April Fools' Day

The cold weather has kept us indoors, oh how I long to tidy up the garden but it must wait until the wind drops and temperatures creep up a little.

Of course we haven't been in all the time since my last ramblings, last Monday was special,  we ventured to town for Ian's birthday lunch at Simpson's in the Strand. We like presents like that, experiences rather than dust collectors. The lunch lasted about three hours before we grabbed a taxi to Tate Modern for the Lichtenstein retrospective.

Simpson's was fascinating, it was some time since I was there, this time we were downstairs, not in one of the famous chess booths - rather enormous for the two of us - but at the back near the magnificent fireplace so I could people watch. One of my (many) idiosyncrasies is that I like to be at the edge of a room, especially when the room or venue is large, so I don't have people behind me but so I'm on the periphery and it was so at Simpson's.

Whilst viewing the other diners I as surprised how dress standards have changed. There were quite a few wearing jeans, not even with smart tops, one diner looked dressed for light gardening, there were shorts worn, fortunately with thick tights under given the bitterly cold weather but a very scruffy top. To balance, there was one table of city gent types, all in suits and ties, bar one open neck shirt. I'm very old fashioned but I still consider one should dress to reflect the environment but this does make me worry at times when I think I'm not correctly attired.

Many years ago a friend took me to the smart London restaurants, like Café Royal, Simpsons, Stone's Chop House and my Mother, bless her, insisted that I bought some smart outfits so I would feel comfortable and at home in these august surroundings and so I would not let my friend down.

To continue the foody theme, for the first time I have made a Simnel cake, here it is browning the marzipan under the grill,

then the finished cake. Having tasted it a few minutes ago I am mighty pleased, although I think perhaps a few minutes less cooking would have been fine as it is slightly dark under the marzipan but it is not dry.

Not evenly browned, but still tasted fine so if any of my readers are nearby we can offer cake made by me, bread pudding and bread made by Ian. Sorry, all the hot cross buns Ian made have been eaten!

Murky Monday

It's a stay indoors day today, very strong, cold wind as well as low temperatures and snow showers so I won't venture out even though I feel quite well. One small change has made such a difference, I've started taking prescribed anti-histamine tablets again. The label says "Take as required" , last week we had a smidgen of warmth for one day so I thought ooh Spring and blossom so put the tablets back on the to take list.

I have hardly been in the garden, yes we do have blossom on our apricot tree, but haven't been out there much so I suspect there must be unknown substances to which I'm allergic so yeah to anti-histamines that work.

Photo taken from upstairs window hence the odd perspective.

Yesterday evening was thinking that life doesn't come with a manual. Don't mean life in a spiritual or moral context but in the practical world there seems so much that cannot be taught. Let me give an example, so much equipment comes with symbols rather than words today, our phones, kitchen equipment, TVs and we are assumed to know. When was 'on' and 'off' replaced with a circle with a vertical line? Who decides which colours on the TV handset relate to which function and why do some people know this instinctively and others have to find the missing manual. If there is one, often we should know how stuff works.

Its not just machinery, there are those folk who seemed with an ability and an awareness to see what has to be done in any situation. No jumping in with two left feet for these angels. I remember as a teenager I heard other girls talking about going to Eel Pie Island, to the Craw Daddy Club whilst I was still going to Guides and the Church Youth Club, but even that far back there was an awareness within me that I didn't know the process. How did the confident, mature 'set' know and have the 'right' clothes and hair styles. How did they know what were the 'right ' clothes anyway? I didn't.

Yes, clothes. Another quagmire and source of worry that doesn't end. Whether it is at the gym, on the stand at Olympia, even out with the walking group there are those people who instinctively look great and confident. Doesn't help when told that my trousers are not the right type for walking. Felt hurt, not denim, but  jeans styling (practical with all those pockets) and are navy blue.

Am going to leave it there, Ian has made a pot of tea (no teabags here) so will publish this after wondering how some one knew to write the early blogs. I see them as a cross between logging events which was done in the PR department in which I worked in another life, a journal, a diary and a chat with friends.

Dear Reader, I finished it.

