Chatterbox LXXIX Piran

[jrc]

Never thought of cooking with it, LTC.

[TeresaFoodie]

I spotted Heinz tinned spaghetti in my local shop earlier and feel a need for some on toast with grated Cheddar very soon!

I also spotted some shrimp or some other fishy paste in tiny jars which tempted me but were highly priced. I have a tube of H&B Mexican pate and a cucumber and loads of Polish bread in the fridge, so that's tomorrow sorted.

I am going to knock at my neighbour's door for our flea spray. Two have hopped on my one bare arm as I have been typing this, could be the same one, then in between my eyeball and my glasses lens!

[Ratatouille]

I thought I had been cut off. It is years and years since i had meat or fish paste - but I did have Primula cheese spread last night - my guilty passion

I also love mac n' cheese which is odd because I dislike pasta so much. I think I probably eat everything around it!

No more powerr cuts so far and managed to cook supper without further incident.

I am so fed up and tired with having to redo and reboot everything that after we have watched university Challenge I think I am heading for bed,

[suffolk]

I love cucumber sandwiches

[liketocook]

Never thought of cooking with it, LTC.

I think it's a Jack Monroe recipe - definitely one of these meals that is much nicer than you might think

[StokeySue]

Inspired by a previous reminiscence thread I bought a can of Heinz spaghetti

You can't go back. I could not believe I had ever be able to tolerate it, let alone prefer it to real Italian pasta!

[liketocook]

I spotted Heinz tinned spaghetti in my local shop earlier and feel a need for some on toast with grated Cheddar very soon!

I also spotted some shrimp or some other fishy paste in tiny jars which tempted me but were highly priced. I have a tube of H&B Mexican pate and a cucumber and loads of Polish bread in the fridge, so that's tomorrow sorted.

I am going to knock at my neighbour's door for our flea spray. Two have hopped on my one bare arm as I have been typing this, could be the same one, then in between my eyeball and my glasses lens!

I think with most flea sprays you are advised to repeat after 7 days or so. What brand do you have? In my experience Indorex is the best and once you get it settled it lasts a year. It works best if you hoover every crevice especially sofas and where the woodwok meets the floor/wall really well beforehand and then empty and spray your hoover inside. We had a problem a couple of years ago when one of the pooches picked them up (despite being treated). It does sound as though it could be your sofa/chair if they are jumping on your arm, so worth absolutely spraying really thoroughly. If you need more spray don't buy from a Vets- Amazon etc. sell it for around £10 which is much less than the vets charge.

[suffolk]

.... on our way back from B&Q where we hope to find the wherewithal to repair our sitting room door handle ...

We found a set of almost identical door handles and plates and OH has fitted them ... we don't have to hold the door shut with a cushion any more

[liketocook]

.... on our way back from B&Q where we hope to find the wherewithal to repair our sitting room door handle ...

We found a set of almost identical door handles and plates and OH has fitted them ... we don't have to hold the door shut with a cushion any more

Always helps

[TeresaFoodie]

I am not sure of the brand of flea spray but it is clearly not working! We might need something industrial. I will phone letting agents first thing, alarm set on phone for 9am.
I have Live At The Apollo on. Angry northern comedian. Perfect whilst I nibble on ginger nuts. Said the actress!

[Zosherooney]

My slant on mac and cheese with brocolli stalks (sliced) for my supper tonight, he struggles without a meat element, so had Bolog. and my ricotta dumplings.

A lot achieved in the garden today so we are both aching a bit.

Seems that it will be warmer and breezier tomorrow and I am doing the other deep freeze tomorrow.

[cyprusmoira]

Good Morning Wild Ones, we had a wild night, more rain, thunder and lightning now we have a very strong wind. I am glad that I am not going into Paphos, it can be a bit hair raising driving across the high viaducts in a gale. I shall limit myself to driving to Ypsonas to check LIDL for Christmas items.

Fleas are not a problem here, too hot but ticks are a problem because of all those goats.

Moira

[suffolk]

Good morning all
Just getting light here ... Milder than of late.

[Zosherooney]

A grey and warm start to the day here. The joys of defrosting the small DF today and logging the contents ! I have been putting it off for far too long, to the extent that the bottom of the fridge section (above it) has a layer of ice in the bottom !

