General Chat

Maureen a potato ricer is like a small sauspan that has millions of holes in it. It has a handle like a sauspan and a plunger bit so you put potatoes (cooked) in it and squash them with the plunger which is also on a handle and out comes little tiny wiggles of of potato which look like rice.

Hope thats right as I can see one in my minds eye. I don't have one but do have a citrus swqeezer which is very similar.

It's the last of What Remains tonight and the last of Vera.

Go on Mel be a devil :-D.What do you think you might make?

Mandy I don't mind a few little lumps in mash either,but have enjoyed the ricer.Have only used it a couple of times.As long as the potato isn't sloppy .Nothing worse than sloppy mash :-S
Hannahs friends need nothing .They are well minted lol.But she does cook a meal for the 3 of them and buys some chocs or some other little treat.

Phew I am feeling quite warm now.Also since the new windows there are no draughts coming in :-D
I have not heard of a St Lukes summer Mel.Is that an Indian one?

Maureen ,I think the days of sitting out have ended too :-(.But have had a cracking summer .I think we have been quite spoiled.
I just hope we don't have the kind of winter we had last year.I don't mind a bit of snow but not weeks of it.

I will have to start thinking of what clothes ,shoes etc to get ready for the holiday soon.I have bought some of the mini toiletries which should just about last a week.
Need to put a few more books on my kindle too.I had a good number of books downloaded but keep reading them. :-S

It is still pretty windy here ,but no rain .Chris reckons the sun will come out around 5 o clock !!.He is sat here in the lounge (keeping an eye on the fire).It's most unusual for him to be in here as he is normally tucked away in his study .
Yes TV is Cr**.I have been watching old Time Team programmes this afternoon.
Have cooked up the mixture for the pasties ,but will finish them off tomorrow.

Frank are you behaving and not annoying Ros in the kitchen???

Afternoon All,

Well, no sun here today but windy and rain early this afternoon. To think I was in shorts at the beginning of the week and today I have socks and my cardi on!!

No, no houses planned for the field at the back yet Mel. Mind you with all the changes in the planning rules who knows how long anywhere is safe from builders. We think the field at the back belongs to a pension trust.The big development is about a mile away, the other side of the village and will be the size of Market Harborough and use the land where there are 7 farms at the moment and is also the site of a roman villa. One of the farms belongs to the nephew of the chap who bought the Doctor's Gig first OH and I built. When he had a heart attack I used to exercise his pony for him in his father's Governess Cart in those fields. It's lovely undulating fields and woodland with lots of wildlife. You could see the Hares boxing in the spring. They are going to close the bridleway as well.......such a shame.....seems they can do whatever they want. :-S

I've had those Borlotti beans in salads Frank and they were quite nice. Your neighbour must have noticed they were different when he planted them? That seems quite a wait for your cataracts to be done. MIL has only had to wait 8 weeks for her second one to be done next Wednesday. Glad your knee is a bit better, so don't aggravate it will you....or your wife in the kitchen!!!

The flat share for Hannah sounds promising Jane. Will it be handy for Kings College?

Oh Mandy.....more problems after all then......hope it's easy to sort out without having to rip anything out.

Ooooh yes please Mel just fancy some cake, and doesn't it give off a lovely aroma throughout the house.

From someone who barely knows how to switch on the oven, what is a Potato Ricer Jane?

Heating on here too, I read your post Mandy and thought yes why am I sitting here feeling cold.

Nice houses Alexandra Palace area. Brings back memories of the twice weekly trips there for son's ice hockey training. Eldest daughter lived about five minutes walk from Alexandra Palace before they moved to Bedford.

Nearly 4.30pm now shall I make some cakes????????????????????

Jane oh like lumps in his mash!!!!!

Perhaps Hannah could buy a nice pressy for the couple she is staying with. She should keep her ears open and see if they say they need something.

Winds picked up a bit here and we have that horrid fine drizzle too Maureen.

