Wannabe country fair

I had quite a productive weekend. I made four bars of soap – I was surprised how easy it was to make. I made two bars of lavender and two bars of rose scented soaps. I also made two lavender cushions, which I've tied round the handles to an otherwise boring bureau and some curtains to hide the shelves in our kitchen.

The chickens had a lovely day pootling around the garden. They get on so well now and there doesn't seem to be as much of a pecking order now that Margo has also started laying eggs. Margo and Jerry dug a hole in my herb garden and then proceeded to have a dirt bath! They are such adorable little things and I'm so pleased we got them!

I went to the country living fair on Sunday in (of all places!) Islington – as Tim says it was more country wannabes than proper country folk, but I had a good time and although I found a lot of the furniture overpriced for what it was, it made me realize that all the things I've made, painted and crafted have looked the same. Maybe I could sell my lavender cushions for £20 too?! It's a bit embarrassing really, but I spend so much time on ebay that I recognized most of the items for sale! I bought a chicken door stop, an enamel seed box, a three headed watering can, six lovely Cath Kidston-like place mats and two packets of sausages. Maggie got Tim an old gardening encyclopedia. Could have bought much more, but I've been spending far too much money lately so I decided to be sensible. Just as well really as my car went in for a service and MOT today and I now have to fork out £650 for it!! Hey ho, I don't have kids and I'm sure if I did they'd cost me a hell of a more than £650 a year!