Sunday tea time

And lemon sponge cake with chocolate icing to eat.   And only a very little slice because I've eaten very well this weekend, and there's still supper ahead of us, a full roast dinner, too.

The weekend actually began for me on Friday morning with drinks and nibbles away from home after looking at some old buildings in a nearby  town.  Then we wandered along and gazed in at the pretty shops, you know the ones, surely, with their pastel shades, pretty "things" to ponder over, or the vintage gowns to love.  The beauty parlours all willing and able to smooth and massage, wax and preen to your heart's content and sophisticated hair salons to pamper ones glorious locks. We managed to avoid a purchase but a friend could not resist popping into her favourite smoothie bar for a favourite concoction, and we too, followed suite.  It was good fun for all.

We were all out for dinner on Friday evening, dining on steaks, pies and lasagna, yet still managed to get home in time for the new period drama on BBC 2 Television, Parade's End.  This is Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Ford Madox Ford's four-part serial tale of Edwardian England coming to terms with future events, notably WW1, women's suffrage and the end of an era,  It's brilliant and I'm eagerly looking forward to getting my hands on the novels.

Out early on Saturday morning, we had breakfast at Frankie and Benny's as a treat, which for me was a pile of pancakes, bacon and maple syrup!   Now that's a choice dish I've not had for a very long time but, oh goodness me, it was de-lic-ious.  Quite by chance we had a small milestone to celebrate on Saturday evening and a family friend staying for the weekend, so it was off and out to dinner again, which was very enjoyable with nice food and pleasant company.

This morning I discovered my keys were missing, and they still are at tea time, and I cannot think where they are, although I'm sure they're in the house somewhere.  The weekend paper had an article on how our tidy gardens are unhelpful for our natural flora and fauna, for we're not growing enough indigenous plants for the insects and birds  to feed upon and thrive.  With global warming endangering habit, we need our gardens to provide the necessary haven for our wildlife to exist in and survive.  We are in great danger of losing our bird life, which is already disappearing.

I read with interest The Daily Telegraph's obituary on Ruth Mott, television cook for The Victorian Kitchen on BBC television back in the 1980's.  Her working career had taken her to some very grand households and her many anecdotes of those days gave a very witty edge to her stories.  The Victorian Kitchen was televised when my two children were very young, and when there was very little time for much viewing, but I remember her straightforward, no-nonsense style.  From pre- husband and baby days, I remember Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, and the American born Robert Carrier, for his superb recipe for lemon meringue pie - it was a firm family favourite.  My father always used to say that Graham Kerr was just a "showman" but I've learnt since that he was a brilliant chef, television personality and all-round foodie.  He has had a very long career with food production.

I also remember watching Fanny and Johnny Craddock on television and think I still have copies of their Daily Telegraph recipe pages; just brilliant.

Well...it's dog walking time and they're very intently looking my way, so here I must end.  It's a good evening for a walk and hopefully I'll get an appetite for supper?

Byeeeee for now,

from me........Daisy