It's still very warm here; although there's a bit of a breeze getting up, it feels quite close, as if it's limbering up for whatever this storm's planning to throw at us.
Brunch has been had (smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, half an avocado and a BUTTERY), and laundry is drying.
Oh, and the keyboard of my laptop seems to have died; when I press the keys, absolutely nothing happens. 😠
For reasons I can't explain (pixies? fairies? witchcraft?), my keyboard has come back to life. All I did was close the top and leave it for a few hours; perhaps it was just needing a snooze ...
Supper chez Piglet was pizza delivery, on which I'd managed to earn a discount for loyalty*. I chose a tomato base, with goat's cheese, caramelised onions, rocket and mushrooms, and it was really rather nice.
* I'm not sure why; I think this was only my sixth delivery from them in almost as many years, but I'm not complaining!
Goat’s cheese and caramelised onion pizza is one of my favourites.
Usually there is pizza or sausage in a bun after the evening service but this has been adjourned for the summer. So we went to the pizza cafe near home afterwards where I had a cheese and ham calzone. I think I might have a glass of red wine now.
Sadly goat's cheese is the one food I'm intolerant to. Tonight will be merguez saussies with polenta chips and maybe Turkish onions.
An indoor day if the promised storm shows up - perfectly still out there at the moment. Could be the day to finish a long term knit (I started it in March), as I'm now on the sleeves.
After a week up a mountain with crappy WiFi, we have arrived in foie gras land. 33° today. This morning's highly touristic experience is an Expotition to our local Lidl.
Hmm...everywhere ? Lots of places, certainly, compared to aeons ago when I was a lad, but I bet there are a few greasy-spoon diners still reliant on the jar of granules!
Warm, windy, and a trifle dampish in Arkland the Blest, as Storm Floris rages elsewhere. I hope all of you in those parts of the country being battered are keeping safe and dry. BTW, as the last named Storm in this country was Eowyn, shouldn't this one be Faramir ?
I rather lost yesterday, feeling so tired and achy in the morning that I stayed in my Berth until well after tea-time. Better today, although the usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe has wiped me out, so restage and snoozage will have to be indulged in this afternoon, after Lunch.
Hmm...everywhere ? Lots of places, certainly, compared to aeons ago when I was a lad, but I bet there are a few greasy-spoon diners still reliant on the jar of granules!
Hmm...everywhere ? Lots of places, certainly, compared to aeons ago when I was a lad, but I bet there are a few greasy-spoon diners still reliant on the jar of granules!
Wet and windy here, though not as wild as I guess it is further north. I was lucky in being able to get to my Pilates class and back this morning without too much wetting. My husband headed off to the gym in the same place this afternoon and seems to have been not so lucky. It is supposed to clear shortly, which is a good thing as we're off to the Ramblers sports day at 6.00. Think egg and spoon races etc. Not something I enjoyed as a child, but fun as an adult.
Breezy and drizzly here. I have done some writing for work and am now sitting down to a cup of tea with Mochi on my lap.
Mr Heavenly is out tonight at a business dinner so my tea is likely to be a light affair, probably a frittata of leftovers. And some wine.
It's been blowing a fair hoolie here most of the day, with intermittent horizontal rain. However, by the time I was coming home, the sun was splitting the trees, but the wind was still blowing every speck of dust into my eyes.*
I had closed the sitting room windows in readiness before I went out; sadly I forgot that one of the kitchen windows was "open" but resting on the frame (it swings outward horizontally from a fixed top), and when I got home, it had opened itself and now refuses to close. I'm assuming part of the working has either bent or warped or something, but I certainly couldn't shift it, so it looks like I'll be making one of the local glaziers happy ...
* I hadn't brought my sun specs because I thought I wouldn't need them, because storms ...
Supper was chickpeas in a sort of creamy tomato sauce with orzo.
