Socks and more socks. Why do little girls love wearing bigger girls' footwear.? Millicent tried every-one's that she could find, even TJ's boots. Unfortunately I didn't get a 'snap'.Yesterday was quiet, and today too. Over the next few days we have 'looking after children' commitments, and then the EPS Winter Walk at Rufford on the 29th. I hope the dry weather holds. And then on 31st the get-together at Tracy's. In the morning I have a routine blood-test but I can only be thankful that
Christmas itself was not interrupted. Picture 2 is not a hangover from the summer; I took it this morning. A rambler at the side of the house and no 'photoshoppery' except for a crop. I deliberately under-exposed it, to darken the background and show the effect of the sun's rays back-lighting the petals.
Comments......Bungus.. Please make a note of this Jamie Oliver poultry-carving method. My interest has been captured !And I guess if one had made the effort to go super market shopping late on Xmas Eve, there would have been some amazing bargains. But my somewhat cynical approach is "If we don't actually need it, it's expensive, however cheap the price tag". I apologise for being in Miserable Old Git mode. And thanks for the 'melloid' info. which some of you may remember has figured before in these pages.
Thanks AnonymousRob for the offer of a couple of your 'Venice at Night' series. They would grace the 'blog', but please ensure you have copyright stitched; there are greedy and unscrupulous people out there, even amongst blog readers. We know 'Petit Paris' quite well and concur with your assessment. Our favourite table was in the far right window corner but we haven't been for some years because of the stairs. It would be the gremlins that threw the bottle out of the fridge and onto your toe. They do things like that. Hope you are walking well enough for Rufford, if not you can sit with me and share my flask of coffee 'cos I aint aiming to walk far either.
Quotation for the Day.........
"Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know"
Cullen Hightower
(There's loads of quotes attributed to him but a dearth of biographical details. I will leave it to nimbler googlers than I)
An early night again I think. Sleep tight everybody. See you tomorrow.....
An early night again I think. Sleep tight everybody. See you tomorrow.........................................
1 comment:
What a very pretty and surprising rose. It looks like the one we had at Wellow which always bloomed 2 weeks before the Chelksea Flower Show.
The tomatoes were pure chance when Alex was shopping for a forgotten essential. And they weren’t 10p a bag but 4p and Sandra says each bag must have contained at least 4 lb! I do recall once calling in the big Asda at W Bridgford on Xmas Eve and being astonished at the bargains we either did not have space for or could not take because they were frozen and we were not going straight home. We vowed to go there again the following year (about 1985) but we never have done! Can’t be arsed, as they say.
If I can make Rufford on Saturday (where and when?) I’ll no doubt share the bench with you and AnonRob.
We had an excellent Xmas (late) lunch. Sandra had made a delicate and delicious smoked salmon mousse to start. This went down well, as did the pink Cava, and was followed by the venison (cooked with oxtail) roast spuds and parsnips, mash and the obligatory carrots and sprouts. The venison, I have to say, was just a bit disappointing having looked so good before and after being in the oven. Possibly because of my disturbed taste buds, it did not, to me, have a distinctive flavour (if anything a bit beefy with a metallic edge, but it could be me as that is a common side-effect) so it certainly does not replace hare and goose as my favourite meats. But the gravy (no doubt from the oxtail which I have today taken off the bones to make a casserole) was delicious. And Dan and I agreed that the ‘Xmas‘ pud (which was actually called a 'Celebration' pudding, purchased from Aldi and served with rum sauce) was the best we have ever tasted.
Despite your good examples it never crossed my mind to photograph the festive board. But I shall send you a few snaps of the remnants!
As for the Jamie Oliver poultry-carving method, it is very simple. He just rips off the legs and wings and pulls them to pieces from the bones with his fingers. He then cuts down either side the breastbone to remove the breasts which he slices across the grain instead of with it.
I had some good presents. From Sandra, something I have wanted for 50 years but never got round to buying, First encountered in the Libyan desert, no, not a camel but what I know as a Volcano (or storm) kettle. I do not know when I shall use it but they are the most marvellous thing. Apparently first made by or for fisherman on the west Coast of Ireland, they considt of a big hole surrounded by a water jacket. The outer container is filled with water, newspaper, twigs etc put in the middle and lighted. The big advantage was that enough fuel could always be found in the desert. It boils in about 30 sec, certainly qicker than any electric kettle and if we ever get round to another jaunt will be invaluable for picnics! To think that before the war we used to take a Primus!Apart from that I had several interesting books, including one of ‘quotes' and one of corrections to commonly but incorrectly held beliefs. Expect more.
Also several bottles of wine and a variety of cheeses in manageable quantities.
There were, of course, examples of the inevitable fudge which I am convinced is made for giving, not for eating. Does anyone actually like it? But, on the whole, a very good deal for me.
Sandra got her replacement pressure cooker (not from me!) so everything was fine in an appropriately traditional and chauvinistic sort of way.
From 8.oo till noon today (Boxing Day) S was deeply involved with preparations for all the food to be taken to Stephanie’s for today’s family get together (Xmas day was here with just Dan and Em and our recently widowed friend Alan who got drunk on the red and stayed 4 hours too long). The reason for moving today’s feast was to avoid me being infected although I seem to be starting a bit of a head cold (not feeling ill) anyway. I was left hoping that S would bring something back for my tea/supper. She did, eventually, when I was very hungry.
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