One of the hardest adjustments I am having to country life is that I don't see my dearest C as much as I used to. This is partly explained by the commute - but as it's only 20 minutes longer than it was in East Dulwich and he is often over an hour later than he used to be, it's not the whole story.
I expressed some frustration yesterday at the current state of events - he plays football Monday nights, so doesn't get back until after I'm in bed. He left early for work on Monday and Tuesday, so I was feeling a little single-parentish...
This morning he decided to stay behind a bit to see the kids and to help clean up the living room - we have just had all of our light fixtures put in, so there was a stack of packaging that needed to be taken out.
C's "helpfulness" this morning led to me uttering, for perhaps the first time in my life, the words "what on Earth possessed you?!?"
There was some polystyrene in the pile that C had let the kids destroy. There were little dots everywhere. He looked a bit bewildered at what destruction he had wrought. We eventually got it mostly cleaned up, but there are still little dabs clinging to the dog's ear, Itsyboo's sleepsuit and in my hair.
I have, however, learned my lesson, and will neither complain about not seeing enough of C nor allow him to tidy unsupervised ever again.
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Our new addition
Yesterday, the kids got a surprise that was better than birthdays and Christmas rolled into one. Coco arrived at our house.
Coco Doonbeg Dilnot
Coco is a ten year old Irish Water Spaniel, who loves long walks and tennis balls. She loves children, which is more than we can say for our other family pet.
I am the only child and pet you will ever need. Why do you insist on introducing others?
Pangur Ban is understandably disgusted that, in addition to having two small children, we now have a dog. She is currently haunting the upstairs of the house giving us dirty looks.
We had a great first day, going on a long walk across the fields, playing lots of ball and trying to stop Itsyboo from feeding all of his food to Coco (because it is apparently hilarious to give her toast and fish fingers).
Life here will clearly have its downsides for Coco, though. The endless rain has turned everything to mud and, for the foreseeable future, Coco will have to get hosed down after every single walk. We hope that this will be the worst thing that ever happens to her!
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Gumbo!
*Hello? *taps microphone* Is anyone there?
Yes, it has been a very long time since I have blogged. I can't really think what I was doing in the last month that prevented me writing, but it was clearly very important. As an apology, I will give you the recipe for my slow cooker gumbo which turned out awesome.
The family is slowly adjusting to life in the countryside. We dealt with a surprise snow storm yesterday that, even more surprisingly, is mostly gone today. The playroom is slowly getting brighter and brighter as the layer of snowfall that blocked the light from the slides off an crashes to the ground in the slightly alarming ice-sheets.
The decoration is still not done, but we are settling into routines. Cleaners are nearly twice as expensive here as in London, so rather than pay someone almost £20 an hour I have been cleaning my own house. Shocking, I know. However much I used to complain about cleaning the house BC (before children), it was a doddle compared to my labours now, especially since Itsyboo feels compelled to mount the vacuum cleaner and ride it like a tiny cowboy any time I try to clean the floors.
A fabulous new butcher has opened on the Tonbridge high street, alleviating some of my longing for Lordship Lane's amenities. It was from this shop that I got the key ingredients for my awesome gumbo. Are you ready for the recipe now?
Slow cooker chicken and sausage gumbo
6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (preferably free-range, organic)
4 tbs flour
4 tbs sunflower oil
packet of smoked sausage
medium onion, chopped
medium green bell pepper, chopped
two ribs celery, chopped
250g okra, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
400g tin tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
90 g brown shrimp (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200C. Pop your chicken thighs in for 30 mins.
Combine the flour and cooking oil in a small pan over a med low heat to make the roux. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is the colour of a pecan or a hazelnut (thanks to my actual Cajun friends for the reference!). Set aside.
Slice the sausage in 1cm rounds and brown.
Put the roux, sausage, onion, pepper, celery, okra, garlic and tomatoes in the slow cooker and stir well. Add the chicken thighs, nestling in to the vegetable mix. Pour chicken stock over the contents of the slow cooker. Add seasoning to taste - I didn't use any salt since I was serving this to the kids for lunch and the sausage gives it a moderate amount of seasoning.
Cover and cook on low 12 hours or overnight.
Remove chicken thighs and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return the meat to the slow cooker and add brown shrimp if using. Give the contents of the slow cooker a good stir. Cook on low for another hour to heat through or until you are ready to eat (I let it go another three hours). The vegetables should be collapsing, the chicken and sausage meltingly tender. If not, let it cook a little longer.
Serve with long grain rice and a salad for a delicious meal.
Yes, it has been a very long time since I have blogged. I can't really think what I was doing in the last month that prevented me writing, but it was clearly very important. As an apology, I will give you the recipe for my slow cooker gumbo which turned out awesome.
Yum yum yum!
The family is slowly adjusting to life in the countryside. We dealt with a surprise snow storm yesterday that, even more surprisingly, is mostly gone today. The playroom is slowly getting brighter and brighter as the layer of snowfall that blocked the light from the slides off an crashes to the ground in the slightly alarming ice-sheets.
Winter is GOING, please?
The decoration is still not done, but we are settling into routines. Cleaners are nearly twice as expensive here as in London, so rather than pay someone almost £20 an hour I have been cleaning my own house. Shocking, I know. However much I used to complain about cleaning the house BC (before children), it was a doddle compared to my labours now, especially since Itsyboo feels compelled to mount the vacuum cleaner and ride it like a tiny cowboy any time I try to clean the floors.
A fabulous new butcher has opened on the Tonbridge high street, alleviating some of my longing for Lordship Lane's amenities. It was from this shop that I got the key ingredients for my awesome gumbo. Are you ready for the recipe now?
Slow cooker chicken and sausage gumbo
6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (preferably free-range, organic)
4 tbs flour
4 tbs sunflower oil
packet of smoked sausage
medium onion, chopped
medium green bell pepper, chopped
two ribs celery, chopped
250g okra, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
400g tin tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
90 g brown shrimp (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200C. Pop your chicken thighs in for 30 mins.
Combine the flour and cooking oil in a small pan over a med low heat to make the roux. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is the colour of a pecan or a hazelnut (thanks to my actual Cajun friends for the reference!). Set aside.
Slice the sausage in 1cm rounds and brown.
Put the roux, sausage, onion, pepper, celery, okra, garlic and tomatoes in the slow cooker and stir well. Add the chicken thighs, nestling in to the vegetable mix. Pour chicken stock over the contents of the slow cooker. Add seasoning to taste - I didn't use any salt since I was serving this to the kids for lunch and the sausage gives it a moderate amount of seasoning.
Cover and cook on low 12 hours or overnight.
Remove chicken thighs and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return the meat to the slow cooker and add brown shrimp if using. Give the contents of the slow cooker a good stir. Cook on low for another hour to heat through or until you are ready to eat (I let it go another three hours). The vegetables should be collapsing, the chicken and sausage meltingly tender. If not, let it cook a little longer.
Serve with long grain rice and a salad for a delicious meal.
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