Good Morning Thursday

Good morning from West York's it's cold but dry going supermarket shopping this morning may wrap some Christmas presents stay safe everyone . Chicken sounds lovely granmattie ?

Don’t think that we’re getting boring, baubles - let’s think we’re saving ourselves, pacing ourselves, staying calm and planning better times when we can all burst into flower (like my plants), go a bit bonkers and celebrate our new lives and finally freedom. Until then, we shall stick together, support each other and find something to distract us and give us hope every morning.

Thank you Grandmafrench that’s exactly what I needed today.

Welcome Ixion.

Musakhan

Serves 4
Taken from Peter Lien. CookBristol’s recipes

For the roast chicken

4 large chicken legs, or legs and drumsticks
1 ½ tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp sumac
1 ½ tsp Baharat [I got mine from Sainsbury’s]
1 tbsp Olive oil

For the rest of the dish

3 large onions, fine sliced
60 ml Olive oil
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Baharat

4 large flatbreads, preferably Greek style flatbread, naan or other yeasted flatbread,
not pitta or tortilla wraps
2 tbsp pine nuts or blanched almonds, toasted
1 tbsp chopped parsley

•Preheat oven to 1900C
•Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix the spices, chopped garlic and oil together with some salt then rub all over the chicken. Pull some skin up and rub the flesh if you can. If you have time, leave to marinate for as long as 5 hours…
•Season the chicken then spread it skin side up on a flat baking sheet, ideally lined wit ha silicone liner. Roast for 45 minutes.
•While the chicken is roasting, prepare the onions. Place the sliced onions in a large saucepan and coat with the olive oil. Add some salt and bring up the heat. Once it starts to sizzle, turn down the heat and cook gently for 30-45 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Stir occasionally to make sure they don’t catch. when ready, stir through the remaining spices and cook for a further 5 minutes.
•Slice each flatbread into wedges. ¼ or 1/8 depending on size.
•Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a plate.
•Use the slices of bread to wipe up the chicken juices at the bottom of the tray then arrange them in a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes.
•After 5 minutes, take the tray out. coat the bread with the onion mixture, top with the chicken pieces and return to the over for a further 5 minutes or until the edge of the bread goes slightly crisp.
•Remove from oven and transfer to a large serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts or almonds, and serve.

Good morning from County Durham. I'm hoping some sunshine will eventually brighten our grey sky.

Not much planned other than a little gardening. Lots of Christmas gifts are now wrapped and items ordered, soon to be delivered. Since retiring I have always been able to organise Christmas well in advance, but never before on this scale.

Love that recipe grandMatie, it sounds delicious. What a fantastic photo too Maw. The delight that simple things bring to children. My photo is my GD2 only last week. A trip to Tynemouth Priory could not avoid a wander down to the beach where she and her brother ended up fully clothed, with waves rolling up to their knees, in the North Sea. I think on this occasion I would have preferred your fountains.

Have the best day you can everyone.

Good morning everyone from a bright (and yet also cloudy) Forth Valley. Still hoping that the tiered system will hold as the numbers of new infections in my area is slowly declining but am resigned to the possibility that a national lockdown might still be necessary.

No more lurking, ixion join in each day, you’ll be welcomed.
I shall do that with the orchids, nortsat. I hope you’re wrong about the gardeners.....that’s their work. If they turn up to their work in your garden and you stay indoors (maybe having left £s out) there’s no socializing, no contact. Maybe check it out -life goes on and people have to make a living in spite of all. Hope you’re feeling stronger today.

Morning all from a fairly dull South Notts. Will be off to town (Nottingham) on the bus for the first time in almost a year. I have an appointment for the pipes on my hearing aids to be renewed at Audiology. This is long overdue.

At reception I'll be greeted and given an envelope to put the aids in and they'll be passed back to me in the same manner. No contact. Before getting the bus back I'll mosey round town to see if anything is open. How miserable.

In normal times I'd have gone to M&S for a coffee and a nice cake but no chance of that now. Safety is more important of course.

Hope all is well with everyone, especially those with illness or worries.

Good morning from a grey and dull looking South Yorkshire.
I've only skimmed the posts and will come back later to read through them all as I've got my Pilates class shortly.
Hope that mellowyellow is alright and has just decided to take a break from posting for a while.
Keep strong and safe everyone. ?

Good morning from a mild and strangely silent Cheshire, where there is none of the promised fog and -for once - it is not raining! New to posting here, but have lurked on the sidelines for a while and looking forward to being part of the 'scene' and sharing as the Beavers used to say 'Fun and Friends'!
Retired with two grand children, sadly across the world in Australia.
Take care snd stay safe.

Good morning Mick and the GM team from grey east London.

