No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

scottishminnie

Well, what a week! We've had torrential rain, gale force winds and a fair bit of snow. Al in the space of a few days too:) I don't think it's over yet but I'm getting used to dressing for every eventuality when I need to go out. I'm working from home tomorrow which may be wise if the forecasts are tow be believed - the next snowstorm should be blowing in any time!

I received a gift of quite a bit of frozen venison today. I'm not a fan but hubby doesn't mind it so I've added it to the freezer and will cook it in the slow cooker when I need to use it up. I'm managing fine to use up things so it continues this week. I also had a week of mending clothing so feeling quite productive.

I had a real bonus yesterday when I heard I had won a £50 gift voucher in a raffle I entered months ago. I think I can choose the voucher from selected options so am thinking of John Lewis and buying myself a cheapest coffee maker and some pillow cases ( not very exciting I know but the pillow slips are needed and the coffee maker is a nice to have thing that I grudge buying!) I should get more details this week hopefully.

It was a real blizzard yesterday so I retreated to the kitchen and made cherry loaf and scones. Took them across to my parents who had some unexpected guess so the warm scones went down very well. No need to worry about them being stale next day anyway!

Other than that it has been work, work and more work so I'd better get myself ready for tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

hoglet121

Hi everyone,

Sorry to be away from posting for so long - Monday was a bank holiday here, and we have another one coming up this Monday too, and yesterday I was tied up on my online book group all day.

SM - the venison and gift voucher sound great! sorry about your weather though. :-/

We had very mixed weather over the weekend, everything from so scorching hot we couldn't sit in the sun at 6pm, to torrential rain on Sunday. Overall the weather has been goodand I've been able to get out on the bike. Did some hills on Sunday morning - the least said about them the better! But happily I'm starting to see a change in my weight as I'm being careful to eat the right sort of foods, not just what I fancy. I bought myself some shorts with gel pads this weekend (half price of course!) and they've made a huge difference. I still wouldn't say it's comfortable but definitely a marked improvement.

I'm now picking tomatoes every day which is such a treat. I'm sure the corn can't be far behind. The lime tree has failed for the third year tho - v disheartening!

Hope you're all well,

Much love, Hoglet xxx

scottishminnie

You've given me something to look forward to Hoglet- the thought of picking my own tomatoes has my mouth watering:)

Your online book group sounds interesting. I used to be an avid reader but apart from holidays I've done very little reading over the last two years. I picked up a few books on holiday which I'll get to. I pre-ordered Go Set A Watchman last year as I absolutely adored To Kill a Mockingbird. Well, I finally got round to reading it over the weekend (actually I started it last year but got sidetracked so I had to reread). I'm not sure what to make of it- it certainly didn't have the effect on me that Mockingbird did but then I was a teenager then and I'm an old cynic now. I'll be passing it on to my sisters partne now so it will be interesting to see what he thinks.

hoglet121

Hi everyone

SM - oh that's very interesting about Go Set A Watchman. I haven't read it yet, I have heard very mixed reviews about it. The book group I'm in is all about memoirs, so lots of people have been talking about GSAW - we have members all over the world so it's v interesting to see how it's receievd in different countries. We don't all read the same thing and then discuss it like a 'conventional' book group, but I've found so many deals (usually free, as I can't justify buying any more books) on Amazon through them my Kindle is positively groaning. I've always been a big reader but since I've discovered ebook downloads from the library I've read even more than usual, and I listen to audiobooks, also from the library, as I commute to work.

So much for not having a glut of tomatoes... It's not as excessive as it has been some years but I made a huge tomato salad for today's lunch last night and it barely made a dent in them. Think it will be omlette with bacon and tomato for dinner tonight. I'm not making any chutney this year as I have so much left over from last year. Once onions are very cheap again I will do onion marmalade as DH loves that. In a few months they'll be $5 for a 10kg bag (just under 2 pound 50) - I don't think I could grow them for that price.

Not much else to report from us,

much love, Hoglet x

candlelight_2013

Good evening all,

Nothing much is happening here in Candlelight Towers, so not a great deal to talk about.

I don't actually like January and February, I find them quite depressing months. I just want the spring to arrive, but in saying that my tulip bulbs in pots are beginning to show.

The thought of having warm, homegrown tomatoes is the one thing that keeps me going during the dark days of winter. Yesterday and today it was light until about 5 pm, so that is an improvement, and slightly lighter earlier in the morning.

