It’s sunny but chilly here - a good breeze, so my washing should get dry.
I’ve dug out my old sewing machine which hasn’t seen the light for day for 30 years! I’m finding it very relaxing. I’m just making masks and doggy bandanas at the moment, but my wish is to make ‘memory bears’. I have a couple of jackets which belonged to my Dad which I want to turn into a teddy. I used to make teddies out of teddy skin all those years ago. 🙂
Fascinating to hear the old school reminiscences. I belong to a Facebook group for my old secondary school. I hated it, but loads of the ex-pupils seemed to have loved it.
Back home from out lovely brief trip to Italy. The first lot of washing is on.
Me too. Strange isn’t it? I belong to a FB group for the school I was in until just before I turned 11. Loads of folk, (mostly boarders), seem to have loved their time there. Not so myself, but then I was that lowly type- a Day Girl.
I am alone in the house for the first time since 20 March!
The rest of the household are on a recce to check out the loon's flat, for which he has been paying rent while living back here. He was very worried that the electricity (which is on a meter) would have run out and the contents of his freezer would have been gently decomposing. Happily, the electricity was still on.
He came home originally because he had been cited for jury duty on 25 Mar, and so had brought home sufficient clothes for a fortnight long jury trial. Jury duty was cancelled only hours before lockdown.
I thank God that the jury duty brought him home at such an opportune time, and that he wasn't living alone through lockdown.
In their absence I am seizing the opportunity to go on a frenzy of house-cleaning, whilst listening to radio drama at full volume.
Glad to hear the freezer was OK - it would have been horrid if it hadn't been ...
For the first time in what seems like for ever*, it isn't raining, and there isn't even any threat of it in the forecast. I have ambled, and later will probably go with S. to the tip where she's got a booking to get rid of another car-load of boxes from the garage. There may also be communication with sundry family members (it was my nephew's partner's 30th birthday yesterday, and we haven't seen her yet to deliver pressies).
* apart from the brief break when I was ambling yesterday
Good about the Loon's flat @North East Quine , and glad he be at home. Is he going back to his flat soon?
This cold is very annoying and I feel crap. Son is home to belatedly celebrate his birthday, and I'd booked a local place for lunch and cocktails today. Husband and son had to go without me. Checking on the symptoms I have a classic cold, and for me colds always end up with a cough so thought I'd better not poke my nose outside and frighten the locals.
We're having a family cook in later to produce an Indian meal. I'm doing the rice, but I might also knock up a vegan take on a masala using tofu instead of paneer and coconut yoghurt. Husband is doing chickpeas, and when he's gone to our local Asda son is doing something with Okra.
I got on quite well with the 5:2 but my best dieting was Michael Mosley’s blood sugar diet - 800 calories a day for 10 weeks. Basically a carb free diet, it requires a lot of dedication but research shows it can reverse/prevent diabetes in some cases. I lost 10% of my body weight and stayed low carb afterwards and lost more over the next few months.
Sorted the overspilling herb and spices out into new matching containers this afternoon. I can now find stuff on the spice shelves.
I am currently listening to my 19 year old son advise my husband (who designs smart technologies and writes his own software) on writing a VR software programme. The world is scarily fast moving.
The house was tidy for almost 45 mins! Then the rest of the North East household returned home, with boxes of stuff from the Loon's flat, and started spreading it around.....
Damp and cheerless here in the bottom right-hand corner, although Sunday should be a bit brighter. Hopefully, The Faithful Few will be encouraged to come to church!
Still, I suppose we should be grateful for a typical August Bank Holiday - a cold north wind, and a high of no more than 17C. This year, of course, it doesn't really matter, as there's nowhere to go, and nothing to do when you get there IYSWIM...
Greenbelt this year is unusually mud free though.
Spent yesterday listening to Greenbelt. Really enjoyed the poetry and music but found the comedians irritating. Beer and Hymns last night was fantastic, the zoom call played recordings of individual songs sung at previous Greenbelts so you could sing along with a congregation at home. They then flicked between people’s home screens so you saw others singing and they waved (or raised glasses).
