![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Wishing you all
Dec. 24th, 2023 09:50 pmA merry Christmas (alternative winter celebrations are available) and a happy new year!
Having spent the last two years being paranoid about transmitting it to the sheltered flats where my father now lives, I suspect I may have caught it there - we were there twice last weekend, our usual Sunday lunch, and a crowded and three-year family fun day the day before. Anyway, I woke up feeling a bit of a cold forming on Tuesday morning, tested positive, spent the next couple of days feeling extremely groggy, and now I'm fine but Wellinghall got a second line this morning.
Fingers crossed for him to bounce back quickly, as we have plans for next week.
Fingers crossed for him to bounce back quickly, as we have plans for next week.
Well, we seem to have survived both the storm and a day of school closure. One fence panel down; we're clearly not nearly as exposed as places just a few miles away but on the coast. We had a delivery this morning while the storm was at its worst, rather to my surprise. According to the driver, his depot roof was in the process of peeling off.
I stayed indoors all day. I'm not risking a repeat of the Burns Day storm of 1990, when a sudden gust of wind from behind actually picked me up. Mind you, I've put on enough protective weight since then that any wind thinking I'd like to try flying will have its work cut out.
I stayed indoors all day. I'm not risking a repeat of the Burns Day storm of 1990, when a sudden gust of wind from behind actually picked me up. Mind you, I've put on enough protective weight since then that any wind thinking I'd like to try flying will have its work cut out.
Adventures in comfort baking
Apr. 10th, 2020 12:33 pmThis apocoronalypse is getting serious. There's no plain flour to be had in the market, even for ready money!
Wellinghall went out foraging last week, and came back with a packet of rye flour, and another of Ancient Egyptian ancestral wheat flour. I also have bread flour, white cornmeal and Ancient Orcadian ancestral barley flour. Oh, and I can grind nuts for nut flour, I've been using that to pad out the plain flour for pastry, and made a lovely chocolate and chestnut fridge cake last week.
Fortunately I'm a reasonably confident baker with a reasonably well-stocked cupboard. But the plain flour we've got is now low enough that I'm beginning to hesitate over my usual trick with an unfamiliar flour of mixing it half-and-half with plain or bread (according to what I'm making) and am about to level up to attempting things like pure beremeal or cornmeal baking. This could get interesting!
Anyone out there got more experience than me with alternative-flour baking? Any tips? Can I use bread flour for pastry?
Wellinghall went out foraging last week, and came back with a packet of rye flour, and another of Ancient Egyptian ancestral wheat flour. I also have bread flour, white cornmeal and Ancient Orcadian ancestral barley flour. Oh, and I can grind nuts for nut flour, I've been using that to pad out the plain flour for pastry, and made a lovely chocolate and chestnut fridge cake last week.
Fortunately I'm a reasonably confident baker with a reasonably well-stocked cupboard. But the plain flour we've got is now low enough that I'm beginning to hesitate over my usual trick with an unfamiliar flour of mixing it half-and-half with plain or bread (according to what I'm making) and am about to level up to attempting things like pure beremeal or cornmeal baking. This could get interesting!
Anyone out there got more experience than me with alternative-flour baking? Any tips? Can I use bread flour for pastry?
Public service announcement
Mar. 3rd, 2020 02:36 pmThe Oxford University Museum of Natural History gift shop now sells dinosaur socks in grown-up sizes. I thought you might all like to know.
In other news, the Ashmolean have always (well okay, all my life-time; maybe not back in Ashmole's day) been good with children. I can remember they used to have display cases with very low-down sections, beneath the main display, full of things likely to appeal to youngsters. They now take the prize for the best pre-schooler trail of all the museums we did last week in Oxford (three, and an exhibition). Among other things, they got us all the way up to Dutch Still Lifes (I never normally get further in than the Alfred Jewel) hunting snails.
The exhibition was the only one that got the Heir Apparent truly bored. She'd been expecting a library (it was in the Bod.) and was very disappointed that it didn't involve a room lined with books to browse round and comfy seats.
