Well, I didn't bowl as well as a Thursday, but I did bowl better than usual so my average went up a smidgin and I do mean a smidgin. I think, but won't know til Thursday, that we may have beaten the team we were playing against. At the moment we are 6 out of 9 which is a considerable improvement on last place. We have a few months to go to climb a bit higher. I don't anticipate getting to the top, our team is not good enough, even with handicaps, but we should be able to get somewhat higher. I get so annoyed with myself that I can bowl a turkey on a Thursday but never for league play, well these days anyway, although I did get a couple of chickens (our name for 3 spares in a row). One of our team, who is normally pretty good, did very badly in the first two games but finally picked up in the last one.Tomorrow I get a delivery from Staples as I needed some more photographic paper to print the Hallowe'en photos from the Exercise class. Turns out I got two packs for the price of one. I was concerned as I thought they might deliver today, Monday, but they assured me it will be Tuesday. At least they will be able to get into the building OK. The tiling in the main lobby is almost done. Looking pretty good too. I guess they have now done all the odd numbered floors and have to go back and do the even numbers. There seem to be two guys working now, maybe someone else has been hired. I felt a bit sorry for the one guy working on his own, there is a lot to do.
It being November, I have suddenly thought I need to get on with Christmas cards. I am not sure I am going to send as many this year. It's not the cards, its the postage which gets you. So, if someone has email, they will probably be getting an ecard this year.
A friend in England brought this recipe to my attention. She made it and said it was delicious. I have now discovered I can buy lamb shanks from my local grocery store, frozen, so guess what? By the way, my friend used chicken stock, lamb stock not being readily available. I think I might choose beef stock.
Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes
BBC Good Food
Meltingly tender and full of classic Asian flavours, these lamb shanks are perfect for freezing
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp groundnut oil4 lamb shanks, about 350g each
2 onions, halved and cut into half moons
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 red chillies, both deseeded, one chopped and one thinly sliced
1 tbsp soft brown sugar, plus 1 tsp
3 star anise
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, then bruised
1.2l lamb stock
1½ tbsp tomato purée
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
2 tbs fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes
Big handful of mint leaves, torn
Handful of basil leaves
Method
1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavybottomed
casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time
on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Remove
the lamb and add the onions. Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs,
add the ginger, garlic and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and
cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise,
lemongrass, stock, purée and seasoning. Bring to the boil.
2. Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet
potatoes and cook for 1 hr more. The lamb should be completely
tender and almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice
and 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil
Have a great day
That lamb shank looks killer Jo!
ReplyDeleteI agree, now all I have to do is get the lamb.
DeleteHi Jo - well done on the bowling and moving up the league. Glad the work at the flats is almost done and that it looks better. Lamb shanks were my uncle's favourite .. so I always think of him when these are around my taste buds! We had them together at home sometimes ... they're good in Ready Meals - which I don't use .. but he often had them.
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
Thanks Hilary, must admit I didn't like being in last place. Yes, it does look good but still a lot to be done I think.
DeleteIs that the uncle they called TCP? Thought that was funny. If those Ready Meals are what I think, we had some last time we were there and I thought they were very good.
I'm not sending any cards this year. It's a 3-4 hour project and between the cost of cards (even purchased on sale after Christmas) and postage both domestic and foreign, it's about $100 and I am unwilling to spend that anymore on something that's going right in the trash. Only immediate family will get cards and that's it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the time I worry about JoJo, but the expense of the postage is prohibitive. Not so bad to Canada and the US, but overseas, sheesh.
DeleteThat is great how your bowling team is moving up in the ranks :) I haven't sent Christmas cards in a few years; might have to this year since we moved to keep up with friends, but it will probably be less than a dozen I send.
ReplyDeletebetty
Well I usually send 60 or so Betty. This year it will be drastically reduced.
DeleteIt must be satisfying to be advancing up the table in bowling.
ReplyDeleteWe've cut back on Christmas cards, too, but we still send some to distant family and friends.
It is, but staying up there is the problem. Got to go right through to April/May (not sure when our last day is).
DeleteTrouble is I have a lot of friends in the UK not to mention relatives.
We're not Christmassy people and only really make an effort to decorate if we have family visiting during the holidays - its always so difficult finding space for all the cards I find (Bah Humbug) but nevertheless, we'll end up writing and sending dozens as usual!
ReplyDeleteI love lamb but it has become expensive in the UK (despite the fact we live near Romney marshes where sheep abound)! We tend to wait till we go to our home in the Canaries where for some reason its much cheaper ..
I love Christmas. Always have. Guess that is shades of my mother, she loved it too.
DeleteIt's pretty expensive here Sue. Not that many people eat it although I think there are more than there used to be.
That tile is never ending, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAnd almost forgot - thanks for the Halloween card. With the instruments, it was perfect.
Sure is Alex. They are talking Christmas. Then next year it is the balconies.
DeleteYou are very welcome.
I wonder why they skipped floors?
ReplyDeleteThe postage does get to be a bit much. I usually don't send to people who never send them to me. It's Christmas card quid pro quo.
So people on one floor could use the stairs to the next floor and then get the elevator. There were days we couldn't get near the elevator on our own floors.
DeleteAll the people I send cards to generally send them to me. I like to get them, it's part of Christmas, but.. Over $60 on postage is a bit much.
I think you are doing quite well with your bowling and it's so nice to know how much enjoyment you get from it. I can't believe Christmas is so close...didn't I just put everything away?? Of course I send Christmas cards:) I make them so I send them. It is awful how much it costs now in postage. I still enjoy getting cards via mail. I have an elderly Aunt in Europe and a cousin but also a cousin in the States. I do admit, I give my cards to my friends and don't mail them. Hopefully the tiling will soon be done
ReplyDeleteWe certainly do enjoy it Birgit. And I am quite pleased our scores are improving.
DeleteYes, it isn't long since Christmas. I print my own cards, but it's the postage for me, particularly as I send so many overseas.
Picked up a few additional boxes of Christmas cards just yesterday. I still have quite a few from past Christmases, but the supply is dwindling. They do take a commitment to get them finished and delivered on time though. Nothing at all wrong with eCards though. Keep having fun with the bowling!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually cheaper to buy cards (unless you buy those very expensive ones) but or the last year or two I have printed my own.
DeleteWe will Jeff, we will.
Hi JO (with no "e")
ReplyDeleteHey, before I forget - because I DID forget last week, thanks for sending out the Halloween Card last week.. it was unexpected and very sweet of you :)
And three chickens in a row.. I like that one...
Mind you, you lot are like a bunch of Spring Chickens doing all the stuff you do :)
More power to your elbow, missus :)
I haven't sent Xmas cards for years. I get heaps from the kids in my class. Such an environmentally unfriendly way these days really. Use that as an excuse Jo. By sending eCards you're saving the trees and planet :)
ReplyDeleteI never thought of it in environmental terms Pinky but you are right. I'm afraid I still enjoy receiving them. Of course there are people who actually don't have computers!!!
DeleteLamb is still on my to-try list.
ReplyDeleteHope you aren't allergic to it Ivy.
DeleteThat would be good. I have to be careful and only buy grass-fed organic lamb. Though, I've read that lamb is an easier meat to digest. I won't know for sure until I give it a test.
DeleteYou have to test to find out. That kind of lamb will be very expensive I think.
Delete