A bright day...

This post is in memory of Elena Savvides Doghman - who lost her fight against cancer two years ago

Today turned out to be a better day than we had anticipated but it was to be the calm before the storm because overnight we had heavy rain, thunder and lightning and power cuts - in fact we were to wake without power which is a real buggerance but that is for tomorrow's blog.  

So a reasonably bright day and Mum was coming up for lunch  today and I had decided that we were to have Char Sui sticky baked pork belly slices served with twice cooked potato wedges and coleslaw.  This is a winning recipe for all concerned but I had cooked the pork belly in the slow cooker yesterday and whilst they were tender they looked anaemic and unappetising.  I just hoped that baked in the oven in their sauce they would buck their ideas up and look like the ones in the picture.  I decided I would cook them off in the oven first thing and then if they looked edible they would be just reheated along with the wedges. Thankfully they ended up very much like the photograph and were absolutely delicious - and pork over here is such a bargain!

John was wholly unconvinced about my proposed pud - baked bananas - he said that he didn't do mush - I tried to convince him that they would be fine and thankfully they were!  In fact John loved them so much he went for seconds.  Such an easy pudding to do and we often have bananas which are rather past their prime so this just perks them up!  Basically you put your nanas in a bowl with a spot of butter, some brown sugar and cinnamon and a little rum or orange juice or both and then heat them through and serve with cream and ice-cream and a smattering of crushed up shortbread biscuits for a bit of texture.

To accompany our meal we were having a glass of wine courtesy of Mum and actually originally courtesy of Atlantic Insurance - Mum had been in to pay her house insurance and had been given it as a Christmas thank-you - it was actually very nice so I am everso slightly miffed that I paid our insurance on-line - it would have been worth the trip down to the office to pick up a second bottle but as it happens Mum had to return to the office and collected a second!!

This week we watched a second episode of Our Yorkshire Farm - this time it was Spring and lambing and I am still officially ready to adopt Sidney and his ears.  This is such a fabulous little series I would urge you all to try and see it - Channel 5 though so not easy to get on catchup out here.

Lots of you have been asking after Charlie.  He is doing ok but you can see in this picture he definitely has a dodgy right eye.  He is fine in himself though and comes out with us to investigate what is happening outside although he doesn't really stray very far at the moment.

We have found out exactly what is wrong with Boris who is completely out of sorts due to a nasty wound that has turned into an abscess right my his mouth.  We investigated with a nice hot cloth and some salt water and found the wound and managed to remove the scab and then smooth his cheek and relieve him of some rather disgusting puss.  In fact we did this several times today and by the evening his face had gone back to almost normal size and he was much more himself.

It was nice to receive a message from my cousin Michelle this evening asking about the possibility of coming to stay next year.  Michelle was so helpful when Charlie was knocked over as she is a veterinary nurse.  Anyway to cut a long story short I cannot actually remember the last time I would have been in her company but if she can put up with us, our cats and our limited accommodation she is more than welcome to come and stay.

After Mum had left we had a right old Masterchef-fest - some of the food on tonight's programmes was absolutely exquisite looking.  I said to John I do sort of miss having the disposable income to go out and eat pretty food with different tastes and textures.  I love the food we have over here but our favourite eateries provide much the same food every time we go - I have a hankering for a crayfish and chorizo salad like I used to have in the Green Room!

Elena I know that if you were still around to have read this you would have pitched up at some point with crayfish and chorizo because that was exactly the sort of person you were.  We miss you xxx