It’s a funny thing how your attitude to the white stuff changes - when you’re a child, it’s wonderful and exciting, but when you’re an adult, and have to get places, it’s a pain in the neck or other regions!
Definitely time for SOUP, though. With a nice CHEESE sandwich. I've quite a few tins of SOUP in stock, so I'll just shut my eyes, put my hand in the cupboard, and see what variety comes out!
Ah - Beef & Vegetable! Nutritious, tasty, and more like stew than SOUP...
No snow here in the Bit of South Wales Not in The Valleys, just rain to follow rain on Boxing Day, etc. How Green Was My (Non-)Valley, indeed...
Today is the 850th anniversary (ignoring calendar changes) of Thomas à Becket being killed on the entirely and plausibly deniable not-orders of Henry II. Becket was effectively a civil servant transferred to the Church who then went native. The official patron saint of civil servants is another Thomas, Thomas More, who also ended up dead on another Henry's orders.
As a civil servant also transferred part-time to the Church (full disclosure: I am not an Archbishop), I don't feel that either of the two Thomases offers me an enticing path to follow!
RpM yes I hope you won't follow in the footsteps of previous Thomases
No snow here thankfully! Just grey skies and a coldness in the air. I hope the ground stays snow free.
My neighbours kindly took a parcel in for me from the postman and now have gone out so I am hoping they will be back shortly so I can be reunited with the item. I am expecting 3 parcels - post-Christmas!
Hmmm ... it was my 3-year-old grandson's birthday yesterday. I have suggested that he celebrates half-birthdays instead (in June) but this idea has fallen on deaf ears.
It’s a funny thing how your attitude to the white stuff changes - when you’re a child, it’s wonderful and exciting, but when you’re an adult, and have to get places, it’s a pain in the neck or other regions!
I'm perhaps the exception - I'm a parent myself now but I still love snow. Perhaps it depends on how frequent it is where you live?
That may be why I hate it: I had enough to last several lifetimes (sometimes in the space of a few hours)!
I did, however, purchase a pair of boots this afternoon; I have a pair of ankle-length ones which have already served two or three winters (at least one in Canada), but that was when I didn't need to be walking about very much in the aforementioned snow, so I've now got a knee-length pair, with Sensible Heels and what I hope will be good grippy soles.
I boiled up our turkey carcass and giblets yesterday, and with the resulting stock (and some older turkey stock from the freezer - making 9 pints in all) have made up two batches of vegetable broth (keeping the old and new stock in separate pans), plus a third batch of 3 pints based on a vegetable stock (cubes) for our vegetarian.
The last few scraps of turkey cut small went into the turkey-based soups. (Except enough slices for a sandwich for my youngest who is enduring an experimental and hopefully temporary wheat-free diet at Dr’s suggestion.)
So the turkey is all gone, and tomorrow I will portion out the soup for the freezer. Feeling smug.
Suggestion on turkey soup. Acquire some turkey from the deli counter (end of the joint reduced scraps for preference). a sachet of turkey gravy from a better quality maker of such things, or, failing that, some turkey granules from the more popular make. Combine with suitable vegetables to make the soup.
@Piglet you talking about buying boots reminded me of my wife buying some rather nice, waterproof (like GoreTex but not made by them) suede boots from the kids shoe shop in Linlithgow a few years ago because her feet are small enough - and quite narrow. No VAT on kids shoes
It’s a funny thing how your attitude to the white stuff changes - when you’re a child, it’s wonderful and exciting, but when you’re an adult, and have to get places, it’s a pain in the neck or other regions!
I'm perhaps the exception - I'm a parent myself now but I still love snow. Perhaps it depends on how frequent it is where you live?
We had a smattering of snow, but not enough for making snowmen, to the disappointment of myself and at least one Dragonlet.
Just heard the crunch of an early vehicle (it's just gone half six) on the frozen slush. No new falls are forecast, so there will be that worse-than-snow thing of ice and black ice. Not going out - except to retrieve the bins, which maybe quite enough of an adventure.
@Wet Kipper - I did wonder about that shop, but although my feet are small (usually a size 3½), they're also quite broad, so kids' shoes wouldn't fit me.
So far, I'm pleased with the ones I got: they got me to the station without any dignity malfunctions - and they only cost £50.
The commuting saga continues: same later train, same extra stop at Edinburgh Park, but this time I made it to the earlier bus with a couple of minutes to spare. As our American chums would say, go, figure.
@Firenze - you're a wise lady to go no further than the dustbin. I certainly wouldn't be going anywhere if I didn't have to.
The commuting saga continues: same later train, same extra stop at Edinburgh Park, but this time I made it to the earlier bus with a couple of minutes to spare. As our American chums would say, go, figure.
