I forgot to mention wild garlic - ramsons; this is in season at the moment.
Yes, it was lovely, and, for such a lovely morning - okay, I was early - the market was surprisingly empty, or free of people.
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I forgot to mention wild garlic - ramsons; this is in season at the moment.
Yes, it was lovely, and, for such a lovely morning - okay, I was early - the market was surprisingly empty, or free of people.
No frost? It was quite frosty here first thing. Maybe that put people off?
Very, very cold, biting and bitter, but clear and sunny.
So, yes, there probably was frost earlier.
Re market shopping, I also managed to purchase ramsons - they are in season at the moment - that is, wild garlic (the leaves of garlic plants, within a few months, by early summer, the bulbs will have grown from these).
Wild garlic leaves and lamb's lettuce will make for a lovely salad.
Wild garlic leaves and lamb's lettuce will make for a lovely salad.
Had a good week. Annual Health check up shows bloods OK, apart from iron a little low. Blood Pressure was 123/66, heart rate OK, Liver Function normal, cholesterol 4.2 and glucose 4.5. Not lost any weight but overall am doing OK.
Went out for a lovely long walk this morning and although a little cold, spring is in the air. Back home I have prepared a chilli in the slow cooker for later. Now sat down with a coffee, The Sunday Times and an old Inspector Morse episode on. Later it's the Manchester derby and tonight a few drinks as on annual leave tomorrow. Feeling good!
Went out for a lovely long walk this morning and although a little cold, spring is in the air. Back home I have prepared a chilli in the slow cooker for later. Now sat down with a coffee, The Sunday Times and an old Inspector Morse episode on. Later it's the Manchester derby and tonight a few drinks as on annual leave tomorrow. Feeling good!
Enjoy your day off and the football. Can’t see anything other than a win for City though.
No, me neither. And I’m a United fan!
In inspector Morse Lewis just ordered 2 pints in a pub and the landlady said “£1.98 please” and Lewis looked at her as if to say “how much?!”
No, me neither. And I’m a United fan!
In inspector Morse Lewis just ordered 2 pints in a pub and the landlady said “£1.98 please” and Lewis looked at her as if to say “how much?!”
And I can remember when crisps were priced in a pre-decimal currency (yes, admittedly, still pennies.....)
lol. Well good start for Utd.No, me neither. And I’m a United fan!
In inspector Morse Lewis just ordered 2 pints in a pub and the landlady said “£1.98 please” and Lewis looked at her as if to say “how much?!”
I had a lovely lunch with some friends, a couple whom I've known for years plus a neighbor who also knows them -- it felt so weird to be in a restaurant again after all this time!!!! If I hadn't been vaccinated I probably would have said no to the invitation, but I felt that it would be a bit safer now, and I checked the restaurant's protocols for handling the COVID-19 sanitation/distancing/masking requirements, too, and all looked good. It was too chilly today to eat outdoors on the patio or under the tent they have set up in a section of the parking lot. Much more comfortable indoors!
My meal was delicious -- Grilled Tuna and Field Greens Salad.....Sesame crusted tuna drizzled with cilantro ginger sauce and served over field greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette, tomatoes, sundried cranberries, dates, pine nuts and garlic croutons. I brought the rest home in a box because it was a huge salad and I wanted to save room for dessert, which was a delightful bread pudding:
I didn't take a photo of the salad, although I should have done so, too, as it was beautifully plated. Normally I just don't take photos of my food but that bread pudding just cried out to be photographed so I pulled out the iPhone again.....
One thing which was really cool is that the restaurant puts a small card on the table with an OCR code and each of us was able to open the camera on our iPhones and focus properly on the OCR barcode and the link to the actual menu appeared. A finger to click the link and voila! Very neat idea! Then we could each peruse the menu on our own phones. No potentially germy menus handled by many, many people. I hope that this particular innovation remains even after things have gotten back to some semblance of what we used to think of as "normal." I was glad that I had reviewed the menu at home before going over there, anyway, though, so that I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, although I did change my mind from the original idea of crab cakes to the tuna / field greens salad.
