October Sun and The Winner Is....

 Of course, you know why we had a hot and sunny day today, don’t you? It’s because I’ve just placed an order for a huge pallet of Blazers Fire Logs, that’s why, because Monday was so chuffing cold I had to crank up the heating. It’s like washing the car will make it rain and letting the housework slide will make your mother drop by unexpectedly. Ah well, the logs needed ordering, because Winter will arrive before long and the wood burner will be called into action once more.

But what a glorious 1st October! It’s 5 p.m and I’ve just taken this photo from the side kitchen window...

Long shadows from the oak trees that form a green avenue along the road. And this one from the front kitchen window...

As you can see, the sun is appearing over the yard arm to the left (I’ve no idea what a yard arm is...something nautical, I believe) and will soon vanish into the horizon to the right, and the world will be dipped in twilight in another two hours or so. 

And this was taken from the back door...

Tootsie on the woodshed roof. I’ve no idea why he goes up there. He is one mad cockerel. 

Whilst I’m here, I shall pass final judgement on the Important Questions post of a couple of days ago. 

Question 1: soft boiled egg tops should be removed with the gentle tapping of a spoon and the gentle peeling of the shell from the egg. This ensures that no egg is wasted. Cutting the top off an egg means you will a) get bits of shell in your yolk and b) set my teeth on edge. Also, when you’ve eaten your egg - although I think I am in a minority company here given how many of you shared your disgust of one of the best foods known EVER - turn the empty shell upside down and bash it to smithereens with the spoon so the witches don’t steal it and use it as a boat.

Question 2: make tea in a teapot using loose leaf tea. Add milk to cup first, then strain tea into cup. Tea must be made using fresh water (no reboiling the kettle) and brewed for 4 minutes. Cup must be a suitable size and bone china. I shall not be argued with on this point. 

Question 3: Jam first, then cream. It’s the way the Queen does it, it’s the way Mary Berry does it, it’s the way I do it. End of. There seemed to be a popular consensus that cream is a butter replacement. I’ve given this some thought and the two, whilst chemically twins, are not mutually interchangeable. For example, you wouldn’t insert a pack of butter into a chocolate eclair just because you didn’t have any cream, would you? You would? Get out IMMEDIATELY you baking heathen! Just use butter on your scone if you want it, then jam, then cream. It’s not difficult. 

And given the only person who got 100% in the quiz was me, then I shall be star of the Much Malarkey Manor Christmas Story this year. It’s either that, or Kenneth, the bloody Phantomime will be throwing his huge ego around AGAIN.