Thursday Virtual Office 7th May (dramatic drumroll...)

[byslantedlight]

Feeling a bit less glumphy today, which is good! The sun's shining a bit, maybe that's what it's all about! Even though I didn't sleep well again last night - at least until I got up and put some bedsocks on. I was cold! How can I be cold in bed in May? I suspect it may be a stoopid thyroid thing, cos I was always far more likely - anywhere - to be too warm, and suddenly I seem to always be too cold... But - hey-ho!

So - today... a fun thing first! I've been all uninspired about food and cooking for ages now, despite getting a Riverford box each week, and even though I get the smallest one, too much of it ends up unused. So I thought I'd try something different - it's a bit more expensive per box, but might work out more cheaply in terms of using it all: a Riverford's Recipe Box. When I first saw them I thought they seemed like something you might want for fancy dinners or summat, but actually - they might turn out to be just right. The one I chose is the vegetarian box for two people, and it has the exact ingredients for three meals for two people - in other words, for six healthy meals for me, without wasting the rest of the ingredients cos I can't use an entire block of sheep's cheese fast enough when I only need a bit for a recipe... *g* And maybe they'll inspire me to cook properly again instead of being lazy about it, cos I do like cooking! It's very cute too, everything tucked into its little compartment, and tiny tubs for tiny amounts of spices and so on! There is a whole tub of creme fraiche when the recipe's only for four tablespoons, but maybe I can think of something to do with the rest. Of course I want to start using it today, but dinner tonight is with Book Club...

What else? Election day, of course. No choice here except to vote tactically, although in theory any vote is currently for the party I'd not want least, rather than for the party I'd want... *sighs* I'm not holding great hopes in general, I'm afraid, though maybe people will surprise me... oh please surprise me, people!

ETA - went and exercised my right to vote, and was taken aback to be jumped on outside the polling station by people asking for my card number. Although you don't have to take it, it makes it easier for the people on duty to find you on their lists, so without thinking I gave it - only to realise that of course they weren't the people on duty at all, they'd both been standing with rosettes covered by their arms, and I'd just given my number to blue and yellow parties. They said it was so they could chase up party members who hadn't voted yet, but even so... and in fact (not that I would) but if I knew the parties went around doing that I'd make sure not to join in the first place... gargh! They're not allowed to set foot in the polling stations, but I thought there was a wider radius that the parties weren't allowed into on election day... gaaaaah! Has anyone else come across this, or is it just my new place? /gargh... (sort of...)

No archery tonight either, cos it's Book Club night, I missed the last one, and it's my book choice that we're discussing, so going to archery instead isn't really an option!. We all submitted a list at the end of last year - when I'd only just joined! - so I was hugely surprised that one of mine came up so soon. I had no idea what they'd read or what they liked to read, so I went for a book I'd loved and that was well-reviewed by the Grauniad and the New York Times as something special too - Among Others by Jo Walton - because I was pretty sure none of them would have read it despite that. I have a feeling, though, now, that they're much happier with I've-lost-my-baby type books rather than ooh-look-the-world! type books, so I suspect it won't go down well. Oh well, we'll see! I'm not entirely sure how long I'll keep going to book club now that it clashes with archery, cos we seem to get there and everyone has the kind of chat they could have anywhere (which is fine, of course!) then we go around in a circle and everyone says what they thought of the book, which takes about five minutes, and then that's it - it's back to general chat, we go and have a meal with more general chat, and then it's all over... Which is fine, but it turns out that I'm not quite in-the-village enough to be able to join in, and really I'd quite like to talk about books anyway, and we don't. So on the whole, if it's going to be like that, I'd rather being doing archery, I think, where I'm not just sitting around listening to other people talk at me... But you never know, maybe it'll be better tonight!

On the bright side, one of my jobs today is to finish re-reading the book before tonight, so I can remember how it ends! And I shall go to archery tomorrow night, if someone'll open the clubhouse...

