The Untied Kingdom? - the British thread 2021

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  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Right, just booked an AirBnB in Auld Reeking for September.

    Whereabouts, broadly speaking? (We have an AirB&B next door - it would be a quare geg if it were that).

  • Firenze wrote: »
    The duck legs are in the oven.
    Does that mean that the rest of the duck is sticking out of the door?

  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host
    Firenze wrote: »
    The duck legs are in the oven.
    Does that mean that the rest of the duck is sticking out of the door?

    No, its head is in the freezer, and on average it’s perfectly comfortable!
  • Must be a big duck to stretch right across the kitchen!
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    We had rain during the night but just cloud cover now. At least the fish pond is now full. I have four fish, all six years old, and they have grown to eight inches from little tiddlers. All have names, of course. :)
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    It's the giant duck of Sumatra, for which the world is not yet ready.
  • Aravis wrote: »
    I’ve never thought of days having colours!
    Musical notes and keys do - mostly in the background, though once my husband was playing a Yes album in the car and I had to turn it off as it was so bright green it was unbearable.

    :lol:

    Alas, I've never seen the colours of music, but I know that some people do...and, of course, colours can be perceived as perfumes, and so on...

    Welcome to the interesting world of neurodiversity!
  • Penny SPenny S Shipmate
    Yesterday we had a go at the back garden of my friend's place, into which has travelled from elsewhere some Russian Vine, engaged on finding lebensraum. I spent between half and three quarters of an hour cutting a pathway towords the neighbour's wall, but didn't make it before being afflicted with sudden loss of energy. It was quite interesting hauling down the lianas hand over hand like ropes on a ship. My friend nearly fell through the roof of the shed but was kept up by the ivy. He went on working after I had retreated to the car, still up the ladder - which I did not know - and believes we only need one more session. For someone who characteristically takes a pessimistic view of life, this seems surprising.
    We had to go a long way round to get home as the roads south of Dartford were in grid lock, but did manage a quick drop in at Waitrose, which had nothing useful for the meal at all, which I had no energy to cook, just some of the cheapest sandwiches and some minibites on offer. I left him with a tin of sausages and beans and retired to bed to eat one half of each of the sandwiches and a couple of the mini things.
    I am now still abed, but must get up to find someone to repair my long arm shears which have been used for something better done with loppers. We had two sets of ordinary loppers, one set with extendable arms, and one ratchet set. But the blades of the shears now will not meet.
  • Sounds exhausting!
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    My appointment with the neurosurgeon is on the 9th of June. We have no car so I’m getting the tram - nearly two hour’s journey including the walk to the tram stop. My book for the Ship’s book club - https://tinyurl.com/3rnajar7 has arrived, so I shall read that.

    One part of me hopes he suggests surgery, the other part is trepidatious. The MRI shows severe cervical spinal canal stenosis, several bone spurs and severe bone degeneration. My worst symptoms are two numb hands, tingling and shooting pains if I move my arms suddenly - plus very weak arms. No back pain I’m glad to say.
  • MelangellMelangell Shipmate
    Boogie, I hope you have the best possible outcome...
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    What Melangell said.
  • Thirded.

    BTW, a two-hour journey on the tram (including the walk to the stop) sounds quite a marathon...
    :scream:
  • Firenze wrote: »
    Right, just booked an AirBnB in Auld Reeking for September.

    Whereabouts, broadly speaking? (We have an AirB&B next door - it would be a quare geg if it were that).
    Somewhere in Abbeyhill - 'ten minutes walk from Holyrood', so probably 20-30 minutes. I don't remember it from Rebus so I'm hoping it's quite nice!

  • DiomedesDiomedes Shipmate
    We stayed in an air bnb in Abbeyhill during our last visit to Edinburgh. The accommodation itself was charming, very convenient for walking everywhere and we had a fantastic week. I hope you enjoy yourselves just as much as we did.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Firenze wrote: »
    Right, just booked an AirBnB in Auld Reeking for September.

