(no subject)

[pensnest]

I've just been reading a recipe in which butter, cut into cubes, is measured in... tablespoons. This is as ridiculous as a soup pot full of wontons.

*

It has been a varied week. I sang (with the barbershop chorus) at a lovely wedding last Saturday, a delightfully individual ceremony and reception. On Sunday, I went to Fibre East to lust over yarn, and managed to restrain myself from buying inordinate amounts. Also, met three of the people from the St Albans knitting group and had an agreeable catch-up over lunch.

Monday was very peaceful, although for some reason my calendar told me it was a Bank Holiday, which makes no sense. I don't think it was, but what do I know?

And on Tuesday I drove to Heathrow to retrieve my Beast and his dad, back from Australia. It all went well, although FIL managed to mark his entry into our house by falling into the kitchen. There's a step. We had warned him about steps all over the house, but, eh. Fortunately he didn't break anything more than skin.

We have been working on the mountain of admin necessary to reaccommodate FIL into UK life, and also trying to show him around this area in a fairly gentle way, as he'll want a house somewhere, and we figure close to us would be best. He will probably want to be a convenient distance from my garden, which he has already begun to weed and dig (and had to be gently redirected from starting to dig out a brand new flower bed). We've been to the bank, registered him with GP and dentist, written to various bodies, applied for a bus pass... Today, however, we went to see the children, so that he could admire their nest and eat Bun's very good roast pork, potatoes, parsnips, Yorkshire puds*, beans, bacon cabbage, and gravy.

We also had a very disappointing opening of tenders for our (theoretically) forthcoming building work; only one tender, in the end, though we were expecting three, and it was way more expensive than we'd been anticipating. Slight side-eye at our architect, who completely failed to prepare us for a bid three times the original estimate. (Not that I expected it to come in at the original estimate, I'd been mentally adding on and on as the job has become more and more complicated, but it sounds as though it is going to take all our money to get it done. Woe.)

Bit of a mixed bag, but overall good. And our National Trust membership cards arrived, so we can venture forth into wider Norfolk when we can't stand admin at home any longer.


* These, in fairness, made by Tristan. Who proved very useful in giving information about the practicalities of owning a boat hereabouts. I suspect FIL might like to potter about on the Broads. But he needs a house first.

Comments

[spikedluv]

Haha, was it an American recipe? We have butter in blocks or sticks, and the sticks are actually marked off, so one stick is 1/2 cup or 8 TBS, and if you need three tablespoons, you just cut where the paper is marked. *g*

Wow, that's a lot of stuff to think about! I'm glad the transition as been mostly smooth.

[pensnest]

So I understand (someone on my LJ responded). But why tablespoons? We have markings on our blocks of butter, which used to indicate 1oz and nowadays indicate 50g.

We are getting through quite a lot of admin for FIL's move, and have five houses to view later this week, though for my money none of them is quite right. But we must start somewhere. I have a sinking feeling that he is going to fall for the one furthest from here, which is the biggest and has the most garden.

Oh, random icon function! Another win.

[spikedluv]

That's still how we measure over here. Tablespoons, teaspoons, cups vs oz and grams etc.

Good luck with the house search!

[ephemera]

Welcome back to the UK, your FIL - why am I not surprised that he's dived straight in to the gardening?

[pensnest]

I admit it is quite handy to have an enthusiast for digging staying here, as it is not my favourite thing! Between us we are doing quite a good job of clearing the bed under the beech and laburnum trees, and it will be quite exciting to plant it with things that don't mind living in the dark, once we have got rid of the ivy and brambles.

[turps]

Sounds like you've all been very busy.

Keep an eye on your FiL in case you end up with your own garden room!

[pensnest]

Hah! I bet he would, at that! But there is enough acreage outside to keep him occupied when he can't bear to be staring at his computer and writing emails.

[rikes]

Three times the original estimate? Ouch. Fingers crossed you get more offers!