Depending on my energy levels I will try and sand down the fireplace with the hope that I can remove the candle wax stains and generally brighten the image. It does look rather 'used and abused' ATM.

[jrc]

Morning all
Very restless night then when I did sleep about 4am I dreamt I was abroad somewhere and dad came back into my life looking the picture of health. Apparently he had taken himself to an overseas clinic to get well.

Gutted when I woke up.

Sophie woke me up for a wee three times in the night. I shall see how she goes but if it happens for the next couple of nights we will pop her along to the vet. It may just be that I was fidgety as she sleeps on my bed.

[Gruney]

JRC

I had a a restless night too - I had one of those dreams that leaves you exhausted. My back lawn is divided into two by a slabbed path. The two lawns fell out with each other and decided to have a fight. The next minute, all there mates had joined in, with all sorts of weapons - including rockets. It was just escalating into nuclear warfare, when the dream stopped.

[jrc]

JRC

I had a a restless night too - I had one of those dreams that leaves you exhausted. My back lawn is divided into two by a slabbed path. The two lawns fell out with each other and decided to have a fight. The next minute, all there mates had joined in, with all sorts of weapons - including rockets. It was just escalating into nuclear warfare, when the dream stopped.

Oh Gruney, so sorry but that did make me laugh. I darent get a dream book. What would it say about us?

I had an email last night from my agent. Apparently it is now a legal requirement that all the properties must be risk assessed for Legionaires disease. Combine that with all the building s insurance all due on the properties and the £1000 excess for the one with subsidence it is looking like a paupers Christmas here.

[TeresaFoodie]

Morning everyone,
And to all who had emotional dreams I actually had a stress free and restless free sleep and dreamt I was a chef! Woke up with an urge to cook something, so through sleepy eyes, I took myself to the kitchen and immediately got chopped onions, leeks, leftover roast potatoes and some roast carrots on the go in the form of leek and potato soup. I then think a bit of bread needs to go out for the sparrows. I have an order in my Amazon basket for some window bird feeders for 'pay day' so in the meantime they get a slice every morning.
I feel very food obsessed right night. Surrounded by thoughts, dreams, cookery books and cookery programmes, I don't think anyone could disagree! If only I knew how to capture and cook fleas into something delicious, that could be killing two birds with one stone!

[cyprusmoira]

If only I knew how to capture and cook fleas into something delicious, that could be killing two birds with one stone!

I have seen some recipes for strange items but never fleas

There had obviously been flooding on the road to Ypsonas , it is the Old Limassol Paphos road, the Cypriot authorities have never grasped the fact that water flows down hill . The Akrotiri Salt Lake looks very full, you can see that the side ponds are filling up and last night you could see the reflections of the lights in the water, the first time since last March.

Moira

[TeresaFoodie]

Well, I haven't heard anything like it in my life. My local council want me to capture fleas in a glass jar and take them down to the town hall before they will do anything. Does anyone know how you can catch a flea quick enough before it hops off? Please enlighten me if you can and I'll find a glass jar! I told the council worker, I feel sorry for you having such a sad job, telling people to put fleas in jars. I did invite him round to look at my ankle bites but that was a no.
My mind it is a-boggling!
I think I'd rather put up with the fleas than idiot council workers who find this sort of thing funny.

[Ratatouille]

Morning everyone

Bright and chilly start to the day but no more power cuts so far. Mr R says he is sick of resetting timers , clocks etc. Still no expanations as to what caused the cuts but apparently it was chaotic in town with people stuck all over the place, in banks, pharmacies etc.

Moira, stay safe on the road this morning. Our Lidl is getting their delivery of Christmas trees tomorrow. They are excellent value and €3.00 from each sale goes to the Red Cross. It seems far too early but I think we'll get one anyway and leave it in the garden by the well until we need to put it up.
wedges round the edge
Zosh I usually put cut up frankfurters and mushrooms in my mac n' cheese with bacon rashers on top and usually tomato

[jrc]

Theresa, did he say if the fleas could be dead or alive? They die easily in water and if you have a clean ahem water sample bottle they don’t take up much room. It might be that they would appreciate dead ones in a couple of inches of water than infecting their office.