The Scotrail info isn't clear, but I think the trains will be the same tomorrow but back to normal on Monday. Lothian Buses are operating a Saturday timetable this week and will continue to do so while the current Covid restrictions are in force, at least for the first two weeks in January.
We are going for a snowy, frosty walk with my brother in Towneley Park - it’s his birthday today. I have some nice bottles of craft ALE for his present. 🙂
My attitude to snow flows from my sense of balance (or lack thereof). I love it in the first few days, when it provides a friendly surface to walk on. Once it becomes treacherous, I hate it, and avoid it whenever possible. The first half-mile before I reach salted roads are just as treacherous as if I lived in a village, evven though I live on the edge of the city centre (the centre of the Known Universe (TM) )
Lots of frost and ice here today and I’m about to tackle a downhill walk (or slither) to the pharmacy for my medication that runs out tonight. Slithering uphill doesn’t work so well so I may be gone for some time.
Today, on the last but one of 2020, a little international parcel arrived from the Isle of Harris - a pair of very nice and comfy gentleman's gloves from makers of Harris Tweed! And it fits just... like a glove!
Very pleased. A belated Christmas present for myself.
In terms of snow, there's nearly none on the ground here anymore at the moment, in my neck of Continental WesShire. But there is quite some on the hillocks now, and as the webcams show, it is quite sunny up there! I'm stuck down here for today though, as things must - amongst other duties, I need to think about a couple of distance teaching lessons via M$ Teams for next week, when we're back with the schools: one of them is bound to do the first week entirely online.
(Interestingly, the authorities may have come to their senses here, and not venture into any big school closures again: the learning effect online is much lower than on site, and the less privileged kids clearly aren't favoured, because possibly less well equipped and/or several siblings for one laptop.)
Myself, I really like snow, because it creates an entirely different atmosphere and mood - it is much brighter, for a start, with the sunlight being reflected, and it just looks so wonderful on the fields and meadows, on the roofs of houses, and if you're lucky, there's enough to enwhiten even the trees and woods. In our biggish village, I'm fairly close to public transport, shopping and the post office, and both my places of work are right next to a bus stop, so getting around is not a big problem, even with light snow on streets and pavement - they're really good here at combatting snow, and have all the right machines and gear, as it is not unusual (cue Tom Jones!) for it to occur, although there seems less of it than in the past.
For getting out and about, I have some nifty winter boots with spikes in their soles which can be flipped out (and back in) with a clever flippin' mechanism! So the boots are like regular warm boots, but with the extra bonus of spikes, if needed.
Happy walks and/or safe journeys to and from work, all!
Frost here, too, with some Sun Shine! Clouding over somewhat now, and there is the threat possibility of Sn*w later, or tomorrow, or somewhen...
This part of the Sad Southlands hasn't really had any sno*w to speak of since the Beast from the East a few Marches ago (2017? 2018?). Having now to use a stick whilst walking tottering about on land, I hope we don't get any of the white stuff.
No snow here so far, although we might get a dusting before the week is out. This morning we went out for bread, and then for a walk in the park. It was a bit damp underfoot, but this was no bad thing because it meant that Captain Pyjamas got to wear his new wellies.
This afternoon I'm going to make the dough for a fouace (a sort of dense brioche from foie gras land) and then head out in search of a manicure while it's rising.
It looks lovely, @Boogie , I hope you enjoyed your walk. Mr Nen and I went out before lunch to catch the best of the sunshine and are now hunkered down at home. We had wintry showers yesterday; no white stuff settled, but it's cold and icy underfoot.
Awaiting announcements at some point this afternoon about changes to restrictions and whether schools will be going back next week. My son in law's a teacher in a secondary school. I would really like it if he didn't have to be in a classroom situation; preferably until the vaccines have been rolled out to everyone, which would probably mean September.
Reports (possibly a bit premature) seem to indicate that schools and universities will NOT be going back until 18th January or thereabouts, but this may apply to Tier 4 only. Still, it's also likely that yet more of England will be put into Tier 4 this week, anyway.
A further school closure will, I know, be a relief to those of Our Place's congregation who are teachers, despite the problems for those who are parents!
We wait with bated breath for our Beloved Leaders to promulgate the latest not-Law of the Medes and Persians (which altereth by the Day).
It's quite difficult to say "Beloved" with one's tongue squashed firmly in one's cheek ...
Anyway, what They say will have little effect on Dragonland - except hopefully to put an end to those tw*ts driving from England into Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons etc. for "essential exercise".
It looks lovely, @Boogie , I hope you enjoyed your walk. Mr Nen and I went out before lunch to catch the best of the sunshine and are now hunkered down at home. We had wintry showers yesterday; no white stuff settled, but it's cold and icy underfoot.
We did, it was lovely. We were there for three hours, dogs hoolying, adults chatting. We had birthday cake and coffee standing round a picnic bench. The weather was sunny and lots of crisp snow underfoot. Perfect and just in time before we go into tier four.
