Last week we left you with the lost and found saga of our red Cockapoo Reggie, who had slipped his collar after being attacked by another dog. Well, I am happy to tell you that Reggie is doing well, he is not quite the same, and seems very tired, so I am spending my week up in Twickenham where Victoria lives during term time, she works in a school. Reggie has always been affectionate, but Victoria has noticed a special bond between us, I’ve noticed it too. In Victoria’s eyes I’m her hero too, how long it will last who knows. The 7 pounds of weight I lost in 48 hours of tramping across muddy fields has partly been regained but it is already looking promising that I’ll achieve one of my January targets.

One evening while up in Twickenham we went to The Fox, a pub in Church Street, to see how Reggie would be around other people. It wasn’t quite deserted. Reggie was very restless, too many smells to interest him, but at least he didn’t bark or growl. I hadn’t been inside many pubs over the last year or more, a couple of times outside, but not inside. I know January can be quiet, but I do hope for the staff it will pick up. Reggie went once to Doggy Day Care during the week, and he was completely OK.

Last week I started a podcasting course provided by WordPress and I’ve now completed the first module and started the second. So far, so good, I’ve made plenty of notes, and downloaded the required software. I’ve ordered and received the muffler and pop filter for my Blue Yeti mic which has been gathering dust since I created my only video that I’ve published on Maximo Secrets. This was another New Year’s resolution that quickly petered out, I hope the podcasting doesn’t go the same way. Gosh, I just realised that was just over 3 years ago, I hope the mic hasn’t collected too much dust then. 

I am beginning to sense there is a bit more to podcasting than just talking into a mic. There is a community with the podcasting course and encouragement from the WordPress team to set objectives and request feedback from others. I’ve decided to go all in and become engaged to this project. No doubt it will consume me for a few weeks, it is always easier to have new projects in the winter months. The difficult bit is maintaining it once the garden starts to need attention and after the clocks go forward and then I can get away for a round of golf before it gets dark.

Last year we were entering lockdown at around the time of New Year’s resolutions. The previous year I had bought a new camera, a pocket one, but good, and a book to help. I hadn’t progressed, so last year’s resolution was master the camera. But what do I take photos of when it is overcast, wet and windy in Devon’s winter months? I know, I love pies, and have only made one in my life, consumed eagerly by our guest Phil who was caught with us during the first lockdown. Hmm, I also like ice cream and we have an ice cream maker that I’ve never used. Anyway, the other three New Year’s resolutions for 2021 ended up becoming pies, quiche and tarts, ice creams and sorbets, and the art of mixology, and now I have a cabinet full of exotic liquor and spirits and a few vintage cocktail glasses which also caught my eye. I kept all three going through the first three months, taking a snap of the ice cream and cocktail. This was until the freezer was overstocked and some trousers and shirts were beginning to look a bit tight, also over-stocked you might say; and apart from a few cocktails over the summer months I haven’t gone near pastry or ice cream making since.

But we have Martin Williams (IBM) and his wife June, and a couple of other friends who were helping with Reggie’s search coming over this Saturday and I have been back in the kitchen. Turkey, gammon, and leek pie, with the ham cooked in Coca Cola, a Nigella recipe. Dauphinois potatoes, and a selection of vegetables. For my wife, it was a salmon and prawn quiche, she is vegetarian. The ice creams were either honey and stem ginger, or pistachio. Pies and quiches were great, but I’m just a tad disappointed with the ice creams, they weren’t as good as the ones I made last year. Oh, I forgot, the cocktail was a Singapore Sling from the marvellous Difford’s Guide, I’ll add the link to the transcript of this podcast.

Difford’s Guide is worth a mention, the website has 5,000+ cocktail recipes. I have the 15th edition of Simon Difford’s book, with 3,000 recipes in it. After a year I am still trying to decide what cocktails I like, and my cupboard has probably 80 bottles now, so plenty of choice, although often the weekly emailed suggestions have some ingredient I don’t have.

Anyway, a great evening was had by all and a thumbs up was received on the pies and ice creams, and Reggie got to meet old friends and his temporary mother, June, who looks after him when Victoria and I do go away for a few days.

We’ve decided that we will redecorate the playroom, although with the girls in their 20s I dare say we should give this room a different name. It is the room we spend most of our time, the only room with a TV, which will eventually go on the wall. We are looking to put in a fireplace, or rather a fire surround to the existing wood burner which I have going most of the day during the winter, the room is also where I work. There is a marble fireplace down at the reclamation yard, but it is expensive. We’ve looked online and new ones are not much more and there is a showroom in Chiswick which we will go to next Saturday as I’ll be back up to Twickenham again next week. The fireplace is the first job and everything else needs to slot into place after that point. We have targeted the end of April to have it all finished, we’ll see.

Peter and I played a full 18 holes on Sunday on the East at Saunton. First half was 42, second 9 was 49 for a 91, which I’m pleased with as there was just the one disaster hole, the 14th which accounted for at least two more than I would normally expect. No lost ball is always a good indication that it was an OK round. 

In the evening we started to talk about holidays, just the two of us now. Lisbon seems favourite, probably the first week of the Easter holidays. I still have plenty of points to use from the years I used to regularly stay in hotels. Now it seems that if you don’t stay you will lose the points, so we’ll look to also get away for a few days in October. Leaving Reggie for more than 4 nights doesn’t seem quite right. Perhaps we’ll go away in July in this country so that he gets to see somewhere different as well. 

Links

Singapore Sling from the Diffords Guide https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/4627/singapore-sling-dale-degroffs-recipe