Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
Page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 407, 408, 409 ... 423, 424, 425  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own
Author 
 Message
cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Fri May 01, 20 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That sounds just the trick, though i would par-cook the sausages, slice them and throw them into the pot before freezing on the principle it would cook as it rewarmed.

I'm having tortellini tonight. It was not as cold as they said it would be but I still woke to a deep fog which took a while to clear. I had hoped to do some washing but the forecast said strong winds from lunchtime - still waiting and I am about to put the dinner on.

I spent some time clearing the top of the worktable and laid the door across it to give it a good scrub up and identify high spots. These have been removed with the electric plane (hopefully to an extent i won't have to rehang the door more than once), and the shaved surfaces given a coat of sealant. I had thought it would be nice to add paint while it is off the hinges, but I am blowed if I can find the paint i was looking at only last week. I'll have another go tomorrow when I have had a break and am not blind.

A trip to the tip was the highlight of the day - seeing people!

I can feel the snow chill easing in through the windows at the moment, so it will be a chilly one tomorrow I assume.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 20 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Rain and more rain today - and rather chilly too. I have scurried out for firewood between showers but other than that my only external travel was to clean the bank.

Meanwhile I have hung the door to the laundry and discovered it is still a wee but too long. It will come off again once it gets a bit of a rub on the paint at the bottom so I can target the low spot. It does rather finish off the room, allowing it to become a rectangle rather than a transitional space. And very nice it is to be able to reduce a few drafts in the process.

Some walls were washed, some more stuff found a home and some thought given to what comes next. I suspect that is wall washing which is not my idea of fun. Oh well - has to be done.

Meanwhile I am busy keeping warm in front of the fire will digesting my "cassoulet". I used the ingredients you listed MR, sauteed the holy trinity, moved them to the casserole dish, browned some floured chicken pieces, chopped up the sausages, added some diced capsicum and shoved it in the oven with some beef stock. After an hour I hauled it out and added canned beans of various sizes from past-use-by tins and some dried mushrooms, and have eaten it now and am still alive.

It's actually surprisingly tasty and will presumably improve overnight, but the liquid is very liquid, so it's more a very chunky soup than anything.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun May 03, 20 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

There were carrots in the recipe I use as well, cut into diagonal 1" slices, It does need to be eaten with a spoon rather than a fork, but as the idea is to cook a long time, that does tend to thicken it a bit. If we have the fire going, I cook it over that, but otherwise, on the hob or in the slow cooker.

Another firing yesterday, and as we were very late home, beans on toast for dinner. Filled another 41 bags and 20 of those went off with son, another 20 to go off Monday, and the last one in store. Still have any number of orders, so repeat again next week.

Glad you are making progress. At least this enforced period indoors is letting you get on with the house.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 20 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's been great on a number of levels frankly - wish it could go on for a much longer time (the isolation, not the sickness). I may yet get my wish as today's passenger (who had to sit in the front seat due to mobility issues) admitted to having seen the doctor to renew antibiotics for her 'cold'. That was mildly alarming but not particularly so until it turned out she was unable to receive her treatment due to an elevated temperature. So I will be contacting Public Health for advice tomorrow. I suspect I may have to go into complete lockdown for a fortnight just in case. Pity as I was looking forward to Friday's patient who is a nice chap, but has just had a transplant so not to be risked.

Meanwhile tomorrow should bring my greatly enhanced income, so I may defer that phone call till I can get some whisky into the house!

The cassoulet is missing the tomato element (knew I had forgotten something) but tastes acceptable anyway.

Wall washing and clothes washing tomorrow as it will be marginally warmer and a light breeze instead of a gale.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45376
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 20 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

tea and medals lass

i hope it turns out to be nowt but a scratch for both of you but the public health route you have chosen seems wise

gulp, and much respect.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue May 05, 20 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Take care Cassandra. As you say, contact Public Health and take their advice. I hope the woman wasn't suffering from Covid 19; there are lots of other potential illnesses, like a feverish cold, that she could have had. Anyway, take care and hope all is well. Perhaps you could get one of your friends to do the shopping for you if you do have to isolate.

We are still frantically making charcoal and not seeming to satisfy demand to our outlets at the moment. Two of them are now saying give us some as often as you can as they seem to be running out as soon as it is delivered.

Made some more besom heads yesterday as we have had enquiries for them for mail order delivery. It's all go! Also emptied and reloaded the kiln, so another day another load.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 06, 20 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The woods are looking lovely at the moment MR - I enjoy seeing the updates from ThreeCopses on FB. Glad the wind dropped for the afternoon though, I can't imagine it helps balance the burn, for all that it is mainly sealed.

It was a lovely drive down to Hobart, but a bit eery as the part of town I was headed to is usually rather busy and the only people in sight were medical staff in PPE and guards, and barriers and a series of tents where you took your car and had a long cotton bud stuck into the back of your throat, and up both nostrils. I was a tad disconcerted to see they used the same bud for all three orifices, but at least they went for the throat first!

