The Untied Kingdom? - the British thread 2021

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  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Veal cheeks are also delicious if you can get them. Husband en rouge has a very nice recipe to slow cook them in cider.
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    I must admit that although I have had ox tail, I have never come across cheeks.

    Thankfully it seems to have stopped raining, so I can get on with painting the parts of our new summer house/shed.

    Vaccination booked for Wednesday, there was a bit of an online queue, but it was fairly swift moving.
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Its 24 hours since out vaccinations, no side effects I’m glad to say.

    🙂
  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    I have a friend who has opened a restaurant during lockdown ( mad? Who knows...) They've been doing takeaway meals but here in France yesterday was the first time they could do meals for people outside. But I was allowed to sit inside, upstairs, with another friend, which was good, as it was a chilly evening. The food was good and copious, although I was a little disappointed by the dessert which was small and over priced. Otherwise, a good evening: well be back.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Martha wrote: »
    ... For those who store things in jars, what do you do when you've got a little bit left in the jar but you've bought a new packet?
    I usually tip what's left into a bowl or jug, put the new stuff in the jar and put the old on top so it gets used first.

    If a packet's too much for a jar, I'd probably just fold over the packet, seal it with sticky tape and either use it first or add it to the jar once there's space. I've generally found that storage jars will be the right size for what they're intended for, assuming you're not buying in bulk, in which case, buy bigger jars ... :mrgreen:

    Supper chez Piglet was a concoction of spaghetti with chicken, mushrooms, white wine and cream.

    PS, @Martha - would you post your dhal recipe upstairs? It sounds really nice - and I see what you mean about doing the chopping while the lentils cook.
  • The reason to use jars or tubs with our bulk bags is that they're too unwieldy. I'm not buying a 20 litre jar to store the dried tarragon in!
  • Martha wrote: »
    For those who store things in jars, what do you do when you've got a little bit left in the jar but you've bought a new packet? Or when 3/4 of the packet fits in the jar and you have the last 1/4 left over? That's why I have never quite got into the jar thing.

    In the first case, keep the new unopened packet. The next time I use the stuff, I'll empty the jar, take what I need from the new packet, and decant the rest of the packet in to the jar (probably after washing it).

    In the second case, it depends a bit on what it is. Possibly keep the stuff in the unopened packet until I need it, then use some and bung the rest in the jar. But if we're talking about decanting a small amount of a 20 lb bag of flour, rice, or whatever into a use-jar, then I'd want some kind of airtight plastic tub to keep the opened 20 lb bag in.
  • MarthaMartha Shipmate
    Dhal is now available upstairs! Thanks for advice on jars. I find it's fine for bulk bags of rice etc, but annoying for flour and sugar, where I've got to find space for a jar and a full bag, rather than a full bag and a mostly empty bag which squashes into a small space.
  • Martha wrote: »
    but annoying for flour and sugar, where I've got to find space for a jar and a full bag, rather than a full bag and a mostly empty bag which squashes into a small space.

    I don't typically have room in the kitchen for spare bags of everything, but do have a shelf in the basement I keep those things in. When I lived in the UK, in a small flat (with no basement) then "on top of the wardrobe in the bedroom" served the same function.

    Things get allocated kitchen space according to use. I always have extra cereal in the kitchen, because if I run out, I don't want to have to go and get some from the basement first thing in the morning when I just want breakfast. Cake decorating stuff, by contrast, got exiled to the basement a long time ago: it doesn't get used very often, and I'm never in a hurry when I want to use it.
  • Those with long memories may recall what happened to my son a couple of years ago which he refers to as 'Walletgate' ....the story went viral all over the world. (He found a wallet in the road in London and managed to get in touch with the owner via 4 bank transfers of 1p with his phone number in the reference). Well some time later he was approached by a Japanese TV company who wanted to do a reconstruction. They interviewed him via Skype about a year ago and told him not to mention it. Yesterday it was finally broadcast....it's a scream....someone described the backing music as 'more threatening than pirates of the Caribbean'. Maybe it makes more sense if you understand Japanese! https://youtu.be/BAhjwZjFwIE (It's been a good week for my son....the previous day he heard that he has been successful in interviews and has a new job at the Guardian!)
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    It does have more of the vibe of a horror film, the dropped wallet looked decidedly sinister @Gracious Rebel . Good news on the new job too.
    I am knee deep in boxes, but we've decided we're ahead of the game and are giving ourselves the rest of the afternoon off. I went out for coffee with a friend today and picked up a couple of bottles of tonic on the way home. Well it does seem pointless to take a quarter full bottle of gin with us.
  • I don't speak Japanese, but that video is hilarious. Maybe we should have @Alan Cresswell translate :wink:

    Thanks for posting (and congrats to your son on his new job!)
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    As I'm reading this on the train, I'll hold off watching GR's video until I get home. But huge congratulations to Rebel Minor on the new job - how cool is working for the Grauniad?
    ----
    I stopped at M&S on the way to the station, and have bought rather more bulk than I should - I'll be wrecked by the time I get home. Never mind - it's Friday, so scampi and chips for supper, with quantities of WINE.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Made a harried outing to Waitrose this morning. Not only was it pouring rain, but they are renovating the store, so stock crammed up and out of place. Plus I was shopping for dinner party on Sunday rather than - or rather, in addition to - normal restocking. Ended up coming home without orange jelly (essential!) and with no fruit (Mr F's fault). So out to Aldi tomorrow.

    It being Friday, wine'n'pizza.
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    We have had fish and chips tonight. I am feeling very grumpy about the weather: the cricket didn't happen, and the showers didn't allow much painting instead. Mr Dragon had jab the first this morning, and his arm has gone very sore.
  • Mr H went in to work today so is consequently down the pub. Son and I have a Friday night takeaway of fries, pulled pork, meaty bbq beans and coleslaw (and milkshake) while watching Tuesday’s Eurovision semi final.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Not the Friday I'd expected. Mr F in A&E.

  • DoublethinkDoublethink Shipmate
    I’m sorry - hope things turn out as well as possible.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    {{{Firenze and Mr. F.}}}

  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    It's a re-run of February, which is both good and bad. Good, because I know more what to expect, and the likely outcome. Bad, because, well, it's a re-run.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Take care, Firenze, and know that there are prayers and good vibes ascending from all over the place.
  • That's not good Firenze. Best wishes from here too.

    Entertainment for today included building a desk from different IKEA sections - a table top, two legs and a set of drawers, with slight adaptations to fit the space - one of the legs is set slightly back, at the trestle leg point, not in the front corner, so the desk can sit in the corner of the room between the wall and radiator. It wasn't total invention, the desk came with fittings to screw from underneath into the tabletop (into to the trestle holes) and the top has screw holes for four legs in the corner or two trestle legs. Very satisfying when this pile of stuff reduces to a piece of furniture and one spare rawl plug.

    Colour me unconvinced by folk weather lore. According to the old saw,
    Oak before ash,
    Get a splash,
    Ash before oak,
    Get a soak.

    if the oak leafs before the ash, the summer weather should be showery, not overly wet, if the ash leafs before the oak, we're predicted a wet summer. Well this year the oak was definitely out before the ash, and just look at the weather!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    It was certainly rather moist in Embra today (although it had cleared up a bit by the time I was leaving work).
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    (((( @Firenze ))))

    I also was doing furniture construction this morning, removing the bars from Captain Pyjamas' bed. This was more complicated than it might have been because the instructions have disappeared Lord knows where.

    Captain P came home from nursery to find his new bed, and I think it's fair to say he is Not Pleased™. Where's the sleeping bag? Why's there no sleeping bag? How's a body supposed to sleep without a sleeping bag? :anguished:
  • Extremely moist in Cardiff, not to mention stormy! Church youth club this evening; I'm not much good with the kids but fine with the tuckshop, washing the water beakers, and sweeping the floor!
  • Hugs and prayers for you both Firenze.
  • ((( @Firenze & Mr F )))

    One long cold soggy day, and I'm glad I've been working from home. Dinner was a dahl and a veg curry, with poppadums and Icelandic beer. Will have to do the dahl again, although I might add slightly less water than the instructions call for next time.

    My sister and her family will be invading the cattle-crossing area tomorrow, so I've just been making CAKE. One Victoria sponge now cooling downstairs, and I need to decide if I'm making icing for it or buying raspberry jam in the morning!
  • (((( @Firenze ))))

    I also was doing furniture construction this morning, removing the bars from Captain Pyjamas' bed. This was more complicated than it might have been because the instructions have disappeared Lord knows where.

    Captain P came home from nursery to find his new bed, and I think it's fair to say he is Not Pleased™. Where's the sleeping bag? Why's there no sleeping bag? How's a body supposed to sleep without a sleeping bag? :anguished:

    We feared this sort of reaction when moving Little Miss Feet to her own room (and Big Bed). The negotiations and strategic planning involved went on for quite some time, and I still ended up sleeping in her room (we got her bunk beds) for a couple of weeks.
  • It was a truly foul day here, so after a quick dash round our regular walk (the Church Loop) I resorted to cooking - chocolate chip muffins. and sweetcorn fritters, which TIG#2 and the Little Welsh Cousin both adore. Handy also in that they can be heated up in the toaster! The muffins were a re-run of a previous batch, but this time I remembered to put all the ingredients in before I dolloped the mixture into the muffin cases. Result: much improved muffins, though I have to say none of them were exactly rejected last time.