So chuffed, the Forest Canopy shawl is finished, was worn yesterday when Ian and I drove to Sussex to see our lovely daughter. She cooked the most amazing lunch, stuffed lamb with veggies and then Eve's pudding. Much discussion about the recipe, different from the version my Mother made and we were taught at school in Domestic Science, Martha's had lemon in it. It gave a bite to the apples and mixture so when I make this I will be adding lemon too.

We even saw the sea, refreshing to have a change of scenery and surroundings, even better sunshine and awe inspiring sunset viewed from her flat. Should 'flat' be changed to 'apartment' these days? What is the difference?

Must get on, it is a lovely sunny Monday morning and domesticity calls, Ian has gone to the dentist, plus he is behind with his studying after a day out to play.

Just musings

Well I've been asked why I don't post more often. Partly time and inclination, partly because obviously there are subjects, opinions, projects,  about which I will not blog. Also, as I found when I attempted to post for 31 days on one subject the reading matter became boring to write and to read.

Can tell you about our theatre visit on Tuesday, we went to the Rose Theatre in Kingston, kind of package deal where one ate a three course meal from a limited menu in Carluccio's and attended a performance afterwards. Worked well, saw The Vortex, amazed that Noel Coward was aged 23 when this was written for it shows an understanding of human nature, if slightly exaggerated. The Rose Theatre seating is unusual, some seats are double bench style, no armrests, plenty of leg room. 

As I have used a template sometimes, will do so now I think and integrate it with some jottings I made in a shorthand notebook. It may have even been the notebook given as part of a package from a course or a conference. Am thinking it may have been from the Society of Indexers 2001 Sheffield conference.

I am wearing ...   Burgundy cord trousers, burgundy Joules cardigan, cream Thomas Pink shirt, pink Rivulet cowl (knitted by me). One of my notes was about clothes and the cold weather, modern fabrics don't have the weight in them so there is much layering up. I have a warm duvet style coat bought in Italy many years ago, in a warm winter it languishes in the wardrobe, it's windproof so been worn these past few weeks. Am just longing to wear different lighter clothes for a change.

I am reading -  well will be, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mandel, handed out at the reading group meeting last Monday.

I am creating ... the Forest canopy shawl, so pleased I have reached the border.

Next hurdle will be to block this so it will be bigger and show the pattern detail.

I am listening ...  to Ian chatting and laughing on the phone to our son.

I am watching ...  well watched last night a programme about the Sea King helicopter,  another about part time employment an episode of The Planners. Unusual for me to watch so much, perhaps more listening than watching as I was knitting the shawl too.

On the menu ... nothing planned, perhaps will use the new food processor. We went to Lakeland to buy a mincer and came away with a processor, it didn't cost much more and does so much more. We had given our old mincer to daughter-in-law and our processor to daughter. New one is good, chopped onion and mushrooms to make a quiche, one of Delia's recipes from Book 1 of her original 3 volume work.

On the calendar ...  cat sitting for friend this weekend. 

Well, the other jottings will wait for another time, perhaps when that's about all I can write.

Two days at Olympia

As I have been telling you all, the Who do you think you are show? was at Olympia this weekend, I trotted along as an Exhibitor. Sounds very grand, benefits being the Exhibitors' entrance is nearer to the station than the main entrance and there is a roped off area for eating lunch. On Friday I found I had gone to the wrong hall - the entrances are side by side - would a wedding exhibition have provided more laughs? We are talking bridezilla and meringue dresses here, one day of froth for one hopes a life time of married bliss.

Looking at the above I have used a capital E for Exhibitors as looks right and makes it sound important. Given the number of people with Exhibitor badges many must have been handed out. Anyway, yesterday  remembered the camera, with its new battery so here's a peep at the stand. There were two of us volunteers,  with the Heritage Manager and yesterday we were joined by the Archivist. Quite pleased to have been asked to help, there are a large number of volunteers working in Local Studies, although I'm not sure who else besides us two were librarians in a previous life.