Then a quick check to ensure I was going straight home and not planning a shopping spree while I was down there. It actually does take some conscious thought not to do the sort of things I would usually do if I was down there with time and money on my hands (and easy parking), but I girded up my loins and went straight home. I have arranged for a local takeaway to deliver a meal on the weekend so I don't get sick of my own cooking. I can pay over the phone and the staff member will drop it off on her way home (we don't get home delivered meals here). A conversation on the local Notice Board did result in some interest being shown in the possibilities of a local UberEats style service, so I explained what it meant and left it to them to sort it out. I pointed out all our eateries are now geared to takeaway so setting it up would not be too difficulty - just getting local participation, and since most of us just had our budgets doubled, spare money floating around to be spent on such indulgence, that should not be that hard.

I have arranged for Poppet to be delivered to the vet on Monday if I am not allowed out - there is a pet taxi service that I have never used but whose page I follow. I have told them I can confirm the booking on Friday as I should have the results back by then. She is presently in full cry so should hopefully be well out of season by the time she meets them.

I didn't do much more as it took a while for the fire to warm the place up, and so I stuck to the loungeroom for warmth and watched the news and argued with fools on Facebook.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 20 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad you were able to be tested at least. We can now be tested if we have symptoms as we are over 65, but tests are mainly reserved for those working in hospitals, emergency services or care homes otherwise. In spite of trumpetings, the test rate hasn't exceeded 80.000 a day here yet, and with over 60m people in the country, that isn't a very high proportion.

Glad you like the pictures. Son is also posting some images on his own page as he is taking some interesting ones. We have been watching some blue tits that have set up home in the front end loader of the tractor that has been taken off and is stored up, and he also showed me a good picture of a reflection of beech leaves in a puddle.

The wind doesn't make that much difference to the retort kiln I am glad to say, but it does make working a bit less pleasant, and makes bagging the charcoal a bit more difficult as the dust is blowing around.

We have more to get out the kiln today as yesterday we had the last lot to bag up, more wood to cut and generally sorting out to do. Then we reload the kiln for the next firing.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 07, 20 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes I can see that would be a problem. The test was negative (of course if I was only potentially exposed two days ago this is not all that surprising) but the local doctor has recommended I isolate for 14 days. I will take that seriously in the second half, but tomorrow I am in to get a crepe kit from Pancakes, Saturday for roast dinner from another shop and Monday taking the cat to the vet and having a whole day to fill in while waiting for 4:30 collection. I am to monitor my health and report back to the doctor if I feel ill. Meanwhile I don't have to go to work for two weeks which will give me some uninterrupted time at home (bliss).

Meanwhile I have stocked up on treats and wine so will be ready for anything, haha.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45376
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu May 07, 20 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


stay safe, if you do feel poorly at least you are stocked up.

a chum of mine is recovering at the mo and having supplies is a major comfort.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri May 08, 20 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I hope it is a false alarm, but when shopping, try to keep away from everyone just in case. They are not sure at what point people become infectious, and I am sure you would hate to give it to anyone else. As Dpack says, it is useful if you have supplies. If you become ill, call the doctor or emergency services if you feel really bad as I am sure you will be sensible about it.

We are having a day off today as we have to work tomorrow, so apart from sorting out a few bits of business, hoping to have a quiet day. It is supposed to be a bank holiday to celebrate VE day, but at the moment, it doesn't seem worthwhile. We are supposed to all sit out in our front gardens and have a tea party, but I can think of rather better places to sit than looking out over the road as we can't see any neighbours from there anyway.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon May 11, 20 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Went to put the bean sticks in yesterday and some pea sticks that I had brought back from the woods, and found a fox or something had dug a hole in my newly planted out cabbage bed and also left an offering of a very smelly half eaten bird on the path. Not sure what it was, but it was heavy. Disposed of in the enclosed compost heap, which is where most things like that, along with the potato and tomato hulms end up.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon May 11, 20 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's all good at present - the cat went to the vet (at long last) and has become an it. They have gone for the midline incision, so for a minute there, what with her feeling so perky, I was wondering if they had done the job at all. She has currently escaped to the ceiling. Unfortunately I can't stop her as she can push the door of the relevant room open and is up there before i know what is happening.

I had to fill in several hours while all that was happening, so took my kitchen knives in on the off-chance the nice little Italian man was there, and so he was. So I now have three sharp knives in the kitchen. I also popped into the shop that had the cast iron casseroles on sale, but unfortunately they were long gone, so I mooched around for a while (keeping a couple of aisles between me and anyone else) and finally settled on a set of white cotton sateen sheets (I wanted to buy something as they went into receivership just before the bug hit, and are not doing well at all) and then headed to KMart (sort of like your Woolworths). There I found a slow-cooker come pressure cooker for a mere $59.00 so snapped that up, and called into the butcher on the way out of the shopping centre to pick up some mince and some topside (a kilo chunk whose fate will be decided tomorrow).

