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Good evening, Rusty!
We have just enjoyed a very nice roast beef dinner!
We do not always "cook" these days on a Sunday unless having family/ guests over, but today we pushed the boat out.
Roast beef and all the trimmings!
Just what I would have liked on Christmas Day, rather than the traditional turkey!
Delicious!
Funnily enough , your saying you met folk whilst out...........so did we!
Several people, out walking their dogs, whom we hadn't seen since before Christmas. It was good to catch up.
I shall go and read another chapter of my book before phoning my cousin.........

Hello, Elle!
A roast beef tea sounds very nice indeed.
Who is the cook in your house?
I had a tin of sausages and beans.
I bought four, two for me, and two to the Food Bank.
My met folk were unknown to me, or as Miss AOW calls them, "randoms"!
I like meeting new folk and a friendly word costs nothing.
It has became quite mild here.
Bit early for Spring, though!
What tidings of Mr Jingles?

Hi, Rusty!
I have been talking on the phone to my cousin for the past hour......all is well up there.
Mild and damp in Blackburn, too!
Who is the cook in our household?
Well.......it all depends on what culinary standard you are expecting?
I am a perfectly adequate cook, but do not enjoy cooking!
I cook purely because it is necessary for us to eat.
My husband is a far more innovative cook, and thoroughly enjoys creating interesting dishes.
It is better to come to dinner on the nights when my husband is cooking!
Ah "randoms"....... yes , I meet a lot of those on my dog walks!
It is a noticeable event that dog walkers will always stop and talk to each other........whether or not they have ever met previously!
It makes for an interesting outing!
Now, there have been no sightings of Mr Jingles since the end of the Christmas festivities.
Maybe he stowed away in someone's suitcase?

Hello, Elle!
Blackburn weather same as the rest of the country!
Good that your cousin is to the fore!
Elle, I have no idea regarding culinary standards.
I just do not like being hungry but am very unfussy as to what I eat.
Delighted with a cheese roll!
Of the folk I know, it is the men who seem to do the cooking.
I thought you would be a good cook.
Ah, "the randoms"!
I used to get told off by the young ones for initiating conversations with strangers.
Street cred to think about!
They do not mind now.
I hope no harm has come to Mr Jingles, do you think?

Good morning, Rusty!
Another damp and mild day here.....
I much prefer cold and dry!
However, since arriving home, the sun is beginning to show his face!
That is more cheering!
I am just printing out my crosswords, ready to take a look at the QC whilst drinking my coffee!
Later on, we are going over to Ikea - for some light bulbs for our standard lamps!
We have been unable to get them locally.
What are you up to today?

Good day, Elle!
Fine day here but snow forecast for later in the week.
I have been out, met an old pal and caught up with the news!
Light bulbs are a minefield!
So many different ones.
Buy a brand you trust, there are cheap rubbishy ones on sale in many places.
I have never been to Ikea.
No store anywhere near me.
It is very mild here!

Hello Elle and Rusty!

Hope you are OK; Just had a look at the Loch and it seems a bit windy up there; nothing much on the blog apart from a few photos, some of which we have already seen.

It is finally less cold here, only until Thursday though when we too are forecast some snow; but the end of last week was particularly cold, with temps as low as minus 7C and two nights at minus 10C
(minus 12 felt with the wind factor). Around here was the coldest in France and we were on orange alert for freezing fog (all day) and black ice - Not so good. Yet, it is better to have a real winter - the cold weather kills the bugs.

Hope you are feeling better Rusty. My friend in Cumbria has had a very bad cold, (sounds more like bronchitis to me) and cannot get rid of it.

Any lunching out this week Elle?

Good afternoon, Pigale!
Seems a nice day at the loch.
Yes some nice pictures, too.
Minus 10 is very cold!
I have not had it so cold here, but there is plenty time before Spring.
5 degrees just now and a beautiful blue sky overhead and a slight breeze.
I hate black ice! Very dangerous stuff.
I am fine.
Not quite there, but on the way!
Hope you are fine and getting down to the village to see your friends!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
Whew!
I am finally home again.......what a day!
I love Ikea - it is a great shop!
But getting out of it is a nightmare!
The queues are always so horrendous, that I always feel like abandoning my purchases when it comes to checking out time, and going home empty- handed!
Today, desperately needing the light-bulbs, I was strong minded and remained in the queue!
Yes, I agree with you about "cheap" light-bulbs" - remember the explosions we had last year when our light - bulbs shattered?
What a disaster! and potentially very dangerous!
Still warmish here but very wet.
It has been raining all the day.
That was good that you met up with an old friend and enjoyed a natter!



Hello, Pigale!
How nice to hear from you.
I am fine, thank you - still recovering from the Christmas and New Year festivities!
You are indeed having cold temperatures, but it sounds better than here; we are suffering warm and wet!
I am lunching out on Thursday only, so far as I know...but that could change!
How about you?

I've only just discovered Dunelm, what a great shop. Loads of household stuff at reasonable prices. Queues a bit like IKEA though.

Who would think that something as arcane as the words "ember days" would ever come in useful? More than half a century ago I used to be dragged to church every Sunday and clearly the words "ember days" must have stuck because I've just answered a question on ditloids! The late, great Bernard Levin once said that no knowledge was ever wasted, must be an examle of that.