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"She was in dark colours and wobbling all over the road," said Stella winking. "Little did I know that the caterpillar I collided with, was going to transform into such a lovely butterfly."
Pippa looked confused at Stella's statement.
"It was a boy who fell off the bike," offered Stella.
"You have completely lost me," said Pippa.
Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by Angharad.
part 100 + 6 doz.
This episode is dedicated to Erin's Mum, who passed away earlier today.
______________________________________________________________________
The meal was okay I suppose, and I accepted help in clearing it up, although I had tried to do some as I went along.
"There are aprons in the bottom drawer," called Tom, settling down to chat with Simon. It was too dark to try and do temporary repairs to the fence, so they resolved to empty the wine bottles instead.
Sure enough, Stella pulled out a pinny from the drawer and handed it to me, "Here we are hostess with the mostest." It was one with a bib so I slipped it over my neck and tied the waist ties.
I gave Stella the teacloth, although there was nothing to dry with it as yet. Rinsing everything off, I put most of it in the dishwasher, keeping the glasses out. I prefer to do glasses by hand.
"Is life always this exciting?" asked Pippa.
"Only when Cathy is around," said Stella. "I mean I only got to meet her when she crashed her bike into my car."
"What!" I shrieked dropping a large pan with a clatter.
Stella roared and I realised I had been 'done' again. Don't these two ever stop?
"Is that how you met?" asked Pippa.
"Yes," I said asserting control of the conversation, "I was happily riding along and your assistant there," I indicated Stella, "knocked me off it and into a hedge."
"I reckon you wobbled into me," she replied, "and she had no lights on."
"It was the middle of the afternoon." I insisted. Pippa looked horrified, I was winning the argument.
"It was as dark as night and torrential rain. I only found you lying in the hedge because of a flash of lightning."
"I was wearing bright yellow cycling skins."
Pippa's head went from one to the other as if she were watching us playing tennis.
"She was in dark colours and wobbling all over the road," said Stella winking. "Little did I know that the caterpillar I collided with, was going to transform into such a lovely butterfly."
Pippa looked confused at Stella's statement.
"It was a boy who fell off the bike," offered Stella.
"You have completely lost me," said Pippa.
"It was Charlie not Cathy who fell off the bike." Stella's attempt to explain looked as if it had had the opposite effect.
"What he changed into a girl afterwards? Did he bang his head or something?"
"No that was later in the pub, and that was Cathy." Stella was really confusing things, but I was having so much fun seeing her screw it up even more that I kept out of it.
"You have confused me even more."
"She was still a he officially then, but because he had no clothes on, he had to borrow some of mine and became a she."
Even I was having difficulty now.
"How can someone become the opposite sex just by wearing their clothes?" Pippa asked a reasonable question.
"And Simon fancied her immediately, and she fell for him in a big way."
"Who did?" Pippa shook her head.
"Only because I got my foot caught in a rug and landed on top of him." I added to the confusion.
"Covered him in red wine, his best shirt too, lying on top of him as bold as brass." Stella said and Pippa's eyes widened.
"I couldn't get up, my heel caught in my skirt." I pleaded.
"A likely tale, ya floosie, I saw ya rubbin' yer body against him."
At this point Pippa went into overload and began giggling. "This is like a joke isn't it?"
"Then he took her on her first date and she locked herself in the loos and banged her head, then she burns out his clutch or something and flirts with the repair man."
"What?"
"Stella shut up." I instructed. "Now what really happened was...." and I explained the whole first day of my transition.
"So you were already on hormones?"
"Yes, but hadn't had the time or courage to start the process."
"So I jump started her!" smiled Stella and we all fell about laughing.
"How long ago was all this, a couple of years?"
"July."
"What last year?" Pippa looked confused again. Stella shook her head. "Not this last July?" asked Pippa and Stella nodded. "You are joking?"
"No, it's true, 16th of July."
"That is incredible?" said Pippa her hands up to her mouth.
"What is?" I asked, closing the dishwasher.
"Well, you, that's what."
