Category: Food

Windy night and a windy morning – 6 December 2024

Posted on by Zogman

We didn’t fancy going anywhere today which was lucky because I still had a fair amount of tidying up to do on the computer. It’s working, but things keep changing inside its silver box. I don’t know what’s going on, but it feels as if things are settling down. I hope that’s not Famous Last Words.

Leaving the computer aside, there were a few tasks in the garden needing seen to. Not a lot, but the sunflower that turned its back on us needed to be chopped down and the assorted miniature sunflowers around the edge of the raised bed had to go too. Not much else, but the place just looked a bit better after that. I passed my secateurs over to Scamp and she chopped down the dead stems of the geums.

After lunch which for Scamp was turkey sandwich and for me it was a sandwich with pastrami and mustard. It’s a long time since I’ve had pastrami. Anyway, after lunch I went for a walk in St Mo’s. It was only about 2.40pm when I went out, but you’d have believed it was about 5.40. I don’t think the sun shone at all to day.

There were thin pickings out around St Mo’s, but my favourite by far was a shot I took on the way there. It’s a bush called the Snowberry and you can see from the photo that it’s well named. It produces the white berries in the autumn but they don’t last long and seem to degrade quickly.

When I got home I worked on the photos for a while before starting to get ready to go out to Bombay Dreams for dinner with June and Ian. I was looking forward to one of their famous curries. We had noticed that the quality of their take-away meals had slipped a fair bit the last time we’d ordered one, but tonight the service was really slow and my pakora was only part cooked. Portions were smaller than they used to be, but many restaurants are doing that now to avoid bigger hikes in their prices. However, the restaurant was about a quarter full which is not what you expect to see on a Friday night. Waiters constantly asking if we wanted more drinks became annoying too. This was not the Bombay Dreams we used to visit fairly regularly a few years ago.

Worse was yet to come. We’d been told there would be a special karaoke event. It was awful. One bloke attempting to encourage the participants to come up and sing, by singing off-key himself, there was no attempt to segue into the next track, just stopping in mid track and changing the music. I could go on, but I won’t. A totally wasted night. I don’t think we’ll ever be back. What a shame.

Tomorrow we’re hoping to go dancing at night. The last Evening Dance of the year. Wind and rain forecast! No karaoke!

Oops I did it again – 3 December 2024

Posted on by Zogman

I blew up the computer again today. This time, knowingly.

First things first. Hazy got her belated birthday box today, delivered by Royal Mail a day late. That may be the last time we use this overprices but untrustworthy delivery company. Some poor bloke is intending to buy the Royal Mail. Good luck with that mate. Anyway, Hazy enjoyed her extended birthday! We had a good talk to her in the late afternoon.

It was a bright day for a change, but it looked cold outside in the morning so we just stayed inside looking out at it until lunch time when we were entertained by the local grey squirrel who was checking out all the local gardens, looking of anything it could eat.

After lunch I took the A7 out for a walk in St Mo’s and deliberately walked the long way round the house first to chase away the rat with the fluffy tail. I think also frightened the man at the corner of our block who was measuring up a neighbour’s garden for a new fence.

The good light had gone by the time I got to St Mo’s, but I did a walk round the pond to keep my step count up and took a few photos. I really need to get up and out early(ish) if I’m going to get any good light at all.

Scamp made a really delicious Fish Pie for dinner. Unlike Jackie’s fish pie with mashed potatoes on top, this one had sliced potatoes on top and a lighter sauce.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The PoD was intended to be Mr or Mrs Squirrel, but I blew up the computer again and it’s still struggling to get everything back into the big silver box, so the photos might not arrive until tomorrow. A bit like the Royal Mail.

I had decided to have one last try at installing the Paragon software, but for some reason the iMac wouldn’t restart after the installation. I’m guessing it’s because I’m running the show on an SSD and the software was designed to run on a ‘real’ computer. But because the internal hard drive of the iMac is junk, the SSD is a better choice.

The long term solution is a new iMac and although the prices can be eye watering, it’s my hobby, and I’m willing to pay for it. What I don’t want it to be is the constant struggle I’m having just now. At this moment the iMac is reinstalling the data from (yet) another SSD and will hopefully be finished in about an hour. Then I will let the whole thing cool down until we start the battle again tomorrow.