    Whereabouts, broadly speaking? (We have an AirB&B next door - it would be a quare geg if it were that).
    Somewhere in Abbeyhill - 'ten minutes walk from Holyrood', so probably 20-30 minutes. I don't remember it from Rebus so I'm hoping it's quite nice!

    I think there's been a fair bit of development around Abbeyhill/Canongate. Fairly well placed for both the Old and New Town and Leith I'd say.
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Thank you all.

    I’m going to have trouble saving the book for Wednesday - I’ve read a third of it already! :lol:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Has it got a sequel? :mrgreen:
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    Has it got a sequel? :mrgreen:

    Not yet!

    I subscribe to Readers Digest so I won’t be short of stuff to read. 🙂

  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    I am a domestic goddess. This afternoon I cleaned the deep fat fryer. The upside of this is that we can now have CHIPS (and also CHEESEBURGER).
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Good God - are you sure you're quite well?! :flushed:

    We had a deep fat fryer when we were first married, but it was very rarely used (always by David - I was scared stiff of it!). I'm fairly sure it didn't make the move to our second house, and I can't say it was missed.

    Chips are a delicacy I'm prepared to pay somebody else to make.

  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    Chips don't need a deep fat fryer. You can cut potatoes into wedges (preferably skin on) and roast them on a baking tray sprayed with a low calorie cooking spray and sprinkled with mixed herbs. Turn once during cooking. Yum.

    We don't have a deep fat fryer but in my book the cleaning of one is in the same class as cleaning the oven or the windows: You're supposed to clean windows...? Well done, though, @la vie en rouge .

    Mr Nen and I have been out and about most of the day and tea was much later than it was meant to be. I improvised a quick rice and salmon dish with peas, paprika, saffron and several sloshes of white wine. It was very nice. :smile:
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    We actually went and had a Real Pint in a Real Pub followed by a Real Pizza in a Proper Italian restaurant. The excitement.
  • Nenya wrote: »
    Chips don't need a deep fat fryer. You can cut potatoes into wedges (preferably skin on) and roast them on a baking tray sprayed with a low calorie cooking spray and sprinkled with mixed herbs. Turn once during cooking. Yum.

    Sounds Yum indeed, but not quite the same as chips fried in the deep-fat fryer.

    The deep fat fryer (and crinkly potato slicer) was a fixture of my childhood, although not something I've ever felt the need to purchase. But nothing we ever fried at home could come close to replicating chips from the chippie.
  • Mrs Feet and I have never risked purchasing a deep fat fryer, for fear that our waistlines would never recover. We did experiment with a very closely watched pan of oil on the hob but decided it was more trouble than it was worth.
  • Well done on cleaning the fryer, lver, that must have been quite a chore.
    I’m another one who is not a fan of deep fat fryers for many reasons, including one having caught fire at home when I was a child and an ex-boyfriend’s father having scars all over his arms (as well as grafts from his legs) from a similar episode less well managed. We have a Ninja air fryer which is fantastic and produces great chips and crispy breaded food in a healthy, safe way - I really recommend it. I actually like the wedges from the oven, though.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    As I've said before, oven chip technology has come on: I would rate them above chippie chips tbh.

    Also do a version of @Nenya 's wedges - microwave the spud, halve or quarter, oil and seasonings of choice. Sweet potato you don't even need to precook, just chip, toss in oil, sprinkle with za'atar, and into a hot oven.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    The big problem with chips of any kind is that it's at least two trays in the oven or about four batches in a deep fat fryer when you've got three teenagers and a KarlLB in the house.
  • SandemaniacSandemaniac Shipmate
    That sounds as though KarlLB might be KarlFB when chips are in the offing!
    (not that I blame you, either, I have a fondness for those lorries signwritten "Eat More Chips!")
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Nenya wrote: »
    Chips don't need a deep fat fryer. You can cut potatoes into wedges (preferably skin on) and roast them on a baking tray sprayed with a low calorie cooking spray and sprinkled with mixed herbs. Turn once during cooking. Yum.
    Actually, that sounds nice - I might try it with my next steak. How long, and what temperature?
    ... several sloshes of white wine ...
    Is a slosh more or less than a skoosh (see Firenze's post a wee while back)? Inquiring minds need to know!

