Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Thanks for giving me the idea, @Penny_Forthem, just getting my ingredients organised! I’ve had great use out of the cherry stoner I bought last year. Can’t remember where from, but it’s a huge improvement on the old one I had, very effective. I saw OH chuckling when he saw me wielding it, but I bet it won’t be long before he is offering to take over!

Happy Birthday to @Allotment Boy. What scary weather to be born in! Hopefully not as bad as down here at the moment. After this mornings rain and wind, we have in the last fifteen minutes had lightning, thunder, and hailstones.

Yes, The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth is less than a 20 minute drive from here, and is our ‘spiritual home’! As well as providing a fun family day out, and educating people about the value of donkeys, they have a largely unseen outreach programme, improving the lives of communities who rely on donkeys, by supporting the health and welfare of the animals.

I of course love visiting the animals, they have an award winning cafe and miles of walks to enjoy. Nearest thing to an arboretum round here. We used to have season tickets to Westonbirt when we lived near Bath, and miss being able to pop up there on a regular basis.

Back to the kitchen for me. We also had a very lazy morning, I suppose I shouldn’t complain, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest! Chicken Kyiv for dinner, but maybe next time I’ll be trying out the chicken with apricots!

Sorry if this post turned into an advert! I’m sure the regulars on here know that I spend a lot of time visiting our long eared friends, usually at the expense of the gardening!

 

Happy Birthday @Allotment Boy.

It's been very windy with torrential rain so far and another 24 hours of it apparently and it's quite chilly too. Haven't been out (was also late waking up today @Penny_Forthem !) yet but my DIL is hopefully going to take me to Dunelm soon as a treat. I've put my shopping list on my phone. She's already taken my granddaughter to her athletics practice (uphill stamina training in the pouring rain) ran 7k herself, been out doing a major food shop and is now preparing tonight's dinner in the slow cooker. She never stands still!, love her to bits, I'm so lucky to have her.

Stay safe and in the warm if you can folks.

 

Good afternoon all,

It’s turned wet and windy now along with being bitterly cold. It was dry for church, fortunately, but chilly in there despite the heating being on and me snuggled in my new long coat. I’m still not properly thawed out despite having a hot drink on my return. Time for another, I think.

Well, I’m glad I did a bird count before going to church today because I managed to see a few different birds in the garden. I think they are hidden away again now though as the weather has worsened as I say, so I would be back to nul points .

Some of those meals described sound very tempting and delicious. We are going to have sausages tonight - I’m going to make Mary Berry’s sausage supper recipe. It’s always tasty and, best of all, cooks in one dish that can be brought to the table. We’ve got some berries to have for dessert.

Your DiL sounds a gem @lizzie27 and full of energy.

Happy birthday @Allotment Boy

 

Hello everyone. I'm fine thanks @Ladybird4 but have been very busy - Cholet for a fabrics and threads fair on Thursday followed by galette des rois supper with OH's golfing friends that evening - goodness me but 4 hours of unrelieved golf talk is boring. The only saving grace was that our host was a pork butcher and caterer before retiring so the food was all home-made, even the charcuterie and puff pastries, and excellent.

Friday was weekly shop then putting the sewing room back together and yesterday Possum and I went to a concert in Nantes. Today is more sorting and organising in the sewing room and spare bedrooms as furniture has moved and we have guests arriving on Tuesday. Certainly not a day for gardening as it's blowing a hooley with curtains of heavy rain.

Glad the meds are helping @lizzie27. Happy birthday @Allotment Boy. Hope you get your leccy back soon @Liriodendron. Great to have somewhere warm to wait it out tho.

Hugs and "courage" to anyone else having difficulties be they power cut, weather or health based.

@Penny_Forthem I have recipe for chicken and apricots which I haven't used in years. Must dig it out as it's in my "healthy" poultry book. We like chicken and apricot tagine too.

France does its bird watch a bit later on. Certainly not a lot about today, just a few brave sparrows and tits on the fat balls.

 

Good afternoon all.

Happy Birthday @Allotment Boy!!!

We had funny weather today. First it was sunny, then thunder and rain storm around noon, then sun again. I managed to prune wine tree and some dead plants. Now will pop in to my neighbor on chat and cup of coffee, despite I don't drink coffee at all. In an week I'll be in your part of the world.

