Toothbrushes and Brides

DD came home for a fleeting visit on Thursday to attend an interview for a Summer job and forgot to bring a toothbrush with her. In her normal insouciant way she didn't announce this until gone ten o'clock at night resulting in a madcap jaunt around the local late night shops searching for one. Before we left I looked on the internet to check what time Sainsburys shut and discovered that there was a Sainsburys Local that I didn't know about marginally closer so we set off to visit that. When we got there all the lights were ablaze and staff in uniforms were scurrying about within but the door wouldn't open. A lady Sainsburian mouthed at me through the glass "We're not open, come back at 7 O'clock tomorrow morning" "Not likely" I thought, my dander well and truly up "We're here NOW, what could possibly prevent us from purchasing a toothbrush" I pointed at the sign that declared "Open 7 a.m. t0 11 p.m." "It's only half past ten" I mouthed sternly through the glass. "Yes tomorrow is our first day" she mouthed back "It's a brand new shop" I felt a bit of a fool then and started to giggle. Luckily our little part of the world, despite not being renown for its 24 hour retail experience does have a few places open so we were able to find a toothbrush for the girl!
On Friday we went out to eat at the Cock Inn, our favourite place to go for a spur of the moment meal out. Although the restaurant is a modern addition and quite spacious the actual bar in the original old building although quite charming is very small and it was full to the gunwales with people dressed to the nines. Men in tailcoats, ladies in smart dresses and as we went in I took my place at the bar next to a young lady in a full length white satin gown, her hair adorned with flowers. As I looked around there were wrapped presents and bunches of white balloons tied with satin ribbons. We placed our drinks orders and after we'd been served DH observed "I think this must be a wedding" Well, he has had a lot on his mind lately :) We all enjoyed the meal and DH went to the bar to settle up - DD and I went straight out to stand beside the car and watched as a photographer seemed to be taking candid shots of the smokers stood around outside. He then stood at the pub door and snapped a few of the inside. The wind was bitingly cold in the car park and I said to DD "I hope Dad won't be long" "You don't think he's posing for photographs do you?" She said :)

What a difference a day makes!

Things sure have changed here on Walton's Mountain. There's going to be some belt tightening on the horizon.

New Chairs for Old

We've had our dining room table and chairs for ever and they were 2nd hand when we got them, cast-offs from the in-laws. Over the years the regency striped fabric on the seat pads became grubby and threadbare and we talked of recovering them but never seemed to get round to it. About a year ago I bought some nice Cath Kitson fabric that went with the slub green walls in the dining room, but in my usual apathetic way, just left it to one side with the thought that I'd do it "one day" - Well "one day" last week my husband came into the computer room waving a seat pad covered in the aforementioned fabric and said "What do you think?" Well I thought "Hurrah!" and over the course of the weekend he covered them all. They look fabulous, I'm so pleased with them. In fact he was so enthusiastic I barely got a chance to take a before photo, he had whipped off all the grotty fabric but there is the mock up of before at the top and here is after.

Delia Smith

I was watching "Delia Through the Decades" the other day and various celebrities got out their Delia Cookery Books and proudly showed how shabby and covered in gravy and chocolate they were from constant use. I thought I was the only one! As my other cookbooks sit on the shelf gathering dust only dear Delia is coverless and dog-eared and loved to death.And before you ask, I am NOT constantly making Pheasant with cream and apples, but the recipe above that starts on the previous page "Pork Chops baked with mushrooms, in a cream and lemon sauce" it's rich but it's the easiest recipe in the world and the one that most impresses. I have made it so many times (No wonder I'm so chubby!)Delia is my hero, you can keep your Nigellas and F*cking Gordon Ramseys! Delia will always have a place in my heart.