Friday 16 February

We have just about sorted out the house and are not wondering about opening doors to see where we are, quite so much. 'Oh, shit, that’s the nursery! Turn right and it’s the second door near the back stairs, I think.'

No showers, just baths with one of them fitted with a hand held shower lead, so every Saturday, needed or not, we can have a soak and a spruce up. Flashy reckons we can use a saucepan or billy, filled with warm water to rinse off the shampoo, while floating in the bath. I’m sure nanna used to do this in the 60’s. And she used a kerosene rinse sometimes for any lice. Just in case.

Lady P has booked a hair appointment on Monday in Riegate, just a short drive away and this will take about 2.5 hours. Flashy has found a cultural iconic place to spend the time waiting. It’s called the 'Market Stores' and public house means that it’s open to the public, yes?

Got the fire lighting in the drawing room sorted now with a chisel and hammer to split the kindling, ‘cause there’s no axe and of course the ever handy firelighters help.

The real estate agent has advised that we have three inspections booked in from tomorrow, so we will tidy up and depart for the pub and shopping to give the agent a chance to show the property.

We went for a walk today, along the public footpath to nearby Denbies Winery. Here, a public footpath is somewhere that people are legally allowed to walk even if the landowner doesn't much like the idea. And the path from our estate to the winery is about a mile and a half, through the countryside. We met lots of people walking and riding bicycles and of course, it’s England, walking dogs.

Denbies was first planted to vines in 1986 and now has 265 acres of vineyard, which they say is three times bigger than any other in the United Kingdom and according to some in this family, their sparkling is as good as, or better than, some Champagnes. Oh, how the French will hate that when the critics rave about it. We shall taste tomorrow and give you our opinion.

The winery has a shop selling ‘good food miles’ stuff and we bought some Stilton, Cheddar, chutney, jam and a fig and walnut sourdough loaf and consumed same back in our country kitchen, as the formal dining room had been set with the flash ivory/silver, Royal something crockery and crystal glasses and flowers, by Lady P for the inspections.

After some discussion on cooking, Flashy declined to cook dinner. Lady P stepped up and prepared the beef and red wine casserole (tonight) and while on a run, also did the vego spicy bean one for another day.

The fire glows and the book on Wellington’s career is almost finished.

Lunch

Iconic place of relaxation for the public