General Chat

Morning Ann
I was remembering that I had some childrens books from Australia brought over by my penfriend when my children were small. I have also used them with my childminding.
Don Spencer's Australian Animals
and Jalygurr by Pat Torres.
My penfriend's husband used to work in education for the native Australians. They lived in Perth and in Broome up in the North West, where there were pearl divers I think.

Linda :o) XxX

its 9 am Sunday 19th Dec.
I just saw on the early tv news that they cant find England !
It was a catchy intro to the story, but when I heard it through I realized what they meant.

You poor people, covered in snow or ice.
Unable to go anywhere, do anything.

I have NO idea what you are experiencing, and I am amazed you can still be cheerful.
and this is likely to go on for months? o dear, I do hope the the power stations can keep up with the demand for heating. how do folk keep warm in such trying situ. ? I suppose this months power bill will be enormous.

Thinking of you all and for your wellbeing.

Annette

A very good morning to you all.
Hope everyone is safe and warm. Very cold here today and airport is closed until 1p.m. Its rained all night and now we have snow showers as well. Will just have to curl up by woodburner for the day and read a good book.
Take care everyone,

Cath xx

Annette, thank you for your thoughts. The snow and ice is at best a nuisance at worst dangerous. Only a nuisance to us as we can't get out and about, but we don't have to being retired. We had warning of the weather so we stocked up on food and our house stays quite warm as we have had all our cavity walls insulated, plus the roof and have double glazing. We are lucky in that we can just about to afford to keep the central heating running on low all day when it is cold.

However there are people who are going to be suffering from the cold who can't afford to heat their homes properly. Hopefully they will have learned to have a blanket handy to wrap round themselves when sitting around.

And there are people who have to drive on the icy roads, people who need to get to work, the emergency services etc. Those are the ones I feel for and who need our thoughts. Some of the main roads will be gritted but that is not a lot of help if snow then falls on top. (somehow that seems to be the government of the days fault - we had the same last year).

Our personal problem is going to be whether we are able to get to our daughter's for Christmas at the end of the week. However, if we can't that will be sad but not life threatening and we'll have to go later on. Fingers crossed that somehow we get enough of a thaw to clear the roads.

Catherine, stay warm!

Ann, I've been by fire all day, lovely. Only had to go out for a short time with dog and then back to fire. I do hope you can get to your daughters for Christmas but staying safe is more important. Im sure she would rather you waited till later if the roads are too dangerous. Fingers crossed for you.
Hope everyone is wrapped up warm and safe.

Cath xx

Oh yes everyone will understand if we can't get there. But I will be soo disappointed.

Hope everyone has managed to keep safe and warm.
Rained all day today although not so cold as it has been, which is just as well as our boiler gave up the ghost and we can't get a new one until new year. No central heating, just woodburner in living room so will have to get thermals on and snuggie wrapped round me.

Cath xx

Catherine, thats what I dread, the boiler going wrong at this time of year. The cold would probably finish me off. We have such trouble getting the Housing association to service the boilers, and when they do there are no parts to replace old ones with. Sending you a heat wave with all my strength.

Hi Jean, thanks for the heatwave, just what I needed.
Hubby can fit new boiler so will not have to pay labour charges but still £1500 at Christmas is not good. OH and me are away for new year but daughters won't be too impressed being left in cold house and I can't picture either of them cleaning out woodburner.

Cath xx

Of course you are away for the New Year if the cruise goes ahead!!

Not many people on the boards. I think everyone is frozen!!!!

Hi
From recently very wet, but today a blue sky sunny day here on the Murray river in Aus.
we had a big dose of rain again, and it has nowhere to flow away. so it sits and lies.
the men had to stop harvesting, and have been home four days doing nothing, but annoying me while im trying to get the christmas biscuits etc baked.
Ive made ginger bread biscuits, coconut ice and chocolate crackles. Grandson had fun icing them with the new fancy writing icing tubes I got to try out. He did a fine job of it too.

{School is out for the summer break of 5 weeks, they go back for the new year on Jan 31.}

We are having baked whiting (fish) with potato salad and green salad for the main meal, and daughter is making the dessert. She hasnt told me what she will make yet, so I hope its not a recipe she hasnt tried before!!

The tree went up day after Son1 birthday 13th, and this year we decorated only with gold and red baubles, bells, and the lights. I think it looks so much better when its not crowded.
Last year grandson put everything on from the box and he thought it looked great, but it was over done.

This year I only put out what I wanted on the tree, and he did that.
then he asked "where are all the other wooden things?"
I said we arent putting them on this year.
He seemed ok with that and said "well its your house nanna, and you can have it how you want." sometimes he can be so sweet and sticky.

So all a merry Christmas and safe holiday time.
From Annette

Hi Annette

We went Gold on are tree as well this year i think my wife will be baking most nights this week all the family have asked her to make cakes so she will be busy the poor thing. Its Freezing here. i hope you and your family have a great Christmas and Merry Christmas to everyone else on Genes Reunited just in case i dont get back on here before Xmas.

Rob

Morning to you all.
Very cold north easterly wind here this morning but no snow.
Hope everyone is well and warm. Got a busy day today so might not get back on later, take care if you have to go out

Cath xx

Good morning everyone.
Weather same as yesterday, its bitterly cold in the wind. Hope you are all safe, well and warm.

Cath xx

Morning Cath - just going to put the ham on to simmer and then bake.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

and well done Ann for another friendly thread - looks like you got a convoy lol :-))

Morning Chris and everyone, from a very sunny with blue skys but very cold day here in Derbyshire
Chris I hope you don't mind me posting this, as I think you will probably know to do this, but it may be of a little help to others.
When you have simmered that Ham, save the water. When cold use as a stock, after skimming the fat off the top, and boil the carved ham bone in it to release all the last little pieces of ham. Use a packet of those marrowfat peas to turn it into a lovely pan of Pea and Ham Soup. You can add a Ham stock cube if necessary. An extra meal a little cost.
Have a lovely Christmas everyone. Don't let the cooking get you down LOL
Julia in Derbyshire.

PS. Just about the only sales I am interested in, are at Denby Pottery, near by. They have a lovely Cooking Emporium, where I can always find a new gadget, tool or pot. Says alot about me, doesn't it.LOL

Julia as we speak a full pressure cooker of veg soup is on the hob!!!!
Ham is cooling waiting for next stage of glazing and baking. Instead of usual 9lb ham, bought two 4 1/2 ones - easier to cope with. Can get one in pressure cooker and so reduce time instead of OH climbing in loft to get my preserving pan! For others my veg soup consists of some dried mixed soup veg, extra lentils, onion, large leek, 2 large carrots, 1 parsnip and 2 potato, parsley/celery all diced - puts hair on chest. Do NOT, repeat do NOT add salt to this soup as it will be salty enough in spite of ham being soaked in cold water for 24 hours.

Other will cook for New Years Eve. Later this afternoon OH will be making a mercy run to son with large jug of soup and big plate of ham.

Chris LOL, you OH is working well. Give him an extra sloppy one under the mistletoe from me. He deserves it. I hope he is fully innoculated and masked up for his mission delivering sustainance to the sick (son).
When on a ward at the beginning of the week, with my usual, another patient was diagnosed has having 'flu. I would have though they would have put her in a side room, in isolation, but they did not seem bothered.
Will try that recipe when got rid of all the Christmas goodies. It sounds a good one.
Take care both of you, and I hope son gets better soon, and can do justice to your goodies by the New Year.
All The Best
Julia in Derbyshire