We had a lovely time catching up with each others' news. I was surprised to find that I was the only one at the table who has already been vaccinated -- none of the others had yet, although the husband of the couple who was hosting the gathering had his appointment set for later today and would be getting his first dose. The wife hasn't had her appointment yet, but come to think of it she is just slightly younger than her husband and so missed out on being eligible under the current protocol set by the county health department, which is people 65 and older. She and the other woman both will be eligible once 1-C opens up for younger people. Both the husband and wife actually already had COVID-19 back in December, and the other woman at the table wasn't sure if she'd actually had it or not, but had been ill back in the early winter but didn't have a fever and so decided it wasn't COVID-19 and didn't get tested. I was just thankful that I have already been vaccinated when I heard all this!
The three other people at the table took off their masks and put them away promptly, which surprised me, as I have seen that the recommended protocol is that in a restaurant, diners should keep the mask on except when actually eating. Walking around the restaurant, going to the restroom, chatting at the table, when the waitstaff approaches the table -- masks are supposed to be on. Only when eating and drinking is it OK to have the mask off. Well..... I reminded myself that I HAVE been vaccinated and presumably am somewhat protected so I shouldn't get my knickers all in a twist over this, but I did keep my mask handy, just below my chin, for quick pulling-up into place as needed.
I had not realized how much I have missed socializing with other people, actually having a conversation and talking about interesting things beyond simply saying "thank you" to the cashier ringing up my purchases at the grocery store! We had a great visit and it was a lot of fun seeing them again. It was also really nice to see some different scenery beyond my own four walls and my deck and the lake. WOW, there's a whole world out there!!!!
My meal was delicious -- Grilled Tuna and Field Greens Salad.....Sesame crusted tuna drizzled with cilantro ginger sauce and served over field greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette, tomatoes, sundried cranberries, dates, pine nuts and garlic croutons. I brought the rest home in a box because it was a huge salad and I wanted to save room for dessert, which was a delightful bread pudding:
I didn't take a photo of the salad, although I should have done so, too, as it was beautifully plated. Normally I just don't take photos of my food but that bread pudding just cried out to be photographed so I pulled out the iPhone again.....
One thing which was really cool is that the restaurant puts a small card on the table with an OCR code and each of us was able to open the camera on our iPhones and focus properly on the OCR barcode and the link to the actual menu appeared. A finger to click the link and voila! Very neat idea! Then we could each peruse the menu on our own phones. No potentially germy menus handled by many, many people. I hope that this particular innovation remains even after things have gotten back to some semblance of what we used to think of as "normal." I was glad that I had reviewed the menu at home before going over there, anyway, though, so that I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, although I did change my mind from the original idea of crab cakes to the tuna / field greens salad.
We had a lovely time catching up with each others' news. I was surprised to find that I was the only one at the table who has already been vaccinated -- none of the others had yet, although the husband of the couple who was hosting the gathering had his appointment set for later today and would be getting his first dose. The wife hasn't had her appointment yet, but come to think of it she is just slightly younger than her husband and so missed out on being eligible under the current protocol set by the county health department, which is people 65 and older. She and the other woman both will be eligible once 1-C opens up for younger people. Both the husband and wife actually already had COVID-19 back in December, and the other woman at the table wasn't sure if she'd actually had it or not, but had been ill back in the early winter but didn't have a fever and so decided it wasn't COVID-19 and didn't get tested. I was just thankful that I have already been vaccinated when I heard all this!
The three other people at the table took off their masks and put them away promptly, which surprised me, as I have seen that the recommended protocol is that in a restaurant, diners should keep the mask on except when actually eating. Walking around the restaurant, going to the restroom, chatting at the table, when the waitstaff approaches the table -- masks are supposed to be on. Only when eating and drinking is it OK to have the mask off. Well..... I reminded myself that I HAVE been vaccinated and presumably am somewhat protected so I shouldn't get my knickers all in a twist over this, but I did keep my mask handy, just below my chin, for quick pulling-up into place as needed.
