Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

I made hot cross buns yesterday with YH. I converted the recipe to the tangzhong method for baking last year and wish I'd stuck to that yesterday. I thought I'd go with the standard method with YH, but the tangzhong made them much softer. Anyway, he thinks they're good and is taking a load home with him. Better than no hot cross buns, that's for sure.

No frost again today. Looks like no frosts till the weekend in fact. We were due rain later this week, but that's been cancelled. I've got a busy work week ahead but must find time to spread all the hay YH and Mr Snoop have brought me. I was waiting for the rain first, but not looking very likely for the next few weeks at least, so will just get on and do it.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

It looks like being a fine day here, so plenty to do outdoors.

Same here!…OH is fascinated. He sometimes scalds some of his flour but fancies trying ^^^ as a comparison.

Thanks for that MH!…something new every day eh?

I'm slow to change I bake the same way I've always done mostly using my tatty Be-Ro cookery book. I think the only difference I've made over the years was to bake Sourdough in a Dutch oven.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunshine again! Have a good day

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Tupperware sky again but with fine drenching drizzle. Not really an outdoor day unless the drizzle stops.

I’m feeling quite chuffed with myself this morning. I think we’ve overcome a problem with the new patio drainage plans.
Inspection hatches are sealed to prevent odours. We need water to drain down through ours… sealed, weight bearing covers here seem to be about 250€ , and I’m reluctant to start drilling drainage holes incase it compromises its weight bearing ability. So….heavy duty mesh like used in reinforced concrete, but several layers should do the trick and with a plant pot and pebbles around the base to deter anyone from walking on it ( trip factor rather than possibility of falling through!)
We’re talking about a 70x 70 cm large area to cover which will be inset onto the original lip. I’m pretty sure we actually already have some hidden away at the back of the ‘garage/ dumping shed’ on our woodyard which just needs cutting down.
We could of course use the original concrete one and just hide it with pebbles … That might even be easier….but it’s ridiculously heavy to lift. ( we need to access the water pump in there)
Good to have a Plan A and B to choose from…both of which will be free!( bet Rary will be impressed with that approach!) Nothing like a bit of recycling either eh?

So, I guess that’ll be something we’ll be looking into today. It’s an Aladdin’s cave in that garage I wonder what other delights we’ll find?

How is everyone’s potato chitting coming on? I keep talking to mine….

[Nicos]

Te he…I’ve just realised - ^^^ thats a good idea to visit a garden centre to buy a new pot! Oh yeeees!

* wonders what else will accidentally jump into the shopping trolley

[greenishfing]

It must be quite hazardous walking round garden centres these days. ....... All these flying "goodies".

[Nicos]

^^^^ I blame the smiles GF…

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Been awake for about 3 hrs At this rate I’ll be in sinc with the clocks when they go forward

More planning of the patio today. Plan A and B for the grid didn’t go to plan…but I did find an alternative type of solid netting fencing which should work. So…one happy bunny here!

A nice start to the day….no rain!. Grey skies but I’ll happily go with that.

Anyone up to anything exciting?
I hope everyone on their holiblobs are having a good time. I keep thinking about that icecream Snoop mentioned…mmm….

I actually can’t think of anything sold here which would be the equivalent of cockles and mussels in tubs, fish and chips, rock,crab butties, icecream…..
the French don’t really snack but I would have thought there would have been something for tourists ( apart from icecream). I guess Fruit de Mer ( a platter of oysters, crab, winkles etc etc) is the main offering but that’s hardly a ‘snack’ as such is it?
Hmmm…I think a campervan trip up to the coast( purely for research) is in order don’t you?

Have a great day everyone…and watch out for those pesky smiles in garden centres…..

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

I was wide awake at 2am and chatting to Mr GF. I have slept like a log since them but am now wide awake again. It feels a bit cold for getting up yet so I am enjoying being under the duvet contemplating another half hour of warmth.

Nicos, I remember visiting Northern France in the seventies with three friends for a weekend and ordering fruits de mer in a restaurant. I had never come across prawns with their shells on before. .

I can see the sun shining now through a gap in the curtains and the thought of coffee is encouraging me to be brave. If there was a warm flaky croissant as well I would already be in the kitchen.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Yes, those smiles can be a bit pesky, Nicos. The car used for bale collecting is full of bits of hay and I'm pretty sure it was the smiles that did it.

Cloudy out but both my usual weather forecasters say it should be bright, bright, bright. Never mind, it's easier on the eye. But I had been thinking of trying out the slow cooker now that YH has left and any failure won't really matter. Never mind, there's always another day. Not sure when. We've had the most amazing week, you'd think it was June. This morning it's distinctly on the cool side. In fact, perhaps even chilly enough to light the range. I shall consult with Mr Snoop when he gets back from walking the dogs.

Better get on with the show. Plenty to keep me busy.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Same here Snoop my 3 weather sites didn't mention the rain we've been having since 7-ish.

Anyway it looks like its going to be a good day after all to be out and about.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny again! I've spent an hour on the Kindle in bed. Leisurely morning then out to lunch with my youngest son and his partner whom I'm meeting for the first time. Daunting for me, but I would imagine she feels the same! Have a good day

[nick the grief]

Morning all, Sorry I've been quiet the last few days but Mrs G went into Hospital last THursday for her op to have her Gall bladder removed.andit wasn't as straight forward as they hoped so shehad to spend a couple of days in to recover and I've benn looking after her since... Good job I've watched All creatures great and small and casualty. But she's slowly getting there.

Right off to boil som water and get the carbolic out

ntg

[Snoop Puss]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mrs NtG.

Ages since I last heard the term 'carbolic soap'. I've just looked it up, expecting it to be green, but I see it's pink in the pictures. Is my memory playing tricks on me? Did it used to be green? We used to have a green soap that I can still smell in my mind's nose.

[Nicos]

Lovely to hear from you NTG - pass on our best wishes for a speedy recovery. I know you’ll spoil her rotten

I seem to recall Snoop- from staying with my grandparents…. Black coal tar soap for everyday use, pink ?carbolic soap for handwashing underwear and green soap for washing hair? Packets of soap flakes for tipping into the washing tub.
Oh, there was the brown Pears on offer in the bathroom too. I loved the smell of that. Loved to adverts of Curley haired children too!

Best to ask rary…he’ll know better