Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

No shed today. Weekly shop as soon as the Co-op opens, then breakfast and second sleep before leaping on the Skipton Bus to pick up Susan at Earby and then go on to the Gateway to the Dales for a light lunch and some more specialised shopping.

[Sue]

Morning

What a horrid day yesterday, rain all day. The forecast is not bad today and the sky has been rather good as the sun came up and caught the clouds. However I don’t trust the forecast, yesterday was supposed to be cloudy all day and the day before rain, but we had rain yesterday and sun the day before. The long range said today would be rain but today it now says dry, which is what it looks like.

I used the afternoon yesterday to prepare some stuff for art next week. I am taking the session and showing how to do watercolour skies, which apparently I am rather good at, so others tell me. I am also showing how to do textures using a plastic card dragged through the paint in various ways. Today is dance exercise this morning, then Friday lunch with Wendy and Keith.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

It was lousy Sue, you're quite right. I have done my early shop and have had breakfast so back to bed now for second sleep.
Then off to Skipton with Susan and we seem to have picked the right day. Lovely sky over Barlick this morning with rosy high clouds, light winds and plenty of blue sky to make sailor's trousers!

[Stanley]

Nice trip to Skipton yesterday with Susan. We walked further than usual and in consequence I overslept this morning. No worries about this, I might decline the shed and do some cooking. I have a breast of lamb with the bone left in and I have a recipe.... There could be bookie watch later as today is the last of the 'mild' days......

[Stanley]

I've just sat down after three quarters of an hour building a powerful stew that will be strong enough to stand diluting with veggies. It has in it Breast of lamb on the bone, skirt, white turnip, leek, onion, carrot, Garlic, vegetable stock and the usual condiments, herbs and spices. It has been built in a heavy cast iron pan on the hotplate but is now in the oven set at just over 100C for a long slow cook. I have an idea it might be quite nice.....
PS. When I say Garlic I mean a full bulb's worth....

[Sue]

Morning

Cloud and rain today, still 10-11 degrees . Its Bacup market this morning, then after a second breakfast of fresh croissants from the market and coffee I shall pop into Rochdale to collect my boots from the shoe repairers where they have been heeled. I shall drive down as I want to call at Aldi too. They have some balls of brightly coloured yarn that I want to buy Eve as part of her Christmas present. She learned to crochet during lockdown and she now always has something on the go, when not swimming. We have bought her a delightful book on crocheted animals to go with the yarn . I have an appointment at 1.30 and after that i shall start to adjust my toile for my jacket.

Yesterday was a clear day on the tops above Todmorden, we had a lovely view from our favourite table in the corner of The Shepherds Rest. Its the first time for weeks we haven’t been sitting in the cloud. The sun is just coming up here and the sky is turning a beautiful colour on the horizon behind the hills of the Pennines, Oldham way

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

We had a lovely sky in Barlick yesterday morning. It's the last mild day today Sue, make the most of it. Frome here on it looks like a frosty November!

[PanBiker]

Watching our Finlay playing for Silsden Storm, the rematch with West Craven Warriors at Victory Park. Finlays team won last week. He plays junior Union for Wharfedale and League for Silsden Storm. Kids are with us for the rest of the day and overnight.

[Stanley]

When I got up after 3 hours of second sleep a lovely smell filled the house. Here's the cause. I have lifted the ribs out for deboning. I haven't done any de-fatting, the veggies can stand the low level of fat. Now, after a walk, I can cook some veggies.

[MickBrett]

OMG, Stanley.
I could just go a dish of that !!

[PanBiker]

The results, Silsden Storm 9, West Craven Warriors 1. They play a level up from tag Rugby so tackles are the name of the game. Possession is only allowed for three passes and then the ball has to be handed to the other team who start from the point of possession. It makes for a faster game. They play 20 minutes each way. Silsden and West Craven are having joint training sessions at South Craven school. So the coaches and players pass tips etc to bring the newer players on. Finlay was pretty mucky when they finished so he enjoyed our new shower when we got home after the certificates were handed out after the match. Certificates are given for effort and achievement to the ones who tried the hardest in each match as agreed by the coaches.

[Stanley]

It tastes as good as it looks Mick and will improve as it sits on the fridge....
Today I shell be in the shed. It could be a mixed morning because a couple of things have been wandering round in my head..... I shall see how the spirit moves me!
It's going to be a cold dry day. Bookie watch could be on, depends on the wind!

[Sue]

Morning

I know we have had this conversation before Stanley but I really can’t eat breast of lamb, I find it incredibly fatty . My grandma used to cook the stew like you have and I bet she cooked it for hours which normally makes a delicious meal with meat, but not in her case. She would give it us for our tea when we got home from school and we had bread to mop up the gravy. I hated the smell as we walked in the back door as I knew what was coming , a horrible fatty meal. We tried it in France a couple of years back as Bobs cousin , who was staying with us, insisted we bought it. Even with my cooking which is somewhat better than my grandmas was I could not eat it, though I have to admit it did smell better than when I was a child.

Its a cold start this morning, 3 degrees. Yesterday was a misty drizzle most of the day becoming rain by 3.00pm. I had the lights on by then as it was so dark it was impossible to a) do the jigsaw and b) sew on my machine. Its a year yesterday since I bought my sewing machine and it has certainly been well used . I spent the afternoon yesterday reminding myself how the embroidery attachment works so I can show Maxine on Wednesday. I have been making some individualised embroidered Christmas Cards for the grand children with fun embroidered cartoon images. I shall do a little more today after I have done zoom art with Briony. Her request for today is to draw and paint tulips. She is doing really well, listens and tries hard.

