Another day

Good morning all.  Pinch Punch and all that it is now July and we are past the halfway mark.  Yesterday Denny came and she worked like a trojan in the kitchen and the downstairs cloakroom and shower.  However, she didn't have time for the upstairs not that it too bad at the moment.  She loves gooseberries so I sent her to pick herself a bowl full to take home.  Keith arrived just as we having lunch and it had started to bucket down with rain so I sent him home there is no point in gardening in the rain.  So he owes me another three hours of work.   Today looks as if it will be dry and I have an appointment at the hospital this afternoon.  Apparently, I am to be fitted with the recording device to see if I stop breathing when I am asleep  I must say I am not looking forward to it as I feel that it may be uncomfortable and stop me sleeping at all.  Anyway, we will see then I have to get the stuff back to the hospital by 10am the follo...

Good morning all. Thank you one and all for your good wishes for my birthday. So what do you give a girl that has everything?  That’s right a Pythagoras cup.  Such fun and very confusing I don’t understand how it works but if you fill it past the line the whole thing empties.  I had to google how it all works and if you are interested I will leave you to check it out anyway, it is quite pretty but difficult to photograph.  I also got a lovely bunch of flowers from Elaine but best of all I got lots of phone calls and had lovely chats with various friends.  We cleared up the leftovers for lunch but for supper, I made myself something quite mundane but it was exactly what I fancied and completely calorie-free.  It is ages since I have had a pork pie and I actually really like it but usually don't eat it as I know just how much lard there is in the pastry but what the hell it was my birthday. Today is going to be a busy one as Dennie is coming back and I hope s...

Good morning all.  It is another chilly breezy start but the sun will soon warm us up.  The sky looks clear and though we had some dark clouds yesterday we didn't even get a shower.  Today it looks like it will be dry and windy which is fine by me as we are forecast rain tomorrow.  I really need to get out and deadhead the roses which have loved this weather.   As the liver cake only takes a few minutes to make I had just got it out of the oven when the dogs came pottering down the stairs.  They normally get a dental chew first thing but Dan flatly refused his and just cried all he wanted was some of the liver cake which I was cutting into chunks.  I have never heard him cry for something he wanted and of course, being the total softy I am, he was given a piece.  In the end, I had to get it bagged up and out of the way or he would have eaten all of it. The chicken for lunch was lovely and I still have plenty left so it will be on today's lunc...

Good morning all.  Can you believe my outdoor thermometer is reading 13.2ºC and there is a chilly breeze but that is so much better than the heat?  We had some rain yesterday which pleased me as it meant I didn't have to water.  I had a pretty lazy day and did little but at 3pm I went and collected my shopping from Tesco's click and collect which was a first for me.  It is extremely well organised you just park up and wait to be called forward then everything is loaded into the car and away you go.  It is much less stressful than all the searching for stuff then in the trolley, on the belt, back in the trolley into the car then unloading and putting away.   I had a nice chat with Sandy yesterday and she is still suffering badly with the after-effects of her hospital stay.  She has always been a busy person and now she is very limited by her breathlessness which may be permanent due to the scaring of her lungs from the virus only time will tell....

Good morning all what a difference a day makes yesterday was sweltering hot again and humid after the rain but today the temperature has dropped in fact it dropped yesterday evening and so the night was very pleasant.  Hopefully, our two-day heatwave is over but give it a fortnight and we will be seeing the results of all the idiots who crowded the beaches.  Numbers are rising in Europe since they eased the lockdown and America is just crazy and we still don't know the long term effects for the survivors.  Personally, I am still avoiding mixing with people unless I really have to and have managed to get a click and collect slot so I put in an order for my shopping which I will pick up this afternoon between 3 - 5pm.  I must say that it seems a very sensible way to deal with shopping.   Denzil took the dogs swimming yesterday evening but sadly Tubby has cut two of his paws on the flint beach.  He does go mad and charges about on the beach which is cover...

