Yes, now that we are only shopping once a week we need to prioritise which shop to go to. We usually plump for Aldi but occasionally top up our favourites at Asda.
I continue to stash for Brexshit. I buy a couple of extra tins/jars a week and stash them on shelves upstairs. I line them up and use the front one each time. Once I’ve got ten I replace (at the back) as I use. I write the date big in permanent marker.
Interestingly, coffee beans have had the same ‘use by’ date, in 2021, for months now. 🤔
I’m currently building up a stash of pickled peppers and pickled sun dried tomatoes.
No stash here (well, not food wise). We buy big bags of rice and flour anyway, should the apocalypse come we will live on dahl, chapattis and rice.
Waitrose was quiet with no queue this morning, and 100% mask compliance. They have, however, run out of tonic which was the main thing I wanted.
Is that tonic as in "gin and tonic" or as in "vitamin-filled pick-me-up"? Both have their virtues.
I was looking for bog-standard Vitamin D but Asda only has (a) horrible sweet-flavoured chewable gummy things and (b) stupidly-priced branded tablets. I bought neither.
You'll just have to go out in the sunshine to get your Vitamin D ...
More jobs have been applied for (it's a tedious process, but at least with the NHS ones I can re-use previous applications - my experience and qualifications haven't changed).
A foray to the bank may be in the offing - I'm still in the process of applying for an account, but Circumstances Beyond My Control keep getting in the way ...
I'll get it sorted one day.
It looks like quite a nice day, so amblage may be resumed. My knee, which was giving me such gyp a few days ago, has mysteriously more-or-less righted itself, so ambling will be more enjoyable.
Not quite sure what supper will be - possibly a pasta-and-pancetta thing with peas.
Tonic as in the quinine type - just to keep the mosquitoes at bay, you understand, a hazard of these low lying regions. The gin is just to add flavour.
Lunch is chicken and spinach on brioche buns for everyone else but sans bun for me. I might throw my chicken in an omelette.
I've not tried having a summer-into-autumn garden before. Usually, once the spring/early summer flush is over, it's a slide into everything either bolting or withering, or both.
But just been out to the garden centre and bought 3 trays of new bedding, some alpines, a honeysuckle and a heuchera.
To get back to camembert. I've only had it baked once at my brother's. He had it with bread from the rather nice bakery at the end of the road. All the time I was eating it I could feel my arteries clogging up.
My garden is still looking OK. It's a patio, so everything is in boxes. Lots of lobelia this year that just seems to keep going. I might even have a tomato or two. I haven't grown them for a couple of years as they seem to split and get rot. They look alright so far.
The big news in the Sarasa household is that after ten years of hoping it looks like my husband might actually get the voluntary redundancy he's been holding out for. Fingers crossed they agree and we can put our retirement plans in place.
Best of luck, Mr. Sarasa - hope it pans out as you want it to!
We were at my brother's the other day, and he's got the most glorious display of lobelia and red geraniums (gerania?) in the box surrounding his balcony - they look absolutely stunning.
Totally frustrating trip to the bank. At least this time I actually got into the building, and saw a (very nice) Actual Human Being. Unfortunately, I'd omitted to put my middle name on the online application form, but it does appear on my passport, so they couldn't accept the application (and it took her about 20 minutes to find that out). Square one, here I come again.
I didn't get shortlisted for the "dream job" at St. Mary's - hardly surprising, as I imagine they'll have had dozens of applicants (they even said they'd had so many they couldn't do feedback).
It seems that the not really longed-for summerian heatwave is upon us now, here too - thankfully not quite up to 40°C, as in Foie Gras-Land, but should still climb to 36° or 38°, at least until the weekend. Funny, how this makes you rearrange your life and daily plans (easier during your holiday): close all shutters from at least midday on, and go shopping and do your stuff in the mornings.
If the forecast is to be believed, temperature is set to rise by 10° for One Day Only (tomorrow) then drop by 9° the next. This seems capricious even by Scottish climatic standards.
I was thinking that, Firenze - pushing it to reach 15° today, 27° tomorrow (eek!) and 18° on Saturday! My sister, who's a real sun-worshipper, is contemplating a beach tomorrow, but I doubt that she'll find one that hasn't already been found by half the population of the Lothians ...
It's a shame in a way the hot weather wasn't today: as I mentioned above, it's my great-nephew Adam's fifth birthday, and I don't know what sort of things his mum had planned for him, but I hope they're not outdoors! We're heading round there shortly to deliver pressies and hugs - I think one of my nieces and Archie and his mum are coming too, so it should be quite jolly.
