Sunday, November 25, 2012

Time out

Since our return to Wales just over a week ago, I seem to have done nothing but chase my tail. Now, on a cold and increasingly wet Sunday afternoon, it’s time to relax. For me today that means a big pot of tea, some hot buttered toast with homemade damson cheese, and one of my very favourite cartoon characters. Ahhh, that’s better….




46 comments:

  1. Yep. That's how they are! Thanks for the chuckle.

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    1. You're welcome, Linda. They are all so beautifully observed.

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  2. You know you are getting older when you have all the time in the world and not enough time to do anything in.

    Or at least that's how I feel.

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    1. Spot on, Rough Seas. Mostly I still cope, but sometimes it all gets away from me. :-)

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  3. Oh, I did enjoy that -- perfect day here for it, too. Thanks, Perpetua!

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    1. Glad you liked it, Broad. It sounds like the north-west is in for a bad time over the next 24 hours, so do take care.

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  4. Oh ROFL :-) We're both very fond of Simon's cat and I've had desk diaries which were a hoot!

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    1. I think this one is particularly amusing, Antoinette. I haven't tried any of the books or diaries - perhaps something for my list for Father Chrstmas?

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    1. Every one I see reminds me of the cats we've had over the years, Susan.

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  6. Oooh! Hot buttered toast and damson cheese - wonderful. I'd kill for a crumpet, too - but BH doesn't like them (and I shouldn't eat them, either. But it would have just suited this afternoon!) I adored Simon's Cat - haven't really discovered them properly - even though we lost Charlie-cat 10 days ago and are still missing her. But the cartoons are marvellous - so true to life! LOL (both meanings).

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    1. It's the last jar of a batch I made 3 years ago, Helva, and has kept perfectly. Let's hope that next year we have a damson harvest so that I can replenish the store cupboard.

      Simon's Cat is truly wonderful. Each one makes me chuckle or laugh out loud and repays careful watching more than once.

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  7. Keep warm and toasted, Perpetua. I watched Simon's Cat without sound so don't know if that adds anything but it really didn't need sound. SO well-captured - love the tail swishing and positioning of these two. Great fun.
    Axxx

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    1. It's pretty chilly here in our old house, Annie, but I'm well-wrapped up. :-) There are only a few sound-effects on Simon's Cat, meowing and scratching, etc. so it's very easy to imagine as you revel in the accuracy of the observation.

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  8. Just what I needed here as day turns into a frosty night, Perpetua. Hope you catch your tail soon.

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    1. Glad to oblige, Penny. :-) I think I'm getting there with the tail-catching and our weather is likely to turn frosty too, once this dreadful rain finally stops.

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  9. Damson Cheese? I will have to ponder and google that one!
    I watched the cartoon on my phone this afternoon while marooned in the car (The Great Dane having gone into a hardware store. I don't go into hardware stores on Sundays). I sat like a fool and laughed out loud!

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    1. Damson cheese is an old British recipe, basically damson jam put through a sieve and cooked until it is very thick. Delicious!

      Pleased to hear that Simon's Cat had you laughing out loud as you waited. The cartoons are delightful and so true to life. :-)

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    2. It really is, Pondside. A very intense flavour, much stronger than the jam.

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  10. I've never seen Simon's Cat before but enjoyed how true to life the cartoon was. I also had to google Damson cheese and found it is not cheese at all really. Today was a a real learning experience for me here Perpetua. Thanks! :)

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    1. Glad to be the person who introduced you to Simon's Cat, Rubye. All the cartoons are short and very sweet.

      It honestly didn't occur to me that a mention of damson cheese would have all my transatlantic readers heading for Google. I'd never thought of my blog as an educational tool. :-)

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  11. That was just brilliant Perpetua. I hadn't heard of Simon's Cat until you introduced it a while ago, but since then I've been hooked! Mmmm...damson cheese...can you let us have your recipe?

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    1. Oh, Simon's Cat is pure genius, Ayak, I love every one of them.

      I'll have to remember which recipe I used for the damson cheese and type it up, but I promise I'll do it. I really must get that recipe page up on my blog.....

