Tales from The Shire

Fortune_Smiles

The calm after the storm

So much calmer today.  We had a very pleasant walk with FDawg this morning.  Mr F did some litter picking and I foraged for fallen tree branches for the log burner.

Not much mored accomplished today though.  We were planning to move the Leaning Shed of the Shire but it started raining and, as moving the shed requires emptying it of its contents first, we had to leave that for another day.  I did bake the Christmas cake though and gave myself a manicure in preparation for a busy social week ahead.

We had the last of the Disaster Quiche for lunch today and Baked Gnocchi with Spinach & Pancetta for supper.  I picked the last of the spinach from the veg patch as it's sulking a bit now that the temperature is dipping to below zero overnight.  Some went into the recipe and some is left for another meal this week.

We had a video call with some of the Younger Fortunates this evening but will be off to bed soon.  We're still recovering from the bug and a sleepless night courtesy of Storm Arwen.

Hope everyone's had a lovely Sunday

Fortune x

savingholmes

Christmas cake sounds good... I've always bought mine... but I do love home made cake. 

Glad you got to pamper yourself with a manicure too.

ruby_eskimo

Sorry to hear about the damage from Arwen but it sounds like it could have been a lot worse!  

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

Christmas cake sounds good... I've always bought mine... but I do love home made cake. 

Glad you got to pamper yourself with a manicure too.

I made my first Christmas cake eight years ago at a WI meeting when I first joined.  I've used their recipe ever since (although I've tweaked it a little to suit).

ruby_eskimo said:

Sorry to hear about the damage from Arwen but it sounds like it could have been a lot worse!  

It could have been very much worse Ruby.  One of the villages close by is still largely without power.  Our lights flickered a little but didn't go out entirely.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Back on my feet

I'm almost back to 100% now - just a little asthma remaining which I always get after having a virus.  I've had a busy day and haven't felt my energy levels dropping too much.

It's money shuffle time again so I reconciled the bank accounts and moved pennies around.  All is as expected.  Ordered some food and treats for FDawg and a few Christmas items.

Renovated a scarf - its tassels had become very tangled and felted so I turned them into little bobbles instead.  Also gave two pairs of boots a touch up with suede renovator.  That should keep them going for another season.

A friend popped by for a coffee and catch up which was lovely - although I was in my scruffs and hadn't realised that my bootleg leggings were still tucked into my fluffy bunny socks 😆  I'd secured them there when I went up to the veg patch to stop them dragging in the wet grass and forgot to pull them out again.  Not my best cat-walk look 😂

We had Leek, Fennel & Potato Soup for lunch using leeks and the one and only fennel I managed to grow this year.  Supper was Sausage & Leek Mash Pie with peas (more leeks and spinach from the veg patch as I didn't have any kale).  There's enough leftover of both for meals for tomorrow although it's just Mr F for lunch as I'm out at a Christmas do.

This afternoon was vacuuming and ironing (as both were long overdue) and finishing the prep for our book club meeting this week.  I'm now up in the Nook making my nails look glitzy.

The wind is picking up but I hope we're not going to get storm levels again - we're still recovering from Arwen 😲

Sleep tight all

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Fa La La La La

I've been out enjoying myself today 😁  It was the Federation WI Christmas Lunch - and very festive it was too.  The venue was a college which has a restaurant as part of its catering course.  The students were so sweet - they were trying their utmost to impress and were so nervous.  I'm surprised more sprouts didn't make a bid for freedom due to the shaking hands 🥰  The cost was £25 which I'd paid a few weeks ago from personal spends.

I left Mr F with yesterday's soup to keep him going and he's just had leftover sausage pie for supper.  I'm not hungry after my earlier four courses so I'm keeping my leftover soup and pie for tomorrow when Mr F is away at his Christmas work event 😆 Plus I'm out at Book Club tonight and there was a threat of mince pies made.

I've wrapped one birthday and two Christmas presents which I can deliver tonight at Book Club.  I'm trying to get things to people as early as possible because who knows what restrictions might still be brought in before Christmas.

The Postman bought me a Christmas gift today too - a presentation box of three bottles of Prosecco and three packets of posh chocolate truffles 😁  A thank you from Uncle F... he's redeeming himself 🤭

Christmas time seems to have arrived all of a sudden.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Glad Uncle F is redeeming himself. 

WI description sounds funny. I've often wondered about joining... 

Have fun at the book club.

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, sounds like some lovely festive treats at your end, how spiffing! Glad Uncle F is redeeming himself!

beanielou

Pass the truffles 

rtandon27

Fortune_Smiles said:

... A thank you from Uncle F... he's redeeming himself 🤭

Aww Fortune - this gave me a good laugh, but it is heartening to know that he understands your upset!