Saturday 21 November 2015

Tomorrow is another day. . . .



. . . . as Scarlett O'Hara famously said.  Perhaps I should add her other famous expressions, "Great balls of fire!" and "Fiddle-de-dee" too.  Anyway, today IS another day.  I am feeling better than yesterday, following the removal of the offending "toof". It's finally stopped bleeding too.  The taste of blood has little to recommend it.

I've caught up on some recorded programmes on tv, watched self-reliant Alaskan Bush People (!) and come to the conclusion there must be a lot of such people in Alaska as they seem to do an awful lot of filming up there!  Cheap perhaps.

Some more stitching has been done on my hexi runner - though it was evening before I could face it - and I am now able to have hot drinks again - my cup of Earl Grey was very welcome this morning.

I managed to make a fresh loaf yesterday (a quick one in the breadmaker, finished off crisper in the oven) - half and half white and oat bran flours, which is our favourite.  I had to take my antibiotics with food, and this was soft enough to eat without a problem.

I'd defrosted some mince for tea, so OH had his with gravy, peas and mash, and mine went into a sort of mince risotto I am fond of - mince, onion, stock cube & water, dried vegetables, rice and a good squeeze of tomato puree.  You can add what you like to it, but it is quick to make and just what the invalid needed.

On the cards for today are some gentle housework, grocery shopping and trying to shoehorn some more stock into the Unit.  I need to take photos too, for its Facebook page.

At first light, when I pulled the curtains open, it was quite fierce out there - a wannabee baby gale blowing, and scudding grey clouds, but it has cleared to blue skies now.  A flock of ever-changing sparrows, blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, and the occasional Woody woodpecker and nuthatch are on the feeders and a jackdaw is finishing off well-pecked apples on the cooking apple tree.  It's much colder and my friends Dawn and Pam reported smatterings of snow last night (then it rained).  Winter has arrived it seems.


7 comments:

  1. Our moor has a covering of snow and it is bitterly cold, but the sun is shining and as long as you are sheltered from the fierce North wind it is pleasant.

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  2. I have walked Ben and there is real heat in the sun, but the wind is bitter. my washing is almost nailed onto the whirlygig, I will keep an eye on it while I gather up some bits that the wind rearranged last night, no damage thankfully. I have some ironing to do and 2 baby quilts to layer, baste and quilt, I hope to get them finished today, I will bring the backing round for binding. less fabric and less time. I hope that your pain subsides quickly, toothache and earache are the worst.

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  3. I hadn't heard of the Alaskan Bush People--did a look-up, asked J. if he had watched it--which he has. He says they are a very a-typical Alaskan family--weirdos is the word he used. [Not but what it may make for interesting viewing!]
    He and his family lived in Alaska for a few years when he was a young teen, says there were 'homesteaders' at the time and of course some parts of the state will always be very remote. I see the Bush People are currently in a bit of trouble with the government and the show likely to end.
    At any rate, it sounds like great diversion post tooth extraction!
    Another frosty night here and several colder ones coming up--as you say, it seems winter has arrived.

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  4. Poor you, hope it heals nice and quick. I have had a very delayed week ...will post what I promised next Tuesday when I get to catch up. Xxx

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  5. Goodness, I hope you feel better soon.
    Your bread sounds wonderful.

    cheers, parsnip

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  6. I enjoyed reading your post. I tried to understand what “mince” was. I know of mince pie – is that the same? By the way, near our Square in town, we have the Gone with the Wind Museum – full of memorabilia. I think they even have more stuff than at the Margaret Mitchell house in Atlanta I visited a couple of years ago.

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  7. Pat - we are into cold and wet here, which isn't as nice as cold and dry!

    Pam - I would like to walk daily but the weather this past week has definitely not allowed it. I don't mind walking in drizzle, but not when it's rain of the sort that means "there was no possibility of a walk that day" . . . Poor Charlotte Bronte, up in Haworth, knew all about winter weather, wandering in the shrubbery or not . . .

    Sharon - I've only just come across them. Alaska does seem to be the place to attract oddballs and "homesteaders". These are a wee bit weird, I have to say, and that poor girl's front teefs! Obviously they eschew remedial dentistry . . . I read that they were in trouble too (we must have read the same article), but you can't blame people taking oil handouts and being economical with the truth . . .

    Maria - no rush my dear, and I will be delighted whenever the parcel arrives. Sorry you've had one of those less helpful weeks. I got busy with the stitch-ripper on my hexi runner yesterday - it's so annoying when the perfectionist side of me comes to the fore . . .

    parsnip - the bread is lovely. I always prefer to make my own because I control what goes in it, and I try to use organic flour (though there is a premium on it costwise of course). I feel more or less back to normal now I'm glad to say.

    Vagabonde - welcome. Oh, HOW I would love to visit your Gone With the Wind Museum. I have had an interest in the American Civil War ever since I first saw the film. A Margaret Mitchell house too? Oh, bliss!

    Mince pie used to be made with meat (back in Tudor times) and indeed some chefs have done a revival of this in recent years. 99% of the time though, mince pies are just made from mixed dried fruits (currants, sultanas, mixed peel etc) with sugar, suet etc. I make my own mix with apples from the garden, mixed fruit, cinnamon, mixed spice, sugar, orange zest etc. The mince in the meal I wrote about is minced beef - you would know it as ground beef - which I like to have in the freezer as I can make a quick meal from it.

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