Country Pursuits by Heather

Oh My Has it really been so long...

2009-01-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Well yes it has

Self imposed work deadlines - it is MANIC with us presently and has been since December - knowing full well we had a 2 week hiatus due to Christmas and New Year - and HMRC's Jan 31st deadline for all Tax Returns - we have worked like navvies

All is well - we are nearing the end

So much so - this weekend we are off for our wedding anniversary - to Switzerland!

Still much to do before we fly off on Sunday - but when I return I will have much to say too

Happy New Year - belated tho it is

Mead 2008

2008-11-23T10:26:00.001-08:00

Last year I decided to use some of my honey in an attempt to make mead - my first attempt at either mead or homemade wine. Patience was the order of the day - this was going to take about a year. Kept in a cool pantry, it has been decanted several times to get rid of the silt. Just over a year later and excitedly, we begin to decant: Having sterilised bottles at the ready - we syphoned 4 large and 6 small bottles worth of mead

As you can see the final version is lovely and clear and quite pale. Meads I have seen and tried in the past have been quite dark, more like an amontillado. This had a very pleasing colour - but by far the most impressive characteristic was the aroma. When I made it - I decided to boil it to kill off wild yeasts - with the potential for losing some of the bouquet. However, the smell of honey and beeswax was wonderfully still in full force - absolutely startling to be quite honest - this has a seriously lovely fragrance.

And the most interesting development was that it was crisp and dry - rather than heavy and sweet - as I had imagined it would have to be.

This has to be one of my most successful endeavours - I had a teensy weensy sip (I don't drink) - and was shocked at its potency.

It certainly seems to have been worth the wait - and now will be labelled up and prepared as Christmas presents for friends and family.

Waistcoat & Hankies...

2008-11-23T10:20:00.001-08:00

Here we are - one waistcoat and two hankies - I have the bells too.

Come December 7th - they will be worn in anger!!! Melton Victorian Fayre - here I come!!

Naked Ambition ..... the maternal kind

2008-11-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a scant 6 weeks away if you didn't already know.

I know this because my eldest daughter was 21 at the weekend - I remember so well my very first Christmas as a Mum, with a 6 week old baby and family and friends desperate to see her - it was a hectic time.

20 Christmases on and it still remains a hectic time - but I wouldn't swap it for the world - I love Christmas, and I love my family - ahhh.

However, they have failed me miserably in the maternal ambition stakes - and time is running out for me.

I'm talking school plays.....I'm talking the pinnacle of success that all Mothers secretly aspire to - sitting, tearfully in the audience as your off spring shuffle forward with a swaddled Tiny Tears - as Mary and Joseph.

Eluned, managed a creditable singing flower and a very convincing sick elf - but that warm and fuzzy feeling was very much the chorus line and I had such high hopes.

Things were looking good, when, 3 years later, eldest son, Sioni was cast in his reception year as Arch Angel Gabriel - but, alas, he took a stubbornly self conscious acting sabbatical that lasted the next 16 years. Drat!!

But lo! I have been given a last gasp chance, a la Mama Rose-esque success - as the child of my twilight years has this year started primary school - ho could he be, could he possibly be...Joseph?

Knowing my luck - he's more likely to be cast as the donkey!

Gluten Free Mince Pie

2008-11-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Being between a rock and hard place!!!

I haven't been looking forward to this Christmas foodwise....last Christmas I had, stupidly I know, ignored any notion of following, or even giving lip service to gluten free eating
Last Christmas was what eventually decided me, I couldn't go on ignoring it any more.
But dear oh dear - No mince pie!!! No Stollen, christmas pud or cake - or at least as I have known and LURRRVED it in the past!
I had to get a grip - and try with some gusto - as many recipes I could find for gluten free equivalents or alternatives.
Cakes and bread I can do - all forms of pastry has always eluded me - disastrously ....my valiant attempt at buckwheat pastry didn't look or fare any better.

ABOVE: Buckwheat pastry - honest!!!!!

BELOW: My attempts at rolling it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As disgusting at it may look - below is the near finished pie - I decided to roll out very small pieces and hand pressed them into the tin - to save the attempt at a pie lid, which was bound to look awful - I twisted strips of the pastry into a lattice - which looked passable

The finished result - was eaten!! with cream - it was very brittle in a hard to cut/chew sort of way- but not inedible by any means - and was by all things measurable - a chrissmassy mince pie, but gluten free.

