Boris is still poorly

Today was a super glorious day.  We were going shopping and in search of something which might tempt Boris to eat.  He is obviously hungry and runs to eat but then just turns his nose up at everything I have tried, it breaks my heart when one of our cats is like this.  

We went down to Polis.  I took a bag of goodies to the Charity Shop on the way out to Argaka.  The Friends Hospice Shop is currently in the process of preparing a six bedroomed facility in a private house in Tala which has been bequeathed to the Charity and where they have been given most favourable terms to stay as long as it remains a "Hospice".  It is located in a quiet leafy lane where they will be able to offer patients and their families a relaxing, home from home environment when they most need it.  

Normally we give our charity items to Lilian but she is going away shortly and anyway she works in the Chlorakas shop for the same charity so it is the same difference.  

We stopped in Coffee Island before embarking on our Paps shopping.  They do a grand camomile tea and John likes their double expresso and at 4 euros it is a Billy Bargain and yes Nicky I know we promised never to discuss the price of a cup of tea but it comes to us all in the end!

We did our shopping and returned home.  I could feel the tell-tale signs of a cold coming on - I guess I have been lucky to avoid this so far but it is annoying.  We had agreed with Mum that we would keep an eye on the weather as storms are forecast and I would cook something which could, if required, be transported down to her tomorrow.  We plumped for a Cumberland Pie which is nothing more than a pimped up cottage pie but will be warm and filling if the weather is unpleasant.  

To go with the pimped up pie was a pimped up bread and butter pudding.  I was using a brown torpedo brown roll and making it with marmalade - mum says she doesn't like anything sweet but she always manages to eat all her pudding with a gallon of cream even if she hasn't managed to eat all her main meal!  It is a source of amusement for John and I.  I seem to remember being made to sit at the dining table on a Sunday until I had eaten all my main meal and I absolutely hated Sunday Lunch in those days.  Sometimes I would still be there hours later staring at a congealed plate of meat and veg - oh how times have changed!

On a roll in the kitchen department I got a meal ready for us for in the week.  There was some mince left over from the Cumberland Pie and I had some little new potatoes that needed using up so I smashed and roasted them and topped the mince.  This is earmarked for Tuesday I think.  We are trying to be good at using things up and being less wasteful which isn't too difficult you just have to be a bit more inventive with your meals.  The tintyweb is super helpful in this regard and John is forever coming across recipes that he wants us to try out.  He has a good eye because most of them have been really lovely.  

It had been a really glorious day, unexpectedly so and we made loads of electricity.  This January has been far and away the best since we had the photovoltaics installed even with any lack of efficiency in the panels as they get older.  Such a difference from last year that is for sure - last year at this time we had snow!  Charlie took advantage of some late sunshine and we couldn't persuade him to come in which is unusual as he likes to toast himself in front of the fire.  We had success with Boo, he started to eat some fresh chicken livers which we got in Paps, this was such a relief.

We almost didn't light the fire this evening but out of the blue it started to rain and we had some heavy storms which actually lasted through the night.  Our supper for this evening was stir fried crispy pork with noodles.  It was absolutely lovely - cooking the pork is a bit faffy and messy as you need super hot oil and you have to cook the meat in batches so that you ensure it is crispy which leaves the hob in a right old mess but it is worth it.  The meat was served with onion, chili, peppers and peanuts in a sauce with a garnish of coriander placed on a bed of egg noodles.  It was delicious.