The Greenbelt picnic is at 12.30 so we’ll probably go to our virtual church this morning. If the weather is okay we will picnic on the patio and chat to our fellow Greenbelters next door.
I've had a very nice Sunday: spent the morning with all S's children and grandchildren (it was my nephew's partner's 30th birthday on Friday and we went to deliver pressies and eat CAKE).
Then off to my brother's (whose birthday is today*), and had soup and bread for lunch - all in all, a lovely way to spend the day. And the sun came out, and it was warm enough to sit out on the balcony!
* My family's birthdays tend to come in clusters: from the end of July to early September there are eight ...
Out Indian evening was very good. My husbands very spicy, delicious chickpeas (an old Madhur Jaffrey recipe) were both and son's okra dish was great. Okra can either be rather nice or a slimy mess, the frozen stuff seems good for producing dishes that are the former. Remains were polished off yesterday.
Today is going to be a lazyish day. I'm still not feeling great, but think I ought to take myself off for a socially distanced walk to blow away a few cobwebs. Husband is working from home today (no such things as Bank Holidays in his industry), so I'm keeping out of his way.
We're feeling disappointed (again). We'd planned a visit to Jersey, postponed from April, next week. But the Jersey Government yesterday announced a much stricter Covid travel regime, starting on Wednesday, in which local areas within the “Common Travel Area” (UK, France and Ireland) are categorised. Where we live has been placed into an “amber” zone which means 5 days’ isolation on arrival ... in fact we probably wouldn’t even be allowed to catch our return flight as we'd still be a couple of hours short of the time required! Most annoying, especially as we’re only a couple of miles away from the border with the next county which is a “green” zone.
I'm messing about here waiting for the laundry to do its thing - it looked like a good day for it when I put it in, but it's clouding over a bit now, so with my luck, the heavens will probably open just as I'm about to hang it out.
I think there's a vague plan for looking for somewhere that's still doing "eat out to help out" for lunch with S. and my brother and s-i-l - it's S's birthday on Wednesday, so I'd like to treat her, and if I can do it for half-price, so much the better.
I've seen a list of places in Edinburgh that say they're extending the scheme into September, but I'm not sure if they're keeping the same days of the week for it or not.
Husband en rouge went back to work today, and I didn't. It felt rather odd. I have decided not to look for another job as such, but to try to set myself up as a freelance translator. I have a qualification, and it's something I've always wanted to do, but never been in a position to take the risk of a big initial drop in my income. Now I'm entitled to unemployment benefits, I can think about it, so the situation is actually quite advantageous in some ways. OTOH my lawyer seems to be dragging her feet. I think I might be looking for another one if she doesn't get her act together.
This morning Captain Pyjamas and I took a trip to Marks and Sparks. I now have baked beans and Earl Grey tea . I also wanted the stuff for making mincemeat - I need to get going on it soon so it has time to macerate. I got most of the fruit (French dried fruit isn't quite the same) but was disappointed not to find mixed peel. I'm going to have to try to track some down somewhere.
A former lady friend of mine, from a few years back, became a freelance translator here in England (she is Lithuanian, so is fluent in many languages - Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Russian, German, English etc. etc.), and AFAIK found it most rewarding (especially when she got paid!).
My 16 year old is cooking chilli and nachos for tea. My husband is supposedly supervising him but he seems to be doing it from the lounge. As I am watching something on iPlayer in the kitchen I appear to be the one answering the questions.
I may have a glass of wine.
Stir fry with noodles, prawn crackers and wine is on the menu Chez Nen. Dips and bread sticks currently being consumed (cook's perks). Afterwards there's likely to be Chocolate. Tomorrow there will be a refocus on the Slimming World eating plan. Fresh start for September and all that.
Not that I'm a huge fan of September; I associate it with going back to school and I hated school until I got to sixth form.
Well that was quick. Fortunately we have legal insurance. We contacted them yesterday to say that our lawyer had let us down and could they find us a new one? This morning they've already put us in contact with one.
Funny thing is, we'd wondered a few times whether that insurance was really worth it, and whether we should cancel it. Thank God we didn't. It will also pay part of our legal fees.
