Week 12, doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself! 3 months in and still going.
Fri 12th June - bit of a clean again of the Shed ceiling where the water previously got in before our repairs. The Beer Santa, Dan this week, turned up around 1.30pm with this weeks’ delivery, straight into the fridge to cool for later.
Michael Gove has confirmed that they will not extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of this year, I think that given the economic effect of Covid they are stupid not to extend. We need that extra time to make sure that we are in a position to go ahead without risking even more disaster on the economy, especially as the EU are prepared to grant such an extension. The government seem hell bent on leading us headlong into a potentially disastrous economic situation with a ‘no deal’ Brexit which will please their billionaire backers.
On a lighter note, did any of you regularly frequent seaside amusement arcades when you were younger? If so, I am sure that you would have practiced on the ‘grabber’ where you positioned the grabbing hand to pick up a cuddly toy of some description and deposit it down a chute. Now I am convinced that Grunters must have spent much of her youth practicing on this particular piece of equipment. Why would I say this do you ask? Now as soon as a bowl of cheese savoury snacks are produced, Grunters leaps quickly into ‘grab’ mode! She gets her hand into the ‘grab action,’ and proceeds to scoop up as many cheese savouries as possible then proceeds to dump them into a pile in front of her to consume as rapidly as possible! Now this is not just a once off, no if she thinks that the bowl is getting slightly lower due to the other ‘greedy bastards’ taking more than their share, the grab hand is employed to quickly scoop up any remaining snacks. It is a technique to behold, it is nearly worth the cost of a bag of cheese savouries to observe this quality action!
Sat 13th June - back to Owermoigne again, I cut all of the grass while Anna did the vitally important task of cleaning the microwave, something that is extremely taxing and took her as much time as my grass cutting!! Then as I was suffering with my bad back she ‘suggested’ that we paint another large part of the outside wall! Did I complain? No, I willingly suffered my agony to continue with her orders!
Got home to a few beers and a cracking home made burger from Josh and with Grunters home made burger buns. Pity that Grunters has to go back to work on Wednesday as I will have to be ‘sous chef’ again! While we were having our pre dinner beers imagine Grunters delight when Josh brought out yet another packet of her favourite cheese savouries! Obviously the ‘grabber’ action was employed with great haste to scoop the majority of the snacks before us ‘greedy bastards’ had chance to have too many! A slightly different method was employed on the salt and vinegar ‘sticks’ but she still managed to enjoy a good share between the cheese savoury grabs.
Sun 14th June - under orders from Mein Fuhrer I made a cake today. Instead of my normal Lemon Drizzle it is a St Clements Drizzle (no not Jizzle Nath!), half orange and half lemon, we will have to see what it turns out like.
I had a bit of a realisation in the shed today, after listening to David Bowie Heroes, I thought that this must be in my top 10. Then I suddenly realised that I started writing out my top 10 albums in the last page of the book I give to our accountants for our self assessment return. I had intended to rip out the page but unfortunately I posted the whole book through the accounts’ letterbox yesterday. Never mind, perhaps the accountant might like to add her choice to the top ten albums, I had listed far more than my top 10, as I was going to later filter down to my favourites!
We did manage to last until the weekend 2pm for beer’o’clock.
We had Ham Hock and spinach Rotolo for dinner paired with Grunters home made Garlic and rosemary focaccia, it was a revelation, definitely one of the best lockdown meals, the Rotolo was really tasty and the focaccia as very light and tasty, probably the best bread Grunters has made during the lockdown. (Just in case, like me before I had it, you don't know what Rotolo is, it's a rolled form of filled pasta sheets, I can highly recommend it).
Had a slice of the St Clements cake with a coffee this evening, it was very light but I would make it with a bit more lemon & orange zest next time.
Mon 15th June - further orders meant I had to cut down all of the foliage around the side of the house next to the small shed which was becoming overgrown. I need to replace the roof felt on the shed but can't do this without clearing around it first. I managed to get the majority done before the petrol hedge trimmer stated to smoke, I quickly turned it off and placed it onto the middle of the lawn in case it caught fire!! I then cut the grass both at the back and front of the house.
I had an email from the accountant confirming receipt of my book and saying that she will be in touch. I wonder if this will be for the accounts or perhaps to add her thoughts to the top 10 albums?
Today's dinner of vegan cauliflower tacos went down very well, I would have them again! Mind you the vegan bit turned into vegetarian after we stuck cheese on top!