    Dinner was fish pie and peas, not very original but it had to be something I could have ready at 7.30 on the dot for our Zoom dinner with a friend in Scotland.

    (((Firenze)))

  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Mr F home back of midnight with pills and referral to stroke clinic.

    You think you'll sleep after such a late night, but not a bit of it. However, knackered or not, I have a dinner party tomorrow - and a house to clean.

    Allons!
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    (((( @Firenze ))))

    I also was doing furniture construction this morning, removing the bars from Captain Pyjamas' bed. This was more complicated than it might have been because the instructions have disappeared Lord knows where.

    Captain P came home from nursery to find his new bed, and I think it's fair to say he is Not Pleased™. Where's the sleeping bag? Why's there no sleeping bag? How's a body supposed to sleep without a sleeping bag? :anguished:

    We feared this sort of reaction when moving Little Miss Feet to her own room (and Big Bed). The negotiations and strategic planning involved went on for quite some time, and I still ended up sleeping in her room (we got her bunk beds) for a couple of weeks.

    Captain P has never had a problem sleeping alone, I think largely because he was in hospital for so long as a very tiny person. The removal of the sleeping bag, however, is treachery of the most villainous kind. Pointing out that the quilt has Lovely Diggers on it has thus far been of no avail.
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    edited May 22
    We swapped our son's cot for a bed while he was at nursery. He didn't have a sleeping bag, not sure if they were around thirty odd years ago, but the Thomas the Tank Engine duvet cover went down a treat. We still have it and I occasionally put it on the bed (not the same one) when he comes to stay. Hope Captain Pyjamas accepts the new regime soon. We were talking yesterday about how we weaned our son off using bottles by 'forgetting' to take them on holiday three hundred miles away. After a long journey and ages trying to find the cottage we were renting, son insisted we went home to get them. Of course we refused and by the end of the week bottles were a forgotten thing Hope it's the same with the sleeping bag.
    Hope Mr F is feeling better today @Firenze and the stroke clinic can help.
    I'm sitting here gearing myself up to more box packing. At least it isn't very nice outside so I have no desire to be off for a walk instead.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Poor Captain P! Could the sleeping bag be put on the bed without the bars being there? Or is it that he's outgrown it?

    @Firenze, glad to hear Mr. F is back home - hope the dinner party goes well!
  • Wet KipperWet Kipper Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    how cool is working for the Grauniad?

    I'll have to ask my sister-in-law
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    @Firenze 🕯
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    edited May 22
    (((( @Firenze ))))

    I also was doing furniture construction this morning, removing the bars from Captain Pyjamas' bed. This was more complicated than it might have been because the instructions have disappeared Lord knows where.

    Captain P came home from nursery to find his new bed, and I think it's fair to say he is Not Pleased™. Where's the sleeping bag? Why's there no sleeping bag? How's a body supposed to sleep without a sleeping bag? :anguished:

    We feared this sort of reaction when moving Little Miss Feet to her own room (and Big Bed). The negotiations and strategic planning involved went on for quite some time, and I still ended up sleeping in her room (we got her bunk beds) for a couple of weeks.

    Captain P has never had a problem sleeping alone, I think largely because he was in hospital for so long as a very tiny person. The removal of the sleeping bag, however, is treachery of the most villainous kind. Pointing out that the quilt has Lovely Diggers on it has thus far been of no avail.

    I am in no way an expert advisor on this: but might having the sleeping bag with him in the Big New Bed be a first step? And perhaps a favourite cuddly (or non-cuddly) toy? (NB. I had a phase when I took toy cars into bed!) Then at some point, remove the sleeping bag and keep the toy(s).

    Might just have worked with me. One thing at a time. Perhaps the radical option as given above will work better. Decisions, decisions! - Good luck, and well done to Captain P for having a Big New Big Boy Bed now! :)

    Hugs and prayers for the Firenzes! <votive>
  • MooMoo Kerygmania Host
    When my daughter was four we got her a big bed. Up to that time, we had a rule that she could have her pacifier (dummy) only when she was in her bed. Any time of day she was free to climb in bed and suck it.

