Another day

Good morning I am so glad today is due to be cooler than yesterday which was horrid.  I really do detest the heat and despite my best efforts, my bedroom got to 36 which was unbearable.  Fortunately, as the sun went down we were treated to a short shower and a few big gusts of wind which dropped the temperature overnight and made sleeping possible.  This morning it is pleasantly cool and sunny all the doors and windows are open to let the house flood with the cool air.    On the menu today I have some red mullet and piles of salad which I had intended for supper last night but none of us felt like eating it was just too hot.  I did feel sorry for my neighbours who had visitors and a barbeque which just as they served it they were caught by the rain.  Talk about bad luck five minutes either way and all would have been well. I must admit that a day of melting has left me feeling wiped out so today I am going to be gentle with myself and just recover....

Good morning it is due to be very hot today so I am currently flooding the house with cool air before I slam everything shut as it heats up.   Yesterday was warm enough and as luck would have it I cooked some duck legs which will just need crisping up in the halogen today.  The potatoes are done and I am going to make some creamed spinach to go with it.  There is no way I want to be slaving over hot stove today.  The sweet potatoes I did yesterday were not too bad as I smothered them in harrisa before roasting. The sun takes some time to reach the patio so I have time to get out there and give it a good drink.  James is going to a shopping outlet as they are having a 70% off sale so he is going to see if he can find some trainers and a couple of tea shirts.  I think I am just going to hibernate and stay out of the heat.   The cool time is wasting so I am off to get a few things done before it heats up and I collapse in a pool of sweat.  ...

Good morning it looks like another lovely day.  Yesterday was very pleasant and quite warm as the chill wind had dropped.  I spent some time chatting to Tak which was nice and I took her a jar of my tomatoes.  I shot out very early to do a bit of shopping I had intended to buy some cider vinegar so I came home with lots of bits and pieces and yes you've guessed it no cider vinegar.  Anyway, I did get some lamb steaks which I intend to make into kebabs for lunch today.  I also have some sweet potatoes which none of us really like so I think I will make them into wedges and hope to get rid of them like that.  The tomatoes in the greenhouse are coming on thick and fast now so I have a good supply of the cherry ones however the big beef ones are only just beginning to turn colour.   There is no news of when the shed is likely to be done so I think I may try to organise the pond in the meantime but knowing my luck it will probably all happen at the sam...

Good morning it is another lovely start to the day but yesterday started that way then clouded over and was really quite cool.  Dennie arrived bright and early just as I was putting the finishing touches to a pot of carrot and coriander soup.  We still had the second half of the chicken and I made a borlotti bean salad to go with it so as the meals for the day were sorted I decided to go and visit Len and Margaret.  Dennie was so impressed with my lilies that she insisted I take a photo to show Len and Margaret which gave me the opportunity to get her to stand next to them so we have an idea of the scale. The one stem finally had all 14 blooms open and as you can imagine the scent is incredibly strong.  Len and Margaret know Dennie as she "does" for them as well.  I must say when I saw Margaret I was shocked you don't need a blood test to see that she is anaemic she is deathly pale.  I am surprised they have sent her home but it may well be better for her t...

Good morning another wet day yesterday but I had plenty to keep me occupied.  I had to do some serious surgery on a chicken.  Which took me a while as I am not practised at this deboning business.  Anyway, I got there in the end and I think it has made a very acceptable meal or two.    We had half for lunch yesterday with a big salad and it will be a repeat performance again today. The stuffing was spinach, gruyere cheese and some stale rye bread and a handful of pistachios.   I am now getting a few tomatoes each day from the greenhouse but the plants have gone completely mad and are trying to escape through the windows.  I should have topped them out a while back but I hate to cut off flowering stems and possible fruit.   Today looks like a better day weather-wise which is just as well as the gardener is due and I have a wisteria which has gone crazy and needs a serious haircut.  I must say that the garden has loved this summer eve...

