Sunday 25 August 2013

Stay at home Bank Holiday

Hello, is there anybody out there? It's gone awfully quiet in blogland this Bank Holiday Sunday. It's the tradition to go out somewhere, plenty of events to choose from, pictures in the paper of festivals, and all kinds of frivolities. This old bird prefers to stay at home though, prefers not to throw oneself into the chaos and confusion of motorway madness, and pushing through the throngs trying to get a glimpse of whatever visitor attraction has been chosen to visit. No Siree, I've been pottering around the village.
The party last night was a rip roaring success. A nice mix of people, a massive candle lit marquee in the garden, fairy lights dotted about, and a fantastic curry to tuck into, followed by some fancy posh ice cream. Very enjoyable to spend a couple of hours sipping wine and chatting with friendly folk. This kind of do is much more to my liking than going out clubbing and pubbing in town. It's nice to be with people you know and see around the village, more of a community spirit than getting blotto with a load of strangers. Not that I did get blotto of course. Mind you, I had a fuzzy head this morning, ha ha. 
I picked up the stock from Sue's house and Janet's house, for the stand tomorrow at Epworth Show. It's all loaded in the car ready to get off early in the morning. I've put a couple of tables in there, we might be able to squeeze an extra one in depending on the space we are allocated. I have only paid for 6ft, but if they are not fully booked, we might be able to spread out over two pitches. We won't know till we get there, but it's best to be prepared. Of course, if all the space is taken we will have to fit into the standard pitch.   
I won't bother photographing my dinner tonight, you know what a veggie stew looks like. I've just noticed that this meal, day one of a three day stew, has cost me virtually nothing. Potatoes, runner beans, and courgettes from the garden. A tin of sweetcorn from Helen's hamper, and for the seasoning I added a packet of spice mix that you are supposed to sprinkle on potato wedges when you cook them in the oven, also from the hamper. As you know I don't use my oven, so I thought this would work ok adding it to the stew. And it does. I also added a teaspoon of curry powder, three desertspoons of porridge oats, and a secret ingredient, a slug of port. No I didn't buy it, Helen found it in her drinks cupboard as she was sorting out some glasses for us to sell on the stand. She said it was left over from Christmas, and no one liked it. I must say, it perked the stew up no end. It's lipsmackin good.

I'm plodding on with the patchwork. I'm not calling it a quilt because I don't want to end up with a thick heavy piece that won't fit in the washing machine. It will have a backing and maybe something thin in the middle, more like a throw. I don't need a quilt, as in the winter I have two duvets on top of me, that's enough to keep me snug and warm.

I'm just off back in the kitchen to get seconds of this lovely stew, so I'll cut you loose. 10 10 till we do it again. You truck 'em steady now, I'll catch you tomorrow.
Toodle pip

8 comments:

  1. made A lentil and rice casserole with the of eating one portion and freezing the other three. It has come out very thick and huge so will use half to stuff four pasties and divide the other half into four topped with mash as a veggie shepherds pie. Eight dinners for 30p a portion is pretty good I think. Whilst it was cooking my neighbours were tossing things into their skip and I was ferreting them out including a fleece top that will do me nicely for winter and loads of fabric to patchwork merrily with. I love this thrifty living!

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  2. Rain here as usual over the Bank Holiday, a little better today tho, the day trippers are in in the hundreds at the moment and the sea front and beaches are packed even with the rain the penny arcades looked busy and a lot of the guest houses have their No Vacancies boards up in their windows , There must be money around somewhere. I hope you had a good car boot Ilona and made a lot of money for the pussy cats I am off "up north" tomorrow as my foster brother has taken a downward turn and is deteriorating fast with the big C its his 67th birthday tomorrow and this will be the last one he will see but he is being very brave about everything . Back when I can, Enjoy your veggie stew Ilona. ====Danneke

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  3. No Bank Holiday here in The Netherlands. Tomorrow is a normal working day for most. Tuesday I have to go back to work after being ill with an infected foot. I can now walk again, but have to build up stamina again to do my mail round. And my body is still not itself after all the antibiotics I had to take, and the trombosis injections.
    Oh well, no rest for the wicked.

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  4. I`m not straying far from home either tomorrow. Just taking the old bicycle out onto
    a cycle route nearby. Must get some more blackberries before other folk discover them.
    Also want to have a look out for other free bounty whilst out there. Apart from that I shall make some artisan soaps at home, to prepare for a pre-Christmas bazar, community
    fair or table top sale.

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  5. There are some bank holidays when people go crazy and its simply unsafe to be out there on the roads. I can understand it for an impending hurricane. But living on an island you're really not going to get anywhere any faster. You end up at the same congestion at the supermarket, bank, theatre, wherever. Like you I made a cheap and tasty veg stew. Its packaged in my freezer in six containers.

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  6. Bank holiday Mondays are the worst for getting anywhere so Sunday is usually the best day to go out. Its worse if the sun is out and everywhere is so busy that no one enjoys it.
    The party sounded good. Try having a glass or two of orange to re-hydrate yourself in between the booze which helps avoid a fuzzy head, or worse.
    You should take Nellie with you on your stall to tell it like it is. "Oy you lot, come here and help the cats". Good luck helping the cats.
    I'd forgotten about CB radio's. I drove a truck a couple of years ago with one in, theres hardly anyone on it now though. So rodger dodger Meanqueen i'm heading Northbound to Clogtown.
    Dave.

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  7. Have a lovely day at home. You don't need to mess with the crowds and can go out any day you chose.

    Good luck with your stall.

    Sft x

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  8. My eldest daughter lover port with anything chocolate. I think it's better in stew.

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