Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Encouraging Thunder, Toilet Roll, Storm.

Today I was amongst several recipients of the Encouraging Thunder award from Eva at My Miracle Life. This is the kind of award I like because you don't have to do a lot with it. Thank you so much Eva.

What you can do with Encouraging Thunder award?
– Post it on your blog
– Grant other bloggers with the award
What you can’t do with Encouraging Thunder award?
– Abuse or misuse the logo
– Claim that it’s your own handmade logo

What you should do after receiving Encouraging Thunder award:
– Enjoy the award
– Thank via comments or mention the blogger who gave you the award 

I haven't yet thought about passing it on - not had time, so will talk about it later in the week. I have an idea for one person at least, but a lot of Eva's friends are the same as mine. 
Matt thinks I am nuts, but I reached the end of a toilet roll today and this is what came off at the final pull.
I don't know if you can see how jagged this is, but I have never seen anything like it before, I thought it was very odd. Another comment along the same lines, Matt went out on our balcony this morning and discovered a pile of sh*t on one of our chairs. Bearing in mind that we are on the 5th floor, we couldn't figure where it had come from. Only thing I can put it down to is a squirrel although I didn't think they could climb brickwork so high.

We have certainly had our fill of rain in the last 24 hours. I think the drought is over. Apparently we had one hell of a thunderstorm last night with big boomers and lots of lightning - I never heard or saw a thing. We have had lots of rain during the day today (Monday) though and everywhere is looking very green but Matt put my little pot of basil outside and it got beaten to death. I guess we will have to buy some more. Later I was feeling a tad restless so decided to make tomato soup in which I use a lot of basil, I used more than normal but the plant isn't being wasted.

This is a pretty simple recipe using asparagus. It came from a magazine Matt gets called the Quarter Century Club, to do with his job.

Angel Hair Pasta with Asparagus

8 oz angel hair pasta
1 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. Heat olive oil in non stick skillet. Sauté asparagus in the pan over med. heat for about 3 mins with garlic. Add broth and mushrooms, cook 3 minutes more.

3. Drain pasta and tranfer to a serving dish. Gently toss pasta with asparagus mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan, parsley and crushed pepper

Servings: 4

Source: QCC

Have a great day
 

26 comments:

  1. It shows life can unexpectedly be complicated at the end! Some prior thinking is involved to avert such a situation obviously! Nicely Jo!

    Hank

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    1. I thought it was rather odd Hank. Couldn't figure out how it got that way.

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  2. Another tasty sounding recipe. Do you have raccoons in your area?

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    1. I think so, but do you think they could climb to the 5th floor Denise?

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  3. Maybe you should have left a roll on your balcony. hehehe

    Yes, yes, yes! More asparagus! :D

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    1. You're right Melissa, I will have to do that in future.

      Lots of asparagus at the moment.

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  4. Rain does turn everything green, especially after a thunderstorm. Something to do with nitrogen in the air, I believe. I'm glad the drought has broken.

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    1. So am I, Helen, It all does look so fresh. I also suppose the dust and grime gets washed off the leaves too.

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  5. That's pretty weird with the TP. I don't think I've ever slept through a thunderstorm before. The lightning even wakes me up. Sometimes it will enter my dreams first and then I'm startled awake when I hear real thunder. That's happened quite a few times. I wish I'd seen this recipe b/f I went to the grocery store. I have everything but the mushrooms! Of course my store was completely out of almost all produce and fruit so for all I know, there weren't any mushrooms to be had.

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    1. I thought so JoJo what on earth could have made it like that? Looks like someone attacked it with scissors. I have had thunderstorms enter my dreams, but I certainly didn't hear this one or, as far as I know, dream of it.

      You could make it without mushrooms I guess although it wouldn't be so flavourful. I practically always keep mushrooms in house.

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  6. That is interesting about what you found on your patio especially since you are on the 5th floor. Would have me wondering. Glad to hear you guys got the rain!

    betty

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    1. I vote for a squirrel Betty. We have certainly had plenty of rain now and more in the forecast.

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  7. Either a squirrel or a really big bird. Or Spiderman!

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    1. Nah, Superman wouldn't Alex. Couldn't have been a bird, guano is white.

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  8. A very interesting post, Jo. A pile of poo on a 5th floor balcony is quite the mystery. That ties in nicely to the strange ending of the TP. Sure never saw such endings like that. The recipe sounds great and I'll try that for sure.

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    1. Yes dynnamae, someone suggested I should have put the toilet paper on the balcony.

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  9. Boy have I missed a few blogs, can't tell you what I've been doing, maybe just watching the birds and squirrels. :) Five floors, yeah squirrels would, they love the heights, but how unusual. So that the roll with no cardboard? Is it sharp or just cut weird? We had a great storm last night too - lots of rain for the flowers and trees, too bad the grass grows faster too.
    Didn't you just love the Triple Crown. Exciting. Wish I could have been there. My uncle used to train horses, we got in free - such a blast! Such beautiful animals!

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    1. Lucky you to be able to watch the birds and squirrels Yolanda. We can watch the squirrels a bit but mostly the birds are too far away.

      No that isn't the roll with no cardboard, seen them advertised but never for sale. It was cut weirdly and was also wider than the rest. Very odd.

      Grass growth doesn't worry me, in an apartment LOL.

      I have had friends involved in training and racing. Always a very exciting business. One friends daughter was a stable jockey for a long time.

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  10. We're getting unseasonal rain at the moment. I love it when I'm at home but hate it at work. So I'm guessing the poodoople was too big for a bird. Something must have been frightened by the thunder and took refuge on your balcony. A cat?

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    1. As I mainly don't HAVE to go out, I don't mind when it rains Pinky.

      Wrong colour for a bird and I am positive a cat couldn't have climbed this high. It's got to have been a squirrel I think.

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  11. Oh yes-rain, rain, rain. Soon we will complain about the stifling heat:) At least I will. Does someone near you have a cat? Squirrels can climb pretty high-the little buggers:) I didn't hear the thunder either

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    1. I think we've had enough for now Birgit. You're right about the heat. Lots of people have cats in the building, but even if there was one outside, I don't see a cat scaling these walls. Gotta be a squirrel.

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  12. Stopping by to say hello. CONGRATS on your new award!

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  13. Oh my goodness on both the poop and the crapper paper.

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