I had not realized how much I have missed socializing with other people, actually having a conversation and talking about interesting things beyond simply saying "thank you" to the cashier ringing up my purchases at the grocery store! We had a great visit and it was a lot of fun seeing them again. It was also really nice to see some different scenery beyond my own four walls and my deck and the lake. WOW, there's a whole world out there!!!!
Did I say how much I hate spoilers? Especially when someone deliberately posts them in response to an innocuous comment on a youtube video discussing an intense episode.
In other news it seems my work is picking up and we will be heading back to it this summer - also about to join an online conference from Vienna on the "Future of Europe" (another NGO I work with is partnered with the organizers) here if anyone is interested:
Future of Europe
In other news it seems my work is picking up and we will be heading back to it this summer - also about to join an online conference from Vienna on the "Future of Europe" (another NGO I work with is partnered with the organizers) here if anyone is interested:
Future of Europe
I had a lovely lunch with some friends, a couple whom I've known for years plus a neighbor who also knows them -- it felt so weird to be in a restaurant again after all this time!!!! If I hadn't been vaccinated I probably would have said no to the invitation, but I felt that it would be a bit safer now, and I checked the restaurant's protocols for handling the COVID-19 sanitation/distancing/masking requirements, too, and all looked good. It was too chilly today to eat outdoors on the patio or under the tent they have set up in a section of the parking lot. Much more comfortable indoors!
My meal was delicious -- Grilled Tuna and Field Greens Salad.....Sesame crusted tuna drizzled with cilantro ginger sauce and served over field greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette, tomatoes, sundried cranberries, dates, pine nuts and garlic croutons. I brought the rest home in a box because it was a huge salad and I wanted to save room for dessert, which was a delightful bread pudding:
I didn't take a photo of the salad, although I should have done so, too, as it was beautifully plated. Normally I just don't take photos of my food but that bread pudding just cried out to be photographed so I pulled out the iPhone again.....
One thing which was really cool is that the restaurant puts a small card on the table with an OCR code and each of us was able to open the camera on our iPhones and focus properly on the OCR barcode and the link to the actual menu appeared. A finger to click the link and voila! Very neat idea! Then we could each peruse the menu on our own phones. No potentially germy menus handled by many, many people. I hope that this particular innovation remains even after things have gotten back to some semblance of what we used to think of as "normal." I was glad that I had reviewed the menu at home before going over there, anyway, though, so that I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, although I did change my mind from the original idea of crab cakes to the tuna / field greens salad.
We had a lovely time catching up with each others' news. I was surprised to find that I was the only one at the table who has already been vaccinated -- none of the others had yet, although the husband of the couple who was hosting the gathering had his appointment set for later today and would be getting his first dose. The wife hasn't had her appointment yet, but come to think of it she is just slightly younger than her husband and so missed out on being eligible under the current protocol set by the county health department, which is people 65 and older. She and the other woman both will be eligible once 1-C opens up for younger people. Both the husband and wife actually already had COVID-19 back in December, and the other woman at the table wasn't sure if she'd actually had it or not, but had been ill back in the early winter but didn't have a fever and so decided it wasn't COVID-19 and didn't get tested. I was just thankful that I have already been vaccinated when I heard all this!
The three other people at the table took off their masks and put them away promptly, which surprised me, as I have seen that the recommended protocol is that in a restaurant, diners should keep the mask on except when actually eating. Walking around the restaurant, going to the restroom, chatting at the table, when the waitstaff approaches the table -- masks are supposed to be on. Only when eating and drinking is it OK to have the mask off. Well..... I reminded myself that I HAVE been vaccinated and presumably am somewhat protected so I shouldn't get my knickers all in a twist over this, but I did keep my mask handy, just below my chin, for quick pulling-up into place as needed.
