Adawn47

45 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

Had a morning in the garden today. I took this photo of the joint fence with next door.

It’s a sad time for us. The adjoining house has been sold after both Audrey and Peter died over the past two years. Peter died in November and Audrey the previous year. Their family live quite a way away and as a result we have been very happy to help Peter where we could, doing shopping weekly and doing odd jobs he couldn’t manage. He and Ian became close with Ian checking on him every day. Ian has incredible hearing and on a number of occasions he heard Peter calling for help through the wall. The last time was when he was taken into hospital and died a couple of days later.

 

I was quite close to Audrey and we spent hours in the garden discussing plants. The reason I took the photo today was because some of the bushes are on my side and some on Audrey’s.  The new buyers will have their views on what to keep and what to get rid off and it will be the end of an era.

Such a lovely garden Jennizor. The shrubs look beautiful, so maybe they will keep them.

I understand how you must be feeling as Rose, our neighbour of  45 years, died last May and we had new neighbours move in 4 months ago. It feels very strange now, as though we've lost a part of our life. 

Avril

3 hours ago, kalos said:

 

Security cameras are not as good as in the old days 🙃🙂

 

Well that's a big shock😲.

If I'd known I was going to have my photo taken I'd have had my hair done.😕

Avril

20 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We have both been a bit poorly today and lay on the bed watching TV all day.

I hope you both feel much better tomorrow.

If you have to be poorly Graham, then I can't think of a better way for you to do it,  lounging in bed all day watching TV with the lovely Pauline.

Avril

2 hours ago, Beckett said:

To all my other dear friends on CCF - just to let you know I'm taking a break. I'll be back soon and in the meanwhile wish you you all well - good health and happiness and excellent cruising. 

We will miss you Jane and thank you for letting us know or we would all be worrying😊

I hope you come back soon happy, healthy and refreshed.

Take care.x

Avril

@Josy1953

I'm sorry to hear about your sister Josy, and I hope there is better news after her scan today.

Avril

2 hours ago, brian1 said:

Yeah but sis,you don't like,oh never mind you know what I was gonna say,bro😉.

I said we had eaten many weird and wonderful things bro...........

but I didn't say I enjoyed them all.😬

I did however like cuttlefish which is similar.

Sis

3 minutes ago, happy v said:

I shop monthly so never know what I am making daily. Apart from the end of the month. Where the no. of ingredients match the no. of days left🙂.

I love food shopping. Even abroad I would rather go in a supermarket than a tat shop

Me too. We're both foodies and love trying all the different foods wherever with go. We've eaten and drunk some weird and wonderful things in our Asian travels, and in some odd places too. Interestingly we've never had one stomach upset when abroad  either🤔

Avril

11 minutes ago, happy v said:

Not just if we are going away. I decide what I am making every day by what is open. Even cheap things. I have ragu in the oven at the moment because I had celery left from steak and mushroom pie filling I made last week. I have also added the remainder to my sausage tray bake

To save on waste and keep costs down I plan a weekly menu and order only what I need. It's easier doing the shop online because I'm not tempted when walking around the supermarket.😁

Avril

@kalos

I've been looking at some hotels in Madeira and Malta which are Frank's choices. I thought if I let him choose where he would love to go it would be better.

As you seem to enjoy Madeira I wondered if you could give me any ideas as to good hotels in Funchal, if that's where you stayed of course.

Avril

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

All this talk of food is making me hungry!

 

I’m playing my own personal game of ready, steady, cook this week. We are off on our travels next week so using up what’s left. Its not so much what OH wants to eat but what I can “create” from what’s left in the fridges. 
 

I have come up with some good recipes over the years by bunging together what’s left. I discovered roasted cauliflower, fennel and lentil soup as a result of having to use up a whole cauliflower and it’s delicious. Tonight it’s a Mediterranean beef stew as I had olives, red peppers and sun dried tomatoes to use up.

 

Does anyone else do this before they go away? I hate food waste.

I try do that too, but I'm not so adventurous. I will however freeze as much as I can, blanch and freeze vegetables or make up meals that I can freeze. 