I want to go and choose some new stair carpet at the beginning of March. We have a little vestibule hall so I am going for a timber floor there. When we come in through the porch and front door any carpet becomes very badly marked by footprints, so I think wood flooring is the answer, with one of those rugs that catch dirt off your shoes. In actual fact the present carpet doesn't owe us anything we have had it about 20 years.

DGD1 has had a promotion at work so we are all very pleased, she has only worked there just over 6 months and seems to really enjoy her job. She has settled here so well and made her room her own, and it looks lovely. She is happy with her relationship with her BF, and he obviously loves her to pieces.

Himself has a birthday later this month when he will be 72, so we are trying to arrange for everyone to get together and go out for a meal, but it is proving quite difficult. Hopefully we will manage it.

Hoglet I hope that health problem you had is now sorted, you seem to be doing really well with the bicycle, your a brave lady.

SM my sister is still in Florida, and I am not sure when she is due back this month. It is unusual for me not to hear from her, must be enjoying herself.

Lainy I hope Bill and the girls are OK

I know Lyn is at a pub quiz tonight, having a lot of fun no doubt. I am going to be doing a little reading tonight becaause she very kindly sent me a frugal food cookery book by Delia Smith and it looks really interesting

Much love to you all and take care.

Candlelightx

scottishminnie

Candlelight - that's great news for your granddaughter. She must be delighted and you must be very proud. It will be nice to celebrate that along with himself's birthday.

The weather has been a bit up and down in Florida, they have had some cold days recently however you always know a cold snap won't last more than a couple of days out there so it doesn't affect people too much at all.

Never mind, as you say, it's getting lighter earlier and staying light later here so Spring is on the way:)

[Deleted User]

We came second in the quiz again with 39 points out of 50 the team that won had 45 points and apparently they've been winning over the past few weeks with a large margin over the team that comes second so either they are very good and have a wide ranging general knowledge base or there is some bending of the rules going on, everyone was looking sideways at them tonight, I think they'll be watched pretty closely next week. I HOPE they're legit and just very good, we'll see! Good questions but as always we fell down on the films round, we must get out more! Was a good evening anyway and it's NOT about the winning is it?

hoglet121

MLW - hmmmm that does sound a bit fishy, are they a new group? I always struggle on the music rounds - I know the songs but never have any idea who sang them or what they're called.

Candlelight - thanks so much for your kind words. I finish the tablets tonight so I'll have morew of an idea over the next few days. I'm still enjoying the bike, although I went swimming instead last night - my legs had been telling me all day that they didn't want to do another bash around the circuit. They'll get some more hills at the weekend, I haven't broken it to them yet! ;-)

[Deleted User]

Hi HOGLET, yes they are new to the pub over the past 6 weeks or so. There is a non crossable rule about not using phones etc and if caught you are eliminated but they always sit in the other side of the pub on their own, not with the rest of us so there is an element of suspicion that they might not be as good as they seem. Of course they are a much larger group than the rest of the teams so they might just have lots of different areas of knowledge but it makes you to wonder???

LaineyT

Morning everyone,

Like dear Candlelight, I always struggle a bit with January / February and need to keep looking at the snowdrops to remind myself it won't last forever, the evenings are definetly getting lighter, especially when the day has been clear so the end is in sight. Earlier this week I celebrated Imbolc which is the next sabbat after Yule and always welcome
The girls and Bill are very well thank you, my big girl Rosie needs her annual jabs but last year she got herself so distressed at the vets have decided to pay extra for a home visit. Bless her she has never been keen on her annual visits but seem to be getting worse as she gets older.
Bill is enjoying life far more, am gradually building up the walk work so his muscles get stronger and can better support his joints, hopefully the green-lipped mussels are also helping.
SM, hmm, I also am not sure about GSAW, I know they were written so far apart but it's almost as if it's a completely different author, like you I adored To kill a Mockingbird so maybe had too high expectations.
Hoglet, have serious tomato envy, to me they are one of the real treats of summer, always have far too many plants for just the two of us.
Lyn, would ask for a stewards enquiry re the pub quiz, does sound a bit too good to be true!

Last few days of freedom before I start my new job on Monday so will make the most of them, hopefully the rain will stay away this afternoon so can get Bill down the lane.

Take care and much love to all xx