Good Morning Very Early Birds!

[Smowball]

Morning! Can't sleep so have given up lol. Was  watching the torrential rain out of the bedroom window at 2.30am - it was running down our road like a mini river and our gravel driveway was turning into a paddling pool, but it seems to have calmed down for now. I can't stand it when the days get shorter and the nights get longer - just a couple of months ago it was B-road day.ightbat 4.30 am, and not it's still pitch black.As long as it's dry & light I like to be outside. Even just sitting in the garden. But as soon as it starts to get dark early the evenings just seem too long sat indoors.....

Anyway, I've a busy-ish day today what with one thing and another. Hope everyone had a good weekend?x

[Smowball]

Well,nobody can't say I don't try to keep this daily post going lol.......

[ferlew]

Good morning Smow. Well, what a miserable damp morning it is.
Just craft club for me today, might pop into Sainsburys after to get a couple of small lamb chops for my tea. I just fancy them.
Lamb seems to be rather a treat for me at today's prices.
Other than that, pretty much a nothingy day.
Enjoy yours :)

[Smowball]

Morning ferlew - lamb is my favourite meat by far, but yes v expensive now. Enjoy it! 

[Rosetta]

Morning all, a bad night sleepwise for me too last night I ended up watching a Call the Midwife episode before I could get back to sleep. Nothing much happening here today other than a tesco order then a bit of housework.

Hope you all have a happy day

[calda49]

Good morning all, just another drizzly day here. Nothing much planned. Perhaps with the darker mornings people are sleeping in later - I know I am and that is why so few write. We are not such early birds!!

[Smowball]

Sun has come out but in the distance the sky is black! So could be anything in the next few hours lol.

[brainiac]

Second day of constant rain and lowering skies here - very disspiriting.  I start to go stir-crazy if I don't have a daily walk, so time to dig out the waterproofs and brave the downpours...

[ladybirder]

Morning All.  Windy and darkish here in B&H.  I've got the chap opposite walking my dog for me at 12.30 ish, then my cleaner coming for an hour and a half followed by a Waitrose grocery delivery later.  Also should get a delivery of some mousse stuff I'm trying to see if I can stop my wee dog from itching/scratching himself, day and night. Poor boy, vet says it's a summer thing and it'll go, so she was no help at all.

[DTCwordfan]

You should try venison, Smow, if you haven't cooked it before. Had a haunch of it, deliciously tender, ahich I had marinated in olive oil and lemon with oregano, ground juniper berries and yellow mustard seeds for six hours in a cool spot - seared for 15 minutes and then roasted at 200C (180) fan for a further 35 minutes....on a trivet bed of root veg... pots, chicory, carrots and beetroot. I had no celeriac but that's supposed to be good to use. 0.9kg was £11 at my local butchers.... 15 mins resting to make up a gravy, having used a pheasant stock that I had made last autumn.

[barry1010]

Morning all. Just walked up to the opticians for my diabetic eye screen.

It was eerie, the usually very busy streets were deserted, not one vehicle passed me.

Thankfully the rain stayed off both ways.

[Smowball]

Calda you could be right re the dark mornings - it tells the brain it's still night lol. 
rosetta - I never really got into that (CTM) but seems to have been very popular?

brainiac - I was literally saying this lastnight. Not so much walking but I said I hated it starting to get darker earlier because as long as it's light and dry I will usually be outside in the garden, even if just sitting with a drink and relaxing. I just like being outside so when it's dark and the evenings are long indoors I hate it.

LB - I thought your post said MOUSE stuff lol. Was thinking what on earth have you bought?? lol

DTC - now that sounds delicious! I'm not sure I have tried venison actually but that certainly sounds divine, definitely worth trying to source some x

 

[Rosetta]

That sounds delicious DTC. I have had venison before  but if I remember correctly it was tough as old boots, but it was probably the way I cooked it as hadn't a clue

[Rosetta]

There was not much else on the telly at 3am Smow, other than shopping channels

[barry1010]

I dare not turn the tv on at 3am.  I'd get trapped in the YouTube rabbit hole

[DTCwordfan]

It does need a marinade as the meat is very lean (and said to be healthy) - I guess cooking it is like a cross between a fillet steak and roast beef.....

Like any meat and meaty fish liile monkfish, resting is essential at the end to allow the juices to backflow into the capillaries...with mine, I whack it back in the oven, the power switched off - and keep the veg warm too while I make the gravy out of the stock that went in (300ml) after the searing phase and then I basted the haunch twice while it was on main roast, my preference, a strong one, for rare/saignant meat.

 

[JinnyJoan]

Ladybirder - my Maxie got groomed last Wednesday and I do think his skin could do with a bit of moisturiser.  I use the Aqueous cream from Poundland and I know he feels better.  

[Smowball]

Afternoon JJ x

[pastafreak]

When my dear Sally got the summer itching, I used Sudocream...it worked a treat. Maybe you could try that ladybirder. I use it myself whenever I get insect bites.

It's a damp and dreary afternoon here. I was going to go out, but can't be bothered now. Have a good remainder of the day everyone. 

[Canary42]

I love venison, properly cooked. 

 

But I get criticsed as a Bambi-eater 😧

[JinnyJoan]

sorry Smowball - just on - am only on at night time on my big computer - don't have email on the ipad but good night to you and it is nice of you to do the early morning posting - mind you I wouldn't be up at that time of day.