No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

hoglet121

Happy birthday Candlelight! I hope you had a wonderful day and we're spoilt rotten :-)

MLW - good to hear how good Zebra's been. Alfie is much better too thank you - he must be he has snaffled the dregs of a bowl of weetabix and half a fried egg today. He's not so impressed that he still had a few antibiotics to take but he's been a good boy about taking them.

The weather has been wonderful today. Shorts and t shirts and we went for a stroll along the beach. Called in at the vineyard where I'd signed up to pick grapes and was greeted with less than friendly service. Hmmm was not impressed so probably won't go back there. We only wanted a coffee and we're not made to feel welcome at all. Other than that we had a lovely day. I've made dinner for tonight already and done my soups for the week.

Right, best go as check on the stock bubbling on the hob...

Hoglet x

candlelight_2013

LYN I have just made the rhubarb jam to your recipe, oh my goodness it is gorgeous.

I have had to make it in 2 batches because I don't have a maslin pan, and no saucepan seems big enough to have a rolling boil. Anyway just starting my second batch, but the colour of the jam I made this morning is beautiful, and of course quality control had to have a taste:)

Thank you for that, and I am sure you have had a wonderful weekend, you will be having withdrawal symptoms now because of no cuddles.

Much love

Candlelightx

[Deleted User]

Hi CANDLELIGHT I'm so pleased the jam is to your taste, I was very pleased with the finished product and we both think it is the right taste for breakfast. I'll make more as the rhubarb starts to grow on again in a few weeks. It's so much nicer than the original recipe which just calls for 3 lemons, I think it's the lime taste which I never would have put with rhubarb before, but I'm glad to have found the complementary flavour now.

We have had the most georgeous weekend with DD and Zebra, he is a little love and is turning into a definate little personality in his own right. He's made two quantum leaps this weekend he's learned to reach out and actually get hold of things, he can actually get his little hand in the right place and can grip hold of a finger when he wants to and not randomly and he has had a bath today and really, really enjoyed it splashing about, kicking his little legs and giving huge squeals and smiles, it was such fun to watch. Up until now bathtime has been a little bit of a trial for him and he's cried, so we've had many cuddles, lots of chats and smiling and introduced him to all the village ladies who were really wanting to meet him. He was a huge hit with my brother and sister in law (who is really very much too young to be a great aunt!) and they have decided that they won't be aunt and uncle but will be grunt and grunkle, and that's how they were introduced!!! Bless them!!! DD has left for home now as Hubs will be back by the time she reaches home, sent her back with a big slice of the cooked pork from yesterday which she is going to do in a stir fry for supper, I'm such a lucky Oma and He Who Knows excelled himself with the little man, he was so good with him, Ezra is lucky to have such a fun Opa too!!!

HOGLET glad to hear that Alfie cat is on the mend too, Zebra is much better and eating his head off again without too many horrible nappies. DD says one of the other babies in the NCT group has had the same reaction to the rotavirus vaccine and has been quite poorly so I think we've been lucky to get such a mild reaction from Zebra.

Have a lovely day everyone, Lyn xxx.

scottishminnie

Happy belated birthday Candlelight. There's no cake left so just have a wine and chocolate instead!


I've had an interesting week or so -manically busy with a few odd things happening though.


I decided I was going to make my own granola so started to stock up on dried fruit and nuts to add to it. I can only guess the whole world is having the same idea - Mr A shelves were pretty bare and what was available was astronomically priced. Mr T was no better so I think I may only be able to make a small batch until I can get to Costco. I thought pecans and almonds would be so easy to come by however pecans don't seem to be as popular here as I thought.


I've had some tribulations on the garden front. Progress on the greenhouse is frustratingly slow however as it's being done on the cheap I just have to grin and bare it. I started off tomato seeds weeks ago so now my kitchen window sill looks like a cannabis factory!
Last weekend we discovered hundreds of slugs on the raised beds - literally everywhere and then I found them in my woodland section attacking my prized hostas. So war was declared and vast quantities of slug killer have been put down in a bid to eradicate them swiftly.


On Friday hubby announced that all 9 of my fruit trees were covered in black fly/insect things. Last weekend my nice new white car was utterly covered in these horrible black beasties and now they are on my trees. I rummaged in the garage and found some liquid derris which we sprayed all over however we ran out so I began a hunt to get more. I was a bit embarrassed to find it had been banned from sale in 2010 so I guess my supply was a bit old. I'm now looking for something else just as effective as they are clinging to the branches and blossom like limpets. No amount of soapy water is doing anything.


To add insult to injury I hung out my bed linen to dry earlier today as it was a nice blowy day. I popped out to the line later to find my pristine white sheets covered in these blasted black flies (the same ones - aghhhhhhh). There were over 20 inside one pillowcase which was on the line. No amount of shaking the sheets got rid of them so I had to bring the sheets in and they then dropped onto the floor. My cream hall carpet was crawling so it was out with the Dyson at break neck speed to hoover them up.


I'm at my wits end as nobody seems to know what they are but even walking round the garden requires sunglasses as they fly straight into your face and eyes.


We've had torrential cloud bursts for the last 3 days so it's made gardening difficult anyway. 10 minutes of rain followed my 10 minutes of baking sunshine - perfect weed growing weather. Does anyone know of a market for dandelions - I could keep them well supplied!


