CoTT 2 House of Cards

[Marty]

Coming up to midnight, so I'll have my cocoa and head to bed.

Night all!

(Hope your beloved Leafs do well for you tonight, Gary. )

[Valkyrie]

9 minutes ago, Marty said:

Coming up to midnight, so I'll have my cocoa and head to bed.

Night all!

(Hope your beloved Leafs do well for you tonight, Gary. )

[Headstall]

59 minutes ago, Marty said:

Coming up to midnight, so I'll have my cocoa and head to bed.

Night all!

(Hope your beloved Leafs do well for you tonight, Gary. )

Thanks, Marty. Good night.  

[dughlas]

G'day y'all. We didn't get the strong storms overnight. We are in a bit of a transition. The temp and humidity level continued to drop since we woke this morning. It is currently overcast and 74/23°. The day is to remain overcast with a forecast high near 87/30°. Rain is possible later today with heavy rain a near certainty tomorrow as Isaias moves up the coast. My headache has eased some so I hope to finish working the soil and planting the new lawn this morning. With the cooler temp and cloud cover it should not be too difficult. Blessed be.

Edited August 3, 2020 by dughlas

[Valkyrie]

3 minutes ago, dughlas said:

G'day y'all. We didn't get the strong storms overnight. We are in a bit of a transition. The temp and humidity level continued to drop since we woke this morning. It is currently overcast and 74/23°. The day is to remain overcast with a forecast high near 87/30°. Rain is possible later today with heavy rain a near certainty tomorrow as Isaias moves up the coast. My headache has eased some so I hope to finish working the soil and planting the new lawn this morning. With the cooler temp and cloud cover it should not be too difficult. Blessed be.

It's sunny and cool out this morning.  There's a chance of some storms today and tomorrow, but I don't think anything severe.  Is Isaias supposed to impact where your mum is?  

[Marty]

2 hours ago, dughlas said:

My headache has eased some so I hope to finish working the soil and planting the new lawn this morning. With the cooler temp and cloud cover it should not be too difficult. Blessed be.

Glad to hear the weather has cooled somewhat for you, dug. Best of luck planting the new lawn.  

2 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

It's sunny and cool out this morning.  There's a chance of some storms today and tomorrow, but I don't think anything severe. 

Today's a typical day here in the northwest of Ireland. Currently about 16C/61F with periods of sun between the clouds. Rain promised to cross the country from the Atlantic overnight. Rest of the week promised to be similar, although the temperature might improve a little (possibility of 20C/68F).

I'm just back from a drive into Northern Ireland to post back a faulty second-hand laptop that was delivered on Friday. I live fairly close to the border, and normally get items I purchase from the UK delivered to a friend who lives that side of the border, as the North is part of the UK, so the postage is cheaper. (Wouldn't have even been able to post it back from the Republic today, anyway, as it's a bank holiday here today, so the post offices are closed.)

I intend shortly to head out and dig the first of my early (determinate) potatoes. Just one plant to begin with, but I'll be interested to see how they turn out.  
(Mental note to self: Take Trusty Nikon with you and take some photographs.)

Edited August 3, 2020 by Marty
Tidying up

[Bucket1]

15 hours ago, Marty said:

Coming up to midnight, so I'll have my cocoa and head to bed.

Mmmmmmm nice warm cocoa  

[Page Scrawler]

18 minutes ago, Bucket1 said:

Mmmmmmm nice warm cocoa  

Hey, Bumble B. 

[Marty]

22 minutes ago, Bucket1 said:

Mmmmmmm nice warm cocoa  

Greetings, bro!

[Bucket1]

23 minutes ago, Page Scrawler said:

Hey, Bumble B. 

 

18 minutes ago, Marty said:

Greetings, bro!

Hi there gents. Bluefish cold here and I’m not looking forward to getting out of bed tomorrow. Rain? Wind? Cold temps? bah humbug... yeah yeah I will be singing a different tune in summer but right now I would love a warm day 

[Headstall]

G'day, all! My beloved Leafs lost... woe is me.   Have a great day, my friends. Finally feels less than 30 here... dark and dreary and more rain and thunderstorms expected. 

[dughlas]

4 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

It's sunny and cool out this morning.  There's a chance of some storms today and tomorrow, but I don't think anything severe.  Is Isaias supposed to impact where your mum is?  

She is in the projected path. I just read that they expect Isaias to regain hurricane strength before reaching landfall. I'll try calling her in a bit to see how she's doing.

[dughlas]

2 hours ago, Marty said:

Glad to hear the weather has cooled somewhat for you, dug. Best of luck planting the new lawn.  

I intend shortly to head out and dig the first of my early (determinate) potatoes. Just one plant to begin with, but I'll be interested to see how they turn out.  
(Mental note to self: Take Trusty Nikon with you and take some photographs.)

I managed to finish work on the new lawn. Seed scattered and covered in a light layer of chopped straw ti retain moisture and discourage birds and such.

I envy you digging potatoes bro. While I can find fresh potatoes at nearby markets I remember how tasty my own fresh dug ones were.

The day has turned rather pleasant. Currently mostly sunny with scattered high thin clouds. Temp is 84/29°, far nicer than it has been. The pup and I have spent the last hour relaxing in the shade but I should make some lunch and return the tiller. 

[Marty]

6 hours ago, Bucket1 said:

Rain? Wind? Cold temps? bah humbug... yeah yeah I will be singing a different tune in summer but right now I would love a warm day 

It's interesting to hear you complaining about the Australian weather. If only because I thought that even in the winter it was at least warm down-under.

