Three weeks

squeaky

Now I'm really tempted. Might just have a smaller portion with a couple of asparagus tips as a starter. Hm...

Queenie

How's it going? Any update? I know you said 3 weeks and it's barely been a week, but, ... any signs of .... progress? How have you been coping?

squeaky

I'd managed to keep the upper part of the house dust free as they took the rendering and plaster off the walls on all the downstairs rooms, but today they removed the old lath and plaster from the kitchen ceiling and the dust is finer than talc and absolutley everything is covered in a fine patina of it.

All my crocks and pots aren't stowed away in cupboards ('cos I don't have any cupboards) so they all need washing. In the bath.

The outside wall is stripped bare, the electrics are hanging out all over the place, the fridge is in the front room and I have to carefully travel through the kitchen in the dark to get to it...

..I can't for the life of me believe that they'll have it all finished by a week on Friday.

But apart from that everything is fine

Still living off my box scheme supplies supplemented by my well stocked freezer and not doing too badly. Had organic new pots, carrots and broad beans with a helping of that lovely pork I slow cooked a while back and a large orange for pud. AND since I was going to compost the peel I grated all the zest off first and added it to my collection in a little pot in the freezer

Still considering my menu and dreaming of food that doesn't taste of cement dust

Ticklemouse

Ahh, ya can come here squeaks. I always make enough for an army - or even the Fleet Air Arm (RN)

Just made 4 gallons of mushroom soup which Mr TM tells me is 'Loverly' Will that do for starters?

squeaky

Awww...

It'll do fine. Especially if it's served with home made bread

Actually, I've got some mushrroms I need to use up. Have you posted the soup recipe in the Old Style collection?

Nelski

Squeaky - come and stay with me!!!!!!! great kitchen, sadly underused!!!

I hope you are all right there it sounds like hell. Hope it will be all worth while in the end xx

squeaky

Thanks

It's going to be great when it's done. I couldn't use more than half of my cupboards before and didn't have any upper ones. Now I'm going to be able to use two doubles and two single and have three upper ones.

Plus the sink is being moved so instead of staring at a blank wall when washing up I'll be able to look out along the garden

Kippsy

Ahhhh, bless squeaks! Perhaps I really should send you some cookies! (from TV cook thread)

I would invite you to stay but i'm not sure you would be any better off! My house is a recovering building site.... had the electrics and central heating done about 18 months ago, a few rooms re-plastered last year, new kitchen two years ago nearly, new bathroom last year.... hopefully new bedrooms in about 6 weeks!!

All I have to do now is sell all my boyfriends tools before he pulls anything else off of the walls to "help" the builder!! :rotfl: :rotfl:

squeaky

Well.

Eight weeks on and it's finally all done, with the exception of a lick of paint here and there and bookshelves and pictures etc. to rehang and loads of sorting out... and so on. The house is enough together to have my friends round now

So today is the big day - and I'm skint. Magic innit?

Anyway... IF I can find the things in my co-op today I like the idea of the salmon with asparagus in small portions as a starter.

And I like the idea of the maple custards for pud.

If I can't find maple syrup I'll do the cream and curd with meringue smash.

As for the main course I'm reckoning on a cold roast pork salad served with hot new potatoes which should suit the weather nicely. The salad dressing is all made (golden syrup, olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt&pepper, and lemon juice) and just needs a good shake.

So... one SHORT shopping list coming up, shopping to do, roast to cook in good time to cool down... custards the same...

..and LOTS of work to do to make the place look like I HAVEN'T been beavering away to make everything look presentable

squeaky

So much for plans.

No salmon and no asparagus, but some nice prawns that I thought I could dish up (maybe with raw peas) in a light lemon sauce - except I don't have a recipe for such a sauce. Can anyone help me out with this? A favourite?

And I'm going to have to make some meringues and some lemon curd...

The pork is in - oops, forgot the rosemary!

Hmm... it's going to be a busy day.