The 'sports day' was fun and the weather stayed dry and fairly warm if still a bit windy. We were told there would be snacks, but actually there was quite a lot to eat, and unlike the event last week the person doing the food was a vegetarian so made sure there was a lot of clearly labelled veggie stuff.
Today is going to be devoted to laziness, though I will have to go and hang out the washing in a bit.
Lazy day here too. I didn’t go to bed until 2am as Mr Heavenly went out without his keys and I had to wait up for him. He was entertaining American colleagues and presumably working/drinking to their body clocks! He’s taking them punting this afternoon.
I’ve put the shopping away, been for a walk and done the laundry. Now I’m going to sit in the garden and read a book.
Yet another Cloudy/Sun-Shiny day in Arkland the Breezy - quite pleasant, and, if Rain holds off for a few days, I might yet get some more Paint on various rusty bits of the Ark...
Pilates was OK - no session next week, as Herself and family are on holiday - but, she said, I'd done quite a lot of strenuous Work, and would feel tired and achy this afternoon. She was not wrong...
Still, needs must, and some Wash Ing has been done, prior to hanging it out in the breeze to dry. Lunch will be BATTERED PRAWNS, which I would normally have with CHIPS, but which in my case I have not got, having failed to buy any in Tess Coe yesterday. Never mind - there is nice Crusty Bread, just crying out to be covered in Butter.
This afternoon's Task, apart from seeing to the Wash Ing, is to put a little bit of heat-resistant black Paint on one or two parts of the Dragon. It will soon be time to awake him from estivation, though (if the weather continues to be warmish) I hope I may be able to allow him to continue sleeping until the end of September. Memo to self - borrow Neighbour S's flue brush set to sweep the chimney again before then.
I didn't go to our Pilates class yesterday afternoon as I was preparing for my book group here and like yours @Bishops Finger Herself is on holiday next week. I am glad for the break - I know it Does Me Good (for the following couple of days I have muscle aches where I never knew I had muscles) but I can't say I enjoy it.
Bright and breezy here. I've been out for lunch with friends and coffee with other friends (it's a prayer triplet I've been meeting with for years and we really value the support and prayers of each other, particularly for our families) and now home. Chick frick for tea although Not Wednesday, washed down with some WINE that one of the others brought to book group and we didn't consume (we did manage two bottles between the four of us) and I'd hate to see it go bad. There is also leftover CHOCOLATE.
What in the name of all that's holy is "leftover CHOCOLATE"?
Still a tad breezy here; when I came home from work the sun was splitting the trees, and about half an hour later it became so dark I needed to turn the lights on. Now it's bright and sunny again - couldn't it make up its mind???*
Supper was the other half of the chickpea/tomato/orzo combo, which looked as though it might not be very much, so I added a pack of defrosted, ready-cooked prawns, and it was just fine.
I've just remembered I've got some ICE CREAM in the freezer; I think I may have a scoop or two.
I spent half the afternoon doing a tidy out of a closet and I now have a bag of clothes to throw and another bag to donate to charity.
Tea is Thai green pork curry. I have added some leftover butternut squash but I suspect it will make it taste a bit too sweet. Pudding will be individual chocolate and hazelnut desserts if Mr Heavenly gets home soon, or strawberry yoghurt.
Today was similar to yesterday in that I didn't have a lot on. Yesterday I did go out to pick up a book I'd ordered from our new bookshop and ended up buying a really nice pair of earrings from a local art gallery and an excellent picture frame in a sale in the local art shop.
Today I had an audiology appointment this afternoon. I'm being referred to ENT as the hearing in my left ear has declined even more than expected. The audiologist spent ages trying to get the best out of my aids which meant I had just enough time to get home to have some tea before heading out to a mercifully brief council meeting.
Tomorrow I'm off on a northern road trip, one night in Barnard Castle, two in Newcastle and one in Bradford. I'll pop in when I can.
Despite it being Wednesday I was kept pretty busy at work; although J is off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, he seems to have an almost morbid fear of me not having enough to do, so he always leaves a couple of voice files. Also, B is back from his holidays, and is once again producing file notes the size of Who's Who.
