Saturday 10 February 2018

Best-laid plans.....

It is best not to plan in too much detail what one intends to do on the morrow.   As I said yesterday, I intended to have a quiet, warm, 'shut-up' day but, of course, it didn't turn out like that at all.

On opening up the blinds this morning I must say that the weather looked a little suspect, but by the time I had eaten breakfast and made the bed things were a little brighter and Tess and I embarked upon our morning walk in a pale, watery sunshine.

No wind so not particularly cold, it was a pleasant walk.   One of the nice things about the estate where I now live is that there are plenty of dogs (and therefore dog owners) and it is nice to chat to them during my walk.  There are all kinds of dogs - this morning we met a Cairn terrier (nice lady owner new to the area), a Labradoodle (man always walks him and the dog is so well-behaved on lead that he puts the rest to shame) and a gentle Border Collie we meet most mornings.

Full of good intentions immediately I got back and while I was togged up from my walk I sorted out all my recycling rubbish.   We have a very good recycling authority here and they collect every other Wednesday.   The trouble is that my road is windy and lately we have had a lot of gales.   On windy mornings it is hard to keep the recycling stuff in the boxes and I don't care to see it off down the road, so I have taken to sorting it and taking it the mile or so to the tip myself - and that is where I was bound this morning.

So, with boxes of tins, glass, plastic, newspaper and card I set off.   The men at the tip are lovely and really helpful.   I have been going for so long that I know them and they do all the work for me and in no time at all I was back home with empty boxes for next time and with a good feeling of a job well done.

I put a home-made Lasagne in my Remoska (made by A and sold for Church funds at our monthly coffee mornings) prepared sprouts for putting on just a few minutes before it was cooked and sat down to read The Guardian.  As I got up to put on the sprouts my son and his wife pulled into the drive - they had come to take me out for after-lunch coffee.    So they waited while I ate my lunch and then off we went to Richmond (six miles or so) to Sip coffee bar for flapjack and coffee.   Lovely coffee shop, nice atmosphere and we sat in the window and watched the world go by.

Returning through the beautiful contryside of Swaledale (the long way round, but the most scenic) there were no signs yet of Spring but everywhere was green.   A couple of fields had large flocks of Canada geese, always a delight to see.

Home in time to take Tess for her late afternoon walk before darkness fell (nights are getting lighter aren't they?)  and now an hour to read posts and put on a blog, so a busy day after all.

My Grandson, who teaches in the South of China, has gone to Shanghai for four days - he is really travelling about and I do envy him so.   His Grandfather (my first husband, who died in 1991 ) was a prisoner of the Japanese (The Death Railway) and lived in Shanghai for three years before the war.   He loved China and its people.  He would be so proud to hear of D being there now.   I sorted out one or two photographs of my husband's regiment when in Shanghai for my son to put on Facebook for his son.   The wonders of modern computers.

 

20 comments:

Bovey Belle said...

You had a busy day by the sound of things then. How wonderful that your grandson is travelling in his grandfather's footsteps, albeit in a totally different way!

Anonymous said...

How long does it take to cook a lasagne in the remoska?
I have one but have got out of the habit of using it lately.
IIt was wonderfully useful when were were camping.
Sue

Gwil W said...

Postlady Pat's Busy Day. You put me to shame today! Well done!

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

I sometimes like a day that doesn't go to plan. How lovely that your grandson is sort of following in your grandfathers footsteps.

Susan Heather said...

I hadn't heard of a Remoska and just looked it up. Is it like a pressure cooker?

Rachel Phillips said...

I place the bin out on the morning the recycling lorry comes with the lid so it does not catch the wind. If it is extremely gusty I do.not put it out. It can last a fortnight.

Rachel Phillips said...

Another fortnight.

Mac n' Janet said...

How interesting about your grandson, good he gets to see where his grandfather lived though I suspect he wouldn't recognise Shanghai now.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Susan Heather. No it is not like a pressure cooker, it is like a small rapid oven with the heat element in the lid. It is perfect for one person living alone as it means I do not have to put on the oven, so it saves electricity. If you look on line at the Lakeland catalogue you will see exactly what it is like.
Beachcomber - my lasagne was already cooked when I bought it but it was frozen. I put it into the Remoska in its metal foil dish and it took about three quarters of an hour to defrost and heat - it doesn't cook much quicker than an oven it is just that it uses much less current.

Joanne Noragon said...

What a good day. Here in this country I know so few people whose relatives are scattered about the world. Yours is like an old Henry James novel.

Tom Stephenson said...

Your first was on the infamous railway? Well I never.

Terra said...

I liked to hear about your China connection. I had lunch yesterday with my friend who grew up in China and she wrote a book about it, quite fascinating.

Alphie Soup said...

Thank you for the Remoska information. It is something new to me and sounds like a very good idea as a power saving device.

Alphie

Cro Magnon said...

Well done your Grandson. Shanghai is one of the world's great cities, and well worth visiting.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

That sounds like a busy but enjoyable day. Didn't know what a remoska was but it sounds like exactly the thing I need as I resent putting on the oven for just myself.

Librarian said...

A really good day from start to finish! Did your son help with the email problem you mentioned the other day?

Moving with Mitchell said...

So nice when a day turns out to be better than intended.

Heather said...

So much for a quiet day, but it did sound most enjoyable. It is nice to be taken by surprise sometimes.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Librarian. Yes he did thank you - he makes it all look so easy whereas I am too lazy to learn anything new unless I intend to use it regularly because I forget it.
John - they are not cheap (go to Lakeland site) but they are brilliant for one. If you prefer
casserole type meals a slow cooker might be better but for ready made meals, jacket potatoes and the like they do the same job as an oven but much cheaper.
Thanks everyone.

Anonymous said...

Having tea and cake in a coffee shop is a lovely thing to do. One of my favourites. Hope all is well with Tess. Sounds like she’s moved to the right place 😉.