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Entertaining, entertaining

Monday, April 6th, 2009

We’re so tired. Emilie, Luke, and Kathryn visited last weekend, and mum and Bart came this last one, so two full weekends of fun, food, and frolics have taken their toll. And even though I’ve been lucky enough to not be at work today (and Friday, too), I’ve almost been too tired to settle to, or do anything this afternoon.

But, just like last weekend, we’ve had a fun two days. Mum and Bart arrived from Lowestoft on Friday evening, and we caught up over a butternut squash and leek pie supper. With Saturday’s changeable weather, we headed into town for a walk around the market, buying some cheese, and mooching around the shops.

Saturday evening was cards (‘Blob’), a speedily made sausage plait and Eve’s Pudding, with champagne and wine, while yesterday’s sunny spells let us whiz over to Harlow, to look around its very large and renowned garden centre. Bart is developing a penchant for gardening late in life, and so filled the boot of the car with lots of greenery, eager to plant his new babies out the back of the house.

We had a night off last night, and went to Immo for supper. Usually busy, it was very empty, and the food wasn’t quite up to the usual standard, either. My spaghetti carbonara was a little wet and runny, but the Frisco Parmesan wafer starter and ice cream dessert upheld the tasty tradition. We still enjoyed what we had, though, and got home in time for tea before bed, and pre-11pm early night – we must have them around more often.

This morning’s breakfast was a little more low-key than both Saturday’s and Sunday’s (only eggs and muffins for our sleepover visitors), and the only job to do today was to replant the dragon tree in the front room, which true to mum’s word, had outgrown its pot and become root-bound. A new container was the easy remedy, and with cheese and crackers for lunch, mum and Bart were on their way home.

It’s always more than lovely to have visitors for the weekend, but it does take it out of you, especially two weekends running. But, both were worth it, with lots of fresh memories made and relaxing times had. The tables are turned a little this weekend, as we’re off to Viv’s in Darlington to meet up with Andrew and Sheila, and to enjoy the relaxing Easter weekend up north.

And, although we’ll do our bit to tidy up ourselves, at least this weekend, there’ll not be copious amounts of cleaning. Only maybe copious amounts of food, which, after the last two weekends, isn’t necessarily a good thing – the super-slim beach body due to my lack of willpower is a long way off yet!

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Posted in Essex, Home, Journal | 1 Comment »

Rollerworld, Colchester

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

We relived our youths at the weekend, and for two hours were 14 again. Saturday afternoon was spent on wheels at Rollerworld in Colchester, ‘Europe’s Finest Rollerskating Rink’. A bit of a claim if I’m honest, but they would certainly have something for the ‘Most ‘80s Rollerskating Rink’ title should it be up for grabs (the staff were the most ‘80s of all, dressed in their white shirts and black trousers with red dickie-bow ties).

Arriving, the place looked very salubrious, with painted black windows, and an exterior that blended in with the bleak industrial estate around it. Raised above floor level, the rink itself was large enough to contain a Saturday afternoon’s worth of teenagers, and with murals around the walls and the smell of chips and junk food, we were transported back to 1987.

We were there to celebrate Pat’s 65th birthday. Our next-door neighbour, she was there with her family and friends, and the idea was that as the whole afternoon was a surprise, she would skate around, bumping into people from the road. As it turned out, we were the only ones who went, but along with our London friends Emilie, Luke, and Katherine, we had a very enjoyable afternoon and were soon whizzing around the rink.

Nik and I managed to stay upright (unlike the other three who had minor falls), and Katherine’s tumble apart, went home relatively pain-free. It turns out that Pat had fallen, too, chipping and cracking a bone in her right arm, resulting in a plaster cast that has to stay on for six weeks. She (and we) want to go back, though, and as there are over 21 nights and a roller disco on a Saturday evening, I think we may be back rolling on wheels again soon.

The rest of the weekend was taken up with the London Three’s visit. Arriving on Friday evening, we caught up over dinner and cards, while on Saturday we bought cheese from the market, did the skating, and then as late afternoon turned into evening, enjoyed gins and ‘80s music. Tuna Jalousie and Eve’s Pudding with pink champagne and wine followed by more cards rounded off the day.

