The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

nursemaggie

Yes you are exactly right I have seen quite a few videos about it plus the BBC thing a few years ago. Of course meals have gone through quite a few changes from when we all worked in agriculture to after the industrial revolution. Now there are so many people who only have microwave meals and the whole house eats at different times.

I was brought up the same. Dinner is only in the middle of the day on Sunday. I seem to remember my mother cooking two dinners on Saturday as my father worked all day and often late on Saturdays. Mum and we kids had a cooked lunch on Saturday.

Has DH left them on the table though. Do you have to clear them for a meal?

Well I had better get tea/dinner/ supper. Put like that it is confusing. Some Americans and most Canadians say supper for the evening meal, though Newfies call a late night meal, especially if you have visitors lunch as well, Elevenses being called lunch.

westcoastscot

Mar we have breakfast, lunch and dinner - but we always say we have lunch at dinnertime now, and dinner at teatime - otherwise we don't know what we mean. I say to the kids "come for dinner....at teatime" - hilarious!!!

ginnyknit

Suddenly decided I need to sort Christmas out and cant remember where the presents are Every year my Mum refuses to come here as its too much messing but Dd decided to invite her and she said yes! So I have had to decorate the partly stripped room that Dgs uses. DS put the lining paper up but god knows how because everytime I have put emulsion on it the paper peeled off :eek: Working with one arm has seriously impeded my ability to catch the paper as it peeled and gave the window cleaner a good laugh when I opened the door with paint from my hair down to my boobs - including my glasses :rotfl:

In fact the whole one armed business has seriously affected my sense of humour along with 7 weeks of little sleep due to pain.

I have laughed at my ideas to fix the arm including swimming - in circles?

My Gp and I do have a laugh though especially when he realises as I leave the surgery that maybe an x ray would be a good idea so he ran after me and couldn't find me, probably because I was in the pharmacy with the prescription he had just given me ?? So he rang me much later still laughing despite, as he said 'having had one of those days' and now being on call at 6pm. So I am off for an x ray. I am blessed with my crazy GP.

OH has been pootling in the shed for half an hour or so here and there - with a comfy chair and heater of course. I thought he was maybe creating something wonderful for me but no he has been organising his tools So at least when I have to fix something and he is in bed ( a lot now) I can find stuff.

I have put lights up ( Wilko's bargain after last Christmas) in the front garden and 2 big reindeer in the back garden ( gift off neighbour who emigrated) just for DGs. Took him to see them when it went dark and he said 'Ok' he could have at least humoured me Lets hope he and my Mum are a bit more enthusiastic about his pirate bedroom.

Jazee

Morning all. Can I ask, when do you have 'brunch'? Haha.

We're having our family Christmas dinner at a restaurant tonight as it's the only chance most of us can get together, the joys of working in the retail and hotel industries.

monnagran

OK. So this ugly rumour that Christmas is about to happen whether I'm ready or not, seems to have a ring of truth about it.
Not that I haven't been preparing. Heaven forbid. I've been knitting my poor aching fingers off, making all sorts of delectable items that may, or may not, be finished by the end of the week. Who knows.

Somewhere, stashed in various kitchen cupboards and drawers, in bags in my room and in the garage, there are the makings of clementine marmalade, biscuits, brownies and mince pies. All I have do is track them down, find a time when the kitchen is clear and perform some magic.
There are other small items purchased over the past few weeks secreted in my room well away from curious fouryearold eyes. It's quite a surprise when rummaging for clean underwear to come across something I have no recollection of buying and haven't a clue who the intended recipient was.

So............

This morning I hunt down all gifts that don't require any further attention from me and wrap them up -- always supposing I can find the gold paper.

This afternoon I go through my room like a dose of salts, tidying, putting away and packing some stuff up to go back into storage and thus enabling me to cross the floor without it ending up like some obstacle race.

In the middle of all this reluctant activity I will endeavour to cook and eat brunch/lunch/dinner.

Happy Sunday all you efficient, organised calm OSers,
from this abysmal failure.

x

Softstuff

Congratulations on breaking up from work Hester, I feel yiur relief. Is the L&M getting some time off? Reno has ground to a halt, and we're just chilling out (and I'm working full time at the mo!)

My MIL has a kitchen island, it looks lovely, but her home is very open plan (lounge/kitchen /dining room). We would have had a breakfast bar island at the flat if we stayed.

Mardatha, I forgot my entire handbag the other day.... hubby was not pleased. I agree with TT, a lot of funny turns are dehydration. Our nurse at work has that ad her mantra.

I'm sorry about your presents TT, that really sucks.

Monnagran, Christmas here seems like a merry go round that I've jumped on mistakenly. Last night was my friends daughter's birthday which went well, but after all the cooking I was knackered. Didn't wake up today until 9.45 and we were due at a friends family Christmas at 11..... with salads. A quick run to the supermarket and I whipped up a couple of interesting salads for 12 people in 10 minutes. A good day was had by all then I had a couple of hours nap before leftovers for dinner. Hopefully the rest of the festive season goes equally as well!

Floss

I feel a little bit more prepared for Christmas after a flurry of doing stuff: Christmas cake for neighbours church pensioners baked, decorated & delivered; first batch of biscotti just finishing in oven (gluten-free for the SiL we're visiting for Christmas); last of presents bought; all cards written & posted or delivered; lights in outside tree; laundry basket almost empty; ironing basket empty (for now).

Just need to make more biscotti, an orange garland for SiL, and wrap the presents. Oh, and make an egg-free, dairy-free dinosaur cake for delivery on 24th as we leave for south-easterly regions!

Softstuff

I'm sure you've got it covered Floss, but just in case, I make this recipe regularly:

http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/03/tried-true-tuesday-crazy-cake-no-eggs.html?m=1

I swap water for coconut cream for a richer cake and last night left out the cocoa, but put in vanilla and various food colourings for a rainbow cake. It's pretty solid, so you can carve it iyswim (last nights had a horn - unicorn cake).

Floss

Softstuff, thanks for the recipe. Does it stay moist, as the birthday is on 27 Dec but both me & the mum want it done & out of the way!

Softstuff

Yes it does, it's the oil I think. I've frozen it too.... not decorated though.