This week was designated an inside one; alternating the focus of my attention between house and paddocks seems to be the only way for me to keep on top of everything at the moment but doesn’t make for the most exciting of blogs. Happily (for me but not you, my long suffering readers) the weather played ball and was relatively uninspiring so I didn’t spend my time bewailing squandered sunshine while I flung the vacuum cleaner around and rearranged the dustballs.

Not that the menagerie were ignored; perish the thought! They still got their twice a day feed-out, bedding plumped up, water troughs freshened, and general wellness check and head count but all yardwork and outside projects, during an inside week, give way to those inside the house. This morning, with a little more time to amble having ticked a great many inside jobs off the list, I was amazed at the change to environment and, in the case of Sylvia’s chick, menagerie in just one week. The impending change of season is definitely evident.

So, you spent the whole week cleaning your house; how grubby are y’all? You’re right to question and actually, and with two dogs, two cats and four humans living busy lifes, things do get a bit dishevelled but, aside from the run of the mill, hum drum, fortnightly abode brush and scrub up, there was also other stuff on the list. A replenishment of store cupboard essentials was also well overdue so a couple of afternoons were whiled away in front of the stove. With the bone broth and refried bean freezer drawers now restocked, chili and curries, gravies, nachoes, good old stews and so much more are back on the menu. The courgette glut was also turned into so much silky, smooth puree that it now has a freezer drawer all its own and there’s no end to the dishes that will end up in but let’s keep that quiet; courgette is not top of the pops for all on the Homestead. What they don’t know won’t hurt ’em.

I also started my Autumn Cleaning (southern hemisphere, remember). It’s always made more sense to me to give everything a good wipe over and sort out now rather than when you’re heading into Spring and all you want is to get outside and feel the sun on you. First port of call for autumn cleaning is the always the kitchen; the cutlery and kitchen miscellaneous drawers to be exact. Oh, the dust…the crumbs…humiliating! I now speak to you as a woman absolutely certain of the whereabouts of each and every Homestead spatula, wooden spoon and potato masher (we have a selection for some unknown reason) – and as the owner of a great many stainless steel drinking straws. The things you find out.

All this was carried out to the soundtrack of snoring dogs – well, apart from the vacuuming because that is their collective sworn enemy, it’s use prompting much barking, ducking and diving – and music chosen for me by Spotify’s DJ X. Have you met him? Apparently, a real person provides the voice for my AI chosen playlist! I now feel a little foolish about the times I wondered aloud at their ability to replicate the human voice. Not the greatest fan of AI in general, I slightly shamedfacedly admit to loving this way of discovering new music – and stuff I’d all but forgotten about. Me skipping some sections “he’s” chosen (hip hop – not really my thing) does get my personal DJ a little frustrated at times: “And now switching it up for some more Britpop, because we know that’s a favourite.” You can almost hear the lip-curling sneer; there’s no shame in knowing your own tastes, Xavier!

Besides, when you’re neck-deep in Inside Week chores you want something you can yodel along with

and Blur summed my week up perfectly: all that cleaning and organising – it does give me an enormous sense of wellbeing.