Good morning it is the beginning of another week and it is currently raining quite steadily.  It's a good job I got the washing dry between the showers yesterday.  Today I intend to make the galantine with a chicken that came in my shopping.  Hopefully, if I get the technique right it should make a couple of very easy meals.  I am not going to risk a raw meat stuffing so cooking it should be easy as I will not have to worry about the internal temperature. Denzil is back to work today after his weeks holiday interestingly he, like me, considers not working a holiday and doesn't feel the need to go to Spain.  Maybe it's an age thing?  We are working on the principle that this year is a write-off and we are just concentrating on staying alive.  Which reminds me my lovely Japanese friend Tak brought me a face mask that comes from Japan and is designed to let you breathe more easily and it does it is wonderful so much nicer than the paper things I spent hal...

Good morning it is bright and sunny this morning following a good downpour yesterday.  It is still quite chilly and in the low teens but I expect it will warm up as the sun gets higher.  The garden was grateful for the rain and I will be relieved of watering duty for a day or two.   I waited in vain for my Tesco delivery then I thought I had better check and make sure I had got the time correct which I had just the wrong day it is due today.  Oh well, it did give us the chance to add a couple of items to the list and hopefully, it will arrive this afternoon.  I must admit I do forget which day is which because they are all the same and it makes no difference to me.   I spent some time yesterday while it rained listening to my audiobook but I can only manage about half an hour at a time as it is very difficult and takes all my brainpower to understand.  I can see how it is the coursebook for a degree in psychology I'm just glad I don't have to...

Good morning it looks like another rather dull day we have had a splash of rain overnight and are forecast more today.  Actually, I don't mind as it saves me the job of watering.  The scent from my lilies pervades the whole house and the largest stem is carrying 14 blooms.  It never ceases to amaze me that all this comes from the little lump of corm I stuck in the ground.  We had our first picking of tomatoes from the greenhouse which were so tasty they just got munched.  However, some of them are so incredibly tiny they are no bigger than blueberries. The large beef tomatoes are still very green but I am hopeful they will mature given time.  I have no idea what we are having for lunch today so I will have to go and have a look in the freezer for inspiration. I managed to get a delivery slot for this afternoon so that should bring the stocks up to normal again and it saves me a job of shopping for basics. Have a lovely weekend.

Good morning, this morning looks dull and overcast. As yet I haven't checked the weather forecast to see if we are due some rain.  Yesterday was the day of the tomatoes I bought a box at Macnades and then proceeded to process them - by the time I was done I had cramp in both hands and fingers that looked like prunes.  In my large pot, I can get 5 jars at a time and I have ended up with 10 jars which will be lovely in the depths of winter when fresh tomatoes taste of nothing.   That is the first 5 jars done and cooling while the next 5 are in boiling hopefully they will all have sealed properly and I can put them in the garage to wait for winter.   I also bought a large chunk of watermelon and today I have plans to make watermelon rind pickle.  I have no idea what it will be like so it is an experiment.  I have seen lots of videos showing the process so it seems to be quite popular.  I think this is quite instinctual in the spring I have a des...

Good morning it looks like it is going to be another lovely day and every morning more of my lilies are opening.  It is lovely as I can see them both from the kitchen window and also my bedroom.    Margaret got home late yesterday and while she is better than she was they still haven't found the cause of her problem so she will probably have a scan next week sometime.  She has been told to take it very easy which is quite ridiculous as she has an 85-year-old husband who has had multiple stokes to look after.  Her sister has had to go home for a while so I am the nearest person available if help is needed.  Anyway, at least she can get a nights sleep without the chaos of a medical ward at night.   I did a roast chicken yesterday and to brighten it up a bit I put some butter, garlic and rosemary under the skin.  It was a big bird so there is stacks leftover which is going to be made into a pie with some mushrooms for today.  The carcass ha...