The *Stay-At-Home* tier, which means that I don't think it's a particularly good idea for FatherInCharge to keep on encouraging people to come to daily Mass, and to stay for a chat afterwards!
TBF, he tries to make sure about mask-wearing, social-distancing etc. etc., but even so...
Decided to do some work today, catching up on admin, emails and planning a tutorial with another tutor for 2 weeks time. I might brave some marking tomorrow.
I expect my youngest to be online for the first two weeks but my oldest will be returning to uni this weekend as he is in a private house not campus. The boys have a shared room here and having two of them studying would be difficult, and he also has paid online work to do so he needs some space and privacy to concentrate. He will isolate there and get tested on campus when available (uni does testing).
As my brother and sister-in-law are my bubble, it's permitted for them to visit me, and they're coming to mine for supper on New Year's Day.
I've consequently made a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Michael, and have two rather heavy shopping bags to cart home from the station.
A couple of small gammon joints (might as well have enough for leftovers), some potatoes for gratin Dauphinoise, carrots and red cabbage, and some CHEESE, fruit and nuts in lieu of pudding.
The things I've forgotten (including cream and nutmeg) will have to be picked up from Tessie Cohen's on the way home from w*rk tomorrow.
It's awfully depressing coming along Princes Street with nearly all the nice shops shut - and why is the hideously garish Kingdom of Sweets open? In what alternative universe are gobstoppers essential?
We remain in tier 3; I'm shocked, frankly. I think the whole country should be in tier 4, with extra measures for the south east where, by all accounts, the NHS is not far off being overwhelmed. Interesting to hear other people's comments about even tier 4 not really working.
I'm glad for my son in law that the return of pupils to secondary schools is delayed until mid January.
Well, they are perhaps hypothetical, but if extra restrictions are added to some Tier 4 areas (such as mine own), then logically we would go into a Tier 5.
Tier 6 is at present a figment of my fevered imagination (I hope), and Tier 7 has jokingly been said to forbid even meeting via Zoom.
Comments
My nephew put some adorable pictures of Archie having his first experience of snow on our family What's App page, which almost made it worthwhile!
Almost, but not quite ...
Have I mentioned before that I hate snow?
Definitely time for SOUP, though. With a nice CHEESE sandwich. I've quite a few tins of SOUP in stock, so I'll just shut my eyes, put my hand in the cupboard, and see what variety comes out!
Ah - Beef & Vegetable! Nutritious, tasty, and more like stew than SOUP...
Today is the 850th anniversary (ignoring calendar changes) of Thomas à Becket being killed on the entirely and plausibly deniable not-orders of Henry II. Becket was effectively a civil servant transferred to the Church who then went native. The official patron saint of civil servants is another Thomas, Thomas More, who also ended up dead on another Henry's orders.
As a civil servant also transferred part-time to the Church (full disclosure: I am not an Archbishop), I don't feel that either of the two Thomases offers me an enticing path to follow!
No snow here thankfully! Just grey skies and a coldness in the air. I hope the ground stays snow free.
My neighbours kindly took a parcel in for me from the postman and now have gone out so I am hoping they will be back shortly so I can be reunited with the item. I am expecting 3 parcels - post-Christmas!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbirthday
The choice of dates is rather wider...
Yes - although I didn't at first intend to go shopping today, a dearth of Bread called for an Expotition, at which Gravy was duly purchased.
I did remember the Bread, too.
Gravy is yum!
I've been searching for Turkey Soup - having had no turkey this year. I can't find it for love nor money. Any ideas?
I'm perhaps the exception - I'm a parent myself now but I still love snow. Perhaps it depends on how frequent it is where you live?
I suppose the next best thing would be to get a chicken and make stock, and then SOUP out of that, but it wouldn't be quite the same.
That may be why I hate it: I had enough to last several lifetimes (sometimes in the space of a few hours)!
I did, however, purchase a pair of boots this afternoon; I have a pair of ankle-length ones which have already served two or three winters (at least one in Canada), but that was when I didn't need to be walking about very much in the aforementioned snow, so I've now got a knee-length pair, with Sensible Heels and what I hope will be good grippy soles.
I made cauliflower and blue cheese SOUP, which no one else will eat, but I like it.
The last few scraps of turkey cut small went into the turkey-based soups. (Except enough slices for a sandwich for my youngest who is enduring an experimental and hopefully temporary wheat-free diet at Dr’s suggestion.)
So the turkey is all gone, and tomorrow I will portion out the soup for the freezer. Feeling smug.
Or some of Martha's soup!
Love soup particularly at this time of year.
We had a smattering of snow, but not enough for making snowmen, to the disappointment of myself and at least one Dragonlet.