Good morning all what a scorcher it was yesterday.  Fortunately, I was up early and got all the jobs I needed to do done by 12 midday after which I collapsed and melted while I binge-watched Foyle's war. I was struck by how bad things were during the war for ordinary folks if we think a shortage of flour is a problem now we are kidding ourselves it could be so much worse. I would have done some knitting but my hands kept getting sticky which made it impossible and being so bored really made me think of smoking so it was a very hard day for me. For lunch, I made a broth soup with some pasta followed by the turkey meat with a tuna sauce.  I know it sounds weird but it is rather nice and there was enough left to have with the tomato tarte tatin for supper.  I have made tarts with fruit before but never tomatoes.  Yes I know they are fruits but the garlic made it nice and savoury.  The recipe I used advised draining off the excess juice which was a good idea and I t...

Good morning all what a hot one it was yesterday.  I shot out bright and early to Tesco and stocked up on some salad ingredients.  It was actually very pleasant as the shop was very quiet so you could wander around easily and all the shelves were well stocked no problems with toilet paper!  Once back home and unloaded I set to to prepare the meals for the day.  I find if I do all the prep work early on then when I run out of gas it is not a problem if all I have to do is turn a few knobs and dress a salad.   Today I was up at 5am as I had left my curtain open so I got lots of fresh air to cool the bedroom but the sun is up very early now that it is summer and the light woke me.  I have been up to the greenhouse and pinched out the tomatoes and watered the patio and now I am going to sort out lunch and supper for today I have some chicken thighs and I quite fancy a curry and as I have brought a bunch of coriander from the greenhouse I think that is what...

Good morning all I am up bright and early this morning and enjoying the cool air flowing into the house.  Yesterday was a bit on the hot side for me but to my great joy John the window cleaner was passing by with his ladders so he called in and ended up chopping down most of the hydrangea that was causing problems.  Denzil chopped most of it up and it filled two large wheelie bins which are out for collection today.  The chunkier pieces of wood will go up onto the bonfire and get burned off at some point. I was hugely relieved that there is no major damage to the gas pipe or the overflow pipe which is now broken in pieces.  John thought it shouldn't be a problem as the overflow will now just go onto the garage roof instead of into the soakaway so there is no urgency to make repairs.   Still no sign of the pond guy so I might have to give him another nudge or look for someone else.  My veg box didn't arrive yesterday so I am out of most things and I thi...

Good morning all.  The windows are open but it is due to get quite hot today so as soon as the sun hits them they will be closed and the blinds are drawn. I was up late last night as I had, in a moment of madness, decided to experiment with a bread recipe which required 12 hours in the fridge so it was ready for the oven at 10pm and then it had 40 minutes cooking time.  This is the simplest bread recipe I have ever done. It has no fat so I think its lasting power will be limited however it tastes really nice and so unlike the commercial bread which is more like cake with the amount of sugar and other additives to give it shelf life.  This is just flour, water, yeast and salt and the whole thing is just mixed in a saucepan which is how you cook it.  The only fly in the ointment is it is a pig to get out of the pan.  However, I may be to blame for that as I couldn't wait to try it when it came out of the oven and I think I should have left it to go cold before I t...

Good morning all yesterday, midsummers day, saw lots of weather we had sun, cloud, wind and rain but actually, it was quite pleasant if you didn't get caught in one of the showers.  I believe we are in for some heat in the near future which I really don't like and it means watering all the time which is a pain.  Of course, the new hydrangea is just out of reach of the hose so it will have to be the watering can and 2 gallons of water is quite heavy to lug around.  If I remember correctly I think it is 10lbs per gallon approximately. The rose I put in last year is doing well and has made quite a show though it did have powdery mildew but has been sprayed and now seems to be clear,  but as you can see the slugs have had a feat with the hosta. I did manage to get some housework done and stripped out the fridge and scrubbed all the waste bins. I then ran out of gas and had a relapse - yes I sat and made garnishes for the salad for supper. I really must stop watching YouT...

