Thanks Bro J and NEQ for the garlic storage tips; I'd actually already done what Martha Stewart suggested and put two of the heads in a bowl in the larder, which is reasonably cool, and the other in a proper terracotta garlic crock in the kitchen.
I subscribe to the view that there's no such thing as too much garlic, so I'm sure I'll get through it!
Dull and breezy here; it was so dark when I came home from church I turned the lights on - at 11 in the morning in June!
A bit brighter now; laundry is laundering, and snoozage will ensue.
As we've got Evensong tonight, supper may well be a Chinese takeaway afterwards.
Cloudy, windy, and generally dismal in Arkland the Depressed. Rain is scheduled for tomorrow, so They say, which means that Paint Ing is once more deferred.
Have a good time on your various trips @nenya. I do like going on retreat. I think I need to book one for when this busy year is over. Hope the work on your new home goes well. We have various things here we'd like to get done, it's just finding the people to do it.
I have a civic event shortly so husband and I are just getting togged up and I'm making sure we have things like my speech and my external microphone that helps me hear people. I have had nothing to do with the organising so I'm not quite sure what's happening. I'm trusting I'll be pointed in the right direction.
Another good day. I drove to a NT property where we enjoyed house, art exhibition and gardens, then on to an excellent Sunday roast at a country pub in a small unspoilt village, followed by a slow drive back through lovely scenery. Just having a cup of tea and sliver of cake before we walk up to Evensong in an hour’s time. The bells are ringing already. Sunshine all the way but not too hot.
That sounds lovely, Puzzler - glad you're having a nice break.
I patronised the Bamboo Inn for supper, and rather wish I hadn't. I ordered my usual - prawns with cashew nuts - which usually come in a pleasant, gentle-verging-on-bland sauce. Today they didn't: as soon as I opened the carrier bag I could see that the sauce was red. Very red. It tasted even redder: I don't know whether the lady had misunderstood my order, or they'd changed the recipe, or had a chilli-powder jar malfunction, but after the first mouthful I had steam coming out of orifices I didn't know I had.
As you know, I'm no good at that sort of heat, so it wasn't an experience I want to repeat.
Dry here so far. Mr Heavenly has completed the base frame for my decking and concreted in the posts but hasn’t managed to do the top decking layer. This is not a surprise as he is a perfectionist who does everything very thoroughly and usually overruns his schedule. He’s hoping to take a day off in the week to complete. My contribution to the project is to buy a pretty mosaic table to go beside my garden chair on the decking and to plan some bunting.
Tea was a very nice, if slightly late, red Thai chicken curry with peppers and spinach, accompanied by sticky rice and yoghurt. I am now having a gin and tonic.
Dry here so far. Mr Heavenly has completed the base frame for my decking and concreted in the posts but hasn’t managed to do the top decking layer. This is not a surprise as he is a perfectionist who does everything very thoroughly and usually overruns his schedule.
He and I should team up. I work it out as I go along. We'd drive each other nuts!
I've had a very long Sunday rehearsing Tchaikovsky's first Symphony. It is rather Challenging™. I think it will turn out presentable but imperfect, which might be the best amateurs can be expected to do on it.
At lunchtime everyone brought something to share, and husband made carrot FOUP this evening.
Another dismal day of rain, cloud, coolth, and general greyness in Arkland the Autumnal. Please may we have some summer, please, pretty please?
Still, I managed to dodge the showers, and achieved the usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe, where I found everything on my (mental) list. They were offering a hefty Clubcard discount on my favourite Italian BEER, so that made a relatively Good Day even better...
When I got up it was tipping down, however when I went out 40 minutes later the rain had miraculously stopped so I dared leaving my brolly at home. It is now quite sunny although not warm.
Yesterday afternoon we went to see the film "Madfabulous" which we enjoyed although I found it a bit disjointed. There were also some infelicitous out-of-period phrases in the script, which jarred. What we did enjoy was spotting the locations, most of which we have visited! After that, we consumed "pysgod a sglodion" bought on the way home.
We have a record of meaning to see films but never quite doing so, so we were glad we went!
Raining all day here, I even started my marking early rather than go for a walk in it. Today’s quota of exam marking is done and I should really do some housework.
