The Breakfast Club Returns!

[LilyLangtrey]

Good evening, Clunkers!

Welcome to the Breakfast Club where the kettle is permanently on, the drinks flow and the snacks are both self-replenishing and calorie-free.

We start each day with a look at history and a tribute to a brave or inspiring woman. Mostly though, we just chat randomly about current affairs, recipes, life in lockdown, literature, music and anything else that comes into our heads.

Veteran Clunkers welcome. Anyone else who wants to join in the chat - sense of humour essential! - welcome.

Kettle's on ☕️☕️☕️

Recycle, Tracy, recycle??? Wash your mouth out with soap!

I just don't like to waste anything...

Morning Clunkers,

@LilyLangtrey, thank you for my daily history lesson. 🌷

@TracysShoulder, once again you have excelled with breakfast. 🌷

Went for my walk, it was absolutely pouring down. 🌧

Stopped off at the local corner shop and bought some pudding rice.

Breakfast for me was avocado on wholemeal toast and 2 cups of tea, the avocado is new it is already mashed with added lime, so much easier. 🥑

Son and his girlfriend popped in yesterday evening to tell us they will be away for the next 3 months, so will miss sons birthday, Christmas and New Year. 🙁

Have showered and put loungewear on, a rather fetching grey combat number. 😁

The lady on Pop Master, yaaa a South London girl. 😁

Not much else going on today, have sorted the cupboard under the stairs out, will make the rice pudding later, I have nutmeg so all good, MrN will be a happy bunny.

🌼 Aberfan.

🌸 Florence.

🌹MRD.

Happy Birthday Judge Judy. 🌻

Have a good day everyone. 👍🏻

Morning Moogle, I second Lily, slightly more in price than “normal” milk it does last for a week or maybe buy some long life just to keep in the cupboard for emergencies. 🐄 🥛👍🏻

Nellyyy Sad for you that your DS will be away. I hope it is because they will be doing something amazing that they want to do but still hard not to be able to see them at special times.

The ready smashed avocado with lime sounds interesting. Where did you find it?

Teflon, I always keep a long-life semi-skimmed in. It's fine in drinks. No need to be without milk.

Nelly, please can I have the rice pudding skin with plenty of nutmeg?

Please make two rice puddings, Nelly, or I'll have to arm wrestle Tracy for the skin. It's the best bit.

It would be like the War of the Roses all over again but for something wayyy more important than the keys of the kingdom.

So excited today. We are finally putting up the bookshelves - I can't believe how much work this has taken - and we will finally be able to unpack all the books, probably teatime onwards. It has taken so much longer than I first thought but it will make the place look so much tidier. It will take a couple of days to empty all the boxes but if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well.

A clean house is a happy house And it will give Phyllis something new and exciting to think about.

I have no idea what we are going to do with all the new things we bought for Dizzy though - new cat bed and litter tray and scratching post. MrL says hold on to them. There's always room for a cat in the house. Chairman Miaow doesn't mind company (as long as we all know he is Senior Cat).

I never knew about the Clarkston disaster. It happened before I was born but, as an adult, I worked near there so I'm surprised it wasn't ever mentioned. So much tragedy and loss especially with Aberfan too. The Crown episode on Aberfan was very moving.

Gramgram I'm so sorry that happened to you. What a horrible experience.

We're in the middle of family negotiations about DMs care. She has always been fiercely independent but since her accident she needs more support. It's very difficult especially mid-pandemic. I think there's a lesson about balancing independence with consideration. I'm trying to get to grips with it so I don't accidentally put DS in a similar situation by clinging to my independence without realising the burdens and difficulties it can cause others. DM's friends are trying to persuade to be more pragmatic since they have all had to make similar adjustments recently.

@meercat23

Nellyyy Sad for you that your DS will be away. I hope it is because they will be doing something amazing that they want to do but still hard not to be able to see them at special times.

The ready smashed avocado with lime sounds interesting. Where did you find it?

Morning Meercat,

Tesco of all places, it was £2.80 or there about, they do the lime one as well as a chilli one, it is in a tub like the Philadelphia cream cheese.

Son it’s nothing amazing...work, but they will do some tourist places, he has been there a few times before, he has to quarantine for two weeks, then work.

Have just read @DorisLessingsLesson, I forgot to read up about the Clarkston disaster, I also have never heard of it, so will pop off to have a read. 🌷

Please make two rice puddings, Nelly, or I'll have to arm wrestle Tracy for the skin. It's the best bit.

The skin is the best bit, MrN doesn’t like that, so I get to eat it, I will send some by helicopter drop off about 5pm, I would love to see yourself and Tracy arm wrestle for my slightly burnt skin. 😁

What doesn’t get eaten we put out for whoever gets there first, which is normally Mr Fox. 🦊

Is there a butler around?

Afternoon, Clunkers.