Good morning all it is wet and miserable today but at least it didn't rain on the gardeners yesterday but the pond guy didn't come - don't you hate that when you are left waiting just in case!  The tomatoes in the greenhouse have come on well and there are actually some little fruits on a couple of plants.  The roses have been particularly good this year I think they like the weather we have been having.  I ordered a couple of hydrangeas and one arrived just in time for Keith to plant it.  I gave him directions as to where I wanted it but as yet I haven't gone to see if he has put it in the right place.  At the moment it is a tiny plant but it should eventually fill a gap in the border.  While I was wandering around the garden I noticed that we have some ripe raspberries and the gooseberries are also coming on well.  The raspberry canes are very old now and really should be taken out.  I was reminded of when I had my bees and I had to prop up the ...

Good morning all I hope I have got the right day today I must say I do get a bit confused I'm sure if I didn't write this blog I would have no idea what day it is.  Anyway, I had a little trip to Tesco yesterday and got the chopping board but not the butter dish.  Isn't it irritating the last time I went I saw the butter dishes and thought about it but didn't buy one and now they don't have any left? Today looks like it is going to be a nice one the sun is shining there is a gentle cool breeze so just about perfect.  The recent rain means I don't have to dash out first thing and water the pots they are all doing fine and my troughs with herb seeds are just starting to germinate.   I have no idea what we will be having for lunch but it will be with some spring greens as I have some that need to be used up.  Keith the gardener is due this afternoon and I have a long list of things for him to do.  There is also the possibility that the pond guy might turn...

Good morning all well I certainly slept better last night, in fact, I don't think I moved a muscle all night and woke this morning stiff as a board.  When I woke it was just drizzling but it's raining quite hard now.  As I was so dopey yesterday I spent some time knitting and I hope you will agree that the new approach to the yarn is an improvement.  Anyway, I really don't care as it will be going into clothes bin once it is finished.  I finally got my headphones to marry up with my phone and so I spent some time listening to a series of talks by Stephen Fry about the English language which was really fascinating as it gave some of the derivations of our commonly used cliches and metaphors.  A very large number of them come from our maritime past.  Anyway, I then tried to download his book Mythos and do you think I could do that it took me ages I really must learn how to purchase and download audiobooks from Audible. Today I have a very small pork fillet ou...

Good morning all, I am completely wrecked this morning having only managed to doze during the night.  I just fidgeted and tossed and turned.  I tried all the usual solutions to no avail.  Just one of those things I guess the harder you try the less chance you have.  At around 3 I got up and did something else and the went back to bed only to lie there getting frustrated. Anyway we have had lots of rain so no need to water this morning.  It is still gently drizzling now and I am very tempted to just go back to bed but that will only make it difficult to sleep tonight and I don’t want to start a silly cycle. On the menu today I have some diced lamb which I think I will marinate then make into kebabs with assorted tomatoes onions pepper and courgette etc.   Anyway I will keep this short and bid you all a good day

Good morning all after I had watered the patio plants we actually had some rain so a good job I did the laundry the day before.  I must say that I feel somewhat muddled as we treat Denzils day off as Sunday today should be Monday, not Wednesday it's a good job I write this rubbish in the morning as at least I now know what day it is. Since my blast down the motorway to Faversham, I must say my mood has lifted.  I don't know why driving fast and furiously seems to be some sort of release valve for me but it is.  I have cooked my self stupid with all the lovely ingredients I purchased and yesterday was no exception.  I forgot to mention that in the £1 bags I found one with a kilo of banana shallots one huge yellow pepper and a piece of horseradish root which was some bargain.  The only thing left is a couple of shallots and the horseradish which will make a nice sauce to accompany some smoked mackerel. I took your advice and have stripped back the yarn I had used ...