Having succeeded in bankrupting myself (I had the money for the vet in another account), I then parked by the side of the river for a couple of hours, getting nervous whenever the police drove past in case they demanded to know why I was not at home.

Oh and I also obtained a sample pot of the proposed wall cover for the kitchen which I shall throw at the wall tomorrow and see what happens.

The last couple of days have been pretty quiet, though I have treated myself to two crepes from the new takeaway at the Pancake and Crepe shop and a baked dinner from one of the other local businesses. The crepes are a great idea - basically you get two crepes (overlapped to encompass the filling), a container of filling and a tub of salad. Home you trot, zap the crepe for one minute to warm it up and make it more pliable, zap the filling for a couple of minutes and pour it into the middle, fold it over and add salad on the side. Though very tasty the sauce needs work - he seems to be making it with cornflour and it's a bit lumpy, but tasty for all of that.

The baked dinner was polished off tonight - baked lamb with a rather more diverse variety of vegetables than I have ever bothered with - squash, carrots, spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, the list goes on. They threw in a slice of baked beef as an aside which made a sandwich for lunch.

So the remainder of the night will be spent filling in forms. My bank job has been approved to receive JobKeeper allowance which is a new toy prompted by the Prime Minister's desire to keep people in work. It was not terribly well thought through, but basically any employee, regardless of their past wage, gets $1500 per fortnight to stay in work. Since my usual pay is $163.34 per fortnight, you will see why it is poorly considered. The payment is to be paid directly to the employee by the employer and they may not insist you work out the relevant number of hours! Now the reason I have been able to spend up so big today is because my JobSeeker (note seek, not keep as in the other one), has been increased to around $1100.00. So I think I will defer my resignation until I am of pensionable age, haha(I can only get one or the other, but better the 1500 than the 1100). Meanwhile Kat is doing a great job cleaning at the bank, but has also indicated I should not view this as a long-term commitment on my part, so will not be miffed if I resume work. As I explained to my employers that the leave was only while my age group was recommended for quarantine and they are lifting our restrictions incrementally from today, that all falls nicely into line.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue May 12, 20 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad Poppet is doing so well. If she is up on the ceiling there can't be too much lasting effect from either the anaesthetic or the operation. Your emergency pay seems a lot more generous than in the UK, so you are lucky. They are now encouraging people to get back to work here, but as nobody was given any warning, I rather think that it might be a little while before most people are there. They have also forgotten a few vital things, but saying people should avoid public transport if possible and walk or cycle if they can; not that many people live close enough to work to do that so have to use a car or public transport, so vehicle movements are going to increase so pollution is going to go up and there are going to be lovely traffic jams again. Schools are not reopening yet, so parents with children at home have a problem as they can't really safely take them to grandparents etc. etc.

We are just carrying on as normal but keeping away from people including son who works with us, but working outside, we have the room. We couldn't work yesterday as there was a gusty near gale from the north east, which is our unusual direction so trees more likely to fall or break branches. We went up later when the wind had dropped a bit to get charcoal and sawdust for delivery today, and there were leaves and twigs all over the place.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue May 12, 20 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes, the farmers seem to be very blase about it all since they work outside and rarely in proximity. I have decided that yesterday will be my last day out for another week as if I have been infected the next few days are more likely to be infectious than the first week.

My boss has arranged for me to return to work on 1 June, but will pay me sick leave/annual leave for the time i am taking off. Whether that is the larger amount remains to be seen so I will have to hope they email the payslip in time for me to lodge my report to SoSec. Annoying they happen on the same day.

The newly sharpened knives came in handy today as I seem to have mislaid the mandolin, so slicing wafer thin potatoes for Potato Dauphinoisse was made a lot easier. That's still in the oven as after 1 hour and 15 minutes the middle potatoes are still a tad crunchy, but nearly there. I have also given the new pressure cooker a go and made Porcupines (mince rissoles with rice in them, which pokes out like quills once cooked). Amazing - I do love pressure cookers. It took me longer to make the mix up than it took to cook through. I will be looking for my pudding steamer so I can make a steamed pudding in it soon.

The vet gave me a metal sachet to worm Poppet with today. I opened it and found a spot on treatment such as I would use for fleas. After failing to find any instructions i googled it and it turns out it is indeed a wormer, and also deals with fleas. I like this idea. No need for major surgery after trying to poke tablets down reluctant throats. I will buy a supply of them as soon as possible. Two different types as Billy is rather larger than Poppet.

It started off very windy which means I did not get my laundry finished, and this afternoon decided to rain. Not sure if it was forecast, but I should not complain I suppose. It's jolly chilly though!

Now all I have to do is cook dinner (the hedgehogs have been frozen), and wait for the potatoes to cook properly.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own All times are GMT
Page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 407, 408, 409 ... 423, 424, 425  Next
Page 408 of 425
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com