    We showed her the new bed and told her she could have it, but she couldn't have the pacifier in it. After she had thought it over for a week,she decided to give up the pacifier and sleep in the new bed.
  • TheOrganistTheOrganist Shipmate
    The first time one of my boys had a sleepover without his twin the one left at home couldn't sleep, he missed the sound of his other half's breathing. I ended up spending the night in the other bunk.
  • The first time one of my boys had a sleepover without his twin the one left at home couldn't sleep, he missed the sound of his other half's breathing. I ended up spending the night in the other bunk.
    As toddlers, my twin and I used to suck each other’s thumbs in our cot.
    My twin brother was sent to a boarding school for visually impaired children when we were 8. The first few separations were heartbreaking.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    edited May 22
    We have relented and put the sleeping bag back for now. Meanwhile I am working on selling the Lovely Diggers and putting Captain P's cuddly dog to bed under the duvet. Look! The doggie's having a big sleep! With the duvet! Lucky dog!
  • A young friend of ours had a little daughter who fell out of her cot. Cue panic, purchase of a toddler bed and many evenings spent sitting by the bedroom door, trying to persuade her to stay in bed and go to sleep.

    When TIG#1 climbed out of his cot-bed and fell on the floor, he bumped his head. Miss S simply said to him, 'Well, TIG#1, that's what happens when you try and climb out of your cot'. He lasted several more months before they had to take the side off...
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    Hope Captain Pyjamas is finally won over by lovely diggers and a happy doggie. I love children's imagination at that age, but getting them to do what you want them to do can be hard work!
    We've done our fill of box packing for the day, including crawling under the bed to rescue shoes. We're nearly done, need to pack up pictures and the rest of the kitchen and pack a couple of suitcases. We know we can move the furniture in on Wednesday but we're not sure when we can get in, so we're packing for a week or two of hotel living. At least we are both fully vaccinated.
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Anuka can already get out of her cot at eighteen months old. Just as her Papa did before her. She just gets in with them at about 4am, just like her Papa did before her!

    My mantra - “they won’t still be doing it when they are 18!”

    Anuka is saying lots of words now - all very clearly spoken - including Omi Andy and Tatze! When she comes on the video call says all our names. 💕

    She has just as many words in Georgian. None in German yet, but they will come - I’m sure - when she starts kindergarten in September.
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    Very glad to hear Captain Pyjamas has his sleeping bag back. :heart: Hope the Doggies and Diggers win him over before too long.

    Mr Nen has been out today on a Very Long Walk with friends and has come back knackered. I meanwhile had coffee with a friend and some very welcome time in the house on my own. :smile:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Archie's at the "picking up words" stage: when his mum and dad put their flat on the market recently he would tell potential buyers about the "integwated fwidge-fweezer". :heart:
    It's been a nice day here; I don't think much if any of the threatened rain came to anything. I took a wee stroll along the street to collect a pair of culottes that I was having taken up, then took up a pair of trousers myself*, did a load of laundry and had steak for supper.

    * I have the patience (just) and skill (sort of) to do small sewing tasks like trouser hems, but the culottes were considerably wider, and as they were quite expensive, I didn't want to risk making a bollocks of it.
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    edited May 23
    I went and watched live cricket! We took the Dragonlets to see a bit this afternoon, well technically yesterday now, the enjoyment was helped by the right team doing well.

    Dragonlet 3 has sleeping bags. It became very clear on about day 4 that she was a wriggler with a liking for sleeping with her feet in the air, so blankets wouldn't cut it. She has taken to the room swap into the cot quite well thankfully.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Just had a call from my s-i-l to ask if I'd like them to pick me up to go out for lunch with them and my niece and Rosie.

    That'll be a "yes"! :) :heart: :)
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    edited May 23
    Piglet wrote: »
    Just had a call from my s-i-l to ask if I'd like them to pick me up to go out for lunch with them and my niece and Rosie.

    That'll be a "yes"! :) :heart: :)

    Have fun!

    We are car-less until the end of July, when the new car arrives. We expected to be in Germany until then, but no chance of that.

    So I’ll be walking the pooch to the woods today. That’s about twenty minutes lead walk - mixed tracks and pavements but no main roads - followed by a nice free run (the dog, not me!) in the woods.

    Tomorrow I’ll be walking into town and getting the bus back. It’s about half an hour’s walk, so that is fine.


    Mr Boogs walked to the supermarket with a backpack yesterday.

    Do we need a car? 🚘🤔

  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    Until tomorrow we'll have been carless for over eight years. It's been fine, but then we do live a stones through from all the things we want. The car is not necessarily essential when we move either but it's going to be extremely useful until we've actually moved into the place.
    Bugger about Germany though @Boogie.
  • We managed without a car for the first 13 years of our marriage, but the arrival of Little Miss Feet meant it became too big an inconvenience.
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