    The salmon thing sounds lovely - would you post a recipe? 🙂
    In other news, it's a glorious day, and a Friday. Yipee! 😁
  • RoseofsharonRoseofsharon Shipmate
    It's raining here - but I'm not complaining. I have eight large tubs and two raised beds ready for planting. All they need is watering, and some good steady rain is just the thing! :)
  • kingsfoldkingsfold Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    ... several sloshes of white wine ...
    Is a slosh more or less than a skoosh (see Firenze's post a wee while back)? Inquiring minds need to know!

    Personally I would say a slosh is quite a lot bigger than a skoosh.... but YMMV

  • I finished my exam marking this morning so officially have no more marking until the end of October. This month I will be catching up on admin and training; I'm contracted term time only so from July to September I only have the occasional meeting and the organisation of teaching rotas, and I've resigned from one of my modules so have a substitute one lined up which I need to apply for. But I have lots to do for my research to keep me busy over the summer.
    Tea last night was a buttery mushroom and chick pea curry with rice and yoghurt. Lunch today was a feta cheese omelette and it'll be a takeaway of some sort tonight.
  • I do the oven chips thing all the time - including for lunch today, using sweet potatoes as that's what I had, with cod in GF crumb (bought cheap and frozen for later), tomatoes and courgettes roasted halved lengthways. That's two baking trays in the oven, one for the chips, one for everything else.

    Today it is raining, for which my slightly pink arms are grateful, as they saw rather too much sun on yesterday's walk (10 miles followed by another couple later, that's 30,000 + steps).

    I've seen the cover proposals and blurb for the second Richard Osman book, as I'm part of a online book club that asks us to read and review books various, prefer covers or act as marketing research various. We were all sworn to secrecy at the time. Now I can't remember much to spill the beans, because I've reviewed another 20 or so books since.

    @Boogie good luck with the hospital appointment, hope that you get the answers you need.
    Thirded.

    BTW, a two-hour journey on the tram (including the walk to the stop) sounds quite a marathon...
    :scream:
    We had a three hour plus journey each way for my daughter for one of her consultants, which is one of the reasons we're so damn pleased that that department has forgotten to book her an appointment this year, again. The frustration of travelling past several perfectly good hospitals with a similar department to see someone who has not done much at all was definitely there. She's been referred to one of the London hospitals, which is a huge relief, and going to cut the journey time by half.
  • ThomasinaThomasina Shipmate
    I always do sweet potato chips in the oven, but can you ever get them really crisp?

    There was a recipe in "Good Food" for the best potato chips, which seemed to involved chipping them, cooking until just soft, drying them, putting them in a single layer in a hot over for 45 minutes, turning them, turning oven up to really hot and cooking again for another 45 minutes. I may have got some of this wrong, but whatever, it sounds to me more like cindered chips!

    Tea tonight will be sausages, so that I have got some cold ready for visit of daughter tomorrow! With mustard. :)
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    Nenya wrote: »
    Chips don't need a deep fat fryer. You can cut potatoes into wedges (preferably skin on) and roast them on a baking tray sprayed with a low calorie cooking spray and sprinkled with mixed herbs. Turn once during cooking. Yum.
    Actually, that sounds nice - I might try it with my next steak. How long, and what temperature?
    If you precook them they'd take a shorter time; I don't, I simply slice and dry them between kitchen roll before baking. I'd say 20-25 minutes and then turn them and cook for another 20 or so; around 160 degrees... gas mark 5-ish I guess. Preheat the oven.
    Is a slosh more or less than a skoosh (see Firenze's post a wee while back)? Inquiring minds need to know!
    A slosh for me is a fluid ounce measured the way the Galloping Gourmet used to do it (I expect you're too young to remember :wink: ). The method is to pour straight from the wine bottle into the dish, counting fairly slowly. Each count is a fluid ounce. I don't know how that relates to a skoosh, please could Someone Who Knows enlighten me?
    The salmon thing sounds lovely - would you post a recipe? 🙂
    Err :flushed: I'll try. It was all a bit hit and miss and lazy because it had to be quick. I'll put it on the recipe thread.