I had not realized how much I have missed socializing with other people, actually having a conversation and talking about interesting things beyond simply saying "thank you" to the cashier ringing up my purchases at the grocery store! We had a great visit and it was a lot of fun seeing them again. It was also really nice to see some different scenery beyond my own four walls and my deck and the lake. WOW, there's a whole world out there!!!!
Terrific post.
The meal sounds delicious, and I'm glad that you thoroughly enjoyed it, while I am sure that you also thrilled to the congenial company.
Both brothers (with whom I have chatted at length over the past few days) agreed that even introverts - and we would all class ourselves as introverts - who have an unusualy high tolerance for our own company, are also suffering from a lack of (varied, or any) human contact.
We also agreed that - mentally, or psychologically - serious problems will be experienced by many people (and not only extroverts) when the immediate threat to public health posed by the virus recedes.
After all, it has been a year - not merely a matter of months - since we lived life as we knew it.
One of the first things we talked about yesterday when we were comfortably seated at the table was that it had been just about a year ago when we saw each other for the last time (although we'd emailed/texted over the year, of course) -- just at the time the whole lockdown thing was starting here in our area. The one woman and I both laughed at how awkward it felt to be standing in the parking lot rather than my offering the customary invitation to come on in to my condo, and how we struggled to keep that then-unfamiliar social distance thing going, and the funniest thing of all: me giving my friends some toilet paper as they had run out and of course at that time suddenly all the stores' shelves were totally wiped clean of it. Because it was March and coming at the end of winter, as has been my custom I had purchased extra TP over the winter months in case of inclement weather when I couldn't get out, so had some to spare.....and boy, that sure came in handy! My friends were greatly appreciative!
I definitely enjoyed being with them and having a real conversation again and about new and different things. As an introvert I am fine with my own company, but, yes, it really is nice to connect with other people in person, too, rather than just on the computer or via texts and emails!
I definitely enjoyed being with them and having a real conversation again and about new and different things. As an introvert I am fine with my own company, but, yes, it really is nice to connect with other people in person, too, rather than just on the computer or via texts and emails!
I’m looking forward to sitting in a pub with a friend or two and a Stella. Not that I do it very often, but you sure miss it when you can’t.
It's funny how I hadn't really missed it -- or thought I hadn't.....until I got the email from my friend inviting me to join her, her husband and our other friend for lunch. I responded so quickly that I truly had forgotten all about the pandemic, the social-distancing thing, the various restrictions and obviously subconsciously was hungry for a social connection! We had a good laugh over that, too, yesterday.
Because it was lunch rather than dinner and also since I was driving myself, I didn't have a beer, which I would have enjoyed, but rather iced tea with the meal and then coffee with dessert. Two of the others had a cocktail, though. I laughed and said, "hey, I've got a new car, I don't want to smack it up because I drank a beer!" LOL!
Actually, I have made it a rule that I don't drink anything alcoholic when I'm driving myself somewhere unless there will be a substantial period of time after the meal before I get back into the car -- say, if at a mall and doing some browsing and shopping or going to a movie after having enjoyed a beer with my meal. When with someone else who is driving I am always happy to then be able to relax and indulge in a beer.
Something else which surprised me yesterday was that the friends, all unvaccinated, have still been traveling and doing pretty much as they always had done. The couple has made a few trips to Georgia to see her family and also to look around for their next home, and they have now purchased property and a house is being built on St Simon's Island, into which they will move next August or September. They're excited about that, of course. The woman who is my neighbor also hasn't been staying around home much, either -- she and a friend went on a weekend road trip to Charlottesville, VA, last weekend and stayed at a famous, elegant inn there as well as also one night at a B&B, too. She hasn't been vaccinated and I thought, "WTH is she DOING?" But not my business to pass judgement on her and how she is handling her life. All of these people, as can be guessed, are extroverts and the whole pandemic thing has been hard for them. As I said in my other post I am just relieved that I already had the first dose of vaccination under my belt when I heard all of this yesterday! I'll be even happier when I get that second dose this Wednesday, too.....
