When we moved into this house (4 months ago now – how the time has flown), the end of the garden was dominated by an eating apple tree, a cooking apple tree and a HUGE overgrown lilac. The ground was covered in tons of pea shingles and it was impossible to walk around back there. At first we thought there wasn’t much space but it turned out that at 6mx6m it was just under a third of the garden.

So out went the lilac (I cut down about half of it *flexes muscles*), and my dad came with a chainsaw to take out the cooking apple tree (‘Pa Chris cut tree down!’ FB’s longest sentence at the time – often repeated), and we ummed and ahhed about the eating apple tree, having been told that the fruit weren’t very interesting.

(W shovelled literally tons of pea shingle into four huge builders bags. We have no idea how to get rid of them now.)

This space – as of monday – is going to house a big shed. Should be lots of fun. 🙂

Anyway I’m getting off topic and cantering towards tldr – the apple tree got a reprieve and I’m SO happy that it did because it’s wonderful. The apples are tasty, and this year has been a bumper crop (from what I’ve read about this year’s autumn harvest.)

So now we have apples coming out of our ears!

This is last week’s haul. Only it’s probably really only HALF of last weeks haul because the bad weather encouraged MORE fruit to drop.

And this is at least my fourth pan of chopped apples ready to be stewed and put in the freezer! And there is the same again (at least) ready for the same treatment tomorrow. However we all agree that stewed apple with cinnamon and raisins and vanilla ice cream really is wonderful stuff.

It’s wonderful to have such a harvest – to be able to share it with our friends and neighbours and look forward to curling up in the winter with apple crumbles and pies.

(Given the amount I am squirreling away, I wouldn’t be surprised if No.2 got to eat some next april when they start on solids. Now that’s a funny thought.)

I’m not sure why I’m doing this.

I guess in the future it will be interesting to look back at, and it’s fun to see what people look like when you read their blog and know they are pregnant.

Plus I found a photo dated two years ago yesterday:

FB’s due date was the 5th Oct (I think), where as no2’s is the 13th. But… well second babies…

Please excuse the unbrushed hair, the exciting wallpaper, the tower of yarn and fibre, the floor that needs sanding and varnishing,(when?! when!? Can you tell I’m nesting?)

It was very early this morning, because I cannot take photos of myself as we don’t have any full length mirrors up in our new house. So I had to get W to take it before he left for work.

I am pleased with the pink/orange/raspberry I’ve got working there, so let’s call that an upside.

Personally – and I’ve been telling everyone this – I don’t think this baby is going to wait till the 15th. (Let’s all have a good laugh at that when the date rolls around and I’m still lumbering about.

But really I can’t go a month with W having to put socks on my feet can I?

Can I?

For no particular reason:

Shiney shiney wallpaper. Mind you, you should check out the polystyrene ceiling tiles…

Currently on my desk there is:

A pair of Big Butt Baby Pants sized 0-3 months, in a great brown cord with little teal apples on them, which FB keeps telling everyone is ‘for the baby!’ He’s not wrong. (They needed the elastic putting in them, which I did last night. TICK!)

Some Oh Baby Baby Booties in Oxford Kitchen Yarns test dyed yarn – also for no2.

A box full of Bendy Rope People (scroll down) which were/still are going to be christmas presents for various bigger than FB people in our lives. (I am starting to feel that I bit off more then a could chew with that one. That may well fall by the wayside.)

A pile of lovely wool felt from Oliver Twists (who sadly don’t have a website.)

and My new BIG pin cushion, because I got sick of putting pins back into a tiny box.

My ‘To Do before the baby comes’ list is now split into three, rated by priority.