6 hours ago, Headstall said:

G'day, all! My beloved Leafs lost... woe is me.   Have a great day, my friends. Finally feels less than 30 here... dark and dreary and more rain and thunderstorms expected.

Awh shucks, bro! I hope they do better in their next game(s).

Make the most of the cooler weather (although close to 30 sounds bloody hot to me. )

5 hours ago, dughlas said:

She is in the projected path. I just read that they expect Isaias to regain hurricane strength before reaching landfall. I'll try calling her in a bit to see how she's doing.

Fingers (and everything else) crossed, for you and mum, bro.

5 hours ago, dughlas said:

I envy you digging potatoes bro. While I can find fresh potatoes at nearby markets I remember how tasty my own fresh dug ones were

Oh, yes! I nearly forgot...

Spoiler

Ten tubers from the first plant. Weighing in at exactly one and a quarter pounds (nearly 570 grammes). Enough for two meals. The seed potatoes were planted on Friday 22nd May, which was ten weeks ago from last Friday. There's about another two dozen plants of the same variety growing, and I'm sure the yield will improve as I slowly dig them over the next few weeks, when I'll start harvesting the maincrop (indeterminate) ones.

Those weighing scales and weights are quite possibly older than I am. They actually belonged to my maternal grandfather, who had a fruit and vegetable business. I remember using them in his shop when I was growing up, and they were old even then. He retired in 1965 when he was 72 years old. My eldest brother offered to take over the business (it had been in the family for at least 3 generations), but grandad talked him out of it saying that, although Napoleon had once referred to the English as a nation of shopkeepers, the British Government had since turned the shopkeepers into unpaid tax collectors for the Exchequer. I do remember the inordinate amount of time that grandad used to have to spend making sure his books were in order.

After grandad died (aged 92), we found those scales, plus a set of larger ones that were used for weighing heavier items (like potatoes), in his cellar. Both sets finished up in my possession. They survived my move to Ireland, although in my most recent move I have mislaid some of the smaller weights, brass two ounce and one ounce ones. They'll turn up eventually, same as those books on the Canadian wilderness I mentioned to Gary a good while back will. When I finally get round to unpacking all the boxes and crates of stuff that I have.  

Edited August 3, 2020 by Marty

[clochette]

I've lift the first round of potatoes last night and we had them for lunch today and I've also picked the first tom tonight (it was actually 3 smaller ones that somehow merged together to formed a big one), it's beautiful 

 

[Headstall]

2 hours ago, clochette said:

I've lift the first round of potatoes last night and we had them for lunch today and I've also picked the first tom tonight (it was actually 3 smaller ones that somehow merged together to formed a big one), it's beautiful 

Looks good, Clo. I picked one tomato today, and it was really small, but tasted great.  

[Bucket1]

4 hours ago, Marty said:

It's interesting to hear you complaining about the Australian weather. If only because I thought that even in the winter it was at least warm down-under.

Warm is all relative, a friend was boosting about the English summer, it was a balmy 20C and sunny, I was complaining about the chilly morning and how it was only going to be 20C.

[Bucket1]

22 minutes ago, Headstall said:

Looks good, Clo. I picked one tomato today, and it was really small, but tasted great.  

It is hard to beat fresh picked fruit and veg

[Headstall]

3 minutes ago, Bucket1 said:

It is hard to beat fresh picked fruit and veg

  And I still have a picked zucchini to cook up.  

[dughlas]

12 hours ago, Marty said:

Fingers (and everything else) crossed, for you and mum, bro.

Oh, yes! I nearly forgot...

  Reveal hidden contents

Ten tubers from the first plant. Weighing in at exactly one and a quarter pounds (nearly 570 grammes). 

Thanks.

Those are very nice looking spuds.

My dad has a set of hanging scales that belonged to my grandfather. They would be suspended from a barn beam and used the weigh grain bags, hay bales, etc. before taking them to market.

[dughlas]

G'day y'all. It's currently raining and 70/21°. We've had a light rain fall most of the night, heavier rain from Iasais is to arrive later this morning and last through late afternoon/early evening. Needless to say we did not go for our usual morning walk. Thistle is currently sleeping in my lap. He must be dreaming because his legs twitch every so often. Going to be a lazy day I think. My head aches and I am tired. Blessed be.

[dughlas]

10 hours ago, clochette said:

I've lift the first round of potatoes last night and we had them for lunch today and I've also picked the first tom tonight (it was actually 3 smaller ones that somehow merged together to formed a big one), it's beautiful 

That's an interesting tomato. I've never grown that variety though seedlings for it are available in this area. Your potatoes look to be the size for steaming then serving with melted butter and fresk chives and parsley.

[clochette]

6 minutes ago, dughlas said:

That's an interesting tomato. I've never grown that variety though seedlings for it are available in this area. Your potatoes look to be the size for steaming then serving with melted butter and fresk chives and parsley.

There isn't too much juice, it's more flesh inside. I couldn't tell you about the taste as I don't eat tomatoes. 

We ate the potatoes roasted in a pan in olive oil with chicken skewers marinated in thyme and lemon. It was delicious 

[dughlas]

Spoke with Mum this morning. She had no issues with the storm, rain and wind but not bad in her area. Over along the immediate coast the storm surge washed into hotel pools and parking and across streets. Further to the north closer to where the storm made landfall things were more severe. No tornados. She said it's a beautiful day this morning.

[Marty]

54 minutes ago, dughlas said:

Your potatoes look to be the size for steaming then serving with melted butter and fresh chives and parsley.

While I usually sprinkle fresh parsley on potatoes, I prefer to use freshly harvested garden mint for the smaller ones.