As well as my granola I plan on making flapjacks this week. I normally buy cereal type bars to eat mid morning at work. My favourites are the Doves Farm organic ones however they are so pricy so I've decided to make flapjacks and I can slice them. I just need to find a recipe which isn't too sticky/oily or too brittle. Something chewy would be perfect. I did think of adapting twinks hobnobs recipe as it has been such as success however I'm sure there will be a tried and tested flapjack/cereal bar recipe out there somewhere.


I finally got round to making some more ice cream last week. I made mint choc chip. I didn't have peppermint extract, only peppermint oil so I used it although I think I used too much - the ice cream tastes fab although it is almost menthol in scent when the container is opened. Hubby says that's ok - it will stop us scoffing it all in one go. Rum and raisin is next on my try it out list. I saw yellow stickered cream in M&S on Friday and hesitated over it as 30p for a big carton seemed a bargain however my brain was not fully engaged and I didn't think of ice cream


So I'm off to repair a little hole in one of hubby's t-shirts before it is put away. That man sure keeps me busy


Enjoy what is left of the weekend everyone.

candlelight_2013

Evening all,

Scottishminnie thank you, and for the chocs and wine.

You must have been in a state with those awful black flies. I remember many years ago when we were in Norfolk, we went to visit a church and it was just horrendous. They flew up your nose, into your mouth, settled on your clothes, and they were so tiny you couldn't even pick them off. Evidently it wasn't unusual there, but I had never seen anything like it. The worse we have in the Midlands are flying ants in the middle of summer when we are due a storm.

Isn't it annoying when you spend money on plants and then they are attacked by aphides, slugs, snails etc? Please be careful if you spray them, be sure not to breath in any of the spray. .

Weather promises to be better later in the week so looking forward to that. I know we needed the rain, but here it is either all or nothing, and just recently it has been all.

Take care everyone and sleep tight

Much love

Candlelightx

scottishminnie

Thanks Candlelight - I'm hoping the dratted flies are some sort of late spring phenomena and will disappear as quickly as they arrived.


Update on the flapjacks - I found a recipe on here and made a batch late last night. When the timer pinged I didn't remove them from the oven immediately though in case they were soggy. BIG MISTAKE! They taste fab but are so explosive I can't even cut them without creating shrapnel. So I'm thinking I will chisel away and use the bits as granola. They should be ok to store in an airtight container I think. I was planning to make some anyway so figure once these have milk or yogurt on them they may be ok. Waste not want not!


I may try another batch of flapjacks later in the week (and remove them from the oven immediately this time).

hoglet121

Good luck with the flapjack granola Scottieminnie - I think it sounds rather nice! Hoping the flies are going away too.

It's been a quiet few days here... work, home, eat, sleep, repeat. Does get like that during the week... The end of the week is in sight. DH reffing another rugby match first thing Saturday morning, and after that I think we have no plans at all. I do like a relaxing weekend tho - can get all the little jobs sorted without running round like a mad thing (and its better for the bank balance!).

The weather has been horrible the last couple of days - lots of rain, thunder and lightening. A cold clear night last night, I had to sleep with my thermals on. How it managed to be so cold and clear I don't know as there was much rain as well. The cats are all grumpy as they don't like to go out when the weather's bad. Forecast is much better for the weekend, so fingers crossed the better weather materialises.

Must find the motivation to get another run in after work today. Always feel better for doing it but it really is the last thing I fancy doing when I get in! DH doing the weekly shop tonight so I have no excuse not to get myself out the door. There are lots of other runners near by and everyone says hello and encourages each other as we pass each other - it's sweet really.

right, work is calling...

Hoglet x

[Deleted User]

Morning, I have a poorly lurcha today, we found a new treat he could have (allergies make treats difficult) and it has really upset his little tum and has made him very loose. I'm going to give him a very easy day and keep the garden door open so he can get straight out in an emergency poor old boy. He Who Knows has gone off to Broadlands to annoy the local carp population with his pal from up the road and what a magnificent day it is down here. I walked the boy at 8 o clock this morning in a short sleeved top and it was balmy warm, mmmmmmmmm heavenly!!!I'm going to wash some winter bedding, particularly the fleece blankets and Dockys wet towels as it looks to be a super drying day and then I'll be able to get blankets etc put away in the blanket chest with some rosemary sprigs until we need them again in the autumn. Have a lovely day everyone, Lyn xxx.

charlies-aunt

Big (((hugs))) for Docky Mrs L-W - poor lad - hope he soon passes what's upsetting him


Lovely warm evening here - the fields near our yard are still soggy from the flooding in December and the recent heavy rains and providing a good breeding ground for every type of midge and gnat. I felt like I was being eaten alive tonight and have come home feeling very itchy


The garden has really taken off and the grass which was cut on Sunday, has had to be cut again tonight so I foresee a weekend spent wrestling with the latest crop of weds at the allotment


Days like this make me long to be working part-time or to be retired!

[Deleted User]

Morning all, thanks CHARLIES AUNT, he's perfectly OK today as He Who Knows has just phoned to tell me!!!!! sometimes too much information is reassuring!!! He was very excited as he's just heard the first Cuckoo of the year calling down by the river, in fact he spooked it going into the access field and he saw it fly, doesn't take a lot to make him happy but I share this one too. No swifts or swallows yet and that is unusual as they're normally coming over us in mid April, perhaps those dreadful storms have disrupted thier food supply to the extent that they haven't made it this far, hope not but it's a possibility.

Beautiful morning here and we're going to spend most of the day working in the garden/on the allotment, He Who Knows is going to put in some new posts for our 84 year old pal, his blackberry supports have broken so they're going to remake the posts and wires, then I expect they'll come back for coffee, better break out the biscuits!!!