Where to begin... I read the comment that 'anonymous' left on Jamie's opinion of english potatoes and although I can see where he/she might be right on some points, I think he/she is being just a little harsh.
First of all, I have tried a few of the American potato varieties which our esteemed commenter described as absolutely awful and I have to say I most heartily disagree with his/hers opinion. Having worked in a high quality restaurant in the U.S I was able to try various varieties of potato and can I say that the Yukon Gold is an exceptional potato, not as already mentioned, absolutely awful.
The key to this argument is that although we have the humble potato, which can be used for many different things, such as the King Edward, Maris Piper or Desiree (information from the British Potato Council (yes we have a Potato Council)) it has been diversified and specialised to bring out the qaulities that are best suited to their tasks. Now, Jamie said that this overcomplicates things and to some extent i agree. However, where a generalised spud will do a good job, a potato that has been bred especially for the task will add that little extra something to the pot. I am not trying to be elitist and tell you that an all purpose spud is no good, far from it. In fact I am a huge fan of the Maris Piper AND the Idaho spud. But sometimes, you need to add that little bit extra to the equation.
I guess, when it all comes down to it, it is all a matter of opinion, nobody is wrong or right. However, we should all bow down to the gloriousness of the Spud, in all it's wonderful guises: Itasca, Nooksack, Red La Soda and Katahdin (by the way these are 4 of the approximately 350 types of potato listed on the Potato Association of America (yes they have one too!))
So, now that we have revelled in the awesomeness of the spud,can't we all just get along?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The humble potato...
Martin did sausage & mash for dinner tonight, and we were almost out of potatoes. So he went outside and dug up the first of our potatoes from the garden. They are lovely. And it made me start thinking about the humble old potato.
The ones in our garden are "vale everest" potatoes, because, like everything else in the whole world, the Brits manage to take something that is gloriously simple and complicate it until it's not even nice anymore. Back home, you have potatoes. Over here you have about 12 different varieties. You have Maris Pipers, Charlottes, Marfonas, etc. They are also designated by area they were grown. Hence, Jersey royals, Lincolnshire whites, Boston new potatoes. And each one is best for different things. Some are best for baking. Some are suitable for mashing. Others are best for chips. Still others are used in salads. So, instead of just buying potatoes when you go to the supermarket, you buy 6 different kinds of potatoes depending on what you are making.
I miss good old Idaho spuds! One potato for all purposes, and still the best in the whole world.
Although my Vale Everest spuds ARE gorgeous!
Now I'm done with my rant, Dylan had his first ever haircut today. I took him to George's Gents Barbershop, just up the street. I asked him how much he'd charge me to just trim it above the ears (that's the only place it needed doing) and he told me he'd do it for free. It took about 3 minutes, and Dylan was really good. He held remarkably still and was just intrigued by the buzzing of the clippers. He's very dashing now, and there was actually more hair than I thought. It's just so blonde that you don't really notice it unless you're looking. On top it's got lovely streaks of strawberry blonde. Oh, my son is so handsome!
The ones in our garden are "vale everest" potatoes, because, like everything else in the whole world, the Brits manage to take something that is gloriously simple and complicate it until it's not even nice anymore. Back home, you have potatoes. Over here you have about 12 different varieties. You have Maris Pipers, Charlottes, Marfonas, etc. They are also designated by area they were grown. Hence, Jersey royals, Lincolnshire whites, Boston new potatoes. And each one is best for different things. Some are best for baking. Some are suitable for mashing. Others are best for chips. Still others are used in salads. So, instead of just buying potatoes when you go to the supermarket, you buy 6 different kinds of potatoes depending on what you are making.
I miss good old Idaho spuds! One potato for all purposes, and still the best in the whole world.
Although my Vale Everest spuds ARE gorgeous!