Avril

29 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

The best custard tart I have ever made!  You are obviously ‘my’ Mary Berry 😉 and a tin of Carnation evap is now on next week’s Tesco list.  Thank you 😇

All thanks to my lovely Gran. The tips and tricks she began teaching me 65 years ago I still use today. 

Avril

11 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

+ 1 (well, not the clip round the ear 😉).

 

Macaroni pudding made by my mum was my favourite too!  I’ve never managed to make it taste the same; I suspect it was the sterilised milk she used, which I don’t think you can get now?  I’ve tried long-life milk as well as full-fat regular milk but it’s not the same. As you sorted me out with my custard tart, do you have any tips for a macaroni pudding 🤞

Yes I have. Mix together one large tin of Carnation evaporated milk with one to one and half pints of milk, and make your milk pudding as normal. You can use any milk, but whole milk is much better. It's not exactly the same, but as close as you're going to get and very nice it is too😋

How did the custard tart turn out?

Avril

7 hours ago, kalos said:

Morning 12.c and it's peeing it down , missing Madeira already .

 

 

 

For those of you into aircraft, here is the approach 05 runway only

certain pilots are qualified to land there.

It's a weird feeling as they drop into the valley ,a quick burst of power

and you are down .

Hope you all have a great day .🙂

 

 

 

Thanks for that post kalos, you've done me a big favour. Frank has always been interested in all types of  aircraft and used to love flying until he had a panic attack on our last flight, and said he'd never fly again, that was 18 years ago. 3 hours ago he watched your video, twice. He has just  watched it again and said he'd like to try another flight. 😲

To say I'm surprised is an understatement.

I think I'll start looking for some short haul holiday destinations and gently ease him into looking at something for 2025. It will give him time to change his mind😉

Avril

5 hours ago, brian1 said:

Am I the only one in the world who liked tapioca pudding (frog spawn).

No bro, you're not. I love all milk puddings, much to my daughter's disgust.😬 Rice, tapioca ,sago and my favourite, my Mum's macaroni milk pudding😋 I had many a clip round the ear for trying to slurp the milk through a soggy piece of macaroni😁

Sis

2 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Similar to our sewing classes. First thing we had to make was an apron, pink and white striped material. I used to get frustrated with the pinning, tacking, sewing and then having to re-sew it if it wasn't right. 

I could sew when I started secondary school, as I learnt, literally on my mother's knee. I used to sit on her knee's while she used the sewing machine and she taught me too. It caused a few arguements about the way we were being taught at school too. Mum had attended Barret Street Trade School so she knew more than my teacher! 

 

My Gran was a first class cook, and was one of two cooks in a large London house when in service. She taught me how to cook,bake and make fancy desserts since I was nine, so imagine my surprise whe my daughter came home from a school cookery lesson and informed me I was rolling pastry out the wrong way,.......... according to her young, untrained teacher.😏

Avril

5 hours ago, Peanut006 said:

We do but probably won’t need it thankfully 

 

Michelle

Just a thought Michelle, if it's a water based gloss be careful your dog doesn't try to clean her paws by licking at them.

Avril

14 minutes ago, lincslady said:

In the 'olden days' as now skirt lengths went up and down with fashion.  When minis were in, our school skirts had to be well on the ground when you knelt down, and within a year or so they had to show your knees when midis came in.  It was easy to break the rules when short was in fashion by rolling your skirt up at the waistline as soon as you were out of the school grounds, of course.

When I was at school,(late 50's early 60's) it was either no longer than just covering your  knees to no shorter than just showing your knees. What never changed was the navy blue knickers for gym or games,🤣 or those awful berets we had to wear when coming to, or leaving school🥴

Avril

12 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

On strict skirt lengths, I have a friend who told me when she was at school one of the teachers used to make them bend over to see if knickers were displayed by doing so!  She thought it was quite normal and didn't understand why I was appalled.  Worse it was her head of house male teacher ...

Goodness!!  There would be all manner of legal problems for that teacher today.

Avril

21 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

We have had an interesting start to our week when we arose to find thick black soot all over the front part of our lounge, covering the light coloured newish carpet, gas fire and coating everywhere in the room in a layer of soot. There was also the frantic flapping of wings behind the fire.

 

I did the useful thing of freaking out (at the thoughts of some poor bird stuck in the chimney behind the fire) while hubby contacted the plumber to get the fire off the wall and wept hysterically at the mess that was once our carpet. Ironically, our elderly cat wasn't the slightest bit interested .............

