Thursday, September 11, 2014

Just Popping In....

Quick blog today as I'm still trying to catch up with myself.  Surprising how those few weeks unable to move around easily has led to me leaving jobs that need to be done.  The good news is that each day my knee hurts that little bit less and today I was able to walk around the house more than once without having to rely on a walking stick.  Only a week ago I had to use TWO sticks.
B collected the MSM from the pharmacy today, so I've begun to take those as well.  The suggestion (on the container) is that one MSM pill is taken 3 times a day, and for the first few days take two three times a day.  With only 90 in the bottle,  it could be that I'll need another in three weeks.   Not that it matters, as worth paying for comfort.  I can save the money if I stop eating for comfort. Trouble is - I have to take these pills with food, so as I normally used to eat only two meals a day I'm having to eat three smaller meals instead.  Who knows, this might even help me lose weight.  I'll let you know.

Thanks to Margie for the info about Canada and its provinces.  Suppose it is a bit like the US with its many different states, or Australia with lesser but larger ones.
Also thanks for letting me know about Earl Hamner (author and narrator of The Waltons). As the American and Canadian accents are so very similar to us English (although I know there are many variations, especially with the American ones), I've noticed that the word 'about' and some others with the 'ou' in them are pronounced differently in Canada.  When Earl Hamner says this word to me it does sound Canadian, but then what would I know.

The New Zealand and Australian accents are also similar, but the difference again is in the vowels, I cannot remember which, but in NZ like the 'e's are pronounced as Australia would say 'i', or is it vice versa?  At one time I used to think someone from South African was Australian.  Accents are so interesting, I'd love to have had the time to make a study of them.  Am pretty good with all the many English (regional) accents, but apart from knowing the difference between the New England in US, and the deep south (also US), and Maryland (thanks to the Food Network), that's about it.

Grateful thanks to Shayna for letting me know the new channel (No 41) for the Food Network. Didn't realise there was a difference between a pharmacy and a chemist.  To me they seem the same.  The American 'drug store' I always thought of as a sort of chemist/pharmacy, but am pretty sure that is where the teenagers used to meet and sit on high stools at the counter and eat lots of ice-cream and drink milk-shakes.  Maybe this was just a side-line to the medical part of the store.

As well as cooking (and having my hair done), did a load of washing and also sorting out of the kitchen ready for tomorrows baking session.  Seemed sensible to do it in that order so that the cakes will then be perfect for eating one or two days after baking.  (B has to take them to the club earlyish on Saturday).  The scones will be baked very early on Saturday morning ready for B when he leaves as these definitely should be eaten as soon as possible after baking.

Although watching some TV, most of the time I'm more listening to it than closely watching as now I keep my hands occupied with my knitting.  Nearly run out of my chunky wool having knitted three big squares (intended for cushion covers but now thinking they might be better with added crocheted squares to make a big throw for when the weather gets chilly as with mutterings in the newspaper about us having electricity cuts this winter due to some of the power stations having to close part down to make repairs (including the nuclear one at Heasham a few miles up the road from where we live), feel it's best to be prepared.  
Generally, the more I prepare, the less chance there is of whatever I've prepared for - happening.  Go out without an umbrella and then almost certainly it will start to rain.  Going on holiday jpacking an umbrella, a raincoat and wellingtons, and lots of warm jumpers and you can be sure the sun will shine all day long.

So this winter I'm going to make sure I have several torches, plenty of batteries, matches in case I need to light the gas hob (it has an electric ignition), and luckily we have a gas fire in this room that we could light with matches (unless it has a security cut out so the gas won't then come on). Also candles.
In Leeds we once had several weeks of electricity cuts, usually about four hours and only in different parts of the city, so if it was around supper time B would go out to another part of Leeds and have his supper in a restaurant.  He was not interested in any food I'd managed to cook over the log/coal fire, or even over six little tea lights (these give enough heat to boil water - even faster if you use more tea lights).  We also had heat from the open fire in our living room, and I used to light an oil lamp - ready primed and kept a supply of oil for this purpose - and really enjoyed just sitting in the low light warming my toes by the fire and toasting bread/crumpets to eat liberally spread with butter and honey. As I said B was out elsewhere, he is not one who wishes to cope with problems such as those whereas I thoroughly enjoyed them - an indeed anything that is a challenge fills my life with joy.

When I have a moment I really MUST look through my stack of old paperback cookbooks as I know somewhere there is one that deals just with apples, giving loads of recipes for ways to use them up. What better time to share some of them, let's hope I can find it this weekend, and we will then have a chance to do better than making apple sauce,  or freezing slices/chunks of apples.

Might as well make a start looking now - so with that thought will say my farewell for today, hoping - but not certain - that I'll be back tomorrow as usual.  All depends how well I get on during the day.
See you when I see you.  TTFN. 







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