Good news, La Vie - hope it works out better for you this time.
As Eat Out to Help Out is still running in some places, S., No. 2 niece and I went to the Bridge Inn at Ratho for a late lunch yesterday, and it was lovely. We followed it with an equally lovely walk round by the canal.
Supper this evening will be a prawn and pasta thing, followed by tarte au citron from M&S Dine In, which needs to be used. Tomorrow is S's birthday, and I think there's going to be a Family Gathering of some sort - either eating out or getting a carry-out.
It's nice to be able to get together again, even if we can't actually hug ...
Good news, La Vie! Lawyers, getting them, getting them to work on your cases, can be a nightmare. Hope this one really gets a move on!
I'm fed up with cooking for one, ready meals are, or can be, a good thing. But have taken some beef mince out of the freezer, so have got to do something with it! I'm thinking good old fashioned basic, like shepherds pie!.
I really like Shepherd’s pie, I thing it is underrated.
Nice long walk early this morning, I’m making the most of the sunshine while it’s here.
Nothing in my intray today do I decided to do some gardening. Hoed the main bed again for some autumn plantings (cottage garden mix) which should arrive soon, weeded the strawberry patch and removed some sprouting brambles from random parts of the garden. Tidied the planters and watered bits of the garden, topped up the bird feeders and did some maintenance of the wormery.
Now having a cup of tea before some kitchen tidying.
I recaulked bits of the bathroom - a job for which I had neither the proper tools nor enough bodily strength, but there again it's wonderful what you can do with a craft knife and a teaspoon.
I’ve been quite industrious (for me) over the weekend: put in a small new flower bed in the front with some heathers, painted the shed, cut the lawn, washed the sheets etc. I also walked to the supermarket this morning and was back just after 8 am, it was sunny and crisp - perfect autumn weather.
Yes, a lovely early autumn day here, too - hopefully there'll be more of the same for the rest of the month, please God...
A tiring morning, though - appointment with osteopath for various treatments (including acupuncture), followed an hour or so later by the weekly Pilates session...
I am currently Taking Things Easy.
Later, if the evening is a bit chilly, there will be SOUP.
I’m currently tucking into a piece of very nice cheese (The Merry Wyfe by Bath Cheeses, currently my favourite cheese). It makes the world much better.
We are still locked down with no sign of an end to it. 😢
Three weeks ago when church re-started, I predicted that we'd have restrictions back again within 6 weeks.
We now have restrictions again for those living in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire. No visiting anyone indoors. It was entirely predictable....
Sorry to hear shipmates are back in lockdown - I hope and pray for local improvement.
Tea was mushroom and courgette curry with turmeric lentil rice, served with yoghurt. I’m now having a gin and tonic.
Some friends have invited us round for a meal in their garden at the weekend. This will be our first visit to eat at a friends’ house since lockdown (though we did eat in the in-laws garden a few weeks ago).
... I'm thinking good old fashioned basic, like shepherds pie!.
Shepherd's pie was David's signature dish; I've never had another one that was as good. I used to help him make it - I was allowed to be the sous-chef - but I've never made it on my own. I think I could do it (although there was never a recipe), but I don't know if I'd get it quite right, and if I did, it might just make me feel sad.
Oh dear - I'm a right wimp! It's probably a moot point at the moment anyway, as S. has really gone off red meat (she hasn't been very well, and rich food seems to make her worse*), and I wouldn't want to risk it.
* which is a bummer, as she had a shedload of meat delivered just before she wasn't well, and it's reproaching me from the deep freeze ...
Sorry to hear shipmates are back in lockdown - I hope and pray for local improvement.
To be fair, our new restrictions are not as onerous as the ones Boogie is under. We can still meet outdoors, and I don't think particular types of businesses have to close/remain closed. And it's reviewed after two weeks. Nor are we required to stay within a 5mile radius of home (as they were in Aberdeen city for a period). But it still comes as no surprise whatsoever...
That's un fat lot de bon if it's pissing with rain and blowing a hoolie ...
