So, Victoria and I are having a Girls Night tonight, complete with snuggling up and reading Black Beauty and making chocolate chip cookies, while Brad has taken the boys to rugby game #2. ( I do hope they sit beside someone kind who understands the game well. :) ) Our cookies turned out yummy, but there were times during the process we just weren't sure...like when we discovered that all the recipe's measurements were in grams of this and that, and we had NOTHING in the flat that measured in grams...not even the bathroom scale, which we checked..:)...I mean, how does one know, when looking at a big unfamiliar-sized hunk of butter, how much 50 grams is...hmmm...we laughed our way thru and here they are...wish you were all here to enjoy them with us...Daniel doesn't think they're too bad...
Let's see...remember Dan the Shuttle Man? Here he is, and an update. Many have said they are praying for him. Thank you so much. Last Friday we mailed him a copy of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, and also a gospel of Luke. Last week, Eden Baptist, where we have been attending church, gave everyone 2 copies of Luke's gospel to share with friends to invite them to a special city-wide evangelistic event later this month. Anyway, he should have received them on Monday, February 1st. We have not heard from him yet, but are hopeful that he will begin to read either or both of the books we sent him...so, keep praying...we hope/plan to invite him to our chuch for this special event where Tim Keller, a present-day apologist from New York City, will be speaking.
In other news, many have offered their best guess as to why glasses shook and children cried when we plugged in our clippers from the States...yes, we have some winners...drum roll, please...Pat Guthrie and Seth Drown!!!! YEAH!! So, suffice it to say that we have learned that there is a difference between ADAPTERS and CONVERTERS. One actually CONVERTS the voltage from 110 (US) to 220 (England), and the other simply emits loud noises and eventually explodes. Thanks to our friends, the Kynes (see picture of man with even haircut below), we now are growing hair over once continent-shaped bald spots. :) The boys are showing off their new haircuts, but it really looks more like they're auditioning for the opening credits of a Brady Bunch remake.
So, I'm back after the Tesco man just delivered INTO OUR KITCHEN an entire weeks worth of groceries--glorious! This week we are eager to try "prawn cocktail" crisps (shrimp-cocktail flavored potato chips), bramble conserve (blackberry preserves?), Wensleydale cheese with dried cranberries, black-eyed BEANS (as opposed to black-eyed PEAS), and crumpets. I'm beginning to get the hang of this ordering your groceries online . Some things, however, still puzzle me. Last night I did a search for "macaroni and cheese", and was sent to (I'm not making this up)--men's toiletries. Oh dear. Then I noted a highlighted special -- a "vacuum-packed shoulder joint". That was the entire description. No picture. No explanation. Never did find out what it was a shoulder joint OF...decided I didn't need one... My sweet friend Pat Guthrie, who lived here in Cambridge with her family a few years ago, has given me SO many helpful hints on living here, many in the area of food. She said that her family kept a list of all the different flavors of potato chips, and that their favorite was shrimp cocktail. So, to honor today's winners of the Mad Clippers Award, both Pat and Seth will receive their own bag of prawn cocktail flavored crisps, to be hand-delivered in May. Congratulations. :)
To wrap it up today, there's been more sightings of tree bobs in our area...plus I have tragic news about our lone persimmon on our persimmon tree. IT MAY NOT BE A PERSIMMON AFTER ALL!! OUTRAGEOUS!! I've been dreaming about, blogging about, and drooling over this persimmon--I love the things...and now... well, it's all Tesco's fault. Yes, I was looking online at the fresh fruits last night and lo! and behold! I came across my persimmon. Only they called it a "Giant Sharon Fruit ". That's an odd name for a persimmon, thought I. Then it hit me. What if my little tree isn't a persimmon tree after all! I mean, I HAD noticed that my persimmon was growing from a different part of the limb than I had remembered from back home in Arkansas. Well, and then I had noticed that the part that was supposed to be attached to the branch is actually, ahem, facing the opposite direction in our courtyard. So, those of you with horticultural prowess (Beth Jenkins), please help me. There may be some prawn cocktail flavored chips in it for you!
This just in: some have asked (Lucas) about the basketball score between the boys...let's just say that Dr. Green has been putting the smack-down on the boys and the overall score for the league champioship, as of this writing, is Dr. Green : 10 Boys: 8 I'm telling you, there's been some serious struttin' going on around here with this basketball business...but the boys want to assure everyone that they have dad right where they want him--feeling cocky and confident, and they are about to bust their big move, so hang tight, and thanks for asking...