Good morning all.  Yesterday was a quiet day I had to go to the pharmacy so I was able to dump a load of clothing in the clothes bin which is situated in the car park.  Somehow it seems less wasteful and hopefully, someone will get some use out of the stuff. Denzil's birthday steaks arrived which is what we had for supper and they were just frightened with a frying pan and served with a cream, mushroom and brandy sauce.  The big question is were they worth the money and I have to say they were.  I have never seen marbling like that and you definitely didn't need a steak knife a spoon would do. I had a bit of a walk around the garden with my phone and took some photos for you to see.  the lilies are spectacular this year and the tomatoes are coming on well in the greenhouse.   These two tomatoes are so heavy they have snapped the branch so now we will have to see if they will ripen.   Plans for today include a roast chicken for lunch and as it is a...

Good morning all.  It looks like another lovely day and though it is only 14 degrees at the moment I am sure it will warm up as the day wears on.  Yesterday was generally a quiet but pleasant day and we had a nice shop in Sainsbury's just for a change.  Denzil has ordered some fabulous steak which should arrive today so supper tonight should be quite special.   I picked some of my tomatoes yesterday and the cherry ones range in size from a pea to cherry but they are as sweet as any fruit.  The beef ones are still very green and I don't know how they will ripen given that they have broken the supporting branch.  I was lazy and didn't water the patio last night so that will need to be my first job this morning.  The lilies are beginning to open and the scent is amazing.  I will have to take a few snaps for some unknown reason photos are much easier to put on the blog if I take them with my phone rather than the camera. I spoke to Margaret again...

Good morning all.  I find this hard to believe but it was 50 years ago today that I gave birth to a lovely bouncing baby boy - yes, Denzil is 50 today and he has a weeks holiday.  We did have plans for a nice meal at a restaurant he wanted to try but the virus problems have put pay to that so instead, we are going to shop and buy whatever we fancy instead.  At least the weather has cheered up after yesterdays cold and rain. Sadly Margaret is in hospital and of course, we are not allowed to visit, however, fortunately, her sister and husband are allowed though they are not actually allowed onto the ward but can meet in the coffee shop.  Her sister is very worried and phoned me for some reassurance however that isn't easy when you are not privy to the facts.  Anyway, Margaret has a mobile and so she managed to phone me herself and put me in the picture.  As I'm sure you are aware hospitals are run by fairies on a Sunday but today she should see the consultant...

Good morning all we seem to be covered in a thick blanket of cloud and according to the weather forecast we are in for some rain so I am not going to water this morning.  I went and checked on the tomatoes in the greenhouse and one of the beef types is so heavy with fruit it has broken the branch while another plant has not a single tomato on it.  The little cherry ones are ripening now so we are picking some each day and I am still picking the gooseberries though I just have a handful for my breakfast straight off the bush. Guess who seems to think my bed is his bed the look says it all? Yesterday I made what the Italians call a Russian salad which made a bit of a change form the green salads and today I am going to make some potato salad and probably a tomato salad to accompany the karaage chicken which we are having for lunch.  I sometimes think we are very lucky to have recipes from all around the world and such an array of interesting ingredients to choose from. Ok, ...

Good morning all.  Just like yesterday, we are starting off cool and with high cloud but it is destined to get hot and muggy later on so I am glad I have got the watering done very early.  I took myself off to Macnades and restocked on coffee.  I also bought some Belgian endive and pears to make my favourite salad.  I also bought some tomatoes though not as many as I should have as I only managed to make two jars of bottled fruit.  On my next visit, I will definitely get more but I was unsure how many you need for each jar.  Anyway, it kept me out of mischief for a while now that I don't have any knitting.   My flowerbed with the lilies is going to look spectacular when they all open however they are just beginning and even the arum lilies are in flower. You won't believe how long it has taken me to get this photo on to the blog for some reason it took forever to process.   Anyway, time is marching on and I want to get to the greenhouse ...

Good morning all.  Yesterday I challenged the gods and hung the washing out and we promptly had a shower but it was just that, a little shower, and the clothes dried nicely in the breeze.  This morning we are cloudy with patches of blue sky but the sun is struggling to get through.  I got lots of odds and ends sorted out yesterday I have accepted the quote for the new building but they are very busy so it may not happen for some time but at least it is in the pipeline.  I have also organised to liquidate some assets so that I can pay for it so I am happy that it is all organised now it is just a case of waiting until the builders can fit me into their schedule.   My veg box contained some turnips so I have defrosted a couple of lamb neck fillets and will make a navarin with them.  I'm so glad I have found a way of enjoying them.  This morning I need to take a trip to Macknades as I am down to my last bag of coffee and it will be nice to get out of...