[liketocook]

Well, I haven't heard anything like it in my life. My local council want me to capture fleas in a glass jar and take them down to the town hall before they will do anything. Does anyone know how you can catch a flea quick enough before it hops off? Please enlighten me if you can and I'll find a glass jar! I told the council worker, I feel sorry for you having such a sad job, telling people to put fleas in jars. I did invite him round to look at my ankle bites but that was a no.
My mind it is a-boggling!
I think I'd rather put up with the fleas than idiot council workers who find this sort of thing funny.

Ask them if they will give you a flea trap. If not we used to "catch" them at work by laying pieces of masking tape sticky side up under the desks (the landlord insisted there wasn't fleas - we demomstrated otherwise!!) and yes if you're quick you can sometimes catch them under a glass. Try leaving an upturned glass on the carpet near where you sit. You might get one. PS it does seem ludicrous to have to do this to prove your point

[liketocook]

Good morning,
Goodness I thought some of my dreams were random. Last night's involved having to count dried peas from a huge bag which I'm sure must represent that I'm feeling a tad frustrated over a few things at the moment!
Damp and misrable again this morning. The bottom of my garden is really quite flooded so there must have been really heavy rain during the night.
Today's plan are to make soup, hoover and then get stuck into to my voluntary admin.
Still I'm not starting anything until at least one more has been consumed

[StokeySue]

I think sticky is probably the way to go with flea catching
They probably want to see which kind you have, as well as knowing for sure you have tgem

[Ratatouille]

Tezza that sounds like real jobworthiness! Make it as difficult for the general public to get any help!

It really should be up to your landlord to sort it but if he can't or won;t them he( I assume it is a he) is the one who should be in touch with the council

How did the job hunting go ?

[suffolk]

Tezza ... this may be of help ... or at least it'll give you a bit of a giggle

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-catch-fleas/

[Gruney]

I'm sure Scullion will be pleased - i've just read that "Cornish Kern" has been voted the World's best cheese.

[TeresaFoodie]

Tezza ... this may be of help ... or at least it'll give you a bit of a giggle

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-catch-fleas/

I have just laughed myself silly enough to forget the fleas! Thanks for that!

[Grasshopper]

JRC

I had a a restless night too - I had one of those dreams that leaves you exhausted. My back lawn is divided into two by a slabbed path. The two lawns fell out with each other and decided to have a fight. The next minute, all there mates had joined in, with all sorts of weapons - including rockets. It was just escalating into nuclear warfare, when the dream stopped.

OMG Gruney - what did you have for supper that evening?

Grasshopper

[earthmaiden]

Evening all! Busy day here setting off early for the work refresher training. It wasn't bad and we escaped before rush hour so that was good.

Interesting about adding paste as a pasta sauce - I had never heard of that before. I like tinned spaghetti - on toast with grated cheese or a fried egg. I don't class it as pasta but as 'common' comfort food . Actually, what I love is tinned ravioli on toast .. does that make me really past hope? I don't have it very often.

What interesting dreams you all have! I am one of those people who rarely remembers a dream.

As for catching fleas in a pot ... . When I had cats we got fleas occasionally and the only spray that really worked was an expensive one I had to buy from the vets. I can't remember what it was called but I could do all the edges of the carpets and soft furnishings twice and still have some left over. It took two goes and the problem always went. I note that someone says you can get the expensive ones on Amazon now. If the council don't come up trumps than maybe your landlord would buy some. It is a waste of money to buy the kind you find in supermarkets etc. I have heard of those bombs working where you let it off and leave the room for several hours for the chemical to work but don't know much about them.

Tired out now, up early again for different training tomorrow at my usual workplace. Roll on Monday when I at last have a few days to myself (even if they are earmarked for sorting out Christmas )

[Zosherooney]

Rats, I like the sound of your Mac & cheese.

I had a productive day, the defrosting of small DF - that will teach me to leave it so long next time. In between the hot water pots defrosting the inside and removing ice I tackled the scabby fireplace with scraping off the candle wax, 'ironing' off any extra and sanding it down with sand paper then cleaning the stone with a special liquid that removes fire smoke from stone. It looks spick and span now and we are both happy with the result. I will sweep the chimney just before Crimbo, have been using special powder that you sprinkle on twice a week that helps remove the sooty residue from inside the chimney.

