Those cardamom buns look amazing! @IngenTing I love reading your posts. I possibly romanticise them in some ways, as I know the freezing temperatures at this time of year must be so difficult to deal with, but a lot of what you post does seem truly magical.
@lucysmam sorry to hear about your boiler issues. I meant to mention this yesterday, but the day ran away with me. Slow cooker wise, I find that chucking some celery, onions and peppers in with a can of tomatoes and some meat makes a great ragu. Add in spices, garlic etc to taste, or add cannelini beans for a veggie version. Hope all gets sorted soon.
@Bimblesalong loving hearing about your garden endeavours and also the time you carved out to play piano. I allow myself sometimes to fantasise about winning the lottery and I'd hire a huge stately home and invite you all for a weekend. Of course I'd also get in touch with Nigel's publicist and he would join us and give us some private readings from CC and snippets from his other books. It would be winter time (naturally) and we would have a good sprinkling of snow. To have you tinkling on the ivories would just be the cherry on the cake!
Loved your last photo @LillianGish you did well to get in before the ban on photographs came in. I've got some ideas moving forward regarding us being able to share our lovely pictures. I've actually been working on a blog which, when ready, I could link to here.
@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense I remember reading once that the best time for bulbs to be planted was the correct time, but the second best time is now. I've lived by this rule for years. If things don't flower when they are supposed to this year, then they absolutely will next year. Just getting them in the ground is a win.
@dazzlingdeborahrose I think I'm going to re-read A Thousand Feasts. I enjoyed it first time round, and I'm always bereft at CC finishing too, so a few evenings of ATF will be just the tonic.
@piscofrisco Burgh Island sounds something else! I've seen it featured on TV a number of times and it seems almost other worldly. Toi far away for us (plus I'm restricted now with DD) but it's absolutely another reason why this thread is amazing. Sharing experiences here makes me feel almost like I've experienced a little bit myself.
I've been trying to get my meds right these past few days. I've been on high strength antihistamines (four a day) for decades for chronic urticaria plus monthly Omalizumab injections. They haven't been working, and neither have my pain meds, which is usually stress related as my Immunology consultant always tells me. I've finally gotten some relief tonight. I really don't want to have to go any higher (they are licenced at up to eight a day, but the side effects are not worth it for long term daily living) I once had a private appointment with a lovely chap who was a previous physician to our late HMTQ. I wish he was still practicing as he was easily the most wonderfully understanding man about my complex series of conditions.