Now I'm done with my rant, Dylan had his first ever haircut today. I took him to George's Gents Barbershop, just up the street. I asked him how much he'd charge me to just trim it above the ears (that's the only place it needed doing) and he told me he'd do it for free. It took about 3 minutes, and Dylan was really good. He held remarkably still and was just intrigued by the buzzing of the clippers. He's very dashing now, and there was actually more hair than I thought. It's just so blonde that you don't really notice it unless you're looking. On top it's got lovely streaks of strawberry blonde. Oh, my son is so handsome!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Overlapping seasons...
Dylan and I went for a walk to feed the ducks last night after Martin went to baseball practice. On our way down to Water's Edge, we picked and ate some blackberries. Man, does my boy love blackberries! The weird thing is, on Saturday we were picking strawberries. Strawberries are a spring crop, and blackberries are usually an autumn crop. It's so totally bizarre that we are picking both at the same time!
We had our last choir practice of the summer tonight. It went really well, but Martin left our house keys at the church. Not cool, since the chapel is 27 miles away. We had to climb over the back wall to get into the house because I don't usually lock the back door. Martin climbed over and jumped down, I handed Dylan to him, then he went and got the ladder for me to climb down since it's a drop of about 7 1/2 feet. I felt like I was breaking in to my own house. The best part is, we are now locked IN the house. You need the key to unlock the door, even from the inside. Somebody who lives in Barton and was still in town is bringing our keys to us.
Don't we have such exciting lives?
We had our last choir practice of the summer tonight. It went really well, but Martin left our house keys at the church. Not cool, since the chapel is 27 miles away. We had to climb over the back wall to get into the house because I don't usually lock the back door. Martin climbed over and jumped down, I handed Dylan to him, then he went and got the ladder for me to climb down since it's a drop of about 7 1/2 feet. I felt like I was breaking in to my own house. The best part is, we are now locked IN the house. You need the key to unlock the door, even from the inside. Somebody who lives in Barton and was still in town is bringing our keys to us.
Don't we have such exciting lives?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Martin looking all hot and studly in his baseball uniform.
Dylan enjoyed picking strawberries on Saturday morning. He ate more straw than strawberries, but had a great time anyway!
The view of the gatehouse at Thornton Abbey from the strawberry fields.
Dylan is bobbing up and down on his little red tractor, bringing in the strawberries!
Martin brilliantly suggested we bring a tent with us to the baseball game. Dylan had a marvy time playing in the tent, and he even took a nap during one of the games. Hooray for Martin, the deep thinker!Red Letter Day...
I don't know why it's a "red letter day" when something good happens. Maybe someone can enlighten me. At any rate, we had one yesterday.
We checked the bank balance yesterday, and had a pleasant surprise for the first time in months! Our insurance company has paid us the money for our new window, and we received a massive payment from HM Revenue and Customs--we think it is back payment of tax credits. Hooray--I can buy myself some new t-shirts!
I hate being poor. I know it builds character and all, but personally I'd rather be a wealthy and horrible person. People who always have enough money will never know why it really is the root of all evil. If you are struggling to make ends meet, it's all you can think about. Money worries consume you, and stress leaks into all aspects of your life. You don't even realize how much you've been worrying until the pressure is lifted. Then, all of a sudden, you feel like you can breathe again.
Martin did some work on the entrance hallway tonight. He filled the big hole in the door from the old letterbox and sanded down all the rough patches . It will be ready to paint tomorrow, and that will make a big difference in there. It's the little things that make a big difference with projects like this.
The closer our house gets to being finished, the more I love it. It will be hard to leave, but I am so excited to move back home that it will be ok. I know we will be able to make another house a home, just as long as we are all together.
We checked the bank balance yesterday, and had a pleasant surprise for the first time in months! Our insurance company has paid us the money for our new window, and we received a massive payment from HM Revenue and Customs--we think it is back payment of tax credits. Hooray--I can buy myself some new t-shirts!
I hate being poor. I know it builds character and all, but personally I'd rather be a wealthy and horrible person. People who always have enough money will never know why it really is the root of all evil. If you are struggling to make ends meet, it's all you can think about. Money worries consume you, and stress leaks into all aspects of your life. You don't even realize how much you've been worrying until the pressure is lifted. Then, all of a sudden, you feel like you can breathe again.
