A Local Pub ...

... finally! For local people like us!

One of the few gripes FauxSurreyHubby & I have about our much loved, blissful corner of Surrey is that we are rather short of 'fabulous pubs within walking distance'. Our recent trip to Cartmel highlighted this (which is not really fair as in Cartmel village there were not only 3 fabulous pubs within a 10 minute stroll we were almost on top of a Michelin starred restuarant, but still ...) and the other evening FSHubby & I decided to take a walk into our local village and go the the local chain pub & just have a meal out; never mind the quality, feel the walk to earn our tea!
25 minutes were spent walking & chit chatting & sticky-beaking into other peoples house as we went the long way 'round and we found ourselves at a prefectly decent chain pub. There was a roaring fire, nice fabric on the chairs & the wine & beer were decent enough. Taking the menus to our table however our spirits fell. All the food was what can only be described as "freezer to fryer" - burgers, chips, fishcakes etc.

 

FSHubby whipped out his iPhone and started searching for alternative venues, and a very surprisng result popped up. Not a 2 minute walk from the OK pub was apparently a local gem. BUT we had in fact been to this place about 18 months ago & were not best impressed. However all the reviews were within the past 8 months so we thought - why not? Let's take a chance.

And BOY were we rewarded! The Leg of Mutton & Cauliflower is indeed a true gem. It has recently been taken over & refurbished and it was gorgeous. Old fashioned where it needed to be, modernised & done up in other parts. The pub has now been properly divided into a saloon bar, bar & proper starched tablecloth restaurant. The staff were smiley, the ambience was warm and welcoming and the menu spectacular. We were in pub heaven.

We ate the following & it was perfect - the fondue especially was 10/10

 

OAK SMOKED SCOTTISH SALMON

WITH CHIVE AND POTATO ROSTI AND LEMON, CAPER DRESSING

SMOKED APPLE WOOD FONDUE (V)

SERVED WITH HERB CROUTONS

BRAISED PIGS CHEEKS

WITH CONFIT BACON, SAVOY CABBAGE, CELERIAC AND CHANTENAY CARROTS AND A RICH PORK JUS

WILD MUSHROOM AND SPINACH RAVIOLI (V) (N)

WITH WILTED RADICCHIO AND PINE NUT SALAD DRESSED WITH PESTO

Everyone go - keep this pub open & thriving - lord knows our village needs
it!
http://www.legashtead.co.uk/

Whether the weather ...

.. be cold?
Or whether the weather be hot?
We'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, we'll weather it, like it or not!

Ah childhood poems can often sum up brilliantly exactly what I am thinking.

Have just returned from a mini spa break for best friends' 'big 5-0' celebrations and encountered the classic 4 seasons in a day.

Arrived at Spa in grey-ish but fairly warm conditions. After a LOVELY swim & wonderful full on hydrotherapy session (think tropical rain showers + crystal saunas + ice rooms and bubbling jacuzzis) the sun was out. By the time the mud / slimming / seaweed wrap had sunk in & magically detoxed me (removing inches in the process too ... hahaha!) the rain had started again and by the time the re-toxing pre dinner fizz was chilled it was howling gales.

 

The weather seems to just be doing whatever it wants at the moment without a heed to the month or indeed the season. Today, 21st March it is supposed be officially spring - and whilst earlier in the week the weather did indeed have a little springlike quality to it, (the sun popped out for about 30 mins) the weather forecast (going FROM winter to spring mind) is not good.

And it is indeed causing me problems beyond wrapping up warm & leaving the heating at 25 degrees. The FauxSurreyStepTeens bought me trays of lovely vibrantly coloured plug plants for Mother's day; yet 12 days later they are still languising in the garage, still wrapped in their polystyrene boxes in a vain attempt to keep them warm, waiting for the weather to creep above freezing.



But if I was hoping to garden this coming weekend dream on - weather forecast is for minus 1 celcius and 90% chance of snow ...

The Dressing Gown of Dreams

(with thanks to Edward Monkton)

And the Dressing Gown of Dreams shall be worn at weekends when its full power is unleashed.  Its cuddly cotton pile will call to the KC who will willingly and happily cuddle up to its normally ignored wearer, put her head and paws on the wearers thigh and snuggle in tight. For the first time in SIX years ...

And the wearer shall not move a muscle and will shed small tears of complete joy as the KC gazes up at her with genuine love.

The Digital Age

Had a lovely weekend with the FauxSurreyStepTeens. They are an utter delight (despite their living away from us!) and amused us no end but the FauxSurreyStepDaughter had her tinny little BlackBerry coughing out her favourite music for us which we could barely hear so FauxSurreyHubby downloaded it immediately via Spotify and played it (but irritatingly not in full as FSHubby is incapable of listening to a whole song) on our state of the art amazing stereo - and all that music got me reminiscing wildly.

When I was 17 (in 1981... 32 years ago!!) music was everything. My older sister & would head into  town every Saturday morning & hang out at the local Virgin Music Store (remember record shops?) listening to all the new bands & flirting with the blokes behind the counter  - who of course in those days were all amateur musicians too (I even started dating one of them - and we were together 11 years!) then clutching our latest purchase we would be desperate to get home to crank up the stereo & listen repeatedly to our latest hit pop record!