"Me?" Now it was my turn to show confusion. I looked from Stella to Pippa and back again, it offered no help. "Explain, if you will."
"I thought you were a natural woman until you told me otherwise. There is no way you could achieve that in five or six months."
"Well it's been more of a lifetime's journey, but only officially and publicly since July."
"Jesus, that is amazing. I saw you talking to the press the other day, you had them enthralled with you and that little furry thing."
"Nah, that was Spike, one of the world's great exhibitionists." I smirked, then blushed when I remembered how it ended with a frightened, furry flurry flying down my front.
"That was a woman, all woman, who commanded that crowd."
"What? What did I do?" I implored her because I didn't have a clue what I had done.
"You seduced every man and showed solidarity with every woman, even those who were jealous of your youth and good looks."
"I did?" this was news to me.
"You are just a natural communicator and sensual with it."
At this moment I was a tongued tied, blushing mass of confusion.
"Where's the cloakroom Cathy?" asked Simon poking his head into the kitchen, "You hot or something, you look rather red."
"Just been bending down loading the dishwasher." It was a lie, but a white one, and I escorted him to get me out of the kitchen, as they say, I couldn't stand the heat, so I got out.
"No, I don't believe she was ever really a boy either," I could still hear the two women discussing me.
"Did you really bash her head with the toilet door?"
"Fraid so, but I was actually trying to help her." Stella recounted. I felt my skull, the lump had disappeared now, I had wonderd if there might be lasting brain damage. Maybe there was.
"Anybody want a cuppa?" I asked loudly.
"What tea?" Tom shouted from the dining room.
"What else?" I shouted back.
"Coffee?"
"Where do you think you are, The Ritz?"
"If I was I'd have complained about the food, now make some coffee woman."
In a huff, I reentered the kitchen, and boiled the kettle. I found Tom's ground coffee and made a pot when the kettle boiled. The two women were now sat in the lounge still talking about me, except Simon had also become part of the topic of conversation.
"....What like love at first sight," said Pippa's voice.
"Oh I think so for both of them," added Stella's.
I shook my head and poured the coffees, delivering them to both men and women. Both pairs were busy chatting.
"So you're fed up with the cook then?" said Simon, slyly glancing at me.
"Well yes, she led me to expect great things, but I mean, fancy letting a dog eat the main course."
"The pudding was okay," said Simon, "and personally, I think the owner of the dog is to blame."
"Do you think so?" asked Tom. I was convinced the conversation was entirely for my benefit. At the least the women thought they were being honest, or as close to it as Stella usually managed.
I went back out to the kitchen and made myself some tea and leafed through The Observer.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
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Comments
172
Angharad: Keep on keeping us in stitches.
marie c.
marie c.
How to cook your sister
Well, first you marinade her in tears of laughter, then cook slowly over a low heat produced by the red face induced by said laughter limiting her breathing. Keep sister out of direct exposure to sanity, instead bath her in the gentle elctronic glow of computer monitor.
I may yet live, but I've got to take a break and a shower, in that order.
Karen J.
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"
Janis Joplin
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
I don't think I should leave a recipe
As the yorkshire Spaniel didn't go over to well but I'll try again something a little more serious this time.Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit then spit an Acorn squash length wise down the middle and scoop out the seeds.Pack the middle of the two halfs with butter and brown suger and bake for one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.Another great chapter Angharad.Amy
You asked for a recipe? You got a recipe
Shrimp Spring Rolls
Recipe from: Ying Chang Compestine.
Marinade & Shrimp:
1 TB rice wine or medium-dry sherry
1 TB fish sauce
1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB chopped fresh cilantro
1 small fresh red chile pepper, such as Fresno, seeded and minced (2 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Filling & Wrappers:
1 large apple or peach, peeled and diced
4 scallions, green part only, cut into thin slivers
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 TB rice vinegar
1/2 TB toasted sesame oil
1 TB canola oil
20 (8") rice-paper wrappers
20 fresh basil leaves or mint leaves
1. Make Thai Sauce. Cover and refrigerate.
2. To prepare marinade: Combine rice wine (or sherry), fish sauce, lemon juice, cilantro, chile
pepper, garlic and ginger in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate
in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. To prepare filling: Combine apple (or peach), scallions, bell peppers, vinegar and sesame oil
in a medium bowl; toss to coat.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil and tilt pan to coat it
evenly. Add shrimp and marinade; stir-fry until shrimp turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove
from heat. Set aside.
