I hope you will excuse a brief-ish blog without tracklements this evening. Our busy period continues and we met Lisa and children, Debra & Andy and children, plus Tracy, at Newstead Abbey. Unfortunately David and family are still suffering with this norovirus and didn't feel up to it. One needed to be feeling fairly fit because it was bitterly cold. But fortunately we managed a couple of hours without actual rain. They parked me near the Café, just off the bottom right of the picture, if you open the link. I happily messed-about , took pictures, chatted to the chap manning the garden gate, read, listened to radio, did the crossword. In fact the 2hrs was sacredly enough, and they were back. They had cirumnavigated the bottom lake, fed ducks, dashed about and generally had a great time. The healthy, rosy cheeked faces on their return were a joy.
Picture 2 is entitled "I'm keeping my eye on you" and follows the Mies dictum again.Everyone was cold, but no complaints of it and I treated them all to lunch at The Hutt, a famous pub just opposite the Abbey Gates. I couldn't find a link with a picture, so I haven't linked you to it. Good appetites were in evidence and everyone was polite, well-behaved and not too noisy. I was proud of them. Y and I arrived first and Y dashed in and did brilliantly to find a refectory table that seated 10 plus a high-chair for Millicent. The food was good too.
Then to complete the day's activity we went to Curry's in Mansfield (just down the road) and bought a new microwave oven. I've plugged it in and got it going and reheated some cold coffee, just to check. And now it is pouring with rain.
Comments...... We shall have to settle for disagreeing Bungus. I'm certainly no physicist but I thought 'boiling water' had a known temperature. Does it get hotter then if the boil is fast? It sounds suspiciously like one of those 'kitchen myths' which Heston Blumenthal is so happen to refute. Like 'sealing' meat which he says doesn't 'seal' anything and is a waste of time and effort to say nothing of the unnecessary washing up.
Jill.......Y says she has posted whatever and should be with you by Monday latest.
AnonymousRob and Bungus........I think we have sorted wage/salary rates in the 50s and 60s and satisfasctorily explained the different views.
Quotation...... Just a quick 'arty one'......
"There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun"
Pablo Picasso (who else?)
A smiley for Jill. Hope Bungus's Hospital Trip wasn't too horrendous. Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow. We are over at Tracy's for lunch, before Debra goes back and then I think we can have a Rest Day. Phew !
p.s. If Picture 2 has you scratching your head......there are peacocks at Newstead.
A smiley for Jill. Hope Bungus's Hospital Trip wasn't too horrendous. Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow. We are over at Tracy's for lunch, before Debra goes back and then I think we can have a Rest Day. Phew !p.s. If Picture 2 has you scratching your head......there are peacocks at Newstead.
..................................................
.
.
2 comments:
Thank you for nother canalware picture on Thursday. I did a bit of searching, cannot find anything that would suggest a Russian origin, it just reminds me.
Neither of us are sushi fans, we tried it once on board ship.
I went to Newstead years back, it sounds a good day out with all the children. This is the third day of bitter cold here, I went to lunch with a friend and had to wait 20 mins. for a bus!
Quiet week-end beckons, with Foyles War and Sense and Sensibility - I did enjoy Sense etc. The house they left was Chiswick House and the grounds, I know they were filming there in the summer when huge chunks of the park were all roped off one day. The cedar tree that the youngest sister was up - all my children and most of the grands have climbed that same tree!
I like the peacock picture, which, I am happy to say, did not require a clue.
Surprised that you should mention the cold as it has certainly been several degrees warmer than the last two days. Almost mild, I would say.
Pleased to hear that you are once again microwaved. I thought Currys might be the one, especially as they’ve had a terrible pre-Christmas trade.
I must assume that none of your recipes call for a ‘rolling boil’ rather than a ‘simmer’? You may be correct of course but I can certainly see the difference so assume there is one.
‘Sealing’ meat may be an inaccurate description but I think ‘burning’ it (or ‘caramelising’ it) before stewing it makes a fortunate difference to the flavour.
But heaven forfend that I should stop you poisoning yourself. Although Heston does some weird and wonderful things, I have never heard his views on this matter and do not see that they would necessarily be more correct than what may well be the current concensus anyway. I shall not take the risk as so many reputable cooks advise fast boiling of certain pulses, eg:
Kidney beans
Dried kidney beans need to be cooked carefully. Soak for at least eight hours. After soaking, drain and rinse them, discarding the soaking water. Put them into a pan with cold water to cover and bring to the boil. The beans must be boiled for ten minutes to destroy toxins. After this, simmer until cooked (approximately 45 to 60 minutes). (BBC Food)
A fairly uneventful trip to the City today. Picked up at 11.00, then to Balderton to collect another patient, arrived hospital 12.40 for 12.45 appointment. As they were running late, I was able to go for my blood test first. In to see doc about 1.15 and out again after ten minutes. Then next appointment arranged and blood pressure taken (OK) before a half hour wait for return transport. Easy run to Ollerton before driver took another patient on to Farndon.
The outward driver, it transpired, is a part time professional photographer (mainly weddings). He had used digital for the first time recently and was happy with the results; no heavy studio camera and ‘proper’ tripod to lug about; 120 photos of which 40 rejected after viewing; the 80 acceptables put on a disc which was sent to a professional printing company who, in 24 hours, produced excellent A4 prints for £80 (a price with which he was happy considering the costs of film and developing and printing the old way). He had been concerned that the prints might not be sharp enough but was quite happy with the results, as was his client. A convert I believe.
ي
Post a Comment