No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

hoglet121

Morning everybody :-)

Welcome Ariadne, everyone here is very friendly and I have really enjoyed being part of this thread. I certainly feel like I have made some friends here and I hope you will feel the same.

MLW - I am in a fit of jealousy over your wonderful crops! I am just debating what to put in this year, apparently it's the time of year to plant an avocado tree - but I'm not sure how big they grow and I'm guessing they might be tricky.... we have a very small garden so I try to grow things that are either a bit unusual (with terrible success) or expensive in the shops (with a bit of success) so get my money's worth out of the garden.

My colleague grows carrots but the price of carrots here at the moment is so low it seems a waste of land. I have some tenderstem broccoli almost ready at the moment, and I may or may not get some cauliflower and normal broccoli if the bugs have left any for me. I have done some research (i.e. asked my boss who is a big gardener) about how to get some crops from my lime tree as the fruit set but all get eaten, and he has given me some tips I will try out this year.

The next job is to convince DH he wants to dig up the random patch of concrete in the corner of the garden - it's got dwarf lemon tree written all over it :-)

I had a big pickling and jam making session at the end of the summer - and MLW I really feel you pain over being in a hot kitchen stirring things on the stove! I have lots and lots of chutney left which may find their way into a Christmas gift, some tomato chilli and lemon marmalade which I like but is quite unusual, but my chilli jam is blummin awful! I'm eating it with pate and cheese type things but I obviously cooked it far too long, it's so thick. Not nearly hot enough either :-( oh well!

This weekend coming it's my cousin's daughter's first birthday party so I have started stashing the freezer with homemade goodies for the table. So far there's a big bag of ham and cheese bites, and I tested out shortbread in little star and circle moulds yesterday - sadly none of them survived long enough to be a party contribution (yum!) but I know they will hold their shape well which was the point of the test. I am taking Friday off and my cousin and I will get as much done in advance then, then up early on Saturday for me to get the dough for olive bread sticks proving and the fizzy jelly setting and the macaron shells filled.... And I think I agreed to do club sandwiches the same morning... ah I might be running out of time! Thursday night will be shortbread night, if I can trust DH and myself not to eat them.....

The cats are still all going well, we seemed to have reached a sort of harmony with all 3 of them sharing the bed with us every night as it's still cold. Alfie is now seriously huge, he's more tiger than cat really, can't believe what a small little kitten he was when we found him. So glad I took some video at the time of him playing. He has finally accepted that he no longer fits in the shoe box and has moved into the girl's favourite box. She in turn has finally moved into the house in the cat tree that they've all been ignoring since we bought it. The big boy is happy curled up on the bean bag. Not one of them will go in the actual cat bed.....

Well I suppose I really should start doing some work now... far more fun chatting to you all but needs must...!

Hoglet x

candlelight_2013

Hello all,

Weather was lovely this morning, but we have just had a downfall so had to rush out to bring washing in.

Took DD to town to have her eyes tested, and visited P*land for toiletries.

After taking DD home, came back, had a bite for lunch and have made 2 large and 3 small rhubarb and apple crumbles. Waiting for them to cool and will put them in the freezer for an autumn day.

Yesterday I made 3 jars of Lyn's rhubarb jam and 4 jars of Raspberry jelly jam, so by the end of the season I should have enough produce to make some nice hampers

Having the rest of the roast beef tonight for dinner with new potatoes, vegetables and Himself will have yorkies.

Hope everyone is well, good to see you Hoglet hope the little one has a lovely birthday party.

Take care everyone

Candlelightx

scottishminnie

Just popping in very briefly to say hi to everyone. It's been a crazy busy weekend and I'm off south tomorrow so will be back tomorrow night hopefully with more of an update. In the meantime though-

Welcome Ariadne- glad you have come to join us:hello

Hoglet- thank you so much for the recipe. I think I have most of the ingredients and if not I now have an excuse to source some

Will report back tomorrow night once I've made it back from the big City:D

VJsmum

Hello Everybody

Goodness, it's a while since I posted in here - i hope everyone is well.

Busy, busy, busy. My life doesn't seem to get any simpler

So I've been to Glastonbury - which was fab. Didn't see Ezra not knowingly anyway. Just about recovered now, and DS (15) has said he will still come with me next year :T. His, i think, is the most under - represented age group (except for the over seventies). This year, more than last, I saw loads of over 50's.

This was one of my favourite moments
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wof1i_iTa3g&feature=youtu.be

Sheer joy, I am at the back of that lot somewhere - but haven't found me yet

And that was on a tiny stage, before the main festival started.

I love it there

In other news, DD and i have been to see her new University and - phew - she likes it! The studetns we met who have just finished the first year of the course she is doing absolutely love it and I can see that it is right up her street.

My diet appears to be working - i am prancing around in my skinniest of jeans with nothing bulging over the top. I am doing a combination of the 5:2 and no sugar, no wheat. Still a few pounds to go, but i am 10lb down since easter.:T

Otherwise we keep on keepping on. I will endeavour to not be quite so MIA in future.

flowertotmum

Good morning all..

Ariadne ..welcome to this place..its fun and very friendly..lovely ladies who are my friends..

MLW..hiya..wow your a great mum..a pamper pack for Nell..she will need it after 3 weeks in a tent..she is so lucky and we are looking forward to hearing all about it..we are going to send Thank you cards to all who send us a postcard..will include a couple of books of stamps for Nell..

Candlelight..ooh your jam sounds delish..i hope your dd is getting on ok..and i love going to £land to stock up on toiletries..saves me a fortune..

Aot..i am right there with ya on the de-cluttering..my poor hubby keeps checking his books lol..