 

Thankfully the plumbers came within about 3 hrs after another job for us and discovered the problem. Not one pigeon as we thought, but 2 black birds - a male and female - and a large twig! Either they were not very good at nest building or love was in the air and it quite literally brought the house down.

 

Oh well, the birds have now flown (bet she is giving him an earful) and we have cleaned up. Well apart from the HUGE black mess on the carpet we will have to deal with.

 

We were told that we could not have a cowl fitted to the chimney as the fire was still in use, but apparently there are new types now so that is one of the first jobs we get done in the coming weeks.

 

I need a lie down now .... 

Oh my word, I would have been in a panic too. I'm glad you got it all dealt with, apart from the carpet of course. You can hire heavy duty cleaners for the carpet. They give a really deep clean, much better than the domestic ones.

Can I just ask......are you sure they were Blackbirds and not just black birds?😉

Avril

@Josy1953

You are in rather a dilemma at the moment Josy but imo, have made the more sensible decision. If those plans were to be passed, the value of your property would have fallen. It's a big gamble I know, but one that we would also have taken in the same situation. 

I'm sure you will find a place that will suit you both, still keep you close to everybody and everything, yet also give you peace of mind.

Good luck. x

Avril

5 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

It's been a long night! Went to bed early as I felt very tired and then woke at 3.00am for the cat to go on his nightly explore. Couldn't get back to sleep after that busy packing and repacking my suitcase in my head as I'm so stressed about the weather going forward.  Then after having a panic about this I caught up on the Cunard CC thread and gave myself something new to worry about as to what's above my allocated cabin.  I clearly never learn!

 

To compound it the blue sky at 4.00am has now disappeared and its grey and muggy making a very depressing start to the day. We have some gardening to do before I go away on Friday including digging out a rose bBush to put it in hospital for this season.  To cheer me up my husband is taking me to the garden centre to buy another one.

Congratulations MB, you've found another good excuse to buy a rose😉

Avril

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

We.must be of the same.mindset!  My front garden is lined with my Mum and Dad's roses and a couple are over 70 years old.  They never need a lot of care  a wash down with Fairy Liquid a couple of times a year.

 

I started my collection when we first got married in our small maisonette garden and they sort of multiplied. I keep saying I've no room but still find room when the impulse takes me.  I seek out roses with names of family members and for some reason the family keeps growing - two more babies due in June and September so no doubt two more no room roses.

We relocated all 14 of dad's roses, but unfortunately only 4 survived the move. They were about 30 years old at the time, so I was lucky any survived at all.

In the gales last year the only standard that had survived was damaged and I tried to rescue it, but no joy. I replaced it with a beautiful standard called Nostalgia, which seemed appropriate. 

Avril

20 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

They are "Eye" Rose's.  Yellow one is Eye of the Tiger, mauve one is In Your Eyes and the last one is Eyes on You.  I have a climber not yet out which is called For Your Eyes Only.

 

You are correct on Blue for You. Mine is a standard too.  We love standard roses and have twelve of them. The earliest to flower is a very old variety Canary Bird and it is a weeping standard.

Thank you. I love roses too. We have six standard and twelve bush, some are floribunda which are my favourite, and hybrid tea. I've been lucky enough to still have  three of dad's roses that must be about  sixty years old, thick, gnarled stems, but still flowering.🤞

I'll research the eye roses, they seen to be a nice low growing rose for front of border.

Avril

58 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Roses, someone wanted roses.  I can offer you these currently in my garden!

I recognise the blue rose, Blue For You. I have it as a standard and it was the first to flower. What are the small bi-colour roses they're really pretty?

Avril

1 hour ago, P&O SUE said:

Morning all, sorry haven’t had time to read the thread. My mum has been in hospital since Tuesday night so it’s all been rather stressful. She’s on oxygen and antibiotics but they’re hopeful she won’t be in there for too long. It was a bit touch and go at first. Everyone at the Home says they miss her!

I'm sorry your Mum is in hospital again Sue. I know it will be a stressful time for you, but she seems to be a strong lady so try to be positve. I hope she improves quickly.x

Avril