Tuesday 22 November 2016

Tuesday

Good morning, gentle readers.  It's a bit later than usual this morning because - fanfare of trumpets - I woke at the uncharacteristically late time of just past seven.  I have no idea where that came from as I wasn't particularly lively yesterday, but it feels great!

The shower engineer chap came beautifully early yesterday.  I was dressed and ready for him at seven, as requested and it wasn't that long before I got a phone call to say I was next on the list  and about three quarters of an hour after that, there he was, at the door.

He replaced  things, checked things, said extremely positive things about Matt's workmanship (Matt is my plumber who does all this sort of stuff for me and the only reason he wasn't sorting the shower was because it is under guarantee) and under an hour later he had gone, I had a working shower again and a clear day!  No complaints there.
(I passed the nice comments on to Matt who was very pleased)

Beth arrived while he was still working and after a coffee and a chat we headed off to the charity shop with four big bags of books.  They dealt with them while we had a look round and spotted a few of my previous donations on the shelves.  I looked longingly at some books but, really, it isn't sensible to buy more books just when you're getting rid of some because of space restrictions, now is it?

Beth had a look at the books I had retained and was sorely tempted by a few but she has less room than I do and has inherited my hoarding instincts so she was strong and resisted.

We got out the sewing, set to and finished off the machine part of some Christmas bags, some of which are tiny and intended to go on the tree with little sweets inside while some are bigger.  Later on, I finished the hand sewing and now they just need ironing.

We then popped off to B & M to get some choccy stuff to go in the little bags for the school fair and also to see if there were any more of those hair slides.  The former was fine but we couldn't see the latter and there was just a space where they had been so we resigned ourselves to not making any more Christmas slides.  However, sharp eyed Beth spotted something as we walked past a free standing display and, sure enough, mostly hidden behind it were some more slides.  So that was good.

We then went on to Pizza Hut.  Yes, we succumbed to lunch out.  Bad us!  We had the buffet and very good it was too.

Then it was over to Hobbycraft which is in the same precinct to get some shiny silver ribbon for the little bags.  While we were there, Beth spotted a lovely, rustic, wooden tree, flat packed and perfect for display on our stall.
Here it is more or less flat . . .
. . . and you turn the branches round to get this (photo is from Google so we won't have those decorations, thank goodness!).
The white 'branch' to the left is what I was considering before but, apart from being much more expensive, it isn't as nice.
I shall also use it as a decoration over Christmas.  It will look lovely in the corner of the dining area, on the sideboard.

So that was good.

Earlier on in the day I made some caramelised red onion chutney.  I saw the recipe in a Facebook group I help to admin and it looked so good and so easy that I had a go as I had all the ingredients to hand.  I also used Thermione as it was simply adapted and meant I didn't have to hover over it, stirring regularly.
It is delicious and I intend to make more as gifts but there's one problem - it stinks the house out.  It's gradually fading but right at the moment I have one of the French windows open at the back and the stair window open at the front to get a bit of a through draft, thanking my stars that it is unseasonably mind today!
Note to self.  Next time, open the kitchen windows and close the kitchen door!

I shall pop the recipe on Teacher's Recipes later on because it really is very good.

On to today.  I have to take the fabric sample books back today but I will ask if I can keep one for a bit longer as I can't quite decide.  Either would be nice but, as I want these covers to last me out, I want to be absolutely sure (if that is possible).

Right now I have some dough proving so that will need baking soon, and I have set some fruit to steep in cold tea to make a couple of tea loaves.  They are for Christmas so I will add some Christmas spice, probably mixed spice, to the batter before baking tomorrow.

In the afternoon, I'm into school to granny read with Foundation Stage and that's my day!  It should be good and I hope yours is too!


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