Martin did some work on the entrance hallway tonight. He filled the big hole in the door from the old letterbox and sanded down all the rough patches . It will be ready to paint tomorrow, and that will make a big difference in there. It's the little things that make a big difference with projects like this.
The closer our house gets to being finished, the more I love it. It will be hard to leave, but I am so excited to move back home that it will be ok. I know we will be able to make another house a home, just as long as we are all together.
Friday, July 18, 2008
memories...
Wanna play a game?
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing (but you don't have to) and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing (but you don't have to) and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
The pitter patter of little feet...
So today I heard the strangest noise and I wondered what it was. I looked up and it was Dylan, running on all fours. He crawled for about three days, then moved to crawling on his hands and feet. I was actually hearing the pitter patter of little feet, and it made me wonder...
Why do they say you'll be "hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet" when you are first pregnant? It's just not logical. What you'll actually be hearing are cries and little burps and explosive bowel movements. The pitter patter of tiny feet doesn't start until a good 18 months + after you find out about a pregnancy.
Why do they say you'll be "hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet" when you are first pregnant? It's just not logical. What you'll actually be hearing are cries and little burps and explosive bowel movements. The pitter patter of tiny feet doesn't start until a good 18 months + after you find out about a pregnancy.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Kleeneze
So Martin convinced me that we should start selling Kleeneze products. Christine sells it, and she gets extra cash if she signs someone up. We started doing it last week, and I hate it! Kleeneze is a door to door sales company that sells cleaning products and kitchen gadgets. Some of it is cool, but some of it is tacky and overpriced. Martin said that he would do most of the work, if I just delivered and collected catalogues. It's not turning out that way, just as I suspected. Martin gets this GREAT idea, and I end up doing a lot of work. Anyway, the longer we do it the more I realize that it's a lot of annoying work for not that much reward.
I feel better now that I got that off my chest!
Other than that, things are going great! We got some good news this week. First, we heard from the insurance company about our window. We were afraid that they wouldn't cover the cost of replacing the upstairs window since it is currently a double glazed UPVC window and it needs to be a single glazed wooden sash window because we are in a conservation area. But we got a couple of quotes and sent them in. Martin found out on Monday that they will pay the entire cost, and our new window should be installed in 10-14 days. This means that our house will be completely legal now, and we just saved ourselves £1700.
The second piece of good news is that we got our tax credits reassessed. See, in England you pay, depending on your income, a flat tax of 23%. If you make more than a certain amount, your income is taxed at a whopping 40%. Instead of filing for an income tax refund, you apply for tax credits. The government takes a look at your individual circumstances and give you money back if your circumstances merit it. We were getting a little bit of money as a child tax credit, but now we are getting three times as much now (starting on the 25th of August).
So yeah, it's been a good week. Dylan and I have been having a good time. We've been taking long naps, going to see the ducks, playing in the garden, and just generally having a good time. Martin worked late on Monday and had baseball practice on Wednesday, so it was just the two of us. Christine came and sat with Dylan after he was asleep and Martin and I went to the cinema. We used to go all the time, but now it is a rare treat. I love to go on dates with my husband. I gave Emma a massage on Monday, as well. So yeah, doing well in Barton.
I just wanted to update everyone quickly. Not much to report, but it's too easy to get out of the habit of blogging and before you know it you haven't posted in weeks and an update is impossible.
I feel better now that I got that off my chest!
Other than that, things are going great! We got some good news this week. First, we heard from the insurance company about our window. We were afraid that they wouldn't cover the cost of replacing the upstairs window since it is currently a double glazed UPVC window and it needs to be a single glazed wooden sash window because we are in a conservation area. But we got a couple of quotes and sent them in. Martin found out on Monday that they will pay the entire cost, and our new window should be installed in 10-14 days. This means that our house will be completely legal now, and we just saved ourselves £1700.