    It's Friday and a lovely day. We have our online wine drinking at 6 and then plan to have our meal sitting on the patio. I think I've explained before about our 6pm Friday date which is on Zoom. A couple of the people there are wine buffs and talk about the grape, the vintage, the nose, the aftertastes. The rest of us, like Mr Nen and me, go "It's white, from Sainsbury's." Sometimes I give the blurb off the back of the bottle to try to sound erudite. :lol:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited June 4
    Nenya wrote: »
    ... A couple of the people there are wine buffs and talk about the grape, the vintage, the nose, the aftertastes. The rest of us, like Mr Nen and me, go "It's white, from Sainsbury's." Sometimes I give the blurb off the back of the bottle to try to sound erudite. :lol:
    Quotes file! :mrgreen:

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the porcine House Wine is Casillero del Diablo, a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, which fulfils at least two of the David and Piglet Wine-Buying Principles (updated for inflation):

    Pretty label on the bottle
    Politically incorrect country of origin (sorry about that)
    Under £7* a bottle

    This one doesn't have a spectacularly pretty label, but it comes from Chile, which is fairly un-PC, and with a Tesco's Clubcard can be as little as £6.50 a bottle. It's also rather nice: not quite as sharp as an NZ one would be, but not quite as sharp on the wallet either. If I could afford to drink NZ SB every day, I would, but I can't. Last time I was in Sainz Breeze, they had Cloudy Bay, but it was £23 a bottle, which is Not Going To Happen. <sigh>

    * Our original criterion was under £5 a bottle, but that was 20 years ago; prices have moved on a bit since then.
    This evening's glasses of SB accompanied a Chinese takeaway (king prawns with green peppers and black bean sauce). It was rather nice, except for the couple of mouthfuls early on where I think they must have accidentally tipped a chopped chilli (or some other Very Hot Thing) into it, causing Eyelash Perspiration and similar discomforts suffered by the Spice Wuss.
  • They do sometimes hide the odd red chilli in black bean sauce, it can be quite a surprise.

    When dinner finally arrived here, after over one and half hour wait for delivery, it was a rather lovely Middle Eastern mezze of cold starters, hot meats and rice. Served with a nice glass of Chablis.
    There’s enough food left over for tomorrow’s lunch.
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    We celebrated a week in our new house last night with a rather nice bottle of chianti. Today our son is coming for a visit, and I'm looking forward to what he thinks of our new house. We've been invited to a f(F)riend's house tomorrow to meet some local Quakers, which should be fun. I feel like we're settling in to our new home and town well.
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    Nenya wrote: »
    ... A couple of the people there are wine buffs and talk about the grape, the vintage, the nose, the aftertastes. The rest of us, like Mr Nen and me, go "It's white, from Sainsbury's." Sometimes I give the blurb off the back of the bottle to try to sound erudite. :lol:
    Quotes file! :mrgreen:
    :lol: Exactly this scenario was played out last night on the Zoom meeting.

    Wine buff host: So, Nen and Mr Nen, what are you drinking this evening?

    Me (reading from the bottle): We've got a Phantom River Sauvignon Blanc - crisp, concentrated flavours of tropical fruits with hints of lime, leaving a long lingering finish.

    Wine buff host: Interesting. I've not come across that one. Where's it from?

    Me: Sainsbury's.

    Wine buff host: I knew you were going to say something like that >rolls eyes< I mean, what country is it from?

    Me: :lol: Oh. Chile. :lol:


    Delighted to hear you're settling in well @Sarasa .

    Another gloriously sunny morning here and I've got a coffee date with a girlfriend. :smile:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited June 5
    That's lovely, Sarasa - wishing you many years of health to enjoy it!
    It looks like another nice day in West Lothian; an amble down to Tessie's (with the shopping trolley :mrgreen: ) beckons after breakfast to top up the supplies of tinned things (it'll be nice not to have to decide between tomatoes, kidney beans or baked beans - I can get them all) and, of course, WINE.

