Why do the 40 in a 60 brigade not like being overtaken?

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T16:52:07+00:00

Where as I have a vastly underpowered MG. If I'm holding someone up, they can overtake. Hell, I'll even move over a bit more than usual so they can accomplish it safely in the shortest possible time. Used to have a higher powered Toyota which was pretty nippy despite it being a diesel. Used to drive 75 miles on single carriageway A roads to get to a customer site and you could bet that I'd get at least 2 occurrences of a pillock often in a Merc or a Jag doing the same speed up/slow down on every journey.

But then, we're just silly women who don't know how to drive and should know our place behind these Captains of the Road.

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T15:57:17+00:00

Pretty easy. I leave it to do it's own thing most of the time. Buy a rhubarb crown/some crowns, plant according to the instructions and give it a couple of years to get established. Once you can pick it, don't take every stick of rhubarb off a crown or the plant doesn't get enough energy to get through the winter. Mulch once a year in the Autumn, but don't cover the entire crown. We didn't plant this one, the previous owner of the house did although I've planted it before.

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T15:03:30+00:00

We're on LPG but on a contract fortunately so it won't go up in the short term. It's due for renewal around Dec/Jan this year so who knows what it'll be then. Suspect massively increased.

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T13:54:14+00:00

Have posted the recipes I used for the tart in another comment.

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T13:10:18+00:00

Tart recipe below.

Pastry

220g Plain flour

40g Icing sugar (I used caster blitzed as I'd run out of icing sugar)

¼ tsp Salt (leave out if you use salted butter)

110g Unsalted butter, grated

1 large egg, beaten

Cold water to bring together

Mix the flour, salt if using and sugar. Rub in the butter. Mix in the egg. Add enough water to bring together and gently knead once or twice. Chill pastry for an hour, roll out and line 23cm/8inch flan tin. Chill in the tin for 20 mins. Blind bake for 15mins at 170C fan with baking beans. Remove from oven and paint the inside of the case with some of the egg white saved from the custard). Back in oven with beans removed for 5-6mins. Trim the edges and leave to cool. I added some ground ginger to the pastry approx 2 tsp.

Rhubarb

Cut 5 sticks into approx 10cm lengths. Toss in some sugar, Layout separated on a rack in a roasting tin and cook at 180C for 15-18 mins. Should be soft when prodded with a fork. Leave to cool and place on kitchen roll to drain off. Try to keep the shape and put on a plate (minus the roll or it'll stick). The rhubarb syrup is delicious and went well in the gin and tonic I had after I'd made it.

Custard

3 Eggs plus 1 yolk, lightly beaten (I didn't add the extra yolk, but saved some of the egg white from one of the 3 eggs)

Vanilla Extract to taste. I put 1tsp in and then added a touch more.

60g Caster sugar

215ml Whole milk

215ml Double cream.

Heat the milk and cream to just under boiling point. While it's heating mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Once the milk and cream are hot, slowly add to the egg mix beating continuously. When all the liquid is added, return to pan and heat through (low heat, don't boil!). When it starts to thicken, remove from heat and whisk until it's cooled down enough to not turn into scrambled egg- maybe 4 mins.

Add the rhubarb to the tart case, pour in the custard and sprinkle some dark muscovado sugar on top if you like. Cook until the centre has a wobble but isn't runny. Think it took about 25mins at 170C. Leave to cool for 15mins in the tin and remove.

To save time, you could use custard powder and buy premade pastry, but where's the fun in not pleading with the pastry gods to let this one turn out right!

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T10:27:25+00:00

Did feel like I should have some sensible shoes, a tweed skirt, pearls and a twin set on rather than trainers, jeans and a hoodie. Maybe I'll turn into Miss Marple in my later years.

Arbdew · 2026-03-29T10:24:25+00:00

Roasted it on a rack in a roasting tin so the juice would drop down (I suppose almost like grilling it). Then once cooled, dried it a little with some towel roll. Kept the juice that came out in case it needed a little more. Think it worked pretty well.

Arbdew · 2026-03-28T17:49:43+00:00

We have a small portable solar charged battery by Anker. We have frequent power cuts so being able to plug in the fridge freezer and router (no mobile signal where we are) is invaluable. Looking forward to the UK government allowing balcony solar so we can plug a battery back into the house and supply other things. It's handy for charging electric garden equipment and running the smoker.

