Fourteen Weeks To Go

I really could have done without the announcer on Classic FM mentioning that yesterday afternoon. There are many tasks I would like to complete before I begin thinking about Yuletide. I shall have to sit down and make a proper list. 

• I plan to enjoy and Autumn, the changing colours of the season
• I hope to do my summer/winter wardrobe sort
• I intend to have a short holiday soon [one without trips to A&E]
• I want to make another batch of Shed Aprons
• I need to prepare some good meal plans for colder weather
• I must get regular exercise and be diligent about weight loss

And if I can tick those things off the list, maybe then I will apply my mind to preparations for the Festive Season.  Come on, it's only September and we haven't reached the equinox yet...Mincemeat and wrapping paper and holly wreaths can wait 

Not Tempting Fete?

I am going to have a rant. And I am not going to apologise for it. I feel that village fetes generally aren't quite what they used to be. There is little I am tempted to buy at the stalls round the edge of the field.

I have been to a few this summer, and come away with the same question every time.  

Why are so many people selling small plastic animals ?

Every colour under the sun, some multi coloured rainbows, some shiny iridescent, others sparkling glittery finish...And why are people shelling out so much money for them [many cost £2+] when they cost about 4p each online?

At our village school fete, it was one of the most popular stands. At the event we dropped in on last Saturday there were three different stands,  all selling these horrid things.

They have no purpose, many are poorly made, and some are downright ugly. And they are all made of plastic - so will be littering our planet for centuries.

These items seem popular with children in Primary School. But they are a choking hazard for toddlers and small creatures.  Their popularity will not last long. Unlike Lego bricks and Playmobil figures, they are quite cheaply made, with limited play value and do not fit together as part of a larger creation. They cannot be recycled.

One stall holder was explaining that the dragons she was selling were unique, they were her own design made on her 3d printer at home, which is why they were £6.99 each. I hate to think how long her printer was running, and how much energy it consumed to produce these items. 

I know it is hard to be consistent, and we cannot avoid every piece of plastic - nobody makes wood and metal pcs, phones, or TVs. Unlike George Washington, who had wooden teeth, I am smiling because I have a synthetic dental implant. And the front of my car is plastic to make it safer for pedestrians in the case of RTAs. But surely these bits of tat are quite unnecessary?

What is the point of encouraging my grandchildren to think about litter, and landfill, and the pollution of the oceans if I then give them a handful of plastic lumps which they will tire of and discard within days [if not hours?] 

There were other 'craft' stalls at the last fete I attended - 3 with crochet items [I recognised two of the grannies and their products from other local events] a couple of 'wax melts' stalls, and a lady with handmade cards. I was not tempted by any of their items.

A teenager was selling friendship bracelets in aid of Breast Cancer. She told me her Mum died two years ago. I gave her a donation, but declined the bracelet, and told her to sell that to somebody else. She seemed slightly surprised that someone would give without expecting an item in return. 

If the fetes' food stalls have changed policy and now use recyclable cups and biodegradable paper napkins, why is it still acceptable for other stalls to churn out all these plastic items?

Is this an unreasonable rant? How can we make a better impact? 

Apples Are A-Peeling

I have a small [eating] apple tree. My friend has a massive [cooking] apple tree. Far too many fruit for her and her family.

She said - please have some, Ang. I said my peeling machine would make short work of them. Your What?? 

I explained my gadget is like an apple lathe, it takes off a sliver of peel, and cores and slices the fruit. After 10 minutes I had a bowlful

And then I blanched, cooled and froze 3 boxes full, ready for autumn pies and crumbles. Next week I'm lending her the peeler. So easy, such a time saver, and minimal debris 

En-RHAP-tured!

Definition enrapture- to give intense pleasure or joy

I've been watching the Last Night of the Proms, since I was about 6 [sitting in front of my parents' tiny b&w tv) but I think Saturday night's programme was the best I've ever seen. 