Quite a pleasant day though; warm but not hot, and the wind's definitely calmed down a good bit.
Supper was a fridge-clearing exercise: pasta with pancetta, green veggies and creme fraiche, and rather nice, although it's made me thirsty, so I'm off to have a cup of tea.
A castle! As an Antipodean I am fascinated by them and visited a fair few when I travelled in Europe. I recall the one in Stockholm whose name I've forgotten and Conwy and Caernarfon and so many in England but I never tired of them. Have fun!
Oh, and Edinburgh of course. Dramatically perched on that hill.
I remember remarking on it to a young woman (obviously a tourist) as we passed it on the bus. 'What castle's that?' she asked. I was tempted to reply 'Windsor'.
Apparently the most frequently asked question of the Castle guides is 'What time is the one o'clock gun?'
I was in Barnard Castle in June with a friend and liked it so much I'm now taking my husband there. You can get tea towels that commemorate the great eye test debacle, but the shop had sold out, so I'll have a look to see if they are back in stock. The castle is very interesting and large, though of course pretty much a ruin. There is more remaining of the castle where I live, though the grounds are much smaller.
Oh, and Edinburgh of course. Dramatically perched on that hill.
I remember remarking on it to a young woman (obviously a tourist) as we passed it on the bus. 'What castle's that?' she asked. I was tempted to reply 'Windsor'.
Apparently the most frequently asked question of the Castle guides is 'What time is the one o'clock gun?'
Castle tangent...
A member of an American tour group leaving Oban on the Mull ferry a couple of years ago pointed to McCaig's Tower above the town and asked the guide if it was a Roman castle. When I casually told the guide later what an opportunity he'd missed by telling the truth, he was quite huffy and offended.
I am currently sitting out in our garden enjoying the cooler air prior to some serious heat this afternoon. 37° is forecast, and I think it's going to continue for a good week or so. Fortunately we are off to the seaside on Saturday where it's meant to be slightly less hot. I think it takes us closer to that horrible wildfire though. Hopefully they'll get it under control soon.
Later on we are heading to the swimming pool. This afternoon we will be cowering inside with the air-conditioning on.
Re. castles: we live in Wales which is hardly short of such structures. On our recent holiday in West Wales, I asked herself if she wished to visit a certain castle and she replied, "No, I think I'm castled-out".
Well, we are members of Cadw, the national heritage organisation, so we have seen rather a lot of them!
My favourite castle is Carreg Cennen. I learned a poem in school - The Warsong of the men of Dina’s Vawr - which has the lines
The mountain sheep are sweeter
But the valley sheep are fatter
We therefore deem it meeter
To carry off the latter”
I always think of those lines whenever we have gone there.
I’ve also got a soft spot for Dryslwyn Castle as I went on a dig there 40 odd years ago.
The reason we went to the Northumberland coast for our recent holiday was to visit the numerous castles.
Day off today and no yoga over the summer. I have been for a long walk, fed the birds in the garden and done the laundry. Reading for study this afternoon, though I might go and do some tidying on the patio as it is layered with fermenting fruit from next door’s plum tree.
It's been a mixed day meteorologically here; it Wasn't Raining when I left the house this morning, but before I was halfway along the High Street it Definitely Was - in stair-rods. I had brought my umbrella, which I deployed, but as it was fairly warm, I'd decided against a coat - brainless piglet!
By noon it was chucking it again, but by the time I went out just after one o'clock, it was not only Not Raining, but the pavements were dry, and it was still dry when I came home.
Gotta love British weather, eh?
Supper was fish-cakes, accompanied by one of those mixed-veggie packs that you microwave in the packet; I'd always avoided them because they include baby sweetcorn, which I wasn't keen on (I love grown-up sweetcorn, but the little baby cobs always seem a bit insipid), but decided to give them a chance. Once they were cooked, I dotted them with a little butter and a goodly grind of pepper, and they were really rather nice. I've been rather cross with Tessie's lately, as they seem to have stopped doing the little single-serving packs of green beans or tenderstem broccoli, but this was maybe a reasonable substitute.