Good morning all yesterday was very overcast but it didn't rain though at times it looked as though it might we even provoked it by hanging out the washing but we got away with it.  James did lunch so I spent ages on supper which was asparagus fan with a mustard and egg sauce and then the quails scotch eggs and some cherry tomatoes. Please note the runny yolk that's the difficult bit they are a real pain to peel Just as I had finished fiddling with the food Tak my lovely neighbour came and delivered this envelope of seeds.  I had admired the poppies in her garden and asked if she would save me a seed head and this is how it arrived.  I think the Japanese do nothing by halves. Now please help me I need some advice. I have come to the end of one ball of the batik yarn which is crocheted in a large loop for the cowl but I think it is horrid.  I laid two bits side by side to simulate what the finished width should be and I really don't like it.  So:- 1. do I carry o...

Good morning all.  It was a lovely day yesterday weather-wise and I had a nice drive to Macnades, in fact, I had a smashing drive.  There was little traffic so I could drive hard and fast with the windows open and the stereo blasting.  The car will do 140 mph but I didn't go quite that mad but it was nice to blow away some of the cobwebs.   The shop was wonderful and fully stocked with everything your heart could desire so I had a lovely time buy all sorts of stuff including a few bits I needed for supper.  As I didn't have lunch as I was 24-hour fasting I had plenty of time to prepare ridiculous things to eat.   Tomato surprise! By the time I had skinned and hollowed out the tomatoes made the filling burnt and skinned a pepper and chopped chives in millimetre pieces then assemble the whole thing it took me quite a while and that was just the starter.  Not satisfied with that I then set to and pealed a dozen soft boiled quails eggs which toda...

Good morning all well it's a lovely sunny morning and I have cracked off a few chores already the patio has been watered the kitchen cleared and some lamb steaks put to marinate in lemon oil garlic and rosemary.  They will do nicely for supper with some new potatoes and wilted spinach.  Supper will be our main meal today as Denzil is working until 6pm.  I am going to take a trip Faversham as we are on our last bag of coffee beans so time to restock and it will waste some of the day.  I was thinking about Chrissie's comment about getting fit just for the sake of it but that would just mean I could do more work. At the moment being unable is a great excuse for leaving the heavier things to others.   I have been reading up about fasting and there seem to be two main ways to do it either you leave at least 16 hours between meals or you can do 24 hours twice a week.  As it happens I had my supper at about 6pm yesterday so if I go without lunch today that wi...

Good morning all it is a beautiful sunny day here and believe it or not as I passed by the patio on my way to the freezer I stuck a finger in a pot to test for moisture and it is as dry as a bone despite the rain we have had.  I guess watering is a job for today.  Yesterday went according to plan with a few hiccups but nothing dramatic or even vaguely interesting.  After my discussions with the consultant, I decided to throw caution to the wind and went for a walk up the road to the nearest shop which is a matter of a few hundred yards and I had to stop 4 times. 2 getting there and 2 getting back which just goes to show how badly I am functioning physically.  Fortunately, I can do the stairs in one hit and I am fine pottering about if I go out with the dogs I don't think they will consider it a walk! unless I take them somewhere they can be off lead and have a good run.  I am a little bit worried about lead walking them as I don't think I am strong enough to hol...

Good morning all.  I know I am very late but I was waiting until after my telephone consultation with a chest consultant.  She was a very nice lady and has written me up for something to help with the depression which has clobbered me since what she thinks was probably COVID however there is no chance of an antibody test even she can’t get one for herself despite being ill and working on the front line.  I am now in the queue for a lung function test at number 750 so no rush then!   Physically I am very well but psychologically in a black hole you know when things are really bad when you look a trees and wonder what speed you would need to run the car into them to become a fatality.  Anyway onward and upward and let’s hope things improve with the relaxation of the rules I need to get out and about a bit more at least I will be able to walk a little with the dogs but I will still stay away from people as much as possible for the time being. Well I hope that has b...