Afternoon Clunkers! Late again. Sorry I missed breakfast with you but Mr O made me porridge with maple syrup which was delish.
Really interesting OTD Lily. I was 6 when Aberfan happened and I remember seeing it on TV and not understanding how nobody could get away in time. When Clarkston happened I remember that too as we're only about 20 odd miles away. Tragic events.
I'm having a hell of a day at work. I'll pop in later for a stiff drink. The kitten has spent all morning clamouring g over my keyboard while I'm trying to do interviews over the phone 🤪🤪🤪

Morning all! Well I’m calling it morning as I haven’t had lunch yet.

Thank you for the OTD @LilyLangtrey. Busy afternoon ahead so please start tea & cocktails afterwards without me, I’ll catch up with everyone for post dinner cocktails/port/mint tea later.

Moral dilemma... LittleBoyHippo and Little Hippo are making music together, using the (untuned) piano and the recorder. They are not very good at either and none of them had piano lessons. The racket is horrendous, but I am sure very educational and good for them (and their own idea)....

Do I let them continue and observe myself descend into madness or do I tell them that they are allowed TV 😱.

Outside having training Cam.

Hi all pops in to grab a late breakfast, hopes there's something left

Hope everyone is OK, miserable grey day here. The afternoon doesn't hold much excitement for me except for trying to get in at the dentist as I broke a tooth, grr.

Very moving and thought-provoking OTDs today, thanks @Lily.

Do I let them continue and observe myself descend into madness or do I tell them that they are allowed TV 😱.

It's the joys of being a mum, Hippo. They are obvious having fun.

Tracy, glad to see you are keeping the butlers up to standard. They look very cheerful.

I was about the same age, OnProzac, and didn't understand either. I cannot imagine what the people of Aberfan went through - and might still be.

Oh don't worry, BigGreen. There will be a drink waiting for you, whenever you are ready.

Tomorrow's OTD includes an Admiral called Sir Cloudsley Shovell. You couldn't make it up, could you? The circumstances themselves are tragic so I will be reporting sensitively tomorrow but...Cloudsley Shovell? Seriously? What were his parents thinking?

I'm telling you, there's a whole MN baby naming thread in there somewhere.

👋 Reality.

@MoreHippoThanPenguin

Moral dilemma... LittleBoyHippo and Little Hippo are making music together, using the (untuned) piano and the recorder. They are not very good at either and none of them had piano lessons. The racket is horrendous, but I am sure very educational and good for them (and their own idea)....

Do I let them continue and observe myself descend into madness or do I tell them that they are allowed TV 😱.

😂😂 🎼🎹🥁🎷🎺🎸🪕🎻 😂🙀

Two words...ear plugs. 😁

Lily, they are very focused and seem to be having a lot of fun.

Nelly, earplugs. Great idea! I will see if I can buy some, just waiting for the rain to stop so we can go out.

They are still going, that is stamina 😱

@MoreHippoThanPenguin

Moral dilemma... LittleBoyHippo and Little Hippo are making music together, using the (untuned) piano and the recorder. They are not very good at either and none of them had piano lessons. The racket is horrendous, but I am sure very educational and good for them (and their own idea)....

Do I let them continue and observe myself descend into madness or do I tell them that they are allowed TV 😱.

If you think it's bad now, wait until they start learning the recorder in school 😬 What about tuning them into garage band on the iPad. At least you'll be able to control the volume?

Tracy is putting the butlers through their butlering as we speak. We have high standards to keep in the BC.

Good afternoon all

GramGram how horrible for you, sending you best wishes and hoping you get a good dose of those dolphins to uplift you.

Thanks for OTD as always Lily. I agree Doris 'The Crown' on Netflix covered the Aberfan disaster quite sensitively I thought for a drama series.

I will be raising my glass this evening to Florence and Mandy, not that I need an excuse, but sometimes the thought of a crisp, cold glass of wine is all that carries me through some days.

Breakfast was spectacular this morning Tracy; I wonder what other themes we can come up with to challenge you?

Many happy returns to baby gcat, inspiration for today's cakes I see from Tracy!

Love to Teffy, just keep flapping your wings...

Afternoon.

Out of sorts today. There is a lot to catch up on here .

@MoreHippoThanPenguin

Lily, they are very focused and seem to be having a lot of fun.

Nelly, earplugs. Great idea! I will see if I can buy some, just waiting for the rain to stop so we can go out.

They are still going, that is stamina 😱

Ah this brings back memories and I'm sorry to tell you, it doesn't ever disappear In the distant days before lockdown, we had a playdate for two of DS' friends. They've all just started high school and they spent part of the time writing and performing a rap. One on drums. One on guitar. One rapping. They took it so seriously. Typing and retyping the lyrics etc. Gosh, sometimes I miss having people around. Our house was always so busy with DH's colleagues staying when in-country; DS' playdates; my friends. Now, they're all reduced to little squares on a computer. sorry I've suddenly become quite maudlin

Are you OK, Anne?

Would one of these help you? It's a bit early, mind, but you could sip it slowly...