We had our shutters closed at 9 o'clock this morning. 39° again today.
Like @Wesley J, we have adopted Spanish hours - up early, Get Things Done™ in the morning, and then close everything, turn on the air conditioning and take a nap in the afternoon when it's too hot to do anything else. Emerge in the early evening when it starts cooling down.
Apparently it's also 39° in Paris today. I'd much rather be here than there. At least it's dry heat, and the houses are built to keep it out.
It’s going to be 27 degrees here this afternoon and 33 degrees tomorrow - must water the garden! It’s staying in the 20s over the weekend and I’m hoping to persuade hubby to put up the new shed; we need to get a skip and blitz our patio and garden of rubble so we can enjoy some meals outside.
It’s a reading day for me, I might sit in the garden for an hour or so before it gets too hot.
Once the temperature gets above 20ºC I'm indoors with windows & doors closed and curtains drawn.
It's my birthday tomorrow. I expect to spend much of it in the shower.
If the forecast is to be believed, temperature is set to rise by 10° for One Day Only (tomorrow) then drop by 9° the next. This seems capricious even by Scottish climatic standards.
Out here, half way into the Atlantic, we're not seeing that much variation over the next week, day or night.
Yes, and don't spend too long in the shower...it's not good for you, so I am told...
ION, my poor, dear, BT hub/router has finally Given Up The Ghost, which (the technician/engineer says) is why it can't connect to BT Internet. Ah well - nothing lasts for ever, as the man said when he finished up his last humbug.
A new hub should be delivered tomorrow, but we shall see. Unfortunately, the technician/engineer had run out of his van's stock of new hubs...
I've been totally incapacitated by the heat. Not sure what it is, but I have had the curtains drawn and been abed most of the day. Managed to take out the bin bags before 7, and to put the milk in the fridge. Also to engage a debt firm in discussion about electricity bills at an empty house with the power disconnected, but then I simply gave up. Did wash my hair, for the coolth. This is not good. The first sentence is a bit over the top, but I couldn't find anything else.
Hope you'll be feeling better soon, Penny S! - We're all a bit like cats on a hot tin roof, I guess. Marvellous book and film, by the way, but they all got slightly insane because of the heat there too!
It seems that the not really longed-for summerian heatwave is upon us now
as "sumerian". I thought, Odd reference, but yes, hot.
Ya. I like to create my own words sometimes, I'm afraid! - That daft virus, for instance, is an instance of 'virusian' attack to me, which I think rather satisfyingly goes with 1950s extraterrestrial invasion films, but also Star Trek and the hope of understanding the Virusians at some point (Captain Kirk might have to kiss their female leader...!), and finally with 'Russians', which again trigger Cold War movie memories, and how the good, such as 007, always win. - I think we need some crazy optimism in these weird times!
Speaking of weird: we had a whopping 20°C temperature difference today, from a refreshing early morning 12° to 32° early evening! Just sayin'!
Finally, similar to LVER, I did in fact have to close the first shutters at 9.30am already, and the last ones shortly before midday. Gah! - Well, I've survived another very hot day. I win.
I’m surprised how sad I feel about our partial lockdown, starting today.
It won’t change much of what I do at all. But the small comfort of a garden party with friends last week for my birthday - we took our own picnic and chairs and sat two metres apart - had made me hopeful of more such gatherings.
Never mind, we’ll just have to meet up for walks instead.
@Wesley J - there's an actual, real word for your "summerian" - it's aestival - relating to summer, and imho a Good Word (although "summerian" is rather pleasing too).
This has been brought to you by Piglet's Occasional Etymology™.
The Very Hot Day has indeed arrived: according to the Met Office it's 26°, which is Too Hot*.
S. has gone off to have coffee with some friends; they've been having Zoom coffee mornings every Friday since lockdown, but today they're having an actual one in the garden of one of them. I'm contemplating an amble down to the supermarket to get some spring onions for the potato salad I'm planning for supper - I never imagined I'd have to consider too much heat when planning amblage in Scotland!
* @Zappa - if you're reading this, you might be considering discarding your thermals ...
We have just returned from a delightful lunch to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. Delicious food: MrBeaky had Vichyssoise followed by chicken in a mushroom sauce with mash and spinach whilst I had a tomato and whipped goat's cheese salad, followed by hake with crushed potatoes and a medley of green vegetables.
Delicious!
Happy anniversary. That does sound like lovely food. We’re having our Friday takeaway of a Chinese. I have ordered far too much food but the boys will demolish it (or have it for breakfast).