I have had the email from Mat Hancock and Robert Jenrick telling me as someone who is ‘extremely clinically vulnerable’ what I can and can’t do. It is the same as the shielding last time apart from going out for exercise and medical appointments.
As we’ve hardly been out, I don’t suppose it will make much difference but I did want the gardeners to come and it looks like that can’t happen for another month.

Day 4 for Dragonfly. Good morning to gilly. Grandmafrench it would be lovely to see some photos of your orchids as they bloom.
Good wishes to those facing challenges today. Let’s dig deep and ‘let’s be careful out there’. ?

Good morning Michael and all GNs from a dreary but dry South Yorkshire. Thank you all for you Birthday wishes yesterday. It was certainly a strange one, with no family able to help me blow out my large amount of candles (there are so many these days I hardly have the breath to do it on my own?), presents handed over in a pub car park and no hugs! Face time with both children was nice though, except that GS finds it very hard to sit still for more than a few minutes, and when he does I seem to be looking at his knees and not his face, which is a bit wearing! Ah well, another ‘suck it and see’ day for us and something meat free for dinner. Have the best day you can folks.

Good Morning everyone from blue and sunny ??. Nights are quite cold now. I have 2 very pretty orchids which flowered for months, are very healthy but are just sitting there. Maybe they have had the lockdown blues. Followed instructions to stick them in 10 degree colder for hours and then bright, warmer conditions alternately - for 10 days or so. I thought they were too fragile for such treatment but I’ve been putting them outside at night and they’ve come to their senses! The stems have tiny buds bursting, so more flowers are again on the way. Lovely!

Loved the recipe idea, GrandMattie ...no wonder your DH gets involved. I read that Musukhan is possibly Palestine’s national dish - but now I shall have to search for sumac. My spice cupboard can almost compete with a stall in the Souk, but have I got sumac? Non! Oh well, shall find some and hang on, for now, to your recipe. It will be much appreciated - just our kind of food.

It’s a major birthday for annodomini today. Celebrating with a lockdown? Whose idea was that? Suppose it’s a change from a champagne party, and wishing her health, happiness and a wonderful day in spite of it all. ?????

Glad you’re weathering the treatment, dragonfly. Keep going. ? Don’t think that we’re getting boring, baubles - let’s think we’re saving ourselves, pacing ourselves, staying calm and planning better times when we can all burst into flower (like my plants), go a bit bonkers and celebrate our new lives and finally freedom. Until then, we shall stick together, support each other and find something to distract us and give us hope every morning.

Warm wishes to all who are sad and struggling, worried or in pain. May we all feel better and stronger and able to smile again very soon.

Loved the Alexa joke, Beech. Good idea for a certain Glasgow lady’s to snap “sorry Mary, I’m simply not allowed to deal with your question” . Rest, stay safe Mary.

Have a worry free Keswick day, gelisa, and hope your new treatment helps you very soon, hazbeen

Usual good wishes from my prison cell to yours. Smile if you can......?????? and be careful.
Hugs ?

Good morning Auntyflo and all x

Morning all from a frosty, sunny S Hants, went for a quick drink last night in our local, regulars only on designated tables. It was good to see, from a distance some friends, particularly those on their own, home to sausage, mash and beans. No real plans today, GC’s main Christmas presents ordered and on their way, some items are already on a wait list.
Have as pleasant a day as you can GN’s

Good morning All. It's a damp one in Polmont, and fairly mild. I slept well (for me) but have woken with a headache. I'm hoping it will go but I might need to take something for it. No early morning drive to pick up dgs and take him to his granddad's as he's able to drive again after a protracted spell of ill health which has lifted. Therefore a day in the house beckons me. I don't mind as I've been busy earlier in the week. Yesterday I was dragooned into taking mum for clothes. I'm not comfortable going into shopping centres but we went early so it wasn't busy. Fortunately my ds came to see his grandma and helped with the enormous load of bags! We only went to M&S, but managed to increase their profits hugely. That was the first time mum had gone out shopping in almost a year so she had lots to buy. It was nice to see ds too, as I don't see him that often. As I've written this, the headache seems to be lifting. Grandmattie that meal sounds absolutely fantastic. I've never cooked middle eastern cuisine. I must try. To all who are in lockdown once more, take heart. It's not for very long, although I suspect we in Scotland might be following you. Have a good day all.

Morning Mick, morning All from a misty, frosty corner of Somerset. Fingers crossed your treatment continues to be trouble free dragonfly. There’s a way to go yet marydoll, those hospital letters could just be overly cautious. I’ve steadfastly avoided making your Mars bar cake, it would be eaten far too quickly here . Hope the mist clears, arranged a short walk with a friend as we’re allowed to do in England. Other than that I’ll be on a ladder taming a climbing rose and supervising Mr C clearing a small piece of border. nothing too onerous for either of us today. Look after yourselves everyone, special thoughts for all with worries.