Hopefully we’ll get out tomorrow to get some potting compost and some pots for Scamp to take winter cuttings.

An early rise – 30 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

We had to drive to Brookfield half an hour earlier than usual, so we had to be up earlier than usual.

Brookfield were having an early Xmas fair and needed to use the hall from midday, so the proles had to be out by then.

At least the heating was on when we arrived. A quick sequence dance to start the day, then we were into the Hoabie Quickstep, named for the inventor’s dog, apparently. I think I danced like that dog today. My mind was a total blank. Even with Scamp talking me through the parts that made up the quickstep, I couldn’t remember them. Finally after about half an hour of shuffling round the floor like a complete beginner, things began to click into place and the Hoabie Quickstep was in my head. Now all I need is for my feet to learn it!!

Next was the Blue Angel Rumba, which I ‘sort of knew’, ie not very well. One of the tracks Stewart played was Silent Night sung(?) by Stevie Nicks. It was the worst rendition of that song I’ve ever heard. I often slag off street singers by saying: “One of the most important things a singer must learn is how to **sing***”* Even the worst street singers are better than this. Really, it put my teeth on edge. Listen to it if you dare and see if you agree with me.

The next dance was Jane’s version of a Rumba we’ve been learning forever. Every time we get it clear in our head, she changes bits of it. Today it was a move / unit called “Round the World” which was ok, but nothing special. I wasn’t impressed, but it was probably Ms Nicks’ earworm that was gnawing away at my ear canals.

Drove home across the Kingston Bridge and for once it wasn’t horrible. We made good time and I think we were both happy to be home for different reasons.

After a quick lunch of half a Ginsters Cornish Pasty for me and a Ginsters Chicken Pasty for Scamp, I went for a walk in St Mo’s where I got today’s PoD of a collection of Canada Geese getting ready to fly south after stopping off at St Mo’s for a break. I walked down to the shops to get some peas and chicken thighs to make tonight’s dinner Chicken and Pea Traybake. One of the easiest meals to make because it’s all done in a tray in the oven.

Later we watched Strictly and weren’t impressed with many of the dances tonight. We could do better. We can always do better, just as long as it isn’t the Hoabie Quickstep with music by Stevie Nicks

So today was the last day in November with its snow, frost, unseasonal temperatures and floods. It was also the end of meteorological Autumn. Winter will begin tomorrow. There’s a thought!

No plans for tomorrow.

A busy day – 28 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Some days are filled with To Do lists and some are just made for lounging about. Unfortunately today’s was one of the former.

What with writing yesterday’s blog and posting it, then driving to the tea dance at Glenburn and back again, it felt like it was non-stop.

It started with a lazy look at Wordle and Spelling Bee. Wordle was easy, but I’ve still not completed SB. Then it was time to fill in the spaces of my memory of yesterday, typing it up and posting it. By then it was almost lunch time and a welcome wee piece ’n’ bacon and another slice on blackcurrant jam. Both delicious. Thanks for organising that, Scamp. That left me just enough time to wash my face, shave and get dressed for the Tea Dance. Then we were off with the thermometer in the car reading 0ºc. Brrrr!

By the time we reached Glasgow the temperature had risen to 2ºc and the heater was pushing out warm air as fast as its wee fans could heat it. Fairly easy drive to Glenburn although there was a lot of ‘tutting’ from Scamp when the boy racers were slaloming through the traffic on the M8, managing to shave off a decent 20 seconds from their journey time. You have to ask yourself; Is is worth the effort for 20 seconds max with the possibility of a bump and the polis being able to read your speed using the melted rubber on the tarmac as a guide and fifteen folk able to identify you with their dash cams. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
But we all do it, don’t we? Or is that just me?

Apparently the there was a prize for the worst example of bad parking in the car park at Glenburn. Cars dumped everywhere. It must be something in the water today. Anyway, we didn’t miss anything, because Stewart was waiting to see how many latecomers like us would appear, blaming traffic, roadworks and diversions. Nobody believes any of those tales, but everyone tells them.

Waltz to start as usual, then the lethargic Rumba One followed by Rumba Two, which is almost exactly the same as R1 but slightly faster. We danced the usual list. A Foxtrot, a Quickstep, a (Real) Rumba, a Salsa and a Bachata. Interspersed with the ‘real’ dances were quite a few sequence dances. A good crowd at the table we were sitting at. David and Carol with occasional visitors Linda and Billy. Good patter flowing around the table as always.

