Bactrian Conspires

Wednesday, often referred to as hump day, and I have the right ‘ump with this particular Wednesday, it’s not so much a Dromedary and much more a Bactrian of humps.

I mused this morning that today I would upgrade the OS on the iMac to the new Catalina. The timing was right, I’d time-machine backed up after the photo job was done, as well as external drive saved the valuable folders. I clicked the magic button and set it going, just one hour to download, followed by one and half hours to install and a further thirty minutes to set-up. Now that doesn’t sound so bad does it?

Just before Noon a four note trill sounded from the bedroom. Hmm, odd, that’s the sound the phone makes when you place it in the charger. Trill, weird was there a brief power cut, but everything else is working. TrillTrillTrill. Okay that’s more than a power out, it’s going crazy. TrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrillTrill non-stop and my next care visit would not be until 2:50, three hours of this four note TrillTrillTrillTrill that cannot be drowned out by music because the iMac is updating……… it’s like when the smoke alarm battery fades and you have to wait for a bod with step ladder.

After the install and set-up my computer ever so kindly informed me that some of the apps may not be supported by the upgrade. Hmm, well that all depends which ones. I perused the list and most seemed to be to do with the printer survey and compare list, all good. But oh hang on …. bummage ….. those two apps I use a lot, the one I use to write the HTML for the website and the one I use to organise and upload the photo albums to the web site. Whilst finding another HTML editor is not exactly difficult the photo albums one is, because it is essentially discarding all the work done over the past sixteen years and starting from scratch, again. Put that on the “projects” list. *sigh*

Carer came to the rescue taking the phone out of the cradle, whoohoo, bliss. We scuttle through to the kitchen to fire up the slow cooker, she went to open a draw and it wouldn’t budge ‘something’ was stopping it, I could barely get my fingers between the draw front and the work top. I teased out a plastic bag but there was something solidly jamming it, most likely the foil or cling film boxes. Grrr, between the two of us and the handle of the wooden spoon we managed to get it open, another to-do job, reorder that draw (there’s not a lot in it).

Not sure if today is the wisest day to try a new slow cooker recipe.

Is it bed time yet?

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When boredom meets taste buds

I has the munchies, despite gorging on my favourite dinner………. So can someone go get, one, some, all the following, that be great….. 

1. Cheese on toast
2. Chocolate biscuits
3. Cornish pasty
4. KFC 
5. Hazelnuts 
6. Walnuts (thank you Kim, for planting that need)
7. Proper mug of tasty coffee
8. BFF’s left overs (she always has sumptuous tasty morsels)
9. Spag Bol
10. Red beans and rice
11. Jambalaya 
12. Roast pork, with veg and gravy
13. Thin crust pizza
14. Mulligatawny soup and rustic dunky bread 
15. Aero minty bubbles

*sigh*

 

Diligent Taster ~ Revised

Following the comments on my previous post, it has become necessary to revise the thorough tasting schedule of sausage rolls. It’s serious business, you know! 

Okay here we go…..

1. Fresh from the oven
2. Fresh from the over dunked in brown sauce 
3. Fresh from the oven, deconstructed, pastry then filling
4. Fresh from the oven, deconstructed, filling then pastry
5. After cooling, 
6. After cooling dunked in brown sauce
7. After cooling, deconstructed, pastry then filling
8. After cooling, deconstructed, filling then pastry
9. Reheated in microwave
10. Reheated then dunked in brown sauce
11. Reheated, deconstructed, pastry then filling
12. Reheated, deconstructed, filling then pastry

At this point you realise you have devoured the first batch, a second batch needs making, which will entail due diligence in ensuring consistency to retaste test…..we start over.

HOLD THE PRESSES :: I’ve just realised, brown sauce, ketchup or mustard??

*faints*

I think next year I’ll stick to gravy testing

 

The due diligent sausage taster

And so it begins ….. it is a vitally important role that requires much earnest concentration and preparation.  You see it is not as simple or straightforward as you might think, there are numerous permutations and this year that has had to be expanded.

First there is the ‘just out the oven’ test, the crisp crunch of pastry, the moist meat and tang of seasoning.

Then there is the ‘cooled from the rack’ test, to ensure consistency, you know just in case.

It is necessary then to move on to the ‘warmed in the microwave’ test, food safety standards and all that.

New for this year is the ‘dunk’ test, how both a warmed and a cold sausage roll taste when dunked in a dab of brown sauce. Plus as well as the lovingly prepared sausage meat, there are Frankferters wrapped in pastry.

This could take some time ……

Merry Christmas readers, hold tight for the New Year.

