That short phrase probably says it all at the moment. After decades of neglect I'm finally uncovering the grisly truth about the house - and it isn't good. It's things I wouldn't even attempt to do: plumbing leaks in the loft, no ch or hot water, rising damp everywhere (because of being built into stone walls - whoever thought that was a good idea?) Never mind, it will all come out in the wash, much better to concentrate on what's been achieved so far.
Things like: planting out the strawberries and tomatoes. I had to buy young plants this year and put them into either hanging baskets or troughs because of the time. As it is I'm not too hopeful. For the first time I bought them on eBay and I have to say they looked tired, tattered and dejected when they arrived. I've done my best with the compost but I doubt there'll be much of a crop of either this year. It's good to try things out though - I may have a couple of tomato sandwiches, a bottle of home-made sauce and one strawberry tea at the end of it but I'll know better for next year - I'm more used to seeds than ready-made plants. The greenhouse might have to go on hold though because the corner of the back garden that gets the most sun isn't really that good. I'd have to squeeze round a 6 x 6 and a 6 x 6 is neither use nor ornament really so I'm having a re-think. Maybe a cold-frame or two or the dining room table.
In my last English home I had two greenhouses and a wrap-around garden. I grew melons, peppers, aubergines, onions, potatoes, strawberries, broad beans, runner beans, peas, peaches, apricots, apples, plums, courgettes - bored yet? - garlic, tomatoes, baby sweetcorn, anything and everything. I followed expert advice and planted ten seeds hoping that one or two would sprout but they didn't: almost always they all did and I was faced with a glut. Since then I've learned to scale back, ignore the advice and just plant what I need to eat, to freeze and preserve, together with some for the birds and some for the neighbours.
Talking of neighbours, M, next door, painted her wrought-iron garden chairs last week, only to have one of them nabbed overnight by a local villain. That's why I carted all my bits and pieces into the hallway and front room when my fences blew down - I can't afford to lose them. A second-hand garden chair is one thing but the loss of 400 litres of Levingtons, the makings of four raised beds, the water butt, vermiculite, the table and chairs, the hanging baskets and troughs would hit me harder than discovering the house needed a completely new gas central heating system. Some things you invest in emotionally and some things you don't. The ch is 'just money' and since it's probable that I'll never be able to change it because it's too expensive, the theft of gardening things would hurt me more.
Things I make, things I help to grow, are important to me because that's what I like to do: I like to make curtains and cushions; I like to have a garden full of good things to eat. My parents were tailors/tailoresses before they moved on to other things and my dad had green fingers (the neighbours used to queue up the road for his rhubarb and raspberries) and one of my first memories is of being knee-high to row upon row of raspberry canes as Dad led me up and down the labyrinth, so I suppose that's where my love of gardening comes from. Children fall into that category too - things I make, things I help to grow.
I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that my glass and china will, for the most part, have to be sold; there just isn't the space here for all of it - there aren't enough alcoves for shelves or money for display cabinets. If anyone is interested in 20th century glass (Wirkkala, Sarpaneva, Quistgaard, Sklo Union and so on), teak, pottery (Carn), china,(all English apart from some 20thC German & Scandinavian) drop me a line telling me what you're looking for and, if I have anything that matches, I'll send you some pics, once I find my camera! I have some Stuart Devlin and Carlo Moretti somewhere too though I may keep those. There's also a couple of genuine Spanish, white plastic sun-loungers - I won't need them going by the weather in Torquay at the moment and the only time they were used were when my boys visited me in Spain. Cushions (deep red/yellow/reversible & washable) available too.
P, the builder, comes tomorrow. I'll let you know how we get on with re-working the kitchen. He did a fantastic job of tanking the understairs cupboard so I'm toying with the idea of actually buying a new camera so I can let you see what he's done around the house and what I've done in the garden before it's all too late.
PS I've found this: Union Street Flea Market so that gives food for thought. All I need is a huge quantity of bubble-wrap and a cabbie. Happy days!
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