New St Georgies do Melton Cattle Market....

2008-11-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Well here is the A team doing a superb job of 'Beaux of London City' aka 'Shooting' - a fabulous first proper outing for Helen, second from the right

And the B lister interloper looking forlorn without her hankies - ah yes yours truly!!!

This was the public dance - for the briefest of moments there - I actually felt I knew what I was about!!

Lads a' Buncham and Black Joke...

2008-10-23T01:07:00.000-07:00

Two new Morris Dances this week - still Adderbury tradition, but the first - Lads a' Buncham is a 'stick' dance - which whilst I falter a bit, forgetting when to turn with stick above my head - is honestly easier than with blasted hankerchiefs which I learned to my chagrin, after my first foray with the dreadful things last night.

'Black Joke' which is probably aptly named - & was the longest dance I've done to date - is an energetic one - with big circle waving anti clockwise whilst doing a set of 4 capers (jumping & kicking on the spot), then quickly into a hanky clockwise circle (the apple) with a quick flick up and down (the banana) whilst doing 2 double step ups down to a single step for 3 - and then back to capers!!!

Remember the rubbing stomach/patting head trick that is awful to coordinate?

Well those hankerchiefs - ended whirled around my hand and my foot work was useless - I forgot left from right! and I ended up completely knackered.

Honest - these old folk who lazily lope about with bells and hankies are lulling you into a false sense of how easy this is - because, take my word for it - it isn't!!

Morwenna

2008-10-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most friendly, tame hen I've ever had - this afternoon she went missing.

There is no visible evidence of loss, & all the other girls seemed unphased, happy and relaxed.

She belongs to my eldest son and he is gutted right now - he let her out with the girls this afternoon but left them out a bit longer than I would normally because they were having such a nice time scrabbling about.

She has a habit of checking out next doors' chicken coop - all I can hope is she made their ark her home for the night and she can come home tomorrow

Sadly, I don't actually hold out much hope on that - so once again I'm feeling pretty sad - it has to be said, I don't see there is a chance I can ever let them roam free again -much as I want to - and I know they love it - the price really is too high

Obsession and Lust...

2008-10-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Some might say I have silk purse taste on a sows ear income - I think I have a liking for nice things, and if those nice things are expensive, then its accepted - but I can as often as not like something that is cheap - I like what I like and price tag is irrelevant.

Except of course when it comes to the decision to purchase - then the price tag is anything but irrelevant - more is the pity sometimes.

My husband drives an X type Jag but very much would like to own a Jaguar XK. He has always loved the Jag - and always will. He's happy enough with the old one, but if the bank balance could ever support it - then he would be the very proud owner of the new.

I've never understood those lustful looks he casts over a car that has 'lines', is 'smooth' and has 'class' - if only I had the same lines - I might get those looks aimed my way!!

Give me a little car, economical that I can park, maneouvre around town and won't bankrupt me at service time - I am a happy bunny.

However, I have been struck by obsessive lust over an inanimate object - an object that is ostentation beyond anything that I have ever owned in my life and would cost not much short of what my old man would have to dish up for the XF

This is the Audemars Piguet - Millenary 'Star Lit Sky'. Look and sigh.

- I think its gorgeous and I WANT; just looking at it brings me on all covetous and makes me salivate slightly!!!! - talking hard nosed cash is extremely vulgar - but I've even managed to convince myself that the $55,000 price tag isn't such a huge figure -not wanting you to think I have become shallow in the extreme - I am prepared to acknowledge that there are a couple of cheaper version which are admirable -

and:

- in keeping with my calvinstic approach to car choice - I have a very understated, attractive Longines watch which I wouldn't part with for the world - unless.......

Stop it! Stop it! - I may find myself checking into Priory rehab for 'previously sensible woman gone mad with lust for impossibly expensive but divine watch' addiction!!

***Photos were taken from PuristaPro website - and my apologies for pinching them - but here is a link to said site by way of making it up to them.

Bee Orchid?