General Tso's chicken which despite involving deep frying, not too traumatic. Given my propensity for having a Little Something before dinner I tend to be careful of things involving boiling oil.
Mr Nen and I had a lovely morning and lunch out together and then visited Nenlet1, son-in-law and the GrandNenling who was on wonderful form and delighted to see us. The feeling was mutual. .
A productive day of household things and study. Tea was Breton fish stew with a side order of courgette and butter bean salad with mozzarella.
Master Heavenly the younger is on a plane back from Australia after about 6-7 weeks out there visiting his girlfriend’s relatives. I’m looking forward to seeing him tomorrow afternoon.
We had a very enjoyable day yesterday both the travelling to
Barnard Castle in our new electric car and then in the town itself. Today we’re going for a walk before heading to Newcastle.
Not so enjoyable is what the audiologist did to my hearing aids on Wednesday. I had to turn the left one off during dinner because all I could hear was distorted sound and not what my husband was saying. Need to sort out another appointment to get that sorted.
Hearing aids are wonderful when they work, until they don't. One of mine decided it wasn't going to work at all the other day, and Specsavers have had it for over a week ... Thank goodness I've still got my previous pair ...
@Firenze - I totally get your point. I don't think I've ever actually cooked anything in boiling oil - even when we had a deep-fryer, on the rare occasions it was used, it was David who did the cooking, because I'm a wuss.
Talking of deep-frying - the Golden Chip were very much on form this evening; my Friday F&C were most excellent.
Still a wee bit breezy here, but warm and not unpleasant, and due to be even nicer over the weekend.
Mr Nen and I had a lovely morning and lunch out together and then visited Nenlet1, son-in-law and the GrandNenling who was on wonderful form and delighted to see us. The feeling was mutual. .
How lovely.
I'm excited to be going to Germany to visit the little family on Monday for a week.
They have a new flat and my Enkelin's room is very, very PINK at her request!
I'm going on my own as Mr Boogs was there recently after his Danube bike ride. So he's on dog duty.
Comments
It's still very warm here; although there's a bit of a breeze getting up, it feels quite close, as if it's limbering up for whatever this storm's planning to throw at us.
Brunch has been had (smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, half an avocado and a BUTTERY), and laundry is drying.
Oh, and the keyboard of my laptop seems to have died; when I press the keys, absolutely nothing happens. 😠
Crossword and snoozage before Evensong.
The mouse is working, so I can click on things, but when I try to type something, nothing appears on the screen.
Supper chez Piglet was pizza delivery, on which I'd managed to earn a discount for loyalty*. I chose a tomato base, with goat's cheese, caramelised onions, rocket and mushrooms, and it was really rather nice.
* I'm not sure why; I think this was only my sixth delivery from them in almost as many years, but I'm not complaining!
Usually there is pizza or sausage in a bun after the evening service but this has been adjourned for the summer. So we went to the pizza cafe near home afterwards where I had a cheese and ham calzone. I think I might have a glass of red wine now.
An indoor day if the promised storm shows up - perfectly still out there at the moment. Could be the day to finish a long term knit (I started it in March), as I'm now on the sleeves.
Car, Uber, FlixBus, train, car, train, taxi, train, car, train, FlixBus, Uber, car.
I like the way decent coffee can be found everywhere these days. ☕
Warm, windy, and a trifle dampish in Arkland the Blest, as Storm Floris rages elsewhere. I hope all of you in those parts of the country being battered are keeping safe and dry. BTW, as the last named Storm in this country was Eowyn, shouldn't this one be Faramir ?
I rather lost yesterday, feeling so tired and achy in the morning that I stayed in my Berth until well after tea-time. Better today, although the usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe has wiped me out, so restage and snoozage will have to be indulged in this afternoon, after Lunch.
