@Sarasa
, whenever we’v3 had a bequest, we’ve bought something tangible as it’s too easy to just absorb the money into general bills etc, so I’ve had a necklace and earrings made for me, Darllenwr has had two Fylde guitars an£ a rather nice flute, and we had a ceiling lamp for the hallway which was rather expensive and we wouldn’t have justified otherwise.
I’ve had the usual day of emails and marking. But I’m up to date and don’t have to teach this weekend so that is a blessing.
Mr Heavenly is out on the town with his work colleagues this evening so I might order myself a takeaway and open a bottle of fizz. Mochi appears to be determined that I have company on the sofa.
Wishing Mrs BT a swift return to iechyd da, which Google Translate tells me is Welsh for "good health".
Re: legacies and what you buy with them: the money from my Dad's estate came through the day after David died, and I used it to buy my flat. Quite a nicely tangible thing to have ...
As I wasn't feeling quite hungry enough for supper when I came home from work, I'm pottering around on here until I feel like pootling across the road for the obligatory F&C, because Friday.
As there's no choir practice tomorrow, I'm going to have a nice lie-in and then possibly an Expotition to Marks & Sparks for groceries. Tessie's is being refurbished and re-organised at the moment, and I can't find anything because everything seems to be in a different place from where it was yesterday ... or the day before ...
Having only one hand that works properly is a bit of a nuisance, as I found in hospital when the occupational therapy girls told me to make myself breakfast (just tea and toast) using only my left paw - the one that wasn't quite functioning, of course...
ION, a dreary and dark day in Arkland the Gloomy, with Rain, and a horrid East-wind direct from Mordor. I haven't even opened the hatch to look out, save for one brief moment when I brought in a bag of Coal. Happily, I went to Tess Coe yesterday, and (amongst the other essentials) treated myself to a bottle of PORT. I also have CHEESE...
It's cold and dank outside, so I've decided not to go freeze in a stone building whilst practicing my ringing. Instead, @Sandemaniac has gone to cricket nets and I'm staying in listening to You're Dead to Me and knitting caterpillar feet.
We've both had a busyish week so decided not to go the monthly quiz in our favourite cafe but stay in and watch rubbish TV instead while drinking a glass or two of wine.
My wife had a long-awaited hand operation yesterday. The surgeon decided to perform a rather more complex procedure than original planned, which meant a general anaesthetic instead of a local. Apparently my wife, when coming round afterwards, started chattering away in Welsh - so something from those lessons has obviously lodged in her mind! Life will be awkward for a bit as she has to use a large splint.
Good to hear that it went well, but has she started speaking in English yet?
My favourite cheese of all time is called Pendragon. I only discovered it a couple of months ago at our farmers market. It's a buffalo cheese. Nothing like mozzarella. It has a beautiful buttery, creamy texture that just melts in the mouth, yet it's not a soft cheese. More like the best ever Cheddar.
Their website certainly promises some very appetising cheeses!
Interestingly (and say it not in the Valleys), the best Caerphilly cheese - Gorwydd - is actually made in Somerset! And, when the cheese-maker started up, he was based at his family's farm in Ceredigion.
Hope you are feeling a bit better today @boogie. This morning has been devoted to housework, but after lunch I'm going to have a nice lazy afternoon. This evening I'm off to the local theatre for a last night of the proms concert from our local brass band. Its in honour of our twin town in Germany so I hope it is fun.
Mr Heavenly is painting a base coat over the plaster in my office and I’ve been re-arranging the kitchen after the big clear out for the electrician’s access. I’ve just put up a new bird feeder as the previous was damaged in a storm. Now I need to do the weekly online food order.
Lunch will be falafel, sour dough roll and salad and then I need to go for my walk.
I'd forgotten about that TBH and, yes, it is excellent. I don't think it's made in large quantities; we have bought it at Cardiff Christmas Market and at the Creamery itself which, again, is not in Caerffili! One day we must go to the Ffos Market - it looked intriguing on TV a few weeks ago.
That Pendragon looks like the sort of CHEESE on with which I would get.
