Thursday, 29 August 2013

We shall see !

Anybody want some courgettes?

We knew we may have problems, but planted courgettes from seed late, along with plants for something called turks turban!!
The turks turban, is a squash it may have some taste.
Before we headed up to the Scottish mists, there were signs that they were being eaten before they had even set, the slugs love them. The courgettes they were leaving alone.
The flowers are also attracting some bloody great bees, so we were loath to give them up as a bad job and pull them out.
On return from the mists, whilst hunting for the courgettes, I found a whole untouched turban, looked up the recipes and decided... decoration may well be the answer!
So the problems expected?
A surfeit of the small marrow, and indeed we have, so I have to think what to do with the damn things. I've still got courgette chutney in the cupboard dated 11/10/11! Good stuff it is too.
Turks turban

So one exceptionally large specimen weighing 14ozs, which had eluded an earlier harvesting of fingerlings, ended up thinly sliced and "spaghettied" to go with my special bolognese sauce.
Unfortunately the 'phone rang, it was Jim, the old boy across from us, he needed me urgently.(more later)
On returning, after giving specific instructions to my sois-chef, "keep an eye on that it's nearly done," I came back to an almost mush.
She left it in the simmering water,when she should have drained it.
Can't get the staff nowadays!
Mixed with the sauce though it wasn't bad, but not as expected though...al dente!
Tomorrow we go and get the pickling stuff, and some other veggies for some..err... pickle/chutney making.
I have a great mustard piccalilli recipe!

We shall see!!


Jim
The reason for the urgent 'phone call?
For some time Jim ( the old fella who broke is leg being chased by a wasp swarm a few years ago) has been not wanting to go out , not wanting to eat, and worst of all not wanting to go to the pub, in fact he's wasting away, and was now hallucinating!
He's been under the doctors care for sometime for various old man's ailments, but in recent weeks has given us, and all his friends, the impression that he's giving up.
Despite all our goading, things hadn't got any better.
So yesterday the doctor got called round, and to cut a long story short, Jim is back in Lincoln Hospital, for observation, feeding up and, I think, some convalescence.
We're not certain exactly what is wrong, but he is now somewhere he can be given a good checkout.
Meanwhile, I've got his house and car keys, emptied the foetid celery and cucumbers,cream and milk from his fridge, and disposed of other bits and pieces well past their sell by.....
I also found some hidden washing up by following my nose to something like N-Butyric Acid.
Encrusted Weetabix in soured milk, is tough to handle and get off damp stacked dirty dishes even after a long hot soak!

We shall see!

Shares
I've not mentioned this for sometime, but so far so good, thank you, although I have a couple that are showing a loss, a couple of my holdings (oil and biotech) are due to break out any time now, and I don't want to miss out on that.
The trouble is I've been topping up and cash flow is tight, so this week is crunch time.
Will I have to sell some at a loss?
 " This time next week Rodney......".

We shall see!

McCartney!!
Just listening to Radio two breakfast, they're plugging the old man's latest single.
If it was anybody else it wouldn't get air time, how does this man get away with it ?
At least the Stones sound like they are still with it.

"Mountain View" California
I hope you enjoy your regular reads of my blog.

By the way any comments will be kept private ..if prefered

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Rest in peace Simon King

Ah well
  1. The following I received this morning, on a comment on here, it refers to my post on Fishing Magic yesterday advising of the death of Simon King a well known contributor to FM and specimen angler.

    Did you think to ask Simons family or true friends if they wanted that posted yet. No. You are a true nasty thoughtless idiot. Only wanted to show how clever you are. 

    As it clearly states at the top of the thread, I got the detail from facebook, where Simon's death from cancer was posted by a "very good friend" and word had already spread around facebook.


    Just thought I would show you guys that the little yorkshire troll is still about, still reading my every word.
    My guess is he didn't know Simon, or his "true friends" and thought he could get to me.
    He just will not learn!!

    No doubt a tad miffed that his statement on BFW about the Barbel Challenge was way off target!

    Good cause, no chance, not a realistic target, be lucky to get a couple.



Monday, 26 August 2013

Away days

Stirling

We have friends who live just ten miles outside Stirling and seven from Loch Lomond and this last week we have been up to sit in the Scotch mist for 5 days.
It's a part of Scotland,I've never really seen,although business took me to Glasgow and Edinburgh on many occasions.
What a beautiful part of the country it is, it would have been even better if we had a bit of sun, no midges and there weren't so many tourists about!

We had planned to visit the castle but couldn't get close to it for tourist buses and cars.
Stirling Castle from the West
We had planned to have a trip around Loch Katrine,on the steamship Sir Walter Scott but it was drizzling and the midges were clouding the air.Steamer SS Sir Walter Scott at Loch Katrine pier

Having said that the drives around the Trossachs, and the loch's, a visit to my first distillery and very good company made up for the minor disadvantages experienced.
We had a taster of the Malt at the Glengoyne Distillery http://www.glengoyne.com/ and of course the tour,which I have to say taught me a good deal about the methods used to create a single malt.

Glengoyne Distillery
I bought a bottle too!thumbnailThe Teapot Dram


Another trip beckons but with the rods and a loch-side cottage perhaps!

Sunday, 25 August 2013

The Barbel Challenge

Late update

Sorry I'm late with this I've been up to Scotland all week visiting.

Final count, of the 14 rivers fished they had success with just 9 rivers.

The only river they didn't latch onto a barbel was the (lower) Severn.

All in all 15 doubles were caught and several of their smaller brethren.

Donations are still being welcomed

www.justgiving.com/jerry-gleeson