 

I Got Da Bluuuuues

When ever my BFF and I have to say bye-bye there is always a lump in my throat, but this time there was significant eye leakage, several sobs and yes a couple of stomach gripping knots as the taxi turned right out of my street taking her to the airport and home to hubby, daughter and two ginger cats.

It’s impossible to put my finger exactly on why, it’s part history, part friendship, part closeness, part loss, part safety, part encouragement, part silliness, and a whole heap of, it’s just fun to be together.

So what wild shenanigans did we get up to…….. well, you might not believe it, it could possibly shock some, but, well, none.  Just chatting, watching films, finding all kinds of things on the Internet,  eating good treat food, doing some stitching, relaxing, taking a walk to the beach, shopping for treats; just being removed from our expected usual everyday.

Highlight – Lazing in bed, not quite asleep when BFF remarked “What the…..oh it’s you!”  You need a little backstory here.

A neighbourhood cat has taken to sitting on my recycling bin which is just outside my back door. He peers in, looking curious, has wandered into the kitchen when the door was open. BFF opened the kitchen window and he strolled in and discovered two suckers for head rubs, chin scratches and ham, chicken and dreamies.  If the window was left open he’d just stroll in and say hello, not in a hurry to leave.  Over a day or two of repeated visits (BFF is such a softie) little encouragement was needed. He’s been nicknamed Mickey because he’s white with a black tail and black ears.  One night it was rather warm so BFF opened my bedroom window slightly, maybe four or so inches, the curtains were slightly gaped, we comfortably resettled to sleep.  Cheeky Mickey got brave from the bin top and mastered the narrow, tilted, slippery windowsill, squeezed through the gap, avoided the bits and bobs on the windowsill as well as the bookcase, jumped to the floor and neither of us heard anything until he jumped on the bed and walked up BFF!  Lol, cheeky, little devil.

We were productive, I’ve ‘almost’ finished the cot blanket, and already started a second (naughty me, should finish one before starting another), BFF knitted a couple of hats and booties for the doll. Yes, Mickey helped with the wool tension on the big ripple afghan.

Now it’s time to get back to the normal everyday, not as much fun, not as much company and not such enticing food. Familiar aches are returning. Time to reset the countdown app for her return in March. 

 

Mature Teenagers

It’s time to play the music……. It’s time to light the lights……..

BFF has arrived and plugged her phone in, rummaged to find her comfy stuff, made herself at home; groceries have been delivered to make tasty home cooked foods, the shipment of Coke Zero has been unloaded (she’s a Coke fiend, I’m a coffee one), this is our idea of a staycation…. Doors are locked, curtains may or may not be opened….. Pleasing ourselves, watch a movie or two, stitch and create, render some donkeys backlegless, laugh hysterically at something silly until our sides hurt…….it’s like being a teenager left at home. AWESOME

*insert happy big grinning smilie face here*

 

UnMindFull

I’m not sure I can trust that last bit either…….

Tuesday is a case in point ….. I woke up thinking it was Thursday.  When chit chatting to BFF she remarked about something ‘a week tomorrow’ (meaning Wednesday) I remarked “Oh has it been moved to Thursday?” which would mean I thought that today was Wednesday, but my Sister is here for on a Wednesday never a Tuesday and she had not been here.  As the conversation continued and turned to the evenings culinary delights brain went ‘oh goodie fish fingers tonight’ which I have on Fridays and I knew I was having chicken curry because it was defrosting in the kitchen.  I give up!

A week tomorrow (Friday’s still follow Thursday’s, right? And today is still Thursday? Okay just checking) my BFF arrives for a couple of weeks. I haven’t finished the cot blanket nor untwizzelled the troll hat yarn.  I haven’t sorted additional groceries nor accumulated any good films (might have to do trawl through the charity shop). In truth I haven’t done much of anything. Although I have booked the carpet cleaner lady.  I’m fed up of feeling not myself, exhausted, energy less, heavy, weary and generally fatigued. It’s taken me all week to put this blog together.

*sniff-sniff* I know I’ve turned off the beef stew that’s been percolating on the hob, but now I am questioning whether I actually did!  I craved boiled eggs for lunch, so I must be ill. You see whenever as a child I was ill (be that with a cold, ear ache, stomach bug, chicken pox) my dear old Mum would stand beside my bed looking concerned saying “I don’t know what to make you for lunch, how about an egg (I groan), a boiled egg, (I groan), poached egg, (I shake my head), how about scrambled (I shake my head more) but fried won’t be nice for your tummy, I don’t know what to make” (how about toast, chicken soup in a mug) … I cannot face eggs when ill but usually ended up with a couple of boiled ones.  I had boiled eggs for lunch.

Now to get motivated into a book review, is “It was alright” descriptive enough, entice you to either read or avoid the title, thought not.

Brain is saying I need a pee, maybe that but is still working.