Thursday, August 13, 2009

Routine Shopping - some PC jobs - Tel Crossword etc.

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We got going early-ish and it seemed strange with Y not going to BJ. But they go to Scotland on holiday today.

Shopping routinely at Lidl then Morrisons and enjoyed both. I had a Magwitch spasm in Lidl but it soon passed. I had put two jacket potatoes in the oven, on the timer set for 1pm. Don't jacket potatoes smell good when they are baking in a hot oven? I just prepared a little salad garnish to accompany them. I little butter pushed in when I split them and then some grated cheddar cheese. Fit for a King etc.,. Anyway, anything to do with potatoes and Y is there. For pudding we had some sorbet which was most pleasant. I do like a sweet pudding these days - I used to be cheese & biscuits orientated, but no more. Perhaps it's the dreaded second childhood......

Just over Derek & Betty's fence is a Buddleia which is attracting bees and butterflies. I got some steps because the fence is high, but the only butterflies seemed to be tortoiseshells and a cabbage white. On our Echinaciea I saw this comma butterfly who looked as if he had come off second best in some dispute. He/she had lost almost half a wing. Could still fly though - he must have felt like Biggles limping home on a wing and a prayer.

Tomorrow we are going on a day-trip, by coach, to The Parsonage at Haworth (home of the Brontés) and we are both looking forward to it very much. Not a National Trust Trip for a change. The coach leaves Eastwood around 8.30am and we can park at the side of The Sun Inn for the day.

I don't expect we will be back till late evening so tomorow will have to be a blog-free day I'm afraid. I've downloaded a couple of hours of podcasts onto my MP3 player - so, if the weather is awful, and the coach-trip tedious, I have something to listen to.

Last night I kept looking out of my bedroom window but didn't see a single perseid. Let alone a shower. And not a word on the radio/telly/press today ! As I say "they've lost interest".

My responses to your previous comments

Bob .... Your tomatoes certainly do seem to be rather shy ! And I know you have told me that Red Alert is usually earlier than Gardeners Delight. Ah well ! Nature cannot be forced into anything. They will be even more delicious when they do ripen.

As you say your Climber/Rambler will grow again with renewed zest for life.

Jill ..... Of course the sheep knitted cosy has got to be Sheila ! Is the Australian Merino tightly curled, like old lady's hairdos or is it smoother than that ?

Sorry you are still busless and breadless. Let them eat cake .... etc.. We always think that if you have got milk and potatoes you can survive.

..............................

Quotation time .....

"It is not clear that intelligence has any long-term survival value."


Stephen Hawking

Hasn't he done well to be awarded the US Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama ? The Medal is the US's highest civilian award.


"Sleep tight - and tomorrow night too - might catch you on Saturday"



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4 comments:

Pete said...

Hope you and Y have a great day at Howarth. Mrs Mannanan and I visited there a while back and had a great time. Mind the cobbles and hills.

bob said...

Nice bees and Red Admiral.

Like the other butterfly too – punctuation important.

We had jacket spuds yesterday with particularly successful cauliflower cheese.

We once walked 7 miles from Haworth Parsonage to Bronte Falls and never found them – nearest was trickle across path!
Village very steep, I recall; Lincolnlike (Hovis?)
Hope it’s as nice there tomorrow as here today.

I think tomato ripening must be local climate.
Eg, Mansfield always fortnight behind Southwell.
Fruit seem bigger this year – and prolific.

I’m interested to see how apple tree affected.

Jill;
I can’t resist what looks like a bargain (3 tins chickpeas 89p today), so we keep well-stocked enough to withstand at least a month’s siege.

POSTSCRIPT
Last week Sandra found Staffy pup roaming streets.
After hour’s searching for owners, was tempted to take to Dan & Em but, thinking could be a child’s pet, notified police and thence dog warden.
Having ascertained that she’d be safe, allowed warden take her to Newark for 2 days then Lincoln for further week.
No one having laid claim, Dan and Em collected her today and brought her to see us. Lovely bundle dark tiger-brindle action. Moon-Pig or Sadie or…? (email snaps).

Jill said...

Lovely collage again, like the butterflies. All the caterpillars have disappeared from the stocks (as have all the flower buds and youngest leaves) - do you think they have eaten by birds? I think this unlikely as they are right up against house and I reckon at least a couple would have survived. They were quite big last time seen, at least a couple of inches. Could they have buried themselves in the earth? and be pupae?

I do hope you enjoyed Howarth - we have done Parsonage tour, had tea in the ?Bramwell Tearooms, been taken to waterfall (not worth it). It was a pleasantly warm sunny day here, hope it was for you.

I would add 'eggs' to your list of comestibles....then Y could have egg and chips! Like Bob, we could last at least a fortnight on larder and deep freeze. Apart from milk....

Weren't you tempted to keep Staffie? I love them, I know a family with two, they are great dogs.

Unknown said...

Jill: cheeky! Not everyone knows that my mother could only cook egg and chips and that I am the only person in the UK who thought school meals were WONDERFUL!

Lovely sunny day here - hope it's the same in Scotland where Steven and family are.

Wonderful afternoon at Ann and Roy's 50th wedding celebration - totally informal buffet in the house/garden. Weather excellent and garden very private - it was lovely.

And talking to Ray, I know now when to go to our 'club' so I don't have to fight off the swimmers in the pool. I was so disappointed with the invasion of people on the 'low-price-for-the-month' offer. I really should stop being so sensitive!