I've spent ages this morning trying to trace my rose delivery. The Post said they'd transferred it to DPD delivery company. DPD said they would deliver it to a shop in town tomorrow. It has just arrived here! Good thing she rang the intercom on the electric gate.
I'll heel them into the veg garden and I'll put Daughter 1's into a compost bag with damp compost to take to Son 2's when we all go to lunch on the 28th.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Morning all, I'm trying to catch up with you all as the internet is on and off. OH spoke to a chap at Orange this morning, not particularly helpful but said there had been vandalism but not everyone round about is affected! I hope you all manage to get your shopping and deliveries, and the weather cheers up for the Christmas festivities. I went out to replenish the bird feeders, but nothing much had been eaten, also the Pyracantha is still covered in berries which is very unusual for late December, climate change perhaps? I will try and catch up again later.
no sign of even a slither of sunshine here. It's getting a bit much this greyness, rained heavily in the night after the wind stopped.
You gave me a smile @Pat E even if I am sure poor OH did not!Â
So, I have had a successful morning so far: trip to the SM, got all ingredients I need to make cake etc to take to a friend who has invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them. Lost for "what to bring" I found a gorgeous fresh fruit basket for 30 euros, really full of exotic goodies. They don't want any alcohol as they have plenty they say, but couldn't quite turn up with just the homemade cake. So I got her favourite wine too. It will be strange to be in someone else's house this year.Â
Poor OH, @Pat E, surprised you risked the MacDonalds wrap after that! That usually happens in reverse order! A MacDonalds wrap is one of my guilty pleasures though, especially the crispy chicken and bacon versions. I try not to indulge very often though. Happy Birthday to Rob, hope he continues to go from strength to strength. Very glad that you are continuing to improve, @Nanny Beach. Off to brave Waitrose this morning. Collect the turkey and get the last minute veg and dairy stuff. Home this afternoon to babysit neighbours dog, so I’ll take the opportunity to make some sponge cake for the trifle. I ‘made’ 36 mince pies yesterday, ( bought ready made puff pastry and jars of mincemeat- does that count?) and then we ate four of them. Managed to get the rest into the freezer for next week.
Also tried to make some Yorkshire puddings, and failed miserably yet again. I’ve finally realised why. Before we got rid of our old gas cooker, and replaced it with an induction hob, I used to sit the Yorkshire pudding tray on top of the gas rings, before pouring the batter in. Managed not to set everything on fire or burn myself, but my goodness, it worked a treat. Despite my best efforts to get the tray and oil hot enough in the fan oven, including nearly getting my eyebrows frazzled when I open the oven door, I seem doomed to create little stodgy ‘ cakes’. Any advice gratefully received.
Just seen two more lads with exuberant fringes! They’re everywhere, I just hadn’t noticed them before!
poor @Hostafan1. That does sound awful. Hope it improves soon. Bad time of year for you. Do you have any family visiting over Christmas? Or are you driving to them. If so, take extra care.
Fingers crossed for the 28th for @punkdoc! Oh, your poor hubby @Pat E!  Glad the cooker has got sorted Dove- cake looks delicious. A word of advice to you @Hostafan1 - don't count the hours, that will just wind you up. I have bouts of insomnia from time to time and have learnt that it's best to just accept it and realise that I can function (just) on little sleep and that it will pass. I now never look at any clocks, even when downstairs in the middle of the night making a camomile which I take back to bed. It's easier in winter as it remains dark and you don't hear the dawn chorus before you have slept! I might see Rob tonight @Dovefromabove! The Old Glory Molly - who normally dance at the Locks Inn, are in Bungay tonight as the Locks is flooded. They will be stopping at the Mayfair for a couple of dances before going on to the Green Dragon, just down the road from the Mayfair. I've persuaded OH that we should go! I'll see if I can recognise Rob and will make myself known to him if I can. But I suspect there will be quite a few hip looking chaps around for this.