These days StepDaughter is downloading the highly produced Ben Howard, Justin Timberlake & Macklemore to be replayed in her bedroom whilst she's on Facebook in tinny tones through the headphones on her BlackBerry. The bizarre reality is despite all the tech advances & vast improvements in slick production she is probably listening to her tunes in the same state as I did!

I vividly remember, all those years ago, caressing a bright green vinyl 'Message In A Bottle' Police single and carefully placing the needle of our cheap white plastic stereo into the groove - and hearing that unmistakable crrrr hiisssss sound as the track started; I remember unfolding the complex album cover for Elvis Costello's Armed Forces to reveal the shiny vinyl inside and one Saturday night turning all the lights off to lie in the dark with the cat, listening to U2's Boy, and it being a revelation - waves of haunting guitar riffs never heard before came tumbling out of the speakers; all Steve Lillywhite uber polish-produced, causing me to conjecture wildly on what the future may hold, whilst wallowing in teenage angst - that is until my nan came in the room to turn the lights on and tell me off for wasting my life!

Let's Love One Another

In honour of 14th February!

Tell me, are we alive or just a dying planet?
What are the chances?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers.

And when you feel afraid, love one another
When you've lost your way, love one another
When you're all alone, love one another
When you're far from home, love one another
When you're down & out, love one another
All your hope's run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you're near the end, love one another
We got to love one another

Light of the world, you got to shine
Love will be a means
Shine on us all
Know that love can save the day
Just give it one more chance
Lord you just can't let it stop lord
Love is the answer
Got to be free to let love into your life
Let it shine

Happy Valentines Day!

 Words & Music Frederiksen, Marti/Healy, Jeff/ Rockman, Joe

Kung Hey Fat Choi!!

Or should I say Happy New Year of the Yin Water Snake!

Bit late with this to wish all well as the actual Chinese New Years Day was on Sunday  10th February but I can share a Feng Shui prediction for the coming year (taken from fengshuimall.com)
"Prediction from the Paht Chee charts reveals that the year of the Water Snake 2013 continues to see better times thanks to its well-balanced element combinations. This signifies a year when everyone could see an improving trend. Natural or man-made disasters and energy of hostility will reduce considerably. A new sense of peace will fill the year. Countries will display better diplomacy and goodwill among each other, where more friendly coalition and cooperation taking place. Goodwill is abundant. The 2013 chart analysis also suggests there are sufficient resources for new prosperity to prevail."

Let's hope it's right!

Ssssteam Heat!

Ah I am indeed truly embracing my inner fauxhousewife. I have gone gadget mad & filled my FauxSurreyHome with the power of steam.

Firstly, due to major limsecale (if it was any harder our water would come out as chalk), the old steam mop furred up and died and then my trusty steam iron started to just be - well - not quite as good as it used to be no doubt also because of limescale despite always filling with once boiled water and always cleaning / descaling it. Ironing FauxSurreyHubby's shirts had become a real pain in the whatsit & a major chore. And no-one likes a chore.

So flopped on the sofa whilst trying to recover from THE COLD I was bored rigid & flicked to the shopping channels - and landed on Thane Direct. After suffering dreadfully dubbed American ads for The Slim'n'Lift Aire Bra and the WonderStep door mat, on came an ad for the X5 Steam Mop... and I was transfixed! Not only (promised the man) would this amazing mop steam clean the floors brilliantly - cleaning AND sanitising AND do carpets - I could use it to clean windows, steam clean the hob & oven, wet dust all the furniture & the wood blinds, and get rid of limescale with a power blast of steam from the specially designed blast nozzle. I was convinced. Chi-ching. One X5 wonder mop purchased.

Mop duly arrived and I wondered if I could use for FauxSurreyHubbys shirts as it also had a built in garment steamer ... (yes it's a marvel) but no - I really couldn't get to grips with that bit ... but our ensuite has never been so clean, the wooden blinds are spotless, the kitchen is sparkling and I even had a go at the windows.

But the shirts were still an issue ... so I did some online exploring and landed upon the Phillips GC8328/02 EasyCare Pressurised Steam Generator Iron..! For an amazing £140 off the RRP at Argos. Donning a disguise I popped into our local branch (me? Argos??!!) and have just finished flattening a kingsize duvet & 4 housewife pillowcases & 4 of FauxSurreyHubby's impossible cotton work shirts in 20 minutes!!

 OK OK I confess to now living in a semi sauna as I trawl the house looking for things to "sanitise" or flatten but as it's -4 outside I don't really mind!

To give is better than to receive ..

... or is it?.

Lucky girl that I am I was able to buy 3 beautiful comfy gorgeous sofas in the January sales. Hurrah! However as I bought them ahead of getting rid of the ones we have already, we now have a surfeit of sofas. What to do? Current sofas are in VGC but not really smart enough to sell for any decent amount of dosh, but also not rubbish enough to take to the tip so I put the word out to friends & charity volunteers alike & I have disposed quite quickly (for a small donation to Cats Protection natch) of 2 very lovely 3 year old leather sofas, but have been left with a tricky one - a quite old but still very serviceable 3 seat sofa bed that the KC is rather fond of excercising her claws on ... yes, you see the problem.