Tues 16th June - I cleared the rest of the ivy and brambles off the top of the shed roof, I ended up scratched to pieces all up my arms and legs. Perhaps wearing shorts and t-shirt to do it wasn't the best idea. I was fearing for the shed roof as I was standing on the very top rung of my step ladder and lying right over to the other side of the roof. I will just have to enlist Josh’s help shortly to re-felt.
Excitement, my Thornbridge prize turned up, at first I thought it may be lacking beer as the box didn't seem very heavy. Upon opening I found a decent Thornbridge bobble hat, a size L Thornbridge T-shirt, some Thornbridge recipe cards and, thankfully, 12 cans of Jaipur! Big result! Unfortunately the size L T-shirt didn't fit me, obviously a tad too big, so Josh was highly delighted that it was his size!
What ego trip is Boris on now! He thinks he is Donald Trump swanning around in Airforce One. Apparently he is having a previously plain RAF grey Voyager plane painted red white and blue at the rear of the fuselage and up the fin. He doesn’t like it grey and has also complained about its unavailability as it's also used by the Royal Family. Be like us Boris, use Ryanair or Easyjet, then wait for your money back when they cancel your flight!!! Surely Boris, even you should be able to see that at this time that this money would be better spent elsewhere!
Another U-turn for Boris and chums, this time after Marcus Rashford’s campaign over extending meal vouchers over summer. This has been going on for the past few days but Boris claims to have only heard about it earlier today!! He just can't stop lying!
Wed 17th June - Grunters has returned to work, bit of a pity as it will mean that I have to help Josh more with the cooking! But also cause for celebration today with the return of the Premiership this evening, thank goodness for that, plenty of football on TV over the next couple of months.
Matt Hancock demonstrates how he is as out of touch as Boris, this time calling Marcus Rashford, Daniel!
I did a couple of small jobs, I made frames with bamboo sticks and string for Anna’s tomato plants. Also everyone has been moaning at me for ages as the 2 security lights on either side of the garage have packed up. I had bought these from Screwfix and had already previously replaced one that had packed up. I decided that these weren't very good and have now ordered 2 from Amazon which have good reviews in comparison to Screwfix and B&Q lights. They should be here tomorrow so another job to do. Whist doing this I was reminded that the security light next to the back door had also been playing up for some time, it would occasionally work but Josh said it hadn't gone on for the past month or so. I therefore decided to change the bulb and it would seem that, at first testing, it seems to work.
Bit disappointed that Grunters refused to let us hose her down or spray her with anti-bac on her return back from work, before she comes indoors, after all you can't be too careful!
My first day as sous chef started with the usual raised voices when I put the cheese into the pan instead of a bowl by the side and a couple of other misdemeanour. Bring back Grunters!
Now found out today that it will cost £900,000 to repaint Boris’ plane, what planet is he on? It's a disgrace using taxpayers money at a time like this to appease his own vanity!
Watched the football, its a bit weird watching with no crowd and ‘background noise’ fans. Controversy straight away with a goal for Sheffield Utd ruled out despite being clearly over the line as Hawk-Eye didn't work. I still think that this should have been overridden by the VAR official as it was so blatantly clear, despite the fact that they are saying that the law states that VAR can't be used to change Hawk-Eye decisions. What is the point of VAR if it can't be used to override obviously wrong decisions! Also in the Man City v Arsenal match David Luiz came on as a sub due to injury and gave City their first 2 goals before getting sent off, what a total liability.
Thurs 18th June - I was just sorting out the shopping list with Josh when ‘breaking news’ said that Dame Vera Lynn has died aged 103! I feel a bit guilty now about my comments a few weeks ago on 75th Anniversary of VE Day (although I do think my comment about cryogenically freezing her and wheeling her out for the next war anniversary is still worth serious consideration). The BBC had obviously prepared their tribute well in advance of her death as within 2 minutes of announcing her death they had broadcast a full tribute with film clips and pictures. Yes she was a good old dear but the BBC went into overdrive, and getting on for half an hour later they were still going on.
My turn for shopping again so off I went to Lidl. I think they've given up on social distancing, as although it was raining, the car park was more full than I have seen it since lockdown. However there was no queue to get in and it was fairly busy inside with the majority of the shoppers in couples. I have made it a tradition throughout lockdown that every time I go to Lidl I buy Bockwurst’s and rolls for a tasty lunchtime treat, pity Grunters missed out now that she is at work.
My second day as sous chef went a bit better than the first, a good chicken curry and Dahl, with no raised voices!
Another week done, Saints play tomorrow and Tuesday so something to look forward to this week.
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