Garden Girl Blog

There are discussions on my Open University course forum regarding what should be in the assignment for this month and I am now a little concerned I have not done it right, but I think I will leave it as it is.  I am just having a bit of a wobble.  I have done quite well in all the others so even if I get a low mark it will not be a problem... well other than I will be angry at myself.

Has been a day of not doing much, hubs has not been feeling well so I just pottered around the house.  I should have got out into the garden but never quite made it.

I have been meaning to post a few photos of the kitchen, we just need to get the new door painted and it is done.  If I was doing it again I would not go for the slate floor as I seem to have to wash it every week but everything else seems to work together well.

The assignment is done and has been sent in.  I think I covered what was required but we will see.  One more to go, which is due at the end of April and I am finshed.  I think I will be taking a break from study after that.

I did not do much else today, filled up the bird feeders and went to a local farm shop for lunch, quite lazy really.

my mind is blank and my assignment is due Tuesday.  I am off work today and want to get it done so I can do other things over the weekend.

Right, think woman think!

My project at work had been going very well but today it all went a bit wrong.  This caused me to be very late home and I know that over the next few days there are going to be lots of problems to sort out.  Just when I thought it was slowing down.

So no time to study and a very quick tea for me tonight and a frozen pizza for hubs.

After my post about my sinking cake here I made it again today.  I made a few changes, a bit extra flour and mixed it by hand, the end result no sinking! It tasted very nice and will last us a good few days as there is lots of it!

Had a busy day doing the housework and then a bit of pottering in the garden.  I stayed out there for an hour but my hands were very cold and I had to come in when my fingers went numb.

I did not get any study done and really need to do some.  I have an assignment due next Tuesday. Best get that sorted this week.

We went into Edinburgh yesterday for lunch at the Botanic Gardens, a walk around the gardens and a bit of shopping.

It was a clear day, they had said snow was coming but it never really arrived.  We had lunch at the John Hope Gateway and then went for a wander.  The snowdrops are all on show and lots of signs that spring is on the way.

We went up to the shops after to get a few bits, overall a busy day.  Here are a few photos from the gardens:

Click to make big.

I am at home today and had a phone call just after lunch.  It was a chap from Windows, telling me that my computer was broken and that because I was a valued customer he would help me fix it.  All I had to do what connect my computer to their website.  Being a complete cow very helpful person I listened to his instructions, because I was being a complete cow very busy on my facebook page, I did not do what he asked.  When he asked me what my machine was saying I just sort of made something up.  The conversation went on and in the end I got a bored, it was quite hard to hear him so I told him that I thought he was a scammer and he should never ring again.  I now just hope he does not take his revenge and ring me in the middle of the night!

I know that Windows do not make phone calls, I dare say Microsoft do not either, but some other people might not know this and would do as he asks.  I would have liked to report him but not really sure who too.  Oh well, at least I kept him on the phone and stopped him ringing someone else.

I have also applied for a job in the bank today and have a few more I am thinking of sending in applications for.  We will see what happens.

I am now off to go and do a little more pottering in the garden. I still have not got around to sorting out the greenhouse, it seems a shame to mess the place up for the mice that have moved in.

I got an email reply from Mary Berry's assistant, she says that the sinking lemon fudge cake could be that I am not cooking it long enough or too much liquid. I might give it a go at the weekend and reduce the liquid.  I thought it was nice that they sent a reply.

Work is starting to slow down, this is sort of good, in that things are going well and bad in that if I run out of things to do I will be out the door. Anyway I was in early today and we left at 4pm and went into Sainsbury's on the way home.  They still had lots of flower left from yesterday and they were all half price.  Hubs got me a huge bunch of red tulips at half price.  They look lovely.

Was a lovely day here today I so wish I had been in the garden and not at work... although with what I said above I should be careful what I wish for.

... well no, but that is okay, the price of them today is shocking.  The chaps at reception had several large bunches of beautiful flowers waiting to be collected, they looked very embarrassed as more arrived.  Hubs and I were going up the road for a lunchtime drink and as we got back a girl was collecting a bunch of flowers, she also looked rather embarrassed.  I would like to think I would be happy to get such beautiful flowers.