Oh - and I remembered to watch George Gently last night! I liked it - it's still being beautifully filmed. It's not quite all I'd want of the characters - a bit like Poldark, it feels a bit over-simplified in that way, although not as much. There is background character stuff going on. What does bug me is that Gently is about forty years ahead of his time. I know some people were, and it's really just shifting people en masse that moves slow as glaciers, but somehow it rings as modern-sensibilities-moved-back-then rather than individual-beliefs-of-the-time.

Today's Stuff
11.30-12.00 Wrk pgs 1-10 (to 12.15...)
Fiddle practice
12.30-13.00 Wrk pgs 11-20
13.00-13.30 Wrk pgs 21-30
13.30-14.00 Wrk pgs 31-37
Vote!

Lunch

Fiddle practice

Wrk pgs 1-5
Wrk pgs 6-10
Wrk pgs 11-15
Wrk pgs 26-20 Yeay, finished on time! Bless competent academic writers of English!

Book group

Comments

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

What a good idea, that Riverford recipe box. It's a real problem, living by yourself and getting the things you want to eat in useable portions. That looks interesting though, and getting the recipes is a bonus.

I'm sorry your book club isn't all you thought it would be, ie all about books. Which. Well, it's what you'd expect, isn't it. I mean the clue is right there in the title.

Election will prove to be very interesting, with all the polls predicting that neither major party will get enough seats to govern in its own right. I'll bet there is a lot of deal-making going on right now between the majors and the minority parties.

What season are you up to in George Gently? I've only just bought seasons five and six.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Finding useable portions is just so frustrating, isn't it - I can't even use half a dozen eggs quickly enough sometimes, or a small carton of milk (I only really have it in coffee)... so I'm crossing my fingers about this!

I joined another book club once, but the same thing happened. Actually they did talk a bit more about the books, but the bulk of the night was about their children and the local school, cos that's where they all knew each other from. And with no kids of my own, that didn't work either. I totally expect a fair proportion of a book club night to be people chatting, I'd just like a bigger proportion of it to be chat about the books or reading as well... *sighs*

All I know is that the party I want gone most is probably the party that'll get all the power again, even if more people don't want them than do. I wish there was a more sensible voting system here, but you even mention "proportional voting" and all anyone can quote at you is what they've learned about the Weimar government's version from their GCSE history, and you can't tell them that's not the definitive version and that it works perfectly well elsewhere in the world... *sighs*

It's series seven of George Gently here, but actually I missed series six when I was in Aus last year, so I need to find the dvds and do that. And I will, because I'd forgotten how beautifully it's been done, even through other frustrations!

[helenraven.livejournal.com]

Oh, is that what a Riverford recipe box looks like? That does look very cute. I've eyed them up, but never taken the plunge. I'll be interested to hear how you do.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ha - that's just what I thought when the chap arrived with the huge box! (I also had fruit for breakfast, and instead of balancing two boxes as he usually does, he had to put the recipe box down to knock!)

I'm quite frustrated that I can't start cooking with it today. I did read the recipes though, and it turns out that there are left-over ingredients, like the creme fraiche, that they can't quite send in small enough quantities - two egg whites (they suggest making meringues, and I may just do that), half the ready-made pastry (I was surprised to find that ready-made actually, I'd expected some flour and a pat of butter), 1/3 of a tin of chickpeas...! I think there might be left-over salad leaves too though, so I can just chuck them in there. And cheese-twists for the pasty. It sounds promising now - now I just have to do it all!

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I remember always having a problem cooking for one. Which is probably why I didn't. *g* It's a lot of effort, and then you end up eating the same thing for days. So I was great with sandwiches and Sarah Lee potpies and lasagna. Or, of course, fast food.

Your elections sound like ours. Going with the lesser of two evils.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I really want to minimise the processed packaged food I eat, cos it really is full of stuff that isn't food that I don't really want, and too much bread isn't great either... But as you say, it's getting amounts right for things... I'm hoping this might work out well - cross fingers!