• The stunning, enthusiastic conducting by Elim Chan
• Soprano Louise Alder's enthusiastic performance
• Witty, talented Bill Bailey on typewriter [and organ]
• Trumpeter Alison Balsom's retirement appearance
• ...and best of all, Bohemian Rhapsody, now 50 years old 

The whole evening was a glorious riot of exuberant joy, thoughtful interpretation, gifted musicians and singers - and cheerful promenaders. Bob and I enjoyed it immensely.

It was the second time this weekend that I'd enjoyed a celebration of Queen's wonderful song, now half a century old. 

There was a superb flashmob in Paris, led by pianist Julien Cohen, singer Mickey Callisto, and guitar prodigy Olly Pearson, who is just 11 years old.

You can catch up with the fun from the Albert Hall on BBC I-player. The Parisian entertainment is here...

Dud you see either of these?

Will you do  the Fandango?

Handfuls

In the story of Ruth, Boaz orders his workmen to drop handfuls of corn on purpose, so this refugee girl will have plenty of grain to take home for herself and her widowed mother-in-law. 
In my family, we always refer to any unexpected little extra blessings as God's 'handfuls on purpose' - and often they have seemed like miracles.

Ooopzzzz

Sorry about lack of post this morning. I'm quite OK, but was very sleepy first thing when Bob went off to a Men's Breakfast. So he left me snoozing, and I have only just surfaced properly and realised there's nothing on the blog. Back tomorrow!

I Do Like A Little Bit Of Butter...

 ...for my bread
Many years ago, I found a Hornsea Butter dish in a CS, in the Brontë pattern. I loved it. Then two years ago I dropped the lid and it broke. I was really upset

Clever Bob made a new wooden lid as a replacement.

And then, about three weeks ago, I noticed the dish was chipped at the top, and a crack was running down from the chip...

I have been checking the CS in Norfolk and Chorlton looking for a new glass or china butter dish [of any brand] I had no success. I looked on eBay - they had complete Hornsea ones for £20 - £40, And the ones without lids were £10+.

Then I found a lidless one in the Tapestry Pattern for just a fiver. And my wooden lid fits perfectly. And I am very happy. But I suspect this is becoming something of a Trigger's Broom exercise.

I do so like to have a civilised breakfast, with a toast rack and a butter dish...

I am sure Julie Andrews and her daughter feel just the same... [of course, the King has Duchy Organic Marmalade now, doesn't he?]

What's on your toast these days?

Riddle Me This...

 The word riddle has two meanings

1. from Old English rædel  meaning anything which puzzles or perplexes
2. from Middle English ridelle which means sieve

I was genuinely puzzled by the abundant crop of rainbow chard which was flourishing in the Raised Bed when we got back from Steph's. How did it get to be so rich and vibrant so quickly? And how should I cook it? Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries #3 listed a recipe for chard with caramelised onions and sultanas. I checked out the ingredients list - chard, oil, butter, onions, sultanas, lemon zest and pumpkin seeds. I had everything except the seeds.

 

No, wait!" I did have seeds. My big jar of Omega Seeds from Grape Tree contains sunflower, golden linseed, brown linseed and pumpkin.  I fling this stuff into my muesli, flapjacks, and bread, and sprinkle it on salads, to add extra nutrition to my diet. [Hugh and Jamie would be pleased with me, I'm sure] The recipe calls for 3 tbsp. 

Riddle; how do you sort out the pumpkin seeds from the rest?

Answer; You riddle it!

I sieved spoonfuls of the seeds into a bowl, the linseeds, and smaller sunflower seeds fell quickly through the holes in my draining spoon. I very quickly had my 3 tbsp of pumpkin seeds. Nigel calls this a light lunch for 2 [Bob says NS refers to almost everything as a light lunch or light supper!]

