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Post by paperman on Apr 1, 2023 11:12:42 GMT
Good day all, I hope this finds you well on what is here a wet and dismal Saturday morning. Val I hope your journey went OK.
I went down to Ipswich Hospital yesterday and am pleased to report that my ‘ticker’ is ticking as it should and the pacemaker is ‘pacing’ in similar vein.
I did a bit of a shop for us both when I left the hospital and we had chicken last night, strangely for us on a Friday (Val please don’t shoot us!) and tonight we are having salmon and pasta. I guess at some point our taste buds will return to normal but right now they are really strange. For example I am a real coffee buff with a bean to cup machine and I buy a specific coffee from a particular coffee roaster in Guildford yet right now coffee is almost tasteless.
I will pop up to the garage in a bit and get a newspaper but apart from that, if it keeps on raining, I guess it’ll be an ‘indoors’ day.
I just hope you guys out west are having better weather than up here in the east. Take care xx
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Post by paperman on Apr 3, 2023 15:08:26 GMT
Good day all, I hope this finds you well it is a lovely sunny and brightly breezy day and if you have the same ‘out west’ then you should be having a good day.
I started cooking pork chops last night but frankly it all looked too much for our reduced appetites so I stripped the meat from the chops and cut it into cubes and then proceeded to cook at the same as if it had been chops except now we had something akin to pork casserole. It was good and the advantage was that there is some left over for a second meal, probably a lunch for me.
Tonight we are having spaghetti carbonara.
Not only did I have my cardiac check up on Friday but this afternoon I was at the surgery for their annual review which also seemed to go OK.
Take care xx
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Post by brightspark on Apr 4, 2023 11:37:21 GMT
Morning all - @ ten minutes before 12, it just makes 'morning'!
Chris, all sounds good with your check-ups, and now that's behind you, no worries for a while, ay?
Today, all the young'uns have gone out to cycle the Camel Trail - with the hire of an electric bike each for son and son-in-law, so there are five of them off out for the day, meanwhile I can get on with some quilting - I have brought a very large one with me that needs a bit of space to work on.
Yesterday in Tintagel, granddaughter and I went into a shop selling 'bee'-related goods. Granddaughter bought a bee revival kit (!) - a small phial of nectar. I bought a small jug for my collection, and memento of Tintagel. The cafe/restaurant at Tintagel really wasn't prepared for the number of visitors, running out of Cornish pasties and sausage rolls, and eventually sandwiches - a lot of folks were disappointed. In the afternoon we drove from Tintagel to the Waterfall at St Nectan's Glen, ten minutes drive, or so.
Hope you're okay Iris, and also your OH. Sending good vibes to everyone, and hope you're all feeling brighter very soon, x
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Post by paperman on Apr 8, 2023 11:10:52 GMT
Good day all I hope this finds you well. It has been a really mixed bag as far as weather is concerned, yesterday was sunny but cool and breezy and today is grey and 10 degrees but not yet raining.
We are definitely staying local over the weekend, the roads being pretty busy.
Last night we had the usual F & C, having been up to the fishmonger earlier in the week we had some superb pieces of hake. I think during the week I am going to play around with this recipe, probably replacing the celery with carrot as am not so keen on celery but find otherwise the recipe appeals.
Tonight we are having steak etc.
During the week our bird feeder collapsed, it has been up for maybe 10 years and had corroded from the inside so I ordered a new one which arrived yesterday evening and I have put that up this morning.
We’ll pop out and get a paper in a bit but apart from that as I say we’ll be staying local.
Please take care xx
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Post by brightspark on Apr 8, 2023 16:16:23 GMT
Ha ha Chris, I think my garden birds are sulking as I haven't fed them for a week! I have put out food for them, and I have one each of blue tit*; great tit; and blackbird visiting. Also heard the robin. *another blue tit (or maybe the same one, not sure!)
I have a special cage for the square block of the fat ball consistency - but they don't seem to like it much, and when I checked it now has mould on it, so that has been thrown, and the cage for it is in soak!
Four wash loads today, and drying outside nicely, full sunshine-y day today lifts the spirits.
Have a good evening, x
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Post by irist on Apr 8, 2023 17:07:42 GMT
Evening folks. Happy Easter to you all.
Well we have been blessed - a gloriously sunny day yesterday from dawn till dusk and today it's been bright but with more cloud. I've managed to get out in the garden for a time which always cheers me up. The lawn now look as though someone cares after it's second cut and I've even washed the car off. I was really ashamed of it but now it's gleaming. I've used water from one of our butts as I can't use the hosepipe because we are still banned (despite all the downpours we have had). We have been urged to save water so that there will be enough for the tourists in the summer!
Tonight we have had lasagne which I prepared and froze when I last batch cooked. We had a side salad with it. Tomorrow we have daughter and SiL coming for a roast lunch - slow cooked lamb with all the trimmings. Will be a treat as I do love lamb but can't remember the last time I bought it because the prices have risen so much. I'll make hot cross bun bread and butter pudding (OH and SiL's favourite) and I'll make a forest fruit oaty crumble for daughter and I.
