I’ve not mentioned my ankle recently – which is probably good news. There is only so much you can say about an ankle, and I was getting close to the limit.
I am now walking unaided and I don’t think I am limping much. The only problem that I have at the moment is that because the swelling has now gone completely my ankle really hurts at night as the pins hurt when I sleep on my side. However I am sure I will find a way around this (perhaps crochet an ankle pillow perhaps) and this will be sorted when they take some of the metal out in a few months.
I don’t think I’ll be doing the 22 km walk this year – although saying that, it is really Ian’s turn. Talking of that particular horror – for the first time since that dreadful day last April my big toe nails needed cutting. If you remember they fell off in shock and are only just now back to normal. You won’t believe how similar “short stroll then breakfast” and “22 kilometre extremely hard hike” are in Spanish….
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
ASAPARGUS HUNTING
The campo in spring, is full of people acting strangely. People walk along the roads and paths, suddenly to leap over a wall and pounce on what appears to be a blade of grass.
Closer inspection however will show that they are hunting asparagus, and from the end of February to the end of April or early May it is open season on asparagus throughout southern Spain.
We went out asparagus hunting and as the picture shows, it is more difficult to find these pesky spears than one would think.
We sadly came back to the village carrying our three pieces, whilst other villagers had so much that they had filled three bags!
Closer inspection however will show that they are hunting asparagus, and from the end of February to the end of April or early May it is open season on asparagus throughout southern Spain.
We went out asparagus hunting and as the picture shows, it is more difficult to find these pesky spears than one would think.
We sadly came back to the village carrying our three pieces, whilst other villagers had so much that they had filled three bags!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Homemade Cottage Cheese
MmmMmmmm, I hear you murmur.
One thing that I miss is cottage cheese. Strange as I never really knew that I liked it so much! We've not seen it in any shops - and admittedly I've not been on a complete mission to find it, I can pretty confidently report that it is not available within a 50km radius.
So I thought I'd make some, however milk is really difficult to buy. UHT milk with vitamins, soya, rice milk, added calcium etc falls off the shelves, however pure un-UHT'd milk is neigh on impossible (within local s/markets anyway) to find. This isn't really a surprise. This is not a dairy area, and whilst there are one or two cows wondering around the fields, it is certainly more normal to see sheep.
Ignoring instructions which clearly stated that making cottage cheese with UHT milk won't work, I pressed on. I found myself presented, instead of a saucepan of lovely fluffy cottage cheese, with saucepan of slime.
I referred again to my how-to-make-cottage-cheese instructions, and saw that powdered milk would work - as long as it wasn't UHT.
Therefore my last visit to the UK saw me returning, struggling with a case full of powdered milk, and this weekend I experienced milk alchemy as I turned the powdered milk into something which, with eyes shut and not smelling it, might in some small way resemble cottage cheese.
Ian, bless him, has kindly offered not to eat any so there is all the more for me. I am sure that this is what he meant when he said 'no ^%$$% way' when offered some.
One thing that I miss is cottage cheese. Strange as I never really knew that I liked it so much! We've not seen it in any shops - and admittedly I've not been on a complete mission to find it, I can pretty confidently report that it is not available within a 50km radius.
So I thought I'd make some, however milk is really difficult to buy. UHT milk with vitamins, soya, rice milk, added calcium etc falls off the shelves, however pure un-UHT'd milk is neigh on impossible (within local s/markets anyway) to find. This isn't really a surprise. This is not a dairy area, and whilst there are one or two cows wondering around the fields, it is certainly more normal to see sheep.
Ignoring instructions which clearly stated that making cottage cheese with UHT milk won't work, I pressed on. I found myself presented, instead of a saucepan of lovely fluffy cottage cheese, with saucepan of slime.
I referred again to my how-to-make-cottage-cheese instructions, and saw that powdered milk would work - as long as it wasn't UHT.
Therefore my last visit to the UK saw me returning, struggling with a case full of powdered milk, and this weekend I experienced milk alchemy as I turned the powdered milk into something which, with eyes shut and not smelling it, might in some small way resemble cottage cheese.
Ian, bless him, has kindly offered not to eat any so there is all the more for me. I am sure that this is what he meant when he said 'no ^%$$% way' when offered some.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
50% of our lemon harvest.
We only had three lemons, however one appeared to have disappeared so this picture represents half of our entire harvest.
We've picked our oranges and are making 'lime' pickle with them. It is sure to be delightful (?). The theory is that Seville oranges are so bitter that they might replicate the taste of limes when salted and seasoned. We've got them salting away now - so keep a look out for updates!
Went for a walk yesterday to celebrate that I am crutch free and no more physio. We saw lots of processionary Caterpillars which are poisonous to dogs so we had to keep an eye on what they were eating. Need to watch that none appear in the yard.
We've picked our oranges and are making 'lime' pickle with them. It is sure to be delightful (?). The theory is that Seville oranges are so bitter that they might replicate the taste of limes when salted and seasoned. We've got them salting away now - so keep a look out for updates!
Went for a walk yesterday to celebrate that I am crutch free and no more physio. We saw lots of processionary Caterpillars which are poisonous to dogs so we had to keep an eye on what they were eating. Need to watch that none appear in the yard.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
