Just Humans Being...

The builders have finally finished today!!! Time to get on with getting straight again & more importantly...  Light up the woodburner! Sime couldn't wait... What was an insane dream of mine just a year ago has become a reality... The cats are still unsure about it - even with their favourite blanket down we couldn't persuade them...  Happy as Larry... Whoever he was! After about a month of eating off our laps - we've got our table back! Last night's leftovers - vegetable bake, mashed potato & miso mushy peas. Washed down with a celebratory glass of Asa's delicious Blueberry Whiskey (Sime's crimbo prezzie from Rose & Asa)! We decided to have quite a change around & clear out in the dining room & make use of the window seats... Looks more like a taverna - which is nice!   The books are staying though! We are sitting in here with the doors open & it's warm - it's just amazing... And we are very happy! Kay & Sime  xx

Ever since I can remember, I've had allergic reactions to nasty chemicals in perfumes & detergents. As a child, I would break out in rashes from washing powder & anything perfumed, as did my siblings - in fact my Brother was even allergic to freshly cut grass! Little did my folks know about the body & health. My Dad was a heavy smoker & us kids had constant throat & chest infections, we lived on penicillin. Our bodies were continually stripped of antibodies & we all had an inability to cope with any toxins, so my Mum accepted that she had to buy particular brands of various soaps, cleaning & laundry products.   Today, I still have a problem with strong smelling perfumes, air freshners & detergents, so have just avoided them as far as possible... Even tampons & sanitary towels irritate me, so I've used a  Mooncup  &  reusable cloth pads  for a few years now.  Since becoming veggie over 20 years ago, I discovered that there were alternati

We have finished work for a few days & after another gruelling couple of days, we are out the other side... Think I need to put Sime to bed! We're looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow - if only the holidaymakers would keep quiet on their way down to the beach at the crack of dawn... It's that time of year when our hamlet swells from 30 to about 1000 at the campsite & hostel, so it's like living in a city all of a sudden! Hope you are all having a good weekend. Kay & Sime  xx

Our chocolate habit last year had become expensive & ridiculous, so we knew that we had to stop - we wanted to stop...  We had been aware for a long time that the milk protein put into chocolate is there to make us crave it, so most of us can't stop once we start... Dark chocolate with simpler ingredients doesn't have the same effect - though I don't know many people (apart from Granddad Gerry & myself) who really enjoy a strong dark chocolate. Sime's attitude to food is to cut it out if it's a problem & not just cut down. Which is actually the best way to do it, because once you cut it out completely & you stick to your decision - after a few days you stop craving it. After 3 weeks, it's appeal just fades & that's what we wanted to do.  Anybody who knows me can vouch that I have been a complete chocoholic since childhood, my favourites being Fry's Chocolate Creme & Creme Eggs. At work I gained a reputation for always having a c

We are still upside down at home with builders in & out... We're also working lots too again - though this morning we're off to the home education group, as it's our turn today! A few tough days coming up again & then hopefully next week we can take some time to enjoy ourselves... Hope you're all having a good week. Kay & Sime xx

Last night we had a transition group get-together for Earth Hour. As always this took place at Cotna ... Sara & Dave's polytunnels, wind turbine & solar panels... Their house is a beautiful eco-build & they also have a straw bale barn which is a holiday let & accommodation for  WWOOFers  who help out on the land. The compost loo... The track down to the bonfire was lit with tealights in paper bags... One of the new yurts... And the fire... We fell in love with this yurt... This photo doesn't do it justice... But it really is beautiful!  The ceiling... And kitchen area... Back to the fire... And more importantly - the food... Such a great feast again... Dave's wonderful cider... It was a great evening catching up with everyone... Even Ziggy joined in... And we didn't get home until 1am... Hope you all managed to do something nice too - would love to know what everyone else got up to... Bye for now, Kay & Sime xx

Another exhausting day today, but we did it! Time for bed again... Easier day tomorrow & then we're off to an Earth Hour celebration meal & bonfire (if we can stay awake)! Have a wonderful weekend! K&S xx

Three houses to clean tomorrow & two more on Saturday, then we've got 2 days off... Yippee! We're managing to get everything done, although it's tiring - so we're just working, eating & sleeping! My birthday in Fowey was a lovely break, but we were both quite tired... This is a great bus stop outside of the town... Fowey is pronounced "Foy". Walking down from the car park... It's quite a steep walk. We love old telephones - my Nan & granddad had a Bakelite phone & we have a  a 746 phone . Quirky window display... The King of Prussia has gone pink! Fowey harbour... The village over the water is Polruan... The sea was really clear... We decided to walk to the other end of the town... RNLI lifeboat... Ducks again... The car ferry which goes between Fowey & Bodinnick... On impulse we decided to catch the ferry... Oh dear - droopy drawers & unbrushed hair. Can't believe Sime took this one! And onto the ferry... Bo