Quite a few visitors to our stand were local people, many of whom didn't know about this treasure trove on their doorstep, nor did they know about the Building our Borough exhibition that closed recently. It is my understanding that some of the plans will be exhibited in the local libraries but of course it will be just those relating to the vicinity rather than the whole borough.

The free booklet that accompanied the exhibition, we gave them away on the stand as the website address is there so researchers can find out more online.

After lunch took some pictures of the scene from the balcony, after downloading I was struck by the beauty of the building which I assume may have been built in the 1930s judging by the interior of the adjacent car park. Not sure about the shocking Schiaparelli pink carpet, perhaps it was meant for the wedding show.

As our stand, number 36, was under the balcony it was not possible to picture it from above, however this gives an idea of the venue and the crowds. There were plenty of workshops but I hadn't planned to use the occasion for my own family research but to be available on the stand. However, has made me realise that I need to record information and organise paperwork even if I didn't buy any fancy folders and inserts.

An enjoyable if very tiring couple of days, missed seeing England win but a great result.

Soufflé

Today as a change from meat and fish I decided to make a soufflé,  it is one of my signature dishes. Very boring I know but I use the same recipe each time from a British Egg Information Service booklet. Not sure how old this book is, the address has no postcode and the phone number is Gerrard 9200 so probably 1960s.  One is reminded to buy eggs stamped with the little lion. "Then you know before you crack them that they're going to be fine and fresh and perfect". 

The recipes are all in imperial measures, although I suppose "a dash of pepper or cayenne" could be construed as metric as well, the style is chatty and for me the soufflé recipe has proved foolproof.

Whilst preparing the ingredients I listened to a programme on iPlayer, mothers were mentioned and thus I was reminded that I used to cook a cheese soufflé for a light lunch when my mother came to my home, sometimes with my Godmother who was her friend from school days. Fascinating how food can bring back happy memories.

I am pleased to say the recipe worked well today, very filling but I suspect the quantities are meant for more than the two of us.

Goodbye Mustardland

Just a word to say that I feel saddened by yesterday's news that the BBC is closing the Archers Messageboard down. It has been much more than just The Archers, it has become a means of help, fellowship, advice, amusement, friendship to many.

My memory goes back to about the year 2000, the background was blue then and my daughter, known as Groovy Pixie, introduced me to this lovely new world where people rarely used their real names, were often more open about problems, worries, doubts than they would be in real life. One of the boards, The Village Hall, was a support service for everything from health, addiction, family problems to cats, whereas The Bull was more lighthearted, one could find views on Remoskas, the right way round to hang loo rolls, Marmite, whether napkins or serviettes along with consumer and car advice. There has been romance, marriages between people who would not have met without ML.

The random acts of kindness of comparative strangers, known only by their posting names is legendary, one was helped to be by the bedside of a dying parent by relative strangers; a cat was transported from the northern regions of our land to East Anglia. Some one volunteered to drive the new owner to meet the cat and its staff way up north at a service station where the handover was made. We found a recommendation for a MOT garage for daughter from someone in Mustardland. The sadness of death of posters have met with help of all kinds, I do wonder how many other people have marigolds in their garden in memory of someone called Marigold who they would never meet in real life?

Meets were organised, my first was in Kew Gardens, the unintended consequences  of which was that Ian and I became Friends of Kew. At that meet, I met a Mum who lives two roads from me, I used to see her taking her son to school some thirty years ago, we discovered she is a friend of a former colleague, another poster at one time which is how I learnt that the company from whom I had been made redundant was being gobbled up by a big international.

A central London meet was organised, on a Saturday in February one may see a crowd of people meeting at noon on the Wobbly Bridge before ambling to Tate Modern or in some years, the Royal Festival Hall, to eat cake, chat and maybe view the art work before scattering to either the Anchor or other watering and eating establishments. One couple come from Flyover country for the meet, just spending a few days in London for this event.

Of course there is a board to Discuss the Archers, given the dire and unbelievable story lines maybe the Beeb cannot take the criticism any more but new unmoderated sites are being established so PixieMum may go there. I may even choose a new moniker, but I like being Groovy Pixie's Mum.