Coff up

Some months ago, I was introduced to a company called Condimaniacs, who make some interesting seasonings.    They make a Bagel seasoning, which is lovely.  To make best use of postage,  I bought their bagel seasoning, their bagel seasoning with chilli,  their pizza seasoning, their Ranch seasoning, and some other bits I can't remember now.

The Bagel seasoning has been great,  as has their pizza seasoning.   I've used the Ranch and one of their Dirty seasonings to make acceptable dips.

I also bought their 'low sugar' Pumpkin Spice Coffee mixer, which I started using a little while ago on my mid morning cold cold-brew coffee with cold foamed milk.   It's interesting.   I realised when I reached for the jar on the second day,  that it must have sugar in, and that was probably what I was almost craving.  I don't have sugar in my coffee.

After a few days, I found myself craving my cold cold-brew coffee, and I realised that I was addicted to the sweetness of the sprinkles.

This morning, I thought I'd try and make my own sugary chocolate topping.   I had some expensive Cacao powder in the cupboard,  and I checked online to see how much sugar vs cocoa the commercial ones have.  I was surprised to find that sugar was the biggest ingredient, cocoa was only about 20% and there were loads of other additives (like soy).    Sugar probably made up 75 percent of the product.

I had a go at making it, with just cacao powder (20%) and caster sugar (80%), which I blitzed together to make a fine powder.  I slathered it on my foamed cold milk,  and attempted to drink. I hadn't got the dusting all the way to the edge so I did a thing where I extended my upper lip and sort of sucked.  It worked really well - I managed to hoover a large amount into my mouth in one blast, but it was so powdery that it went down my throat and I started to cough.  And then choke. the Brokenwood episde where the chap choked and inhaled petrol while syphoning.  He died.  I didn't,). 

I realised that I needed it to be a bit more crystalline so it wouldn't do that again.

As I  spooned out cacao for batch number two,  my eye landed on a jar of French Four Spice Blend, which I'd decanted from a packet a couple of days ago.     This smells lovely,  it's made up of Black Peppercorns, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves, and I bought it to make a honey cake (french recipe).   [ I haven't made the cake yet because: day 1, I needed to order the spice mix;   Day 3, I realised I only had expensive honey in the cupboard and I didn't want to use it in a cake, so I had to go and buy cheap honey.;  Day Four I started makig it, step 1 zest 6 oranges, and after I'd zested 4 I realised that one of them was off and it had ruined all the zest; Day 6,  the orange extract arrived,  but the bottle was slightly open so that was no good.  Do you think the Universe is trying to tell me something?]   Anyway. I digress..

My eye landed on the Four Spice Blend, and I thought that would make a lovely topping, so I added that in with my cacoa, whizzed it, and then stirred in some caster sugar.   I tried a tiny bit on a spoon. and it killed my tastebuds stone dead.  Too much 4 Spice Blend.   I went and did somwething else for a while.

Some time later,  it occurred to me that Aldi Sugar Puffs might make a lovely coffee topping.  I put some in my little spice blender,  and whizzed them to a powder.    I stirred in a small amount of caster sugar for crunch,. it tasted OK.  Not brilliant, but OK.   I made another cold cold-brew coffee with cold foamed milk, and put a load of topping on, making sure I got it all the way to the edge.

Of course I'd completely ignored what happens to Sugar Puffs when you add milk.  

I tried to drink, but there was this...this... puffberg on the top of my coffee.  The powder had sucked up moisture, and set.    When I went to empty out the rest from my blender,  it had already absorbed noisture from the air, and was set in concretesque lumps under the blades.    There was another bit of puffcrete in the little bowl I'd poured some in to test.  

It wasn't a success. 

It seems there is good reason why the commercial stuff has loads of additives after all.

I might just give in and buy cadburys drinking chocolate to sprinkle.

Or I might just try and break the habit before it becomes an addiction.

I can give it up anytime. 

