Google, Fall, Old Movies,

Google UK had a visit from Paddington Bear the other day, today it is H.M. Queen Elizabeth who is actually visiting Google as listed on their website at click here I have just taken some pictures from our window which show some of the fall colours we are getting at the moment. It also shows why we like living in this apartment. This photo was taken directly opposite our windows, across the park and is probably one of the best to show you the colours this morning with the sun on the trees. These are two of our favourite trees just below our window. They dress for the seasons and are white with blossom in the spring, green all summer and now russet with fall. In the background you can see the tennis courts which are fully used all summer. It surprises me just how much use they get. We were very lucky over the last weekend, the weather decided it was summer again and Matt and I were sitting on the balcony in the sun, however, it has since dropped back to more fall like temperatures although today it is beautifully sunny. We have been watching some old movies this week starting with Cocoon which is one of my favourites. Ron Howard, Wilfred Brimley and Brian Dennehy are all in it. I guess it is a sci fi story, a bunch of old people from a home get a new lease on life because they trespass next door and swim in the pool of a house currently rented by aliens. It really is a delightful story. The next night we watched The Sting with Robert Redman and Paul Newman. That is a wonderful movie and I never remember just how it all works out at the end. Last night it was a Dirty Harry movie, The Enforcer, with Clint Eastwood. We enjoyed all three again. Cocoon is not as well known as the other two, but if it ever comes your way, do watch it. I have always enjoyed Brian Dennehy movies and the three old men with their wives/girlfriends are wonderful. One of the wives is Jessica Tandy. In North America, potato salads are very popular, so I thought I would give you this one which I picked up from Great Chefs, a TV programme. Austrian Potato Salads 1 lb potatoes, boiled, skinned and sliced 1 ladle beef consommé, warmed seasoning 1/4 C vegetable oil 2 tbs white wine vinegar, or to taste 1/2 small red onion 1/2 C mayonnaise 1 cucumber, thinly sliced and salted 6 slices of celery root salt white wine vinegar lemon juice. Having sliced the potatoes, add the consommé and seasoning. Toss then add oil and wine vinegar. Toss again and finally add the onion and toss once more. Salad 2 - to the basic salad add the mayonnaise and toss. Salad 3 - to the basic salad add cucumbers which have been salted for a while and then drained, toss into the potatoes Salad 4 - slice the celery root very thin, add to boiling salted water to which a little wine vinegar has been added. Add some lemon juice and boil until root is tender. Then add to the basic potato salad and, of course, toss. Have a great day.