OneGuyFromBarlick

If you're under attack one of the best places to be is under a good duvet and on a comfortable mattress. Rest and sleep are so good if used at the right time. [Mick and I are applying this theory!)

The colder the weather, the hotter the food. Nothing warms you up quite as much as a good soup with digestive biscuits crumbled into it and lots of pepper. I learned that in Scotland where oatmeal often replaced the digestive biscuits and they called it 'brose'.

Stanley wrote: ↑07 Feb 2021, 06:14 and they called it 'brose'.

I'd heard the name Athol brose and google did the rest. Looks nice.

Spooky that you should mention Athol Brose David.



Here's Alan and Angela Broadhurst in the kitchen of the Old Library at Arisaig 19 years ago. Alan was an ex naval and North Sea saturation diver and while he was in the compression chamber used to read cookery books. He was a fine chef and it was he who introduced me to locally caught fresh Nephrops (LINK) and Athol Brose. It doesn't matter in what order you take the combination, it is superb.
It's spooky because I got word this morning that Alan died on the first of the month after too many years in an Altzheimer coma.

I was going to quote "mony a mickle maks a muckle" as todays tip but then looked it up (LINK) and found that what I thought was the original Scottish saying is in fact a corruption of the original. You live and learn every day but the sentiment still holds, "look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves".

It's cold enough to freeze the condensate drain on condensing boilers so keep an eye on yours and do all you can to keep it open.



I practice what I preach. This drain will not freeze.

Fortunate here in that mine is indoors, it shares the waste in the bathroom with the washing machine.

I have often wondered why all boilers in bathrooms aren't plumbed that way. It makes so much sense!

I know that they are verboten under strict diabetic diet but a proper sticky, solid yeast dough based Hot Cross Bun has a lot going for it!

The weather will change over the weekend and temperatures will rise suddenly almost to double figures. This is the time that exposed pipes which have been frozen and have burst, in gardens or outbuildings, will show themselves as they thaw and leak. Keep an eye open as the water damage can be the worst consequence.

We have another very cold day today, colder than yesterday with the wind chill so wrap up well.
Today's tip is to be very careful tomorrow. The forecast is for rain and it could freeze instantly when it hits the ground.
Be careful.

Enjoy the warmer weather that is on its way. Tomorrow will be 20C warmer than yesterday.

Keep watch on any outside pipes today. This is when any bursts will show caused by the frost.

Don't relax your precautions against Covid just when we are getting on top of it. Masks and distancing are going to be needed for a long time yet. Nobody can say how long so Ignore the fools agitating for an early easing of restrictions.

If you get a summons to go to hospital for yet more investigations, take a view. The question is, which is the most risky, to take the chance of a Covid infection or to defer the procedure until the Covid situation is clearer. I did the latter when I got the summons for another cystoscopy. I reckon I am in more risk of Covid than cancer so I have deferred for six months.
There is also the fact that it may enable someone in greater need than me to get in for an earlier appointment. The NHS has quite a lot on its plate at the moment.

Burnley General Hospital has been designated as a 'Clean' hospital with only one covid ward. Obviously access to the rest of the hospital is very strictly controlled. The general instruction is to isolate for seven days prior to any intervention. My opinion is that any day case elective minor surgery or examination would be perfectly safe.

According to statistics the most likely place, to 'catch' Covid-19, is a supermarket.

Tip...When you put a link in a post always check it works. See my mistake in the Flatley Dryer thread!

You could be right Ken. But I question 'perfectly safe'. That's the risk I a guarding against. My attitude is that my kitchen is perhaps the safest place!

Don't complain if you have side effects after your Astra Zeneca jab. MD says that most people do have up to 48 hours discomfort but it's a sign that the immune activity is being stimulated and so is a good thing.

It's all very well advocating exercise and counting miles and even steps but always bear in mind that moderation is a good thing. Excessive exercise like too many miles jogging can be very damaging. If you're lucky enough to live a long time you find that you have less pain if you avoid too much exercise!

Just six days left of February. Don't get too excited about March and Spring, March can be a cruel month. I know it's a long time ago but in 1947 it was mid March before we got a thaw in one of the worse winters on record. Snowdrops and crocuses are all well and good but the grass won't start to grow until the end of May!

Routines are fine but it is a good thing occasionally to vary them a bit and see what happens. Don't get stuck in a rut.

One thing I noticed yesterday is that Bozo's announcement of potential back to normal on the first day of summer. I was expecting him to then announce the meteorological nonsense date of the 1st of June. Pleasantly surprised to see that he has at least got the first day of summer right, even though it is still too early for my liking.

Boris also pulled the old salesman's trick of " No earlier than" equating to " Up to 50% off". The final end date could be some time away from what people are understanding.
Matt Hancock used the same ruse when questions about the PPE purchases which should have been declared within 30 days saying that the average was 45 days. If the previous average was 20 days then the new average of 45 days could mean that some deals not being declared for 65 days. That is three times the normal declaration time. Smoke and mirrors comes to mind.