@Ergates the oven needs to be really hot for Yorkshire puddings. I heat the baking tray with oil in it in the oven before I pour in the batter. My English oven is on the hot side and it works well. It didn't work in my French oven so I bought an oven thermometer. I found that to have it at 200C it has to be set at 220C! Another thing, when we were taught to make them at school we were to to beat the batter, not whisk it. I find that it rises much better when whisked with a hand balloon whisk.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
It wasn’t any good relying on you lot to remind me to take the sausages out of the freezer before I went to bed last night was it?  🙄  The sausage rolls will now be baked tomorrow … this morning I’ve braved Wrose for the bits and bobs … I was going to do that on the way back from the farm shop tomorrow.Â
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I've had less than 20 hours sleep since I woke up on Monday.
Feeling totally crap.
I've spent ages this morning trying to trace my rose delivery. The Post said they'd transferred it to DPD delivery company. DPD said they would deliver it to a shop in town tomorrow. It has just arrived here! Good thing she rang the intercom on the electric gate.
I'll heel them into the veg garden and I'll put Daughter 1's into a compost bag with damp compost to take to Son 2's when we all go to lunch on the 28th.
I hope you all manage to get your shopping and deliveries, and the weather cheers up for the Christmas festivities.
I went out to replenish the bird feeders, but nothing much had been eaten, also the Pyracantha is still covered in berries which is very unusual for late December, climate change perhaps?
I will try and catch up again later.
no sign of even a slither of sunshine here. It's getting a bit much this greyness, rained heavily in the night after the wind stopped.
You gave me a smile @Pat E even if I am sure poor OH did not!Â
So, I have had a successful morning so far: trip to the SM, got all ingredients I need to make cake etc to take to a friend who has invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them. Lost for "what to bring" I found a gorgeous fresh fruit basket for 30 euros, really full of exotic goodies. They don't want any alcohol as they have plenty they say, but couldn't quite turn up with just the homemade cake. So I got her favourite wine too.Â
It will be strange to be in someone else's house this year.Â
I wish all those with worries an easy day.
Luxembourg
Happy Birthday to Rob, hope he continues to go from strength to strength. Very glad that you are continuing to improve, @Nanny Beach.
Off to brave Waitrose this morning. Collect the turkey and get the last minute veg and dairy stuff. Home this afternoon to babysit neighbours dog, so I’ll take the opportunity to make some sponge cake for the trifle. I ‘made’ 36 mince pies yesterday, ( bought ready made puff pastry and jars of mincemeat- does that count?) and then we ate four of them. Managed to get the rest into the freezer for next week.
Also tried to make some Yorkshire puddings, and failed miserably yet again. I’ve finally realised why. Before we got rid of our old gas cooker, and replaced it with an induction hob, I used to sit the Yorkshire pudding tray on top of the gas rings, before pouring the batter in. Managed not to set everything on fire or burn myself, but my goodness, it worked a treat. Despite my best efforts to get the tray and oil hot enough in the fan oven, including nearly getting my eyebrows frazzled when I open the oven door, I seem doomed to create little stodgy ‘ cakes’. Any advice gratefully received.
Just seen two more lads with exuberant fringes! They’re everywhere, I just hadn’t noticed them before!
poor @Hostafan1. That does sound awful. Hope it improves soon. Bad time of year for you. Do you have any family visiting over Christmas? Or are you driving to them. If so, take extra care.
Oh, your poor hubby @Pat E! Â
Glad the cooker has got sorted Dove- cake looks delicious.
A word of advice to you @Hostafan1 - don't count the hours, that will just wind you up. I have bouts of insomnia from time to time and have learnt that it's best to just accept it and realise that I can function (just) on little sleep and that it will pass. I now never look at any clocks, even when downstairs in the middle of the night making a camomile which I take back to bed. It's easier in winter as it remains dark and you don't hear the dawn chorus before you have slept!
I might see Rob tonight @Dovefromabove! The Old Glory Molly - who normally dance at the Locks Inn, are in Bungay tonight as the Locks is flooded. They will be stopping at the Mayfair for a couple of dances before going on to the Green Dragon, just down the road from the Mayfair. I've persuaded OH that we should go! I'll see if I can recognise Rob and will make myself known to him if I can. But I suspect there will be quite a few hip looking chaps around for this.
The sausage rolls will now be baked tomorrow … this morning I’ve braved Wrose for the bits and bobs … I was going to do that on the way back from the farm shop tomorrow.Â
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.