Our local BBC weather forecaster has just said that today was "the hottest day of the month so far". However, that record will be unassailable as today was also the last day of the month!
We have just had some rumbles of thunder and a downpour that I would mark at 2/10. Far too short to banish the heat. We ambled as far as the supermarket for ice cream earlier.
It was so hot this afternoon that I haven't finished all my work, as I couldn't concentrate on sorting out clinic bookings, which is annoying as I hate working on a Friday night. Only got an hour tops more to do though. Mr Dragon actually decamped to the cellar!
But...I am a happyish bunny, as my new BT Home Hub/router thingy arrived earlier today, as promised*, and is working OKishly. That is to say, it's connecting to Broadband, but, alas, there are still annoying outages from time to time, seemingly across this whole area.
Well, I have my trusty Dongle as a back-up!
*They (BT) told me at about 130pm yesterday that they'd send it post-haste. It arrived at 1030am today. Now that I call Good Service...
We had a stonking rainstorm, accompanied by thunder and lightening, with more stair-rods of rain to follow...
All is now (relatively) quiet on the Western Front (of Scotland).
I have decided that the hour of work I need to do can be done over the weekend. It is quite pleasant with the window open now as it has cooled down enough the breeze is refreshing.
This is probably about the only time I am missing being in the office for something more than a change of scene: we have the luxury of air-conditioning, which most of the hospital lacks. (Fringe benefits of being in the office next door to the backup data centre onsite, and not in the main building.)
Jeans? Sweatshirt? - Luxury! When I was but a wee nipper, etc. etc.
To be frank, I could really do with a/c now, it's again over 25°C already, and it not even 11am! - Who makes these temperatures? They ought to be fired on the spot! Totally unprofessional they are! Grr...!
On the up side, there should be a couple of thunderstorms and rain tonight and on Sunday, and then for a day or two a mere 21°, which will/would be loverly.
I've resorted to unpacking my cooling vest again, which I think I mentioned in summer 2019. It might help. (It works by gradually evaporating water, worn close to your body, and is very nice - not advisable in the shade though and just sitting around, because you could even catch a cold! ) - But I'm currently wearing an enwetted* special type of scarf around me neck, which works similarly to the cooling vest!
Bring on the breeze!!
Still, despite my moaning has broken (for which I apologise), wishing a lovely Saturday to all!
It's much cooler and more pleasant in Embra today than it was yesterday: we had a max temperature of 28°, which really was stifling. I think we got a spitter or two of rain late last night, and the temperature has sunk to a really rather pleasant 15°, and not expected to go above 17° today. That'll suit me just fine - amblage will ensue shortly once I've had something to eat (berries with granola and yoghurt, followed by TOAST with lemon curd, and washed down with some coffee).
Supper will be something with salad - not sure yet what. S. made a foray to M&S yesterday and brought back all sorts of interesting looking tubs, so we'll see what's what.
Yesterday was about 35 degrees.I stayed in with shutters and windows closed and watched several episodes of Outlander, which I found on our newly acquired Netflix. When it's hot I drop sweat in an exceedingly unattractive manner. I have, today, discovered that a silk scarf on my head, in a turban style helps reduce trickles enormously
Yesterday I ventured out in the middle of the day and rather quickly came home again as it was oven like and unpleasant.
Today I went the furthest I've been since the middle of March when we (husband and I) went to see some friends who live about ten miles away. After a lovely lunch in their glorious garden we went on an an interesting walk to the the Thames and along to Battersea. Fascinating history and so nice to be out interacting with people in real life rather than on zoom.
Tomorrow we are meeting our niece and taking her on a walk in our neighbourhood. Again the Thames will feature but a bit further upstream than Battersea,
That's great, Sarasa! River walks can be very pleasant!
Over here, thank God - and I mean it! -, it's a bit cooler today, currently 22°C, max forecast 25°, a few days to follow with around 20° and then towards the end of the week up to 30° again. At least a bit of a temporary relief, and I feel considerably better!
Also had some rain, and should have more, and thunderstorms, until Tuesday. Niiiiice.
Comments
I continue to stash for Brexshit. I buy a couple of extra tins/jars a week and stash them on shelves upstairs. I line them up and use the front one each time. Once I’ve got ten I replace (at the back) as I use. I write the date big in permanent marker.
Interestingly, coffee beans have had the same ‘use by’ date, in 2021, for months now. 🤔
I’m currently building up a stash of pickled peppers and pickled sun dried tomatoes.
