Sheer stupidity

On Thursday evening, over a bottle of wine, we discussed holiday possibilities. I confessed that the idea of a cruise on the Rhone, maybe with a week's stay, one end or the other appealed to me. I'd even read they were supposed to be wheelchair accessible. I'd seen a way of doing it that meant going by train, so avoiding the usual coach journey (a nightmare for me!) to & from departure & arrival points. We decided to look into it.

So yesterday I had a look on the net. I found the trip. I looked into the details of the ship, just to check out the access. I couldn't believe what I found. Yes the ship had a cabin adapted for wheelchair use. It went on to add that, as you could not move around in a wheelchair on the boat to even get to that room, let alone the restaurant etc, they would not advise a wheelchair user to book it. Talk about stupid. What's the point of making a cabin wheelchair accessible if you can't even get to it?? I was flabbergasted. I'll not be going on that trip!!

Spring is on its way

Spring is definitely on its way, despite the return of the frost & snow. What makes me say this? As I peeled the potatoes this morning, my eyes were drawn to activity out of the window. The blue tit has returned to examine the nesting box. His mind is clearly turning to love. I had begun to wonder if we weren't getting to this time of year when I noticed the increased volume of birdsong early in the morning, but there's no mistaking this tit's motivation. By now our front garden is erupting all over in brightly coloured crocuses. Unfortunately the weeds are also starting to emerge. I've already had to have one weeding session. I confess I'm really looking forward to a bit of warm sunshine. We seemed to have so little last year & the winter seems to have been particularly cold this year.

White world

It's a white world once again. Yesterday lunchtime we had about 15 mins of snow. It didn't last. But in the night the temperature really fell. As I staggered out of the bedroom this morning, my glance turned to the front door & through the glass I could see the car had a very white coat. I thought at first it must of snowed again during the night. But no. It was just frost, a thick coating of. By the time I'd reached the kitchen & looked out of the window there, it had dawned upon me just how cold last night must have been. The lawn, the shrubs, all had a sparkling white coat. I vaguely remember when the Fox ventured out to get us a bottle of wine last night, at about 9ish, he'd mentioned it was -8C. I suspect it must have got yet colder. Still, at least, it's meant the sun has paid us a visit today. Personally I'd much prefer frost & sunshine, to mild grey & wet. Days like this encourage the spirits to soar, even if I do have to be even more careful where I put my feet.

Excitement & trepidation

It seems strange to think that in less than a month we should have the new kitchen installed. There will still be plenty to do. New lights, flooring, decorating, blinds etc, but at least the most horrific bit will be done. The rest can be done in phases as we feel up to it. We're going to do the big food shop today & it's suddenly struck me that this is probably the last big shop before we start emptying cupboards, ready to move out while the work is done.

It's exciting & yet at the same time a bit scary. Last time we moved out while some work was done, we came back to find the work had barely begun. The designer had mismeasured the bedroom so the wardrobes etc didn't fit. We hadn't left a contact phone number & we were in St Lucia, too far away to pop back to check how things were going. This time we're going to stay local. The cottages we're favouring are only half an hour or so away, in rural Lancashire, by the canalside near our friends MK & Helen. Far enough to feel we're on holiday, away from Morecambe/Lancaster, but near enough to pop back every day to check there's no problems. The adjoining pub does good food too!

The legless duck

We're finally having the legless duck. This duck has been in our freezer for a year now. It's rather big to do as a quick meal after going out, so there it's stayed. Today the car has gone of its service so I'm anticipating a leisurely day spent at home, so I should be able to cope with a longer time spent cooking this evening..

Why,might you ask, is this duck legless? Last year I fancied having a go at a recipe that called for some duck legs. I looked everywhere but couldn't find duck legs. In the end a bought a whole duck & removed the legs. They were cooked then. The rest of the bird went into the freezer where it's stayed, haunting my memory.

So finally it's in the oven. It's roasting at the moment, then I'm going to make some ginger gravy to warm it up in. The gravy is flavoured with green ginger wine. The gravy poured over the cooked duck, coating it, & gently reheated for up to an hour. It is essential to cook it for so long so the gingery taste permeates the duck flesh. Delicious. I'm really looking forward to it.

Restless

I'm feeling restless this morning. I suspect it's something to do with the sunshine & not having been out for a few days. Maybe it's just I'm a bit anxious about today's dinner - roasted halibut with wilted lettuce & fenugreek broth. I've already concentrated the fenugreek broth, ready to add to some wilted lettuce later on. I've also par-boiled some new potatoes ready to saute this evening. What I'm anxious about is poaching the halibut in olive oil. Poaching, not frying.

Or maybe my restlessness is due to the fact that I think a trip to the local TIC is called for in order to sort out where we'll stay when the kitchen is done. I'm feeling particularly frustrated in this in that I thought I would be able to google Morecambe or Lancaster TIC & instantly find an accommodation list with their facilities. This seems to be an impossibility, & yet it seems stupid to have to have a brochure posted to us when we live so nearby. The odd bit of accommodation in the area I have located doesn't bother to tell you if there is disabled facilities. Level access is essential for me.

I'm telling myself relax. We're going out this afternoon & so can pop into the TIC as we pass. There is quite a cold wind blowing &, in all honesty, the sun does look as though it could easily depart any minute. But the itch remains. Maybe when I have a go at my Monet's "Water Lily Pond" jigsaw, I'll become so absorbed that I'll finally settle. Here's hoping.

A good breakfast for all

It's been a busy morning already & it's not even 9 o'clock. I was up early. At about half seven I put out the left over fat from yesterday's roast pork. Not long afterwards a couple of huge black-backed gulls swooped down. Mr Blackbird continued his nonchalant pottering around the lawn, no doubt finding plenty of worms etc. The seed feeders were beset with house sparrows. Great tits turned up to feed on the fat ball. The gulls returned to check I hadn't put yet more goodies out for them. The Fox & I ignored their insistent pleas, too busy with our own breakfast of baked beans on toast, though we kept an eye on all the activity going on outside. As the rain started to arrive the birds started to disappear into shelter, but not before Mr Blackbird had scurried across the yard to discover the gulls had left a few tasty scraps which he hastily finished off. A busy start to the day indeed.