jo4eyes

What's the weather like in your area?

No frost here in Manchester last night. Was 2C with the post Bonfire night fog.

Now wet & about 8C out there, but the fog has lifted.

Alina- I know you're in North too, am in Manchester with a cold East facing back garden. I've managed to keep some fuschia plants in pots over winters in the past. They were in a very cold greenhouse with a fleece cloche over them as well. In those days I didnt know the temperatures in there, but I now realise that at least -5C not unusual in there. I dont think I used to wrap the pots either in those days. Must admit to now tending to only grow hardy varieties, both in big pots & in the ground, but always take cuutings. J.

Fork Handles

Afternoon all.

This little notebook had a woobly, again, first thing. Must try & find the bumph as not yet 12mts old, just in case....

I too sometimes find the site v e r y slow, am with Firefox & XP, I think!

Have done a food shop to last up to w/end & got some petrol. Problem- had pulled up at 'pay at pump' one. OK inserted credit card & thing said was was accepted, filled up, but had removed card & could I get a receipt? Noway. Big q behind & at kiosk so made note of cost & drove away........am now quietly wondering all sorts...

Had coffee at next stop & came home. Wet out there, cold still, but no frost this morning. Will resist heating until later. Just add extra layers again & try & keep busy. J.

Fork Handles

As usual Remoska it was one of OH's impulse buys! But for once it has paid off. If you've got space, as not small overall, it's a good buy IMO.

The rice cooker- no. OH again, but although I agree that the rice was nice when done that way, it was no quicker nor easier than a pan on the hob & more fiddly to wash up! That's in the pile for charity shop- we have one locally that takes electrical things. His latest craze is cooking rice in the oven- not here, but at the little house he rents.

I did buy him a breadmaker for Christmas 01. Unfortunately he really wanted a small TV for his workshop & the box was a similar size. Ungrateful so n so! He took it back!

His eventual TV, that daughter & me got him one birthday, has also to be put to the charity shop pile as we just dont watch any tv when in bed, so no point in keeping. Along with the videos that could be played on it.

I need to get him to check out our old portable tv up there at the mo as am sure it's lost its' colour, & again cant remember when either of us actually used it. Also with the advent of small flat screens nowadays the size of them both is daft. That tv will end up at tip, once am sure it's bust! J.

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I wonder if we'll get any big displays around here tonight? The parks' was on saturday & some were last night, but the nearest 'I'm going to do exactly as I want' type neighbour hasnt been seen around for some months, so no idea if I shall get anything to sit & enjoy from the safety of inside. Oh something now.

Jean- the Remoska is a table-top electric 'oven' sold by Lakeland. It's actually a metal container on a stand & the heating element is the circumference of the lid. About 190C/gas5 I think, & very economical with electricity. Really good for reheating the odd ready meal- quiches, tarts etc. It does a good baked potato which has a crisp skin unlike microwaved ones. I've actually started to use it as a cooker more & more- the baked pears done last week were wonderful- I just adapt normal recipes. I've got a basic recipe book for it, but as we're veggie not all applies. The only problem are that it must not be touching anything whilst on or a fire risk, plus you have to be careful not to scald yourself with lid removal or from the vent. It's one of the few small appliances that does routinely live on a worktop & get used! J.

Fork Handles

Just am not motivated to do anything today. 

Washing back inside, now just tumbling it a bit. The breeze got up later on so not too bad after all.

I have rearranged the shelving slats in the cupboard to now give me 2 shelves & a half one right at top. Daughter had tried this morning but discovered that some of the cross battons/slats were too wide for the walls. Honestly, all those brains. All it needed was to study the battons to work out which ones looked a wee bit shorter & then use those..... OH may glue down in place in future but no immediate need, as have a couple of bits of spare material to drape over them so the gaps between wont be a problem. At least things cant now go down the back of the tank!! 2 odd socks & a tissue box when it was removed.

Potato baking in Remoska, shall stirfy something to go with it & have already eaten my pudding- treat for today. I still have 1 treat a day, otherwise eating sensibly would just go out of the window.

We're in for another cold night here, wonder when some of the tendr stuff will stop flowering? J.

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T'was me re the poo! I did wonder if hog still around, but we've had a couple of frosty nights so I just assumed it'd be tucked up already.

Keep being good to yourself BTW, sounds nasty. 1 of those bugs that'll take 7 days to go if you do nothing & a week if you regularly take all the remedies going.

Right, must go & do something today. J.

Fork Handles

I had trouble when I came on at first too, seems ok now.

Pause in the sort out proceedings to eat an apple & have a drink. Have also watered the houseplants, porch to do next. 1 penstemon cutting to dump, hope the parent survives. I'd already cut it back, to try & improve its' straggly tendency, before I went looking for cutting material & only had 1 bit I could use.

Well done Lottie! Am all for research etc. I did agree to one trial initially, but declined another as just wasnt convinced by it- too small an initial sample IMO, & daughter's who was with me that day. Yes, selfish, but it's my body, future health we were discussing!

BTW I now get bone scans- joy...... J.

Fork Handles

Just found out that daughter at work until midnight. So another disturbed night for me....

Have decided too cold for me to get stuck in outside today. By the time had well wrapped myself up would be going dark again. Will get a 'whole' day out there later in week. Makes more sense.

Going to start some sorting out re my 'new' airing cupboard. Paint is dry now. Looks very smart in there & there is some heat being produced from when boiler on 2x a day. It's the jumpers that will be a problem unless I can finish off the drying in there just as before. Daughter seems to have some/most that shouldnt be tumbled so having them on an airer for days is going to drive me mad.

OH decided to turn the hot water temperature down this morning. Daughter & me have turned it back up again! Not quite sure what temp it was set at, but it was rather too hot for me originally. I suppose trial & error until we get the hang of things. Think have got the hang of 'advance' on the heating now. Old system had +1hr which just got popped on for an hr if cold in the middle of the day. OH grumbling that new controller not as detailed as he expected!

Right, off to sort. J.

VIBURNUM TINUS 'EVE PRICE'

Any spraying I would think is best done in early Spring when the beetle is active. I've a large bush that sometimes gets attacked, others not. I personally dont spray, but do know that if have done any pruning in Spring the newer foliage is more prone to attack.

If the damaged leaves are unsightly to you, then you could remove if not too many yet. J.

Fork Handles

Hi Pam, if I make soup I use a pressure cooker & so just add the pearl barley without pre soaking/cooking since am using 1&1/2pints stock. That is fine for me, but if wasnt using a pressure cooker I may soak,  or pre cook it a bit, but depends on how much liquid you're using i'd think.

Have just spotted some 'poo' on patio. Bit late & cold for hog I would've thought, could be ratty of course after bird feed? Compost bin that we use for all the kitchen veg waste is still secure- ie no sign of holes around the base.

Trying to psyche myself up to do something this afternoon. Same every Monday, knackered, with OH leaving so early. Today I had to find him a watch as he's either lost/mislaid his normal one. All the 'spare' need new batteries of course- ooh, just reconed that the 'shoe repair' place next to photo shop will have new batteries, can try anyway when go up to collect OH's photos later in week.

Need honey toast now. Daughter off to work soon, so peace again. J.

Care & maintenance of elderly Bramley apple trees.

Suggestions for planting in a sunny, boggy site.