Because it was lunch rather than dinner and also since I was driving myself, I didn't have a beer, which I would have enjoyed, but rather iced tea with the meal and then coffee with dessert. Two of the others had a cocktail, though. I laughed and said, "hey, I've got a new car, I don't want to smack it up because I drank a beer!" LOL!
Actually, I have made it a rule that I don't drink anything alcoholic when I'm driving myself somewhere unless there will be a substantial period of time after the meal before I get back into the car -- say, if at a mall and doing some browsing and shopping or going to a movie after having enjoyed a beer with my meal. When with someone else who is driving I am always happy to then be able to relax and indulge in a beer.
Something else which surprised me yesterday was that the friends, all unvaccinated, have still been traveling and doing pretty much as they always had done. The couple has made a few trips to Georgia to see her family and also to look around for their next home, and they have now purchased property and a house is being built on St Simon's Island, into which they will move next August or September. They're excited about that, of course. The woman who is my neighbor also hasn't been staying around home much, either -- she and a friend went on a weekend road trip to Charlottesville, VA, last weekend and stayed at a famous, elegant inn there as well as also one night at a B&B, too. She hasn't been vaccinated and I thought, "WTH is she DOING?" But not my business to pass judgement on her and how she is handling her life. All of these people, as can be guessed, are extroverts and the whole pandemic thing has been hard for them. As I said in my other post I am just relieved that I already had the first dose of vaccination under my belt when I heard all of this yesterday! I'll be even happier when I get that second dose this Wednesday, too.....
Mothers Day. I wish the wouldn’t put on wall to wall adverts for it all week. I cringe if I’m watching the TV with Mrs AFB. At least most of our viewing these days is streaming.
In the US we don't have Mother's Day until May and Father's Day in June; I manage to avoid most of the adverts around those because I watch so little television.
Snakes.
This handsome specimen, which appears to be a young Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), is about two feet long, and is the first snake of any kind that I've seen this year. This species can reach six feet in length when fully grown.
Harmless, btw.
This handsome specimen, which appears to be a young Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), is about two feet long, and is the first snake of any kind that I've seen this year. This species can reach six feet in length when fully grown.
Harmless, btw.
@Clix Pix gish that bread pudding looks insanely good. Glad you had a good time with your friends.
We had a hot potato dropped in our lap this week, and it’s caused mom to get upset which is the last thing she needs. I am striving to keep us positive (though I need to stay calm when I suggest to mom to snap out of it and not snap.)
Lately, we have had many visits from beautiful Mr. Cardinal: I saw and heard him twice this week, including this morning. Such a pretty bird with a great song. Only hearing the Blue Jays lately (they hate these dogs too.)
Off to the dentist this morning (Am sure it’s minor). Will not miss the dog noise and pot smoking. Anyway, hope everyone here is okay.
We had a hot potato dropped in our lap this week, and it’s caused mom to get upset which is the last thing she needs. I am striving to keep us positive (though I need to stay calm when I suggest to mom to snap out of it and not snap.)
Lately, we have had many visits from beautiful Mr. Cardinal: I saw and heard him twice this week, including this morning. Such a pretty bird with a great song. Only hearing the Blue Jays lately (they hate these dogs too.)
Off to the dentist this morning (Am sure it’s minor). Will not miss the dog noise and pot smoking. Anyway, hope everyone here is okay.
5am and walking our schnauzer at the local park, and about 15 minutes in to the walk we come out of the stand of fir trees and I have a clear view of the still dark morning sky. as the dog is doing his morning constitutional I glance up and spot the Big Dipper and then I notice what I assume is a meteor(?) traveling south southwest to the north northeast. it appears to be traveling at a steady speed, the light it emits is a dull white, and to put in to perspective it's size, to the naked eye (yes, my eye is a nudist..lol) the stars would be this size . and the meteor(?) would be about this size __ and I stood there and watched it for about 20 seconds till it was out of sight. after returning to the house I have been watching the morning news, but nothing has been reported about what I saw. curious as to what it might have been?
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