Talking of comestibles, after a very lazy morning, I ambled up to the post office to buy some electricity, and then got the bus out to Marks & Sparks, where I bought (among other things) some Doux de Montagne, which is one of my current favourite CHEESES.
I must have a look online to see if I can find Jarlsberg in blocks without the rind, like they sell in Costco (which really is my favourite); I've never seen it anywhere else, and I rather begrudge paying for a whole lot of rind you can't eat ...
Astonishingly, I didn't have to wait more than about 5 or 10 minutes for the bus in either direction - the transport gods must have been with me!
Mr Nen has been for a Hearty Walk with his Hearty Walking Friends and I've been mostly holed up at home in the warm. His walk included a lunchtime stop where he also Ate Heartily so yay! No cooking for Nen!
Speaking of CHEESE, it continues Freezing Cold and tartiflette is called for. For those unfamiliar with this culinary delight, basically you get potatoes and lardons and a bit of white wine, then cut a whole Reblochon cheese in half, stick it on top and put the whole thing in the oven.
My dressing gown is officially Clapped Out™ with a giant hole under the arm. I have dismembered it to make a pattern for a new one, and fleece blankets being cheaper than fleece fabric*, procured a couple of the former in the sale, and cut them up. The only trouble is, I had forgotten just how much fluff this activity creates (it's the furry sort of fleece). There is Much Hoovering in my future, I fear.
*this makes no sense to me, but I suppose that's why I'm not an economist.
Daughter cb’s birthday today and to celebrate we went for a lovely chatty walk through the chilly gloom. I took her my celebrated coffee cake and she and her family are doing an escape room this evening. Rather them than me.
That sounds as if it ought to be a village in Gloucestershire.
Laundry is tumbling, and having only had brunch when I got back from M&S at about 3:30, I'm just beginning to feel peckish now. As I bought some prawns and seafood sauce, I think I might just have that with a glass of WINE, possibly followed by some CHEESE.
Mr Heavenly is cooking tonight, something involving pork loin chops and a vegetable gratin. We have a raspberry Bakewell to follow, presumably with custard. Custard and frangipane are two of my favourite things.
Thank you all for your good wishes regarding my Awful Cold. I had a really bad night last night. Woke up shivering and had to put the heating on then sit up all night.
Feeling a bit better today I snoozed on the couch all day while 'watching' daytime TV .
Meanwhile Mr Boogs went and got wood and made me a fabulous planter for my sweet peas. Popping in now and again with food and drinks for the invalid.
Thank you all for your good wishes regarding my Awful Cold. I had a really bad night last night. Woke up shivering and had to put the heating on then sit up all night.
Feeling a bit better today I snoozed on the couch all day while 'watching' daytime TV .
Meanwhile Mr Boogs went and got wood and made me a fabulous planter for my sweet peas. Popping in now and again with food and drinks for the invalid.
He's definitely in the Good Books.
Glad you are improving and well looked after.
Went out this morning to do some shop-ing including upgrading Mrs twangists phone.
Spent the afternoon/early evening setting that up (always much longer than they claim!) whilst enjoying the magic of the cup on TV.
Pizza and BEER this evening
Hope you are up and about soon @Boogie, that sounds horrid.
I'm just back from our local concert band's Last Night of the Proms evening. Not my thing at all, though I enjoyed bits of it, and it was fun spotting various people I know in the audience.
Another dreich morning here. Another quiet day in - though mind you, I'm fair getting on with the knitting. Will watch the Scotland v Ireland match this afternoon - I do, of course, support both sides.
As a break from all the Chinese, I did a dish of Turkish onions with pomegranate molasses and sumac to go with the grilled lamb last night. Tonight will be simple pan-fried sea bass with griddled courgettes. But tomorrow I fancy trying out my bamboo steamer and a recipe for chicken with wind-dried sausage.
Sunny, cold day here. I managed a shower and a dog walk. Wiped out now and Mr Boogs is concerned I might not make it to the pub, our usual Sunday routine before dinner.
Plenty of snell wind here to dry your sausage, @Firenze! I was on Welcome Duty this morning and it was baltic standing at the front door of the church.