Cross fingers that I can drive over and park to vote too - I'd walk but I don't really have time, what with my track-record of getting work done on time for evening activities. It'd take over an hour there and back. But parking in the village is bad enough anyway. If it wasn't so windy and threatening rain I'd perhaps try pumping up my bike tyres and cycling over, but I feel I should practice again a bit first, again when I'm not time-pushed... hopefully this weekend, if it's nice! Then I could even bike to book club now that it should be light when I leave. Yeay summer evenings!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Mmm yes, GG is just a bit too perfect and proto-PC really - but what the hell, I'm still enjoying it immensely anyway *g*

And somebody had to be ahead of their time, or we'd never have any change, so ... why not let it be an older person who's learned from what they've lived through, and only grown in decency rather than the opposite!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm enjoying it too - but in a historical way I prefer the way they shot Pros... *g*

As you say (and as I said above!), there were people ahead of their time, no matter when the time is, I'm not sure why it just doesn't ring as true for me in GG as I'd like it too - maybe just because GG is ahead of his time in every aspect of everything if you watch more than one ep... But not to the extent that, for instance, Downton was, and it's all beautifully enough done that I'll watch anyway... *g*

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

That box looks very motivating! I hope it works out and gets you back to cooking healthy meals!
We are in a litte bit of a slump with cooking, too.

Especially on the days I eat at school. We have a great organic salad bar, and healthy, mostly vegetarian meals, and on those days, I don't feel I need another cooked meal in the evening.
But Mr. Siskiou doesn't like sandwiches much, and his warm meal at work is not very good.

And we often just don't have very good ideas what to make, and a ceasar salad every night gets boring. *g*

The book club sounds like it mainly works as a chatting group for people who all know each other well, and I could see it feeling a bit exclusive, if everyone else has known each other for a while.
Like going to a new school, where the rest of the class has been together since 1st grade, and you join half way through 3rd (I remember it well *g*).

We've been looking forward to GG and watched the first episode of the new season. Still enjoying it very much, despite the sometimes too perfect George. It is really hard to see how women were still treated in the 60s, and scary to realize how many people (politicians) in RL want to go back there again. Apart from women having to bring home the money, *and* do everything else, too.

Does the archery club not have regular open hours? Is it sometimes only one person coming in for practice, or are there regular days with instructions etc.?

Wishing you an enjoyable book club evening tonight, with people doing more book talk, and less small talk!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to playing with the box tomorrow, now! Though I had to unpack it all at once, which was a bit of a shame... *g* Maybe I'll post up some of the recipes and results, and it'll inspire you! *g* I'm very impressed by the sound of your school's canteen, mind you - I hope Jamie Oliver's been over to sing their praises!

Book club turned out to be better than usual tonight - we actually did spend a bit longer talking about the book (not much, but a bit) and although I had to bear with quite alot of chat about people's pets (I don't have one of those, either... *g*) I managed to talk to a few more people about other things this time. So I'll go next time again, and see... *g* Definitely like going to a new school, which I've done a few times too... erk!

I still like GG too - and it's so beautifully shot, I think - but I've been noticing the modern sensibilities in historical shows/films etc. more and more, and I really wish they wouldn't... I don't want to watch shows where people are being sexist and racist etc. either, but there are other ways to deal with that than just making the hero too-perfect... And as you say, we don't even have those perfect attitudes now... *sighs*

The archery club does have regular hours - Thursday night is "improvers" night, and then there are two official club nights, Tues and Fri. The trouble is, there doesn't seem to be a formal rota of people opening up, and on Friday in particular there's no guarantee that it will actually be open. Fine if you live in the town, but I live the other side of the hills away... We'll see what happens tomorrow, I guess!

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Some recipe inspiration would be great! :)

Jamie Oliver hasn't been to our cafeteria, yet, but the mayor of Eugene (who used to be our daughter's pre-school teacher) visited two weeks ago. *g*
It used to be just another run-of-the-mill, bad food cafeteria until three, or maybe four years ago, when we finally managed to convince the school district, that we could make our own food.
It's very strictly checked every year, to make sure all standards of cleanliness and nutrition are up to par, and we get a lot of help from local, organic farmers.
Here is a little glimpse of it: http://members.efn.org/~stevo/pottery/VillageKitchen.html

Good to hear that book club wasn't too bad this time. There is hope! :)
And yeah, if you are only living a few minutes away from the town, finding the archery club doors locked is not so bad, but making a special trip...
How far away from town do you live? Is it a long drive?

