Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 20: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

I've started a new one. Please join us and share the boring and mundane things happening in your world. It will be calming for all.

Here is the link to the prior thread:

Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 19: Calmly through the day

This morning I heard bird song for the first time this year .

I once had an US-American recipe book for baking bread, but being from a 'bread tradition' (dozens of varieties at every corner) I never used it + I am metric .

Would you believe that trying to find a simple black shoe wide enough for my new feet is a really difficult task?

For those of you on the edge of your seats about the meringue - we ate it last night. DiscLosure: I don’t recall ever having had a pavlova in my life so nothing to compare it with. The meringue itself seemed to have worked well with a crispy shell and marshmallowy middle. My sister said it was good compared to others she has had so I am taking it as a win.

Nydj Congratulations! I can relax now.

@Makiwa, I will be happy to explain any terms in your American cookbook that are unclear. I have a recipe for brownies from scratch made with melted chocolate chips that I've given out so often on MN that I created a British version of it. I'm happy to share it with you too if you like baking and chocolate.

I am also surprised that your DC knew about half and half. That lovely coffee additive is unfamiliar to most people on MN. I may have to make a fresh cup of coffee now that I'm thinking about it.

I'm working from home today due to the ice storm that's due shortly.

I received a late Christmas present last night. DH had ordered me an Amazon Echo Show, the one with the built-in screen, but it was back-ordered and just arrived last night. I've had great fun setting it up. There are some brilliant weather skills (apps) for it, which appeal to the amateur meteorologist in me. I'm trying to find a way to get my weather station data to show up on it, but no luck so far.

So I've made some fresh coffee with a generous pour of half and half and was watering my plants when I discovered a stowaway. We get these small (about an inch) frogs that come off the trees and onto our second-story deck. They can change color to match what they're sitting on. I don't know the actual species name, we just call them tree frogs.

I brought in my gigantic aloe plant with a few others last November. I have just noticed that one of these little frogs has been living on it since then. I can't put him outside, he'd never survive the winter. So we have acquired a new pet. Does anyone have a suggestion for a name?

We have transitioned to freezing rain. The bird feeder is now coated with ice.

@Nydj

For those of you on the edge of your seats about the meringue - we ate it last night. DiscLosure: I don’t recall ever having had a pavlova in my life so nothing to compare it with. The meringue itself seemed to have worked well with a crispy shell and marshmallowy middle. My sister said it was good compared to others she has had so I am taking it as a win.

I absolutely adore pavlova. We had pavlova instead of wedding cake when we got married. The one you had sounds just right.

I was supposed to go to a meeting 60 miles away today, but I tried driving 8 miles to the nearest town and it confirmed that I should stay home. We're only supposed to get 1-2" of snow but we already have enough that my car struggled on the unploughed roads, and it's coming down heavily now.

I admit I went to the nearest parking lot and did a bit of driving round at high speed, doing bat turns, and shouting 'Wheeee!' a lot.

MissConduct I think he has to be Froggle.

Yes miss , Froggle is a very good name!

I went to the local DIY shop and got a five outlet 3m cord. Now i can use the printer and have my light on at the same time.

DH has continued to file and do other admin stuff. I told him that 30 min. every other week would prevent build up.

I'm very jealous zz

I have rather a penchant for skids and donuts, but now own a sensible 4x4 that annoyingly prevents such things (not to mention the cost of a set of tyres )

Survey arrived today, no huge surprises so now to wait for the damp survey to come back.

I love meringue and pavola, that sounds perfect Nydj. Its much nicer homemade though coop ones are better than expected.

Quite sleepy today and just did calls with 2 lawyers and some school stuff. Dd was off sick again, a puzzling illness where you bounce and skip around the house half the time then the other half claim you are near death. She also came up with another great plan that her and her brother live alone by Kings Maths School but said you would probably be opposed. Actually sounded amazing to me and DH but not viable.

Saw there is a Chinese NY festival here on 6th which DH may go to with DS. DS loves Chinese New Year.

Your life sounds fascinating Makiwa.

ZZ, I will discuss Froggle with DH. Stay off the roads if you possibly can. Here's a good place to track the storm.

Landon

Champagne, I'm certainly not fussed about your marital status, and not wearing a watch for 18 months to avoid tan lines in wedding photos would have put me off too. I have noticed on MN that it seems more common and socially acceptable in the UK to have kids without being married than it is here. Great news about the survey.

Silkie, we have a big Chinese New Year festival in New York. I agree that DD and DS living on their own would probably present difficulties.

Thanks all for the good comments on the pavlova.

Champagne I’m glad the survey has come through and with no unpleasant surprises. Good luck with the rest of the house buying process.

ZZ that sounds like so much fun!

Haha at your DD - a brilliant brain at work trying to resolve a problem, Silkies.

I can vouch for Miss’s brownie recipe - or rather, my son can as he inhales them all!

Prok I am really impressed by your DH’s progress - long May the displacement activity continue!

Nydj He is nearly done with the papers, than I expect the accounts of 2021 (we go 50:50 on all family related expenses with spreadsheets going back 22 years)

I, too, can vouch for the brownies.

I have never attempted a pavlova or any other meringue, so I admire your adventurousness Nydj.

As you can see, the bird feeder is now fully covered in ice and the birds are hunkering down elsewhere. I went out to get the mail and the driveway was like a skating rink. Since I have no ice dancing moves, I requested that DH treat it with calcium chloride, which he has done. The mail was all junk.

@MissConductUS please can I have your brownie recipe? I am after a perfect one.

In dull news throat still feels like there is glass in it am finding it hard to swallow.

My voice is also going. Honestly it’s something minor like a cold I am neither use nor ornament.

Lemons, I'm sorry to hear you are still feeling poorly. I had to google "neither use nor ornament". What a colorful phrase. . PM me your email address and I'll send you the recipe as a PDF. It is pretty close to perfect.

Have just PMed you Missconduct. Thanks so much. My dad used that phrase quite a lot when I was a child. Makes me smile when I use it.

Check your email, Lemons.

I’m catching up!
la chandeleur is Candlemas here. Candles to be used in the Church throughout the year are blessed. In a slightly esoteric tradition, our priest then uses the blessed candles in the following day St Blaise’s Day, when you can have unlit crossed candles held to your throat and a prayer said to protect you against infections of the throat and other illnesses.

DC4 tested positive for Covid this morning so I’ve had a large g&t this evening. It’s been a difficult 10 days at work and now 2/4 DC have gone down. February is not starting well in my house!

Helena Blasiussegen - but we have them lit

It is raining again - DH decided against cake as we both want to loose weight, so I am stuck with peppers again.

Lit sounds more exciting prok! I want cake and after a colleague sending me a meme which says ‘Thank Crunchie it’s Friday’ I also want chocolate.

Yay! Lemons welcome to the recipient of Miss’s brownie recipe club!

Oh no, I’m sorry about your DC having covid, Helena, I hope both of them have mild or no symptoms.

They both have slightly snotty noses and sound slightly croaky. No temp, no sense of smell/taste change, no cough. So lightly so far…