Saturday 10 August 2013

A quick catch-up

I have been very remiss in this posting lark.  But then I have been a bit busy.

I have spent eight days filming an archaeological dig, in the very hottest days of the year, in the middle of a field, lots of yards/metres (depending on your age) from the nearest trees.  Fortunately we did have a gazebo affair over the actual hole but still absolutely wilting weather. 

They had to go down two metres to find what they were looking for - the remains of an Augustinian abbey which was pulled down by Henry VIII's mob.  On the way they dug through several cess pits - full of broken potties and animal bones and hundreds of oyster shells.  It would seem that in days gone by oysters were actually cheap food consumed by the working classes.

One day we climbed over 100 feet up to the top of the adjoining church tower to film from up there. 


 Sorry, I should be able to find a better picture than that, but at least you get an idea. It did have rather splendid views but was a tad lacking in shade from the sun.

And then, following on from my previous post, I have been making strawberry ice-cream in industrial quantities, digging up potatoes in sackfuls and making redcurrant jelly and blackcurrant jam.  Not to mention the bottles full of "Ribena".  Those currant bushes were just groaning under the weight of fruit - the redcurrants especially just looked like glistening with jewels.

When I went to get more sugar and met Polish Charlie, one of the waiters in my son's caff, I said I was making jam and he said "Really?  Home-made jam?  Can I have some?" so of course I said yes.  And he made pancakes and put the jam on and said it was delicious.  So 48 hours from bush to plate.

In other news it would appear my daughter has been selected for Team GB in the 4X  World Champs in Leogang in September and has also been interviewed for hardtailnation:

http://www.hardtailnation.co.uk/2013/08/who-are-you-the-fastest-gun-in-the-west-the-jessica-greaves-interview/

Right, things to do ....




5 comments:

  1. Don't tell me "Time Team" is back?!!

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  2. Whew, that's a lot accomplished in a short time - and in such hot weather, too. Every time I've seen you tweet about the latest cooking job done, it's made me hot to think about it. J sounds a real dynamo too, you must be really proud of her!

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  3. Mick Aston was a consultant on this dig and on the previous one they did. Three weeks beforehand he was supposed to meet them to check on measurements and when he didn't turn up they rang his house only to be told he'd died hours before. You can see a bit of the previous dig here:

    http://www.brutonarchive.org.uk/abbeyfielddig2012.html

    (a webpage I have made myself)

    Proud of her, yes, but also she's a b****y nuisance as well!

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  4. Time Team has a most interesting demise that I only fully heard about when listening to Mick's obituary on R4.

    Sounds a most interesting summer. It always amazes me how people are in awe of jam making - it's clearly a gone-out-of-fashion skill that once everyone had.

    Well done to your daughter on her success (and to you as Mum who encouraged her and ferried her around!)

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  5. BlimeyI didn't know about Mick Aston!

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