That’s the name of the first recipe from my juices book. It’s a mix of grapefruit, orange and lime. Very nice, though quite sharp. I can imagine it would be good for a morning drink as it did open my eyes ! The book recommends keeping a bit of the pith from the citrus fruit, but the drink came out a little bitter, so I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. I have another one all ready to try tomorrow, but for now, I’d better go and clean out the juicer. I’d use the dishwasher except I think it’s easier to clean the juicer straight away rather than wait until the dishwasher is ready to go.
And in case anyone was wondering, my driving lessons are going well. I got to drive up and down the seafront this week, doing left and right hand turns, pulling out of junctions, slowing and stopping at traffic lights AND beeping the horn at a slow motorist who’d failed to notice the green light. Except I wasn’t allowed to do the last thing – my instructor did it. I’d have probably turned on the radio or something…
The local library is coming up trumps, I have three more books to collect from my reservations. As I’m going out, I may as well buy the yarn I need for the Fairly Easy Fair Isle cardigan. Well, now I’ve found a cheap enough wool, I’d be crazy not to, wouldn’t I ?
Lightning visit to the allotment yesterday, just to dump some more rotting veg and lawn clippings for the compost bin. The first bin is finally starting to break down, so I’ve started the second bin. The tomatoes are ALL doing well, though it’s time to tie them up to supports. No sign yet of my second batch of celery seeds, nor the chillis, but it hasn’t been very warm or sunny yet. If it doesn’t rain today or tomorrow, I’ll go over and transplant the rest of the tomato plants.
Have decided that I DO want to try the Fairly Easy Fair Isle cardi from SnB Nation. I was in my LYS today and noticed that Sirdar Click has the same gauge as the recommended yarn for the cardi. As it’s less than half price for the project, even allowing for Sirdar having less meterage, I think I’ll have to go the Sirdar route. I also heard bad things about the original yarn shedding and pilling, so no thanks. The only problem is, Click only has about 8 colours, plus 3 or 4 variegated choices, so I’m going to have to pick the colours carefully. After having my epiphany about colour a few weeks ago (that, basically, I don’t have a good eye for colour) it’s a bit worrying to have to choose four colours that will go together. But luckily, as the LYS seems to stock all the shades, I can play around and see how they look together.
I’ve started on the tie for the Lucky wrap. Although it needs to be 62 inches long, it does come along at an amazing clip – I have done 11 inches without even thinking about it. Maybe I’ll finish it by the weekend and can start sewing things together.
Made the butternut squash and tofu soup, from the Fresh Chinese book. It does taste quite healthy, but I think that about anything made with squashes, courgettes, aubergines etc. It’s OK, but I probably won’t make it again. Next, I’d like to try making some sort of dim sum, or spring rolls.
Allotment news – with all the rain, I haven’t been able to go again, but am happy to report that the basil survived its move. I left one spindly seeding that looked as if it was going to die and was amazed to see it standing tall this morning. However, I don’t really have space for it in the bigger pot, so I’m going to love it where it is and maybe plant it in the allotment as an experiment. Does the smell of basil put off other pests or mites ? Like onions with carrot, for example.
Am still knitting away at Lucky, but hoping to get it finished by the end of the week. I’m halfway through the second sleeve, so then all I need to do is knit the ties to go with it and sew it together. Then it’s back to Gigi. I really would like to make the Fair Isle cardigan from the SnB Nation book, but it’ll cost me around £50 to get the wool, and possibly another tenner for the circular needles. And even though it’s raining today, I’m fairly sure there won’t be much opportunity to wear a thick cardigan this side of October.
Tried another dish from my Fresh Chinese book, the Kung Po Chicken. Nicer, we both felt, and we lamented the lack of peanuts (I was too lazy to go and buy unsalted peanuts from Sainsburys), as that would have made a lot of difference. I now have lots of water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts left over, so am thinking of making a Chinese style soup.
Planted chilli seeds today, and put my basil seedlings into a bigger pot. However, my herb book advised against this, so I may have to start all over again with fresh seeds if this batch die. It’s raining today so I hope my tomato plants in the plot are doing well.