There has been a development in the "odd objects in the kirkyard" saga. One of our members was greeted in the street by a young woman who asked if she was a church member. When she said that she was, the young woman said that she had a gift for the church, and presented her with a small fluffy highland cow. The cow is now sitting in the church vestibule, as part of the "toilet twinning" display. It looks good!
It seems like too much of a co-incidence for random things to be appearing in the kirkyard, and there to be a random gift of a fluffy Highland cow to the church, so we are assuming they are connected.
Cold and damp here, not much opportunity to dry a sausage.
Mr Heavenly is currently looking at the kitchen electrics (the light over the dining table hasn’t worked since Master Heavenly the Elder sent a deluge from the bathroom shower a few months ago). His fix of the washing machine a few weeks ago was unsuccessful - he correctly diagnosed and replaced the damper pads but the damage was done and the bearings need replacing. He has neither the time nor the inclination to do that so we need a new washing machine.
I have been for a walk and done little else. Lunch will be bubble and squeak made from the remaining vegetable gratin, with eggs.
I'm the main cook here in the Beaky household, ably assisted by Beaky husband on KP duty. I plan all our meals and as a result of recent health checks have needed to modify how/ what I cook. Today I'm attempting to substitute shop bought all butter puff pastry with filo scrunched up into little balls..... hopefully all will be well!
I'll cheer for Ireland against anyone but Scotland.
🏴🏴🏴🏴🏴
I was beginning to regret arranging to meet the family in Balerno for lunch; the train was unsurprisingly packed like sardines. And of course I just missed a bus when I got to Haymarket; I saw it approaching the stop, but couldn't get across the road.
There were Naughty Words ...
No matter; I'm on a bus now, and about halfway there.
I have a healthy eating cookbook which I don't use much - too much emphasis on kale. But having some sweet potatoes needing to be used, I did what turned out to be a wildly successful soup. As well as the sweet potato, it had onion, carrot, chilli, fresh ginger, garlic, coconut milk and peanut butter. I am now undoing all the good with half a bar of nougat.
I hope you made it to the pub @Boogie . Things must be grim if you're contemplating missing it. (I personally would have foregone the shower and the dog walk and put my energy towards the pub )
We're having a jiggered-up day today because of Things Happening this afternoon. Accordingly we hotfooted it back from church and I cooked Lazy Curry - now consumed. Mr Nen's on a Very Important Zoom Call and we're back to church later for a seminar-type thing which includes coffee and cake.
I, however, need to try and have a rest as I had a bad night and am managing a three-day headache (currently on day two).
Damp and cold in Arkland the Muddy (as usual), but at least the Mordor-wind has abated somewhat.
A day for staying in by the Dragon, and eating CHEESE.
I hope you're feeling better after a visit to the pub @Boogie, and that your headache will soon be gone @Nenya. I used to get headaches that lasted a couple of days, and once had a migraine that lasted a week - a week that I more-or-less lost completely, as I don't remember much about it...
I'll cheer for Ireland against anyone but Scotland.
🏴🏴🏴🏴🏴
I was beginning to regret arranging to meet the family in Balerno for lunch; the train was unsurprisingly packed like sardines. And of course I just missed a bus when I got to Haymarket; I saw it approaching the stop, but couldn't get across the road.
There were Naughty Words ...
No matter; I'm on a bus now, and about halfway there.
Too bad you missed the last train to Balerno. It left in November 1943 (but it is now a delightful walk for much of the route).
My meal plans have gone awry. At bedtime on Friday I took a large ( home made by my son) cottage pie out of the freezer and put it in the fridge. It was still solid on Saturday evening, so I planned to eat it on Sunday with any leftovers on Monday. Then this morning I got an invitation to join my family for a pub lunch, which was huge, so now the cottage pie will see me through tomorrow and probably Tuesday as well.
A day of extremely laziness. According to the thermometer it was warmer than yesterday, but the bitter wind made it feel much colder. I went to church, which was very chilly and then had an even colder walk home. I thought my husband must have opened our very heavy front door at the at the same time as I unlocked it. He hadn't, it was the wind blowing straight from the arctic circle pushing at it.
After lunch I had a two hour nap and am no contemplating an evening of doing not a lot too, as my husband is due one of his two hour long phone calls with his sister. I think another episode of the extremely silly Father Brown calls.