I went in with hubs on the motorbike today, this means I get to look around/ daydream as we ride in and home.  Tonight there was the loveliest pink sky over the Pentland Hills.  It was just dark but there were small flocks of birds going to their roost for the night.  It would have made a fab photo but taking photos is a bit difficult when you are hanging on for dear life. 

We had steak and chips for dinner which was very nice and M&S chocolate cheesecake for pudding.  Lovely.

I quite like to cook and have something of an addiction to buying cook books.  My most recent ones have been from the lovely Mary Berry, the recipes seem so straight forward and down to earth, I really like them.

Sadly things are not always as simple as they seem.  I have made one of her recipes a few times and it always sinks in the middle after I take it out the oven.  I have tried a few things, such as leaving it in the oven to cool, but it still sinks.  I do not understand what I am doing wrong.

I wrote in to her website over a week ago but have had no reply.  I guess she must get lots of people writing in with cooking woes.  So if any of you have any idea why my lemon fudge cake is sinking in the middle please let me know your thoughts.

The receipe is here Hubs said I should not really print it in my blog without permission.. so you have a link.

I woke up hurting all over from our walk yesterday, decided that I just had to get on with it.  Set about doing the house work and a bit later on did a few bits in the garden. I could really do with spending lots of hours out there as I still have lots to clear from last summer.

Today I found that the aconites are just starting to come through.  I would really like to get the garden cleared before they come as they are a bit easy to pull up by mistake.  I will try and get out there again next weekend.

Cooked a nice dinner and am now off to get sorted for work tomorrow.

Puss was not at all interesting in talking to me today...I think she was trying to tell me she was sleeping...

I kept talking to her and in the end she gave up and opened her eyes.

She was not impressed.

Hubs and I went to the Pentland Hills for a walk today.  We decided it was time to take on a bit of a challenge so we started off on a flat walk of about four miles but the return trip was over two hills, it was a bit of a shorter walk back at about 3.4 miles.  We packed coffee and some nibbles in a rucksack and a camera.

The flat bit was easy the hills not quite so, we are not very fit and it was hard going but we stopped for breaks when we needed them and enjoyed a coffee and snacks at the top.  We are both very tired now but pleased that we did it.

Here are a few photos.

Click to make big.

No work today so I should have been hitting the books, but did not get around to it.  We had some new doors being fitted and the chap kept asking questions so I was busy sorting him out.  After he had gone a few bits of paint needed to be patched up in the kitchen.  I got out a brush and set to work.

Once done I went next door to see my neighbour for a while.  I came back to inspect my hard work and to my horror I realised I had used the wrong paint, mat finish rather than silk.  I had to go over it all again..... I had done this soooo many times in the past I really should know by now!

I am silly at times.

I was up early today as there was a lot going on at work.  I jumped into the car and drove up the road, as I drive I noticed there was rather a lot of fog... I thought to myself that I might need the fog lights if it is like this all the way.  Now there is a question, where are the fog lights controls... what a good question!  I had to stop in the end and find them, then after all that the fog cleared within a few miles.  Typical!

I had a busy day at work and things seem to be back on track for the project. I had a look in the internal job adverts but could not see anything that is any good for me.  It would be good if something turns up before my contract ends.

I have been out this morning to put some bits down for the birds and almost went flying.  The ground looked okay but there is a sheet of ice everywhere.  I will not be going anywhere near our front path anytime soon.  The bird bath is frozen solid and has been for a number of days.  A Magpie was out there the other day chipping at the ice and I had meant to do something about it, might give it a go in a while.

Have a good day and take care if you have snow.  We still have none.

... not sure if I mean hubs and me or just the people of Scotland in general.

We have been busy getting prepared for months for the snow, most of the neighbours have a 4 wheel drive car and we have winter tyres this year.  Some people have installed snow boards on their house, all have multiple snow shovels (we have four, two big, two small).  So we are prepared and of course the snow goes to England.

Sorry about that and please feel free to send if back.  I have been missing the snow this winter.