2020 is going rather well so far, I feel. This morning I got to work on a bus!! Admittedly the metro is still all up the spout, but I usually get the bus anyway, so I'm a happy bunny.
2020 is going rather well so far, I feel. This morning I got to work on a bus!! Admittedly the metro is still all up the spout, but I usually get the bus anyway, so I'm a happy bunny.
It's amazing the things we take for granted until they're not there. Did you ever expect to be a happy bunny because you got to ride a bus? I hope things continue to improve.
It does sound good, bubbling away in the slow cooker. The taste of it, however, is even better.
We had a very pleasant evening indeed with our friends. Mr Nen is out this evening and I will have sole charge of the TV remote. This happens so seldom that I think a small celebration will be called for, so the weight loss plan is delayed for another day.
I hope the house sale progresses smoothly, Piglet. I know only too well how stressful these things can be.
I suspect that a French passport will be more useful in the next few years than a British one, even if they will be blue again... My parents have arrived to visit for a few days. I can tell people are still on holiday - they got through the Dartford Tunnel without any queueing!!!
Clinging to the last shreds of holiday here - Scotland is still closed on 2nd January. I went into town intending to visit two specific food shops, but it turns out the Chinese and the Poles are observing local customs and I had to rely on the Germans (aka Lidl).
Having some large and expensive prawns to hand, I made a proper from scratch curry with minced onion, grated ginger and garlic, fresh chilli and coconut milk. Subtle but delicious.
Local supermarket had a huge amount of brown shrimps in the "distressed" cabinet, marked down from over £3 a pack to 30p so it seemed almost meant to give some (well, most) a good home. Transpired they were on 3 for the price of 2 which made it even better. So I've spent a pleasant hour (and used every available ramekin) making potted shrimps: excellent on hot toast or stir into a kedgeree at the last minute.
Félicitations LVER. We are considering starting the process, but I'm concerned about the language requirements...my French is still a bit wobbly. We have our titre de séjour, so we're legally here, at least!!
Sorry, the "distressed" cabinet is the name the family have given to the Reduced chiller cabinet. Nothing distressing about the shrimps at all - I've just had some on hot toast for lunch and they were delicious
They sound lovely.
I’ve just had a feta cheese omelette, having finished this morning’s work of tutorial planning and marking. Now I’m going to pop some puff pastry in the oven so I can use up some leftover custard in custard Danish pastries.
Some more declutterage has been achieved chez my sister, not exactly helped by the delightful distraction of Archie cuddles. It's just as well he's not quite crawling yet ...
As the gratin dauphinoise went down a treat last night, I've made another batch for tonight, this time to accompany a baked ham (and the leftover duck).
It was a pretty nice day here, so we decided to drive to a rather nice village in Pembrokeshire, where we partook of a truly superb LUNCH in a wonderful restaurant, overlooking the sea. Then we walked on the beach (as did a lot of other people - and their dogs).
Congratulations LVER & Happy St Geneviève Day (patron saint of Paris, I think, though happy to be corrected).
Had a happy accident last week with some 'distressed' & discounted festive supermarket food, making tea out of crab mousse in plastic shot glasses, 60p for 6. Tonight? Leftover roast veg stew. Thrift is very pleasing.
My brother managed to score some "distressed" (and half-price) duck at M&S last week, which was quite happy to be frozen, and that's what we had last night and for part of tonight's supper.
Congratulations LVER & Happy St Geneviève Day (patron saint of Paris, I think, though happy to be corrected).
Eek! that gave me a sudden blast from the past.
There was a poem about St Genevieve in a French text book from my school days (1961, at the latest), and the first two lines just popped into my brain on reading your post!
Now that my night camera proves that Spike’s Diner is known both the neighbourhood Tiggy Winkles and wandering kitties I have been upgrading the hedgehog feeding station to stop the cats helping themselves to midnight snacks there as well. Mark II now includes a porch to stop kitties from snacking, attached by cable ties to stop them from swiping the porch away to gain access. Mrs Tiggy Winkle has visited since the addition of the porch but hasn’t got much further than the tempting snack I put there for her (him?), preferring to hoover up the live tasty morsels on offer in my garden, for which I am very grateful! Festive tangerine peel around the entrance seems to have deterred all but the most determined feline.
Well done for looking after the Tiggywinkles, Daisydaisy! A friend of mine in Orkney has been posting videos of his hedgehog house in his garden, and they're lovely.
In other news, oh sh!t - the sale of the château has fallen through again - this time because the soon-to-be-ex-husband of the buyer found out she was trying to buy a house, and threw a fit and has done something to block the purchase.
No, I don't understand it either, but it means I'm back to square one. Again.
I know - but I really need to sell - I have no income at the moment (and can't get any until I can move to Scotland and look for work), and I really don't need to eat any more into my capital, such as it is.
How much due diligence do Canadian Estate Agents do about people being proceedable buyers? You might need them to get a bit more firm on finances being in place.
I suspect the latest buyer was relying on the proceeds of the sale of the marital home/divorce settlement and STBXH is now blocking that.
In Canada, anyone can put an offer in and make it contigent upon financing being successful. There are many buyers who are pre-approved for their mortgage. These are the ones who are coveted by the real estate agents. Sorry that this hasn't worked out, Piglet. Maybe the current person will re-offer after straightening things out with the ex.