You never know we could still get some good weather as we hav'nt had St Lukes little summer yet which is in October.

I will work on it Mandy :-D :-D.Yes we tried the wood burner last night,but I wasn't sure about it .I think today we have got things right with the different flue ,and draught intake thingy.It smells funny but I think it is because it is new,a bit like a new exhaust on a car (if you know what I mean).I am sitting at the dining table at the other end of the room and can feel the room warming up.I think it might take a bit of getting used to to get the right airflow or whatever.

Yes it is everything crossed now that Hannah gets this particular house share.She said it is a large house and she would share a bathroom with just one of the other girls.Her bedroom would look out over Alexandra Park.I think she feels a bit awkward staying with her friend and fiancee ,a bit like she is putting on them.But I know they are happy to have her there as long as is needed.They refuse to take any rent which again makes her a little uncomfortable.

We have Brisket tonight,courtesy of Waitr***.It has already been slow cooked and just takes 40 mins in the oven.I'm doing Mashed Potatoes,Runner Beans(sadly bought shop now),Baby Carrots and Broccoli .I bought a Potato Ricer the other week and think it is blooming marvellous :-D :-D

So if you could just get him to do the cleaning and the washing you could retire Jane :-D :-D :-D

Heating's on !!! really chilly here ,not sitting here cold blow the expense !!

Sorry Frank, I'm no help at all with the beans and if you sent a photo won't be able to see it as I still can't get onto Hotmail.

I feel a bit sad now, have been out in the garden to put away the garden chairs and cover the table up for the winter, I shall miss sitting out there having my lunch, it's going to be a long old winter :-( It's that fine drizzly rain at the moment and the wind is picking up.

Fingers crossed for Hannah Jane, it will be good for her to settle in somewhere, makes new friends and move on. John obviously wasn't Mr. Right but he's out there just waiting to be found.

Couldn't agree more Frank about the c**p on TV, tonight's not much better, are there no creative people working in tv anymore they have to keep revamping old programmes last night Through the Keyhole which might have been alright, I love nosing in other peoples houses but can't stand that Lemon guy, not funny at all tonight we have Surprise Surprise.

Jane good news for Hannah about house sharing.
Yes I got a few complements on my hair at church this morning, felt nice to dress up for church feeling good also a few belated birthday greetings, word gets around quick there. thank goodness they did not burst into singing happy birthday to me. they did that for one of the elderly men at one time and even brought in a cup cake with a candle in it , he was so red in the face I thought he might pass out :-D :-D.

Stopped raining but still very windy. been out twice to cover up the garden table as the cover keeps blowing off. another job for OH time to put the table and brolly in the shed again, we won't be having any more BBQ's this year :-(

Jane that sounds promissing for Hannah. I hope she gets it. <3

Frank I want to say they are Borlotti beans usually used in Italian cookery.

What colour were the pods and did she cook the whole pods and beans like runners? I seem to remember that you can let them get big on the plants and dry them and pod them and store as dried beans for cooking.

Stay out of the Kitchen Frank :-S :-S.We all know what you are like ;-).
Glad your knee is a bit easier.Maybe you have turned the corner now :-D

18 weeks is a heck of a long time to wait Frank ,but i think that is normal :-S
Can't answer your query on the beans I'm afraid .

James is home tomorrow ,so one more day of grace :-D.Chris has become all domesticated,after my cooked breakfast in bed yesterday ,and him doing all the tomato sauce he has done the ironing this morning !!!!!!!!.I'm in shock lol,but not complaining :-D.

Fiona your hair looks so nice now ,I bet it feels so different now.

