The oxygen tanks are filling by the back door, but for now normal snorkelling gear is just enough to suffice in order to check on the chickens.
The c'lebs taking part in a trial of boredom and inane activities in the heat of Australia's Gold Coast, would do well to note how those further down the pecking order cope in similar conditions in the northern hemisphere.
The Sisters of Doom, my reliable elder stateswomen of the coop, represent the retired, once appeared on tele, chef, and Eric, a dour whiz of mental arithmetic capable of throwing a small spear accurately.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Christmas Cake Clearout
The annual question of which recipe to follow has been dictated by the contents of the cupboard this year. A couple of weeks ago, in a fit of efficiency, I bought packets of what I thought might be the necessary ingredients and pushed them onto the requisite shelf when I reached home.
Baking is something we do in this household; we like it and are reasonably adept at it. This means that we have an entire cupboard dedicated to flours, sugars, fruits, nuts, chocolate and so on. Today, I reached for the necessary fruits of the vine and kept pulling out other, smaller packs, wrapped with elastic bands. One thing led to another and soon the kitchen worktops were strewn with the contents of two of the cupboard shelves, as I, specs on, peered at the sell by-dates. Feeling quite smug at first, I soon had two reasonably sized bags of vintage dried fruits and nuts ready for 're-cycling'. In my defence, 2004 was the oldest date that I found; something my late mother-in-law would have scoffed at and added the contents to the recipe regardless.
Baking is something we do in this household; we like it and are reasonably adept at it. This means that we have an entire cupboard dedicated to flours, sugars, fruits, nuts, chocolate and so on. Today, I reached for the necessary fruits of the vine and kept pulling out other, smaller packs, wrapped with elastic bands. One thing led to another and soon the kitchen worktops were strewn with the contents of two of the cupboard shelves, as I, specs on, peered at the sell by-dates. Feeling quite smug at first, I soon had two reasonably sized bags of vintage dried fruits and nuts ready for 're-cycling'. In my defence, 2004 was the oldest date that I found; something my late mother-in-law would have scoffed at and added the contents to the recipe regardless.
Friday, 16 November 2012
My Family and Other Animals and...
Machinery, apparently!
Do you talk to yourself? First sign of madness, or so they say. In which case I'm several steps along the pathway to pills.
Do you talk to yourself? First sign of madness, or so they say. In which case I'm several steps along the pathway to pills.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Michael Morpurgo's War Horse
I have clearly reached the point when the future is considerably shorter than the past ,and perhaps this explains my current desire to find out more about my respective grandfathers' involvement in the two world wars.
I studied history to A'level, have long been fascinated by the machinations of politics through the ages, whether regal or governmental and how they, along with religion - whichever god you may follow - can often fuel a maniacal desire for everlasting power. But, in spite of the dates I thought I knew of battles fought and won within living memory, and the potential of one neurotic man with a hirsute upper lip,
I studied history to A'level, have long been fascinated by the machinations of politics through the ages, whether regal or governmental and how they, along with religion - whichever god you may follow - can often fuel a maniacal desire for everlasting power. But, in spite of the dates I thought I knew of battles fought and won within living memory, and the potential of one neurotic man with a hirsute upper lip,
Friday, 9 November 2012
D is for Diary
...And comes under W is for Wife.
Sometimes, in spite of a desk diary which should sit beside the 'phone but is never there, (I know, old fashioned country folk with a landline apparatus); the existence of a calendar hanging on the wall; a tablet with all singing and dancing calendar apps and a computer that is more than capable of telling me if, but and when any member of the family moves, I don't know what I'm doing when!
The best diary of all is in my head, which is becoming an increasing worry as I struggle to remember the names of my children,
Sometimes, in spite of a desk diary which should sit beside the 'phone but is never there, (I know, old fashioned country folk with a landline apparatus); the existence of a calendar hanging on the wall; a tablet with all singing and dancing calendar apps and a computer that is more than capable of telling me if, but and when any member of the family moves, I don't know what I'm doing when!
The best diary of all is in my head, which is becoming an increasing worry as I struggle to remember the names of my children,
Thursday, 8 November 2012
WWI short story
In this Armistice week, I thought I'd share a short story that I wrote some time ago which made a final cut for a competition judged by Fay Weldon and printed in the 2012 Rhyme and Reason diary. The entry fees for this competition and resulting diary sales are given to support Iain Rennie Grove House hospice care.
With a remit of max 400 words it really is flash fiction,
With a remit of max 400 words it really is flash fiction,
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Skyfall
Well! Where to begin? The four year wait has been truly worthwhile!
Last week we had the occasion to mark my **th birthday and what better way to do this than a family ticket to the cinema. The date has been in the diary since we found out that my all-encompassing special-agent hero would be back on the big screen at the end of October, and never has a film been more eagerly anticipated.
Not for me the buckets of popcorn or gallons of fizz; who needs added excitement when a 2.5 hour visual feast of James Bond himself is there in surround-sound? The comfort of knowing that Mr Craig will live to see another day did nothing to prevent anxiety
Last week we had the occasion to mark my **th birthday and what better way to do this than a family ticket to the cinema. The date has been in the diary since we found out that my all-encompassing special-agent hero would be back on the big screen at the end of October, and never has a film been more eagerly anticipated.
Not for me the buckets of popcorn or gallons of fizz; who needs added excitement when a 2.5 hour visual feast of James Bond himself is there in surround-sound? The comfort of knowing that Mr Craig will live to see another day did nothing to prevent anxiety
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