Like you, Chris, we are not venturing out much over the holiday period. I was at the supermarket this morning at 8.30am and home again just before 9.45. It's a good time to shop because tourists are still either having their breakfast or deciding where to go! I am very cross though. I use Aldi from time to time which is perched on the cliff top in Newquay. Of course the car park facilities were being abused and cameras were installed a few months back. To prevent visitors abandoning their cars there for the day, shoppers now have to tap their car registration number onto a screen when they leave the store to park free. Obviously last week I forgot to do so. This morning the postman delivered me a parking fine. My shopping cost me an extra £40. It's the first parking ticket I have ever had and I am angry at myself for failing to just tap in my registration. GRR. What were we saying about being forgetful?!!!
Take care and enjoy the holiday weekend.
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Post by brightspark on Apr 9, 2023 12:05:04 GMT
Hi everyone,
Iris, I was angry on your behalf - would you consider appealing your 'parking' fine? In essence, explaining you're a local shopper, not a tourist, and use the shop regularly. If they used ANPR technology, it would be obvious that you didn't stay any longer than was necessary, and certainly not for the day !
Yes, it certainly was a lovely day on Friday - when we drove home! We can't complain, as although we had a whole day of rain, in the main we had a really good week, weather-wise. The younger five in our group actually gained a bit of a suntan through their long walks and cycle rides.
OH has assembled our raised beds for the veg patch, and now going to assess the volume of soil required to fill them - he has already put seeds into a little indoor greenhouse for our tomatoes to start them off.
Today is, currently anyway, sunshine-y but with a cool wind, with a forecast of sunshine all day, and rain arriving tonight.
While in Cornwall, I started hand-quilting on my niece's very large quilt, so I may sit in our sunny front room to continue that today. Now that my other niece's son has informed us that he and his partner are pregnant, due in September, I have bought some yarn to make a crocheted baby blanket in a gingham design*. Plus earlier this week my parcel arrived included a fabric panel of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (I quilted three of these last year ); and finally I have some gorgeous brushed cotton baby fabric for a little quilt. * see here - crochetdreamz.com/how-to-crochet-a-blanket/ I bought the three colours in a donkey brown (called Teddy); oatmeal; and cream as my gingham colours. The couple said they don't want to know the gender so need to keep things neutral.
Well, sitting here won't get the quilting done, will it - so I wish everyone a Happy Easter, and chat soon, xx
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Post by irist on Apr 9, 2023 16:54:57 GMT
Evening folks from a now wet SW. It's been overcast and quite cool with a stiff breeze until about 5pm. Our brief sunny interval has finished
I did ponder appealing the parking fine, Val, but one of the conditions of parking at the supermarket is that you enter your car registration inside the supermarket before leaving. I was only in the car park for 51 minutes and customers are permitted to remain there for 1.5 hours. Makes me very cross but I don't have a case to appeal the fine. Hey ho lesson learnt. Aldi are going to replace their store in the near future so it will be on the outskirts of the town. Perhaps the new one won't have seeing eye cameras ?
The gingham crochet pattern looks lovely. Daughter has started attending crochet classes and has asked me if I'd like to go with her. The problem for me is that the classes are held in the evening and by the time they start my brain has given up on learning new tasks and gone into neutral! Would be a lovely break from the house but ....
Must go as son will be Zooming us in a couple of minutes for the usual weekly catch up. Take care.
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Post by brightspark on Apr 10, 2023 22:29:27 GMT
Bit quiet on here today ...
All those folk who look in now'n'again may think about joining in - it'd be nice to meet you all.
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Post by paperman on Apr 11, 2023 14:16:17 GMT
Good day each, I hope this finds you well on what is here today a very spring-like day, at 13 degrees it is pleasant walking weather. I have to say though that the last couple of days have been very changeable with plenty of rain so today with most of the weekenders now returned to their ‘normalities’ we can once again venture out on the roads and the beaches although that of course will not last for long as we drift into summer.
Tuesday, cleaning lady, you are right Val I escaped for a couple of hours.
Having had roast lamb on Sunday we had shepherd’s pie last night, there was also a little left over that I have had for lunch today and tonight we are having chicken stir-fry.
I am going to bring Claris over to the cottage, probably tomorrow, as I need to get the broken blind repaired and quite honestly I don’t know if it is going to be a long or a short job. I had a look at a video on YouTube showing what needed to be done and the way the chap did it made it look like a fairly straightforward half-hour job……I’ve had some of those before and they took a good deal longer, so we’ll see.
It’s ‘A’s birthday tomorrow, she’s a difficult person to buy for and a few days back we went out and she found a jacket she liked so I bought that for her, at least I can be sure it is something she likes even if it isn’t a surprise.
There is Tai-Chi over at Westleton this afternoon and ‘A’ has gone to it but she banned me from going on account of still having a vicious cough from Covid. Speaking of which, I still feel quite lethargic from it but at least my taste-buds are back functioning again and I am able to enjoy my cups of coffee.