Well what weird weather.It is now sunny and bright ,but very gusty.I don't think the brightness will last though.
I'm going to do some more pasties.But my own concoction .Who knows what it will be like.I have smoked streaky bacon ,mushrooms, potato,some red and yellow peppers,onion,and some grated cheese.I might chuck some oregano /basil in .
I'm not really sure about this lol.It could end up in the bin :-S

Not sure if I said or not,but Hannah had a call from one of the house share that she went to see.It is with 3 other girls.They have asked her to go back on Wednesday for coffee and chat .So that sounds quite positive .I don't know if they have asked anyone else back for a second meeting .She really liked the house and the girls so it would be just great if they choose her.

Afternoon all,

Cold and wet here ,i think the heating will be on later ,Jane have you tried the wood burner out yet ? i think you'll be needing it today !!

Well the tiles are now all grouted ,what a mess ,i think once dry i will be mopping for days to get the tiles clean !!

The wire will have to be looked at as the phone is not working again and the internet has been off all morning :-S more expense !!

If i was you Frank i would leave well alone in the kitchen !! if you don't want to get battered !! :-S :-D :-D
Goodness knows what we'll be having as i'am not allowed on the kitchen floor and as it's a miserable day we don't fancy going out !! so it might be bread and pull it again !!

I have brought the kettle ,mugs,coffee and tea bags through into the conservatory so at least we can have a hot drink and the fridge has been wheeled out here too !!

Right Frank get your counting hat on I was born in 1955 :-D
I'm just a slip of a girl don't you agree :-D :-D

Morning as I start, afternoon when I finish,

Jane I too woke up at 2.00 am. Couldn't get back to sleep for ages. When Ros bought me in a cup of tea I dropped off again, onlt to wake up to a cold cup of tea!!!

Some idiot rang a wrong number at 7.40 am. this morning. Wouldn't you think they would take more care at that time on a Sunday morning :-P :-P :-P

Did anyone recognise the beans please, I am getting earache from the neighbour, she thinks I am some sort of expert. :-D :-D

Knee is a bit easier this morning to the point I have been getting about the lounge without the crutch. but handy enough if I need it.

Just watched the GREAT NORTH RUN, Poor old MO missed out by a couple paces to win his race, They recon the temp. up there in the wind is about 4 or 5 degrees.

Come on Fiona WE don't want you to tell us your age. JUST what year you were born ;-) ;-) ;-)

Ros and I have been having a good old banter this morning, as she is doing the SUNDAY ROAST for this evening. I keep asking if she needs any ADVISE. the only reply I get is B###S !!! Then I pick on something else to comment on. She said if you carry on you will be wearing the YORKSHIRE PUDDING MIX on your head. Anyone got a spare brolly.???

What total C##p television was on last night. I refused to have it on. !! We turned over to ITV 3 and watched some oldies.

I have had confirmation from Daventry Hospital regarding my cataracts . After my first consultation I could wait up to 18 (EIGHTEEN) weeks before they get done, and then I have to wait another 6/8 weeks before I go back to the optician to get my new glass's . So how do I manage in the meantime ??? I have a job to read a book or newspaper now, and I can only read the thread magnified . It worked for me this morning Mandy. !!

I don't envy Lewis playing football today, and I'm glad I am not out there watching him :-D :-D :-D

I bet OH was pleased he didn't have to take any of the thresh hold up to sort those wires. Mandy.

Might call back later.

Enjoy your day.

Morning/Evening All
I think it is working its way down the country from Fiona.Chris says things are supposed to get a bit rough from 2pm ish.It is just dull with light rain and bit of a breeze just now.
I slept so badly last night>Chris woke me as he kept coughing and turning over ,so i moved out in to the spare bed just after 2am.Then I couldn't go back to sleep so read my Kindle for a hour or so .Dropped off and was then woken about 4 back a Taxi dropping off next door.I must have dropped off again and Chris woke me with a cuppa about 8 30.It was gone 10 when I got up.So i reckon I won't be doing a lot today lol.Just laze and sort dinner :-D

Sounds like the forcast was right for you then Fiona.

Oh has gone ringing for church and I am going to have a nice clear up while he is out and then have a shower.