Quick decision to pop down the local hostelry for a baguette and beer Then collected my car from it's MOT and service. We have to think where we go from here. It has some old age problems, it is 17 years old now and the time is coming for a decision to be made where we go from here..... Have had a look at the i3 BMW and we can charge the batteries for FREE with our solar panels. Just not sure if now is the right time or not....

[cyprusmoira]

Good Morning Wild Ones, you have been very busy, Zosh. I do not think that there are any electric cars on Cyprus, the only recharging point is in Nicosia.
Back to our usual sunny morning but the average temperatures have dropped, we ate lunch outside on Sunday, I don't think that we shall be doing that again this year.

Moira

[Zosherooney]

Morning Moira, We too are having a 'warm' few days but due to turn colder again at the end of the week.

I will be taking advantage of Lidls pre Black Friday's offers tomorrow - their own Chardonnay for 3 quid a bottle. We are hosting a get together with a few villagers in the NY so that will help out. Also planning a trip to a large ASDA on Friday for various shopping aspects.

[liketocook]

Good morning,
It's still raining heavily, at this rate I'll need a raft to reach the bottom of my garden. Forecast is for it to continue all day

I'm up early for me as the auditor is coming round just after 9 to inspect the out of school care groups accounts before I submit them to the charity regulator. So I'll have another and then I best get myself showered and dressed. Hopefully the inspection will be quite straightforward, it usually is.

[Pepper Pig]

Morning all. The Judge has given us the day off today. It will be spent changing the beds, doing the washing and all the other things that have been left to slide. I'd rather be at court.

[icelesley]

Good morning wild ones. It's raining again OH has finished cladding the walls and replacing the shelves, so yesterday everything was washed and returned to it's place. It looks lovely. Today I am writing out Christmas cards so I can drop them in to work before they close for good. I also can then dump some old electrical items in the skip there, well I am still officially employed until the end of the month, I may as well take advantage

[cyprusmoira]

The air is very clear here today, fantastic views to the horizon. On my return from various errands I drove around some new roads, the planning department here requires the road the be built and the services installed before building starts. There is one road that has the most amazing views, those plots will sell quickly as no one can build in front of you. There is already a house there, more of a small estate, the owner who is reputed to be an Ukrainian arms dealer has bought up the remaining land so the view is safe.
I returned from checking out all this expensive property to get stuck behind a truck load of potatoes

Moira

[suffolk]

Good morning all

A slow start this morning due to reading in bed before my shower ... I'm learning how to be retired at last.

I've decided to give tennis a miss this week ... I played last week and my knee was really painful for several days and I've only been able to walk without discomfort since I got up yesterday ... tomorrow I have to go into the city to pick up my new specs, get my ears lowered and while I'm there I want to go to the Jerwood Drawing Prize exhibition which is visiting Norwich at the moment.

Today I may wave a duster around, sweep a floor or two, plump up some cushions, make Cock-a-leekie soup for supper and then spend some time in the studio

[Zosherooney]

We have sawn 2 barrow loads of wood just to top up the woodpile, oil tank pipe has been located and exposed for delivery in a week or so. The cats are hating this wind and keep asking us to make it stop.

Confession time...... We had churros and chocolate for brekkie......sooooo very very naughty, but found half a bag of them in the DF yesterday so it just had to be done. A Spanish day today as we are having paella for supper ! Ole !

[earthmaiden]

Zosh, it makes me feel exhausted just reading all the things you get up to!

PP - you'll miss your daily 'work' when it's done! How sad that you have to spend the day on grotty chores. You were thinking of having a cleaner in at one time ...I think you deserve it!

I was up bright and early for a work training session, it was a 9am start so had to battle with rush hour traffic which is not something I would care to do every day. The 'training' was supposed to be from 9am - 1pm but apparently the system isn't ready yet so we just had an overview and discussion and were away by 10.30am. A big waste of a morning off if you ask me . I stopped off and did some grocery shopping on the way home and now have an hour to kill before going to a hair appointment. The house looks like a tip but I have a feeling that by the end of the afternoon all I will feel like doing is snoozing as I haven't really caught up with my sleep after the last run of shifts yet. I could do with a cleaner too - and a personal assistant .