In other news, the Ashmolean have always (well okay, all my life-time; maybe not back in Ashmole's day) been good with children. I can remember they used to have display cases with very low-down sections, beneath the main display, full of things likely to appeal to youngsters. They now take the prize for the best pre-schooler trail of all the museums we did last week in Oxford (three, and an exhibition). Among other things, they got us all the way up to Dutch Still Lifes (I never normally get further in than the Alfred Jewel) hunting snails.
The exhibition was the only one that got the Heir Apparent truly bored. She'd been expecting a library (it was in the Bod.) and was very disappointed that it didn't involve a room lined with books to browse round and comfy seats.
Nettle-hen
Apr. 30th, 2016 09:22 pmNettle-hen is poorly. She was fine yesterday, but when we got back this afternoon she was sitting in her coop and very listless. We took her to the vets earlier this evening, and they've given her antibiotics and are keeping her in for observation.
ETA: The vet has just phoned to say she has perked up a bit overnight. Not out of the woods yet, but their hen specialist will be in soon and will see if anything more needs doing.
ETA2 She didn't make it. Very poor prognosis, so the vet advised us to have her put down. Didi hen can't work out where her fellow chicken has gone.
ETA: The vet has just phoned to say she has perked up a bit overnight. Not out of the woods yet, but their hen specialist will be in soon and will see if anything more needs doing.
ETA2 She didn't make it. Very poor prognosis, so the vet advised us to have her put down. Didi hen can't work out where her fellow chicken has gone.
Rant rant rant rant rant
Apr. 6th, 2016 05:01 pmMy mother's house got burgled a few weeks ago, while she was staying with us. The burglars damaged one of the back doors in the process, and my mother has already accepted a quote for replacing both that and the other two back doors with new ones, much stronger and with better locks. Because of the age and style of the old doors, new ones will be not only more secure but also cheaper.
The insurance, however, are insisting that (while they are happy to make a cash settlement towards the cost of new doors) they have to have a quote for like-for-like repairs. Even though this is more expensive than the work my mother actually wants done. We therefore need to get *another* quote, for work we do not want done.
When I pointed out that builders are unlikely to want to spend time drawing up a quote for a job we have no intention of giving them, the insurers suggested that I didn't point out that little detail.
In other words, the insurers are actively telling me to be dishonest while making the claim. And they're saying this knowing that such dishonesty is going to lead to a bigger claim.
I just can't get my head round it!
The insurance, however, are insisting that (while they are happy to make a cash settlement towards the cost of new doors) they have to have a quote for like-for-like repairs. Even though this is more expensive than the work my mother actually wants done. We therefore need to get *another* quote, for work we do not want done.
When I pointed out that builders are unlikely to want to spend time drawing up a quote for a job we have no intention of giving them, the insurers suggested that I didn't point out that little detail.
In other words, the insurers are actively telling me to be dishonest while making the claim. And they're saying this knowing that such dishonesty is going to lead to a bigger claim.
I just can't get my head round it!
Minster meeces
Feb. 21st, 2016 09:42 pmWellinghall has suggested I put up my photos of the assorted rodents that we found infesting Beverley Minster. There were quite a lot, though they didn't always photograph well, as we both found. Not sure if this is because they're always small and in awkward, dimly-lit corners, or simply because neither of our cameras comes with a Mouseman setting.
( Cut for rodents... )
And we went back to the Minster in the afternoon for the wedding, but you'll have heard all about that from Wellinghall. The bride looked lovely and the groom looked smug, as well he might.
( Cut for rodents... )
And we went back to the Minster in the afternoon for the wedding, but you'll have heard all about that from Wellinghall. The bride looked lovely and the groom looked smug, as well he might.
What I'm going to do on my holidays
Jan. 22nd, 2016 05:26 pmSummer holiday (partly) booked! We'll be heading off to Orkney on this ferry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQvT-PGhiKI
Can't wait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQvT-PGhiKI
Can't wait.
