The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

Jazee

Morning fencers. Not raining here yet, so I'm off to walk the dogs. I can report that OldDog's meds are now working (has taken a month to kick in) so we are gradually extending the walks again and they are so much more enjoyable.

Have a great day everyone.

[Deleted User]

Hats off to OLD DOG may the walkies continue!!!

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Lovely to hear from you Pops, your meals sound nice and it is always nice to hear of your adventures.

Nice to have you pop in AOT, and to know you're reading along.

NurseMaggie, exploring Lancashire by bus sounds nice. Southport is also nice, I think you'll find it changed. They've created a very nice park around the pier.

Monnagran, I use this recipe for plain scones and always get rave reviews. I'm not fond of fruit scones so have never tried it that way, but I have done them as cheese. I try to keep a bag of SR flour in the freezer for them as the cold flour keeps the butter cool when blending and makes for a nice texture:

8oz SR flour (chilled)
2oz unsalted butter
1oz caster sugar
5fl oz milk plus a little for glazing (or you can use a beaten egg if you want crisper-shinier tops)

Rub fat into flour, stir in sugar and then add milk to form a soft dough (add gradually, sometimes I don't use it all). Turn onto a floured surface and knead only 2-3 times. Pat flat into desired thickness and cut out. Place on baking tray, brush on glaze and bake (The original recipe cuts them out at 3/4 in thick, 2cm around and bakes at 220/gas 7 for 12-15. I have a particular glass I use for cutting that makes them bigger so I cook them slightly cooler for a bit longer).

I think the original recipe came from BBC Good Food, but I can't remember now.

House cleaning today and then into town for a few things. It is forecast to rain, so I'm glad to be caught up on laundry. OH spent a bad night coughing, but seems to be generally improving.

Hugs to all who need them.x

Popperwell

Morning to all who frequent here...I hope its a day with lots of happiness and worries are light. I'm feeling great(and I didn't go for the bus ride after all so if I can face staying in that's a good sign.


Its blowy out there but we do have sun. Annoyed that I did not get all my plants into the garden and have to let them go but I only wasted("only")£5 but tubs are looking OK.


Hey one of the shirts I found yesterday I've discovered comes from Next(not bad for 99p:))


So I shall concentrate on making something nice for my meals later. I'll take the weekend off and resume housework on Monday. After all they won't take the wheelie bin for another fortnight and what I mainly throw out isn't unused food.


After the clear out I buy so little I probably could manage with a monthly collection. But I used to like weekly collections. Sometimes wonder why they don't collect more often during summer(with the hot weather)and less in the colder months.


Take Care x

monnagran

Thank you FairyP. I will give these a go. I don't usually make plain scones because we are cheese addicts but cheese scones don't really go with strawberry jam and cream. I don't know though..............(thinks, brie and cranberry?)
Well done you Pops. You sound very nicely set up for the future. I agree about the confused system of help out there. What gets me is being given a form or brochure and finding that it skips daintily over the matter that you have been enquiring about.

Off now to make a victoria sponge, fill and top a chocolate cake and grate oodles of cheese for tomorrows sandwhiches.

x

ginnyknit

Just popped on with my news after a quick look back at everyones posts. Dd had her 5 month scan yesterday and all is well - thank goodness- and its a girl :j which is a bonus 9 quite rare in our families.

OH has just taken Dgs to feed the ducks, its good they can do something on their own and its only because the car park is next to the resevoir hopefully they will both have a nap when they get back.

Hugs to all xx

[Deleted User]

Super news GINNY I'm so happy for you and DD! Lyn xxx.

ivyleaf

Ginny How lovely :j And I bet dGS enjoyed feeding the ducks with Grandad too.

Monnagran I hope all goes well tomorrow - Sounds as if it'll be a lovely "do" I must admit I've never tried Brie and cranberry - the idea just doesn't appeal! I'm obviously not the adventurous type.

Pops Glad you're feeling good today I meant to say, about storing new clothes, don't store anything with elastic in it (e.g. pyjama trousers or underwear) for too long, because the elastic will perish and the garment will be unwearable. I remember my OH's face when he proudly produced a new pack of y-fronts that had been in the top of the wardrobe for several years, and realised he wasn't going to be able to use them after all! The elastic in the waistbands had gone all crackly, and when he stretched it out, it stayed stretched IYSWIM.

Jazee That's lovely news of Old Dog :T

stiltwalker

Have a good day tomorrow Monnagran - personally I love brie and cranberry but the guy who owned the tea room I ran (it was attached to a butchers and farm shop) looked at it suspiciously and declared it "a bit vegetarian"!! And as for Cheese scones with jam and cream - my late MIL used to serve us this combination occasionally and I have to say I can't recommend it, not exactly horrible but deeply odd and just wrong!


All a bit mad here at the moment - little master stilty is climbing everything in sight (and out of sight if we forget ourselves and accidentally blink) and it is most definitely not a good thing. He still can't walk independently and has major balance and coordination issues associated with his disabilities but he has no sense of danger and so thinks that climbing and standing on the window ledges is a perfectly acceptable thing to do! We are waiting for his autism assessment (but both us and the health professionals involved with him are 99% sure what it is going to show, it's more a case of where on the spectrum not if) and he doesn't really respond to instructions so telling him not to do is getting us nowhere. We think we might have an idea and need to speak to my dad about installing a false sloped window ledge on top of the existing so he can't kneel or stand on it, but in the meantime it's a permanent eyes on job for one or other of us.


Only managed to get on the computer as the kids are currently having their tea but have to go and do their fruit for pud now so catch you all later - X

Toomuchdebt

Ugh thoughtless next door neighbours-I put my white washing out to dry(went to the launderette earlier) and they are having a bonfire grrr. I did shout over the fence that they could have let me know so I could have got my washing in.I don't like them much. The ones on the other side are ok but those ones aren't that nice.