Can't I?

Skirting Around

Too hot to wear my usual jeans, so I wore one of the two skirts I made the other week using the Pattern Emporium Hearlight skirt pattern.  I've got a template ct out for this pattern, I've made it numerous times now, so it's really quick.

 I remembered to take a photo!  I paired it with one of my few me-made plain tops.   I'm going to make some more (plain, me-made, tops), when I next get the urge to serge.

Tempting Fate

The hot weather (I assume) has resulted in a crowd of very grumpy hens. 

They have a lovely sheltered run extension - woodchip on the floor, shaded by trees - but they stay out in the garden getting hot.

I put a washing up bowl (kept for the purpose) out with a bit of water in the bottom and a load of frozen peas.  The peas defrost quickly, the girls bob for them and it ensures they take on a bit of water in this heat.

Today a fight broke out, with two girls (Bot and one other, not sure who) attacking Fleur.  Fleur is a middle aged cuckoo maran,  and she's always been "not quite right".    She tried fighting back,  I broke them up.   As soon as my back was tutned, it started again, and two other girls were involved, one possibly trying to fend off Bot who really had it in for Fleur.

The third time, a few seconds later, I saw that Fleur's comb was bleeding. Fleur also looked stressed, her comb was a bit dark.    I took her out, as blood can be a bit of a trigger for hens.     A cut on a hens comb is like you or I cutting our earlobes.  A lot of blood from a little cut,  and takes ages to heal.    I tried putting powder on it, but it wouldn't staunch it,  and she looked like she was going to die from the stress of me administreing to her. 

I gave her a hard boiled egg from the fridge, and she perked up a bit.  She ate it, and then Iet her wander round, and then rest under the shade of the medlar tree.

About half an hour later, when it looked like it had stopped, I had a go at bathing her comb to get the blood off, and I sprayed her with "purple spray".  It acts as an antiseptic,  but it also covers the sight of red blood.   I let her go back in with the others, and a few seconds later it was bleeding again.

This time I moved her to the shaded run, and blocked access to keep the others away.   Normally I'd separate out the bully ,   but with all the blood it was possible that any of them might turn on her.   Also, I don't know what went on before the trouble started. 

She's going to have to stay there til it's dark and the others have gone to bed.  She's got water and some greens, and some sunflower seeds, so I hope she's OK.

She's not my favourite girl - she's been a bit of a bully herself in the past.  Nothing serious,  a hen bully in the normal way of hens sometimes being bullies.    I really don't like it, even though I know its 'natural behaviour'.    

 I care about her, and I don't want to lose her. 

Jubilant

As usual, an up and down couple of weeks :-)

The Jubilee came and went.    DH, who has affected a lot of eye rolling in the past,  was concerned that I hadn't put up bunting.   He reminded me many  times  and, just before the first day of celebrations,  I went into the loft to find it.    I was amazed at how carefully Ihad folded it from last time (the Diamond Jubilee I imagine?). We got as far as putting up one enormous Union flag,   I didn't have the energy for putting up the rest. 

We watched the parade on TV, and we hoped that the the Red Arrows would fly over our village (they did last time, when we'd trogged somewhere else to go and watch them).  They didn't, sadly,  but they did go over neighbouring villages and there were plenty of posts of videos.

I watched the concert on catchup, so I could FF through the acts I wasn't interested in. 

I also had the final day parade on TV all day, and I came in and watched varioud bits of it.   

The weather was lovely, and we had an impromptu get together here with one my DB2 and his partner on one of the days.   Pizza in the garden, lovely!

Teh buntinh is now back in the box, waiting to go back in the loft, ready for the next event. The coronation, I expect.  

~~

After having a very rigorous hands-on Physio session once a week, I had a double Physio session one day,  and the effects of that lasted for about 2 weeks.  I've got another one booked now as my neck and back are starting to seize up again, despite doing the daily exercise regime.  

