Chatback #12

[JanieB]

Right, I'm doing catchup.

The answer was no.

I went to an auction yesterday, to buy a dinner service. It's bone china, a very good pottery and a rare pattern. Est price £20-£50. Now I've been collecting and dealing in ceramics for a long time. This time of the year is always a bit slack so I thought I might be lucky and get it for about £100. I paid £18 including buyers premium and VAT.

There are 98 pieces. 8 piece 10 place settings, meat platters, lidded tureens etc. The only damage is a slight chip on the sugar bowl.

I actually bought it for myself but it's worth a hell of a lot more than I paid so I'm very, very tempted to cash it in.

Oh, and myself and the friend I took with me to the auction started our diets yesterday and we had to sit and smell bacon sarnies, and watch them being eaten.

Today I've had a new rear reg plate made for my car, walked one of the dogs. The other decided to spend the day in his mancave (under my bed). Sorted out my son's bosses V5. Sent back a top I ordered online but received the wrong one.

Time for bed. Nightsy night.

[Florence Fennel]

Morning looks like it's just thee and me Nicos! Have a good day when you're all up

[noviceveggrower]

Morning. No there are three of us I think this morning so far Flo. I have been awake since 4am and up by 5am.
Kettle is on if anyone wants a brew
Went out with the kids yesterday so might be able to potter in the garden today. Last night my back was very sore, think its the slabs come back to haunt me, but I managed to do all the watering outside. After that I took some pain killers and headed off to bed. Still aches a bit today but I am up and moving about quite a bit.
Have a good day everyone

[Nicos]

Mornin Flo n'all!

We have rain! ...at long last
It started to spit as we walked home last night after a lovely bit of nosh n'natter in our friend's garden.

We had this for starters (but Merry Berry's version)
http://www.heavenlyfoods.org/Recipe/...eMintSoup.aspx
Best cold soup I have ever eaten( make double quantities...it's utterly devine!)


Been lightly raining all night...you can hear the plants' utter relief!

Lots of muddy paw prints on the bed though!

Must say we were starting to get a bit worried about the 3 Himalayan birch saplings we planted out in the Spring...

Ironing and sewing mostly for me today...and a bit of yanking out of weeds from the damp soil whilst it's much easier to do.

Have a great day peeps...not long til weeken

[Nicos]

Mornin NG...I thought I'd heard gentle clattering in the kitchen!
Hope your back settles soon....horrid isn't it?

It's times like that that the song comes to mind of...'your backbone's connected to your thigh bone'.... Cue BB to find the video of it....

[Dorothy rouse]

Morning everyone, I've also been awake for hours. Bit of a pain al this sleeping lark, isn't it.

Just checked my emails, and of course lots of DD are now not working, cos of my cards being stolen last week! I'd forgotten about that! What a PAIN!

[Small pumpkin]

Morning all
It's the other half's birthday today 50. So we are going fishing


Nicos that recipe is getting tried very soon, It sounds lovely. And I picked a bucket of Apples yesterday.

[Nannysally99]

I'm up.
Shared my bed with the GG, which means a 75/25 split.
Daughter came out if hospital eventually, trouble getting her blood pressure was the delay, phew!
Not so bright here, but no rain expected till tomorrow.
Work this morning for a bit of piece, so have a lovely day everyone

[SusieG]

Morning All
Cloudy and warm ....... waiting for the rain and forecast gales to arrive .......
Glad daughter ok NS .... they're always a worry, however old they are ..........
Many Happies to OH, SP .... enjoy fishing.......
And to all those early-birds - hope you manage to get a bit of rest later .....!!!!

Have a thumpin' Thursday.....!!!

[susieq100]

Morning all - overcast but still pleasant here. No rain until tomorrow apparently. Lord, my beans need the rain! Made a batch of piccalilli yesterday and a batch of runner bean chutney, but there will not be much more of the latter if we don't get some wet stuff! Action packed day today - hairdresser and dentist. Then pub this evening - that's a 'reward' for going to the dentist. Got to have some reassuringly expensive treatment. Eeek! But, it's got to be done.

Lovely day out on Monday with sister and granddaughter at Trentham Gardens. If you have not been, it is stunningly lovely. We had a super time and they are very 'jacked up' for children too. If you take a picnic it's not overly expensive either.

Have a good day, however you are spending it - fishing, celebrating, sorting out bureaucratic stuff

[Bigmallly]

Morning Girls from a pleasantly mild Nestland, Not sure what's in store today, I guess that's the beauty of retirement, you don't have to plan your days. Take it easy with those achy backs. Happy Birthday Bob, tight lines:

[ConfusedRhubarb]

Hello everyone - I've been looking for somewhere to share this recipe - Gooseberry Clafoutis Gooseberry Clafoutis - RTÉ Lifestyle
It is much more attractive than that photo though, beautiful really with red goosegogs.

Made it last night - deee-lish-ous. Minor adjustments to recipe - 1. I didn't pre cook gooseberries as mine (dessert red) were super ripe and defrosted so already pretty soft - did leave them mixed with the sugar for a bit and drain off juice before using though (gin cocktail tonight!). 2. Why wash up an electric whisk! Fork + flour + gradually adding milk before other ingredients was hardly a chore. 3. Don't bother being careful about putting berries on top of batter - they rise to the top. 4. Conversely, don't bother sprinkling the sugar on top either, perhaps at least not until a little way through cooking, it just sinks into the batter. 5. This rises amazingly when it's ready, but I chose a dish which was too shallow to accommodate, so the edge gooseberries were rudely ejected and ended up on the oven floor!

[Scarlet]

Morning all!

Results day for the boys AS Maths....they've gone camping and will receive the result by email. I wonder if they'll bother to call me?
Happy Birthday Mr SP! Hope you have a good day fishing SP
I'm on a spring clean today..this house is full of cobwebs and I can't put it off any longer

[Scarlet]

Confused Rhubarb...we have place for recipes...I'll find you a link!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra.../season-taste/
Start yourself a thread on goosegogs!

[Tripmeup]

Morning all..

You natter Nicos; can't imagine it
That soup sounds nice....duly bookmarked!

We are getting the non natural stone parts of our house painted for the first time with today being start day...Such a pain (and worry) picking colours; afraid we pick wrong ones and ruin the look of our (to us) beautiful home