It's been sunny here.
Played guitar at (new) church this morning.
Roast chicken, dauphinose potatoes (however you spell it - haven't made them for years) and veg for lunch with friends and a splash of red.
Off to a prayer meeting in a sec to avoid my team on TV (mental health can't take it!)
Comments
, whenever we’v3 had a bequest, we’ve bought something tangible as it’s too easy to just absorb the money into general bills etc, so I’ve had a necklace and earrings made for me, Darllenwr has had two Fylde guitars an£ a rather nice flute, and we had a ceiling lamp for the hallway which was rather expensive and we wouldn’t have justified otherwise.
I’ve had the usual day of emails and marking. But I’m up to date and don’t have to teach this weekend so that is a blessing.
Mr Heavenly is out on the town with his work colleagues this evening so I might order myself a takeaway and open a bottle of fizz. Mochi appears to be determined that I have company on the sofa.
Re: legacies and what you buy with them: the money from my Dad's estate came through the day after David died, and I used it to buy my flat. Quite a nicely tangible thing to have ...
As I wasn't feeling quite hungry enough for supper when I came home from work, I'm pottering around on here until I feel like pootling across the road for the obligatory F&C, because Friday.
As there's no choir practice tomorrow, I'm going to have a nice lie-in and then possibly an Expotition to Marks & Sparks for groceries. Tessie's is being refurbished and re-organised at the moment, and I can't find anything because everything seems to be in a different place from where it was yesterday ... or the day before ...
Hot Toddy required!
Homebrew bokbier
Miles Davis on the cd player
Going to watch "the rescuers" with little twanglet
@Boogie speedy recovery to you
@Priscilla flyde guitars are amazing - I'm a bit green eyed now!!
Having only one hand that works properly is a bit of a nuisance, as I found in hospital when the occupational therapy girls told me to make myself breakfast (just tea and toast) using only my left paw - the one that wasn't quite functioning, of course...
ION, a dreary and dark day in Arkland the Gloomy, with Rain, and a horrid East-wind direct from Mordor. I haven't even opened the hatch to look out, save for one brief moment when I brought in a bag of Coal. Happily, I went to Tess Coe yesterday, and (amongst the other essentials) treated myself to a bottle of PORT. I also have CHEESE...
At present we have some most excellent Somerset Cheddar, Anglesey Blue and Teifi cheeses in the fridge.
Lovely CHEESES, but they're of no earthly use in the fridge...let the Reader understand...
Good!
BTW, I checked in Tess Coe, but they were right out of Starboard, so I was left with Port instead...
Good to hear that it went well, but has she started speaking in English yet?
Or did you bow out?
https://www.somersetcheese.co.uk/product/pendragon-buffalo-cheese/
Interestingly (and say it not in the Valleys), the best Caerphilly cheese - Gorwydd - is actually made in Somerset! And, when the cheese-maker started up, he was based at his family's farm in Ceredigion.
Mr Heavenly is painting a base coat over the plaster in my office and I’ve been re-arranging the kitchen after the big clear out for the electrician’s access. I’ve just put up a new bird feeder as the previous was damaged in a storm. Now I need to do the weekly online food order.
Lunch will be falafel, sour dough roll and salad and then I need to go for my walk.
Talking of comestibles, after a very lazy morning, I ambled up to the post office to buy some electricity, and then got the bus out to Marks & Sparks, where I bought (among other things) some Doux de Montagne, which is one of my current favourite CHEESES.
I must have a look online to see if I can find Jarlsberg in blocks without the rind, like they sell in Costco (which really is my favourite); I've never seen it anywhere else, and I rather begrudge paying for a whole lot of rind you can't eat ...
Astonishingly, I didn't have to wait more than about 5 or 10 minutes for the bus in either direction - the transport gods must have been with me!
Hope you're feeling better @Boogie .
My dressing gown is officially Clapped Out™ with a giant hole under the arm. I have dismembered it to make a pattern for a new one, and fleece blankets being cheaper than fleece fabric*, procured a couple of the former in the sale, and cut them up. The only trouble is, I had forgotten just how much fluff this activity creates (it's the furry sort of fleece). There is Much Hoovering in my future, I fear.