Waitrose was quiet with no queue this morning, and 100% mask compliance. They have, however, run out of tonic which was the main thing I wanted.
I was looking for bog-standard Vitamin D but Asda only has (a) horrible sweet-flavoured chewable gummy things and (b) stupidly-priced branded tablets. I bought neither.
More jobs have been applied for (it's a tedious process, but at least with the NHS ones I can re-use previous applications - my experience and qualifications haven't changed).
A foray to the bank may be in the offing - I'm still in the process of applying for an account, but Circumstances Beyond My Control keep getting in the way ...
I'll get it sorted one day.
It looks like quite a nice day, so amblage may be resumed. My knee, which was giving me such gyp a few days ago, has mysteriously more-or-less righted itself, so ambling will be more enjoyable.
Not quite sure what supper will be - possibly a pasta-and-pancetta thing with peas.
Lunch is chicken and spinach on brioche buns for everyone else but sans bun for me. I might throw my chicken in an omelette.
But just been out to the garden centre and bought 3 trays of new bedding, some alpines, a honeysuckle and a heuchera.
AG
My garden is still looking OK. It's a patio, so everything is in boxes. Lots of lobelia this year that just seems to keep going. I might even have a tomato or two. I haven't grown them for a couple of years as they seem to split and get rot. They look alright so far.
The big news in the Sarasa household is that after ten years of hoping it looks like my husband might actually get the voluntary redundancy he's been holding out for. Fingers crossed they agree and we can put our retirement plans in place.
We were at my brother's the other day, and he's got the most glorious display of lobelia and red geraniums (gerania?) in the box surrounding his balcony - they look absolutely stunning.
Totally frustrating trip to the bank. At least this time I actually got into the building, and saw a (very nice) Actual Human Being. Unfortunately, I'd omitted to put my middle name on the online application form, but it does appear on my passport, so they couldn't accept the application (and it took her about 20 minutes to find that out). Square one, here I come again.
🤞🐾
Ah well - something else maybe?
It seems that the not really longed-for summerian heatwave is upon us now, here too - thankfully not quite up to 40°C, as in Foie Gras-Land, but should still climb to 36° or 38°, at least until the weekend. Funny, how this makes you rearrange your life and daily plans (easier during your holiday): close all shutters from at least midday on, and go shopping and do your stuff in the mornings.
So we'll see how that goes!
It's a shame in a way the hot weather wasn't today: as I mentioned above, it's my great-nephew Adam's fifth birthday, and I don't know what sort of things his mum had planned for him, but I hope they're not outdoors! We're heading round there shortly to deliver pressies and hugs - I think one of my nieces and Archie and his mum are coming too, so it should be quite jolly.
Like @Wesley J, we have adopted Spanish hours - up early, Get Things Done™ in the morning, and then close everything, turn on the air conditioning and take a nap in the afternoon when it's too hot to do anything else. Emerge in the early evening when it starts cooling down.
Apparently it's also 39° in Paris today. I'd much rather be here than there. At least it's dry heat, and the houses are built to keep it out.
It’s a reading day for me, I might sit in the garden for an hour or so before it gets too hot.
I think I shall have to go on my Friday shopping trip today.
It's my birthday tomorrow. I expect to spend much of it in the shower.
Out here, half way into the Atlantic, we're not seeing that much variation over the next week, day or night.
ION, my poor, dear, BT hub/router has finally Given Up The Ghost, which (the technician/engineer says) is why it can't connect to BT Internet. Ah well - nothing lasts for ever, as the man said when he finished up his last humbug.
A new hub should be delivered tomorrow, but we shall see. Unfortunately, the technician/engineer had run out of his van's stock of new hubs...
It seems that the not really longed-for summerian heatwave is upon us now
as "sumerian". I thought, Odd reference, but yes, hot.
Ya. I like to create my own words sometimes, I'm afraid! - That daft virus, for instance, is an instance of 'virusian' attack to me, which I think rather satisfyingly goes with 1950s extraterrestrial invasion films, but also Star Trek and the hope of understanding the Virusians at some point (Captain Kirk might have to kiss their female leader...!), and finally with 'Russians', which again trigger Cold War movie memories, and how the good, such as 007, always win. - I think we need some crazy optimism in these weird times!
Speaking of weird: we had a whopping 20°C temperature difference today, from a refreshing early morning 12° to 32° early evening! Just sayin'!
Finally, similar to LVER, I did in fact have to close the first shutters at 9.30am already, and the last ones shortly before midday. Gah! - Well, I've survived another very hot day. I win.