It's a funny thing, but a rat-sized tunnel has appeared going into the chicken run. Can't help wondering if this is in any way connected with the fact that we haven't been getting as many eggs lately.
I've blocked it with an old tile for now, but that's not going to hold the little thieves for long.
I've blocked it with an old tile for now, but that's not going to hold the little thieves for long.
Me: I hate, loathe and detest the Folio Society, mutter, mutter, lavish deluxe facsimile MS Cotton Nero A.x (The Pearl Manuscript, including Sir Gawain) mutter mutter.
Wellinghall: Can I think about that before saying Yes?
I think our mutual resolve not to make any big book purchases until we've done some serious bookshelf-pruning has just gone kaput.
In other news, always check your references before hitting "Post". I just typed, without looking, MS Cotton Nero A:x, when of course what I really meant was A.x. I know you will all be deeply and profoundly shocked that I could make such a clumsy error.
Wellinghall: Can I think about that before saying Yes?
I think our mutual resolve not to make any big book purchases until we've done some serious bookshelf-pruning has just gone kaput.
In other news, always check your references before hitting "Post". I just typed, without looking, MS Cotton Nero A:x, when of course what I really meant was A.x. I know you will all be deeply and profoundly shocked that I could make such a clumsy error.
Day 1: healthy run-around in park, healthy salad on table, where did all the biscuits go?
Day 2: up bright and early, make pancakes for breakfast, spend day doing energetic and occasionally educational Stuff, including the dinosaurs in the museum.
Day 3: oversleep, staggered breakfast, watch DVD, abandon plans for ambitious outing and have much smaller and closer outing instead, followed by more DVD.
Day 4: stuff breakfast, we're calling it brunch. DVD. Wave god-daughter and family off at the station, pleased as punch to hear god-daughter say she doesn't want to go home.
Day 2: up bright and early, make pancakes for breakfast, spend day doing energetic and occasionally educational Stuff, including the dinosaurs in the museum.
Day 3: oversleep, staggered breakfast, watch DVD, abandon plans for ambitious outing and have much smaller and closer outing instead, followed by more DVD.
Day 4: stuff breakfast, we're calling it brunch. DVD. Wave god-daughter and family off at the station, pleased as punch to hear god-daughter say she doesn't want to go home.
That britmeme.
Aug. 11th, 2015 09:24 pmDon't often do memes, but it's always good to break a habit, right?
1. Marmite- love or hate?
( Read more... )
1. Marmite- love or hate?
( Read more... )
Grrrrinsurersgrrr
Aug. 3rd, 2015 03:16 pmMe to insurance firm A: have you now got Important Supporting Document #1, which was posted to you over a week ago, but which hadn't turned up according to Letter of Wednesday last, which reached us on Saturday? Or should I get it re-sent?
Insurance firm: No, but we're actually Firm B, acting on behalf of Firm A, and any post to their address which they forward us can take a few days to get here.
Me (thinks, but didn't actually say) Well in that case, why do you say that we have to provide the information requested within 7 days in your letter which took 3 days to reach us?
I've asked the people who sent Important Supporting Document #1 to fax a copy straight to B.
Grrrrr.
Insurance firm: No, but we're actually Firm B, acting on behalf of Firm A, and any post to their address which they forward us can take a few days to get here.
Me (thinks, but didn't actually say) Well in that case, why do you say that we have to provide the information requested within 7 days in your letter which took 3 days to reach us?
I've asked the people who sent Important Supporting Document #1 to fax a copy straight to B.
Grrrrr.
On the categorising of books.
Jul. 20th, 2015 09:23 pmI do realise, of course, that all fantasy and science fiction is a minor sub-genre of children's fiction, but I was still taken aback to see that the children's section in this morning's secondhand book shop included GRRMartin's Song of Ice and Fire books.
Scottish holiday, final entry
Jun. 8th, 2015 08:19 pmWe finished with a few days in Inverness (pausing only to spot a puffin from the ferry, and get more bus-ride-with-scenery weaving through the mountains).
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
