EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

Greying_Pilgrim

Morning EH,

I don't know if you've already spotted the excerpts from BBC rewind on the news site, but I watched THIS one and thought of you.  

Greying X

EssexHebridean

Greying that's fantastic! Barra hasn't changed in terms of the aircraft still landing on the beach - it's just rather smaller aircraft now! I've actually flown into both Barra & Tiree! Thank you so much for sharing that! 

Phew - well isn't it flipping hot again? Foxgloves yes, we are also in the red blob although a little cooler than the forecasts for us your way allegedly - having said that it was 40C as we went back up the motorway last night according to the car - so it remains to be seen what it says today. It's just me in the office today anyway - I have both fans pointing at me and the blinds on the door have remained closed - if anyone wants me they can knock!  It's not so much being brave cycling Beanie - it's that the alternative is a 25 minute walk, whereas I can cycle it in 10 minutes one way, and about 7 the other! I did debate the walk yesterday but decided that a gentle cycle would actually probably be easier. SH I certainly wouldn't fancy using my camera anywhere today - I think it's far better that it sits at home safely in its bag! the car told me it was 30 degrees before I even got into London this morning... 

Tea last night was smoked mackerel salad - and tonight I think I'm going to throw together a pasta salad with odds and ends, probably some cubed halloumi and whatever else I find that looks like it'll work. Means cooking time can be kept to a bit of a minimum which I think we'll all agree is a bonus. MrEH is heading to the rugby club for a talk-through of some strategy stuff - which bizarrely it seems they plan to do on a field in the sunshine rather than, you know, in the bar with a beer....each to their own! I'll be getting some more photos done from the weekend, and doing odds and ends of beer order stuff, and I expect we'll do some more of that once he gets home too as I gather they're not planning for it to be a long session. He will also be handing his car over to our tame mechanic Neil for it's service and MoT Test - technically it isn't due a service but we're really not convinced it had its last one at the point we were told it did so we've decided to opt for a safety first approach. Means I need to remember that the foldy bike has to be transferred across to the boot of my car at some stage as soon as I get home, too. 

Other jobs for this week are to get those wretched Hebrides ferries and the journey accommodation booked - I really must get my mind focused there as the trip is creeping up now - under 2 weeks until the beer festival, then two weeks after that is Eastbourne Airshow when I will be away for another 4 days, so the time in between now and when we go will also be pretty well occupied...

Going to try a new experiment with our hot water heating at home - namely rather than leaving it on overnight to just tick over and heat the tank, turning the timed setting off, and giving it a 20 minute boost each morning to see if that does enough to heat it up. It might be that we simply don't remember to do it - although I have a reminder on my phone - or that it doesn't give quite enough heat, but we'll see - and as we still have time available on the night rate when we get up, it should theoretically cost a little less to do it that way, anyway. Worth a try, I reckon. On the subject of energy use I now have the confirmation from Green Energy UK that they are progressing the switch which is great news - I'm just hoping that Util5h1tty Warehouse don't decide in their wisdom that it would be fun to block it - nothing would surprise me with them, now. I'm still getting nowhere with the complaint with them - I've summarised everything one last time and will see what they have to say, but I have said if they simply try to direct things round in circles again then I won't even bother responding, but will simply wait for the 8 week deadline to arrive and go straight to the Ombudsman. 

I need to give some thought to food for later in the week - I think it's cooling down from tomorrow though so I may not feel quit4e so resentful about the idea of actually cooking anything...! 

Cheery_Daff

I'm impressed with you even making a pasta salad - I'm basically surviving on yogurt, fruit and ice pops 😂 Don't envy you having to go to work today!

foxgloves

I'm.not sure that ice-pops are actually a food group, @Cheery_Daff. Having said that, we've stocked up on ice-lollies.
F

Cheery_Daff

What are you on about, ice pops are definitely a food group! 😂😂

I froze some reduced strawberries yesterday with some choc shot drizzled over them, thinking they'd make a nice snack. Just took some out of the freezer and they're like tiny rocks with sticky chocolate sauce on 🙄😂 Most vexing sitting waiting for them to defrost (should put them in the garden, it'd probably take 10 seconds!)

girlatplay

Food group or not, the ice pops are a necessity for hydration purposes.

savingholmes

Ice pops definitely a food group this week. 

Glad you are doing ok

EssexHebridean

Anything cool is a food group when the temperatures are like this IMO! I was most fascinated by a chap in front of me on Sunday at the airshow mind you, who, mid afternoon, proceeded to extract a chocolate covered biscuit bar ("Breakaway" type from the look of it, not though it makes much difference I'm sure!) from what appeared to be a perfectly ordinary black backpack type bag, unwrap it, and it hadn't melted in the slightest. How on earth...?! 

girlatplay

Wait, what?  How?  Pretty sure I'm more melted than that right now.

beanielou

Ice pops & ice lollys are a food group all of their own!!

Was going to have tuna & sweetcorn pasta for tea but I think it's too hot!!