 

Photo from the book, because we ate the meal and I forgot to take a pic. But the rainbow chard looked so colourful. I served it with some cold sliced chicken. The sultanas were surprisingly plump and juicy, and the seeds gave an extra crunch. Bob commented on the delicious sweetness of the onions.

Here's the recipe from the book

Chard with caramelised onions and sultanas

[onions, sultanas or raisins, pumpkin seeds, lemon, rainbow chard]

Peel and slice a couple of small onions, soften them in a shallow pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and a thin slice of butter. When they are starting to brown a little round the edges, add 3tbsp sultanas [or raisins] and the same of pumpkin seeds. Let the fruit plump up a little. A salt and finely grated zest of ½ a lemon. 

Wash 4 handfuls [about 100g] of chard, put it into a separate pan with a shallow film of water, cover with a lid and steam for a minute or so. As soon as the leaves have wilted and the colour is still bright, cover and transfer to plates. Scatter over the onion mixture and serve. Serves 2 as light lunch or side dish.

George and Jacob are very keen on riddles at the minute. The most popular one last week was on the side of a squeezy yogurt tube.

The Summer Is Ending

 

Here are the last 6 months of tree pictures - from barely any foliage in April up to this week when we got back from Manchester. My tree has stayed pretty much the same shape all year
The ground below is looking very parched, and I think the leaves are just on the edge of turning to their autumn colours.
We were very conscious as we drove up  and over the Pennines last Monday that there were clear signs of autumn the further north we went - and when we came back on Friday, this was even more apparent. 
The fig tree crop is over, the children are back at school, and next Sunday will be Harvest Festival at chapel...
I am glad for our climate here in the UK, each season has its own special beauty. [but for me, Spring is my favourite, with  new birth, fresh starts, Easter...]

What is your favourite season? Why?

A Month Of Bargains

1. My usual charity shop limit is £4 a week. Which is £16 a month.  For ages I've been looking in CS for a single Pokal glass tumbler, as I only had 5, not 6. So I was pleased to find one for 50p in the Warrington IKEA bargain corner - they come in sets of 6 for £4, which is 67p each. Set complete. Not a CS buy, but never mind
2. I don't need pinking shears - but Bob spotted brand new Fiskars ones for £8 instead of £35, and all my other crafting scissors[and garden secateurs, and kitchen scissors] are the orange handled Scandinavian beauties. So I got them - and passed my others onto two sisters I know who are starting their sewing journey, and will make good use of them. [Break shop, Cromer]
3. Bob also spotted 4 Pantone mugs for £4. They have gone into the cupboard, and random non matching mugs have gone in a CS donations box [Hospice Shop, Norwich]
4. I said I did not want anymore Willow Tree Figures, but the Bright Star Angel was £4 not £25, and she will look so good with the others at Christmas. [RSPCA Chorlton]

Total spend £16.50. That's OK. I probably won't buy any CS stuff for the next few weeks. My bargains

There is only one problem. The Angel has lost a hand. She had two when I took her from the shelf and gave her to the lady to wrap up. 
But when I unwrapped her, her right hand is missing. I checked very carefully in the bag she'd been in, in case it was in there. But no...

I am working out how to make a new hand. Air-drying clay is currently my best thought. Bob suggested putting some sort of pin into the wrist to hold it. On closer examination, there is a mark on the wrist, and I wonder if the hand had already been repaired and was loose in the shop...

No matter, I have till December to fix her!

Making More Of Less

Back in February, I reviewed Patrick Grant's book Less. I really enjoyed the library copy - so bought my own [2nd hand, naturally] His book ends
"Having less but better would be a path to a healthier, more equal society, a source of hope for a better future for the many people of all ages living in what we call our post-industrial communities. Living with fewer , better things is an act of goodness and kindness to people and the planet, and it would make us all happier."