5. To assemble rolls: Dip a wrapper in warm water for a few seconds. Carefully transfer it to a
clean work surface and let stand until soft, about 1 minute. Center 1 basil leaf (or mint leaf)
in the bottom third of the wrapper; top with a shrimp and 2 tablespoons of the filling. Fold
the wrapper over the filling and roll into a tight cylinder, folding in the sides about halfway.
Assemble the remaining spring rolls the same way. Keep the finished rolls covered
with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Serve with Thai Sauce.
Makes 10 appetizer servings, 2 spring rolls each.
One More Time
Leg Of Lamb With Roast Potatoes
Prep: 20 min; Marinate: 8hr; Roast: 1 3/4 hr;
Stand: 20 min
Makes 8 servings
5 to 7 pound leg of lamb
2 cups dry red wine (or nonalcoholic) or beef broth
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons
dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
16 new potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1. Place lamb in large plastic bag or shallow glass
baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients except pota-
toes; pour over lamb. Fasten bag securely or cover dish
with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 8 hours but no
longer than 24 hours, turning lamb occasionally
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees
3. Drain lamb; reserve marinade. Place lamb, fat
side up, in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat ther-
mometer so tip is in thickest part of lamb and does not
touch bone or rest in fat. Do not add water. Do not
cover
4. Prepare potatoes as directed below. Place
potatoes around lamb. Roast lamb and potatoes 45
minutes, brusting lamb occasionally with marinade.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Stir potatoes
so they don't stick to pan. Roast about 1 hour longer,
brusting lamb and potatoes occasionally with mari-
nade, until thermometer reads 140 degrees. Discard any
remaining marinade
6. Cover roast with tent of aluminum foil and let
stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads
145 degrees. (Temperature will continue to rise
about 5 degrees, and roast will be easier to carve
as juices set up
1 Serving: Calories 440 (Calories from Fat 180); Fat 20g
(Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 125mg; Sodium 170mg;
Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 41g
6 medium (2 pounds)
Choose nicely shaped, smooth, firm potatoes
with unblemished skins, free from discoloration
(below)
To bake
Choose potatoes of similar size. Scrub potatoes
but do not peel, and, if desired, rub with shortening for softer
skins. Pierce potatoes to allow steam to escape
To boil or steam
Scrub potatoes. Leave skins on whenever
possible, or peel thinly and remove eyes. Leave
whole or cut into large pieces
Conventional Oven
Bake: Bake in 375 degree oven 1 to 1 1/4 hours in 350
degree oven 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender
Boil: Whole 30 to 35 minutes, pieces 20 to 25 minutes
or until tender
Steam: 30 to 35 minutes or until tender
Microwave Directions
Whole - Piece potatoes to allow steam to escape.
Arrange about 1 inch appart in circle on paper
towel. Microwave uncovered 12 to 14 minutes or
until tender Pieces
Add 1/2 cup water.
Microwave 10 to 12 minutes or until tender; drain
Recipes
Maybe we should have a Recipe Blog where these delicious-sounding dishes could be preserved.
Gabi
Gabi.
see
much more interesting than my rubbish.
Angharad
Angharad
Why is that
I wonder about cook temps. Why is it that it's always a number lke 375, 425 or 450. Nice even inc. of 25. Is it some sort of requirement? does anyone have a recipe that calls for 331 deg or even 410?
----------
Jenna
For the ease of the
For the ease of the cook...
And because it does take several degrees of difference to effect the cooking time, browning, etc. Even recipes that I get from "metric" friends usually have the temperatures converted from even numbers (usually 5 degree C steps) in Celsius to Fahrenheit in 25 degree steps. While cooking does often need precise control of heat, rarely do you find that it needs control a specific temperature. In fact, I have changed around recipes at times in order to cook two things in the oven at the same temperature.
