Garden revamp - willow screening finished

Last Sunday early in the morning (because we went after to friends BBQ) we finally put up the rest of the willow screening. It makes so much difference to our garden. It is just nicer and cosier. Also all the plants just pop up! I think that it was worth the cost. What do you think?

This picture is before the new screening.

Weekly baking - Blackberry brownie

This is a new receipt. I did it only once and it was delicious! Receipt is from my colleague from my work. I have used blackberry in the topping but you can really use any berries for it. Raspberry should be nice too.

Willow screening update 2

We got delivery of more screening yesterday! I know not very exciting but the fun is I didn't order it. That even is not the whole story.
Firstly I have ordered 2 rolls of 2m high and 4m long willow screening. Next day I got delivery but the rolls were only 1.5m high. So I have contacted the seller. I have bought it on Amazon (and used voucher from my Amazon credit card) so I taught that all process will be very safe. Seller (Primrose shop) apologised and gave me the small rolls free! So I have been very happy when the mine 2m rolls were delivered on Monday. Yep, I got 4 roll now. 2 days later (on Wednesday) I got another 2 rolls of 2m high rolls. So now I have 6 rolls!
Not sure what is happening but I think that our neighbour is getting a little bit worried what for goodness sake we are going to do to our tiny garden. :-)

Garden revamp + willow screening update 1

I have spent a lots of time in the garden these past few days. Do you remember when we wanted to paint our fences? We decided against it and chosen to install willow screening. But first our fence needed some repairs. It really isn't our fence as our neighbour fence so we can't change it.
Also we at least asked our next door neighbour about doing some small repairs to it. He was fain with it.
I have got some free wood from my work (used for packaging) so I changed a few rotten planks and also screw together our garden gate. It was just falling apart! I have used about 50 screws on it!

Fence & gate before

Dining room revamp

Our dining room is slowly taking place. It takes time to "finish" room up. You know all those little things which just make it look nice. I have took a few pictures and I could see where it still need a little bit of work.

This photo is my favourite! It shows everything what I like in this room.

 

Weekly baking - Swiss roll

This weekend I have made Almond & raspberry jam Swiss roll. 

This is a little bit more difficult receipt than my usual mix tray-bake. 

Living room update

I have been playing with living room again. I changed a few little things and also tried to do a coffee table arrangement. I am not that good with all of this decorating but I am trying to make our house "ours". It is hard not to copy anything in shops. We don't want to our house looked like a catalogue. Just something ours and interesting and comfortable. Also easily cleanable, because we have cats is a good idea too. So what do you think?

Slug resistant plants

I had to plant my french dwarf beans again. They got eaten by slugs & snails.  Also a few broad beans too. Due to my cat digging them out.
I used slug pellets (the cat friendly ones) but still slugs manage to eat my plants and veg.
I have a few plants which slugs & snails  and even caterpillars will not touch. I though that I will help fellow gardeners with my experience.

Weird and wonderful cats

I was looking up all my photos of our cats and realised that we have a lots of really funny ones.
It will be pity if they will just stay in my camera. They are true projection of our cats live. They do not take anything seriously and everything is just one big play. We learnt that it is really good idea to have camera near in case of them doing something funny.
Only place when I will not let cats in is the bathroom. It is really weird to have a cat watch you when you go the the toilet. It freaked me out. Also our cats are always looking curious at us when we do not have any clothes on. (When getting dressed) I would like to know what they are thinking! :-)

Here are some of the weird and wonderful pictures of Meowgi and Micka.

Meowgi and his sleeping step

Weekly baking - French almond cake

This receipt is for a traditional yet simple sponge cake from France. Made with ground almond. Best served with fruit and cream.

Radiators revamp - painting

Our house has this really big list of small jobs to do. You know that kind of work which can wait, but has be be done. We are at the moment getting some quotes for a new boiler. It never is only new boiler. We need new flue, power flushing, new radiator new TRV valve. Also we do not have access to our small extension loft so we have to do loft hatch to. We have to change 1 radiator because is really slow (probably full of muck). Rest of them are just old and scratched. In need of some TLC.
This Sunday was very rainy day so no time for garden and perfect day to paint our radiators.

They looked like this before.

It is growing & revamp of garden

Finally my tomatoes, peas and french beans started looking up. Strawberries are flowering and my irises are beautiful. Our lemon tree is sprouting. I have planted also some garlic this year. Only two big pots. It is garlic from Czech so I hope it will be more resistant. It has for sure stronger taste. We already used that odd one which I couldn't fit in my pot. :-)

Tomato plant

Pea and garlic

Weekly baking - Easy peanut butter biscuits

This is really simple receipt. It has only a few ingredients (5) which everybody has at home. You do not need any forms - just hands and baking time is very short. Easy to do and quick. Real saver when somebody will pop in and you do not have anything for a table! Plus your house will smell divine!

Easy peanut butter biscuits

Staining garden furniture

I have managed also squeeze some garden furniture update into our busy bank holiday weekend.

We have been given our garden furniture by my husbands parents. I really like it but the table is just too big for our tiny garden.  So I bought some smaller one used one from e-bay and we will sell our bigger one. Everybody happy!

This is the old circular from e-bay. It is made of good wood, it just went black with age & weather. So I have started to sand it down. It took me close to 2 hours to do it (with 4 chairs) of course by hand (+ some sand paper).

Extension masontry painting

Bank holiday gone :-(  but we have been very very busy. We painted and painted!
We did our extension masonry + woodwork in 2 days!
Our extension masonry is very rough. It never have been painted, it just has this cream & pink colour (magnolia?). It looked just old and stained.
Firstly we had to remove all staff near it (Bikes, little shed, heavy potato bags 3x, plant pots, watering hose, some decorative bark and number of tools. Then remove some fixing (vent) and move away garden box. Also lay down some newspapers for protection of the paving.

Little update

I was playing with my blog - again :-)
I taught that my blog looks a little bit old fashioned. You know when I look at my favourite blogs (Young House Love or Swoon Worthy) mine looks just so horrible compared to them! I get a little bit upset about it. I am still fighting with blogger to make it look how I want to. I am beginner with blogging and sometimes I am a little bit lost with all of that funny names like "Favicon".
I have spend about a hour trying to change it to something "mine" and that little thing doesn't want to move from my blog. :-(
Oh well. So I made my blog looks more streamline and simple. Also with more space for bigger pictures. I would like to do something with my header. Maybe add some artistic background instead of simple blue font.

It still needs a lots of work but I will get there.

Czech dumplings

One receipt which nobody here in England knows is Czech dumpling receipt. It is staple food in Czech and easy to do. It is served traditionally with sauces.

 

No clothes buy year - update 3

I had a weak moment and bought 1 item of clothing. We went to T.K.Maxx with my husband (for his clothes) and I saw this really, but really nice GYM shorts for only £14.99.