Your weekend sounds lovely @puzzler. You've packed so much in you're going to feel like you've been away for much longer. Are you home now?
After a full on afternoon of civic duties yesterday, today has been much more low key. I went to my Pilates class this morning, then round for coffee with my neighbour who made my dress for the Regency ball on Saturday. Another friend is trying to make herself the same dress and went round for advice. I think she's decided it is a bit tricky and she'll wear something else for the ball.
The weather was very wet this morning so we took the car to the leisure centre. It's sunny and much warmer now, so I think gardening after tea will be on the cards.
Back home after four most enjoyable days away. Woke up to rain but it cleared and turned sunny.
We just managed to check out of our cottage at the appointed hour and broke our journey home at a former stately home, now council owned, free to enter as a museum, with good café and extensive parkland. This took care of over three hours of our time and made a great stop.
No more Monday evening choir until September but I have lots of admin to catch up with this evening and tomorrow.
After a slightly fraught journey we have arrived at friends flat for a week doing even less than usual, but we will probably look at some pretty places if the weather isn’t vile. A couple of steam train rides are likely and visits to places we have never seen before.
Mrs Sioni has noted a fabric shop, so this could be an expensive week.
Glad you had such a good weekend, Puzzler!
It was dry this morning and warm enough that I didn't take a coat, tried to rain while I was coming back from Tessie's at lunchtime (I think I may have just missed it), and lovely when I was coming home.
Supper was pasta with prawns, mushrooms and tomatoes.
An interesting day so far. I got up early and went for my swim. On the way back I stopped off at the garage where I sometimes buy a paper, only to find they hadn't put them out. So I went up the road and waited a few minutes for the supermarket to open - not a problem but it was tipping down when I came out. Got home and ran some washing through the machine while having breakfast.
All morning was occupied by two primary school admission appeals (online) - they do take time but we have to be meticulous in doing them. After a quick lunch I was off to school to talk to a Y5/6 class about Christian weddings - part of a segment they're doing on weddings in various faith traditions. I enjoyed that, now I'm home and about to do some sermon preparation.
A mixed day in Arkland the Grateful, where there have been only a few showers of Rain to interrupt the otherwise pleasant Sun-Shine. Mind you, They have also provided us with entertainment in the shape of some quite dramatic Cloud formations, which I have been observing from the shelter of the Wheelhouse.
It will be warmer at the weekend, They say.
Pilates has been accomplished (not too painful today), along with a little bit of Shopp Ing, and a little bit of Wash Ing (as in laundry). If the Pantz and Sox I've just hung out get rained on this afternoon, it won't matter - it'll be a free Rinse...
HADDOCK FISH CAKE for Lunch, with some Chips and Mushy Peas left over from yesterday. A cheapo (39p) tin of Mushy Peas from Tess Coe lasts me for two meals...
Well, I can tick the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway off my bucket list. Sadly, it was the highlight of our day by a factor of, well, everything. We found the assorted paths and roads way too steep to explore further (I have a Blue Badge for parking and Mrs Sioni ought to have one) and the A39 along the North Somerset and North Devon coast is a challenge, even a) in fair weather and b) to Mrs Sioni’s driving skills.
Most disappointingly half the various cafes, ice cream parlours restaurants and pubs were either doing short hours or closed more or less permanently. I know it’s not school holidays, but surely some people come on holiday in June?
That is disappointing. I too love the Cliff Railway. I have a postcard showing a trainspotter ticking off the cars as they pass: "This one ... that one ... this one ...".
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I'm going to do the same when we have our building work done - I've already planned my escape!
I subscribe to the view that there's no such thing as too much garlic, so I'm sure I'll get through it!
Dull and breezy here; it was so dark when I came home from church I turned the lights on - at 11 in the morning in June!
A bit brighter now; laundry is laundering, and snoozage will ensue.
As we've got Evensong tonight, supper may well be a Chinese takeaway afterwards.
I have a civic event shortly so husband and I are just getting togged up and I'm making sure we have things like my speech and my external microphone that helps me hear people. I have had nothing to do with the organising so I'm not quite sure what's happening. I'm trusting I'll be pointed in the right direction.
