Wednesday Morning This and That

"Summer Holidays
Relaxing in the sun
flowers and bees and leafy trees
Doing nothing and yet . . . everything is done
Ice cream, candy rock and fish and chips by the sea
a quiet walk, just you and me
time to just be and do and see
Summer Holidays"
~by Me

Okay, now that I have managed to get you through that corny poem, I hope you'll stay for a chat and a natter. I found this page "Write an Instant Holiday Poem." This was my attempt, for after all I am on holidays now and am enjoying every minute of them. The Cliff Richard Song, "Summer Holiday" keeps playing in my head and for once it's not annoying me!



On Monday we had a Barbecue here in the evening. About 8 months ago a bunch of us at church decided we were going to start a small group scripture study group, and once a month since then we have been getting together at one or anothers home to study the scriptures together. We decided we would use the Gospel Principles book. This is the book that all new members study from when they first join the church and as the members of our group are essentially all converts of varying length of time we thought it wouldn't hurt to go through it again with eyes and hearts that now know and understand a lot more than we each did at the beginning, sort of a fresh perspective and meeting of minds on the underpinnings of our individual faith. It's been great. Since it was summer, and our turn to host this month, I wanted to have a barbecue and combine it with a Monday Family Home Evening, especially since a lot of us in the group are either couples without children living at home, or single members on our own. We had a wonderful time. It was a good old fashioned barbecue, with hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, coleslaw and even a visitor, in the shape of the little boy from next door, who just loves to come over and participate when we have company, especially when there are hot dogs involved! It was gone past ten by the time we got into bed and I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we all had a lovely evening together! You just can't beat spending a couple of hours with friends that feel like family!



Yesterday morning I had to go to the Chiropodist. Before I came over here I had never heard of such a thing! When I worked at the old people's home though (my first job after arriving on these verdant green shores), there was one that came into the home once a month or so to tend to the resident's feet. I had a problem about a year ago with some ingrown toenails and hadn't realized that Doctors over here don't deal with that issue . . . you have to go to a chiropodist, and so . . . I've been going about every 8 weeks ever since. My feet feel like a million bucks when I leave after he's done and it's been worth every penny. I thought it only proper to start off my holiday with feet that feel like a million bucks, don't you? (For those of you who don't know, a chiropodist is a foot specialist trained in the treatment of foot disorders, which can vary from corns to athletes foot. He trims my toe nails and gets rid of any calluses and in general just makes these tired old dogs feel like young pups!)*Note - That is not a picture of my feet. I wish that was a picture of my feet.

After that we went to the Cash and Carry to pick up a couple of cases of water to take on our trip and we decided to treat ourselves to a bit of lunch. McDonalds is right by there and, while it's not generally a place we like to go to very often, it's ok in a pinch and it was right there. We didn't have the time to come home because . . .



We were going to the movies in the afternoon! Yesterday we went to see the best musical film we have seen since Grease came out! Yes, we went to see MaMa Mia! I know that in the beginning when I told Todd I really wanted to see this he was thinking . . . Chick Flick . . . and he'd go to humour me . . . but he LOVED it, as did I! If you only go to see one film this summer, make it THIS one! It's fabulous! All the characters are well casted, the story line is great and the music is just wonderful!! We were entranced from the very first and I didn't even have to struggle to stay awake like I usually do. I never fell asleep even once. The actors sing all their own songs and do it quite well, and in some cases beautifully. We laughed. We cried. (well, I did anyways) Our toes tapped throughout the whole movie. Julie Walters is priceless in it. No bad language. No gratuitous sex or violence. Entertaining. Let's face it any film with Pierce Brosnan, COLIN FIRTH, and the music of ABBA in it can't be bad! I highly recommend!



We came home afterwards and then went for a nice walk through the Estate enjoying all the sights and sounds and smells. It was a wonderfully fitting end to a wonderfully relaxing day. Jess enjoyed walking with us as well. (I think she was feeling a bit lonely after having been in the house alone all day!) Today Todd is going to go to the War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm, and I'm going to dig out my paints and canvasses. I would go with him, but it involves a lot of walking and I am trying to save up my tootsies for next week when we are in Cumbria . . . . besides I think I will find my brushes and paints just a tad more interesting than some tanks and guns!

Last night we dined on a simple supper of Corned Beef Hash and fried eggs. Simple and yet . . . tasty. Sometimes the best things in life are the simple things, and this was no exception!



*Corned Beef Hash*
Serves 2

7 ounces tinned corned beef
2 large, free range, very fresh organic eggs
1 rounded teaspoon of grainy mustard
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
10 ounces of floury potatoes, peeled and chopped into half inch cubes
(use a King Edward, Maris Piper or if in America a Russet)
1 1/2 TBS sunflower oil
3 TBS butter, divided
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Tomato ketchup to serve

Remove the corned beef from the tin and cut it up into bits using a sharp knife. Scoop them all into a bowl. Combine the Worcestershire sauce and the mustard and pour it over the meat. Give it a good stir to combine. Set aside.

Place the potato cubes into a saucepan with enough boiling water to just cover them. Season with a bit of salt and then cover and simmer for just five minutes. Drain well in a colander and set aside to cool a bit.

Heat a medium skillet with a heavy bottom over medium high heat and add the oil and 1 TBS of the butter. When it is quite hot throw in the onions and toss them around, stirring and cooking them until they begin to soften and brown. Add the potato cubes and continue to cook and brown the onions and potatoes, adding a bit more oil if necessary to help keep the mixture from sticking too much. Season with some salt and pepper to taste. After about 10 minutes or so add the corned beef, continuing to move everything around and cooking it until the beef is completely heated through. Turn the heat down to it's lowest setting and fry the eggs.

Place a medium sized, heavy based frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 TBS of butter and heat until it starts to foam. Carefully break the two eggs into the foaming butter. Leave them for about 30 seconds or so to get them started, then turn the heat down to medium. Continue to cook the eggs for one to two minutes, basting the tops with some of the fat in the pan from time to time, or until they are as done as you like them. If you are not fond of *sunny side up* eggs, then carefully flip them over once to seal the tops.

Serve the hash divided between the two warm plates with an egg on top of each and plenty of Tomato Ketchup!