So far, I'm pleased with the ones I got: they got me to the station without any dignity malfunctions - and they only cost £50.
The commuting saga continues: same later train, same extra stop at Edinburgh Park, but this time I made it to the earlier bus with a couple of minutes to spare. As our American chums would say, go, figure.
@Firenze - you're a wise lady to go no further than the dustbin. I certainly wouldn't be going anywhere if I didn't have to.
https://www.burnley.gov.uk/residents/parks-open-spaces/towneley-park
Very pleased. A belated Christmas present for myself.
In terms of snow, there's nearly none on the ground here anymore at the moment, in my neck of Continental WesShire. But there is quite some on the hillocks now, and as the webcams show, it is quite sunny up there! I'm stuck down here for today though, as things must - amongst other duties, I need to think about a couple of distance teaching lessons via M$ Teams for next week, when we're back with the schools: one of them is bound to do the first week entirely online.
(Interestingly, the authorities may have come to their senses here, and not venture into any big school closures again: the learning effect online is much lower than on site, and the less privileged kids clearly aren't favoured, because possibly less well equipped and/or several siblings for one laptop.)
Myself, I really like snow, because it creates an entirely different atmosphere and mood - it is much brighter, for a start, with the sunlight being reflected, and it just looks so wonderful on the fields and meadows, on the roofs of houses, and if you're lucky, there's enough to enwhiten even the trees and woods. In our biggish village, I'm fairly close to public transport, shopping and the post office, and both my places of work are right next to a bus stop, so getting around is not a big problem, even with light snow on streets and pavement - they're really good here at combatting snow, and have all the right machines and gear, as it is not unusual (cue Tom Jones!) for it to occur, although there seems less of it than in the past.
For getting out and about, I have some nifty winter boots with spikes in their soles which can be flipped out (and back in) with a clever flippin' mechanism! So the boots are like regular warm boots, but with the extra bonus of spikes, if needed.
Happy walks and/or safe journeys to and from work, all!
This part of the Sad Southlands hasn't really had any sno*w to speak of since the Beast from the East a few Marches ago (2017? 2018?). Having now to use a stick whilst walking tottering about on land, I hope we don't get any of the white stuff.
This afternoon I'm going to make the dough for a fouace (a sort of dense brioche from foie gras land) and then head out in search of a manicure while it's rising.
Awaiting announcements at some point this afternoon about changes to restrictions and whether schools will be going back next week. My son in law's a teacher in a secondary school. I would really like it if he didn't have to be in a classroom situation; preferably until the vaccines have been rolled out to everyone, which would probably mean September.
A further school closure will, I know, be a relief to those of Our Place's congregation who are teachers, despite the problems for those who are parents!
We wait with bated breath for our Beloved Leaders to promulgate the latest not-Law of the Medes and Persians (which altereth by the Day).
Anyway, what They say will have little effect on Dragonland - except hopefully to put an end to those tw*ts driving from England into Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons etc. for "essential exercise".
We did, it was lovely. We were there for three hours, dogs hoolying, adults chatting. We had birthday cake and coffee standing round a picnic bench. The weather was sunny and lots of crisp snow underfoot. Perfect and just in time before we go into tier four.
The *Stay-At-Home* tier, which means that I don't think it's a particularly good idea for FatherInCharge to keep on encouraging people to come to daily Mass, and to stay for a chat afterwards!
TBF, he tries to make sure about mask-wearing, social-distancing etc. etc., but even so...
I expect my youngest to be online for the first two weeks but my oldest will be returning to uni this weekend as he is in a private house not campus. The boys have a shared room here and having two of them studying would be difficult, and he also has paid online work to do so he needs some space and privacy to concentrate. He will isolate there and get tested on campus when available (uni does testing).
I've consequently made a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Michael, and have two rather heavy shopping bags to cart home from the station.
A couple of small gammon joints (might as well have enough for leftovers), some potatoes for gratin Dauphinoise, carrots and red cabbage, and some CHEESE, fruit and nuts in lieu of pudding.
The things I've forgotten (including cream and nutmeg) will have to be picked up from Tessie Cohen's on the way home from w*rk tomorrow.
It's awfully depressing coming along Princes Street with nearly all the nice shops shut - and why is the hideously garish Kingdom of Sweets open? In what alternative universe are gobstoppers essential?
I'm glad for my son in law that the return of pupils to secondary schools is delayed until mid January.
I'm beginning to wonder if even church will be out-of-bounds again soon, especially if we south-easterners go into Tier 5 or even Tier 6.
I somehow construed the article as implying that the closure would go on beyond that date. My bad.
Tier 6 is at present a figment of my fevered imagination (I hope), and Tier 7 has jokingly been said to forbid even meeting via Zoom.
Thank you for all the turkey soup suggestions - for this one I need to be a time lord! It looks yum tho.