Sunday dawned less wet and brighter than Saturday, so we used the morning for geocaching at Hylands House, before Luke had to dash off for an afternoon rendezvous in Brighton. Making the Café on the Water at Hanningfield Reservoir our last stop, we had a filling lunch before taking the girls to Billericay to catch the train back into town. They had a good time, though, and as with most London dwellers, were surprised to see the stars, amazed by the peace and quiet, and pleased to meet the chickens.

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Pedalites

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

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It’s ironic that just as the brighter mornings and evenings arrive, I finally get around to fitting the Pedalites that Nik bought me for Christmas. The self-powered lit pedals have sat in the shed for the last three months waiting for both the time and the weather needed to fit them. But, both arrived last weekend, and so now I’ve joined the thousands of Pedalite users around the world.

A bit of a pain to fit granted (although with a fitting the same as your previous bicycle pedals), but it was worth the effort. What are Pedalites? The clue is very much in the name. Costing £34.99 a pair, Pedalites are pedals with flashing lights in them, for greater visibility and safety when riding your bike.

And they’re bright, and even brighter in the shed. I didn’t christen Nik’s pair ‘disco pedals’ for nothing. The technology is relatively simple. As soon as you start to pedal, the Pedalites collect kinetic energy from the crank turns, and store it, so that the lights continue to flash when you’re freewheeling or are at a stop, for as long as 5 minutes.

The makers claim that traffic can see the lit pedals from up to 1 km (half a mile away), and that they give the rider ’360 degree visibility’. And, Pedalites are not only very bright, but also strong, too. The pedals themselves are made from Dupont polymer with metal stud feet grips, and the lenses are polycarbonate.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the battery-free Pedalites, which of course come in more than a little useful when you forget your usual lights, or it’s not quite dark enough to warrant using them. The company that makes them has recently branched out into other products, too, such as lights for running.

Some would say Pedalites are a little pricey, but it’s no cost if they keep you safe, and anyway, the cost should be recouped when compared to the typical cost of batteries otherwise. But of course, don’t forget that safe road manners are free, and however good Pedalites are, they should be used with a high visibility vest, other supplementary lighting, and a cycle helmet.

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Sprouting Black Russian tomatoes

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

The growing instructions on the packet of the Black Russian tomato seeds stated that they would take 7 to 10 days to germinate, and sure enough, they were correct to the letter. Today is the 10th day after we sowed them in the paper pots, and we can now see the first leaves and shoots peeping through the soil.

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We actually noticed the first two on Monday, but nearly all of the plants are now showing signs of having taken, and if they continue at the this rate, it won’t be long before we can transplant them into proper pots and put them in the greenhouse.

Elsewhere, our horticultural fingers have been doing things, too. Nik had a very busy couple of hours in the garden at the weekend, planting ten broad beans, two rows of white onion sets, and a row of early cropping carrots, which we’ll replace with later ones, once these have been harvested in the early summer.  We’ve also started three varieties of potatoes chitting.

As winter seems to (hopefully temporarily) take another cold grip on this week, we wonder if we’ve jumped the gun a bit. But, homemade plastic half-bottle cloches should, we hope, keep them warm and dry. It feels good to be planting once more, and means that with a bit of luck, spring is well and truly just around the corner.

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Planting Black Russian tomatoes

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

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It’s March, and so with spring supposedly just around the corner, we planted the first of the 2009 crop this afternoon. We’re going for the full gamut of vegetables once more (the new for ’09 garlic is already in and shooting and all the other seeds we’ve chosen have arrived), and though planting proper begins in April the Black Russian tomatoes went in today.

Yes, that’s right, a different variety to our usual and successful Golden Sunrise and Moneymakers, the Black Russians are deep reddy-brown in colour, and should be a little more unusual. As last year, we used the paper potter to make degradable newspaper containers in which to plant the seeds, and dug out the mini propagator that will provide warmth and cover while we start them off indoors.

Once we’d popped the seeds into the paper pots, we covered with 1cm of soil, watered just enough to moisten them, and lined them up in the propagator on the patio door ledge in the dining room. We’re starting them off indoors due to the 18-20 degrees C temperature the seedlings need to get started, and once they’re off, they should germinate within 7 to 10 days. Then, when large enough to handle, they can be transplanted into proper pots and kept in the greenhouse.

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