Fungus (by sarah)

Look what we have groing on a tree along the drive way - I think it is actually a space ship of some strange alien race! Wonder if its edible? Actually maybe it is the the alien - look its a mouth - it even has a tongue! I hope its not damaging the poor tree especially as I think its one of the fruit trees! It now has sinister black fringing which I assume are the spores.

Maths Chocolate (by sarah)

Since having done the first module of A'level maths I have been somewhat infatuated with Maths I also love chocolate so can you imagine my delight when over my cup of tea in Moo Moos I look at the complimentary choc to discover it is covered in trig!

I was so excited I bought two for Al 🙂

They also sell tool chocolates which he might appreciate even if he doesnt like chocolate 🙂

eeek!!! (by sarah)

Ok I am about to deluge the blog with posts after what may have appeared a barren period - this is becuase I have not been blogging due to having to much stuff happen rather than having nothing to blog about!

Ok you have been warned!

Important Lessons (by sarah)

Well I have been making preserves again 🙂

The important lessons I have learnt are - do not fill my my preserving pan up with more than 9 pints of strained juice - I put 12 in thinking it would be ok not realising exactly how much space the sugar would take up!

Lesson No. 2 - always scaled the jelly straining bag - I am actually using a wine sieving bag but hey same prinicple. I couldnt work out why the first lot I strained went through brilliently whilst the second lot is still straining! Drip, drip... and drip again it goes. This is becuase the first lot I poured boiling water through to steralise it in a fit of hygien paranoia where as the second lot ent into a cold damp bag. I have since found out about 'scalding' jelly straining bags/seives - this is where you pour boiling water onto the bag inorder to allow the fluid to drain through it rather than being absorbed by the bag which then acts as a sort of seal for the liquid left in the bag.

Lesson No. 3 - make sure that when dealing with fermentation buckets full of juice for jam making or preserving pans or anything else - do it, especially any pouring - over a plastic matt.

Lesson N0. 4 - make sure that when Al is helping you pour hot liquids that he is wearing shoes! It saves on moaning!

Lesson No. 5 - no matter how many jars you think you need - it will not be enough - so double the number!!!

Lesson No. 6 - recipy books have a strange idea of temperature convertions! 220 F apparently equals 110 C - yeah right on whos scale? Not that this actually matters but it just annoyed me - I am aweare its the same magnitute but still!

Lesson No. 7 - make sure that there are enough tea towles clean.

Teapot Tragedy (by sarah)

I am sad - I broke a teapot - it was clean - so double tragedy 🙁

My own fault I cant reach up to the teapot shelf and I was too dizzy to risk climbing on the chair - so I put it on a low table to await Al - then I knocked over my maglite as I walked away - it came down on the teapot and both ended on the floor with a sound as tinkle shatter :'(

I love my teapots - yes sad I know but I collect them - fortunatly this was not one of the 'special' ones i.e. not one of the ones my nans gave me and not the house, rabbit or cat shaped ones, nore our snuggling geeses one.

I am still sad though - it was handy for my morning mint tea I have to stop me feeling sick. Sigh sigh sigh 🙁