I had a binge on my local library’s catalogue and reserved about 20 books from the list I’ve been keeping, cut out from magazines. The library no longer charges for reservations from their own stock (this includes the two neighbouring authorities too) so hurray for that ! Two were all ready to pick up yesterday : The Fat Girl’s Guide to Life, which wasn’t very good. The author was my height and weighs about five pounds either side of my current weight (which is changing, as the diet works its wonders) but that’s about the only interest I had in this book. The other book was about Mrs Beeton, which I have yet to start. I did polish off Blue Shoes and Happiness today, the latest (I assume)* in the First Ladies’ Detective Agency series. As I’m feeling a bit under the weather, the simple prose was just what I needed. Well, that and a small pot of tea (the ordinary kind – I do have some roobois (?) in the cupboard but I don’t like it much). I also bought some Toffeepops biscuits, as a comfort food, but was dreadfully disappointed to find they tasted of cardboard. Has the recipe changed ? I loved them as a student, I used to buy them every week from the Co-op, and now… The Young Chap also had a food nostalgia moment, but his turned out OK. It seem that Super Noodles taste as good as they ever did. Humph.
ETA : * No, there is an eighth one in hardback now.
Went to check on the transplanted tomatoes and while one has keeled over, and another couple look a bit tired, they seem to have transplanted quite well on the whole. My cucumber seeds have sprouted already, which is lovely, and there are spots of green in the oregano tray.
Cooked the first recipe from my Fresh Chinese book, chicken chow mein. I substituted spring onion bulbs for the shallot, and ordinary soy sauce for the tamari sauce, so maybe it affected the final flavour. It was a little bland, but definitely ‘fresh’ tasting. Even doubling up on the portions (it’s considered a side dish) made it a fairly small meal, so next time I’d definitely do another dish to accompany it.
After the whole kerfuffle with Waterstones last week, back to Amazon. I ordered two books yesterday in the afternoon, and when I came back to the house at 11.15 a.m. today, the parcel was waiting for me. I paid for 1st class, not the rush service, so I’m pretty impressed. Obviously I need to stop buying books, but at least they’re all slightly discounted… Oh, and the titles were : I Like You, by Amy Sedaris, who I only know because she was in a couple of episodes of “Sex and the City” and is quite a bit older than I thought, and House Proud. It’s written by someone quite attractive (so says the Young Chap) so I guess that’s why the author is on practically every single page. However, compared to something like Sew Easy, which is also quite personal, but does not feature the author in every other photograph, it grates a little. Danielle Proud has got gorgeous coloured hair though…
Filed under: Allotment
Went into the garden to find my beefsteak tomatoes upturned on the ground. Something had knocked them off the top shelf of my mini greenhouse, and they’d fallen flat four feet down. So, I took them off to the allotment, where they became the first things to be planted. They’ll be joined by the Tigerella and Harbinger varieties, and probably a few stray Tumbler plants too, as I forgot to label them when I put them into bigger pots. Oops !
Horribly hot today. It took me less than an hour to edge the first bed and plant the tomatoes out, and yet, I was dizzy for an hour afterwards. 26 degrees apparantly. It looked as if it was 37 degrees in the driving instructor’s car, which would explain the sweat patch on the back of my top…urgh !
Had the loveliest surprise today. The postman knocked on the door, with a parcel for me. At first I thought it was another parcel of books from Waterstones, due to the mix-up (more in a moment) but it was even better. A big, double-layer (the best kind) box of Belgian chocolates ! The recipient of the pink cardigan I knitted (well, her dad, actually) sent me a thank you present. Yummy (I’ve had three chocolates so far).
Waterstones did answer my e-mail, three days after I sent it. Not very customer-friendly, is it ? As I’d already sent a complaining e-mail to a company today (no names, as they have resolved the matter now, at least) I fired one off to Waterstones too. I would definitely not use the on-line service again, unless they were the only stockists of a title. And even then, I would ask the branch to order the book in for me.
Finished, more or less, my first bed on the plot. It looks fairly flat and just a few little weeds. I think I’m ready to plant something, finally. I have come to realise that it’s unlikely I’ll get everything planted in time, so I might save some seeds for next year, but the seeds I’ve sprouted so far (including oregano and cucumber now, too) will be going in. I’m going to aim for a spread of stuff, so I’ll have something to pick all season long. I met someone new on the plot, with a friendly, boisterous dog. She offered no advice whatsoever – is this a gender thing ? Or maybe it’s because I’m sending out “no advice please, I’m floundering enough as it is” vibes ?