We left just after 3pm to avoid the school rush and for once I decided to take the Kingston Bridge road rather than the M74/M73, and for once it was the right decision. Stopped at Asda for a bunch of flowers for Scamp, she deserved it for keeping me fairly close to the right steps at the right time.

By the time we got home it was dark. That’s what happens in Scotland in November. Dinner was a reheated paella from yesterday. Scamp sorted it as usual heated enough to kill off any nasties in the rice, but not enough to turn the whole dish into mush. Something else learned today.

It had to be a tabletop photo today due to lack of light. It’s a little orchid we picked up in a garden centre earlier in the year. All the flowers died away after a while and we thought it was dead. Then one day I was sure I could see a tiny green shoot appearing from the stem, so we took a bit more care of it after that and fed it some liquid orchid food. Then this week the flower opened. We were delighted.

I’m still struggling with the new watch, but things are coming together now. Much more complicated than the FitBit, but it works.

Scamp is intending going to the last FitSteps of the year, but nothing else planned. Rain forecast.

No Time like the Present – 27 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

The clues are there, but only one will be revealed!

We drove in to Glasgow to buy some stuff. Most will be redacted, but one will not. While Scamp was off buying the redacted things, I was browsing the watches in JL. I fancied a new smart watch. My old one is ok, but since FItBit has been taken over by the Google monster, all the best bits have been gradually removed and updates have become few and far between. Besides, it’s nearly Xmas and there are bargains to be had, they say.

I was willing to afford a Vivoactive 5 which does almost all the things the FitBit did and a few more. The screen in particular was much clearer than the FitBit and the lack of a stair counter was offset by the Vivoactive not having Google’s sticky fingers all over it.

Coffee and a scone in JL’s cafe with a window seat looking out over the hordes of Xmas shoppers wandering aimlessly in and out of shops looking for something, anything to buy. Yes, and I am one of them.

Walking over the JL bridge to the car park I saw my favourite view of Glasgow laid out before me, but the windows were streaked with dirt and I couldn’t get a clean shot of the panorama of buildings. Then I saw the lone figure of a bloke waiting on the platform of Queen Street Station and I had my PoD.

Drove home and that’s when reality bit. The watch was fine. It looked like the one I’d been testing (playing with) in JL. It was the instructions that were lacking. I spent more time than I’d anticipated going between computer, phone and watch without getting anything done it seemed. The folk who make these devices really do need to explain things much more clearly to bears of little brain. Half of Wednesday afternoon and night was spent trying to make sense of the instructions. It almost went back into the box and back to Mr John Lewis, but that would be giving in and this was a challenge!

After a quickly made, but quite delicious Paella, we got ready and went out to Kirsty’s dance class where we attempted a Quickstep and a Waltz in the same night. It was a bit of a shambles in places, but we did do well at the quickstep. Not so good at the waltz.

Watched the last two episodes of the Moonflower Murders and thoroughly enjoyed them. Hopefully there will be season 3.

PoD was that man waiting for his train.

This has been a catch-up due to the problems the bear of little brain had with instructions.

Hoping to go dancing on Thursday.

At The Fort – 26 November 2024

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We drove to The Fort today. Our main aim can’t be divulged yet, but it was partly successful.

Scamp messaged Hazy in the morning to see how here mouth was. The reply was that she “slept ok. Her face was a bit swollen, but not too sore.” We were both glad to hear that.

We drove home via Tesco to get some veg for dinner and a carton of milk. Such an exciting day. Then it was home for lunch. First I was reminded that we need the boiler serviced, so I phoned the local heating engineers and got an appointment for the middle of December. Another thing  to tick off the ToDo list.

After lunch Scamp was intending to phone Jackie, so I put my boots on and went over to St Mo’s on a cold but sunny day to get some photos with the 16-35mm lens on the A7iii. One of them became PoD. I liked the colour of the light and the low viewpoint that had me crawling along the boardwalk. I thought the council plan to cut channels into the reedbeds and the marshy areas was going to be a disaster, but after a couple of years they have become a haven for ducks and the occasional swan. Also they are sheltered from the wind and create great reflections. For once I say “well done” to the council.

By the time I got back, the telephone conversation had finished and it was time to chop up the veg to make Butternut Squash Soup which would be the main course of tonight’s dinner. Scamp made custard that went so well with the apple tart of a couple of days ago.

