Sunday, August 02, 2009

Almost better - say 80% - Y still 'beavering' away - 67F

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Bob sent me this collage of flies/bees and it is so cheerful I thought I'd 'blog' it. There seem lots of different winged creatures around at the moment - some glossy, some matte, some hairy some bald.

I suspect the bottom-left one is a hoverfly but, as it's already landed it is difficult to say.

He also sent me a collage of his wounds sustained during the stair-fall but they definitely weren't cheerful so the picture remains unblogged.

The weather here remains changeable - as it is all over the country I think. BJ folks are back and Hannah has kept Grandma informed. LE people are still away. I had a nice chat with David on the phone yesterday evening.

They are soon to move a Caravan Club site in Suffolk and, in readiness for The World Crabbing Championships, they have printed T shirts with that legend thereon. The championship is an annual event and sounds great fun. Definitely their sort of thing !

Yvonne had a bad night's sleep and mine was about average. I've still got aches/pains and slight feelings of nausea but nothing to confine me to bed.

For Sunday lunch I cooked Lamb Chops, with New Potatoes, Carrots and Courgettes out of the garden. I also made genuine Mint Sauce ( with our own fresh mint). Made with white balsamic vinegar and a little sugar, in a pestle & mortar because, made with malt vinegar, all one can often taste is the vinegar instead of the mint.

Picture 2 illustrates and I'm not boasting about the smallness of my portion (on the left) but, if I had more, it would make me ill. For pudding Y did Fruit Compote and Greek Yoghurt - one of my 'in' puddings at the moment.

Y is still working very hard and seems to have been ever since we returned from holiday. It's hard to believe how much washing we generate. I think she has more or less finished cupboards and drawers in the kitchen now - God only knows what she will start on next.

And OK - we've got twelve jugs ! To me it isn't a problem but Y would love a completely clutter-free life. I can picture her in Japan with no furniture and me sitting on a carpet on the floor. But then, she wouldn't be too happy about the carpet.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob ..... I think the chemical used to artificially ripen bananas is ethylene so perhaps it is that which ripens other fruit too.

Does your choice in the matter of appointments affect just the appointment itself? If so, and you specify say 1pm they will still probably feel free to collect you at 8am. I shall be amazed if it works out in a way satisfactory to the patient.

Jill ... I think these days devoted to recuperation are an excellent idea. As you report, one always feels the benefit. My feelings go out to the people in the future who will be made to remain working till they are maybe 70 plus !

The orchid stem had become bent by growing too close to my bathroom window and the pressure against the glass had bent it. I just felt that a tiny little bit of pressure would bend it back again. Ah well ! Had Y been around she would undoubtedly have told me not to be so b..... stupid.

Nice idea - to be able to un-ripen bananas. But I think not.

My guess is that you will enjoy Morrisons. I know you will report back.

Yvonne ...... Your replacement approach to household items/clothing/ is, of course, well know to me after all these years. But I suspect that you always secretly envied Imelda Marcos with her 3,000 pairs of shoes !

As you say, our Lib Dem people were disappointed, and Jason worked so hard. A relief though to finish up with a Tory rather than the BNP. Lets just hope that the main parties realise how discontented people are.

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Quotation time .....

"The English winter - ending in July,
To recommence in August"




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3 comments:

Pete said...

Graham, glad to see you back feeling a tad better, don't overdo it and that goes for Y as well....The way things are looking think that I'll be having to work until my seventies unless I'm lucky enough to win the lottery....Fingers crossed heh....The crabbing competition seems a great idea and reminded me of a holiday about eleven or twelve years ago when we visited a place on the river dart, Devon called Stoke Gabriel. this little village is the farthest one can navigate in a decent sized boat up the Dart as there is a rather large dam across and it is on this dam that people walk along and fish for crabs....SD1 and 2 must have been about seven and eight and had a brilliant time so much so that when we got back to the tent SD2 drew this....

http://www.freewebs.com/mannananscloak/2009 August/DSC09099.jpg

picture which we still have framed on the kitchen windowsill......Thanks for the memory jog...(Hope the link thing works)

bob said...

Yes, hoverfly – currently numerous.

Pleased bruises photos unpublished (as intended) especially as they matured disappointingly.
Required leg plastered and head bandaged for full benefit.

Stephanie/Jessica/Robin currently narrow-boating further north.

Like vinegar but agree it can dominate.
Why no newspaper on which to put your dinner?

Re tidying:
I hate throwing anything out – still have 1” splinter that entered my calf at Fountain Dale circa 1945.
But Sandra’s thrown out my bike and loads of esoteric tools...

Always assumed bananas themselves catalytic ripeners... but you’re very probably right.
“Don’t look Ethylene,” while peeling...

Next appointment (KingsMill) won’t require hospital transport but you’d be right if it did!

Redundancy forced early retirement at 57 (give/take 2 years’ part-time Rufford car-parking ended by Notts CC at 65).
No regrets!

Thought Imelda a shoe woman?

Jill:
Suspect orchid-straightening’s another aspect of G’s computer ‘tweaking’...

“Phlox? I have a few,
And not just blue,
But also gentian…”

Excess bananas ripen slower in cold-box with ice-block.

Yvonne:
Bobby Robson also had great way of disarming critics.

Postscript
Lucky today to enquire at Tesco and have debit card returned (only missed yesterday, having been lost 21 July).

Jill said...

Yes, lovely cheerful collage from Bob. I think yellow/orange is a very cheering colour, so why do I not like it on people?

Your dinner - I hope there was some gravy a well as mint sauce, for those of us that like a pond. I am more inclined to your portion, could not eat that many potatoes. I roasted a chicken yesterday, with roast potatoes, runner beans, carrots and peas. We can have it cold tonight when we come back from hospital - R's three month check-up for skin cancers. Son is giving us a lift there which is a great help.

Twelve jugs, I may be able to beat that. An old Pyrex one with imperial measures, a stainless steel one with metric, three cheapo plastic ones in different sizes (came as set) with every conceivable measurement on the large one. Three large pottery jugs used for flowers. Mum's large cut glass vase used for lemonade or drinks. Five assorted milk/cream jugs from various tea-sets. Granny's gravy jug......

We have far too much clutter, I keep throwing things out, R keeps going to car-boot sales and buying stuff.....but I am not going down minimalist route, it would just be nice to have cupboards and drawers that shut, and the occasional clear surface.