Plus, for the next snow day when you're home from school and wondering what to do...here's our phone number (thanks to my dear friend Tammie Lou Van Neste) 011-44-1223-331-615. It's a free call if you charge it to Ray Van Neste's credit card, the number of which I'll include next time...:)
6 comments:
O-kay Dianne Green, why you have not called me yet with all these questions that have been puzzling you is beyond my understanding. I would have told you the trouble with the clippers....my real word of warning is that the same thing can happen with a curling iron and the effect (baldness...plus a very nasty smell) is much the same. Please beware your curling iron. Also, I LOVE sea salt and vinegar crisps the best. Prawn cocktail is not my favorite! Do they still have the O's? They are little crips that are shaped like o's. My boys use to open them and put one on the end of every finger adn then eat them. Fun memories. I am excited that you guys will be there during Easter. I love the neat Easter candy that they put out. They have huge hollow eggs that are not hollow. You will find Barbie ones with Barbie things inside the big chocolate egg and Hot Wheels with Hot wheel things....so so cool!
Do you guys have a Marks and Spenser store there? That is a nice store and check out the chocolate section!!!!! What about ASDA? You know Wal-Mart and Asda are owned by the same people. Have you seen the block ice cream? By the way, I just checked my British cookbook and to find amything like mac-n-cheese you will have to look for macaroni and cheese sauce. My book has a recipe for macaroni and blue cheese or macaroni cheese with leeks. Unless things have changed there is NO velveeta so you'll have to make your own cheese sauce. Sorry! but it honestly will taste better.
Have you guys had any fish and chips yet? Scotland had a place called The Ashville and they have great fish and chips and deep fried candy bars!!!! YUM!
I am going to try to call tomorrow! Tell everyone hello!
HAHAHHAAH too funny :) the craziest chips we ever had were Lays ketchup flavored chips in Canada! Love the nerf hoop...a must for sure. I am a little nervous about the voltage and electric appliances now....CAUTION DO NOT PLUG IN UNTIL YOU TALK TO TAMMIE.
Diane, you had me very curious with the Sharon Fruit post, especially since all the persimmons are goine here and have been since the fall. Well fear not friend, a sharon fruit is none other than a persimmon!!There are 2 varieties (Hachiya or Fuyu). I think yours may be the Hachiya variety which is larger and very astringent until fully ripe. It's uncommon to have persimmons in England because of the zone but it looks like you have one none the less. So ENJOY your Sharon Fruit (aka, persimmon). Always nice to start thinking about plants even though it's snowing outside today.
Was talking with Ashley Drown about you yesterday and how much we miss you, Brad and the children. Glad to see all is going well. Let us know how the prawn coctail chips taste. I think I might have to agree with Tammie and wouldn't see them as a favorite. I miss you friend!! Talk to you all soon and tell everyone hello from the Jenkins!!
Diane,
We are very excited about the prawn cocktail crisps!
Don't even try to get them home "uncrushed". The
broken bits will taste just as good. Your cookies looked yummy. I remember cooking on the "hob".
Our gas oven was very interesting (in the British senseof the word). I made my own mac and cheese saucelike Tammy said. If you need a recipe let me know.You could get pretty adventuresome with all of the wonderful cheese options in England. I was so excitedto hear about your latest Tesco order. A joint of meatis like a roast. Have you checked out the "Cookery"books at the library yet? You could learn all about joints of meat! Tammy mentioned Easter. When we were there, Eden and two other churches combined and had a Good Friday service together. After the service everyone gathered in the basement and drank tea and ate Hot Cross Buns.
Now, every year, I make Hot Cross Buns for Easter.
You also need to try the "Kinder Eggs". These
are a chocolate egg candy (year round). They have
a toy surprise in them too. My kids loved them.
Country Living Magazine (British Edition) is my
favorite mag. You might want to check it out if you
like that kind of thing. Your blog entry is always
eagerly anticipated. TTFN--TA TA For Now!
Hey friend! I hope you got my email :) I did respond! May blogjack Capers for a little bit this afternoon...just to check picture settings!
Hi friend. I just want to say I am enjoying your musing over the groceries. Too funny about the mac & cheese and "joint". I want to know about the tea. Are you having loose teas? Do you a favorite? Have you found an Indian Resturant yet?
Press on.
Diane
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