2008-10-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure this is a bee orchid - never seen one in our garden before and its the only one as far as I can tell. Its been pecked at by the chickens, so looks a bit worse for ware - but it is a very nice looking plant - just on its own in the middle of the rough grass.

Blodwyn

2008-10-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

Are here we have Blodwyn - the oldest of my chooks - I've had her about 18months - she was one of 6 rescued battery hens I took in but is the only one left of that initial clutch. In March this year I had lost all but Blod - she was the only one to reach the first anniversary of freedom.

I was undecided whether to have any more after such a traumatic first year - but in the end I decided to go with getting 5 new ones - not rescued hens this time - I couldn't face the sadness of loosing more.

Blodwyn has thrived with her new friends - she is top of the pecking order but is pretty placid on the whole - and she is still laying everyday.

She belongs to my daughter

Layla

2008-10-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Layla belongs to my 4 year old - he is very proud that she lays white eggs - the only one of my 6 that does.

She is the independent one of my clutch - stands away from the huddle.

The day they we brought the chickens home - she was taken out of the box last and managed a daring escape. Flying over the hedge and into a thicket beyond - it took about 3 hours for us to locate her - and a further hour to trap and grab her.

She was terrified - and I thought she would never settle. Its taken months of careful coaxing.

She can now be allowed out of her run and free ranges with the others - but generally, won't come to me unless she thinks there is an easy getaway - and I have to lure her back home - unlike the others she wouldn't just let me pick her up.

Her eggs however made her very much worth the effort - very nice.

Wallowing in Self Pity - or that terrible age thing...

2008-10-14T10:33:00.001-07:00

This picture here was taken about 2 years ago - its one of 2 I use on blogs and websites and everyone who has ever seen said photos and who knows me in person has said without any prompting - 'But it looks nothing like you'

When I ask why they say that, they just mutter vaguely, well it just doesn't!!

I am convinced that if I were to press them, the answer would be an uncomfortable - well...you don't look as young as that anymore - like that 50 something who keeps the favourite passport photo from 15 years previous!!!

This isn't a great photo - but its passable, and I always thought it would do.

My Gran, may she rest in peace, would never let us take a photo of her without an almighty fuss - never a vain woman, nor particularly attractive in a physical sense (although if personal character ever translated to physical beauty she would I promise you have been Ava Gardner instead of Nora Gardner!)

~ her reticense seemed at odds with the woman - and I pressed her on this and she said - 'do you think I like looking at this face every morning? Do I really have to have it committed to celluloid?' One day, she promised me, I too would look in the mirror and see what she was seeing. My secret reaction was - c'mon Gran you're 80 what do you expect?

A few weeks back the family bought me an iphone - quite a jump in technology in comparison to the dinosaur bones I had been using - and everyone marvelled at the quality of photos its capable of taking (all the photos on this blog are taken care of it - it is a classy little number)

So I was shocked witless - having seen how beautiful my family looked on screen, I could barely hide the horror when my youngest - who loves the gaget and photographs everything that moves - and doesn't! - showed me photos he had taken of me.

I looked like my Gran.

Today (Oct 15th) I am 46.... what an impossibly big sounding number!

As we get older we accept that ever changing person in the mirror - but at some point the image mis-matches the mental picture we have of ourselves - I know for a fact that in my head I don't have a rocky outcrop of a chin or crevices that Polyfilla could usefully maintain - and I suppose this is the rub - C'mon Heather, you're 46 what do you expect?

So this is what my gran meant and a birthday has such a way of rubbing it in.

In an attempt to stop the unrelenting - 'it doesn't look like you ' (aka get a grip woman you're older than this!)- I decided to stage an updated version , with the help of my iphone weilding youngest - kindly, I think, the phone shook slightly in the taking - and so we have a rosy hue that somewhat blunts the ravages of time.

I want to be unmoved by the advance of time, happy in my baggy skin - but I am my Grandmothers girl afterall!!

On the upside - my family came through with some lovely gifts and I know that there are worse things in life than a face that accepts the lure of gravity - but forgive this 46 yr old gal for getting pissed off at having to watch the demise!

New St George Morris Side

2008-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the New St George Morris Side that I joined a few short weeks ago - dancing in Melton Mowbray Market Square yesterday. They were helping to raise money for the Melton Stroke association - which one of the team is actively involved with, she herself having had a stroke last year aged only 43.