And GG is still one of the few good shows that we all sit down and watch together, but it would be nice to see someone else object every once in a while, and not always George.
We have the second episode of the series downloaded and ready, but have to wait until tomorrow to watch.
M's shifts currently end at 10pm and by the time she is home, it's 11pm. Way too late to start a show then (for us *g*).

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh what a fab kitchen, to do all that! And well done you all for wresting control from the powers that be! Love the soup bowls... *g*

I live near a completely different town now, and Wells (where the club is) is a twenty minute drive away (depending on how fast I can go over the hills, but they're tiny windy roads *g*) So it's not far, and that's where I do both archery and fiddle, but it's enough that I don't want to go just to have to turn around at the other end...

Yeay for watching GG as a family - that's so nice! Watching tv as a family is something I remember fondly from being a kid, so it's nice to hear that people still experience it, rather than everyone closeted away on their separate devices, isolated...

it would be nice to see someone else object every once in a while, and not always George
Yes! Even if he then joined in with the objections because he's in a place to be easily convinced that people need to be treated well, and went on to win the day for someone else each time it would seem a bit more... real somehow... But oh well, it's all still beautifully done otherwise! *g*

[unbelievable2.livejournal.com]

We were talking about this anachronism at the Scarsdale on Saturday. It does flaw an otherwise strong show, one that I think has been growing in stature over the years. But for those of us who actually remember what it was like, this social questioning seems far too rushed and before its time. Perhaps they feel it would be altogether too unbelievable to have the 60s as they really were in those respects. Because gawd knows it does beggar belief when one looks back....

Oh, and the Book Club thing. I had at the same experience. Someone very kindly asked me to join when we first moved here, but it was no real way integrating, nor of talking about books. They all talked about their world, which I did not know, and another awkward development was that the "nibbles" that the hostess was supposed to provide each month became more and more elaborate on an upping-the-ante basis, until it was practically a three-course meal. :))

The writers' group had a similar fate, but at least there a few of us turned it into a drinking club, and from that I found two new friends who are now amongst my dearest. So, these things can have unexpected benefits!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

for those of us who actually remember what it was like, this social questioning seems far too rushed and before its time
For those of us who remember what it was like 10 and 20 years later it does! I think it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't apply it to every story they use as an episode, but they seem to want to make everything so topical... Or maybe they just don't want to show everyone being as sexist and racist etc., because really I wouldn't necessarily want to watch that all the time either, but I think there are other ways to deal with it than making people out to be saints...

Book club was better than usual tonight! We even talked a little bit longer about the book, though still not what I'd think of as properly... *g* On the bright side, no one has to provide snacks - or three course meals! - since it's at the pub! I've been eyeing up a couple of writers groups too, though the trouble with living out of towns is that I wouldn't be able to join in with any drinking club bit... but you never know!

[(Anonymous)]

Hello again. I'm all moved in = yay! And I totally love my new place = double-yay!! It is an old house converted into two flats - one large and the other a 'granny' complete with elderly lady. Mine has soaring ceilings [bugger me if I ever have to change a light bulb!] glossy polished wood floors and even the original bakelite light switches. Plus it's own front garden, bursting at the seams with plants and one big scary guard spider [which I actually don't mind]. I love the size, built-in floor to ceiling storage and the peace and quiet. Bliss. Thank you to the "Moving Fairy" for getting me shifted, in the midst of pouring rain and floods too.. I agree with you about what a challenge it is to cook for one. I finally have a working stove and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it other than to store things in the oven [lol]. I've just celebrated a birthday so I've been pestering baking-friends for recipes as I don't think woman/vegetarian can live on beans alone. Cake is looking highly appealing though!. My sympathies over the elections; I always struggle to choose the party I think/hope can do the least amount of damage and failing that - go for for the best-looking candidates. I'm sure that is what Bodie would do! .....Kiashi

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Here's to many wonderful times in your new place, and to everything continuing to be gorgeous! Soaring ceilings and bakelite switches sound about right to me - and a front garden! I'm jealous... *g*

Heee for storing things in the oven - my old landlady did that (which was a bugger, cos sometimes I actually wanted to use it! *g*) Maybe I'll post (link to) the recipes from my veg box as I cook them, maybe they'll be inspiring... *g* Oooh - cake though! I keep thinking I should bake, but then of course I'm the only person around to eat it, really...