We watched the final of The Great British Bakeoff. I got the winner totally wrong, but I think Scamp backed the right horse.

A quick practise of the new Quickstep that we’re hoping to unveil on Thursday at a tea dance. Still a few rough edges to remove, but effectively it’s there.

We may go shopping tomorrow and hopefully there will be enough for a quorum at the British Legion for the last waltz of the year!

Bert’s gone – 25 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Bert was still bumbling around this morning, but by afternoon we’d seen the last of him. Off to colder climes.

Just the usual Monday morning. Solved Wordle, but only by the skin of my teeth and then found the Pangram. Not so successful with Angry Birds. Scamp also waltzed through Wordle and the Pangram, then Gummy Drop. My what children we are behind our adult masks.

I parcelled up a USB stick for Jackie and Jaki, then scribbled a note to each and it was a scribble. My handwriting really is so bad that I can’t read it myself at times. Printing I can do no problem, but joined up writing just evades me. By then, Bert was was calming down, gathering his bits and pieces a lumbering off to annoy some Norwegian folk instead of us. That begs the question; Where do these weather systems go after they’ve annoyed us for a couple of days? Is there a home somewhere for forgotten winds? Maybe there is somewhere where they can be wound up again and sent off to annoy more folk in other countries. Anyway, it was lunch time. Sad wee cold meat sandwich for me and a banana on toast for Scamp. Not exactly haute cuisine, but it filled a wee space.

Suitably refreshed, I drove up to Tesco to post the parcels and to get some odds and ends for dinner tonight. Just as I was leaving I bumped into Fred who had a couple of books for me. I’d been carrying some books for him in the boot of the car for a couple of weeks, but, of course, I’d emptied the boot last week. I’ll put the bag of books back in the car tomorrow in the hopes I bump into Fred again soon.

PoD was a grab shot. As I was driving home I could see an interesting sunset forming over Broadwood Loch and just managed to get a few photos of it on my phone.

Just as I got into the house I got a message from Hazy to say that the dentists had removed her bothersome tooth, but they are not allowed to give her the old tooth. How are children these days going to put their extracted teeth under the pillow if the NHS are determined to rob them of those teeth they’ve had for years. I suspect a plan by the dentists to put all those stolen teeth under their own pillows and claim all the shiny pennies for themselves. It was a clever plan, but I’m on the case now!

A calm has descended over Cumbersheugh, now that Bert has gone. I hope he finds somewhere nice to land in Norway.

Tomorrow we may be going shopping. Possibly looking for wool in The Fort.

 

No Snow – 24 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

When I woke around 6am yesterday’s snow had disappeared. All of it, just gone!

The rain during the night must have been torrential because there was no sign of the snow that was still lying when I went to bed last night. The temperature had risen during the night, but not significantly, so it must have been the rain. It’s a strange climate we live in these days. I blame Global Warming … and Kier Starmer.

It was a usual Sunday. Solved Wordle in four and found the Pangram. Struggled a bit with Angry Birds, but completed the day’s test. What Now? Well, there was the Las Vegas F1 GP to watch and we did watch Verstappen collect his fourth championship in a row.

Scamp decided that there was too much sitting around going on and we needed to get out and go for a walk. If that walk also mean shopping, then so much the better. So that’s what we did. We walked down to The Shops. Not a soul had moved their cars, but I shouldn’t complain, because we hadn’t moved ours either.
We picked some veg and fruit and a bag of Jam Donuts, then we headed back up the hill. Scamp offered to take the message bag home if I wanted to go for a walk in St Mo’s. I took up her offer.

Almost immediately I found my PoD. It’s just a man-made hill that creates the start for the BMX track. I used a low angle and a wide angle lens to make it look even higher. I knew you’d like to know that!
Not a lot of interest to see today and the wind from Storm Bert was beginning to ramp up. Plus there were jam donuts waiting for me!

Back home it was lunch time and today dumpling was the star. Scamp had Egg and Dumpling, I did too, but I added a slice of bacon to it. It’s the saltiness of the bacon with the sweetness of the dumpling I like. The jam donut was lovely too with a cup of coffee.