Good morning all we had a very wet day yesterday it rained on and off for most of the day.  I went to Tesco and stocked up on some bits pieces and then set to and made the lunch which was duck legs 2 confited and 2 fresh.  So I roasted the fresh ones with the turnips and added the confit ones for the last 30 minutes.  I also podded and skinned the broad beans which we also had.  I must say that the turnips were lovely and we all agreed they were so nice we would look forward to having them again.  James then set to and made a chilli con carne which we will be having for lunch today.  I think it is one of those things that is always better the second day as the flavours have had time to meld.  This does, however, mean I am at a loose end this morning. I had a bit of a rotten night and didn't get to sleep until the wee small hours so I feel a bit shattered this morning, just as well lunch is already done.  This morning is dull and overcast but it do...

Good morning all it is very dull and overcast this morning but it is somewhat warmer at least we are in double figures.    First, let's start with some good news my car passed its MOT and I have some new tyres fortunately only three of the four needed replacing so, in the end, the bill was just over £500 which is better than I thought it would be.  However, if you add in the insurance which is due this month I haven't stopped smoking long enough to cover the bills.  Fortunately, I am able to pay anyway so I mustn't complain.   Yesterday's lunch was a "deconstructed cottage pie" or if you come from Scotland stovies and if you are a Londoner mince and tatties.  Anyway as it was so cold it was nice to have something warm and filling it was definitely not a day for salad. As expected my veg box has more turnips and at Marjory's suggestion I have some confit duck legs out of the freezer and some goose fat so I will try the turnips with those.  As it ha...

Good morning all it is bright and sunny this morning though it is still very cold at only 9ºC.  The rain we had has done its job and the garden is looking refreshed.  The forecast says it is going to warm up again soon so that will be nice though I have been pleased that I didn't have to water all the plants for a couple of days.  Everything has an upside as well as a downside, of course, the ideal would be warm sunny days followed by downpours at night.  Yesterday was a bit boring it was rather too cold to be in the garden so I ended up spending quite a lot of time on my knitting and crochet.  Lunch was already made so the only outstanding chore was some laundry.  I do hope that Dennie comes back soon though the house is not too bad it could do with her magic touch.   Today the car is going in for its MOT so I am bracing myself for a big bill if tyres need replacing - big car = big wheels = big cost however I absolutely love driving it and it too...

Going morning all it is a dull and cold morning and there has been more rain overnight so it is sopping wet in the garden.  I put a load of washing on yesterday only to have to leave it as it was raining.  I did hope to get it out on the line this morning but that looks in doubt so it might have to go in the tumbler.  I fiddled around yesterday not really sure what to do so I made courgette pancakes and then to use up some leftover pork mince I made some tiny meatballs in tomato sauce.  Denzil provided some ready-made chicken Cesare salad so that is what we had and what I made will be on today's menu.  While it is nice that Denzil brings home all sorts from his shop it does make catering quite difficult as never know what I am going to get.  Anyway, I can usually do something with whatever he brings home.  Sadly he only gets things which have not been delivered so there is no real choice but everything is at rock bottom prices so a bit irresistible. In...

Good morning all the sun is shining after some rain yesterday so the garden is a bit happier.  I spent quite some time in the morning dealing with a dozen chicken wings.  The drumettes went into a southern Thai soup which has turmeric in it as well as the usual lemongrass, chilli and Kafir lime leaves. Then I set to and deboned the remaining portion and made the stuffing. Though it seems like a lot of work it did keep me occupied which is what I need.  Boredom is my worst enemy and I mustn't sit down and try to relax that too is no good.  Anyway as luck would have it Denzil came home early and we all enjoyed a bowl of soup and our chicken wings with some sweet chilli dipping sauce.  It never ceases to surprise me how much meat there actually is on the wings. Today it is just James and I for lunch so no doubt we will have a fridge clearing session and have a proper meal when Denzil gets home this evening.  I have some courgettes which need using up so I thin...

