TARRAGON & THYME

The embroidery machine is now on the sewing table.  All its accessories are sorted into a separate box to keep everything clean.  I have a separate box for threads etc.  I have ordered a couple of USB sticks and hopefully they will be with me by Thursday.  Getting there and getting sorted on this front.  Still full of cold  - antibacs seem to be kicking in although the side effects are not.  I am terribly pleased with the machine.  Thank you once again Anne I am really looking forward to playing with it and reading the tutorials and making things. Right had better get to bed.  Just so excited I had to share. Catch you soon. Pattypan x

OH has now passed his lurgey on to me.  I am not a happy bunny.  He is really poorly and has been to the Doctors (as have I).  He has coughed that much it has hurt his chest.  Antibiotics have been prescribed.  Just what I did not want in the run up to Christmas.  Never mind.  Apparently it is a virus and he OH has been told that it will hang around for about three weeks.  (we had separate appointments at different times) but she was anxious because of my immune system being compromised that I had something to try and kick it into touch especially over the Christmas holidays. He is a few days ahead of me but because of our medical conditions antibiotics it is for the pair of us.  It is affecting my breathing and his breathing so I am having to sit every so often to get my breath back whilst trying to deal with things back here.   I have also arranged for Christmas flowers to be sent to my older cousin for Christmas.  We are ess...

Well we braved the miserable wet weather and have been down to the tip a couple of times.  Still need to go again as I have had a real sort out which is still ongoing.  OH not good so we decided to call it a day; have dosed him up but I think he needs a little assistance from the Doctor due to his medical conditions so he is now tucked up in the warm as the cold has descended to his chest.  I myself have sat for about half an hour to try and warm up a bit' heating is on and it is snug in the house and I shall be going soon to start dinner. We have roast chicken for tea with veggies and so should get a couple of meals out of including an odds and ends chicken stew that my mum used to make when we were little and some stock from the bones.  Need stock for Christmas Dinner.  Only just about getting the feeling back in my hands despite wearing gloves.  I am also starting to clear the table that my sewing machine is to go on.  Well its a start. I have ...

I don't really do grey I never really have.  Colourwise it is a very good foil for displaying other colours superbly but grey when it comes to weather or to wallpaper is just not really me at all. (wallpaper because half the wallpaper in this house when we moved in was grey and I had to live with it for a few years before we could change it - it wasn't even  nice grey wallpaper).  It's grey, damp and cold out there and we have  a lot to do.  We need to seriously go to the tip today.  OH is still not firing on all cylinders and I am dosing myself up in an effort not to get it.  What are my chances? So another fun day at Pattypans.  Oh and I also need to go to the unit to collect some more decorations for the house.  That could be today but then it could be during the week when OH finishes work. So upwards and onwards dear friends lots to do as usual and I will be back later on to see what you have all been up to.  Hope your day ...

Unusually for him has a very bad chest infection and is stuffed up to the gunnels one minute and sneezing and coughing away the next.  I have the starts of it as well (he has been unnecessarily sharing)  so I am trying to fend it off.  There was no way out of it I would have to make some French Onion soup with lots of garlic in as well.  I have found that whenever there is a cough or chest infection this simple concoction helps you feel more comfortable at least. I made double whammy so that there was potentially enough for two good servings each with some plain bread to dip into it. I started out with four very large onions and sliced them up, frying them in a mixture of light olive oil and butter until they go golden brown, (the original recipe likes to keep the onions as white as possible but I like a little more colour to  my onions and I think the caramelisation helps with the flavour as well.  I then added three large cloves of garlic minced....

I am a Lincolnshire lass and in North Lincolnshire certainly the name often given to faggots is "Savoury Ducks".  I posted quite a while back about this and gave the recipe but felt it was about time to reprise the recipe as this will be one of the things that I will be making for the buffet table later in the week to go with the cold meats, pork pie, haslet etc.  Very much a country dish and relatively economical. You do not need much but it is very tasty and helps pad you out a little bit. It can be served hot (with an onion gravy and veggies) or cold but we normally serve it cold cut into little squares as part of a buffet.  OH likes it a lot and it goes well with all the pickles that have been put down during the year. The link is here: http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/faggots-or-as-i-know-it-savoury-ducks.html I am also hoping to make hacelet (prounced ayslet) as well as I am also quite partial to this, especially if served with Feasting pie or po...

Until 2 January 2017 and I have an awful lot to do including getting to play with my embroidery machine at long last.  I have been accumulating all the bits and bobs required including threads and stabiliser so that I can have a serious play and play to my heart's content and hopefully produce some pieces that I can turn into pressies or incorporate into a quilt.  I am determined to have some serious play time in this coming year.  I need it - I have so many things to have a go at including a pile of WIPS as well as get to grips with my new equipment.  I am a very lucky girl and I know it. I have today indulged in some more fir cones very large ones this time which I believe to be the continental ones. They were reduced and not full price. They are for hanging off my garlands in the front room.  I have plain fir garlands (artificial) and I add different natural looking decorations each year to trim them up and personalise them a bit. I also bought a cou...