I'm going out with several of the family tonight to celebrate S's birthday - the restaurant is within staggering distance, but I think my niece is picking us up, as she'll be driving anyway.
I'm looking forward to it - their food's really good. I don't know if they're one of the ones who've extended Eat Out to Help Out, but all the better if they have!
Tea tonight is tandoori chicken tikka (well, sort of, it’s in the oven) and red pepper served on basmati rice with an accompanying curry sauce and creme fraiche.
The curry sauce was last night’s leftover curry, reduced and with extra spice added. I bought paprika from the corner shop yesterday and it was labelled ‘hot paprika’ - they weren’t exaggerating.
There is a very nice bottle of Medoc open but I can’t indulge as red wine brings on my tachycardia 😢
We had a lovely evening yesterday - the company was excellent, and the food delicious (I had chicken liver parfait with onion relish followed by a really good steak and Proper Chips™, washed down with a rather nice Malbec, and preceded by an equally nice GIN and tonic).
I continued the Enjoyable Activities this morning by having coffee with the girl who was my bridesmaid 32 years ago, and who I hadn't seen for 20 years (she lives not far from Edinburgh, but our paths just hadn't managed to cross for all that time). We had a lovely catch-up, and have made plans for S. and me to go to hers for supper some time soon.
That sounds lovely @Piglet , both the meal and the meet-up. Glad it went well, it can sometimes be a risk meeting people you haven't seen in years.
I had a text from my husband this morning saying redundancy is on. He'll hear next week exactly when they want him to go, but hopefully before Christmas. Exciting times.
It seems strange seeing redundancy as "exciting times", but if he's taking it as early retirement, then all the very best, and good health to enjoy it!
I hope you both enjoy the exciting times ahead, Sarasa.
I think I've been overdoing it on the exercise as after my walk today I had fatigue and my shortness of breath is slightly worse. I think I'm going to have to break my walks down into smaller chunks throughout the day. It seems weird that exercise seems to be curing my tachycardia but making my breathing worse but I guess the latter is symptomatic of chronic fatigue syndrome. It's nearly 6 months since I had covid so I might speak to my doctor again and have a review.
Managed to get some work done; form 4 of my research permissions, this time the university's information register. Younger son is having loud conversations online and I'll be glad when he goes to college next week (albeit alternate weeks there as they are isolating year groups).
Either husband is cooking tonight or it is a takeaway.
Argh! Just walked downstairs and my husband is on a conference call in the lounge and older son is on a conference call in the kitchen. Is there no escape? Until 6 months ago I worked from home in a wonderfully empty and silent house - I’d like it back!
Having had the large lunch out yesterday, for dinner I had the minimalist tortilla. Take a couple a small (cooked) new potatoes and slice into thin rounds. Brown in butter, throw in a couple of prawns and a finely sliced spring onion. Pour over just a single egg beaten up with a little milk. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and finish under the grill.
It was actually nicer than the same thing in larger quantity.
Comments
It’s sunny but chilly here - a good breeze, so my washing should get dry.
I’ve dug out my old sewing machine which hasn’t seen the light for day for 30 years! I’m finding it very relaxing. I’m just making masks and doggy bandanas at the moment, but my wish is to make ‘memory bears’. I have a couple of jackets which belonged to my Dad which I want to turn into a teddy. I used to make teddies out of teddy skin all those years ago. 🙂
Me too. Strange isn’t it? I belong to a FB group for the school I was in until just before I turned 11. Loads of folk, (mostly boarders), seem to have loved their time there. Not so myself, but then I was that lowly type- a Day Girl.
The rest of the household are on a recce to check out the loon's flat, for which he has been paying rent while living back here. He was very worried that the electricity (which is on a meter) would have run out and the contents of his freezer would have been gently decomposing. Happily, the electricity was still on.
He came home originally because he had been cited for jury duty on 25 Mar, and so had brought home sufficient clothes for a fortnight long jury trial. Jury duty was cancelled only hours before lockdown.
I thank God that the jury duty brought him home at such an opportune time, and that he wasn't living alone through lockdown.