The second piece of good news is that we got our tax credits reassessed. See, in England you pay, depending on your income, a flat tax of 23%. If you make more than a certain amount, your income is taxed at a whopping 40%. Instead of filing for an income tax refund, you apply for tax credits. The government takes a look at your individual circumstances and give you money back if your circumstances merit it. We were getting a little bit of money as a child tax credit, but now we are getting three times as much now (starting on the 25th of August).
So yeah, it's been a good week. Dylan and I have been having a good time. We've been taking long naps, going to see the ducks, playing in the garden, and just generally having a good time. Martin worked late on Monday and had baseball practice on Wednesday, so it was just the two of us. Christine came and sat with Dylan after he was asleep and Martin and I went to the cinema. We used to go all the time, but now it is a rare treat. I love to go on dates with my husband. I gave Emma a massage on Monday, as well. So yeah, doing well in Barton.
I just wanted to update everyone quickly. Not much to report, but it's too easy to get out of the habit of blogging and before you know it you haven't posted in weeks and an update is impossible.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Egg shells...
On the "blog tag" post, I had a question about why I am drying egg shells on my draining board. Well, if you wash them and roast them in the oven for a few minutes and crumble them up, you can put them around your plants in the garden and they act as a slug repellant. Sounds like a lot of hard work, right? So worth it if it keeps the little beasts away. Ew, slugs are the bane of my existence!
Saturday, July 05, 2008
The Temple Trip
The Preston temple!
Martin takes Dylan for a stroll on the temple grounds.
Dylan has a snooze.
Getting his pants changed!Our ward took a motorcoach to the temple today, and we decided to go along and let someone else do the driving. We hadn't been able to go since Dylan was two weeks old and my parents came over for a visit. One of the ladies from church, Kim, has a baby a little older than Dylan and she told us she'd look after him so we could do a session together. I was worried he'd cry the whole time, but apparently he was as good as gold for her. He cried for about 10 minutes after we left, and then just played with baby Gracie. Dylan was good until the drive home, when he was exhausted but wouldn't go to sleep. But the grounds were beautiful and we had a good time, though it was a really long day.
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
Friday, July 04, 2008
Martin's untied shoes were scaring Jen--she kept thinking he was going to trip and fall onto the grill--so she insisted on tying them for him.
Elder Carlisle and Elder Phillips. I needed another American on the 4th of July, and Elder Carlisle is from Oklahoma. Naughty Elders, having Dr. Pepper!
Charlie, Beth, and Dave dropped by. Oh, adorable little family!
And finally, it's the Gilbert clan. Dylan was the standard bearer for the evening, and he nearly took out a few eyes!Happy 4th of July/ Birthday to Martin
Today Martin turned the big 28. I hosted a barbecue for him, and we had 17 people over, and it was good fun. We had perfect weather, the food was good, my house was gleaming, and everyone got along. You can't really ask for more!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
BLOG tagged...
The rules are you have to take ten pictures of the following things. And you have to do it right away. No straightening, cleaning or wiping your child's nose. Then you tag five others.
3. Laundry room:
4. Fridge:
8. Closet:
1. Kitchen sink:
2. Toilet:
3. Laundry room:4. Fridge:
5. What are your kids doing right now?
6. Favorite shoes:
7. Favorite room:
8. Closet:
9. Dream vacation:
10. Self portrait:
Luckily, I had Martin's bbq to prepare for and got the house all clean before I checked Celeste's blog! Consequently, my self portrait is not so hot, but at least my house is gleaming and Dylan isn't in his pajamas still. This was about noon yesterday, but this is the first time I've had to post. If you look closely, though, you can see a little pink splodge on Dylan's t-shirt where he spit up and I couldn't be bothered to change him. Honestly, my house is usually clean, but not THIS clean.
And now I get to tag...
Angie, Velecia, Krystle, Michelle, and Amber!
The history of our house...
