OS Daily Thread - Monday 24th August

mummysaver

redruby - Wookey Hole is good too, and has more stuff indoors than Cheddar!

celyn - wow, great pic! Time to get my jam maker out again methinks!

celyn90

I have two jars that a bit runny because OH kept turning the heat down (don't ask - he just doesn't get it - I had to reboil some because he kept interfering and I could only send him to get sugar once really) but the rest has set okay. I will use the runny stuff for baking and glazing, so it does have a use - I made Bavarian plum cake with some of the more happy looking plums and could use some of the runny damson to coat the base before adding the fruit.

I like this as it's not that sweet



I have been using a pasta pan to strain the plum and damson and cheese cloth for the blackberry jam, which has worked okay.

Lillibet - have fun with the damsons It seems to have been a good year for them - teh trees near me are covered in them, last year I had no idea they were fruit trees!

Essex-girl_2

Celyn90 - stop it you are making me feel bad that I havnt made jam....or done any baking recently :rotfl:seriously though I am very impressed.

Well done Hester :T makes you mad though - not illegal to leave a 4 year old alone - ridiculous. Hope you dont have any repercusions.

dizzybuff

bk the ds seemsto be fine now lil fellas saT WATCHIN TV ... think hes making the most of it

lillibet_dripping

mummysaver - do you have one of those all singing, all dancing jam machines that Lakeland sell? I am going to Lakeland tomorrow and am still debating whether to get one or not. Doesn't seem very OS when I should be using a preserving pan etc. etc. but time is of the essence and the thought of bunging it all in, turning it on, and hey presto - jam! Would you recommend one?
Lilli

thriftlady_2

You can tell it's plum time can't you? I'm up to my nipples in plums and damsons too:D Just got back from the farmshop with another two punnets of damsons, 2 big cartons of victorias and a punnet of yellow egg plums (local variety).

I'm going to make my damson gin today. I got a 1.5 litre bottle of gin from Waitrose. I'm using 1 lb of damsons and 8oz sugar. You are supposed to leave it for at least 6 months, but I've found it to be delicious after 3:drool: I may make another bottle next week and keep that until Christmas 2010 and see if there is a difference.

I'm off to make some bread and some rolls in a minute.

We have leftover minestrone soup for lunch. The kids won't want that so they can have cheese and crackers;)

Supper tonight will be pitta pizzas for the kids with corn on the cob. I have some nice lamb's liver for me and OH with onions and mash. We'll have corn too but as a starter.

Good luck to all jamming or chutneying today -don't get too sticky, oh and watch the damsons, they stain badly, I ruined a T shirt on Friday despite having a thick apron on:(

Edited to say that my kids don't usually get separate meals -today is very much an exception.

Burp_2

I'm late again ... good afternoon everyone

Got back lastnight from a girly weekend away in London... spent far too much money but enjoyed the break :cool: ... everything in the house was exactly how I left it with the other half ... so when I got back there was still washing up, rubbish to be taken out, clothes on the airer and clean washing to put away ... with the addition of take away pizza boxes and bottles galore from OH having friends around... he is still stuck in student mode :eek:

When he realised my disgust he took me by the hand to lead me to the bathroom to show me he had resealed the bathroom without being asked ... as if I was meant to ignore the rest of the crap around the house and thank him for doing a job that needed doing for both of us! lol

So I have decided from now on when I do the Tescos shop, loads of washing, cleaning etc I am going to take him by the hand and lead him to it and wait for a thank you :rotfl: am I mean? I remember my mum doing something similar to me when I was a teenager! Along with putting unwashed cups and glasses in my car so I'd find them when on my way to to school :rotfl: do we all turn into our Mothers?

Lots to do today and haven't done my meal plans!

Hope everyone is well

Burp x

meanmarie

Afternoon all,

Just got back with my car, having returned the hire car too, only damage seems to be dinge in bonnet, thieves don't seem to have done many miles either, almost the same petrol in it as when it was stolen. Hire car people found two tiny marks on car which weren't there when they gave it to me....nobody knows anything about them so they reckon it could have happened in a car park....had to pay my €250 excess but I would have had to have it taken by insurance people anyway....OH was incensed...to the extent that many hard words were exchanged and we are now not speaking!

Still no sign of Thunder, going to visit all houses around later on.

Hester, think you did the right thing, if there is violence involved they should be made away.. police may already notified them but better twice than not at all. I know that there is no specific age here at which children can be left alone, but discretion is used....would have thought that 4 is a tad young, however responsible the child!

Not sure what's for dinner, plenty of chicken left for DD2, OH, DGD3 and me for dinner, DD4, DGS2 and DGD1 all going to Cork for a few days to see the family there, all family here for weekend as DD2 and family are back to London on 31st.

Need to get my car insurance paperwork done, and want to try my new breadmaker also.

Hugs to all in need or want, thank you all for being my friends

Marie

ivyleaf

:hello: Good afternoon!

Hester - Well done :T but I hope they won't have a go at you, what wonderful neighbours they sound :rolleyes:

Well done thriftlady, celyn and all the jam/chutney makers! It's not something I've ever done as I very rarely eat jam, though DH likes it. The plum cake looks lovely, celyn!

SunnyDay Sorry your arm isn't any better this morning (((HUGS))) I hope the antibiotics kick in sharpish!

Halight - Run out of coffee? :eek::eek::eek: Fate worse than death! Will drag my DH round to Netto later as i'm hoping they'll still have some of the Carte Noire on special offer - forgot to get some last week.

redruby (our Outside Broadcaster ) Hope the weather improves for you tomorrow. Glad you did well at Clarks Village. My Auntie used to live just behind it (a road called Farm Road) - my cousin still lives in the same house, and I've other cousins scattered around Street.

Betheebee - Where are you? Hope you're okay! And SunnyGirl, hope you're all over the swine flu.

Penny_Pincher - Hope you're starting to feel a bit better x

Fairy Elephant - Hope you managed to get away for your weekend and had a chance to relax. Thinking of you x

Had a doctor's appointment this morning to discuss the blood tests I had in July and then forgot all about, so didn't ring for the results until 10 days ago My iron stores are quite low, so I now have iron tablets, and my blood glucose was up a little bit and I've been constantly thirsty lately, so I'm having a Glucose Tolerance Test on Wednesday to be on the safe side. I told DH that if I turn out to have Diabetes as well (he was diagnosed with it last summer), that will be taking togetherness a bit too far but if it comes to it, at least I won't need to panic as I'll already know what to do!
(((HUGS))) to all who need some but whom I haven't mentioned.

Lunch is a cheese roll and some cherries. Dinner - Not sure yet, may try some tuna fishcakes, haven't made those for donkey's years!

Have a good afternoon! :wave:

Bitsy_Beans

Well I've just finished my marathon clean of the cupboards. Again. Got the hairdryer in all the nooks and crannies (I hope) so I hope this is the end of the evil weevils. My back is aching now too.
For some reason the wind has just suddenly started to blow REALLY hard. I even stopped and wondered if a tornado was blowing through. Loads of leaves came down and it was raining and it's all gone a bit quiet again now. Can hear lots of sirens too so hoping the two aren't connected.

Hester - you did the right thing. I can't see how soc serv can say it's not illegal to leave a 4 year old alone - surely that's classed as neglect? I hope they keep a close watch on the family.

Meanmarie - I hope you and your H get back on speaking terms quick

You lot all sound VERY productive with your jam and chutney making. Put me to shame but I don't really like jam unless it's Seedless Raspberry from Mr S to put on a scone with cream