09-05-25

Morning, all.   I think I am in a grump this morning - the BBC says we have bright sunshine all day so I look out and what do we have here - gloom and cloud.  Mutter, mutter!

Good start, isn't it?

Yesterday was pleasant.  After SET online and the chat with Chris (great fun), did my shop for the week, put everything away and then I baked the not-sausage rolls (you can bake them from frozen which is very handy) and buttered the spiced fruit loaf.

It was lovely round Beth's.  Very quiet - none of us do big, noisy birthdays and Alex positively dislikes candles and songs so there was none of that, just some nice food, great company and some present opening.  

Once home again, I just chilled and did some crochet.  Nice day!

Today is the usual Friday - Slimming World and then back home, as I did the weekly shop yesterday.

I will be starting a sourdough loaf for Beth and I think I will also make her a yeasted mixed grains and seeds loaf too as it's delicious.  Thank goodness bread keeps well in the freezer!

I think I will be taking a couple of days off blogging this weekend as there is precious little happening.  I'll keep up my food blog as it keeps me accountable and makes me plan but I'll be back on Monday in here.

Have a lovely day and weekend, everyone, and may the sun shine on us.  xx

08-05-25

Morning, everyone.  

The sun is starting to shine and it does feel a bit cosier this morning, thank goodness.  My fingers are not cold - always the best indicator!  :-)

I've just popped out the back to take a few photos.

The herbs are doing well.

There will be blueberries this year - as long as the birds don't take them all first!

Better than last year.

The fig's best angle.  I really need to stand this behind another pot as the lowest three quarters is bare stem.   I guess figs are trees, not bushes, so I could prune the branch growing sideways and just leave the vertical one to grow into a nicer tree shape.   Must check with RHS when the best time is.  

It's Alex's birthday today - how on earth can I have a twenty seven year old grandson?  

We're having a celebration afternoon tea - well, late lunch really.  I am contributing some hot cross bun loaf and those Delia sausage rolls plus some Schloer.  It will be good fun, I am sure.

There's quite a bit to do so, again, a shorter post (no need to cheer at the back!!).  To be fair, apart from today, there's not much happening at all this week.  May seems quite empty apart from the usual things - fitness classes, etc.  I'm good with that!

Have a great Thursday, everyone.  Enjoy the sunshine.  xx

07-05-25

Good morning, everyone.   After another chilly day yesterday (winter jumpers and heating) I'm really hoping things will start warming up today.  I ended up in one of my close knit polo neck tops with a jumper over which was lovely and cosy.

It doesn't exactly feel warm this morning so it is still fluffy dressing gown and slippers time but fingers crossed.   The forecast is optimistic and, after today, it looks like wall to wall sunshine.  Bring it on!!

I didn.t get all that much done yesterday.  Well, I did, but not what I ought to have done so today's the day.  In between morning circuits (to replace the class that is usually on Monday) and personal training, I need to get things done, I really do.

So I'm keeping this short and, after doing my Facebook stuff, I will be starting on stuff, probably a good old tidy up.  It's hard to clean when there's a mess.

Have a great day, everyone.  Take care and stay warm.  xx

06-05-25

Morning, lovely people.  The long weekend is over and life gets back to normal again.  As we all said in yesterday's comments, it was flippin' cold and my heating clicked on through the day.  I think I said in another post, I decided not to get my tomatoes yet as there's a bit of a danger of frost at the moment.  Maybe next weekend.

The highlight of yesterday was catching the RAF fly past as it went overhead.  The various sections were sometime apart - they all have different speeds, of course, and need to be in convoy by the time they reach London - but it was fun standing in the street with neighbours waiting and chatting and it was pretty impressive.  We are lucky to be on the flight path and also that the clouds were high with plenty of blue sky showing.

I didn't feel like I was doing all that much yesterday but most of the things have now been crossed off my list so I'm happy with that.  Because of the gusty winds, the washing dried quite well on the line, which I was great, and I got all the ironing done too in dribs and drabs.  That feels really good.

Today is back to normal so starts with Groove and the walk there and back, wearing a warm coat!  We're not predicted any sun today but it should feel a bit warmer as the day goes on.  As the week goes on too, I hope.

