Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

You're allowed to keep that box MH, it's an heirloom

Motion seconded. That's not a box for disposing of, MH.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
The temp has taken a tumble, it's just 13 degs this morning.
Laundry is out and drying.
Visiting the cemetary as it's my fathers birthday,
After that I will go and pick some blackberries.
Have a good day all.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Mr Snoop asked me to check the weather forecast today. First time in absolutely ages, but there was an autumny look to the early morning sun. Still very hot and a low of 26 ºC tonight. But then, from Saturday, hallelujah, temperatures will start to plummet. Overnight lows of 12 ºC early next week and highs of mid-20s. Might even be drizzle at the weekend, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Rather odd breakfast today. The gas fridge-freezer ran out of bottled gas again. Rest of the bag of now barely frozen chips (fortunately nearly all gone, honest) followed by yogurt with definitely thawed soft fruit.

Mucho worko on the cards again, but never mind. If I get it all out the way and the weather really does cool down, I've promised Mr Snoop I'll try my hand at Danish pastries.

Good luck at the hospital and on the roads, rary. Nice to see you back, Sim, but sorry to hear reason why you've not been around. Hope you're fully recovered now.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Nicos]

You're allowed to keep that box MH, it's an heirloom

I have a small writing box my father made as a young teenager. Seeing he was born in 1922 it’s not far off 100years old! It’s no use at all, but MH, I can totally understand why you’d want to keep it!

[greenishfing]

Afternoon all.

MH, I'm sure you can find a "use" for your box. For years I kept an ancient RAC first aid box of my dad's in the glove compartment of my car. It became pretty useless as all the plasters had lost their stickiness and bits and pieces had been used up. It ended up in a shed at the allotment eventually and rusted even more but I still keep it. I did buy a brand new modern first aid kit. Over time, and Mr GF's accidents, that is pretty depleted now. I really ought to buy another.

Oh Snoop, the joys of a gas fridge freezer. Do you still have to clean out the flue on them regularly?

I've eventually got the banana loaves in the oven and the smell is delightful.

Nicos I too have awful memories of Tupperware milk and Tupperware orange squash.

Hopefully I'm going to go blackberry picking tomorrow to make bramble jelly.

[Snoop Puss]

Oh Snoop, the joys of a gas fridge freezer. Do you still have to clean out the flue on them regularly?

Yes. Fortunately Mr Snoop has taken that on as one of his many duties.

We moved it this summer for greater convenience, as it's much closer now to the kitchen. But in its new position, the flame isn't visible, so it's all too easy for the gas to run out and for us not to notice. We keep an eye on the date we expect it to run out, but because of the heat, we think, it's running out sooner than expected. Me, I'd be in favour of getting rid of it (we have a very efficient small electric fridge that is free to run off the solar set-up), but it is true that it's very nice to have space for lots of cold drinks.

[greenishfing]

Yes. Fortunately Mr Snoop has taken that on as one of his many duties.

We moved it this summer for greater convenience, as it's much closer now to the kitchen. But in its new position, the flame isn't visible, so it's all too easy for the gas to run out and for us not to notice. We keep an eye on the date we expect it to run out, but because of the heat, we think, it's running out sooner than expected. Me, I'd be in favour of getting rid of it (we have a very efficient small electric fridge that is free to run off the solar set-up), but it is true that it's very nice to have space for lots of cold drinks.

I never gave mine a chance to run out as when a bottle on anything else ran out, such as a cooker I used to put the full bottle on the fridge and move the part one to the cooker or whatever else. I will never forget that my first ever 'phone conversation completely in quite probably appalling Spanish (I've never had a Spanish lesson) was to a gas fridge repairer......and Yes I got the fridge repaired.

[Snoop Puss]

That wouldn't work for us, greenishfing. Our gas fridge gets through a bottle roughly every 23 days (in line with experience of friends who also have gas fridges). The cookers can both go for months on end on one bottle.

As for repairs, so far Mr Snoop has managed to cobble together whatever bits we might need. Fingers crossed that continues.