Its a shame I can't do a video link for you here because they were dancing Beaux of London City - the first dance I have learned and I got butterflies just thinking that one day I'll have to stand there and do it in front of an audience - albeit a fleeting one. They did a good job of it and the muscians, who shouldn't be overlooked are very good - the music, bells and applause all adds to the atmosphere my photo can't convey.

You can tell by the shadows on the photo - we have had a lovely weekend - sunshine and beautiful blue skies wonderful.

And don't the chaps and chapessess look splendid in their get up?

The Flowing Bowl

2008-10-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Week 3 of Morris Dancing Practice and our Foreman (Foreperson to be perfectly correct given her name is Liz) decided that the Beaux of London City was looking good enough for us to move on to a new dance.

I was feeling pretty confident - I'd mastered the single foot up!- it looks so easy on YouTube, but mid dance I'm easily flustered, I end up shuffling in a hoppy sort of way and bumble my way around the sequence - its amazing how quick you forget left from right!!

All those bells and folksy music has a way of lulling the audience into thinking this is just easy peasy - how wrong can an audience be?

Our new dance was going to be another from the Adderbury tradition. Excellent thought I!

......come landlord fill my flowing bowl, until it doth
run over
for tonight we'll merry merry be, tomorrow we'll be
sober!

The song was easily conquered - but the double foot up mixed in with single foot ups then a sort of hop and a 2 footed jump - together with some fancy sticking that had me fearing for my knuckles, made me realise that I couldn't afford complacency!

At the end of practice 3 I was knackered.

But there is nothing like making a bit of a fool of yourself to make for a fun evening -

here's to the girl who steals a kiss, and runs to
tell her mother
she's a very foolish thing, she'll never get
another

here's to the girl who steals a kiss and runs back
for another
she's a boon to all mankind, but soon will be a
mother
I've realised that behind all that harmless melodian & fiddle tunes and bell jingling is a dark side of serious ale drinking, phallic symbols and sex!! I knew there was a reason I was up for this morris dancing mallarky!!!!!

Gluten Free Bread and other useful tips...

2008-10-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

My fave food - if pressed would have to be French bread, stilton cheese - or any good cheese - Heaven. Second to that would come Stollen and/or Mince Pies - both are for life not just for Christmas!!

The common denominator to this is that I am undendiably a Biscuit & Bread girl through and through.

July 2007 that was stood on its head - I was diagnosed as Coeliac - after years and years and years of suffering I had a cure to all my ills (well most of them at any rate) - and finding out what it was, was a dreary moment.

Gluten free bread - whatever recipe you come by isn't ever going to replicate its gorgeous glutinous cousin - its dense, dries quickly, more akin to soda bread. It can be revived by heating it up in the microwave and kept in tin foil keeps really well.

My recipe if you're interested:

385g Doves Farm Plain flour; flat tsp Bicarbonate Soda; heaped tsp baking powder; heaped tsp Xanthum Gum; 2 tsp sugar (caster preferred); level tsp salt - mix together in a bowl

Carton of Buttermilk (usually sold in 235ml cartons) make up to 350ml with milk and add a free range egg - whisk

Add liquid to dry ingredients - mix with a fork - don't over handle the mixture - it will absorb the liquid quickly - and look quite fluffy. Turn it out onto a baking tray and form into a dome - it doesn't need to be put into a bread tin.

230 degrees - and hey presto - not a bad bread - keep it wrapped in foil. Its solid and you don't need alot of it to fill you up.

Tasty quick snack - scrambled egg doesn't have to be on toast to be enjoyed - fry up an onion with chestnut mushrooms - in butter; lovely.

And my tip for a naughty but ooh so nice - amaretto virginia softie; unwrap and turn it dome side down - add a teaspoon of clotted cream onto the base - WOW - sex on a spoon!!

Swimming in the Summer Paddock

2008-10-05T04:13:00.000-07:00

Well here's poor Pickle - stood in the summer paddock - laughably called the 'summer paddock' because in our naive, human way we believed the front paddock at the side of the house - this one - was perfect for Pickle and Howie the sheep in the summer.

A lush low lying paddock with a pretty babbling brook running through it - the brook is invisible really being just a trickle of water across rocks - and a good fresh water supply readily available for the animals.

