Provisioning day, for doctor things, home improvement things, and grocery things.
That’s a lot of driving, though you’d never think it, because there’s no more than seven miles between each point. When you factor in an RTA somewhere in central Swansea and a resulting diversion, though, and a lot of traffic, you’re talking about losing a whole day to the venture without too much trouble.
By the time we got to the supermarket, our last call, I was getting to be just a little rebellious.
“I’m hungry,” I announced. ”I need food. And it’s way past lunch time.”
“You’re always hungry these days.”
“Well, duh! I’m on a diet, as you constantly remind me. Isn’t being on a diet just another word for being perpetually hungry?”
“Sometimes I worry about you. OK, then, let’s go see what they have in the way of healthy eating in the restaurant.”
Even I wouldn’t describe sausage and mash as healthy eating but the servings were child-size, so only a minimum of damage done.
“I promise I’ll not lapse again until next week,” I said.
“I warn you, I fully intend to hold you to that.”
Oh, but it was a real treat and, honestly, I am content to wait a week before I can have another similar good thing to eat, even if it does have to come in a child-size serving.
Except… I think Graham wants some bits from IKEA next week, and there’s no way even he would expect me to go to IKEA without an IKEA breakfast. Don’t tell him, though, or he’ll insist we take a packed meal with us. Something along the lines of a sawdust sandwich, no doubt.
By the time we’d finished all our errands it was more or less the end of daylight hours and I got no more than a tiny nap before it was time to settle down for the evening. I watched a repeat of Merlin, and Graham continued his search for the optimum hi-fi amplifier to go with last week’s optimum speakers. He hides previous generation and failed experiments away in the loft where I can’t see it. It must look like a second-hand hi-fi shop up there by now, with at least four full-blown systems.
He says it’s all fine, and that it’ll all fetch a good sum on eBay when he gets to it.
I’m sure it will, but it’s still second-hand electronic junk to me, no matter how often it’s described in hushed, reverent tones as being “vintage,” or “classic,” far, far worse, “retro.”
I have to admit that it does sound good, though.
So. Dinner was salmon steaks poached in a very light watercress sauce, asparagus tips (no butter) and a tiny portion of mashed potato in the absence of decent new ones.
Graham peered at my plate and then back at his own. ”I seem to have a lot more here than you do,” he said.
“Well of course. I am, as you constantly remind me…”
“…on a diet. There’s a good boy.”
“Not so much of the good. Goodness has nothing to do with it.”
Well just hope Graham doesn’t start shoving you out the door with your walking stick. He may soon realize diet without exercise isn’t going to lose a lot of weight.
Hmmm, I need to get more exercise in myself. After shedding a dozen pounds over the course of the summer, I seem to have put three back on. That does not bode well. Today, yes today, I shall do something physical…
I think I’ll scurry off the look for recipes for watercress sauce. Thanks for the suggestion!
Dang! I used to know where watercress grew in the local creeks but have long forgotten. Hadn’t thought of that in ages.
please share that watercress sauce recipe…aloha
As long as it’s English watercress.There is some foreign import that’s not half as good or as tasty.
We have delicious watercress in the streams on Maui. It’s ono (yummy in Hawaiian)!
I do hope that salmon was a lovely wild Scottish fish. Mmmmmm!
Recipe for watercress sauce?
Blanch two bundles watercress in boiling water for three minutes, drain, squeeze out excess water, and pop into blender. Add large pot of natural (unflavoured) yoghurt, salt and pepper to taste. Blend until thoroughly mashed, then transfer to a saucepan and put over a low heat until good and hot, stirring now and then (don’t boil or it’ll curdle). Season with a little salt and fresh-ground black pepper and pour over poached fish of your choice–salmon, plaice, sole…
Bon appetit!
WARNING! Please be careful if you gather watercress in the ‘wild’, friends. It’s prone to collect pollution just as shellfish does.
You do sound very perky today. Very.
I dearly love that nippy bite that watercress has and have served watercress salad at dinner parties where guests, who’d never had any before, loved it. Work, prepping it for 10 or 12, but worth it! I pity those who know it only as a garnish.
Would you believe (of course you would, but…) I’ve never tasted watercress. I only know of it because of Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. (Dobie Gillis show).
So – You’ve sent my curiosity up a notch, with no photos today, John. Grrrrr.
John, regarding Merlin, I am also enjoying it. I love the troll, she is wonderfully gross! Pure escapism, none the worse for that. I was so wowed by the castle, I followed it up. You’re likely aware it’s made on location largely, at a real castle they matte up a bit to hide the surrounding town, the Chateau de Pierrefonds in Picardy. Worth Googling. Google maps also has location, links etc. though you may well be ahead of me — I know you are a web “power user”
I am of a mind to go see it next time I “troll off” to Normandy (my ancestors came from there).