I was so excited to discover he was coming to Norwich to deliver the annual Patricia Clabburn Memorial Lecture and booked a ticket immediately. The event was on Saturday, I took my book... Look at it now! [he has his own Sharpie for signing, a bit like the President] He began by asking who has read the book [surprisingly few of us, I thought] and said there were some on sale in the Foyer*. The talk was, not unexpectedly, a rehash of the ideas in the book, with a few fresh anecdotes thrown in. 
He was urbane, and amusing, and the hour went very fast - then there was a Q&A session - but only time for three questions. I am sorry, I cannot remember the first was "if we buy clothes in charity shops, are we contributing to the Fast Fashion problem?" he said that Charities need our support, and if we are delaying the stuff going to landfill that has to be good. The second was "what about the environmental impact of polyester and synthetic fabrics, you haven't really mentioned that" he replied that he'd run out of time [true] but yes, we should be much more concerned about the fabrics used in our clothing. 30% of the microplastics in the ocean come from clothes**. The third was "I ran a sewing club in my village, because the girls had asked for one - but then they said 'why bother to make clothes, when it takes ages, and you can buy a garment cheaper in Primark and wear it the next day' - so how do we convince our children and grandchildren that fast fashion is a bad idea?" Patrick replied that it was difficult, we had to hope that buying ff will become uncool. He pointed out that vegetarians and vegans were niche groups until quite recently, but now it is more common and more acceptable. Hopefully attitudes to fast fashion will start to change among the younger generation... [Yes, that question was mine, I was really pleased to get his answer] Maybe we older people can make an impact if we try
When we arrived, the woman at the door said 'Patrick is over there and can sign books if you buy one' So I took mine out of my bag [nb mine is hardback, today's were the newer paperback version] After he'd signed I looked behind me, there was nobody else waiting, so I asked for a selfie. A steward stepped forward and offered to take it. It took her quite a few attempts

I am not sure about his expression here. I can't decide if he is thinking "oh dear another mad woman" or "she is as short as Esme" or [hopefully] "I hope this attempt at a photo works"

It was a good afternoon, the women on either side of me were extremely pleasant to chat with, and it was certainly worth the £10 ticket. 

* He also asked who the favourite was to win GBSB - the popular vote was Kit 

** Informative article about microplastics and school uniforms in Saturday's Guardian here

In Everything Give Thanks

These are the words of Paul in his letter to the Christians at Thessalonica. I was completely exhausted when we got back from Manchester on Friday night, and have developed a nasty cold. But I was thankful 

• For a safe journey
• For 5 superb days with the family
• For a lovely home to come back to
• For the neighbour who had put my wheelie bin back
• For good food to eat
• .... For so much more.

But I was feeling a bit flat - missing my two cheerful little boys, and sneezing a lot. "We may have post waiting for us" said Bob, hopefully. There was indeed a stack of flyers on the mat [no, I don't need new furniture, replacement windows,  a will or a funeral plan - and I am certainly not planning on moving house!] But at the bottom of the heap, a proper envelope, with a handwritten address. And inside, the most gorgeous card

My wonky photo doesn't do it justice. My friend had already emailed a thank you for the small package I'd sent her. This handmade thank you card really lifted my spirits - as did the message inside. 

In this busy world of texts and emails and WhatsApps, it really means a lot when somebody makes an extra effort to show their gratitude.

"Writing thank you letters " after Christmas or birthdays often felt like a chore when I was a child, but I am glad Mum drilled the habit into me, and grateful to others who say thank you sincerely.

Let us not take each other for granted. Every day, find somebody to say thank you too. And make it genuine, not just a perfunctory phrase mumbled in passing.  ❤️💚💙🧡🩷

Bring Me Sunshine!

 

There is a pink furry octopus on the sofa. She is 25cm tall and I'm calling her Olivia Octopus [after Olivia Colman, the bright and cheery actress from Norfolk]

Somehow Bob 'won' her from Octopus Energy, who are our "suppliers". Except they don't supply us with very much energy, because of our solar panels on the roof and the storage batteries connected to them. In the 6 months March to August, we got 98.5% of our energy from the panels. And of the power generated, over 68% was sold back to the grid. So as well as paying for the 1.5% we got from the grid, our Octopus account has built up a very healthy balance. Enough to pay for any electricity used over the winter and cover the costs of the oil for our heating. 