Lovely to meet with dear friends ( you know who you are,) for coffee and cake on Tuesday morning! We have know each other for over 50 years now, actually nearer 60 years, and was great to catch up. I realise how important these friendships are and once we are all clear again and we can have a hug we will have a proper social gathering! Thanks friends xx

Good morning from North Yorkshire where it is bright and mild.
Hoping to do some gardening this morning. Zoom call this afternoon for my charity then face time later. Still reading with DGS a few times a week even though he is back in school.
Stay safe everyone.

Good Morning all. Quite misty but still in my corner of N.Bucks at the moment.
Will keep myself busy and try to keep my mind off worrying about one of my DDs who is going though a very tough time at the moment .
Just had a WhatsApp message with a picture of me drawn by DGS , it made me smile .
Hope you can all find some? today.

Good morning from an unusually mild Angus coast where the sun is up, the sky is blue and the skeins of geese are flying overhead serenely - instead of being buffeted every which way. Sorry for you Mick that your lovely routine has been disrupted again. Enjoy all your phone calls. I too loved the sound of your chicken Grandmattie. I'm glad your treatment is going so well Dragonfly. Enjoy your gardening in Keswick Gelisajams and I hope the weather behaves for you. I am about to get ready for my morning of tai chi classes - always so lovely to see everyone. I have a large portion of my chicken soup from the freezer ready for when I get home later - and then I shall flop For the rest of the day and evening! Have the best day you can everyone - some of you have such troubles. Sending particular thoughts to Grammaretto just now, and to all who are ill. Words always seem so inadequate, but they are the only way to illustrate the sentiments. Stay safe in quarantine everyone. ???

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders. A bit grey today. DS and I hope to get MrG out for a walk or a drive though he probably won't feel up to it. He had another sleepless night despite having a pill.
Today's job for DS is moving furniture as next week we are having the hole in the ceiling repaired.
Sorry everyone's plans are disrupted again by the new lockdown.
Your dinner sounds delish grandM
We had takeaway Indian for the 2nd time in a week.

Good Morning all,
been up for hours , did a face time look at my GD s wrist , last night , she is 12 and a quiet child , but she had fallen on it . Seemed fine , bit sore when she moved it but it wasn’t obvious that there was any bumps or lumps , anyway she cried in the night with it so they are off to hospital this morning after ringing the out of hours .
I got the dishwasher emptied , yesterday’s soup is boxed up and in the freezer , now waiting to hear the latest from the USA. !
Have a good day all

Good morning from N Bucks where it is quite misty but promises to be sunny, if nippy.
I had a quick zoom round Sainsbury’s yesterday while waiting to meet up with my friends at Brasserie Blanc which is opposite and bought Christmas cards, wrapping paper and a few little pressies so I think my lockdown will be a good opportunity to get the cards written and presents wrapped. I think it will be even more important than ever to keep in contact with distant friends this year - hoping they are all still well too.
Soup making this morning - spiced sweet potato and butternut squash I think, then my Architecture course this afternoon. One of my favourite places, St Pancras station. I love all of that area around St P’s/Kings Cross/ Coal Drops Yard - there are some lovely restaurants, unusual shops and even a book shop on a boat on the canal. It has been a great place to meet up with the DDs and little ones -I remember Flynn playing in among the water spouts in front of Central St Martin’s - might be a while before I get to see that again. Never mind, this too shall pass.
Wishing you all a pleasant day wherever you are.

Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day. ?? tra la! ☀️. Magical autumn morning with misty wisps and sunny skies, frost on the lawn and spiders webs on the gorse. Shining and shimmering! The Devil sent the virus so God sent the sun.

The 5th of November - I can’t believe how fast this year is going. ?☄️?.

grandMattie that meal sounds so delicious. How do you get cookery classes on line?

Grannygravy . Sounds like a lovely afternoon with your DIL. It’s always a bonus when you get along with your AC ‘s other halves. I too have gorgeous DIL’s but not so good with SIL. ?.

It will be an outdoor sort of day for us. Walking little pooch and working in the garden. Break for lunch and Bargain Hunt and perhaps read in the summerhouse. I belong to two book clubs so I have two books on the go. Completely different from each other, so I don’t get confused ??.

Wishing you all a pleasant day. ???

Dragonfly, I messaged Mellowyellow, over a week ago to continue a conversation we were having about patio fruit trees. She never responded. I hope she is ok.
I find it worrying when a regular poster disappears, without warning.