    Edit - cross post - @Nenya :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    I really need the "killing me" smilie!

  • @Boogie good luck with the hospital appointment, hope that you get the answers you need.
    Thirded.

    BTW, a two-hour journey on the tram (including the walk to the stop) sounds quite a marathon...
    :scream:
    We had a three hour plus journey each way for my daughter for one of her consultants, which is one of the reasons we're so damn pleased that that department has forgotten to book her an appointment this year, again. The frustration of travelling past several perfectly good hospitals with a similar department to see someone who has not done much at all was definitely there. She's been referred to one of the London hospitals, which is a huge relief, and going to cut the journey time by half.

    I'm well aware that many people do indeed have long journeys to get to and from hospital etc. appointments.

    My point was (and I should have made it clearer) that two hours on a tram sounds rather a lot, even on the swish modern trams we have nowadays. I didn't realise that anywhere in England had such a long route - or is there a change from one line to another involved somewhere?
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Overcast now, but very warm.

    Spent the last couple of hours attempting a plein air watercolour of the mini pond. The marsh marigold has surprisingly complicated leaves when you look hard. The really difficult bit is the water. I don't think the end result is very good, though I shall probably think better of it in a day or so.

    An afternoon of knitting, napping and watching the tennis, I fancy.
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    edited June 5
    ….two hours on a tram sounds rather a lot, even on the swish modern trams we have nowadays. I didn't realise that anywhere in England had such a long route - or is there a change from one line to another involved somewhere?

    It’s from our town centre to another town centre, the other side of Manchester, no changes - it goes through Manchester City centre. The actual time on the tram is 74 minutes but the walk to the tram stop is half an hour and there’s a taxi ride at the other end. I could go by train to Manchester, then tram - but our train station is much further away than the tram stop. So I may as well just sit on the tram without needing to change.

    I honestly don’t mind, at least I’m getting seen by a consultant. A huge relief to me.

    I went to London six times to get my teeth done! (Crowns and implants) 🙂🙂

  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate
    edited June 5
    Sarasa wrote: »
    We celebrated a week in our new house last night with a rather nice bottle of chianti.

    Liver with fava beans for tea? :innocent:
  • Boogie wrote: »
    ….two hours on a tram sounds rather a lot, even on the swish modern trams we have nowadays. I didn't realise that anywhere in England had such a long route - or is there a change from one line to another involved somewhere?

    It’s from our town centre to another town centre, the other side of Manchester, no changes - it goes through Manchester City centre. The actual time on the tram is 74 minutes but the walk to the tram stop is half an hour and there’s a taxi ride at the other end. I could go by train to Manchester, then tram - but our train station is much further away than the tram stop. So I may as well just sit on the tram without needing to change.

    I honestly don’t mind, at least I’m getting seen by a consultant. A huge relief to me.

    I went to London six times to get my teeth done! (Crowns and implants) 🙂🙂

    Thanks! Quite a long ride, but, as you say, more convenient than the train.

    Best wishes, anyway - hope all goes well.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    I had a very pleasant day on the church hike. We walked 17 km through woodland and fields to the West of Paris. There were Steep Bits and I'm expecting to be sore tomorrow, but in a good way.

    Before we set out the weather forecast was announcing a risk of getting wet, but in the end it stayed dry all day.
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    17 km is a serious distance. :hushed: Last weekend we had a walk with Nenlet1 and son in law, which was 10 km. It was hot and there wasn't much shade. It was fine, but I was glad it wasn't any longer.

    Stir fry cooking will commence shortly; we have a nice Barefoot Merlot from Sainsbury's to go with it. :wink: Weekends tend to include wine with meals as a given, which is possibly why I'm not losing the Covid Kilos as I would like to. In fact, with a bit of creativity most evenings can be wine evenings Chez Nen - we've had Tipple Tuesday, Wine Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday as well, in our time.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    There's something of an alcohol creep in our house - well, more of a gallop to be honest.

    We took delivery of a case from Great Grog this afternoon which could last us, oh, days.

    This being Saturday I must go put the cocktail glasses in the freezer.
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