That said the scratched white beast is without a doubt the comfiest of all the sofas I am trying to find new homes for. Not only is it super useful in that it converts to a bed should the need arise, the cushions are feather filled & the covers are machine washable so it is the ultimate in 'easy to keep looking quite nice' furniture. So rather than send to landfill I called a few charities offering to hand over - gratis - a decent piece of furniture for someone in real need of such an item.

Oh. My. Goodness. I was almost made to feel bad & dreadful for wanting to give away something that was (shock) quite old, used & not in pristine condition to people who were probably currently sitting on deck chairs or even the floor. I call the first charity "and how would you describe the condition of the said piece of furniture?" (say it whilst holding your nose for full effect) My response  (cos am honest) "it's about 8 years old and has a few cat scratches on the fabric cover on the legs; the cover is fully machine washable and it's really easy to get new covers if you want". Response from 1st charity? "so it's damaged, that's no good, we don't want it" 2nd Charity - same question & same answer from me but this time there is a grudging maybe ".... hmmm. Does it have a fire certificate?". Me "I think so" Response "well it sounds OK but we will not take it without a fire certificate so please find it, then ring me back" Me "... erm .... OK ..."

I am however happy to report that said slightly cat scratched but v big, comfy sofa is now going to a lovely friend of mine & the KC's who is actually quite happy to give it a new home & probably continue using it as a scratching post for her 5 kitties! Hurrah!

However the bizarre charity shop discussions reminded of another time I tried to do some good - I had 2 rather expensive M&S sofas with fire regs etc all attached that were just wrong for our then house - they were perfectly decent, 3 seater solid sofas that again were free to good homes. Both beige linen, one had been placed in front of  a south facing window & the sun had streamed in leaving a 'pale patch' on it where the colour had visibly changed. I could've sold them but thought no, do the decent thing. I called a housing charity. The charity collectors duly appeared to take away this really rather good furniture ... but hold on - "oh no madam. we can't take that. It's damaged." Me - don't be ridiculous it's not damaged, it's just a faded patch on the cushion fabric that could easily be fixed by making a new cusion cover; or chucking a throw over it. Them "oh no madam the homeless people / people in empty flats on benefits / people sitting on the floor / deckchairs don't want (for free) a £1,200 3 seat sofa that has a small easily remedied sun faded stain on it"  Seriously. Quicksmart however my lovely Polish cleaner who had been working hard as the charity men refused my donation asked if she could take them - as they were "perfect". And she had a sewing machine & wasn't afraid to use it!! 10 mins later an estate car turned up & off they went to a very good home.

If I was donating a Chippendale do you think they would request a fire cert? If I had an original Eames chair from the 60's or a a 70's G-Plan sofa, hugely desirable by collectors would they claim it was "too old" & turn their noses up? Do you know what I fear they would.

Resolute

Well here we are about to tip 2012 into the bin it so deserves to be in (although you wait, in 10 years time with clarity of hindsight we will likely all go 'oh that was pants at the time but clearly needed to happen' ..)

Anyhoo I am not generally one for New Years Resolutions but given all the rubbish that's been going on I have been pondering things I could consciously do to make life better in 2013 and in no particular order here they are

1 - Be as healthy as I can & be conscious of being healthy (i.e. cut down on alcohol, do the stuff I have to in order to keep my back strong as well as X-Trainer etc.)

2 - Get out more!! The FauxSurrey homestead is such a divine & delightful place to be I frequently have to be prised out with pliers. Not good; hermit is a word that comes to mind.

3 - Don't sweat the small stuff. Because it IS only the small stuff.

 

4 - Enjoy what I have & be grateful every day. Because good grief I have such a lot.

5 - Hang out more with people I like & who are good for me & vice versa!

 

 

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all

Bored Now ...

... utterly completely & totally bored with 2012 and all the drama & misery it has brought.

FauxSurreyHubby & the KC & I had a lovely quiet Christmas Day albeit a low cal but naughtily high alcohol day (caviar, smoked salmon, potted shrimps & champagne pretty much all day thank you very much) and we looked forward to welcoming kids & family during the odd downtime that has just been - Christmas is over, it's not quite New Year & we are not ready to go back to work yet.



So family come to make merry, hubby goes all master chef & does a huge roast, all is lovely and as we wave people goodbye this morning, as it's still the awful 2012 Hubby gives in to vile cold & my back goes 'ping!'. He is in bed & I am swallowing diclofenac & wriggling on my backrack desperately trying to get pain free.



Listening to R4 news as I type I hear it's the wettest year on record, nearly a million people are glued to the loo with Norovirus, someone murdered his girlfriend on Christmas day and Americans are now (bizarrely) prevented from adopting Russian children

2012 - seriously - enough already.

Crikey it's Christmas!

Christmas is upon us once again - wishing everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and a bright & happy 2013