Saturday 23 March 2013

What to do?

That is the question.   It has snowed all day and the snow lies around six to eight inches deep, there is a strong wind blowing and the snow is drifting and our lane is in danger of becoming blocked where it meets the main road.

Of course there are things I could do.   There is an article about the Tour de France to write for our next writers' meeting in ten days time; I have a crochet blanket about a third done and lying in my sewing bag by the side of the settee; it is almost the year end and there is plenty of book work to be done there; I have a fruit cake promised for my son and his wife for the week after next.

What have I ended up doing?  Absolutely nothing.   I have been sitting on the settee in front of the wood burner, only shifting to get two meals - sausage, egg and chips for lunch (a lazy meal but it is so long since I allowed us to have chips that we really enjoyed it) and
cheese and chutney sandwiches with a beetroot salad for tea.  I feel
thoroughly lazy having devoured the Saturday papers from cover to cover, done every available sudoku and crossword and not lifted a finger to do anything else.

I really wonder how folk who live in countries where this kind of weather is the norm every year manage to keep going.   I could make the excuse that if I was younger I would be out there clearing a path through the snow, or pulling my children on their sledges, or building a snowman.   As it is I blame my age and say I am better staying in in the warm.   What have you done on this snowy day?   If you have built a snowman, do put a photograph on for us all to see.  

15 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

Hi Weaver, now that's a lot more snow than we've had and if it were that heavy here I might have done the same as you! We didn't build a snowman though we saw a half made one in a field.... Hope we see spring soon....

mrsnesbitt said...

Pat...you know where I have been....and you know what I have been doing here is another!
- classic chicken curry
Low calorie cooking spray


1kg/2lb 4oz skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper


1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2tsp peeled and finely grated ginger

2tsp peeled and crushed garlic

1tbsp mild or medium curry powder

1tsp each of ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon and paprika

½tsp crushed cardamom seeds and ¼tsp each of ground cloves and turmeric

400g can chopped tomatoes

284ml/½pt chicken stock

Chopped coriander, sliced green chillies and fat free natural yoghurt to serve

Method

1. Place the chicken on a plate, season well and set aside.

2. Spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and stir fry for five-six minutes or until starting to lightly brown.

3. Stir in the ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, ground cloves and turmeric and stir-fry over a high heat for one to two minutes.

4. Add the chicken and cook for two-three minutes until sealed, then add the tomatoes/stock. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Remove the frying pan from the heat, adjust the seasoning to taste and serve garnished with chopped coriander and sliced green chillies. If you enjoy a creamier curry or want to make the curry less hot, swirl in some fat-free natural yoghurt.




John Going Gently said...

i am 50 and i dont want to leave the wood burner

angryparsnip said...

No snowmen, I have the opposite problem.
Instead of winter snow I have super hot summers 100 to 115 +
You get the chores done early, yard work, shopping and in the house by 11am. I save indoor projects to do in he summer. But if you have to go out in the hot afternoon and even after a swim all you want to do is come inside and take a nap, read a book or catch up on a program.

But our other 9 months are fabulous !

cheers, parsnip

The Solitary Walker said...

Sounds like a great day à la maison to me, Pat!

And thanks for the recipe, mrsnesbitt. May try it tomorrow as I bought some chicken pieces today, and have all those spices. This cold and snowy weather makes us crave some warmth within!

MorningAJ said...

Bit of housework. Cooked lunch and dinner. Painted a small watercolour. (A squirrel. It turned out well.)

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I would have stayed in the house - near the wood stove - pondered the array of things to do, and probably taken a nap under a nice warm quilt, and dream of spring. Some days are just made for doing nothing- and I'm pretty good at that. Then I might pick up the crocheting, or read a recipe or two. Hope your snow melts soon.

Angie said...

We still have not had enough snow to settle for more than a few hours ...sorry no snow men here in our tiny part of Fife.

CHummelKornell said...

Would love to have your recipe for beet root salad! It's cold here in the Pacific Northwest USA, just a crazy year, I guess.

I wonder if you could help clarify a rumor that is circulating here in the US, it indicates that England is going to censor the media and the internet. Is it fact or fiction? There are so many crazy rumors going around it's hard to tell.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend, it's good to take a day off once in awhile.

Hildred said...

I am so sorry for your dreadful weather, Pat, - there were pictures on the TV here tonight, showing the snow and wind in the UK. A nice lazy day is forgiven and understood, - I would send you some of my cutch grass that is flourishing in the sunshine here, if I could!

Cloudia said...

Doing nothing is the Wise Woman's restorative! Good for you



ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3

Gwil W said...

Cloudia is right. A chance to recharge your batteries. There will be plenty to do soon enough.

Rachel Fox said...

In the countries where they get this weather every year... they have better equipment/planning for it so life goes in a much more ordinary way in the winter. Only in Canada at minus 20 C did I learn the purpose of a drive-through coffee shop, for example... for when it's far too cold to get out of the car!!
x

The Weaver of Grass said...

C Hummel Kornell asks about censorship of our papers and the internet. There is certainly some discussion about this I think, but as far as I know that is all. If anyone has anything to add then perhaps they will do so. It is difficult to get on to her site - I can't see how to leave a comment - sorry CHK.

Now I don't feel so guilty about doing nothing and shall probably do it all day today too.

CHummelKornell said...

Thanks for the answer, Pat. It's so hard to know what is truth and what is fiction in today's world. I very much agree with your post today, it seems to me that the strongest countries today do attempt to impose our way of life on other countries (not all small or backward), while turning a blind eye to the atrocities that exist at home. The US is very guilty of this, I fear. It breaks my heart to see our homeless and elderly being ignored while our government pretends to save the world. God Bless us one and all.