How is everyone today?

[jeffgoldblum]

Hello, feeling really tired and fed up today, can't seem to motivate myself to do the things I should be doing, anyone else feel down today?

I think it is around 20 here so not too warm yet. Maybe about 24 later? Last night felt very heavy.

I think we have nice weather due for today and tomorrow and a sploosh of rain on Thursday and more over the weekend. If I can catch up on the washing and get ahead of myself outside, then I’m all good.

I now have greenhouse envy 😩 😊

And air con envy 🥺

Ohh don't @ArcaneWireless , it's really a grow house ( plastic!) I call it my greenhouse because it's enormous and the size of a greenhouse, when I say grow house people think one of those small things!
The air con is the portable type ! We got one at a time over the years , 170 from b and q nothing fancy !

Our house has been rendered a bloody hot house since the cavity wall stuff was pumped in!!! 😱, I wouldn't have had it if I'd known!

@jeffgoldblum I had a lie in this morning, and I actually feel reasonably okay at the moment. I think I will try and take it easy today. Might go for a short walk outside later if I feel up to it.

Oh good @Needingacoffee , take it at your own pace though !

still well jel! ☺️

I’ve just hoovered and dusted downstairs. The kitchen has been wiped down and bathroom next.

I’m spying a dorty gert cloud and wondering if we are getting a cheeky brief splash. I may have to mow now 😡. It looks like it could be a fleeting splash but those have been really heavy of late. I can’t risk it because for the first time in WEEKS - the grass is bone dry.

I feeling like going waaaaaaaaah. 😩

Oh I'm sorry @ArcaneWireless ! , well I dressed, encouraged dd to dress and fed children and dogs lunch , I need to clean the kitchen cabinet doors as I always skip it and they are now filthy but I've been putting it of as need to stand on steps to reach!
More laundry need's doing ( I swear it breeds!) but here I am on mn putting it off again! 🤣

Ps I've pm 'd you .

@ArcaneWireless my dinner last night was inspired by you. I was reading lemon chilli recipes (not a thing here!) and it looks delightful. I made chickpeas in lemon with celery and chili. We are it in little toasts. Then linguine with lemon and grape tomatoes and spices including chilli. I’ll make the real thing soon but it seemed close to the caccio e pepe from the other night.

I didn’t catch up yet. What are you growing @jeffgoldblum?

Hi @AliceOlive , I'm growing courgettes ( I think you call them zucchini?) , heritage tomatoes, and heritage cucumbers and 6 different types of chillis plus rather disappointing strawberries! 🤣

@jeffgoldblum awesome! We have flowers but no vegetables. Having a small greenhouse is a dream of mine.

We bought 25lbs of gorgeous tomatoes and are going to blanch and mill them tonight.

Sounds absolutely divine AliceOlive

I try to meal plan very hard but it sometimes slips by me. Not helped by fickle mouths in the household.

I usually have lemons and chilli in and will happily throw some pasta together. It is an easy and quick meal (unlike curry which is a faff over two days if you include marinades and the base sauce is always nicer day two)

I’m really looking forward to my pasta now as you’ve made me hungry!

Grass cut. Just before the rain. Get in. Hoping it passes quickly so the third load can dry. First two are in 🥳

Simple is best @ArcaneWireless , my favourite pasta dish , I call chilli spaghetti and it's simply

Fresh garlic
Fresh chillis
Olive oil
Parmesan to scatter over at end !
I love it! , for reasons I'm unsure of we always have it with chicken legs! 🤷‍♀️

That sounds great, too @jeffgoldblum

@ArcaneWireless I basically live on pasta.

I have a few really simple favorites, too and often vary the way I make them.

I throw in broccoli with the pasta a few minutes before the pasta is fully cooked then add spring onions and oil, chili. Mash a bit of the broccoli and top with cheese. So good!

Also a recipe my aunt learned in a cooking class in Italy:

Heat olive oil in an skillet and add salt, pepper chili. Put cooked pasta in a big bowl and top with fresh basil leaves and whole peeled garlic cloves. Then pour the hot oil over it. It’s divine.

What type of chilli are you using? I’m just using flakes.

Ah - sounds lovely. 😋. I’ll be doing that next time o have florets kicking around. Been known to do chilli spaghetti too - as well as lemon and chilli, there is always garlic. The kitchen feels wrong else.

Aye - simple is indeed best - although I have been known to have an all day sauce for batch bags. It pretty much looks after itself.

I miss living in Italy. I too could live on pasta. Not going to happen in this house sadly!

When I have my own house it will be different…. 👩🏽‍🍳

@AliceOlive , that sounds similar ( Italian method) to what I do !
I use a mixture of whole chilli 🌶️, I de seed most , then I put them in my chopper with the garlic and blitz them add that to olive oil cook quickly then stir into spaghetti and top with fresh grated Parmesan.

Doesn't taste as good with dried or flakes , not juicy enough!

@ArcaneWireless , I love Italy too ! Would live there in a shot ! , dh was posted there ( different areas) twice !
Can't indulge my pasta love because of this keto diet ( the low carb pasta costs an eye watering amount!)

I usually have fresh chillis in - I pop them in butter to puff/golden them a bit. Chilli flakes are so handy though. Less faff and uniformly ‘hot’.

I have been caught out by rogue chillis. We have a Men’s Shed allotment set up nearby. Lovely veg (usually heritage but staples too) but I think some of them go naughty with chillis! 🔥

Yes !!! Beware the rogue chillis!! , mine aren't big enough yet so I buy them but always standard mixed chillis, dh brought some and I literally had some kind of reaction to them !! Really odd , couldn't breathe, throat closed up the lot! , I was very alarmed 😱

Trying to do life admin. Phone calls & figuring out things... Like modern teenagers I have developed phobia of making phone calls, but needs must today.

Divorce service has my paperwork & they may process it sometime before 2024.

No garage within 3 miles can replace my car brake parts this week. My fave mechanics are on holiday, only back when I am supposed to be far away (in the car). I'm pretending the suss brakes will be fine until fave mechanics can replace after I'm back.

I have found a tech shop that will put screen protector on my new phone, for a decent price, because I suck at that task, hoorah !!

I've been to supermarket twice today (teenagers), volunteered, collected a garden plant & some plums, will go do activity with a teenager later, cooked us all a hot meal just now.

Teen DS (whose cooking skills are only chips & veg from frozen) was asking why people make out that cooking is so complicated. He's right... and totally ignorant. Luckily we like simple meals. Turns out he likes custard and made some up from powder.

It is very hot & I may got sit and do some work outside in shade for few hours.

Gaun yersel peanut 💪🏼

This made me laugh

I have found a tech shop that will put screen protector on my new phone, for a decent price, because I suck at that task, hoorah !!

You ain’t alone cherub. I usually get more bubbles than a bottle of Matey (shows age!) 😆