When Bob phoned, to ask if some of the surplus could be transferred to our bank account [for the oil payment] the guy said he would have to check - we are supposed to keep 'in the black '., to ensure we can pay for power in the darker winter months. He said he would call up our account on screen. Bob said there was a pause, then the Octopus man said "Blimey!!" He was quite astounded by the effectiveness and efficiency of our panels. We feel very grateful that we were able to have the system fitted when we did.

If you are considering solar, do check out your fitter's credentials, don't have panels without batteries, and make sure you have the right paperwork connecting you to the grid so you receive your payments. We have found Octopus to be helpful and reliable. 

I'm still not sure how I feel about Olivia though!

Styal Style

 It is nearly thirty years since I went to Quarry Bank, the Victorian Cotton Mill at Styal in Cheshire, for the wedding reception of my dear friends Richard and Rachel. But we took George and Jacob on Tuesday [whilst their Mum and Dad were at work] 

Although the NT summer programme ended the day before, there was plenty to see and do. Out in the grounds and inside the mill, and in the owner's house

Well planned play areas, a good bridge for Pooh Sticks and tasty food

The mill was good to walk round, lots of "technical guides" explaining, and helping young ones to understand history and science. How the machines all worked, and how the workers [especially women and children] were treated so badly.

The boys were so well behaved and enjoyed the challenges - like following the Monty Moth trail. There was of course, the usual dressing up. A great day out, we were there over five hours!

A Visit To The Royal Armourers?

The family in Holland all went to a theme park. Rosie rode the carousel, and Jess explained to the fairy that Grandma had made her fairy dress. 

There appears to have been a medieval knights component to the experience. Steph sent a photo of tabard, shield and sword. "Knight's Tabard? How difficult?" I replied [perhaps a little too quickly] "Easy. Is Grandad required to make the shield?" George would like a shield please. With fire on it. And a sword too. So, having finished Shed Aprons and other tasks, Bob and I set to work to produce items for George and Jacob, done in time for our trip north.

He inserted old "ship" halfpennies into the pommels, polished to a shiny copper, and whipped the hilts. The shields were laser etched, painted and waxed.

I turned some scraps and a green cord skirt into two tabards. They are reversible to plain green if the boys want to play Robin Hood or something. Having learned at the castle the other week that bright colours were authentic, I went to town with these

My Kitchen Is NOT a Crime Scene!

I am being super- diligent about keeping my lovely new kitchen clean and tidy. But the other day I was using my blender [in a hurry], and splattered red juice on the cupboards. It was like an episode of CSI.  I am not quite tall enough to pour things tidily into the little hole on the top. I had a lot of washing and wiping to do. So I decided to be more careful in future.

I bought quite a lot of fruit recently because despite my love of puddings, I know we need a healthy balance - and the girls love fruit too. Watermelons are fabulous in hot weather. A slim slice on a stick is as good as a lollipop, cool chunks in as bowl with a drizzle of yogurt is an ersatz ice-cream-sundae. But I had half a melon left, And a mango too - and Ro and Jess were in Holland.

I decided to blend the remaining fruit and make a bottle of drink for the fridge. I cut off the peel [into the compost] and chopped the flesh into chunks.  Inspiration struck - my jam funnel fits neatly into the hole in the blender lid - so I rechopped the fruit a little smaller. It was quick and easy to spoon the melon bits into the funnel and blitz it.

I juiced the half melon, then decided the mango which was very ripe needed dealing with. I peeled it, and scraped all the flesh from the peel and from the stone, and blitzed that - adding an equal amount of orange juice from a carton and half a cup of water. 

