General Chat

Im getting Tesco delivered tomorrow...goodies here we come :-D :-D

You have had our good weather, it has been cloudy and chilly here for the last three days. It is supposed to be better tomorrow, we shall see.

We will be on our own for a couple of days from tomorrow as the others are going over to Liverpool for two nights to visit the girls other grandpa. He is ninety nine and not very with it, although he does have his good days, so hopefully he will be on good form this weekend

For Mother’s Day my daughter gave me a voucher for Sunday lunch at a swish hotel not far away. As they will be away, we wanted to use it this weekend, but of course they are fully booked. Never mind, it is valid until next year, so we will get to use it at some stage.

I am pleased you have your hot water back Joan. Over the years, we have had to replace a couple of hot water tanks, so last time we changed the boiler at the same time and opted for a combi boiler, which meant we could do away with the hot water tank.

Afternoon all
Sun has eventually got up and is now shining away.

Linda I hope you are enjoying your 2 days to yourselves whatever you have decided to do and you can look forward to using that voucher another time.

I'm having a much quieter day here today after yesterday's mammoth computer session! We are just awaiting the arrival of Tesco which I hope isnt too far away as i am starving and want me goodies :-D

Chopped up some apples today that had been lurking in the fruit bowl for a few weeks and decided to give the birds a feed. So put all the bits in a bowl and headed out to the bottom part of back garden. Neighbours cat followed and when I threw some down he pounced on it except, he sniffed it and then walked away lol. I said well that's all there is take it or leave it haha

Got a line of washing out and the breeze is drying everything nicely. Electric bill for this month is well below the £100 as no heating, less oven cooking etc.

Hope you have a sunny day Joan and managing to get outside in your garden.

People in Skye are being asked to conserve their water else the wells will be running dry. Our local lochs water levels have dropped quite a bit in the last few weeks. So likewise we shall have to be extra careful and not waste any.

Have a lovely afternoon everyone

Florence in the hebrides :-D

It is very quiet here, they left at 11am. I have been tidying up and cleaning since then. I just have the last load of washing in the tumble dryer. I should have hung it out I suppose, but I can’t be bothered. I just want it out of the way quickly.

I have no idea what we are having for dinner tonight. I usually plan the meals for the week on a Monday, but as I want sure when they were going, I only did as far as last night. I will have a rummage in the freezer, I am sure we won’t starve.

OH went to a funeral this afternoon,just someone from his Probus group. He was very smart in his suit, but is now in the garden sunning himself in shorts and a tee shirt.

Linda from a suit to shorts and a t-shirt....that made me chuckle.
Well what a busy day daughter and I have had. We decided to clear all the weeds, thistles etc from inside the fence on our service rd. The council do not come and strim it at all and now some of the thistles are a foot tall.

So armed with long handled shears, large hand shears and a fan rake we set to work.
It was a misty murky day, small breeze and a little chilly but tha's ok for working outdoors. I managed to do a lot as holding the shears gave me a good balance and I could stop and start when I felt like it. Daughter raked every now & then and after an hour we stopped and went indoors for a drink.

My finger joints were aching so needed a break. In all there were 11 fence panels and we cleared 1 at a time until at the entrance to our rd, there were a group of large thistles which we chopped. We carried on until 3.30pm, took a step back and now it looks how it did when we moved here 2 years ago.

We actually both felt good for doing something useful for everyone and also getting fresh air and exercise.

My treat for tea was something naughty but nice. A large chip sandwich with lots of brown sauce and a summer fruit crumble with ice cream. Thoroughly enjoyed that treat.

So how was everyone elses day today? Can you get the sun back now up this way please?

Florence in the hebrides

You can’t have the sun Florence, it is mine :-D :-D

You certainly were busy yesterday and as you say it is good to do something for the community

As we were on our own and it was a good day, OH decided that we would have a trip out. We went to Whitby and had a walk on the beach, then walked to the end of the pier. We then crossed over to the other side of the harbour and treated ourselves to Fish and chips. Then we walked through the old part, but didn’t go up the 199 steps, I have done that lots of times in the past

By that time we were well and truly walked out and still had to walk all the way back to the top of the west cliff where we had parked. I was glad to get back to the car. As it was still only mid afternoon, we drove down the coast to Filey where OH’s sister lives and spent a couple of hours with her before we came home

Morning all
Well after all the fresh air and hard work yesterday, I should have slept well but I didnt! I went to bed at midnight and slept until 2am, up for the bathroom. After that I couldn't get off at all. Eventually got up at 6am and went into the kitchen. I did a couple of sudoku to pass the time lol

Anyway I'm up properly now and ironing to do etc

Well Linda, I have never been to Whitby so I googled the town and went on a virtual tour. What a quaint fishing town. Lots of narrow streets, shops and so many houses right on the street! Looks really lovely and ever if I got the chance I certainly would give it a day out. I saw the beginning of those steps...not sure I would be able to get up there though.

