Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Good morning all. I’m off for a week now (well apart from Monday as I have meetings). I need a couple of dry days to catch up with some washing as I’ll be changing the bedding over to cosy mode (usually around my Birthday week or the end of the month depending on forecast).

How great to see the Aurora @Penny_Forthem. It was cloudy here plus the only north view is in the path of streetlights. My sister did a few pics from her garden and there was a lilac glow with a hint of green but mostly cloudy.

Have a smashing day folks. I won’t be having sausage pizza. I love hearing about the special days but today’s is a bit niche isn’t it?! We should make our own up - Castle day? Autumn leaves gathering day? Yoga day? Food Bank day? …

 

I cannot think of anything less uninspiring than a sausage pizza @AuntyRach. Well, except tripe maybe or those disgusting andouilette sausages in France!

 

Good morning everyone. I hope you've all had a good night.

@Ladybird4 Pizzas only happen here when I'm out at a garden club committee evening enjoying a post meeting pot luck supper and t'other pair go for easy. Possum always has a very boring Margherita and himself goes for one with spicy sausage. He also likes andouillettes but they never darken my door - have to be eaten when he's out with his golf pals.

Not bad even so @Penny_Forthem. Thank you for sharing.

It's sunny here and we had a mostly clear night but no aurora visible tho it was supposed to be all the way down here. OH and I are going to clear the greenhouse of all the tomato plants as well as the raspberries which are invading from the bed next door. One of the chooks has taken to laying her eggs in a bucket of grit I keep in there so we'll be providing a nesting box.

Enjoy your week off @AuntyRach. Lots of washing to do here too.

Feeling quite good after last night's yoga. I hope your hip recovery is going well @Tui34.

Do you keep a diary/album of bagged castles @RowlandsCastle? There must be thousands.

Enjoy your day everyone and stay well - or get better as appropriate.

 

Tripe - do not talk to me about tripe. Sitting waiting for a late underground Glasgow train to take me to Charring Cross (Glasgow) at 07.30 two elderly Glaswegian grannies were discussing their tripe recipes and cooking procedures from A- Z. It was a stomach churning but a fascinating conversation.

 

Those are handsome castles @RowlandsCastle . And I agree with @Ladybird4 that the last one looks great for imaginary play.
We couldn't possibly afford to buy here now, @AuntyRach , which is very sad. When we got our first house in 1997 we could do it on a 2.5x mortgage on a 'good wage'. Now that wouldn't even cover the deposit. That house sold in 2021 for 6.5 times the amount we bought it for in 1997. Crazy situation. So, we are very lucky to live here.
Is it your birthday next week @AuntyRach ? Have a lovely week off.
I am tired but happy today having stayed up to try to see the Aurora Borealis - it was only about 12.30am, when I'm often still up but I needed an early night last night after insomnia the night before. It was worth it though!

 

Oh wow @LG_ those pictures are stunning too. Thank you for sharing with us.
@waterbut, I think I would have moved seats! Why anyone would eat something that looks like foam rubber or memory foam nowadays, is beyond me.

 

Great pics @LG_

Yes Birthday next week.

 

Beautiful @LG_ Thank you.

No tripe here.

 

I have a question: I have been given a bag of ceps and I would like to freeze them for when my lovely friend from Montpellier comes next. (Rabbit marinated in beer with wild mushrooms.)

I had a look on Google who suggest preparing, slicing and gently frying to get rid of excess water. Pat dry on kitchen towel and freeze.

Has anyone had anything to do with freezing wild mushrooms? I would welcome your thoughts. Thank you.

 

Hi @Tui34 coincidentally I have just had some frozen mushrooms in an omelette for lunch. I sautéed them in butter last year then froze them so I think your Google advice will work fine.

 

Oh lovely Thank you @steephill.

 

@Tui34 I follow a YouTube channel where they went foraging in Scotland last week and did the lightly fry and freeze to ceps.

Just swept a bin full of leaves up! Having a coffee in the sun now.

 

Hello all.

Quite chilly here today, though the sun has made it feel a lot warmer. Minus one last night so the dahlias aren't happy...

I had my Covid booster and flu jab at the pharmacy this morning. No adverse reaction so far, and I'm hopeful that by the time I have to wear a rucksack on Sunday for my trip to Scotland, any stiffness will have worn off. OH was due to have his jabs too, but he's got a heavy cold, so has put the appointment off until he feels better. It's touch & go whether he'll be well enough to go and sing in tonight's concert, which is in Limerick, in aid of Mental Health week. If he's not feeling up to it, that rules me out as well, since I can't drive in the dark... which is a bit of a problem, as I'm one of only 4 altos for this performance. Fingers crossed... I'll keep him supplied with cups of tea this afternoon.

 

Good afternoon everyone, lovely bright sun here today. Some neighbours posted pics of the Northern lights (BTW the Norwegians insist that is the correct name) on our street WhatsApp but we were out elsewhere and missed it. Maybe tonight fingers firmly crossed.
Today's project is to start reassembly of the protection for the Lemons. I always mean to do the running repairs in the summer months but never seem to get to it.

 

I hope your OH can manage to drive to the concert even if he doesn't sing it in @Liriodendron.

I enjoyed last night at OH's old boys' gala dinner in London. Everyone was very nice and chatty. There were a lot more men than women and OH was the oldest. They had written the dates the boys left the school under their names on the seating plan. Several people said OH looks young for his age, they couldn't believe he's 82.

Had a cooked breakfast in the hotel this morning, not used to it, slumped on the bed for a bit afterwards! We had wondered about visiting St Paul's Cathedral but we didn't have much time before the train, we would have had to pull our cases around and it cost £25 each. Had a quick look outside instead.

We are back home now. The cottage was chilly, heating on and wood burner is lit.