The watermelon drink went into the large bottle, the mango&orange into the small one - and the remaining juices were mixed up into a third bottle. Once made they need to be drunk within a couple of days. That is better than fruit going to waste. And my funnel technique has kept the 'blood spatter' off the cupboard doors. Don't they look pretty?

Mish - Mash

In her book "Kitchen", Nigella ends many recipes with a paragraph entitled "making leftovers right". I fully endorse such notions of ZeroWaste and thrift. As we were going away to Manchester, I weanted to ensure I had used up as much as possible of our fresh produce. I checked the fridge and

I had a sweet potato, a regular potato, three small red potatoes, 1½carrots and a handful of beans.
Plus two brioche buns and the end of packs of peas and corn in the freezer. Further scrabbling around revealed a lock'n'lock with 'pineapple pieces' in it [bought in error by Bob who thought he was buying chunks to put on sticks with cheese, for the Shed Mardle] 
The leftover chicken from Monday had already been made into pie filling with mushrooms, a small onion and some of the stock - and I had a pack of puff pastry ready to encase it.
I thought I might make some sort of pudding with the brioche and pineapple, but had no eggs, and limited milk - but I did find a tin of custard lurking in the cupboard. The pastry was rolled out into a pasty shape and filled with chicken mixture, the root veg chopped and put to boil, with the green veg and corn in a steamer over them. The brioche buns were puttered and cut into chunks, and combined with custard and drained pineapple in a Pyrex dish. I mashed all the root veg together, with some butter - and served the lunch. Chicken Galette with steamed vegetables and root mash, followed by Pineapple Brioche Pudding.

I had not crimped the pasty well enough - so it burst open. And I'm calling it a galette! The filling was a bit sloppy, so extra gravy was not needed. A very filling and satisfying lunch, mostly leftovers.
The tinned custard was Waitrose Essentials - and is way thicker and creamier than my usual supermarket budget range [also more expensive] It made a very unctuous pudding. Leftover galette went into the freezer, for a light supper on our return from Manchester.

Jill in Dorset - still waiting for you to email me about the Noahs ark panel!

Yes Ma'am!

We watched "The Thursday Murder Club" last week. Having read the book, we knew Whodunit already. No spoilers here, for those who haven't. 

It was definitely "a cosy crime", with an amazing cast list. Being set in an OAP home, or more accurately  "an upmarket seniors' retirement community" there were many older actors both in leading roles and cameos. Oh, and David Tennant, who seems to pop up in almost everything lately.

As well as the Fab Four [Mirren, Imrie, Kingsley and Brosnan] look out for 

• Jonathan Pryce [the best actor in the recent Count of Monte Cristo we thought]
• Richard E Grant [at 68, one of the younger OAPs in the cast]
• Paul Freeman - I prefer him without his beard. He was Molly's urbane suitor in one series of Monarch of the Glen
• Richenda Carey - Also in MotG* playing Kilwillie's snooty sister Lady Dorothy
• Ruth Sheen - the longsuffering office secretary in Strike [new series due this autumn] No relation to Martin, or Michael

*our family referred to that favourite Sunday evening viewing as Monica. [As in "busy tonight, catching up with Monica Theglen"]

The filming was done in various Home Counties properties and villages, mainly Englefield House near Reading. The London Street through which HM drives at speed is actually Chatham Dockyard. And whilst Englefield House conveniently has an adjacent church, the cemetery opposite was specially constructed for the film,. With polystyrene gravestones! 

For me the best laugh-out-loud line in the entire film was when Pryce says to his wife who is just going out sleuthing "You look just like the Queen". Same initials HM, and Ms Mirren has played HerMaj twice [ film, The Queen 2006, and stage, The Audience 2013-2015] And she does it so well. You have to look twice to be sure who is who.

It was a fun film, but they did "over-egg the pudding" at some points. ***

Have you seen it, what did you think?