A DAY OF PROGRESS

After much rummaging about on web sites and brochures we have finally decided on a winter shelter for the buggy. Space has been the problem as it has to be kept at the front of the house so even the smallest shed was out of the question as we do not want to disturb the garden. The one we chose is like a very large old fashioned pram hood, I hope it will be OK. I will let you know. I picked up a lovely recycled wool rug to put over our knees this winter, they are cheap at the moment, only twelve pounds, the same rug was twenty last winter.

We have at last sorted out the correct insurance for the buggie, we still have emergency cover but it is time for a more comprehensive package,my husband is on the telephone even as we speak so I hope that will be that. Making decisions can be such a pain I shall be glad when it's done.

The kaftan I ordered arrived this morning and I love it, it's nothing special but it's me if you know what I mean. At my age fashion designers expect you to wear any old rubbish, you become almost invisible, well I don't intend to start looking like my Granny just yet, they will have to drag me out of my jeans kicking and screaming I fully intend to be buried in a pair of Levi's or maybe blue angel's. I once owned a pair of jeans that had embroidered on the back pocket “stolen from Mabel's whorehouse”. It caused a bit of a scandal at the time, today no one would turn a hair.

I have recently de-cluttered my wardrobe and some dire specimens I found there and there are loads more horrors lurking in the loft but since none of us can get up there I shall not worry about those at the moment! I made blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning, we all love them an I'm afraid eat far too many.

For dinner we had roast shoulder of lamb with new potatoes, baby carrots white turnips, and small French beans with fresh mint sauce and gravy. The mint sauce is my Grandmother's recipe she was a shockingly bad cook generally speaking but the few things she could make were excellent.

Grannies mint sauce

half a pint of fresh mint leaves
two tablespoons of vinegar
two tablespoons of sugar
half a cup of boiling water. Put the mint leaves on a chopping board and sprinkle with half the sugar then chop until fine. Transfer to sauce boat and add remaining sugar, vinegar and hot water,stir and leave for at least an hour before use.

This is very simple and makes all the difference to a lamb dinner,almost everyone I know makes it this way once they have tried it at our place. We had thunder today but it did not amount to much, I love a really noisy storm with lots of pyrotechnics, I expect I am in a minority though. I have been plagued all day with a severe stiff neck It,s a wretched nuisance when you don't know what is going on behind your back ! I shall have to resort to the old Tiger Balm rub, pongy but effective. Have a lovely weekend. “And hey, just be careful out there.”