A question was asked in the comments by my lovely sister Velecia--do we know the history of our house. Well, yes. Sort of.
When we closed on our house, our solicitors sent us all the paperwork they had acquired on it. We spent an evening going through the stuff. We have no idea when it was built, but it is estimated at the beginning of the 19th century. That would make it Georgian, for any history buffs. Based on the other houses in the neighborhood, that's pretty accurate. We do have the deeds from every time the house was sold, though. The first time it was sold was around 1847. We also have copies of the mortgage paperwork, which is quite groovy since the paperwork is all hand written beautifully and in funny old fashioned language. I really enjoy reading outdated legal jargon!
The house changed hands several times, and it was eventually converted to a shop and a flat. I think that happened around the turn of the century. It has been a draper's, a tobacconist, and, most recently, a fish and chip shop. In the early eighties it was converted into two flats and the shop was no more. Somebody died here in the late 80's, because we also have a copy of their death certificate and autopsy report (old guy, natural causes). Then, when we bought the house in 2006 we converted it back into a single dwelling.
So yeah, we know the history of the house. Most of the houses on our street have shop front windows as Fleetgate was originally residential, then it was converted to commercial for a while and is in the process of being changed back to a residential area. Because it is a conservation zone, nobody can make any exterior changes without council consent. So all the shop front windows are here to stay, which is kind of fun and kind of a nuisance. You have to be very creative with your decorating and spend a fortune on curtains and blinds to cover up the huge windows. Not to mention the cost of glass if you need to replace a window! The shop windows are massive, and Georgian windows are really big, anyway. Our front window is about 8'x5' and our bedroom window is almost as big, just tall instead of wide (around 7'x4').
I am really looking forward to moving back to the US, but I have to admit I'll be sad to leave our house. It has so much history and charm, and it will be difficult to find something that is so unique in Utah.
Oh, by the way, this morning Dylan stood up by himself--not leaning on furniture or anything. It was only for a few seconds--just long enough to clap his hands--but it was fun!
A question was asked in the comments by my lovely sister Velecia--do we know the history of our house. Well, yes. Sort of.
When we closed on our house, our solicitors sent us all the paperwork they had acquired on it. We spent an evening going through the stuff. We have no idea when it was built, but it is estimated at the beginning of the 19th century. That would make it Georgian, for any history buffs. Based on the other houses in the neighborhood, that's pretty accurate. We do have the deeds from every time the house was sold, though. The first time it was sold was around 1847. We also have copies of the mortgage paperwork, which is quite groovy since the paperwork is all hand written beautifully and in funny old fashioned language. I really enjoy reading outdated legal jargon!
The house changed hands several times, and it was eventually converted to a shop and a flat. I think that happened around the turn of the century. It has been a draper's, a tobacconist, and, most recently, a fish and chip shop. In the early eighties it was converted into two flats and the shop was no more. Somebody died here in the late 80's, because we also have a copy of their death certificate and autopsy report (old guy, natural causes). Then, when we bought the house in 2006 we converted it back into a single dwelling.
So yeah, we know the history of the house. Most of the houses on our street have shop front windows as Fleetgate was originally residential, then it was converted to commercial for a while and is in the process of being changed back to a residential area. Because it is a conservation zone, nobody can make any exterior changes without council consent. So all the shop front windows are here to stay, which is kind of fun and kind of a nuisance. You have to be very creative with your decorating and spend a fortune on curtains and blinds to cover up the huge windows. Not to mention the cost of glass if you need to replace a window! The shop windows are massive, and Georgian windows are really big, anyway. Our front window is about 8'x5' and our bedroom window is almost as big, just tall instead of wide (around 7'x4').
I am really looking forward to moving back to the US, but I have to admit I'll be sad to leave our house. It has so much history and charm, and it will be difficult to find something that is so unique in Utah.
Oh, by the way, this morning Dylan stood up by himself--not leaning on furniture or anything. It was only for a few seconds--just long enough to clap his hands--but it was fun!
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