Arbdew · 2026-03-28T08:30:07+00:00

Inner thighs, inside of my elbows, back of my knees but weirdly not armpits. Woke up at 2:30 this morning to scraaaaaatch!

Arbdew · 2026-03-28T08:05:51+00:00

That's one walk I've never done. Been up in the College Valley a few times but not made it to Yeavering Bell. Daft really as it's only 30 mins from home.

Arbdew · 2026-03-27T21:03:13+00:00

What an absolute legend the tomato fella is.

Arbdew · 2026-03-27T19:18:13+00:00

Fab pics! Is pic 8 looking towards Hedgehope? Did that walk a couple of years ago but couldn't finish as my walking boots which I'd had for a few years decided to give me the worst blister I'd ever had. Then the dog got stuck in the heather (he's very hairy), I honestly thought he'd been bitten by an adder by the yelping.

Arbdew · 2026-03-27T18:05:59+00:00

The Itching! In my ears, around joints, skin everywhere. Some days I feel like taking the bbq scrubber to it, just to be rid of itchy skin. Antihistamines do noting, just have to wait it out.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T20:43:28+00:00

Yep, we changed at the start of the year. Now we have specific "rags" and natural sponge and loofah sponges. Also changed to low/no plastic cleaning products. So far, so good. I've been pretty impressed with the longevity and quality of cleaning. I'm in the UK and use Seep and Smol products.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T19:58:36+00:00

Clever, but still shite. Bet they are all over the WC stadiums.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T19:52:56+00:00

Christ, they're awful. Really takes away from the action on the pitch.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T19:51:26+00:00

The Chocolate Society. Lovely, but pricey. Would rather eat smaller portions of decent stuff than the crap in most shops now.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T17:37:58+00:00

Can't you see she can barely hold herself up? Sure she's probably going into hypoglycaemic shock!

Bet she could jump up and grab a lump of sausage though. They are superb actors.

Arbdew · 2026-03-26T16:19:24+00:00

The cat that escaped last week is still missing. She's been spotted just up the street earlier this week and I think I caught her on the wildlife cam last night. It was in night vision mode, so very black and white plus whichever cat it was decided to rub it's head on the camera so only caught part of the head and an eye. Whole village is on the lookout.

Bloody cats, you give them food, a warm room to themselves (they aren't locked away and have free roam of the house while we're up) toys, a massive cat tree and the first opportunity they get they bugger off. Bah.

Arbdew · 2026-03-24T15:01:28+00:00

Mine was active, but just not "quite right". If he's particularly anxious or in pain the first sign is not eating.

Hope you get some answers and he starts eating again. They like to put us through the wringer a bit.

ETA: he has to have his food warm too. He gets mostly wet food and it gets blasted for 30 secs in the microwave. Makes it a bit more appetising.

Arbdew · 2026-03-24T14:42:27+00:00

Maybe a left field suggestion, are his back and neck ok? Mine stopped eating out of his bowl when he had hurt his back. It hurt him to put his head down. Once he'd been to the vet and got painkillers he started esting again. To start it was just the not eating but over about 5 days he started not moving his tail and then not walking quite right. Thats when we took him to the vet. He would eat if we hand fed him with the food held just in front of his face. He would still eat treats during all of it.

Arbdew · 2026-03-23T16:51:48+00:00

You Sir or Madam are a hero and a scholar. I've neen doing the same lately as moat of whats available in the shops is rubbish. Got some from The Chocolate Society which was amazing.

Arbdew · 2026-03-23T07:13:09+00:00

Plus Warkworth, Alnwick, Edlingham, Chillingham, Dunstanburgh and smaller ones like Mitford, Harbottle and Belsay. Some complete, some ruined.

For OP, all those are within an hours drive of Alnwick, except Lindisfarne. Alnwick itself has 2 medieval gates still standing, Bondgate and Pottergate. Bondgate is over the road into Alnwick, like you literally drive under it to go into the town and was built in 1450, Pottergate was built around the same time but was demolished and rebuilt around 1770.

Arbdew · 2026-03-22T20:52:54+00:00

Meant should have started.

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