That’s it for now, Iris I agree with you about the parking fine, I am not sure that these people are that interested and your chances of winning are probably, sadly, very low. I probably wouldn’t bother either, just consider the lesson learnt and swallow my anger.
Please take care xx
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Post by paperman on Apr 12, 2023 9:25:40 GMT
Good day each, I hope this finds you well on what is a mixed, sunny and cloudy morning and a cool 8 degrees with rain forecast later. The day yesterday ended with rain late afternoon and through the night.
I don’t know if my computer is doing a massive update but this morning it is incredibly slow and annoying.
We are going out for lunch as it is ‘A’s birthday, we had originally planned to be away for a couple of nights at Seckford Hall but we have postponed that for the time being until I have shaken off completely the after effects from Covid. This would be the 3rd year we have gone there for ‘A’s birthday break so it is a shame to delay.
In addition to going out for lunch we have a couple of small jobs to get done and at the moment there is no room for me to bring Claris over so that may have to wait until tomorrow.
Not sure at the moment what we’ll eat tonight, that will depend on what we have at lunchtime.
So, that’s it for now, please take care xx
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Post by brightspark on Apr 12, 2023 10:01:10 GMT
Morning !
Happy birthday to A, and shame you're having to miss the lunch, for now anyway, Chris. Just get yourself better, and start enjoying your trips out again.
We have had a lovely sunny start to the day, also with a very strong cool wind, but it has already clouded over, and with the threat of 90% chance of rain for the next few hours, looks like we will have another day inside. Although we are having some manure delivered to fill the base of our raised beds - that will be a challenge for the delivery guy, as our drive in the front of our three houses is gravel, so it may have to be left at the end, which is a bit of an inconvenience, but it is what it is. Once that has been laid, then we'll order the top soil.
Last night's meal was a re-run of the roast lamb - this evening it will be a cold lamb meal with salad, I think. I have some butterhead lettuce as well as sweet gem lettuce. I shall make some coleslaw with the red cabbage and red onion with the carrots as we love it. Also some potato salad, too.
I made an apple crumble last night and added some cranberries, as I quite like them, and it also added some bulk to the fruit. We have some special vanilla custard which will go down well with the crumble.
Enough of this food talk !! Have a good day both, x
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Post by paperman on Apr 14, 2023 9:24:44 GMT
Good morning each on what is at the moment a lovely looking sunny morning although cloud is forecast shortly but at 10 degrees it’s quite pleasant.
I brought Claris down from the farm yesterday lunchtime and will be starting various jobs this morning.
Last night we had ratatouille and rice with chicken and bacon bits added. It was really good, it is one of ‘A’s variations on her recipe books and quite honestly I think she flies by the seat of her pants as she goes along with these things.
On Wednesday we went out for lunch in Blythburgh, to celebrate ‘A’s birthday and had a sharing mixed seafood plate, it was delicious and actually too much for us two. Today, being Friday, it will of course be F & C (alv).
Now to have a coffee and get started on Claris.
Take care each xx
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Post by brightspark on Apr 14, 2023 9:46:03 GMT
Morning all,
It is wet and slightly breezy here, and the forecast for the day is similar, with the occasional sunny spells - not seen any yet!
Unfortunately we had plans to work on the raised beds today, but it will be quite squidgy, so it is a job for another day.
Yesterday we spent a couple of hours wrapping up a large glass-fronted picture that OH sold on eBay - but it is going to Ireland. The padding we used had to be thick, and we put 'Fragile' stickers over it, so just hoping that it makes it in one piece. Initially OH told the buyer that it wasn't possible to post, but he insisted that he would risk the possibility of breakage, and would pay highly for the postage. Let's hope it arrives safely.
Last night I made the toad-in-the-hole for our dinner, with cheese-y mash and vegetables. Now have some sausages for our lunchtime sandwiches. When we were young Thursday was, most times anyway, sausages for dinner. My Mum worked full time and went to work on her bicycle, buying shopping on her way home. It was always a roast on Sunday, followed by using up the roast leftover on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday was often minced meat, and also having three older brothers, Mum would make pastry to swell the dinners. That left Friday for our fish. Funny thing I don't remember Saturdays, but I guess that was perhaps something different, although not too sure. We had our milk and our bread delivered. Once a week a lorry came to our road filled with general grocery items, stocking up the larder.
I don't remember buying it, but we have a dog coat which, as it turns out, is too long for the dog (I think we may have bought it for one of our previous dogs - bearded collies). It is very thick and padded, but yesterday I reduced the length of it, my sewing machine was struggling to go through the fabric! My sewing in the last couple of days were dog-related, having made two velcro-topped dog boots to protect her paw from dirt while it is healing. Although keeping them on her paw is proving tricky.
I think I have rambled on long enough, so hoping you are well. Chat soon, xx
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Post by brightspark on Apr 14, 2023 9:51:35 GMT
Chris, that meal looks scrummy - good that you were able to go out and enjoy it.
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