Did a little bit of work. Dug up a second bed, after cutting the weeds down to a manageable level. The second bed needs weeding now, but I went back to the first bed and got rid of most of the weeds in that, though not all. The new shears are great, although I doubt I’m going to use the 360 degree option very often. They are sharp and light and very easy to manipulate. Lovely.
I met J’s other plot neighbour, and it turns out I’ve met him before. He was the one who owned the house next door but one to ours. We talked to him once about the house in between, more specifically about the noisy family who live there. He turned a little bit odd, and started spouting racist twaddle so I walked off. Couldn’t do that this time, as he was on my plot (well, at that point, probably J’s – sorry !) so instead I just glossed over all the racist comments, letting him know my mum was one of those immigrants he was talking about, but basically bitching about the neighbours so much, he could barely get a word in. He also gave me depressing advice about the plot, which I’m going to ignore, as I can’t bear the thought of not having a lovely clear plot by the end of the summer (by ‘clear’, I mean, weedless, or as close as I can manage). I’m sure he meant well, and I’ve no doubt he knows what he’s doing, but I want proper beds, not potatoes all over the place.
I used Waterstones for the first time and was not terribly impressed with their online service. First they said both books were in stock, then they said one of them was going to be specially ordered. I then cancelled the order and my account said I had nothing outstanding. Then I got an e-mail saying that the order was being dispatched. My e-mail asking what was actually going to BE in my order was ignored (so far). And today the books arrived, both of them, much quicker than expected (I asked for slow/free delivery). So, do I use them again or not ? Oh, and the books were : Sew What ! Skirts and a book about juices to go with my juicer. Both look lovely, and I’m looking forward to trying them out.
But this is my current reading, in ready for my second lesson. Would have preferred this, but Waterstones in town said a new edition was coming out and that could be why they didn’t have it in stock (the old edition, I mean). I don’t know if that’s true but I’ve made my decision and it’s the AA book I’ve got now.
I just can’t get up any enthusiasm for the allotment recently. I’m pleased it’s been raining but now it’s just a bit grey, and it’s not as wet, I ought to go. Except…I don’t want to. I went last week, to drop off stuff for the compost heap, and the plot looked worse then when I took it over. I keep saying to myself “That proves it’s fertile” but it seems so much work. I’m enjoying the knitting at the moment, but like gas permeable contact lenses, allotments aren’t a part-time option. You make a proper commitment or you may as well forget it. I just can’t seem to gather my spirits up. I have so many things I want to do – finish knitting my wrap top, make a skirt (I have everything I need just waiting), re-read that Bill Bryson science book, make some bread, plant some more seeds (I think I’m getting behind now) for the baby greenhouse I got for my birthday. How did I ever fit in having a job ?
Completely unrelated news : had my first proper driving lesson today and loved it ! It was really cool, making the car go. SO much better than playing Daytona USA on an arcade machine, even using the manual option (my only other experience of any sort of driving). But, now I have yet another interest. Luckily, this one shouldn’t take too much time up, even with the studying of the Highway Code.
Anyway, must think about whether I want to continue the allotment. I just don’t feel I’m getting as much fun out of it as the other things I do. I’ll have to ponder…
Finished Tubey, It came out pretty good – no problems with the bra straps, the striping didn’t go down too far at the back – but it does make me look a bit bulky around the hips. I forgot, I had the same problem with Tempting, where it goes in nicely at the waist and then sits on the hips.
Am now working on Lucky, from the SnB Nation book. It took me half an hour to work out where in the pattern I was as it’s quite a complicated one to work out once you’re into the decreases/increases. But it’s coming along nicely. I’ve left Gigi for now, and will take it to the SnB meet tomorrow, as it doesn’t really need counting, whereas Lucky does.
The tomatoes transplanted successfully and the basil and cauliflower are coming up. The celery has not worked out well. I have two or three seedlings from twelve pots. I wonder if it’s the fact that I left it out in the cold air before it was properly sprouted or if it was those darn peat pots. Either way, I don’t think I’ll be growing celery this year. Never mind, I have just the one bed anyway. Which was brought into sharp relief when my best friend was asking me what I was planning for the allotment, and I used the term ‘crop rotation’. With the ONE bed ? I don’t think so. Best get those others dug up and soon.
Post title : well, aren’t YOU watching the snooker ?