Good morning all.  It looks dull and overcast this morning and I have a feeling that if I hang out the washing it will rain.  I feel quite a fool having waited all morning for the phone call from the respiratory team I re-read the letter only to discover that the appointment is for today.  I had a chat with Sandy and she is doing really well and managed a 2-mile walk at the weekend.  However, my other friend Margaret is not doing well and is very anaemic despite copious amounts of iron.  Interestingly her GP sent a paramedic to check her over and he made sure that her breathlessness was not heart or lung-related.  Now, of course, they will have to find out why she is so anaemic. I suppose it is an age thing when all your friends start falling to bits. My new crocs arrived yesterday and it makes a big difference to have some tread on the bottoms the old ones were quite dangerous on wet surfaces.  Anyway, they went straight in the bin and hopefully these...

Good morning all.  We had quite a lot of drizzle yesterday morning which was good for the garden.  I tasked Denny with my room and the bathroom both of which needed a good going over so while she did those I did the kitchen and dining room.  She also did the bannisters which is a horrible job and takes hours anyway all done now so I am pleased.  Keith came after lunch and so the garden is looking nice a tidy.  Dan arrived home at about 4pm completely exhausted and shaved down to his underpants.  I'm sure he will be please as he was getting very hot in his heavy coat. Today the sun is shining but there is some high cloud.  It often starts off nice and sunny then clouds over as the day progresses but fortunately, the temperatures are not soaring yet though they are threatening us with another heatwave.  This morning I am stuck waiting for a phone call for a respiratory assessment which is a bit of a pain as I would have like to get some work done in...

Good morning all.  I gave the garden a good watering last night so of course, it has rained overnight.  I got my hair cut and it is way too short but one thing is certain it will grow and I have got used to it being much longer than usual.  Hopefully, it will mean that I don't need to go to the hairdresser again for another 6months! The estimate for the shed has arrived and it was a bit of a shock but I am out of touch with the cost of building.  I think I need to bite the bullet and get it done before winter sets in.  It is not quite in danger of falling down but it won't be long.   Today is going to be busy as Dennie is due and Keith is coming this afternoon.  Dan is due at the groomers at 12 midday which makes lunch a bit of a moveable feast.  I have some lamb marinating and I will skewer it to make kebabs and I have a potato salad ready-made so it is all flexible.  That is the one good thing about summer food it is easy to shuffle ar...

Good morning all it is another bright and sunny start to the day however yesterday started off this way but then clouded over.  I did remember to water the patio last night so at least that is one less job for this morning.  My hair appointment is at 9am so I will have that done and dusted nice and early.  I have finished the second pram cover which now leaves me with no knitting to keep me occupied.  I do have some oddments of yarn left so perhaps some granny squares to finish it all up. I have abandoned any hope of Pete the pond and will wait until I get the estimate for the shed before I make any further moves to deal with the pond as both jobs are going to be costly.  On today's menu I some cannellini beans which I boiled yesterday ready for a tuna and bean salad but I have rather too many beans so I think I may make some pasta and bean soup and put it in the freezer or I might just freeze the extra beans.   Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day ...

Good morning all.  It is a beautiful morning with lots of sunshine and the patio is a bit quieter now that the birds have stripped the mahonia of all its berries.  Yesterday was largely a wasted day as I waited in vain for the pond guy who didn't show up again.  So I occupied myself with making a bulgar wheat salad with lots of added vegetables which had to be very finely diced {brunoise} and as if that wasn't enough I then scraped a whole bag of potatoes. They could have been cooked in their skins but I was wasting time so they got scraped and today half will be made into potato salad the rest will be reheated with butter and chives to go with our pork chops and heritage carrots which we will be having for supper. The car needs fuel so I think I might take a trip to Tesco as I also need some dijon mustard and some cornichons so I might have a potter around just to waste a bit of time.  You would think that after 6 months of abstinence I would have settled down a bit...