Except, Pickle and Howie - like to live only in the summer paddock - despite the fact the winter paddock has a field shelter and is on high ground and less boggy during the winter months - the animals won't stay there - come high wind, snow and even rain, rain rain rain rain - they won't budge - even when the little babbling brook, overnight turns into a fast flowing, pretty scary, deep water course.

The brook was a few inches as at last light yesterday - this morning the whole paddock is awash.

Pickle and Howie, may have to be encouraged to move temporarily, because although the rain seems to have eased off - the water continues to seep off the high ground and swell the water level.

I hate it when we get very wet autumns because we never seem to recover ourselves and there is nothing more miserable than a long wet winter with kids and animals paddling mud and rubbish in doors.

I know wellies are a bit funky and hip in the shops at the moment but believe me there is nothing cute and trendy about having to live in the bloody things all through the long winter.

A Layla mini egg..

2008-09-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Both of these eggs were laid by my youngest son's hen, Layla.

The one on the right is what I would call a standard medium supermarket sized egg.

Laid on the same day - I'm not sure what to make of the mini egg?

Beaux of London City...

2008-09-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was week 2 into my Morris Dancing and it was great - fun and keeps you fit.

I've joined the New St George side based in Hose - click <here> (a bit out of date because they don't keep up a website anymore but it gives you a flavour)

My first dance is from the Adderbury tradition - from what I can gather - a tradition of dances is based on a bunch of moves originating in a particular village from a particular area - the NStG are a Cotswold tradition morris dance set - affilated to the Morris Federation (allows women) - and villages from the cotswolds would have had their own moves - not sure what makes Adderbury different from any other village moves but I'll get there!

The Beaux of London City - is commonly called 'shooting' because the dance is done with sticks - and during the chorus we take turns to either shoot one another or shoot at ducks in the air or the hapless muscians - good fun however, to be sure, is had by all.

Not sure what to do with my feet - except I seem always to step off on the left and it should be the RIGHT - I shuffle about a bit, because for the life of me, I cannot get where the hop fits into to the shuffle forward and back!!! Good thing there is a lot of stick clashing - I wouldn't want anyone to take too much notice of the old twinkle toes!!

Chooks enjoy the sun...

2008-09-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

You might be forgiven for not actually recognising this bundle of feathers as our 6 chooks/

Standing we have: Layla (white), Bluebell (grey)

In a ball we have: Blodwyn (brown) Nerys (speckled), Margot (black with white specks) & Morwenna (black with gold specks)

They just love the sunshine - don't we all?

The first hedge to be layed

2008-09-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

This is essentially the north west view of the garden.

'Garden' is a bit of a misnomer, its a bit like having a wolf and calling it a pet, its still a wild thing - a bit like that hedge.

The hedge I'll start laying is to the right in this photo.

To the left is a row of old christmas trees which the previous owner of the house had each year with roots - we now have 50, 60, 70 foot firs and spruces dotted all over the place - this particular row serves no good purpose other than swaying alarmingly in a high wind and looking completely out of place.
Its no small job - and I have significant amounts of blackthorn in there which are particularly tough and nasty.

Spring Clean...

2008-09-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

I know its Autumn - but I have that serious mental restlessness that usually comes in Spring - couped up over winter, I always have lots of mental energy come March. But this is seriously worrying.

I feel that we have been couped up - not such great weather; not out and about that much; forever busy that jobs have gone undone or overlooked. I have to be judicial with activities - I get tired.

In part that has to have something to do with age - I'm 46! But by far the worse is an autoimmune disease whose principle symptom is fatigue. So I have to choose my activities with a care.

There is so much work around the garden, the house and the surrounding land that I could be gainfully employed as a full time handy come groundsperson on overtime that I'd still never get the time to do the housework.

I'm actually at a loss as to know where to start.

Once the grass stops growning will be my queue to start hedgelaying, and (although I'm staggered at the size of the job before me) will at least provide a natural periphery to the jobs that can be done - but for now I have to be patient and just turn a blind eye

Hunting...

2008-09-10T06:32:00.001-07:00

I live about 3 miles from Melton Mowbray - that puts me within spitting distance of other hunting hotspots - Belvoir, Quorn, Cottesmore and the ilk.

