Grey days

So, here we are in lockdown again. 

If you're getting a rescue dog, these are questions you need to ask the rescue centre: "Will this dog toilet in the garden? In the event of global pandemic and consequent lockdown and exercise restrictions, will this dog be able to manage with the resultant changes to the walk patterns we've established by then?  Where will we walk the dog if a global pandemic means we shouldn't put him in the car to go to the nearby woods for his walk?"

Because, 2 & a half years ago, we didn't ask those questions! I know, I know - we really weren't ready for a dog if we didn't think to ask them. 

(Photo from Christmas Day - Elder Son and doggie are on a path... Younger Son and I not having welly boots remained on the evidently slightly higher path!) 

I'm furloughed, Elder Son is furloughed, Younger Son is still at college - but it's all online (which is probably easier if you're doing a course like business studies than if you're doing music). 

Unlimited time to do - nothing outside the home. A dog that needs to be walked at least twice a day - but only close by.   I'll make sure all the laundry is done - but I'll run the dehumidifier constantly to dry it as it rains everyday. 

I know. I'm being miserable and self-pitying. And it could be a lot worse.  

But. It actually has to be me doing the pitying, as no-one else will do it...! 

Would you like to know how I came up with the name for my blog?  I'll tell you a story... 

Once upon a time, in the Great War, a little girl called Betty lived in a cottage with her brother Tommy and her mother. (I'm guessing daddy was away with The War.) Betty and Tommy were lazy and wanted mum to do everything - mend their clothes, feed the rabbits, fetch the wood for the fire, cook all the food. And Betty got a bit fed up when mum was too tired to bake cakes or make new clothes. So she was complaining about it and someone said "Arr, y'know gurrl, you need a brownie, you do."  Betty asked what they were talking about, and was told Brownies come and do housework in return for bowls of milk. "Well, this sounds great," says Betty, "but where am I going to find one?" So she was told to go off to the woods on a clear night and ask the wise old owl.  (I know, not the best advice, but maybe it was winter so it would be 'night' at about 5pm? Also, no light pollution in the countryside back then?) Off Betty goes at 'night' to find the wise old owl, who tells her to go and find a pond and say "twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the water and there saw... " while spinning round in front of the pond, and that she'll see something in the water that rhymes with elf and that will be the brownie. Off she goes again, finds the pond and discovers - herself! Yes, Betty is the brownie who can help keep the house in order! Better and more modern version on the Girl Guiding website

Well, I was a brownie with the motto of v lend a hand', but my sons weren't. Boy Scouts have the motto 'Be Prepared'. 

(photo from ebay, my books are long gone. But did look like these.) 

So in my home, if I want the washing up done, it's almost certain that it will be me who does it. Or mends clothes. Or walks the dog.

I am the brownie I found when I looked in the pond. Though the pond in our garden is so shallow, you can't see many reflections in it, so I'm more likely to be looking in a mirror. Y'know, while cleaning it. 

Oh, and also Middle Sister, who told me to start a blog, is a Brownie Leader. (I should tell her I do have a blog.) 

So, if there's any pitying me to be done - well, that's also me.  I'm actually feeling better than I did earlier... Having had my moan! 

Running club put a bingo sheet on the site, with various challenges including take a photo of something blue - so I put all the blue baubles off the tree into my lovely wooden bowl. I didn't make the crochet ones, a friend from when Younger Son went to  Saturday morning music school did. And the moomin-y one was a gift from a child at preschool a few years ago. It's actually a bell, so is even sweeter than it looks here! 

It was Younger Son's first day of online college today, so the 'perfect' time for Elder Son to go & play his music in the kitchen - which adjoins the living room where Younger Son was recording a song for college - while cooking. He made pastry in the mixer. And sausage rolls from the last of the puff pastry in the fridge. Then he chopped onions for chutney, and blended lemons in the blender for lemonade.  

Later (after Younger Son had finished recording, and much washing up had been done), I made vegan lemon curd. I have to tell you, if you haven't got enough golden granulated sugar for the amount of lemons you're planning to use, make less lemon curd. Or maybe use the jam sugar (though I thought the pectin might make it too solid).  But having a quarter of the sugar be dark brown sugar will give you lemon curd that looks like caramel. 

As you can see, there are more lemons. 

Red onion chutney needs labelling quickly, as I keep thinking it's jam.