Quilts Super, Quick Supper

 

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Elisabeth and I had a lovely day. Lots of laughing and chatting and catching up, while we looked at all the merchandise and quilt displays. It will take a while to sort all my photos. 

So here's one I took earlier of a recipe I tried out this week. 

This is Jamie Oliver's Roasted Pepper Pasta. 

I made it on Wednesday evening and set aside half for Thursday. It was very easy and very tasty. And it just required heating through when I got back from the Quilt Show feeling exhausted [but happy]

Spinning, Strimming, Trimming

Tuesday was a pleasant day and for the first time this year, the whirligig dryer went up in the back garden. Always a cheerful sign, spring is on the way. And later Bob strimmed the edges of the lawn, and mowed the grass. The grass was just a bit loo long. I'd better get a move on with my 2026 garden notes.

My hair was also a bit long, so I drove into Norwich and went to Supercuts. Shelley cut quite a lot off, but I am pleased with the shorter cut. I can show off my dangly earrings! I think my last cut was in September, but Steph trimmed my fringe in the Christmas holidays.  A one length bob needs minimal maintenance, but once it gets a bit too long and the weather warms up, I like to go shorter again.

I am still unpacking bits and pieces from the Manchester trip. I thought I had left Bob's slippers behind. I hadn't - but I had failed to pack my little red Icelandic beauties!

Today should be a lot of fun, I am meeting up with my old friend Elisabeth in Newmarket - we have been friends for 44 years. We are going to the racecourse together- but for a Quilting Show, not to bet on the horses! There will be a full report later...

Burgers, Milkshakes, And Buddy Holly

Thank you for all yesterday's kind birthday wishes for Rosie 

When Bob arrived in Manchester last Friday afternoon, he said he had stopped for lunch at an American Dinner, and had really enjoyed his meal* So on our way home on Monday, he suggested that the pair of us stop for an evening meal at the OK Diner, on the A17, near Newark.

It was dark when we arrived, but the neon lights shone bright. We parked and went inside.
It was just like the diners I have seen on TV - red and blue banquette seating, decor included vintage CocoCola bottles, pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Uncle Sam in his top hat, and the star spangled banners everywhere. The waitstaff were a cheery bunch in their red tee shirts. And the jukebox was playing relentlessly cheerful 1950s hits the entire time we were there. 
We both had Top Dollar Malted Chocolate Milk Shakes, made in huge aluminium cups in the machine, then decanted into tall glasses. We were give the glasses, and the cups, so we could top up and have a second glass. I drank part of mine before my meal arrived [chicken burger] and some with the meal - then had a paper cup to take the rest with me. Bob enjoyed his shake along with his chicken platter. The food was lovely and hot. Staff could not have been more helpful, chatty and pleasant. 

In case you are wondering, this is what the place looks like in daylight. It was great fun - I suggested that if we made another Manchester trip early in the morning, we could have breakfast there. I'll have the short pancake stack with maple syrup and bacon, please. 

*The Cona coffee was in a glass jug, keeping hot, so rather stewed - but then that is the authentic way of serving coffee in diners, so we cannot complain, as I told Bob.
I kept thinking of all those films and TV shows I have watched where they eat in a diner, and felt I would not have been surprised if Meg Ryan, Al Pacino or Guy Fieri had been sitting at the next booth!

Into Double Figures

Hard to believe it but Rosie is ten today. So many great memories...

• 2016 when she first came home from hospital, first Grandad cuddle
• 2020 lockdown, and that amazing summer of Grandma's nursery at Cornerstones 
• 2021 Jess was born, and Ro has been a wonderful big sister ever since
• And now growing up so fast

Thank you for your wit and wisdom, love and thoughtfulness, for the joy and laughter you bring us everyday. Happy Birthday Rosie. God bless you today and always 

Half Term, Half And Half

 Half the holiday in Norfolk with the girls

Then half in Manchester with the boys

Highlights

Monday's Beaver Trail at Bkickling Hall, followed by lunch at The Whistles top café at Aylsham Station. Yes that Aylsham - now much more famous than it was a week ago. Also teaching Rosie how to embroider. Board games, and pancake party. 

Word games, and Mousetrap, stories with Grandad.[when he wasn't fixing things and doing odd jobs] And some of us shared a nasty cold. 

So lovely to spend so much time with our two daughters and their families.

Cornerstones is going to feel very quiet this week. 

A Pause In Lent #1

Just a simple prayer...

The Opposite Of "Deliver Us From Evil"?

I was decluttering a file of household documents last week, and a delivery note fell out. With slightly strange wording

"Delivery caused by goodwill" - what could that possibly mean?

Delivery in the Close is usually done by the postman, the milkman, the supermarket chap, the meds from our surgery or the impatient Amazon//online guys. Nobody hereabouts is need of delivery by a midwife, nor 'ministry of deliverance' from the Vicar. So what is 'delivery 'by goodwill'?
I looked for further clues - it is from Neff, and 'these parts should be fitted by a suitably qualified person'. Then I checked the date [1996] and the address [Kirby Muxloe] and what these parts were...

Then everything made sense. In the spring of 1996, we moved into the new Manse [built 1992], which had a fancy Neff double oven with gas hob. But no operating instructions.
I contacted the company, and they said they'd send a set of booklets. This was the delivery note that came with them. I presume 'caused by goodwill' means 'we are not going to charge you for these'

Thirty years on, times have changed so much. Most manuals are available online. I've just passed my older Janome Sewing Machine on to a friend from the Craft Group. I could find all the accessories - but not the manual. It took less than 10 minutes to find it online and print it off for her. 

When we left Kirby in 2015, I left all the appliance manuals behind for the next occupants! The phrase 'delivery caused by goodwill' sounds so friendly and charitable, doesn't it? It is always good to find helpful customer service departments.

Can you recommend any companies which go "above and beyond" ?