Born and bread in inner city Nottingham - I was always a country girl trapped in the urban jungle - but one country pursuit I hated with a passion was fox hunting (I would throw hare coursing and stag hunting into the mix as well).

I still don't like it and the ban on fox hunting generally sits ok with me.

However, I'm not a city girl anymore - and I don't have many illusions left as to Reynards place in the world - I would have willingly ripped his head off his scrawny body if I could have got hold of him after a killing spree within my poultry pen!

I also understand more readily the delicate balance of hunting fraternity with the farmer, farrier, dog master etc etc.

What is more complicated is my relationship with being actively involved in hunting - me the confirmed vegetarian to boot.

Because I like (actually a bit more than like) - I have a secret passion for birds - bird watching is lovely, birds and their life, flight, song - I find peaceful. And of course I have the chickens and would dearly love ducks - but I'm not really talking this sort of bird.

I'm talking hawks and falcons.

I'm talking hunting.

I so want one of my own. Heather the Hunter.

Next best thing - I have already been on a day course - but if The Husband could be persuaded to become a member of a local gym/spa/golf estate - that has access to a resident falconer - I might just be able to get my hands on a bird, albeit, one of his.

I just wish they didn't rip up little bunnies so readily is all!

I am not a weirdo...

2008-09-10T04:14:00.000-07:00

Is this a statement of fact or am I trying to convince myself here?

Who knows - maybe a bit of both.

Of late 'certain' peoples' reactions have had me thinking that maybe what I like and find interesting isn't as mainstream as I first thought.

The Husband, last night laughed at me when I asked if he, with some of our kids in tow - would like to come to Sandringham to watch the hedgelaying championships in October.

His laugh was genuine - but when coupled with his equally genuine, 'you're kidding aren't you?' - I realised that what I considered as something perfectly reasonable, might not be!

Trouble is, I was deadly serious, and I really really fancy going.

Thing is, hedgelaying is very much at the forefront of my mind at the minute. Having took the course in Feb - I have had a long wait through the summer - and now find myself checking over the hedges just waiting for that autumnal chink.

I have a billhook and I know how to use it!! Infact having splurged out about £50 on my very own vintage model - it is high time it was swung in anger.

What makes me think that maybe just 'watching' the hedgelaying championship is lame is that The Husband, had been SO supportive when I had been teary at my own sisters bilious reaction to hearing I intended to go Morris Dancing. So his reluctance and hilarity over the hedgelaying had me thinking this was a tangent too far.

I didn't realise too that Morris Dancing might almost make me a social pariah in the eyes of some.

I didn't realise that my interests could make me seem like some weirdo - and here was I thinking how cool I was!

Intro & welcome...

2008-09-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Every blog has to have one - the awful first post!

Ok - I decided to blog because I have blogged before, it was a business blog - and although I don't do that anymore - I have missed blogging per se - so I have wanted to do another one, but personal this time - I have started several but without any real conviction to them, so they have all gone by the wayside.

I am a serial hobbiest - mostly, country or crafty pursuits - many of which are almost endangered species -

hand spinning; beekkeeping, hedgelaying - and my newest foray - into Morris Dancing.

I start Morris Dancing practicie in 2 weeks time and I am quite nervous. First off, I'm not very fit and having watched it for a while now, I realise that dotty though some might find it (and I'll revisit that) - all that jumping, bell jingling and hanky waving is more energetic than I first thought. Second, I wonder at my befuddled ability to remember the dances. Lastly, I'm not very outgoing as a whole - and I feel nervous at the prospect of doing it all wrong in public.

On the upside - I live in a traditional British hamlet, in a place that is as rural as its possible to be - and I have long felt the urge to support and promote our British rural heritage - to live with joy and gusto - revel I suppose in all that I find fun and wholesome. And I thought blogging about all that I do and like - good or bad, might be a bit of fun too.

I live in a clapped out farmhouse, on an overgrown small holding - which we simply don't have the time I need or would dearly love to keep tidy - because we have our own business to run - which sucks up masses amount of time and energy - consequently, I don't live in a des res, or a country pile - I am it seems doomed to constantly battle messy kitchen floors and carpets the Dyson family would struggle to keep clear!

Welcome to my world!