Your Day (apart from gardening) - what took place?

Bleeding myself for the Greater Good. Our monthly ONS test guy came today for our swab and blood samples. We have been doing this for over a year so are quite expert in pricking our fingers and aiming blood droplets into a tiny tube- 10 minutes and we were done. £25 gift voucher each- not a bad deal! (Now I wonder why I didn't make more babies, a family of 5 would make a neat income of this. )

More seriously, I'm a dataholic so feel proud to contribute into this study. It was interesting to see how our antibodies appeared after the first jabs, and it will be even more interesting to see when they disappear from our blood.

Otherwise, I have been buying used books from Amazon to fill gaps in series we have for Christmas. I love being able to buy used books from faraway libraries, I can imagine a lovely library assistant carefully wrapping the book in brown paper and sending off, adding the profit into their staff coffee jar.

The roofer hasn't called yet so I'm a few roof tiles short still Thankfully it's just one or two and it's not snowing inside so we are fine. There has been a lot of damage around here and power is still out for thousands. We were lucky.

Now I'm going to start filling in the advent calendar for The Teenager, it has very small drawers so it's a challenge to find meaningful things to fit in. Lindt chocolate, flowering teal balls and earrings are this year's plan, plus some doll house miniatures that will hopefully make fun craft jewellery. Miniature ravens and bowls of lemon... good grief what some crafty people come up with! Link to Etsy to admire the madness

 

@Selleri books are the best. I get my grandchildren books for birthdays and Christmas instead of card. I slip the money into the books so it's a win win. They get more to read and they can get whatever else they want.

I just finished gathering together my collection of Agatha Christie hardcover books. A client's daughter likes mysteries and I think these will give her a thrill. She has a reply letter from Ms. Christie after writing her many moons ago and has it framed and on display in her bedroom. I was installing a shade right next to the shelving where it sits and when she noticed me dusting around it after drilling, her face lit up and she told me all about it!

And now the chelsea buns are ready to come out of the oven

 

I reckon this was pre planned .

Dozens of customers at Britain's highest pub are set to spend a third night trapped by heavy snowfall brought by Storm Arwen.

Guests became stranded at the Tan Hill Inn, in the Yorkshire Dales, on Friday after going to watch an Oasis tribute band.

One of the guests, Martin Overton, said the atmosphere was "very good" with "plenty of beer available".

 

Absolutely- and second hand books are the best. They have the right smell and feel, and sometimes even ad libris or scribbles that are most interesting.

I must tidy up the Agatha Christie shelf... A Mr Horowitz has sneaked in Agatha's memoires are great, her tales of the 10 month grand tour they did between the wars is brilliant. Who knew that she was enthusiastic surfer? The stories from the Syrian digs with her archaeologist husband are fun and interesting. (Come, tell me how you live) Her autobiography gives insights to many themes in her books, mostly the Tommy and Tuppence ones, with details from her childhood garden and people in the plots.

And yes, I do read and re- read the novels

What are Chelsea buns?

 

Chelsea buns are like cinnamon rolls. I put several of them sideways in a round pan. They rise, fill in and then I bake them. There is a layer of caramel/candied fruit on the bottom of the pan so when you invert it, it has a sticky yummy topping. I don't use the walnuts they option in the recipe.

I re-read my books all the time too. I really enjoyed Murder in Mesopotamia and the rest

 

Chelsea buns over here @Selleri look like this, you might recognise them....yummy!!

 

Yours look absolutely scrummy Lori...double yummy!!!

 

I am having a fabulous morning! They are airing the Margaret Rutherford series of Murder movies back to back. I missed a bit of the first one, "Murder Most Foul" but just being able to catch the rest is marvelous And I have work to do today so I can work at one of the tables and listen/watch at the same time

 

Went to Block & Quayle to pick up some compost. Then onto Currys to pick up a new George Foreman grill.

As I was coming out of Currys - saw a bloke from the NHS getting into his liveried vehicle. I nipped over for a quick chat and told him he was doing a cracking job dealing with the pandemic. He puffed up with pride - quite rightly in my opinion.

 

Well done...good of you @clanless

 

They yummy @CanadianLori and well done @clanless

 

Made the first lot of mince pies 4 dozen

 

@Logan is that regular "pie" pastry top and bottom? It looks lovely and puffy. Are these for Christmas?

I've made my mince but usually don't do the tarts (what we call small pies) until around the middle of December. I have never put a "lid" on them but have cut out a piece of pastry in the shape of a holly leaf or star or bell to place on the middle of the surface.

 

@CanadianLori thanks they're for now and I'll make some more later. The pastry is a short crust pastry. Yes can put anything on top it doesn't have to be a lid.

 

Just got back from doing the completion of our apartment. All went swiftly and well and we have come away with a hefty cheque. All had to take mask off briefly to prove we were the one on our ID.