After driving home yesterday morning (thank heavens for car air-con), I stopped off at the allotment to dig, pick and water. Not enough watering, of course, but it was so hot and you can't use a hose.
I ended up with potatoes, courgettes and a few mange tout, to which I added runner beans from the garden.
The runners and potatoes were delicious for dinner with some cold meat while one of the courgettes and maybe the mange tout as well will make a great frittata for dinner tonight.
After lunch (salad), took stock and decided that as I didn't really feel like going swimming, maybe I ought to so I did and I'm very glad that I did as it was lovely. Back and forth, back and forth, pondering over stuff like the week's menu, planning (not that there's an awful lot to plan), life, the universe and everything. A cool pool and good air conditioning. A good way to spend part of a hot afternoon.
There was post for me over the weekend so, in the evening, I looked through and most of it ended up in the recycling bag. However, one booklet caught my eye, from Essex County Council about forthcoming adult learning courses. Several caught my eye and the one I went for is beginners pottery, a nine week course starting next year. I can't imagine I shall be all that good at it but I think I will enjoy it and it's very hands on - just what I like. It's also not cheap but isn't that what the lump sum is for? Well, mine is, anyhow.
I'm rather peeved with Virgin Media at the moment. You might have seen on the news, they are no longer showing most of my favourite channels - Dave, Alibi, Good Food, Home and so on. I gather loads of people are creating a big stink about it so maybe . . . we will see. I notice there's no suggestion to reduce the bill accordingly! Maybe I should suggest it to them.
Fortunately, I have a number of box set DVDs to work through so I won't have nothing to watch when I'm ironing, etc. And there's always iPlayer.
Today I might be off to Willingale to look at the twin churches - or I might not if it feels too hot and right at the moment it does feel too hot. There's time and to spare another day if I decide to stay cool in front of the fan (or have another swim).
If it's hot where you are, please take care, try to stay cool and hydrated.
The pottery course sounds like a great idea. I'm now going to look forward to seeing your creations next year!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day. X
I'm quite excited about it. A shame the Autumn course was full! :-)
ReplyDeleteHope your day goes well too. xx
I don't tend to watch those TV channels, Joy (we only watch free ones, anyway.) They show repeat after repeat and there are few series that I've enjoyed, anyway, that I'd want to watch again. I do like watching Escape to the Country, being nosy, it's fun to see the various houses and it always amuses me the things that most people want are those I don't want: an Aga or range cooker (I like my wall-mounted oven so that I can get things out without kneeling on the floor!), a wood burner (nice to look at, but not healthy at all), an 'island' in the kitchen (fancy having an obstacle in the middle of the room that you had to go around every time you wanted something at the other side of the room!) and a conservatory (a heat/cold trap, unlike Victorian conservatories which were superb and had shelves for plants, quarry-tiled floors, drains, sometimes running water, and slatted windows.)
ReplyDeleteThose veggies look great! Not that keen on courgettes, though; I use them to make tomato and courgette soup, and sometimes I saute them with herbs and garlic butter, but they aren't my favourite veg, but nice if you can grow your own. However, I love runner beans!
I'm not one for courses. I once tried an art class but there was little actual tuition we were just told to paint the still life in front of us (and it wasn't very interesting.) I would prefer to sit and read.
Margaret P
I've been on some craft courses since retirement. One was for wet felting and the other two were basketry courses. I really loved them and, for someone like me, who has always enjoyed a range of crafting - origami, knitting crochet, tatting, patchwork and quilting, etc, it's great to have the time to have a go at other crafts. As a youngster, I loved origami and I nearly went for an origami course yesterday but decided on pottery instead. I suppose the amount of tuition depends on the size of the class but a lot of crafting is look, listen and have a go yourself anyway, especially a beginners' course as this is. Suits me down to the ground. In the felting and basketry courses, I tended to pick it up fairly quickly and didn't need much guidance after the first hour or so.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want an island either. Mum and Dad have a centre table and it drives me bananas!
I do like repeats. For me it is the same as re-reading a favourite book, something I have always done.
I love courgettes in frittatas - in fact, I am making one this evening. It makes the best of their flavour, I think. I shall be throwing in some mange tout and runner beans too. Allotment frittata!
xx
I loved the pottery classes I did years and years ago, never got on with the wheel though, but there was a lot of other enjoyable techniques and there is a touch of magic about glazing and firing your creations!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if there will be any 'wheel work', maybe there will. I'm looking forward to it very much, whatever it covers. In nine weeks I should be able to make something worth keeping, even if it is just a mug, jug or bowl. A very expensive mug, jug or bowl! :-)
ReplyDelete