The spO2 monitor experiments were outstandingly successful.  I bought an spO2 ring (Wellue/Viatom), which comes with an app which does continuous monitoring, and this has been fantastic.  It's given me information to show to my GP,   and it has reassured me that I am not misinterpreting the signals my body has been giving me for the last 11 months.  I wish I'd bought this months ago!      Let's hope this helps with a diagnosis.

I've also accepted that,for the sake of my back,  I'll probably have to stick to wearing Optiform made to measure bras,  and I'm happy with that.  Sue at Optiform has been lovely, so helpful.   I'll increase my collection gradually. 

Today I cleared out all my not-current-size bras and I'm sending them to a bra recyling charity.  Some of them are so lovely that it was really difficult to do.   I have kept some that are my current size, you know, just in case,  and because I'd already filled the box I had was full.    I have moved those to the back of the cupboard, freeing up space in my drawer. 

I've got some wires etc harvested from other bras, which weren't good enough to send for recyling.  I'm probably not going to be able to use those underwires myself now, so I'll offer them on one of the bra making groups.   

I keep reminding myslef that every little thing I can clear out is one step forward in decluttering. 

 ~~

I've been trying to get up enthusiasm to sew something;  I've got a few projects I'd like to get done .   I've got another duvert cover I want to make (with brushed cotton on the underside, and cotton on the top);   I want to make some plain coloured tops to go with all the skirts I've made over the last couple of years;     I want to make some leggings for Pilates... and so on. 

We did another jigsaw instead.

I couldn't face doing the Seattle 3000 piece one, and instead I sold it for one pound, with the clear information that I had no idea if it was all there.     I picked up the last of the not-made-by-my-parents ones, and we did that. 

It was complete no missing pieces.  Not really my cup of tea,  from a picture point of view,  but the puzzle had plenty of definition, with enough tricksy bits to make it a bit of a challenge.  As usuak with Ravensburger,  the finished puzzle was bright and cheerful.

We also spent fifteen minutes making up a puzzle I'd re-found in the loft, while looking for the bunting.   I'm sending this on to a chap whose sister in law likes doing small puzzles.  The pieces are lovely to touch,  and it's a deceptive puzzle - some of the pieces fit in many places.  I hope she likes it

The kitchen table is now empty, apart from my overlocker and the jigsaw cloth.   Im not sure which one will be in use first.

~~

Soda Stream have brought out a new easy-fit mechanism for their machines, which uses new cylinders, and on impulse I bought one of the new machines.  I chose the Art model, because I liked the ease of the gassing handle.   

Soda Stream's Customer Services is fabulous, really helpful.  I contacted them before purchase to ask what I could do with my empty blue cylinders and my full blue cylinders.   They told me the most cost effective way to buy the new mchine (as I'm a Sparkle Saver customer),  they told me how to exchange my empty blue for full pinks,  and they've agreed to swap my full cylinders for me, free of charge.  

The new machine arrived the next day, and it is amazing!  I'm a little embarrassed to be so enthusiastic about a Soda Stream, but I really am.  It's so easy to change the gas cylinder - it's a simple push fit now, so no more having to hold the machine and twist the gas out.  The water bottles go in easier as well, and the gassing lever is much easier on the fingers and hands - even arthritic hands could manage this, I think.

I've had a good run of well-worth-it impulse buys recently, so I'm very happy.   I think I've only bought one impulse thing in the last couple of years that has been a waste of money. 

I expect I've tempted fate now!

~~

In the Garden, Viole(n)t  has finally given up being broody after about 5 week. It might be more, I've lost count.    Now she's back in the group,  part of me wishes she'd go back in the nest box!  She's such a whinger!        We were sitting outside under the shade yesterday and, for a very brief time, the Girls were all lined up stting quietly together.   I think the were all staring into the open side door of the summerhouse.

They looked like they were at the cinema.

~~

I'm sure there's loads more, but my memory is atrocious.