Good morning all yesterday was a dull and fairly chilly day and I was frozen after a walk around Morrisons which was particularly cold so I was pleased to get back outside.  The only interesting thing I bought was a tail end of fillet steak which we had as steak tartare for supper last night.  Of course, everything had to be very finely diced so that occupied me for a while and in lieu of melba toast, we had some oatcakes which were a good substitute. Today looks brighter the sky is clear of clouds and the sun is shining so it will warm up a bit but I don't see it getting very hot just yet thank goodness.  Today there is a possibility that Pete the pond might turn up so I will be trapped at home.  I do hate it when people say the might come because you are just left dangling not knowing what to do.  Anyway, Denzil brought home a ready meal chicken parmigiana thing so that just needs baking in the oven and if I do a salad to accompany it that will have to do....

Good morning all it has rained overnight and everything is dripping in the garden but it is supposed to clear up later on.  Yesterday saw us eating our first tomatoes from the greenhouse,  but sadly I had lunch made by 7.45 which then left me with no option but to get on with cupboard cleaning or hoovering.  Mark came at 1pm and we discussed what to do with the shed now I am just waiting for an estimate as to the cost.   It will be nice to have it so that it functions better as a laundry room and will not need any maintenance for many years.  If I can also get the pond sorted out that will be a bonus.   I need to do a bit of shopping today and can't make my mind up which shop to go to as I have so much choice.  I could go to Macnades or any one of the supermarkets locally.  I haven't been to Morrisons for ages so I might go there just for a change of scenery.  They all have much the same stuff and I don't think there is much to choo...

Good morning all.  Yesterday was a wet one with drizzle all day and today looks much the same.  The garden is loving it so I am not complaining.  The grooming school has reopened but changed its location instead of an hours cross country run it is now straight up the M2 towards London on Shooters Hill and Dan is booked in on Tuesday next week.  I am having my hair done on Monday I must say I am toying with the idea of letting it grow but I have to remind myself of the disadvantages of long hair. Today's excitement is that Mark my ex gardener who now has a very successful building firm is coming to give me an estimate to replace the shed with a more permanent structure as it houses the washing machine and tumble dryer as well as some gardening equipment. I got another cupboard and a couple of draws cleaned and sorted in the kitchen but there is still plenty more to do.  I find that I can only work for about 7 hours then I am completely out of energy and have to t...

Good morning all.  You will be delighted to know that I made the 500yrds to the baker and only had to stop twice.  I also stripped out and cleaned my larder cupboards and got rid of loads of odds and ends of jams and jellies etc. For lunch, I made a pasta dish using some of the tomatoes I had bottled last year.  I must say that the bottled tomatoes were nearer in flavour to fresh than tinned so I will probably bottle some this year especially if Macknades are selling boxes cheap. Next door has been having fake grass laid over the last two days so it has been quite noisy in fact both Denz and I went to see what we thought was a helicopter but it was the workmen levelling the ground with a machine.  In some ways, it is rather sad that both sides have converted their gardens into theme parks for the kids and filled them with trampolines, huge paddling pools, football goals and basketball hoops etc.  There is little or no room left for plants or habitat for the wild...

Good morning all.  Yesterday was a funny day weather-wise it was lovely and sunny then it would turn as black as your hat and looked like rain though none ever came.  This morning the sky is cloud covered but the sun is trying to make an appearance.  I believe we are due for rain tomorrow if the forecast is correct.  I spent some time watching the antics of the birds trying to get to the mahonia berries, fortunately, the pigeons are too big and heavy and stand no chance which means the smaller birds are having a field day.  The thrush is just eyeing up the berries and deciding how he can get to them on occasions he misses and has to re-assess the situation.   I was quite pleased with my efforts yesterday as I finally got round to cleaning the fridge-freezers in the garage which tend to get filthy and mould likes to grow on the outside. Anyway, they are now pristine and I cleaned all the rubber seals as well so that is a job done for this year.  I ...