In their absence I am seizing the opportunity to go on a frenzy of house-cleaning, whilst listening to radio drama at full volume.
For the first time in what seems like for ever*, it isn't raining, and there isn't even any threat of it in the forecast. I have ambled, and later will probably go with S. to the tip where she's got a booking to get rid of another car-load of boxes from the garage. There may also be communication with sundry family members (it was my nephew's partner's 30th birthday yesterday, and we haven't seen her yet to deliver pressies).
* apart from the brief break when I was ambling yesterday
This cold is very annoying and I feel crap. Son is home to belatedly celebrate his birthday, and I'd booked a local place for lunch and cocktails today. Husband and son had to go without me. Checking on the symptoms I have a classic cold, and for me colds always end up with a cough so thought I'd better not poke my nose outside and frighten the locals.
We're having a family cook in later to produce an Indian meal. I'm doing the rice, but I might also knock up a vegan take on a masala using tofu instead of paneer and coconut yoghurt. Husband is doing chickpeas, and when he's gone to our local Asda son is doing something with Okra.
.......drop scones instead cheese and thyme.
The 5:2 diet does not appeal
Apparently
Sorted the overspilling herb and spices out into new matching containers this afternoon. I can now find stuff on the spice shelves.
I am currently listening to my 19 year old son advise my husband (who designs smart technologies and writes his own software) on writing a VR software programme. The world is scarily fast moving.
Still, I suppose we should be grateful for a typical August Bank Holiday - a cold north wind, and a high of no more than 17C. This year, of course, it doesn't really matter, as there's nowhere to go, and nothing to do when you get there IYSWIM...
Spent yesterday listening to Greenbelt. Really enjoyed the poetry and music but found the comedians irritating. Beer and Hymns last night was fantastic, the zoom call played recordings of individual songs sung at previous Greenbelts so you could sing along with a congregation at home. They then flicked between people’s home screens so you saw others singing and they waved (or raised glasses).
The Greenbelt picnic is at 12.30 so we’ll probably go to our virtual church this morning. If the weather is okay we will picnic on the patio and chat to our fellow Greenbelters next door.
Then off to my brother's (whose birthday is today*), and had soup and bread for lunch - all in all, a lovely way to spend the day. And the sun came out, and it was warm enough to sit out on the balcony!
* My family's birthdays tend to come in clusters: from the end of July to early September there are eight ...
Today is going to be a lazyish day. I'm still not feeling great, but think I ought to take myself off for a socially distanced walk to blow away a few cobwebs. Husband is working from home today (no such things as Bank Holidays in his industry), so I'm keeping out of his way.
I wonder if the virus is aware of all these boundaries?
I think there's a vague plan for looking for somewhere that's still doing "eat out to help out" for lunch with S. and my brother and s-i-l - it's S's birthday on Wednesday, so I'd like to treat her, and if I can do it for half-price, so much the better.
I've seen a list of places in Edinburgh that say they're extending the scheme into September, but I'm not sure if they're keeping the same days of the week for it or not.
This morning Captain Pyjamas and I took a trip to Marks and Sparks. I now have baked beans and Earl Grey tea
It was good!
My 16 year old is cooking chilli and nachos for tea. My husband is supposedly supervising him but he seems to be doing it from the lounge. As I am watching something on iPlayer in the kitchen I appear to be the one answering the questions.
I may have a glass of wine.
Not that I'm a huge fan of September; I associate it with going back to school and I hated school until I got to sixth form.
Tomorrow I may coax myself to a paella. Something with chicken and chorizo at any rate.
I recently learned from Nenlet1 how to cook paella and the first time I did it I didn't have any chorizo. It definitely needs chorizo.
Lver, so sorry to hear that, hope there is progress very soon.
Funny thing is, we'd wondered a few times whether that insurance was really worth it, and whether we should cancel it. Thank God we didn't. It will also pay part of our legal fees.
As Eat Out to Help Out is still running in some places, S., No. 2 niece and I went to the Bridge Inn at Ratho for a late lunch yesterday, and it was lovely. We followed it with an equally lovely walk round by the canal.
