Could it be used as a mud weight?

 Thursday 2nd November

 Remember the saga of the bread machine? How we never got the one ordered from the eBay seller? Well today, Ian, having put in a dispute, eBay agreed that the parcel had never arrived at its destination site and a full refund was now heading for his bank. What a great result. What was not a great result was the Morphy Richards ordered to replace the non delivered one was not really as Ian expected, The loaves are smaller, wider and slightly taller so won't fit into the toaster properly or in the bread slicer. The crust comes out lovely and soft though and the taste is really yummy.

 

 I also read the manual and saw a recipe for a banana loaf. I had two bananas well past their shelf life (skins black and fruit very soft) I decided to try it in the bread maker.  All the ingredients were measured and added as instructed but oh, dear...hardly what I expected when the program finished. We both had a laugh when it came out...could it be used as a mud weight? Once cooled we tried to slice it. Well it did cut okay and actually the taste wasn't bad. Not something I would offer to guests though!

We went to the Plough for lunch. It didn't have an extensive main menu but we thought we may as well give it a go anyway. Both of us chose pie after asking if it had a base and not just a lump of pastry plonked on the top. Great choice! Steak and Ale in a rich gravy and so tender it was melt in your mouth. The veg was different, shredded cabbage, peas, whole carrot and most unusually a parsnip. The two meals came to about £32 so on par with most pub meals. If that pie was anything to go by, I fully expect what was on the rest of the menu to be just as good.

It was raining as we walked back to FS and the wind had finally picked up. Storm Ciaran had arrived but it was hardly the damaging storm that those down south had experienced. Again we got away lightly. It's still raining and we expect it to be in for the night. Ian will be going to get very wet every time he takes Toffee out. My excuse to stay nice and dry? A dodgy knee, muddy towpath equals bum on floor!