 

I hope our part of the world gives you good weather, @Ante1
It's been 'pants' here today, so not been out (except with dogs for a quick run)
I've had the most gorgeous cat on the go on the easel, which has kept me gainfully occupied.
I can really see the days drawing out now. January has been a veeeeery looooong monttttth.

 

Happy Birthday @Allotment Boy!

Weather is indeed ‘pants’!

Just settling down for a read and catch up on some YouTube vlogs I like whilst roast dinner is cooking away. Forgot to buy broccoli but luckily had some frozen.

Take care everyone.

 

Hello all.

Happy Birthday @Allotment Boy

The Panettone and cherry pudding and the chicken with apricots sound delicious.

Didn't post this morning as it was church at 9.30am and we were running late. It was freezing, most of the heaters don't seem to work. OH lit the fire when we got back but I don't think my feet thawed out until after lunch.

There was a bleak sort of frost this morning, hard ground but not sparkly, just grey. Rained this afternoon and now there is a howling gale.

We watched Granchester then I changed the bedding. I had hoped to do more pruning, no chance. I've been looking at photos of the front garden compared with when we bought this cottage and now. Haven't changed the layout but have cut a lot back and had a new brick path laid.

 

All calm outside now. The usual puddle on the patio has gone, glad to see the temporary lull after the earlier exciting weather.
I’ve a parcel to collect from the food hall this week, it’s not far from Dunelm, so I might pop in and have a look round. I don’t need anything, but I do like to look at all the lovely colours. If I buy anything, I’ll blame you, @lizzie27.
The cherry pudding was delicious, although I may have cooked it at a slightly too high temperature. It was very good though, nicely caramelised on top, all got eaten!
Despite getting up late, I’m thinking of an early night.

 

Many thanks for all the Birthday wishes folks. Shame about the weather, glad we were out yesterday.

 

That looks stupendous @Ergates

 

Oh my goodness @Ergates, I could just munch that down right now - it looks yummy. My BGBW was hopeless. Its the worst I have ever observed and that is totally down to the high winds that built up. In total I saw 6 birds and one Edmund Hillary of a teeny tiny field mouse who had climbed some shrub to sit on one of the perches on the feeder stuffing his face. Its a good job Fuzzy Face didn't see him/her or there would have been a Mexican stand off through the window!

 

These weekends really fly past. Hope you enjoy tomorrow @Ante1. Signing out for this evening. I do hope you all enjoy whatever you have planned. I have got some new jigsaw puzzles to do. Catch up with you all tomorrow. Good to catch up with your news @Obelix-Vendée.

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The weather has been filthy here with strong winds still gusting. Nasty out there. Turns out Spanish storm Herminia has arrived without being predicted by the weather forecast models. Trees down, flooding and the latest returning competitor in the Vendée Globe has sailed past the finish line and on to La Rochelle cos he can't get into the harbour at Les Sables for the usual greetings and ceremonies - and shower! Nearly 3 months at sea must make them very ripe.

Having had a fat week and with another coming up I did not make a dessert for our Sunday dinner. Possum is not impressed. Good practice for her cos February is supposed to be sugar free. Her idea. Fine by me.

Have a safe and cosy evening everyone.

 

It's about the same here @Obelix-Vendée, threatening to rain hard for the next 24 hours with strong gusty winds up to 60mph.

That poor competitor - I bet he/she was looking forward to a strong drink when they got ashore, let alone a shower!

Our granddaughter baked a seriously yummy banana cake with choc chips which I ate with a scoop of vanilla icecream - although I do like the sound of your cherry pudding @Ergates.

Enjoy your new jigsaws @Ladybird4.

Our local church has just had a massive makeover @Busy-Lizzie, they've removed the old Victorian pews, revamped the kitchenette and loos and installed underfloor heating under a new wooden floor. It was warmer than I had expected when we last went but I was a bit unsure about the modern chairs although they were upholstered ones in a nice blue colour and not horrid plastic ones.

I enjoyed our trip to Dunelms very much. I came home with 4 small guest towels in 2 different colours, a scrubbing brush, one dessert spoon (don't laugh!) a small dark brown rug for the living room and a lightweight iron to keep at DIL's so I can help out with ironing occaisonally. I find her cordless one is far too heavy for me to lift up and down now. She was going to iron 11 shirts tonight!

Hope you all manage to get a good nights sleep.