Supper this evening will be a prawn and pasta thing, followed by tarte au citron from M&S Dine In, which needs to be used. Tomorrow is S's birthday, and I think there's going to be a Family Gathering of some sort - either eating out or getting a carry-out.
It's nice to be able to get together again, even if we can't actually hug ...
I'm fed up with cooking for one, ready meals are, or can be, a good thing. But have taken some beef mince out of the freezer, so have got to do something with it! I'm thinking good old fashioned basic, like shepherds pie!.
Nice long walk early this morning, I’m making the most of the sunshine while it’s here.
Nothing in my intray today do I decided to do some gardening. Hoed the main bed again for some autumn plantings (cottage garden mix) which should arrive soon, weeded the strawberry patch and removed some sprouting brambles from random parts of the garden. Tidied the planters and watered bits of the garden, topped up the bird feeders and did some maintenance of the wormery.
Now having a cup of tea before some kitchen tidying.
A tiring morning, though - appointment with osteopath for various treatments (including acupuncture), followed an hour or so later by the weekly Pilates session...
I am currently Taking Things Easy.
Later, if the evening is a bit chilly, there will be SOUP.
Three weeks ago when church re-started, I predicted that we'd have restrictions back again within 6 weeks.
We now have restrictions again for those living in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire. No visiting anyone indoors. It was entirely predictable....
Tea was mushroom and courgette curry with turmeric lentil rice, served with yoghurt. I’m now having a gin and tonic.
Some friends have invited us round for a meal in their garden at the weekend. This will be our first visit to eat at a friends’ house since lockdown (though we did eat in the in-laws garden a few weeks ago).
Oh dear - I'm a right wimp! It's probably a moot point at the moment anyway, as S. has really gone off red meat (she hasn't been very well, and rich food seems to make her worse*), and I wouldn't want to risk it.
* which is a bummer, as she had a shedload of meat delivered just before she wasn't well, and it's reproaching me from the deep freeze ...
To be fair, our new restrictions are not as onerous as the ones Boogie is under. We can still meet outdoors, and I don't think particular types of businesses have to close/remain closed. And it's reviewed after two weeks. Nor are we required to stay within a 5mile radius of home (as they were in Aberdeen city for a period). But it still comes as no surprise whatsoever...
I'm going out with several of the family tonight to celebrate S's birthday - the restaurant is within staggering distance, but I think my niece is picking us up, as she'll be driving anyway.
I'm looking forward to it - their food's really good. I don't know if they're one of the ones who've extended Eat Out to Help Out, but all the better if they have!
Obviously no East-West divide on the weather at the moment then....
The curry sauce was last night’s leftover curry, reduced and with extra spice added. I bought paprika from the corner shop yesterday and it was labelled ‘hot paprika’ - they weren’t exaggerating.
There is a very nice bottle of Medoc open but I can’t indulge as red wine brings on my tachycardia 😢
I continued the Enjoyable Activities this morning by having coffee with the girl who was my bridesmaid 32 years ago, and who I hadn't seen for 20 years (she lives not far from Edinburgh, but our paths just hadn't managed to cross for all that time). We had a lovely catch-up, and have made plans for S. and me to go to hers for supper some time soon.
And the sun's shining!
I had a text from my husband this morning saying redundancy is on. He'll hear next week exactly when they want him to go, but hopefully before Christmas. Exciting times.
I think I've been overdoing it on the exercise as after my walk today I had fatigue and my shortness of breath is slightly worse. I think I'm going to have to break my walks down into smaller chunks throughout the day. It seems weird that exercise seems to be curing my tachycardia but making my breathing worse but I guess the latter is symptomatic of chronic fatigue syndrome. It's nearly 6 months since I had covid so I might speak to my doctor again and have a review.
Managed to get some work done; form 4 of my research permissions, this time the university's information register. Younger son is having loud conversations online and I'll be glad when he goes to college next week (albeit alternate weeks there as they are isolating year groups).
Either husband is cooking tonight or it is a takeaway.
It was actually nicer than the same thing in larger quantity.