorted. Use of the pool and trampoline, a lovely cottage with kitchen, food all supplied and next door to here so the kids can come and visit Benji each day for another week before we move on.
I suspect we will be doing full six or seven hour days of work for Jill, having googled her she is a very successful businesswoman who I imagine will expect a decent amount in return for what she is offering, but she seems lovely and friendly, we will learn loads more about various things working with her for a week and she is an excellent contact to have, having links in all sorts of businesses, being a published author and having strong eco links in various places too. Not to mention sleeping in a real bed, sitting on real sofas and having electricity and a kitchen for a week 🙂
the cottage looks gorgeous! I hope the gardening goes well.
Very excited for you all, sounding just perfect atm!
Comment by Kirsty — 28 March 2011 @ 7:13 am
Sounds like a great week ahead 🙂 Be nice to have a good project to be getting on with, not to mention the novelty value of being back in a house!
Comment by Alison — 28 March 2011 @ 5:33 pm
I think staying in a house is cheating though isn’t it? I think you should in the very least ration your electricity and kitchen usage :p
Comment by Em — 28 March 2011 @ 9:43 pm