It won’t change much of what I do at all. But the small comfort of a garden party with friends last week for my birthday - we took our own picnic and chairs and sat two metres apart - had made me hopeful of more such gatherings.
Never mind, we’ll just have to meet up for walks instead.
This has been brought to you by Piglet's Occasional Etymology™.
The Very Hot Day has indeed arrived: according to the Met Office it's 26°, which is Too Hot*.
S. has gone off to have coffee with some friends; they've been having Zoom coffee mornings every Friday since lockdown, but today they're having an actual one in the garden of one of them. I'm contemplating an amble down to the supermarket to get some spring onions for the potato salad I'm planning for supper - I never imagined I'd have to consider too much heat when planning amblage in Scotland!
* @Zappa - if you're reading this, you might be considering discarding your thermals ...
Delicious!
I'll get me Panama Hat...
Down to a mere 30C here, and no sign yet of the Tempest, Storm, and Wind...
It was so hot this afternoon that I haven't finished all my work, as I couldn't concentrate on sorting out clinic bookings, which is annoying as I hate working on a Friday night. Only got an hour tops more to do though. Mr Dragon actually decamped to the cellar!
I must say I somehow missed this in 1978; I guess I was just too busy...! - This documentary, still on iPlayer, is an i-(sorry) and ear-opener!
Might even get ya dancin'!
But...I am a happyish bunny, as my new BT Home Hub/router thingy arrived earlier today, as promised*, and is working OKishly. That is to say, it's connecting to Broadband, but, alas, there are still annoying outages from time to time, seemingly across this whole area.
Well, I have my trusty Dongle as a back-up!
*They (BT) told me at about 130pm yesterday that they'd send it post-haste. It arrived at 1030am today. Now that I call Good Service...
All is now (relatively) quiet on the Western Front (of Scotland).
This is probably about the only time I am missing being in the office for something more than a change of scene: we have the luxury of air-conditioning, which most of the hospital lacks. (Fringe benefits of being in the office next door to the backup data centre onsite, and not in the main building.)
It was WONDERFUL! but the day's heat had abated to such an extent that the poor souls in shorts looked seriously cold.
Mrs. S, smugly wearing jeans and a sweatshirt
To be frank, I could really do with a/c now, it's again over 25°C already, and it not even 11am! - Who makes these temperatures? They ought to be fired on the spot! Totally unprofessional they are! Grr...!
On the up side, there should be a couple of thunderstorms and rain tonight and on Sunday, and then for a day or two a mere 21°, which will/would be loverly.
I've resorted to unpacking my cooling vest again, which I think I mentioned in summer 2019. It might help. (It works by gradually evaporating water, worn close to your body, and is very nice - not advisable in the shade though and just sitting around, because you could even catch a cold!
Bring on the breeze!!
Still, despite my moaning has broken (for which I apologise), wishing a lovely Saturday to all!
*another Wesleyanism for Piglet et al
Weather should be a pleasantly sunny 22°, with a very light breeze. At night it should rain gently but well enough to water the fields and gardens.
It’s time the weather gods upped their game! 😜
It's much cooler and more pleasant in Embra today than it was yesterday: we had a max temperature of 28°, which really was stifling. I think we got a spitter or two of rain late last night, and the temperature has sunk to a really rather pleasant 15°, and not expected to go above 17° today. That'll suit me just fine - amblage will ensue shortly once I've had something to eat (berries with granola and yoghurt, followed by TOAST with lemon curd, and washed down with some coffee).
Supper will be something with salad - not sure yet what. S. made a foray to M&S yesterday and brought back all sorts of interesting looking tubs, so we'll see what's what.
Today I went the furthest I've been since the middle of March when we (husband and I) went to see some friends who live about ten miles away. After a lovely lunch in their glorious garden we went on an an interesting walk to the the Thames and along to Battersea. Fascinating history and so nice to be out interacting with people in real life rather than on zoom.
Tomorrow we are meeting our niece and taking her on a walk in our neighbourhood. Again the Thames will feature but a bit further upstream than Battersea,
I had a much more comfortable amble today - it's amazing what a difference a drop of 10° can make!
Over here, thank God - and I mean it! -, it's a bit cooler today, currently 22°C, max forecast 25°, a few days to follow with around 20° and then towards the end of the week up to 30° again. At least a bit of a temporary relief, and I feel considerably better!
Also had some rain, and should have more, and thunderstorms, until Tuesday. Niiiiice.