Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

When I woke, there were blue skies, now replaced by cloud. Caravan later...
@Ergates have you got a slow cooker? After a busy day you absolutely don't want to be in the kitchen cooking. When we have guests, I'll sling ingredients into the sc, prep potatoes (dauphinoise, boulangère, jackets) and set the oven timer, then enjoy the day.
I've ordered more jam jars/lids for the proposed damson extravaganza. While I'm at it, I'll make some preserved lemons and a batch of piccalilli.

 

Good morning all.

@Goldenlily26 you can buy stuff to clean wood burning stove glass. Try Amazon and B&Q. It is sold a lot in France, in supermarkets. Maybe wood burners are more common here.

Off to tidy up the garden.

 

Good morning. Broken night's sleep again but no special reason such as hunting cats with trophies or cloudbursts. We had one short, sharp downpour during dinner last night but are otherwise dry again with cloudy and sunny spells and low 20s and set to stay that way for a week or so.

Having had 2nd coffee and pottered about in the kitchen, I'm off to sow some veggies and herbs.

@Ergates, lots of easy recipes to expand or tweak your repertoire on BBC Good Food and Food. I use a special ceramic hob cleaner for the induction hob and one for glass doors on log burners for the oven. Much better than oven cleaner and not scratchy. Try your SM or DIY store.

Enjoy your lunch @Ladybird4 and your trip to the caravan @Penny_Forthem.

They have a national alert system in France too but I haven't signed up as I tend to have my phone turned off when at home as the signal indoors is so poor and never take it down the garden. Pockets full of other stuff.

@Goldenlily26 I make chilli sauce and chilli oil but also freeze some, chopped, in ice cubes then transfer them to a bag. Easy access and dosage for cooking.

 

Thanks for that tip @AuntyRach. It was actually mentioned on the Beeb breakfast programme about how to turn off the alerts on both Apple and Android phones to help people who may have older relatives (What? Even older than me??) who could get startled by it.

 

@Goldenlily26, I use wood ash and a bit of kitchen roll to clean the glass on my wood burner.

 

Hello all, can't believe it's 2 pm already, where did the morning go. Apart from our walk earlier, I haven't done much bar reading the paper although OH kindly got the vacuum out to tackle the horrid cobwebs I found yesterday between our wardrobe and the wall. Whilst doing that, he also found the missing 'butterfly' which pinged off my earring when I took it off yesterday. I was pleased because it was a small silver one and I couldn't find a spare of that size. All sorted now.

@Goldenlily26, I use HG Stove Glass Cleaner, it's a brilliant easy spray on, wipe off one which I use to clean my electric oven glass door. It's about £6-£7 from memory so not cheap but lasts a long time. I found it in B&Q so it may be available online if you do online shopping.

Thanks for that pic about the mobile phone alert @Ladybird4, glad I got it wrong - must remember to turn mine off and to tell all my rellies to do the same!

Thankfully it's dry and sunny today, first one for over a week so doubly welcome. I must get out and have a potter.

Have a good weekend everybody.

 

I have been outside pottering - planting out some rooted sweet potato slips in the polytunnel and potting up 7 rooted salvia Violette de Loire and one clematis cutting which has, of course, lost its label. Have to wait a while to find out what that is then.

Very pleased to see that my favourite dahlia - big cactus rich fiery flower - has finally flowered after not liking the winter wet and summer drought. I shall have to give it extra TLC before winter.

Have sorted out seeds to sow in th eveggie plot but not today as we're expecting 29 or 30C tomorrow and that's too hot for seeds like fennel, beetroot, chard, parsley and spring onions. Busy on Sunday and Monday but Tuesday will do nicely and I'll have some dill seeds by then.

 

Funny you should mention the slow cooker, @Penny_Forthem! I don’t know what time daughter and SIL will be back tonight, so I’ve got some bavette steak (aka beef skirt!) simmering in red wine in my slow cooker. I bought some ready made potato Rosti which I can throw in the air fryer, and broccoli to have with it.
It’s still sunny and dry here, but no gardening, I’ve got my feet up for a rest while it’s quiet. OH is having a snooze in the hope he won’t fade half way through the evening and miss out on time with daughter!

 

Home now from the Wedding trip to Long Beach, California. Lots of good but lots of craziness. How people live like that is a wonderment. They even have Smog tests for cars out there, every 2 years to check your cars. How do they check human lungs. SMH. Anyway, hope the idea of going out there for any holiday is out of husbands head by now. Sticking close to MY FAMILY for holidays from now on. At least MY Family has no craziness.

But we are off again on Monday to Cobble Beach, Onterio, Canada with the car to a car show. Cringing the getting over the border, do not need some guard near that car with gun, or belt on his waist. Suppose to have all sorts of papers to clear us well. Fingers crossed.

So unpacking and repacking checking weather etc. Fun.

 

Naughty @Fat Controller! But I had to laugh! One nice thing about this chat thread is that we don't talk about politics. They caused problems sometimes on the old GW site.

It's been a lovely day, sunny, but not too hot. I've been in the garden for a lot of it, so has OH, and the garden looks much tidier now. I've weeded and edged and OH has mown and edged. Unfortunately OH broke my favourite half moon edger. He said the earth was very hard. Luckily I have another one. My back is fine now.

I've just picked my one and only sweet red pepper but it's very big. There is an orange one coming on.

 

It's been a lovely sunny and dry day for a change so lots of pottering this afternoon. I put the sun umbrella up to thoroughly dry out before packing it away in the shed, and got the water feature going in the new sitting out area to check that was still working, it's rather rusty around the top but is around 20 years old! Might get a solar one next time.
OH had cut the lawns yesterday so today he's scarified them, startling the amount of stuff that came up.

I did three hours then realised I felt rather tired so have now come indoors for a rest. I've painted my nails ready for the weekend so can't start cooking till they are dry! Fish and chips for us tonight, quick and easy.

 

Hello all. Today's lunch was very nice - meeting up with all the old gang and listening to them talking about their planned cruises. I do have to say that cruises are not my idea for a holiday as I need to feel the earth under my feet. My Bestie loves them. She is terrified of flying though so all cruises she goes on have to be from UK ports.
I am signing out now so good night you lovely lot and I'll see you in the morning.

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Good morning everybody. It is a lovely start to the day outside. I hope my Ozzie relatives will enjoy their last day in England today. They are in Llandudno at the moment but will shortly be heading to Warrington where we are having the clan gathering. I have hunted out some old pictures of my niece's Dad - my youngest brother - who sadly passed away almost 3 years ago. They should make everyone smile as many of them are from his 'toddler' days when we lived in Kuala Lumpur. They can take them home with them for my SIL.