No ironing to do today, I did it yesterday as there wasn’t much, being jumper weather which I dry on hangers in the airing cupboard. I may do some more garden clearing as the leaves have really fallen this week. Have a good day everyone.

[Stanley]

Sue, the way I cooked it is you buy it in a sheet and on the bone and the first thing you do is cut between each bone and cook on a high heat in a cast iron pot. When you have them all seared, turn the heat down and let them cook for half an hour. Then take them out leaving the fat behind. From then on it's a long slow cook with the veggies. At some point fish the ribs out, de-bone them and take the gristle out, then cut the meat up and return to the stew. Very little fat left and what there is I soak up with mashed spuds in the veggies.
Just had my spell in the shed, various matters! I'll be back later.

[Stanley]

Several different matters but one of them was to adjust the face of the target on the bed so that the piston rod is dead on centre.

[Sue]

Sue, the way I cooked it is you buy it in a sheet and on the bone and the first thing you do is cut between each bone and cook on a high heat in a cast iron pot. When you have them all seared, turn the heat down and let them cook for half an hour. Then take them out leaving the fat behind. From then on it's a long slow cook with the veggies. At some point fish the ribs out, de-bone them and take the gristle out, then cut the meat up and return to the stew. Very little fat left and what there is I soak up with mashed spuds in the veggies.
Just had my spell in the shed, various matters! I'll be back later.

Much the same as I did Stanley copying what Bob does similar with pork but not in a stew but as BBQ ribs and that is fine, but lamb, no I just don’t like it. Not even as BBQ ribs, far too fatty and little meat. Even your description is making me nauseous. Gristle fat, yup it all comes back to me. Its impossible to get all the fat out because there is so much of it and lamb fat just does not taste nice. They flavour the stock yukky. Sorry. Personal preference. I think i prefer lamb roasted or lamb steak braised but not the breast or the neck.

[Stanley]

It's allowed Sue! One of the reasons I like my mutton is because it's as near totally grass fed as you can get in a domestic animal.
Today I look forward to getting in the shed and perhaps doing something totally engine related! Bookie watch will happen but in my Crombie as we have a bright cold day forecast.

[Sue]

Morning

Well we did have slow cooked lamb yesterday Stanley, I did a lamb shank slow cooked for 7 hours in the oven. One does two of us these days, many years ago we would have had one each. It was a nice yesterday but oh so cold. I didn’t venture outside as I spent the day doing jigsaw and making 5 individual embroidered cards on my sewing machine. I thoroughly enjoyed myself just playing around and being creative. I did my zoom art with B and Eve phoned me on whats app about 7.00 pm for a chat, we didn’t chat last week as she spent the weekend at a swimming friends after their Saturday morning training session. She tells me she spent the day yesterday crocheting and she has really got hooked ( sorry about the pun ) on the hobby.

Today is pilates followed by a nice relaxing yoga session this morning. We may walk this afternoon and its art at the community centre this evening.

Have a good day

[Stanley]

Lovely, I like shanks and have a couple in the freezer, mutton shanks of course. They will be cooked like you did yours.



Just one little job done this morning. The cylinder now has an exhaust port and a way out to the atmosphere.....

[Wendyf]

We have 2 tickets to see Matthews Southern Comfort on Thursday evening but can't use them. Free to a good home.

https://www.barnoldswickmusicandartscen ... -matthews

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed doing useful things for two hours as usual. Bookie watch is on but it will be Crombie protected. I fancy having a foot care hour later, Susan isn't up to doing my pedicure yet. So a normal day, I wish you all the same.....

[Sue]

Morning

I am rather tired this morning, as I didn’t have a good nights sleep. i tried reading several times, put the book down as I nodded off then woke up again.

Beautiful day yesterday, we managed a nice but muddy walk up to Rooley Moor from Healey Dell . On the way back we did a detour passed the small lodge and saw the heron lurking on the island. We don’t always see it and haven’t done for so e time so it was a pleasant surprise. This morning I have no major plans so may have a look at making the pattern for the back of my jacket . This afternoon. I am visiting my friend Wendy that I used to work with at Rochdale college. I chat to her daughter Nicky in yoga on zoom on Mondays so I was able to confirm I can pop over today. This evening is pilates and yoga.

My brother Dave's, debts are raising their ugly head and my brother Bob down in Cardiff is struggling to cope with his executor role, not helped by the fact that his 101 year old mother in law is in hospital and as his wife his blind he is having to try and balance his commitments. My Bob has sought some legal advice from his cousin and as the other executor is planning on taking over, if brother Bob will let him! Hence the bad nights sleep for both of us . Lots to be done and hopefully we can start the ball rolling today. We live nearer so may be able to chase up the non collection of the part paid for mobility scooter from outside the apartment, and we can bring the all singing all dancing , also unpaid for, chair out of the flat to here whilst we try and sort that problem out .

Have a good day all, hope we make some progress.

[Stanley]

Sorry to hear you didn't have a good night Sue and even more sorry to hear about the legal problems. The importance of the trustee can't be over estimated. Ours, a lovely lady in Derbyshire is indefatigable in our interests but even so has the frustration of dealing with lazy lawyers with no incentive to settle.
I've had a good morning in the shed and here's where we are at..... many of the major elements are in place now we have a piston and a rod.

[Wendyf]

What time is bookie watch Stanley? If you are there around 1pm I might see you.

[Stanley]

It varies Wendy but I am usually there around 12 noon and back home in time for the World at One....
I shall be in the shed, not quite sure what I'll be ding yet but it could be putting the finishing touches to the base and the engine bed castings....