Well it's overcast and grey and chilly again but not so cold we need heating on ,noo def not just not warm & sunny. The water level across the road has really dropped now and getting worried that we shall be on a hosepipe ban very soon. We have been watering every 2-3 days just now to conserve but the plants are growing fast and need water.

Glad you had a nice time and fish & chips too...yummy :-D

Roses are almost in bloom, a yellow one, pink one and a deep red bush. Fuschias doing great this year in the new tubs. I can see a few green shoots in the carrot & beetroot tubs so better late than never!

Better get dressed now as things to do.

A pal I havent seen in months messaged to say she coming in the morning at 10am for a quick visit eeek I have no home baking in at all so it will choccy biscuits instead.

Hope Joan & AnnG are all ok, JG too.

Florence in the hebrides

hello.
A night fine day so far today, the sun is just breaking through so hoping to get outside once I get the Shepherds / cottage pie into the oven,

Our eldest son were here yesterday & he got a lot MORE of a lot of the accumilated rubbish out of the old steading, some we burbt , some he took away with him to take to the dumping place.
Still a lot of stuff to get rid of but it's looking better with every visit he makes !!

It's good job hubby can't see what's being thrown out, lol.

The site where the childrens old playhouse stood is yet to be sorted, the playhouse is down & the wood from it went on the fire yesterday so the next step is to clean up where it stood & prepare it all & lay flag stones so as to be able to erect a new "posh" looking shed, it will house things like the Mower, Chain Saw & other garden tools, which at present are taking up valuable space in my Potting shed.
Not sure when we wil actually get round to doing that.

The baby Hare was back in the garden yesterday, he seems to have taken up residence in the Wwildlife" area.
I don't really mind so long as he leaves my flowers alone, so far they haven't been touched & he's been around for a few days now.

Oh Linda, you take me back to my long ago wonderful days when hubby & I were courting, & being from & living in York, we would often go to all the coastal towns, Scarborough, Whitby, Brid, etc etc.
Our first date was spent in Scarborough in 1963, it absolutely CHUCKED it down that day, it was sooo bad we couldn't get out of the car !!

My late father in Law was born Whitby ( Ruswarp) a lovely place to visit.

Must go & prepare the Shepherds Pie, enjoy the rest of the day, hope the sun is shining.for you all.

Joan.

When we were in Whitby yesterday, the kipper smoking shop on Henrietta Street was open. I was tempted to buy some, but didn’t. I always love the smell of the smoking shed when you walk past.

OH had family in Ruswarp and they often visited when he was a child. In 1970 we had our honeymoon in Scarborough

Many of my dad's family holidays were spent in Scarborough. I have a picture of dad in a boat on a big lake aged about 11. He loved boats all his life.

Well Joan, what a busy bee you have been and yes probably best that hubby can't see what's going on lol.You have made great progress though clearing out, good on you.

Hope you enjoy your shepherd's pie, think im having just a jacket potato with grated cheese as not feeling very hungry today.

Is Whitby where The Royal series was filmed? I really enjoyed that series.

Well in need of a caffeine fix me thinks.

Florence in the hebrides

Florence, that park with the big lake is called, Peaseholm Park, a very lovely place, been there many times when a child & when courting & again when married with the 2 eldest children.

Scarbrough is a grand place.

Shepherds Pie was delicious & hubby ate a good portion which made me very happy.

Joan.

I have never watched it, but from googleFilming of the interior scenes of "St. Aidan's" used both The Leeds Studios and St Luke's Hospital, Bradford. Most of the exterior scenes were shot during the summer months at the Red Court building on Holbeck Road, South Cliff, Scarborough, as well as the nearby park area and Holbeck Clock Tower.

Peashooter Par k is still good, I went with OH last year. We always took the children to the naval battle on the lake and to walk in the fair y lights on the island when it was dark.

LOL Linda. another memory surfaces re p park.