Good morning all this morning is bright and sunny but only 9 degrees so very chilly.  I was going to have a quick tour of the estate with my cup of coffee but it really is too cold so back I came. We had some rain again yesterday but still not enough but at least I didn't have to water which is a bonus.  I had a run around with a duster in the dining room and was appalled at the amount which had accumulated with the wind and extreme quantities of pollen I suppose it was not surprising and no wonder we were all sneezing like mad.  I suppose it is one of the disadvantages of having all the windows open during the warm weather. I had some new yarn arrive yesterday which I really like. It is one of the graduated colour varieties which starts off grey and ends up purple if that makes any sense.  It came with a free pattern for a cowl but I am having problems with the pattern and have stripped it out twice already.  Actually, I think I would rather have something else...

Good morning all a much better day yesterday at least I could breathe which is always helpful.  The rain has laid the dust and pollen even though it is not nearly enough for the garden.  This morning is cool and sunny with possible rain later in the afternoon.   The navarin of lamb was delicious and made just as you described Marjory I used some peas and a couple of small new potatoes per head.  James decided he was going to make croquettes with one lonely rasher of bacon and one slice of black pudding which were languishing in the fridge.  He added a small amount of parmesan and fried the bacon off until crisp then chopped it up.  A lot of work but he enjoyed it he then got carried away and decided it would not be enough for supper so he continued with the breadcrumb theme and made some fish fingers with some of the mullet fillets and still, he was not satisfied so he made a pot of onion soup.   Fortunately, he also cleared up the mess of ut...

Good morning all well we got some rain but nowhere near enough there was just a little drizzle around 7pm but it is significantly cooler so it is not evaporating quite so fast.  I was fascinated to read of how to prevent the water from evaporating off the surface in times of drought.  My veg box comes with a letter which gives useful information and recipes for its contents but also news from the farms growing the crops and apparently you need to keep the surface layer of soil very loose which will reduce capillarity and thus keep the water in the ground, who knew?    I had a really bad day yesterday I seemed to be climbing a mountain and taking two steps forward and five back constantly on the verge of panic which is extremely tiring so finally at 9pm put myself to bed and gave up on the day.  However, there was one bright note I have a hair appointment for mid-July by which time the hairdressers are hoping to be open.  The boys run the clippers over their...

Good morning all well I woke this morning to see some damp patches on the roof so we must have had a shower, of course, it is nowhere near enough we need 24 hours of solid rain but at least it is a start.  According to the weather forecast, we are due to get more rain but it will be patchy so we may or may not get what we want.  The temperature has dropped dramatically which is no bad thing it might stop all those who have been congregating and fighting on the beaches.  Someone should remind them that people are dying because of their stupidity.  However, at least we are not suffering the insanity that is America, they do like to do everything bigger and better, well I guess that also includes rioting but I must admit my sympathies are with the protester and Donald Trump has shown himself to be a complete baffoon. Right, that got that off my chest I must stop watching the news I just get angry and shout at the TV.  I think sometimes it is better to live in ignor...

Good morning all another sunny one but I believe that we are due some rain by the end of the week which will be most welcome.  At 6am I was in the greenhouse doing some weeding as it was cool enough to get the job done once the sun is beating on the glass it gets too hot to work. As we have now been let off the hook somewhat I went to visit Tak yesterday and we sat in her garden while her new puppy Kombu and Dan got to know each other.  It has been very difficult for her to properly socialise her during the lockdown.  She is a real character and barked and growled at Dan who just looked confused she is about the size of a Yorkshire terrier and with a similar attitude.  Dan is not familiar with puppies anymore since Tubby has grown up and he really didn't know what to make of Kombu.  Anyway, it was nice to get out of the house for a while and have a change of scenery. I wandered around the garden with the camera and took some photos of some of the best blooms whi...