Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Just to follow up on Nicos's message, work is still ongoing to speed up the Vine.

Agree with you about feeling lucky to be alive today, GF. On a much smaller scale than miners' baths, at the moment I've got a small slow cooker behind me with chickpeas on the go. First time I've used this slow cooker and it looks to be less than ideal. Water is accumulating at the top of the pot rather than dripping back down inside. It's building up so much it's rising up over the edge of the lid and is liable to overflow down the sides. So I can't just walk away and leave it. I'm frustrated, but trying to keep my annoyance in perspective.

In other news, I'm still not being very productive, workwise. But really do need to settle to it today. And do a load of watering given the heat. And, and... But every day is another day closer to retirement, so that's good.

Have a great day, everyone

[greenishfing]

Can you turn your slow cooker down to a lower setting, Snoop? Even on high mine does no more than the occasional bubbles. Might it be faulty?

[Snoop Puss]

That's a good idea, GF. Thanks. I'll try that next time.

[Nicos]

Hot here….’only’ high 20s …..but beats high 30’s I guess.
We have a few small clouds so I keep nipping out when the sun disappears.

Had to give up on the prep of the bed for the tomatoes…just far too hot..maybe have another go later…so we’ve been attacking the magnolia , reshaping it, standing in its shade.It’s suddenly grown massive. Looks like we’ll be shredding next week

Anyone fancy a choc- ice?…nuts or plain chocolate…..


Sorry…think some of you aren’t getting such nice weather at the moment?

[Jay22]

Afternoon, a bit better day today weather wise though not as good as you Nicos!
Hope your slow cooker sorts itself out Snoop. I don’t own one but often wondered if it was worth it.
We are also fans of the air fryer and use liners too. Never known my OH to cook so much! lol.
Have a great day everyone. x

[greenishfing]

Jay, I use my slow cooker a lot, more so in Winter for stews and casseroles. I use it to make chicken stock when we've had a roast chicken. I've also made chutney and mincemeat successfully in it. Mine has a metal pot that you can use on the hob first to sear things and get the whole thing up to boiling before putting it in it's housing to tick over.

I'm cooking scallops tonight and I suddenly remembered the first time I ever ate them. Manx "queenies" were the starter at my first ever "grown up" dinner party. I was 18. It was also the first time I wore a long dress. I remember it well. It was a halterneck leopard print. Oh to be 18 again ..... and know what I know now.

[Florence Fennel]

That reminds me of my first "grown up" dinner and dance GF. I too was 18. It was at the Royal Victoria Hotel and I wore a long, plunge neck dark brown velvet dress with leg of mutton sleeves. My first taste of profiteroles. Didn't like them!

[Nicos]

My first ever ‘meal out’ was with my parents when I was about 8. It was at a newly opened Chinese restaurant.
We were going on holiday to France for the first time soon afterwards…so in anticipation of that, I ordered coq au vin.
I’m surprised they even thought about serving that!!!! And yes of course…I didn’t like the sauce. Picked out the bits of meat and scraped them clean

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon

We now have sunshine a bit late in the day but it was good to get out into the garden.

Enjoy your evening

[rary]

my first ever "grown up" dinner party. I was 18. It was also the first time I wore a long dress. I remember it well. It was a halterneck leopard print. Oh to be 18 again ..... and know what I know now.

Oh to be 18 again and remember the things I've forgot

[rary]

Good evening, turned out quite a nice day, unfortunately the forecast for tomorrow is rain, however i did manage to get a number of plants in to the flower beds, and have now started making up my baskets, should have had those finished but had other things more important to do, I managed to get some wood cut up today, also collected some comfrey leaves as well as nettles, from which I have received some stings, i suppose I should go and get some dock leaves but the stings will disappear soon, I have planted up my large basket, made using a dog basket, I have went with some nasturtium at the back which hopefully will trail down, the body of the basket is planted out with petunias with surfinia petunias in the front, dont know howcit will develop but thought I would give it a go.
Snoop both OH and daughter use slow cookers all the time, when I use one I always heat it up before adding anything in to it, not sure if it makes any difference but under strict instructions I have to do so I cant remember the first time that I went out for a meal, but do remember taking OH out, went to Glasgow by train took her to a restaurant, for a meal, then into the pictures, (Cinema for the younger folks) don't remember the film that was showing, didnt realy see it then back home and still had change from a fiver, times have changed quite a bit since then, I actually watch the films now, but still trying to work out what age has to do with it
Enjoy the rest of the evening and make a point of finding something that makes you smile

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Cloudy but warmish start to the day.
We had very heavy rain for a short period during the night …perfect timing!
That’ll certainly make the last bit of ground prep for the tomatoes easier…so glad I gave up attacking the rock solid ground under the gravel yesterday. I’ll get it sorted in no time now

I’m hoping to get lots of pottering done in the garden today….what's everyone else up to?
Whatever it is…enjoy!…and remember to pass on that lovely smile of yours x

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Very bright here. Must go out and water in a bit. And then come straight back in. Will do some proper gardening later on, when it's cooled down a bit. I need to get into my summer habit of very early mornings. But summer has arrived in a rush and I'm not geared up for getting up so early. Yesterday we hit the top thirties.

The slow cooker did a good job on the chickpeas despite the water situation. I can see it living on the counter, as we eat beans very regularly and will probably eat more now. My favourites are butterbeans and green flageolets, but I can't buy them canned here and they are hopeless done in a pressure cooker and it feels like a waste of gas to do them on the hob.

How far in advance do you turn your slow cooker on, rary? I read the instructions for this one and it said nothing about that.

I remember my parents used to take us out very, very occasionally for meals. The first time, I remember my brothers and I being amazed at the fact that you could choose what you wanted. My youngest brother once chose half a spring chicken and was utterly shocked that it was all his and he wasn't expected to share it with the rest of us as we all had our own plates. And mum having a schooner of sherry. Do people still have schooners?

Right, better go out and water before it gets so hot I don't want to do it.

Have a great day everyone.

[Nicos]

Afternoon!
Looks like we had some work going on in the background this morning!…hope everyone is now able to get back on the Vine, without any issues- please let us know if you do.

[Florence Fennel]

Afternoon All Couldn't get on ealier, but seems ok now. Have a good day