[Bren In Pots]

Evening, I’ve not had much experience with bottled gas we us it for the trailer tent cooker, fridge and a heater we use if it gets really cold.
I fancied replacing our electric cooker at home with gas but that would have to run of bottled so that’s something to think about.
I’ve got a couple of Tupperware items left does anyone remember the Yorkshire pudding mixer and supposedly rice cooker both have always been other things. Drinks never did taste right did they.

[bramble]

Ic remember we had The Party Susan that was used to put out snacks
I still have some small storage boxes and a round one which I use for storing sugar.
My Tupperware rolling pin was my best buy and I still use it.

[Nicos]

Our 5 burner hob is bottled gas. I got so fed up of it running out and having to change it that when I designed our new kitchen I made a storage shelf which holds two cylinders next to each other- both connected - so when the first one ran out I would close it off and open up the valve on the second one. So much easier than having to fetch the spare one from the barn and replace it , usually whilst in the middle of cooking something ( often mid jam or chutney session)
Is there room to have a second one connected in the same way Snoop?

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Another busy day ahead. It’s just dawned on me that it’s Bank Holiday over there this weekend isn’t it? Hope you have nice weather for it!
It’s deffo cooler here today thank goodness. How are you getting on Snoop? Thank goodness we have stone houses - I presume you have shutters too?
We have local friends who live in modern bungalows and their homes get ridiculously hot inside. You would have thought they would be better insulated here wouldn’t you?…No doubt the extra building cost has something to do with that. Having said that, I’ve been noticing that some homes are being clad with wood on the outside with a thick layer of insulation behind it. Looks quite pretty and rustic. A good way of insulating without reducing the size of your room.

Lots to do so I best get a wiggle on…
have a great day peeps!

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Nicos a friend lives in a stone cottage a few doors down and her house is always cooler than ours, we make due with closing the curtains on the south side, luckily we don't get the temperature extremes you and Snoop get. Not sure how you cope.

Bramble did any of your Tupperware go sticky? I've had a couple of that got relegated to the shed.

Gardening and shopping this morning then we've got a thunderstorm predicted after lunch.

Enjoy your day.

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

It's a sunny one but rain is forecast for this afternoon. As I made the banana loaves yesterday I think I'll deliver two of them this morning, one to my brother in law and the other to Mr GF's old friend. They both live less than a mile away.

The hairdresser came yesterday, so I feel decidedly light headed now and Mr GF won't be able to complain about his hair getting caught in his hearing aids. It was turning into an Einstein-like curlyish mop.

Hopeful I'll pick some blackberries today and if I do I've promised some to my friend who runs the MOT centre along with all my old newspapers. I usually take him the newspapers every couple of weeks. He does all the crosswords in them and then uses them for bedding for some of his weird pets or so I believe.

Actually blackberry picking might be delayed and I might have to run and grab my washing as the sky is suddenly getting very dark!

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Bren, NIcos's double gas bottle trick is a good one. We're proposing to do the same eventually. Kitchen still to be sorted, so lots of things not in place yet. The gas fridge is very power hungry, but our other gas appliances are miserly. I reckon between the gas hob and gas oven, we use at most 40 euros' worth of gas during the late spring, summer and early autumn (rest of the year, the woodburning range takes the strain). And that's with me doing a lot of baking. I had a look at inverter fridges yesterday to replace the gas fridge. I reckon I can talk Mr Snoop into buying one in the January sales. It's not just the cost of the gas but also the hassle of handling the bottles. I'm sure he'd be glad not to have to heave-ho them in and out of the car when we need replacements (no home delivery out in the sticks).

Really hot and still night last night. My basement hideaway has started the day at 24 ºC when normally it would be 21 even after all the hot weather we've been having. Our friend up the valley is struggling. HIs downstairs room is 30 ºC, upstairs where he sleeps is even worse. I don't think I could cope with that. We don't have shutters, NIcos, but we have next to no windows and those we do have are quite small with an overhanging eave.

Your mention of your rolling pin, bramble, has reminded me: how are you getting on with your steel rolling pin, mothhawk?

Absolutely masses to do today, so better shake a leg, in fact both legs there's so much.

Have a great day, everyone.