A food-themed quick post: I have decided that there really is a God - I've just had another bit of this stunningly marvellous St Agur French cheese....!
I mean, whether you agree or disagree with that particular tastebud-tickling choice, isn't it amazing how creative and inventive human beings have been throughout the ages, inventing foodstuff that just tastes exceptionally nice? It is a piece of art and beauty, such expertly crafted nourishment! We may perceive art in music (such as church music; organ, choral works) or in painting or sculpture or achitecture, but isn't food part of art, and of truly artistic human ingenuity as well?
Makes you stand in awe before the Creator (while nibbling on, I presume...!), doesn't it? My conclusion: food created and devoured with love and joyfulness is just as real, or perhaps even more so, than all the horror in the daily news!
Good stuff indeed.
Besides, the sun is out in force again today, after weeks of mostly misery and low-lying, dense clouds and fog. Happy, pleased, well-fed Wes wishes you a lovely Sunday!
You're absolutely right, Wes; there are certain foods that are definitive proof that God loves us - avocadoes on toast and the pasta thing my sister-in-law concocted for supper last night spring to mind.
... Hopefully, it's a temporary blip, or, better still, paving the way for The Third Offer - The One Which Will Work™
Well, the third offer came in a couple of hours after the second one fell through! Whether it'll be The One Which Will Work™ or not remains to be seen - I've accepted it anyway, so we shall see.
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Same here! And I totally agree with you.
I'll see meself to the EggBus Stop.
It does sound good, bubbling away in the slow cooker. The taste of it, however, is even better.
We had a very pleasant evening indeed with our friends. Mr Nen is out this evening and I will have sole charge of the TV remote. This happens so seldom that I think a small celebration will be called for, so the weight loss plan is delayed for another day.
I hope the house sale progresses smoothly, Piglet. I know only too well how stressful these things can be.
beginnings maybe, but beginnings none the less.
I've made gratin dauphinoise to go with the stuffed duck breast that's going to be supper, along with a few green beans and a glass or three of WINE.
I got a letter this evening to tell me that I AM OFFICIALLY A FRENCH CITIZEN!!! Yippee!
Am I still welcome around here now I'm a doggie?
The French are obviously very wise in inviting you to become a citizen - Vive la France!*
Are you able to hold dual citizenship?
* I couldn't think of another appropriate French phrase to celebrate ...
Excellent news! 👏🏼 👏🏼
Oh and @Wesley J you are Yoda and I claim my five euros
I envy you. Especially convenient if it means you now have dual nationality.
Having some large and expensive prawns to hand, I made a proper from scratch curry with minced onion, grated ginger and garlic, fresh chilli and coconut milk. Subtle but delicious.
And about which my brother forgot when we tried to return the hired glasses used at the party to Majestic this morning ...
Your prawn curry sounds lovely!
And potted distressed shrimps sound, well, distressing!
I’ve just had a feta cheese omelette, having finished this morning’s work of tutorial planning and marking. Now I’m going to pop some puff pastry in the oven so I can use up some leftover custard in custard Danish pastries.
As the gratin dauphinoise went down a treat last night, I've made another batch for tonight, this time to accompany a baked ham (and the leftover duck).
I'm enjoying it here!
Had a happy accident last week with some 'distressed' & discounted festive supermarket food, making tea out of crab mousse in plastic shot glasses, 60p for 6. Tonight? Leftover roast veg stew. Thrift is very pleasing.
That bodes well, Piglet.
This evening we collected Nenlet2 who's going to be living back with us for a bit while he starts a new job.
In other news, oh sh!t - the sale of the château has fallen through again - this time because the soon-to-be-ex-husband of the buyer found out she was trying to buy a house, and threw a fit and has done something to block the purchase.
No, I don't understand it either, but it means I'm back to square one. Again.
F***.
I suspect the latest buyer was relying on the proceeds of the sale of the marital home/divorce settlement and STBXH is now blocking that.
In which case, he's a b*****d squared - he's not just f***ing me over, but his wife as well.
Sorry about that.
Hopefully, it's a temporary blip, or, better still, paving the way for The Third Offer - The One Which Will Work™
I mean, whether you agree or disagree with that particular tastebud-tickling choice, isn't it amazing how creative and inventive human beings have been throughout the ages, inventing foodstuff that just tastes exceptionally nice? It is a piece of art and beauty, such expertly crafted nourishment! We may perceive art in music (such as church music; organ, choral works) or in painting or sculpture or achitecture, but isn't food part of art, and of truly artistic human ingenuity as well?
Makes you stand in awe before the Creator (while nibbling on, I presume...!), doesn't it? My conclusion: food created and devoured with love and joyfulness is just as real, or perhaps even more so, than all the horror in the daily news!
Good stuff indeed.
Besides, the sun is out in force again today, after weeks of mostly misery and low-lying, dense clouds and fog. Happy, pleased, well-fed Wes wishes you a lovely Sunday!
Well, the third offer came in a couple of hours after the second one fell through! Whether it'll be The One Which Will Work™ or not remains to be seen - I've accepted it anyway, so we shall see.
Everything crossed again ...
Hubby is driving eldest son back to York uni this morning so I’m having a lazy day at home. Youngest son is still in bed 🙄