I patronised the Bamboo Inn for supper, and rather wish I hadn't. I ordered my usual - prawns with cashew nuts - which usually come in a pleasant, gentle-verging-on-bland sauce. Today they didn't: as soon as I opened the carrier bag I could see that the sauce was red. Very red. It tasted even redder: I don't know whether the lady had misunderstood my order, or they'd changed the recipe, or had a chilli-powder jar malfunction, but after the first mouthful I had steam coming out of orifices I didn't know I had.
As you know, I'm no good at that sort of heat, so it wasn't an experience I want to repeat.
That does sound lovely, Puzzler.
Dry here so far. Mr Heavenly has completed the base frame for my decking and concreted in the posts but hasn’t managed to do the top decking layer. This is not a surprise as he is a perfectionist who does everything very thoroughly and usually overruns his schedule. He’s hoping to take a day off in the week to complete. My contribution to the project is to buy a pretty mosaic table to go beside my garden chair on the decking and to plan some bunting.
Tea was a very nice, if slightly late, red Thai chicken curry with peppers and spinach, accompanied by sticky rice and yoghurt. I am now having a gin and tonic.
He and I should team up. I work it out as I go along. We'd drive each other nuts!
I did, but not all the sauce. More or less cooled down now ... 🔥
I suspect most people who like spicy food would have taken it in their stride, but I'm not one of them!
At lunchtime everyone brought something to share, and husband made carrot FOUP this evening.
It's a matter of practice, as so often.
Still, I managed to dodge the showers, and achieved the usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe, where I found everything on my (mental) list. They were offering a hefty Clubcard discount on my favourite Italian BEER, so that made a relatively Good Day even better...
Lunch is GAMMON STEAK with CHIPS n'MUSHY PEAS.
And BEER.
Yesterday afternoon we went to see the film "Madfabulous" which we enjoyed although I found it a bit disjointed. There were also some infelicitous out-of-period phrases in the script, which jarred. What we did enjoy was spotting the locations, most of which we have visited! After that, we consumed "pysgod a sglodion" bought on the way home.
We have a record of meaning to see films but never quite doing so, so we were glad we went!
After a full on afternoon of civic duties yesterday, today has been much more low key. I went to my Pilates class this morning, then round for coffee with my neighbour who made my dress for the Regency ball on Saturday. Another friend is trying to make herself the same dress and went round for advice. I think she's decided it is a bit tricky and she'll wear something else for the ball.
The weather was very wet this morning so we took the car to the leisure centre. It's sunny and much warmer now, so I think gardening after tea will be on the cards.
We just managed to check out of our cottage at the appointed hour and broke our journey home at a former stately home, now council owned, free to enter as a museum, with good café and extensive parkland. This took care of over three hours of our time and made a great stop.
No more Monday evening choir until September but I have lots of admin to catch up with this evening and tomorrow.
Mrs Sioni has noted a fabric shop, so this could be an expensive week.
It was dry this morning and warm enough that I didn't take a coat, tried to rain while I was coming back from Tessie's at lunchtime (I think I may have just missed it), and lovely when I was coming home.
Supper was pasta with prawns, mushrooms and tomatoes.
An interesting day so far. I got up early and went for my swim. On the way back I stopped off at the garage where I sometimes buy a paper, only to find they hadn't put them out. So I went up the road and waited a few minutes for the supermarket to open - not a problem but it was tipping down when I came out. Got home and ran some washing through the machine while having breakfast.
All morning was occupied by two primary school admission appeals (online) - they do take time but we have to be meticulous in doing them. After a quick lunch I was off to school to talk to a Y5/6 class about Christian weddings - part of a segment they're doing on weddings in various faith traditions. I enjoyed that, now I'm home and about to do some sermon preparation.
It will be warmer at the weekend, They say.
Pilates has been accomplished (not too painful today), along with a little bit of Shopp Ing, and a little bit of Wash Ing (as in laundry). If the Pantz and Sox I've just hung out get rained on this afternoon, it won't matter - it'll be a free Rinse...
HADDOCK FISH CAKE for Lunch, with some Chips and Mushy Peas left over from yesterday. A cheapo (39p) tin of Mushy Peas from Tess Coe lasts me for two meals...
Most disappointingly half the various cafes, ice cream parlours restaurants and pubs were either doing short hours or closed more or less permanently. I know it’s not school holidays, but surely some people come on holiday in June?