So yesterday I ventured out to the sales – in particular at AHF (aka the Co-op). I had them call on me before Christmas to measure up my lounge and kitchen, so all I had to do was go in and select what I wanted.
Christmas Day was spent with friends near Spalding. I was due there at 1pm, but arrived half an hour early, having allowed for problems that never occurred. I had been concerned about what the roads would be like, but in the morning, the sun came out, and the roads were completely clear.
Got home, and rearranged my lounge. Although I had said I wasn’t moving any more furniture in until the carpets went down, I now have visitors on Boxing Day, News Years Eve, and New Year’s Bank Holiday (Mon Jan 3), so I decided I needed the other, larger, sofa, after all. Which meant moving it in from the conservatory – easy for 2 people, but a bit of a handful on your own – and then moving the two bookshelves that were delivered last week (5 weeks before they were due to arrive, in fact) out to the conservatory. Which is kind of neat, as rather than stuff my fridge with everything, I have my veg and semi-perishables out there instead – it is hovering between 2 and 5 degrees, so is fine.
First up is a Turkey Crown that I got reduced from Tescos. I’ve removed the skin completely, wiped it with a thin layer of butter, then covered it completely with a new “skin” of good quality unsmoked streaky bacon. It’s then gone into the smoker on low, to cook throughout the day.
The interesting thing is that the “brine” is actually coca-cola based, with herbs and spices added. It sounds strange, but coke is actually quite acidic, which helps with the breakdown of muscle tissue. The rub was heavy in paprika, with salt, garlic powder and a little brown sugar added (too much brown sugar has a tendancy to burn).
“Revealed: The secret son Assange fathered with a girl of 17 – as he learned the dark arts of computer hacking in a rundown cottage”
I’ve been looking around for a few weeks, but hadn’t seen anything outstanding. But today I saw it – a Zanussi which was the right size (55cm), has a fold-up glass surface (so increases my usable counter top) and has a dual oven – the smaller top oven being so much more economical when cooking for one. An electronic timer, nice easy controls – all in all it looked perfect.
Earlier this year, I mentioned I was seeing an orthodontist. This resulted partly from having a broken tooth removed about this time last year. Having had the tooth removed, I was told to let it heal for a month or so before considering my options – plate, bridge or implant.
When I returned in February this year, I discovered the dentist I had been seeing had left the practice, and so I had a new dentist. One of the things we discussed was my bite – something I have been asking dentists about for the last 10 years. For once, I found myself talking to someone interested in more than a “quick descale and polish”, and after examining me, she encouraged me to see an orthodonist before doing anything about my gap.
That may sound strange, so let me explain.
However, my garden has really been getting me down. For various reasons – both time and emotional related – I have let it go this year, and it is currently a jungle. I was contemplating when I would next have time to sort it out, and then thought how hard would it be to really sort it out – i.e. give me a garden I really want.