Here it is breezy and mizzly. I've been out for some food bits I need for this evening (hosting book group) and will be Domestically Goddessish later.
ETA - hope you have a refreshing rest, @Bishops Finger .
Alas, yes!
Mr Heavenly is out tonight at a business dinner so my tea is likely to be a light affair, probably a frittata of leftovers. And some wine.
I had closed the sitting room windows in readiness before I went out; sadly I forgot that one of the kitchen windows was "open" but resting on the frame (it swings outward horizontally from a fixed top), and when I got home, it had opened itself and now refuses to close. I'm assuming part of the working has either bent or warped or something, but I certainly couldn't shift it, so it looks like I'll be making one of the local glaziers happy ...
* I hadn't brought my sun specs because I thought I wouldn't need them, because storms ...
Supper was chickpeas in a sort of creamy tomato sauce with orzo.
Now for bed.
Today is going to be devoted to laziness, though I will have to go and hang out the washing in a bit.
I’ve put the shopping away, been for a walk and done the laundry. Now I’m going to sit in the garden and read a book.
Pilates was OK - no session next week, as Herself and family are on holiday - but, she said, I'd done quite a lot of strenuous Work, and would feel tired and achy this afternoon. She was not wrong...
Still, needs must, and some Wash Ing has been done, prior to hanging it out in the breeze to dry. Lunch will be BATTERED PRAWNS, which I would normally have with CHIPS, but which in my case I have not got, having failed to buy any in Tess Coe yesterday. Never mind - there is nice Crusty Bread, just crying out to be covered in Butter.
This afternoon's Task, apart from seeing to the Wash Ing, is to put a little bit of heat-resistant black Paint on one or two parts of the Dragon. It will soon be time to awake him from estivation, though (if the weather continues to be warmish) I hope I may be able to allow him to continue sleeping until the end of September. Memo to self - borrow Neighbour S's flue brush set to sweep the chimney again before then.
N.B. Sounds delicious!
They are good - a Tess Coe speciality. The label says *Not for EU*, so I presume that they are (or were) Happy BRITISH Shrimps™.
In the absence of Chips, I'm having ROAST POTATOES with them, which is a bit eccentric, I admit, but I'm feeling peckish...
Bright and breezy here. I've been out for lunch with friends and coffee with other friends (it's a prayer triplet I've been meeting with for years and we really value the support and prayers of each other, particularly for our families) and now home. Chick frick for tea although Not Wednesday, washed down with some WINE that one of the others brought to book group and we didn't consume (we did manage two bottles between the four of us) and I'd hate to see it go bad. There is also leftover CHOCOLATE.
Still a tad breezy here; when I came home from work the sun was splitting the trees, and about half an hour later it became so dark I needed to turn the lights on. Now it's bright and sunny again - couldn't it make up its mind???*
Supper was the other half of the chickpea/tomato/orzo combo, which looked as though it might not be very much, so I added a pack of defrosted, ready-cooked prawns, and it was just fine.
I've just remembered I've got some ICE CREAM in the freezer; I think I may have a scoop or two.
* If you don't like the weather, wait for a bit.
Tea is Thai green pork curry. I have added some leftover butternut squash but I suspect it will make it taste a bit too sweet. Pudding will be individual chocolate and hazelnut desserts if Mr Heavenly gets home soon, or strawberry yoghurt.
Today I had an audiology appointment this afternoon. I'm being referred to ENT as the hearing in my left ear has declined even more than expected. The audiologist spent ages trying to get the best out of my aids which meant I had just enough time to get home to have some tea before heading out to a mercifully brief council meeting.
Tomorrow I'm off on a northern road trip, one night in Barnard Castle, two in Newcastle and one in Bradford. I'll pop in when I can.
Getting your eyes tested?