The trouble with the elections where I live is that the person I'd vote for stands no chance of getting in - they poll around 5000 votes in the area and the other two parties poll around 20,000 each. So that means voting tactically, in the vague hope that the party I really don't want to get in will be denied... I'd much rather vote with my heart, but it's not an option really. And I'm rather dreading what I'll wake up to, tomorrow morning...

[(Anonymous)]

"I'd much rather vote with my heart" = me too! For me that would look like something totally unrecognisable from any current form of government; I suspect. We'd all be getting bonuses for not eating meat or testing on animals and free vet care for our pets below a certain income level - just for starters. Plus incentives for conserving our use of power and public transport [where possible]. rather than having the most expensive power charges and public transport system in OZ if not the western world. Gggrrr - I'd better quit while I'm behind. Thank you for your kind comments - I am absolutely thrilled to be living somewhere so lovely. Even my local train station is a haven of wildlife with birds that come to be hand-fed by the station mistress with no less than four fat green frogs nestled in amongst the pot plants! I noticed you made mention of your passport - does that mean you are planning on a visit down this way?....Kiashi

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh well yes, of course if I could make a government it wouldn't look anything like the current ones, it's true... it would involve making sure that everyone had access to as much education as they felt would help them, including libraries open at all hours, to whatever healthcare they needed without having to worry about it being a choice between money and being pain free, parks and woods and beaches and fields and canals and rivers and lakes and every other sort of open space that they needed to be encouraged to keep themselves healthy, a public transport system that meant owning a car really was optional for most people, a policy of working with other countries instead of spending money to fight against them... etc., etc... *sighs* Sorry. *g* But yes, I know what you mean!

I'm afraid my passport is just being renewed because it's time for it to be renewed, and it has my certificate of right to abode here in it, which has to be renewed when the passport runs out too, so it all has to be done or presumably someone would eventually get grumpy with me. But once I do have it all sorted, then I'm hoping to start travelling properly again - I've had bunch of years where I've pretty much stuck to exploring the UK, which has been fab and I've still not seen nearly all its corners, but I think I need to get back to seeing the rest of the world too... *g* Not sure when I'll be down your way again though - it might be a while!

[freetraveller15.livejournal.com]

Hello :) The Riverford recipe box looks like a neat idea. I remember seeing one of their leaflets through my letterbox here in London and thought I'd like to give it a try. Though with these weekly box deliveries I have to check how easily it is to cancel if one goes away for a long-ish period of time, as I sometimes do.

So far I'm very much behind in my GG viewing. I'm trying to do it methodically and not jump ahead. So far I've only watched the first two seasons and the first episode of S3. I'm reading with interest your comments and those of other commenters here, and I agree. The show is beautifully filmed, there's a sort of 'elegance' in the production process, and it's clear they strive for historical accuracy. But I do have similar reservations as you do about George seemingly being decades ahead of his time in his social conscience and moral compass, which is great to see, makes you root for him, emote with him... but I keep wondering whether the show would be less palatable to a modern viewer had they decided to present it simply as a historical piece rather than have every single episode contain a topical character or issue a modern viewer can't just help but reassess through a modern perspective and sensibility.
And yes, it seems a bit strange (at least in the episodes I've watched so far) that only George is presented as progressive while most of his colleagues and people he comes across in his job seem stuck in a socially regressive world (from our POV, but which made perfect sense back then).
I don't know how much of a personal input Martin was allowed in portraying his character. We're used to seeing him portray characters in law enforcement who also have a social and moral conscience, so I guess there's some expectations from the characters he portrays by now. What I'm still failing to see for myself is the chemistry between Martin and Lee, or rather the sparks between GG and Bacchus, which I've several times heard mentioned in interviews and such. Either it will be developed more in later seasons I haven't watched yet, or it's my fault for paying too much attention to Martin's character at the expense of everyone else LOL. He has such a screen presence that I am too easily distracted to pay attention to everyone else on screen at the same time!
Cheers :)