Then I have the Monday housework to catch up on as well as the few things on my list that I didn't do.  It's enough to keep me out of trouble anyway.

I hope you had a lovely long weekend, whatever you did and whether it  was a holiday or not.  Take care, everyone, and be safe.  xx

05-05-25 - Bank Holiday Monday.

Good morning, everyone.  Just a quick one today as it's Bank Holiday and there really isn't much to write about (is there ever? 😊 ).

I'm slowly and comfortably working through my list of things to do, crossing them out as I go.  I had tomatoes on the list but, given that it's turned so cold (the heating came on yesterday evening!!), I think I will wait a week or so.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday Monday, everyone.  xx

04-05-25

Good morning, everyone.  We have sunshine again but it is very noticeable cooler today and I have resorted to wearing a dressing gown again.  No rain overnight though, as far as I can tell, and none forecast.  That's not good.

I finished the blanket and I'm really pleased with how it looks.  It's the perfect size for a lap blanket and thank you all very much for your suggestions.  I now have several 'outlets' for these and, as I have a bagful of granny squares, I think I will make several because - well, why not!

I think I am going to donate this one to the Knit and Natter group - there's a raffle in aid of charity.  I've won something a couple of times and would like to give back.  We're all ladies in this group, many of whom are older than I, so a lap blanket should be a useful prize.

I love turning my stash/bits and bobs into something useful and attractive.

I've been slowly working through my list of Things To Do.  I popped over to Beth's yesterday bearing loaf, crumpets and focaccia (she was very pleased) and stayed for an hour to have a chat.  I missed Fred so much - he would have been purring on my lap within minutes.

Today looks much the same apart from seeing Beth.  I shall work slowly through my list and see how far I get.  There's only one definite - Alex's birthday is on Thursday, Beth is doing an afternoon tea and I am making some Not-sausage rolls.  It's a family tradition to have them for out family celebrations.  I have pretty much everything I need, even some home made rough puff pastry in the freezer and loads and loads of bread for the breadcrumbs, so it will be very straightforward.

This is the recipe:  they are so delicious.

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone.  Stay warm and be happy.  xx

03-05-25

Hi, all.  welcome to Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK and, nice surprise, the sun is shining brightly.  How long will that last?  No ice, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Photo updates on that not-an-olive-bread-after-all.

The basic back-story is that I over-proved the dough during the bulk fermentation so I made focaccia instead - thanks, Elaine Boddy, for telling her readers what you can do with what seems to be a disaster!  Throwing it out would have been awful.

My, goodness, it was active - Just look at those bubbles after the second, shorter rise.  You could see the thing moving like the slow motion contents of a cauldron.

At least now I know what an over proved dough looks like and feels like.

After baking.  It smelled lovely.  I did dimple it, honest but it was so lively the dimples just sprang back up again!

I had fun getting it out of the oven tray!  

Here you go!  Doesn't it look great!  It tasted just wow.  Lovely, crunchy crust and soft and fluffy inside.

I had to exert great self control - thank goodness it cooled quickly.

I shall take some over to Beth's this afternoon, with her loaf and some crumpets (I have plenty of Squibbles discard again).

Three things I have learned:

1.  if in doubt, shove it in the fridge (unless you actually want focaccia, that is)

2.  chop the olives finer - it was hard to get them incorporated into the dough

3.  line the tray with parchment - I truly thought I was never going to get it out at one point

Next time I will also add some seeds and sun dried tomatoes and, fingers crossed, make a proper loaf.  I need an excuse a reason now!

I mentioned last week that I was using some granny squares I made ages ago to have a go at a shrug type thing.  Well, I did and, sadly, not my sort of shape.  It worked, it just didn't look great.  So I unpicked the seams and am now just doing a ribbed border to turn it into a rather attractive lap blanket.

I don't need another lap blanket.  Would it be worth offering it on here as a sort of give away?  Would anyone like it.  I'll finish it off today and take a few photos and then, if you're interested, just say in the comments and I can do a raffle type thing.

I have a Little List - actually quite a big list - of things I want to get done this weekend ranging from finance stuff through sharpening my knives to 'bedroom'.  That last is a necessity!!

Time to get started.  Have the best day, everyone.  xx