Oh what a busy day its been

Did not sleep well again last night and as usual nodded off when I should not have done. Woke up to the shortest day the Winter Solstice and Yule.  Thank goodness the days will slowly start to get longer again.

We started off by going to the caravan as there were some bits we needed to retrieve.  We got there and as expected the shop was not working.  However when we got to the compound we could not get in due to locked gates with spikes up to preclude entry.  We had not been aware of this otherwise we would have gone earlier.   Oh well these things are sent to try us. Nothing is ever straightforward here there is always a gremlin in the works lurking somewhere!

Marigolds and bleach have been in full swing today.  I washed and sorted out the condiments cupboard and the shelf collapsed on me.  OH will do a repair job to it but unfortunately his drill and kit are at the caravan where he left them after doing some work.  Needless to say was stripped out and I got everything on one shelf, but I really need the second. A hinge has also broken on one of the base units and so the door is hanging off piste at the moment.  Both will be tackled when he gets his drill.  Unfortunately do not know when that will be as it depends whether the Tier 4 restrictions will or when they are lifted.

The bleach has got a little much for me today and so I have beat a hasty retreat.  Will start again in the morning.  The top run of the kitchen cabinets have all been washed out.  Just to finish the second half of the worktop and the two larder units.  Then scrub the floor.  Nearly there, but I have been washing out literally everything that has been in the cupboards as well as inside and outside the units.  Hoping to get the new cooker in situ tomorrow. It is currently stood in the dining room with the new microwave.

We had our cheese delivery earlier and we are well pleased with that.  We have the Turkey collection tomorrow.  I also need a piece of gammon as well.  I also need to go to the veg shop to get in fresh veg for the next few days as well as some fresh fruit.  We are particularly fond of the small oranges at this time of year and I have a new pudding recipe to try as well using them. 

I also want to try this recipe by Rick Stein which was shown in his show a Cornish Christmas.  I found the recipe Pear Souffle with Pear (Perry) Cider Ice Cream which I found on a link to the Staycationer a blog by Rosalyn Gambhir on Pinterest.  I like pears in puddings, I also like it with blue cheese, honey and walnuts as a savoury version.  I also like spiced mulled pears.  These could also be used in the chocolate swiss roll trifle I mention below.  Served with cinnamon ice cream that would be lush.

I make a trifle out of chocolate swiss roll, two tins of pears or fresh pears, and some of the juice and some chocolate blancmange and some whipped cream.  The swiss roll is cut into slices, and then the slices are used to cover the whole of a large fruit bowl and then some of the syrup from the tinned pears is dribbled over the swiss roll.  The pears are then cut into strips and place over the cut swiss roll.  You then make up homemade chocolate blancmange/custard and add this to the bowl you want a good two inches clear at the top of the bowl from the level of the blancmange.  You then whip some cream until stiff and add this to the top of the blancmange.  Decorate with some glace cherries, pear slices and angelica or you can pipe more cream in swirls on top.  Put in the fridge and serve cold.  A nice non-alcoholic trifle. I love a proper sherry trifle but OH does not but he quite likes this one.

Later on I have also to go to M & S and Waitrose to pick up a few more bits and that will be it for this year.  Very strange year all round but you can only do what you can do.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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