Despite it being Wednesday I was kept pretty busy at work; although J is off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, he seems to have an almost morbid fear of me not having enough to do, so he always leaves a couple of voice files. Also, B is back from his holidays, and is once again producing file notes the size of Who's Who.
Quite a pleasant day though; warm but not hot, and the wind's definitely calmed down a good bit.
Supper was a fridge-clearing exercise: pasta with pancetta, green veggies and creme fraiche, and rather nice, although it's made me thirsty, so I'm off to have a cup of tea.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/barnard-castle/
I remember remarking on it to a young woman (obviously a tourist) as we passed it on the bus. 'What castle's that?' she asked. I was tempted to reply 'Windsor'.
Apparently the most frequently asked question of the Castle guides is 'What time is the one o'clock gun?'
Castle tangent...
A member of an American tour group leaving Oban on the Mull ferry a couple of years ago pointed to McCaig's Tower above the town and asked the guide if it was a Roman castle. When I casually told the guide later what an opportunity he'd missed by telling the truth, he was quite huffy and offended.
Later on we are heading to the swimming pool. This afternoon we will be cowering inside with the air-conditioning on.
Well, we are members of Cadw, the national heritage organisation, so we have seen rather a lot of them!
Barnard Castle looks wonderful. If I ever get to that side of the world again it's on my list.
The mountain sheep are sweeter
But the valley sheep are fatter
We therefore deem it meeter
To carry off the latter”
I always think of those lines whenever we have gone there.
I’ve also got a soft spot for Dryslwyn Castle as I went on a dig there 40 odd years ago.
Today is dull, damp and decidedly chilly - officially 19 degrees but I don't believe it! Anyway, I have had to Put On Another Layer of clothing.
Hoping the motorway is clear. 🤞
We had a grand trip to Liverpool - many laughs, especially when we found our accommodation was above a night club!
Ferry across the Mersey was a brilliant trip and we loved New Brighton. 🙂
Day off today and no yoga over the summer. I have been for a long walk, fed the birds in the garden and done the laundry. Reading for study this afternoon, though I might go and do some tidying on the patio as it is layered with fermenting fruit from next door’s plum tree.
By noon it was chucking it again, but by the time I went out just after one o'clock, it was not only Not Raining, but the pavements were dry, and it was still dry when I came home.
Gotta love British weather, eh?
Supper was fish-cakes, accompanied by one of those mixed-veggie packs that you microwave in the packet; I'd always avoided them because they include baby sweetcorn, which I wasn't keen on (I love grown-up sweetcorn, but the little baby cobs always seem a bit insipid), but decided to give them a chance. Once they were cooked, I dotted them with a little butter and a goodly grind of pepper, and they were really rather nice. I've been rather cross with Tessie's lately, as they seem to have stopped doing the little single-serving packs of green beans or tenderstem broccoli, but this was maybe a reasonable substitute.
Master Heavenly the younger is on a plane back from Australia after about 6-7 weeks out there visiting his girlfriend’s relatives. I’m looking forward to seeing him tomorrow afternoon.
Barnard Castle in our new electric car and then in the town itself. Today we’re going for a walk before heading to Newcastle.
Not so enjoyable is what the audiologist did to my hearing aids on Wednesday. I had to turn the left one off during dinner because all I could hear was distorted sound and not what my husband was saying. Need to sort out another appointment to get that sorted.
@Firenze - I totally get your point. I don't think I've ever actually cooked anything in boiling oil - even when we had a deep-fryer, on the rare occasions it was used, it was David who did the cooking, because I'm a wuss.
Talking of deep-frying - the Golden Chip were very much on form this evening; my Friday F&C were most excellent.
Still a wee bit breezy here, but warm and not unpleasant, and due to be even nicer over the weekend.
How lovely.
I'm excited to be going to Germany to visit the little family on Monday for a week.
They have a new flat and my Enkelin's room is very, very PINK at her request!
I'm going on my own as Mr Boogs was there recently after his Danube bike ride. So he's on dog duty.