When our eldest was about 3 we went to Scarborough & eneded up at th epark not knowing the Naval battle was going to be happening soon after entering.

Our son got such a scare when the guns started he watched the whole of the battle with his hands covering his ears.
Lovely memories of it all.

Hubby & I would sooo love to be able to spend just one more day at Scarborough etc.

Joan.

Afternoon all

Its brightening up here and sun is trying its best to shine through the clouds.

My pal arrived at 10.15 and stayed until 12 as she had to collect her hubby from work on her way home. We had nice posh biscuits that i found in the cupboard and demolished 1 or 2 lol. Good chat and banter and now up to date with each other's lives.

Got the washing out and its swaying nicely in the breeze so wont be long before I take it in,
Daughter took off on a whim to go and elsewhere for the night but will be back tom afternoon, so a peaceful evening and the tv all to myself. I can watch the soaps in peace lol.

Dwarf geraniums have bloomed and the yellow rose is out. Plants are doing well and will soon be a lovely wash of different colours.

Hope everyone else well today and having another sunny day.

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon everyone from a gloriously sunny village.
Yep its brilliant sunshine and quite warm with a little breeze.

I am feeling sooo hot because I have just ironed a basket including a super kingsize duvet cover, the valence sheet can wait another day as I was feeling a bit lightheaded.

So I'm sitting with a coffee and having a break.

Daughter back this afternoon and then the fun begins moving her bed and mattress to the lounge. I so hope I do not get any unannounced visitors before Friday as it will take that long to get the rooms back to normal lol

Joan, your baby hare sounds delightful and obviously well behaved lol as he's not eating your plants thankfully.

Dad saw a fox sunning himself on his decking on Monday afternoon but the animal digging holes in his new veg patch is none other than a grey squirrel caught red handed!! He has put out garlic cloves and vinegar to deter animals from coming too close.

The local fire brigade went zooming past again an hour ago and have not yet returned. Hope its nothing serious as the moor is tinder dry and the slightest spark will set it alight really quickly.

Well a bit of paperwork to see to and then decide what's for tea but in this warm weather a salad with a jacket potato will do me, anything else is too much.

Florence in the hebrides

You are lucky with your weather Florence, it is cloudy and cool here.
I washed all the unit doors in the kitchen this morning

We have to deliver library books to the elderly this afternoon,but that won’t take long, so I am going to make lots of soup for the freezer. I will make some tomato, incredibly easy and tastes very like Heinz,plus some leek and potato and some carrot and butter bean. I have lots of the microwaveable soup mugs to put it in

Good morning all.

Well the carpet has been relayed in daughter's room and now the work begins to transfer all her furniture etc back into her room. The new carpet is really black and makes my old carpet look dark grey although its not!

They were here less than an hour and tidied up the scraps into a bin bag. They also carried the heavy chest of drawers into the room from the lounge which was so kind of them as we struggled yesterday moving it out.

Cloudy but sunny day and quite warm again and set to get hotter as the week goes on and noo sign of rain at all.

Last night, I decided to cook 2 salmon fillets with new potatoes, home made slaw and green salad, was a nice change and we enjoyed it.

Now as to what we are having tonight is another matter???

Linda, can you tell me your tomato soup recipe please, sounds delicious.

Well I had better see if the washing is ready now to hang out and then have some toast.

Have a good day all

Florence in the hebrides

Tomato soup makes four portions

Ingredients –
Two tins of chopped tomatoes
One tin of baked beans
One tin of carrots with the water ( 300g size)
Four tiny silver skin pickled onions ( not the normal large type)
One vegetable stock cube in 1/2 a pint of boiled water

Cut the onions into small bits, put everything in a pan, cook for 15 mins, then blend
Or you can blend it when cold and then cook it

The secret ingredient is the silver skin pickled onions. The first time I made it, I didn’t read it properly and used large pickled onions, needless to say, it didn’t taste good.

Ty Linda. Gosh baked beans? Never put them in a soup before but good to try something different for a change. I know the little onions, we used to have them at xmas or a buffett. I shall put them on my shopping list next time.

Gosh its more exhausting putting everything back then taking out lol.

Lady on her way just now to take old carpet away ...yipee :-D :-D

Great recipe, Linda!
Thanks for posting that.

It sounds similar to Jack Monroe's tomato and bean soup:

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2018/03/03/tomato-and-haricot-soup-15p/