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  12. Simon's Cat is new to me! :-) As is Damson cheese! See how much I learn? If you can take the time to do all you want or nothing at all, then good for you! I was glad to hear from you, though. If it goes too long I get concerned! :-)

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    1. Perpetually In Transit - the new learning experience! :-) Glad you enjoyed Simon's Cat, Debra. I was introduced to it by an American blogger a few months ago and have loved it ever since. As for damson cheese, it now looks like it's a purely British delicacy.

      The time has flown since we got home, but we're now settled again and I'm back into my normal routine. It's nice to be missed.:-)

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  13. Lovely cartoon. It is very funny and very true. I love tea and Damson cheese or curd. Lovely that you can relax a little from your wanderings.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed Simon's Cat, Kerry. There are lots of them on YouTube and all just as funny and well-observed. I love damson cheese, though this is the last pot until next autumn, but have never tried damson curd. I must check my jam-making books for recipes.Yes, it's nice to be home for a bit, though we'll be with the children for Christmas.

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  14. Simon's Cat cartoons are shown in our veterinary practice. They are very entertaining and we saw quite a few of them during the time that our cat needed a lot of treatment this year. Now Gino does a lot of sleeping in a warm corner and in this cold weather it's tempting to do the same. Glad you could sit and relax for a while yourself this last weekend.

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    1. What a wonderful idea, Linda. I used to get as nervous waiting at the vet's as I do at the dentist's and having Simon's Cat to watch would certainly have passed the time enjoyably. I do hope Gino is better and just doing the cat thing of sleeping away the winter. I must admit that in bad weather I'm sometimes tempted to do the same.:-)

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  15. Just caught up with you today. I also get a laugh out of Simon's Cat. The cartoons can't help but put a smile on my face. They are so cute, and capture the actions and character of cats so well. Enjoy your tea.

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    1. Oh, I did, thanks, Bonnie. I don't know an animal lover who doesn't enjoy Simon's Cat. Simon Tofield must have watched cats and kittens very closely and carefully indeed to create such enjoyable and loving cartoons.

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  16. Dear Perpetua, thanks "a bushel and a heap" for the video. I laughed out loud at the ending. Simon certainly does know and understand cats. Matthew is sleeping in his cat bed here on my computer desk and he raised his head and looked all around when he heard the meowing of the video. He's really confused now!

    I hope you've gotten a good chance to relax. Peace.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, Dee and sorry for confusing poor Matthew. :-) They are beautifully-observed little cartoons and such fun.

      I managed to relax completely, thanks and slept really well, so I'm all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed today!

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  17. I adore Simon's cat. I discovered the cartoons a couple of years ago. They are SO apt! Mmmmm love the sound of the Damson cheese (now I know it's really more like jam than cheese.....). Hope you are able to stop chasing YOUR tail soon!

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    1. I thought you'd be a fan, Sian.:-) Anyone who has, or has had, cats knows just how accurate they are. Damson cheese is gorgeous, with a really intense almost earthy, flavour of fruit. Mmmmm..... The tail-chasing is slowing down a lot now, thank goodness.

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    2. I hoped that Sian had seen this! Simons' cat makes me laugh out loud almost every time. This one's hilarious. The puppy was looking at me, wondering why I was laughing like a fool in a silent room. (She hasn't met any cats yet.)

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    3. I too laugh out loud at Simon's Cat, DB, and even smile just at the memory. I'm particularly fond of this one with the annoying but adorable kitten. You must be going through the puppy equivalent antics just now. :-) I think her first meeting with a cat will be.....interesting....

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  18. I love this. And that pot of tea sounds wonderful. Greetings from Montreal, Canada.

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    1. Thanks, Linda, and welcome to my blog. Simon's Cat is great at any time of day, but somehow the pot of tea enhances it. Today I had it with buttered crumpets.:-)

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  19. mmm Damson cheese on toast - I can almost taste it . I saw damsons here once - I must investigate and find some more.

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    1. I love damson cheese, BtoB, so looking for damsons would be worthwhile, though of course they don't alays fruit well. Damson cheese keeps very well - this is the last jar from a batch made in 2009!

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  20. I love Simon's Cat too, and now I'm craving toast, at 11.00 pm!

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    1. I think it must be hard NOT to love Simon's Cat, Annie. :-) As for toast, in cold weather DH and I can eat it at almost any time....

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