*this makes no sense to me, but I suppose that's why I'm not an economist.
That sounds as if it ought to be a village in Gloucestershire.
Laundry is tumbling, and having only had brunch when I got back from M&S at about 3:30, I'm just beginning to feel peckish now. As I bought some prawns and seafood sauce, I think I might just have that with a glass of WINE, possibly followed by some CHEESE.
Feeling a bit better today I snoozed on the couch all day while 'watching' daytime TV .
Meanwhile Mr Boogs went and got wood and made me a fabulous planter for my sweet peas. Popping in now and again with food and drinks for the invalid.
He's definitely in the Good Books.
Glad you are improving and well looked after.
Went out this morning to do some shop-ing including upgrading Mrs twangists phone.
Spent the afternoon/early evening setting that up (always much longer than they claim!) whilst enjoying the magic of the cup on TV.
Pizza and BEER this evening
I'm just back from our local concert band's Last Night of the Proms evening. Not my thing at all, though I enjoyed bits of it, and it was fun spotting various people I know in the audience.
As a break from all the Chinese, I did a dish of Turkish onions with pomegranate molasses and sumac to go with the grilled lamb last night. Tonight will be simple pan-fried sea bass with griddled courgettes. But tomorrow I fancy trying out my bamboo steamer and a recipe for chicken with wind-dried sausage.
See how I'm learning Southern Speak! 😇
There has been a development in the "odd objects in the kirkyard" saga. One of our members was greeted in the street by a young woman who asked if she was a church member. When she said that she was, the young woman said that she had a gift for the church, and presented her with a small fluffy highland cow. The cow is now sitting in the church vestibule, as part of the "toilet twinning" display. It looks good!
It seems like too much of a co-incidence for random things to be appearing in the kirkyard, and there to be a random gift of a fluffy Highland cow to the church, so we are assuming they are connected.
Mr Heavenly is currently looking at the kitchen electrics (the light over the dining table hasn’t worked since Master Heavenly the Elder sent a deluge from the bathroom shower a few months ago). His fix of the washing machine a few weeks ago was unsuccessful - he correctly diagnosed and replaced the damper pads but the damage was done and the bearings need replacing. He has neither the time nor the inclination to do that so we need a new washing machine.
I have been for a walk and done little else. Lunch will be bubble and squeak made from the remaining vegetable gratin, with eggs.
I'll cheer for Ireland against anyone but Scotland.
🏴🏴🏴🏴🏴
I was beginning to regret arranging to meet the family in Balerno for lunch; the train was unsurprisingly packed like sardines. And of course I just missed a bus when I got to Haymarket; I saw it approaching the stop, but couldn't get across the road.
There were Naughty Words ...
No matter; I'm on a bus now, and about halfway there.
It was great, so phew!
We're having a jiggered-up day today because of Things Happening this afternoon. Accordingly we hotfooted it back from church and I cooked Lazy Curry - now consumed. Mr Nen's on a Very Important Zoom Call and we're back to church later for a seminar-type thing which includes coffee and cake.
I, however, need to try and have a rest as I had a bad night and am managing a three-day headache (currently on day two).
A day for staying in by the Dragon, and eating CHEESE.
I hope you're feeling better after a visit to the pub @Boogie, and that your headache will soon be gone @Nenya. I used to get headaches that lasted a couple of days, and once had a migraine that lasted a week - a week that I more-or-less lost completely, as I don't remember much about it...
Too bad you missed the last train to Balerno. It left in November 1943 (but it is now a delightful walk for much of the route).
That is, of course, BP (Before Piglet). And the line went to Princes Street station, also now closed.
After lunch I had a two hour nap and am no contemplating an evening of doing not a lot too, as my husband is due one of his two hour long phone calls with his sister. I think another episode of the extremely silly Father Brown calls.
Played guitar at (new) church this morning.
Roast chicken, dauphinose potatoes (however you spell it - haven't made them for years) and veg for lunch with friends and a splash of red.
Off to a prayer meeting in a sec to avoid my team on TV (mental health can't take it!)