I WROTE SO MUCH RUBBISH EARLIER on notepaper I think it will have to wait to be posted as I'll run out of "air" time before I ever get it down...
I'm making another stew and it's just started going through the mental phase when it's really bubbling up. I don't know why but the potatoes always take about two hours to do in that slow cooker. They can be quite hard while the lamb is edible (if not "well" done... Maybe it's because I "seal in" the lamb by frying pretty well first...
Evilstein my landlord blustered in this morning threatening eviction (yet again) because they need to install double glazing and he thinks I have too much clutter. Since when has clutter-collecting been illegal? If he dares try anything I shall get the law on him good and proper.
My hamsters are celebrating their stay of execution by pinging three-at-a-time on their wheel. I can just glimpse them flashing whitebellied by as they ramble their way round. All hamsters do the same thing. On dismounting the wheel they run a circuit of the cage as if to prove they "got" somewhere with all that previous running... quite odd...
My memoirs are turning into a right ashtray of a book. Missing "vignettes"... stuff in wrong order. A right literary pigsty.
I can't wait till I've finished this nasty first draft or draught (one is a chilly wind from under a door. Another is a pouring of ale. Yet another is a writer's early edition of a literary work. Does anyone know which is which?). Then I can put all my boo-booze right. I'm not into the "perfecting it as you go along" school of book composing. That is a way of writing yourself into a corner as far as I'm concerned. Far better to get the archetecture right first time and perfect your decorations later. So to speak.
Valium Marilyn's just given me some Aero Chocolate Mousse. (Oo! This is one advantage of living in the motherland of confectionary you get double the ranges plus fridge and freezer based spinoffs unavailable in LA ~ haha!)
She was pretty with it tonight. Less Valium = more Marilyn. Simple equation!!
Now my robbies have a newly buttered wheel and yet they won't run on it. Because when I opened their enclosure to butter said wheel they all vanished down their selection of seven lavatory tubes and are now washing their ears and making Baby Itchy probably look like a harvest mouse fresh from a dunking in the bath...
Well my stew ~ or "casserole", if you will ~ must surely be about ready and I have to add "genuine 30 year old dumplings" (I hope they're not talking literally else they'll be more like mothballs). I have to go now.
Me and my Mum are going round the Millennium Dome to poke round Tutankhamun's Death Collection of memorabilia... I'll tell you how it was once I've been ...
Liz I found out about digital switchover for you. It should commence in 2008/9. Wales is one of the very first places. This link shows the details. People from other parts of the UK clickonit then choose your region from the menu. Freeview equipment will be the ONLY type of terrestrial TV (ie through the aerial) that will still work. But if you get Sky Digital or cable you'll still get service through that. Spare 5-channel tellies will not work in your house without freeview boxes though....
Video of the Day
All Saints: Black Coffee
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Aussie in New York... the city-by-night photo is pure diamond!
American (new) buildings are so much funkier than British ones... look at this from Boston, MA ...
Hi Gleds loved your comment on my blog. Yes the thermometer is mine.
ReplyDeleteIsn't draught something to do with beer as well as a chilly wind? Strangely enough I don't drink beer as it always gives me wind...LOL Hope the dumplings turned out ok....re the potatoes make sure your chunk them up into bite size pieces and the liquid/stock is really boiling BEFORE it goes on the slow cooker base.
Eat well, sleep well and keep smiling
Rx
Oooh you're going to see king Tut's stuff - fantastic. I went in his tomb when we were in Egypt but of course there was nothing there except wall paintings - though they were fabulous too! Tell all when you get back please. x
ReplyDeleteI agree about trying to get the rough draft out first as the better approach to writing. I also find it the most difficult. Keep at it. I am way worse than you. For the last three years, I have been trying to get started on a novel and all I have are now 6 versions of chapter one!
ReplyDeleteHi, Gleds. Yes, get the law on Evilstein! What's wrong with clutter and what's it got to do with him wanting to put in double glazing? you seem to be enjoying the cooking!
ReplyDeleteYou'll love the King Tut exhibit Gleds. I thought it was fantastic when I saw it a couple of months ago in Philadelphia and raved about it on the blog.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a nice lamb stew.
Hey Gleds
ReplyDeleteIts good to hear about your book. Keep on keeping on! Ignore Evilstein. I thought these people were supposed to help. I am very impressed with your cooking. I often feel like I cannot do it. Have a nice weekend. Keep warm.
cheerio x
Hi Gleds Clutter or no clutter is your unit.
ReplyDeleteWe have Carlton Draught beer, here and door stoppers to keep the draught out, I make a rough draft when writing a letter then copy and correct before mailing... Your Stew sounds yummy potatoes always seem to take longer when added to slow cooker either cut them smaller or add earlier... take care now..
The Egyptian stuff sounds interesting, I'm looking forward to hearing about it.
ReplyDeleteRuth: Oh! I did the not pre-boiling the stock thing wrong then!
ReplyDeleteAkelamalu: Did you hear they're only proposing to let in 400 visitors per DAY into King Tut's "accursed" chamber from now on as the tourists' bad breath is destroying the artefacts?.. So the Egyptians claim. I'm going to Tut next week in the Dome and so shall report back all!
Grey Squirrel:... ooer I know how THAT feels!!
Welshcakes: cooking? Luurve it. Evilstein? HATE him!!!
JMB: Stew ~ you're quite right. My American friend Pascal told me that exhibition had been NYC, Boston, Philadelphia/everywhere too!
ReplyDeleteLostgirl: stews/casseroles are easy though. Just chucking LOADS and LOADS of paprika. That's my top tip...
Jeanette: I'm going to take Ruth's advice and preboil those potatoes... probably will speed up everything most MARKEDLY! You're right about Evilstein. I will get him punished most severely.
What's this I hear abour Australian soldiers by the way. (Toast version.) I thought/assumed they were a purely English phenomenon.
Nicole: I'll post it up next week when I've been & seen!
I think you're right about the memoir methodology. Write first, revise later.
ReplyDelete