[suffolk]

Hello again ... there was a change of plan and proper h*wk happened this morning rather than just waving the duster around. It included cleaning under and behind the sofa and buffing the parquet ... a chap is coming on Friday to clean said sofa as well as the stairs and landing carpet. He's the former Director of Music of the Band of Dragoon Guards and did his sofa-cleaning-training at Windsor Castle, so I thought I'd better move the dust around a bit more efficiently before he arrives and we'll be out tomorrow

[Ratatouille]

Afternoon everyone

Are you all glued to the Budget?

Warmer here this morning and more clouds around. Various locals have been telling us of local adages which indicate that ice in November means a warm January, Another said that if you want to plant new shrubs etc t hat on Ste Katerine (24th November) one should plant to push les racines (roots). So Mt R is off right now to buy a new ceanothus (sp?) to replace the one which was killed by the summer heat and drought. Our lovely Olivier will help him dig the hole on Friday. They really do take such things very seriously round here and they are usually right.

Suffs, glad you are getting used to this retirement thing!

[Pepper Pig]

PP - you'll miss your daily 'work' when it's done!

I really will. I'm enjoying it hugely.

How sad that you have to spend the day on grotty chores. You were thinking of having a cleaner in at one time ...I think you deserve it!

I don't think that's me you're thinking of EM. I've had a cleaner for over 30 years. She cleans but doesn't do changing beds etc. (We have a large, very dusty, Edwardian 3 floor terrace).

[earthmaiden]

Oh PP - I'm so glad you have a cleaner ... grotty chores are endless all the same . I am glad your other experience is going well.

Wow Suffs! i'd be terrified to let him into the house! I would definitely need a cleaner and PA first .

I have decided to save the Budget until Channel 4 news tonight when hopefully I will hear everything I need to. Meanwhile. I'm off the the hairdressers. They serve those nice Lotus Biscoff biscuits with coffee and I have a glorious 20 minutes under the dryer nibbling the biscuit and reading the trashiest magazines known to man .

[suffolk]

What's good enough for Her Madge is good enough for us EM ... I wonder if she got DofE to pull the sofa out so she could give the parquet a going over before the chap from the Dragoons arrived with his steam cleaner

[StokeySue]

Hmm, I need to wash my sofa covers
Might do it later
Basic chores well under control <polishes halo> but have just spent 2 hours taking eight drawers out of their housing in turn, carrying outside, emptying, vacuuming on max power, spraying into all the nooks and crannies, shaking out garments and replacing
The little mites have eaten four sweaters, and as I bought some in Woolovers summer sale I know I put new moth killer sachets in with them, they weren't even used up
Then for an encore I put down mouse vait
I feel like Lady Macbeth

[cyprusmoira]

I returned from Pissouri via our local supermarket, I had to buy a new mop bucket. Last Friday I was reprimanded by Efffie for not getting a new one, she says that she told Mrs Deborah who obviously forgot to tell me.
One of our Wednesday group is just back from the UK, she bought with her a double electric blanket she was determined not to pay extra for hold luggage so managed to stuff the blanket into her cabin case. Of course when she got to Luton her case was scanned and found to be full of wires, she had to unpack the case. It is a fluffy blanket so the case "exploded", there was fluff everywhere. It was repacked with some difficulty and many disapproving tuts from other travellers.

Moira

[WWordsworth]

Well, I pulled into a petrol station today, I didn't need fuel but I wanted to check my tyre pressure.
It was one of those machines where you have to pay - it didn't bother me as I wasn't buying fuel, although it does make me cross when I am a customer.

Anyway, I pulled into the bay and a lovely employee appeared from nowhere and asked me if I would like him to do it for me.
I agreed as I was dressed for work and I always end up getting filthy.

What great service.

[Busybee]

I took my Mum up to Helmsley for lunch. I pushed her in her wheelchair to the local ceramics gallery. We always go and look in here http://www.sissonsgallery.co.uk at the Moorcroft ceramics - my Mum has some lovely pieces all bought here.

She has treated me to a small pin dish in Wild Meadow, my first piece of Moorcroft, it is so pretty. She was telling the owner how much I do for her, I do it because I love her to bits but it was rather nice to be treated.

A lovely couple of hours out on a rather grey day.

BB