Good morning all. It looks like another lovely day today with just a little high cloud and perfect temperatures for me.   From my kitchen window, I can see the mahonia which is covered in purple berries which both the blackbirds and the thrush absolutely adore so I find myself spending ages over the washing up as I watch the birds flying in and out and feasting on the berries. Yesterday was a quiet day I got all the food prepared ready for supper as I know that by evening I am not at my best.  I then spent some time knitting and listening to my audiobook which is a very nice pastime. On the menu today I have some pork chops which I will serve with a potato salad I made yesterday. I also have some baby spinach which will make a nice green salad.   Today I have reached the 6 months of not smoking.  I suppose it is a little easier but all I know is that it makes me miserable and I really envy those who are still able to smoke.  I certainly don't feel any ...

Good morning all.  I have just checked the weather and it looks like we are going to be dry but windy.  Thank goodness I got the plant cut down that was about to rip the gas pipe off the wall at least that danger has been averted.    Yesterday was a quiet day I cooked the duck legs with peas and carrots and for supper, we had cheese on toast and Denzil finished off the crumble and custard.  He is working until 6pm today so supper will be the main meal and I have some chicken thighs defrosted but as yet I haven't decided how to cook them.  I have both salad ingredients and also mushrooms, spinach and cabbage so the choice is limitless. I think the first decision is whether it is going to be a hot or cold meal. I think if I had been out working all day I would favour a hot meal so some sort of casserole might be in order. I have been listening to one of my audiobooks "maps of meaning" which is incredibly difficult I think I understand it but then I am not sur...

Good morning all.  Yesterday started out fine but by afternoon we were wet and windy and that is what today looks like.  Good, I'm glad, it will keep the idiots at home and off the beaches. Sadly the pubs are opening today it has been so lovely and quiet during the lockdown not shouting and swearing at one in the morning from our local pub.  I for one will not be going anywhere near a pub until things are much safer. It was lovely to see Shiona again after so long and we all enjoyed the lunch which if I say so myself was rather nice.  I used the last of the red mullet so I have ordered another kilo and also one for Shiona which she will pick up next time we get together.  I made the gooseberry crumble and now I remember why I was so reluctant, they are very acidic, despite a ton of sugar the only saving grace was the crumble topping to which I had added some hazelnuts and some oats and the bucket full of custard which minimised the tartness.  The birds and ...

Good morning all.  What a lovely nights sleep I was so tired from my bad night the night before that I really slept well last night.  I'm sure that the older you get the less able you are to do without sleep or at least that is true for me.   I keep seeing in the news that we are going to get a heatwave but I hope they have got it wrong at the moment we get at least one shower per day which has meant that I don't need to water.  The tomatoes in the greenhouse are just beginning to turn colour so it won't be long before I can start picking.  I have loads of dessert gooseberries so I think I will make a crumble or maybe a gooseberry fool but first I have to pick them.  My apricot tree has made huge growth but not a single fruit and the fig which got a severe pruning last year has recovered and though it will have no fruit, at least it didn't die. Shiona is coming over this morning which will be a real treat we haven't seen each other for months and it wi...

Good morning all.  Well, what a night! I went to the hospital yesterday and was given the equipment for this sleep study and made to watch a 3-minute video with no sound which was ridiculous when the nurse sat there could so easily have explained.  I was exhausted and completely out of breath from what felt like a 5-mile hike to get to the place which is situated in what was the service corridor where we used to store all the broken chairs and beds.  Anyway, I hardly slept as I had wires everywhere things up my nose and straps around my chest and stomach and things stuck on my legs as well as a pulse oximeter on my hand.   I really don't know how they expect you to sleep while trussed up like a turkey ready for the oven.   Anyway, the equipment is due to be returned to the hospital between 8.30 and 10 this morning so I have packed it all up ready to go back but I don't think it will show anything interesting as when I did dose off various bits became d...