hell and other assorted titbits.
The thing is I used to be a cook.
Every day of my working life I baked a cake to be served at the meal of the day most cooks hate...
afternoon tea. Looking back the creations I turned out where blooming amazing, modesty oozed
from every killer calorie.
from every killer calorie.
This monstrosity, made with eggs, the yolks of which would put the colour of sunflowers to shame, and finest butter was a disaster dahling! Claggy is the word. Mary Berry’s recipe: what was I thinking about, as if I don’t know how to do a conventional Victoria sponge? Put everything in a mixer and beat the hell out of it, isn’t the way. Why did I even consider it, when all said and done the correct way only takes a tad longer?
Scooter is gone and in its place is a bicycle, bought for £30. I have learnt my lesson about my passing fancies. If you buy
cheaply and get fed up you can move on, let someone else have a bargain. Well that is the theory.
Over the years I must say I have
wasted rather a lot of money. A tandem, trouble with that is you need a man on the front to do all the work! An exercise bike, ‘I know... I will cycle in front of the television for the hour of the Channel Four news!’ A good plan, the trouble was, if I really wanted to hear the in-depth interview I would stop to listen! A spinning wheel, that did stay the course, I earned money
wasted rather a lot of money. A tandem, trouble with that is you need a man on the front to do all the work! An exercise bike, ‘I know... I will cycle in front of the television for the hour of the Channel Four news!’ A good plan, the trouble was, if I really wanted to hear the in-depth interview I would stop to listen! A spinning wheel, that did stay the course, I earned money
spinning and knitting my own designs when I lived in the Highlands. A badge making press, and all the gear to go with it! Other folks designs were so much better than my pedestrian efforts.
Beads bought in bulk in Thailand to sell on ebay. Okay, but I did get bored with all the packing and
postage and answering queries. Felt making which, even though I say it myself I did do quite well. I got fed up with the wet water and soap suds and chapped hands.
postage and answering queries. Felt making which, even though I say it myself I did do quite well. I got fed up with the wet water and soap suds and chapped hands.
By now you might be hoping this blogging lark will bite dust and she’ll blog off and leave us in peace...
Nooo. Please don't " blog off". I love discovering what you are talking about every day! Always interesting and different.
ReplyDeleteThe talk of the tandem reminded me that my travelling life started as a baby in a sidecar on a tandem !! My parents were avid cyclists back in the day. I also remember, when I was about 6, I was behind my Dad on the tandem.....with special little pedals so I could reach them, and my toddler brother was behind Mum in a child seat when he managed to get his foot in the back wheel. Took most of his heel off...blood aplenty. They stopped a car going the other way...back into Leicester and Mum took him to hospital. No safety features /helmets etc in those days!! (Surprised that Dad couldn't see that coming though !)
Thank you Frances. Blogging is a joy to me, my brain full of the next post. Already I have one done and waiting in the wings. Should I do two today or leave it for tomorrow. Then cleaning my teeth another idea popped into my head. Strangely addictive.
DeleteLX
You sound exactly like me - well, not exactly but the moving from one 'hobby' to another is like me! I have a room in my house full to the brim of my 'hobbies' and don't get me wrong, I use my room all the time, just not half the stuff in it. At least you get rid of yours when you're done, I just keep it - hoarder, me, never!!
ReplyDeleteThe move made me reevaluate the state of play. It is oddly liberating to move on, clear the decks and prepare for the next passing fancy to bite you on the bum.
DeleteLX
No way do I want you to blog off - I love your posts, they make me smile.
ReplyDeleteDon’t think there is much fear of me giving this simple pastime the old heave-ho Joy.. Glad you like my wild flights of past experiences. All good clean fun, well sometimes I get a bit naughty... don’t we all dahling?
DeleteLX
I don't want to be left in peace! I have wool filling a drawer and about five carrier bags in my bedroom, but the trouble is that these days I can't knit for too long before my left arm starts getting tired. I also have a small drawer full of fat quarters as it was my intention to do something patchworthy and now I am filling up the conservatory with blank cards and pretty paper making personalised birthday cards and envelopes and I've now hit on the idea of making bunting or mobiles using cardboard and the aforementioned pretty paper. I always like to have something to plan and think about although sometimes they're never completed. At least they're there for when inspiration strikes again. I don't think I could cope with anything else.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it the idea is often so much better than the actual doing it? I even... brace yourself, you will hardly believe this, sit at night and plan all the things I am going to do the following day. Then more important things get in the way like staring vacantly into space.
DeleteLX
This is such a brilliant post as I can identify so well with it.
ReplyDeleteI have a felting machine that has been used twice, I've done the spinning wheel etc. Good job I have a husband who doesn't even flinch when I announce the next good idea. lol
Briony
x
Felting machine? Wish you hadn’t told me that! My husband is the same. Could it be anything for a quiet life I idly wonder?
DeleteLX
Noooo, don't give up your blog, I love it!
ReplyDeleteSadly, I've also tried two or three of the sainted Mary's recipes and they've been disasters, dahling! As with you, I had a lovely recipe for fish pie, but no, I thought I'd try hers into which she put leeks (yes, leeks!) and it was ghastly, truly ghastly. I know I can't damn the poor (not that she's poor by any means!) woman by hating two or three of her recipes, but really, it has put me off trying any of the others. I think her books are pretty, but I also think they might find their way to the charity shop.
I've never wasted money on what I call five-minute-wonders, such as your scooter and the beads. Maybe I'm just one of life's sceptics: I tend to think things through carefully before shelling out good money on anything (except perhaps Mary Berry's cookery books ha ha!)
Margaret P
The nub of the question is... do they really devise these recipes themselves? I doubt it! When I met Jocelyn Dimbleby on Masterchef I was genuinely enthusing about one of her recipes and she hadn’t got a clue. However in her defence, I ought to say, could I remember my recipes in my one and only cookery book (it is out of print before you ask!)? The answer is, I even have get the book out to remember my own recipes, so maybe she has knocked out so many, who can blame her for forgetting.
DeleteLX