Both Scamp and I were baking today. She was making an Apple Tart and I was making Bread. It’s a long time since I’ve made bread and it showed with the strange football shaped loaf that came out of the oven. Too much butter and a dough that was too wet. Scamp’s apple tart was delicious with the crisp shortcrust pastry.

We spoke to Jamie later had heard that he is safety officer for his office at work and they are being inspected this week. I know how you feel, Jamie. I’ve been there and done that and came out of it alive. You will too.

Storm Bert is blundering around outside the window and will be doing so until about midday tomorrow, all being well. I don’t like wild wind, so I think I’ll just go to bed and read for a while before I go to sleep.

Let it Snow – 23 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

This is probably the first snow of the year, and it’s still lying.

I woke about 6am and there was no snow. I surfaced again about 7am and everywhere was white. The temperature had risen just enough to be in the snowy zone. Not long afterwards, Scamp’s phone started ringing. Every one a cancellation. It only took about 20 minutes for the final decision to cancel today’s dance class to be announced. We didn’t have a lot of snow, but we were both more worried about what we’d meet on the way to Brookfield and even more apprehensive about the conditions we’d drive into on the way back. It was a relief to snooze or read for an extra half hour in bed.

The snow continued on and off for most of the morning. I tried another variation on yesterday’s photo of the birds. This time, just the arial antics of the starlings dangling from the cages with the suet blocks on the tree branches, but none of them were clear enough for me.

After a plate of soup with a slice of toast for lunch, the snow stopped for the day and I got today’s real PoD which was a water drop hanging from a branch of the climbing rose at the front door. For once I captured the water drop forming a lens through which I could see an upside down but clear image of the house behind ours. That was easily the best shot of the day. I had thought of going out to get some snowy pictures, but decided what I had would be good enough. Besides, it was beginning to rain.

Dinner was Kashmiri chicken curry from a Holy Cow concentrate that claimed it was a heat level 2 of 5. It lied. It was very, very hot. I don’t want to know how hot a heat level 5 would be. Probably hot enough to melt the plastic bag it came in!

We watched Franco Colapinto demonstrate how to completely destroy a £12 million F1 race car in about 10 seconds. When the camera turned to views of the mechanics you could read their minds that said “Bang goes any chance of a couple of beers tonight.”

We will wait until tomorrow before we make any decisions on where we’re going, if we’re going anywhere!

Another fairly early rise – 21 November 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Well, it was before midday. That’s early for us.

Scamp had managed to get an appointment to see the doctor about the tremor in her right hand. After examining her and checking her arm movement he told her to make an appointment to get some blood tests done, to rule out the possibility that it was her meds that were causing the tremor. Luckily we managed to get an appointment in the afternoon to get the blood letting done.

I also spoke to one of the receptionists about the results of the ECG I had done last month and found out it was normal, which is good. It must be the first time I’ve been described as ‘normal’. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or a slur! You’ll be happy, Neil. You were the one who convinced Scamp to set a date to get some awkward things done we both used “Neil’s Rule” today

Back home it was coffee time and also time for a slice of dumpling. A dumpling Scamp had made yesterday. Partly cooked in the slow cooker and partly nuked in the microwave. The smell yesterday was a powerful reminder of ‘clootie’ dumplings my mum used to make by tying the mixture up in a cotton tea towel and then boiling the dumpling in the pressure cooker, the biggest pot she had. I never liked the thick skin on the dumplings, but I do now. Isn’t it funny how your tastes change as you get older.

Scamp had a piece ’n’ egg for lunch and I had a smoked fillet of mackerel. It was lovely at the time, but it does repeat quite a lot and comes back on you, tasting more and more oily every time. I’ll maybe give it a miss the next time I’m looking for something ‘different’ for lunch.

I went for a walk in St Mo’s but couldn’t find anything interesting to photograph, then as I was about to walk home I saw today’s PoD through the trees. Someone managed to push a shopping trolley about half way across St Mo’s pond. The ice on the pond isn’t really very thick, but the water underneath is at least waist deep and very cold. Maybe the contents of the empty bottle gave them Dutch courage to try this dangerous game.
Don’t try this at home kiddies!

No snow yet here, but we are getting worrying weather warnings for Friday and Saturday. Maybe someone should tell the weather fairies that it’s still Autumn and not Winter for more than a week.

No FitSteps this week because the teacher has a bad cold. I think Scamp may be intending to meet Isobel for coffee at Costa.