SM..hello..see you popped on..hope your ok

VJ'smum..ooh get you in your skinny jeans..well done..its lovely to hear from you..glad you had a great time at Glastonbury..and i hope your girl gets on well at uni..

Well its been busy here..the allotment is now feeding us..we have lots fo radishes,spring onions,new pots and the carrots are now big enough for us to enjoy..so tasty..everything else is growing nicely..our fruit bushes are doing welll but not enough to make jams..next year they will..my courgettes however are endless so pickle is on the cards there...

I sorted the toy room again..this time i have taken more..but have lots to sell too..lots of sets..peppa pig,dora the explorer,little people pirate ship with figures..some lovely wooden playsets too..we are hoping to raise some money to put towards some outdoor toys..
I also did the books(may the great librarian in the sky forgive me)..lots of baby books and some had to be binned..pages ripped and coloured on(iris)..so thats why hubby keeps checking his books..i would never get rid of David Gemmell books ever.

I have been asked to make the cheesecake again..it went so fast..so i am doing another but then i think it will have to be a treat cake..if we have it too much we won't want it.

We painted the wendy house and i did the shutters white..i put up the bunting..it looks like one of those Swiss chalets now..i put up hooks inside to hang toys and bought a very large Paisley print storage bag for all balls and games..keep them dry. I put some rugs in it too..it looks brand new..the girls love it..
I am meal planning like crazy and trying to cut down my food bill ..need to replenish the bank after the weddings.

O i did treat the girls to the new Tinkerbell and the Pirate fairy DVD..its great. But now we are not having anymore until Malificent is available ..

MLw..we are so glad Docky Dog is feeling better..poor thing in the heat..Jack has found the coolest spot in the house..in the downstairs toilet..behind the loo..bless him..

Right got to go lots to do..
love to you all
ftm

flowertotmum

O no where are my manners..

Hoglet..please wish the little one a lovely birthday from all of us in the Uk..and i hope your cakes make it through the night. You sound like me..trying to talk your hubby into a lemon tree in the corner where the concrete is..my poor chap doesn't stand a chance if i say " ohh wouldn't that look nice over there"..he just sighs and picks up his spade now ..
see you soon
ftm

[Deleted User]

Morning FTM glad the allotment is feeding you, it's such a nice feeling going up to see what's ready to pick in the mornings and then planning the days meals round it isn't it? The wendy house sounds lovely, you're girls are going to love it. We're off to visit Zebra and his mum tomorrow so I'm cooking a big chilli and some cornbread to take down for our lunches and I've had to go raiding on the pickle shelf as they've run out of green tomato chutney which is thier favourite. I've only one small jar left but luckily I made a big batch of green tomato ketchup a couple of years ago so I've a couple of bottles of that to go down too. I've got Zebra a nice pressie too, I found in a charity shop for 49p a Beanie Baby 'Gloria' the hippo from Madagascar (the movie) and she has the most wonderful grin, couldn't resist but then I didn't try too hard!!!

We're going to re-home our fish from the pond and fill it in this year, it will leave us with a raised bed and I'm going to buy in some willow whips this winter and grow Zebra a willow tepee playhouse for when he comes to visit. It will be lovely to look at too and I'll grow some nice honeysuckle and clematis up it too so it will be pretty but mostly it will be fun for him for years to come.

Don't send Nell stamps, she thinks it is such a nice thing to be able to do for the girls she's getting as excited about the cards arriving for them as they are, I get updates most days about new people saying they'll send, she's enjoying it immensely. Buy the girls something nice, don't worry about stamps for her is what she says.

Have yourselves a lovely day, Lyn xxx.

Zebra has learned how to turn himself over, Hoorah!!!

hoglet121

Oh FTM how sweet of you, lovely to hear from you :-)

Maleficent - what a wonderful film, I hope your girls love watching it

Oh well I was very naughty today, popped out from work on the search for some cute moulds I could use for shortbread for the party. I succumbed to 2, although in my defence they were both half price. One is a daisy mould and one a rose, 12 mini size in each.... They're chocolate moulds really but look like they'll stand up to the oven.

I've run out of butter till shopping on Thursday so I will have to sit on my hands till then!!

hoglet121

Hi Everyone

Just a quick note from me to say we had some crazy storms here last night, DH and I were running round the garden late at night bringing in the chairs and sunshade and pulling the table close into the side of the house. Of course we left it till the wind was howling round the place so I had to stand next to the back door and open and close it as required as everything was blowing all around the place.

We seem to have escaped unscathed, although we got very little sleep. Poor Alfie didn't like it one bit, he spent the entire night firmly in between us on the bed, which is very unlike him these days. All the cats were in a grump this morning as they hadn't fancied a venture outside, and they shredded the toilet roll in the bathroom in protest. Loudly. At 5.30am.....

Hoping the weather has died down now, we are off to watch a rugby match tonight. Fortunately I have remembered to bring some warm clothes with me into work, as I am meeting DH at the stadium.

Dinner last night was curry from the freezer with potato cakes made from left over mash - yum yum yum and nice and warming. Threw some frozen green beans in as well to at least give us some veg!

Hope you're all well and having better weather than us at the moment

Hoglet x

candlelight_2013

Morning all,

Hoglet how frightening, that kind of weather can cause so much damage. I hope everything is calm for you now. The weather today here is good but the promise of rain tomorrow in the Midlands.

The poor cats they probably didn't know what to make of it.

Enjoy the rugby match tonight and wrap up warm.

Not a lot planned today. Popping into town to have the grand children's bank books made up and just a little look around.

I do have ironing to do when I come back and must hoover round.

Grand children came for their dinner last night and really enjoyed it. They went home with a bag of goodies and will see them next week. I think they only have a couple of weeks left before breaking up for the summer holidays.

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.

Much love
Candlelight