Janice
Grandma Trepasso's "Exploading" Meatballs...
Alright, first you take a pound of ground beef, for every four people you plan on serving. I've found the higher the fat content in the meat, the better.
Mix in a cup of bread crumbs, and three eggs, per pound of beef. I usually add some onion flake, and garlic powder for flavor. I've also added a sprinkle, and I cannot stress that enough, JUST a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. It gives the meat a touch of flavor, without overpowering it with heat.
Once everything is mixed well enough that you don't notice the yokes anymore, kneed a ball of the mix about the size of a golfball, and drop it in a pot of boiling sause. Usually about two jars per pound of beef. Then add another jar if needed, if you plan to serve them with pasta, or if you want extra sause to use on meatball sandwiches.
Whatever you do, DON'T pre-brown the meat. Just cook the balls in the sause.
What you should notice is that the meat will obsorbe some of the sause, and will usually end up near the size of tennis balls. Thus the name "exploading meatballs." They literally grow when you cook them.
Don't worry, my family had been cooking these like this for years, and no one has gotten sick from it. Just make sure you cook the meatballs for about 45 minutes, in the boiling sause, and make sure you stir them ever couple of minutes.
What we've noticed is that the meatballs usually taste like those that get re-heated as leftovers. Have you ever noticed that meatballs taste better the second day? Well, these ones taste like that when they are fresh, and even better the second day.
If anyone has any problems or wish for more information, please don't hesitate to PM me.
Much love, and happy cooking.
Toni
Exploding meatballs Yummy!
Hi Tony,
I want to come to your house for those exploding meatballs. We have some very close friends in Waterbury, CT that are of Italian origin and I can remember the truly wonderous meals prepared by Pat's Grandmother and Mother and Aunt. Needless to say, while doing so, they also made stuff to nibble on while the meals were being cooked. We did have handmade large meatballs there, but I don't know if they had a particular name for them or not.
Oh yeah, take a look at a comment I wrote on the last chapter of "Cop Story", see if it brings back any memories for you as it did me. Later, J-Lynn
Red pepper?
Surely you mean chilli don't you?
Red pepper (capsicums or bell-peppers) have no heat whatsoever, whereas, the chilli variety can blow your socks off without breaking into a canter.
Another red pepper type spice is Paprika. This has a definite flavour though again, little in the way of heat.
I shall have to try that recipe, only I would like to know about the size of jars of sauce, since I will be making my own (it's the Italian in me) and would like to know about quantities.
Thanks Toni I look forward to these.
NB
pepper
Neither Chilly of bell, nor Paprica. I'm talking about the crushed red pepper you can find in most "spice" sections of stores. McCormic's is the one I usually end up getting. Either that or buy red peppercorns and grind it yourself. Trust me.
Now, as for sause... When I don't have time to make my own, I usually end up with two Jars of Dements. The ones that are about six or so inches tall, and about four inches across. Just your average store size jar of sause.
Much love, and happy eating.
Toni
Corny!
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
Thanks
Should be fun, though I can see myself getting into one helluva mess! Guess who's going to have to do the clearing up. Still, we have a dishwasher - oh wait, that's me!
NB
Recipes
I once got a recipe for Steak and Kidney Pie from a Brit friend. I made the mistake of making it on a cool day in automn when the house was shut up. The reek of the kidney was overpowering, and I called her to see what I had done wrong.
"Oh yes," she said, "pungent isn't it?"
Kidneys
Yeah I made one or two and now the missus says to just stick to the beef.
My fave at the moment is coq au vin. Takes minutes to prepare, about 45 mins to cook and yum...
NB
One of the smelliest things
I've cooked is venison, don't think I'll try roasting it again. Oh deer!
back to Led Zep.
Angharad
Angharad
Deer?
The only time we've had it, it was free.
So are you going to try some black dog in the houses of the holy or are you going to go for something softer with Kashmir?
Nah, can't do it. Sacreligeous (um, my spell checker tells me that's wrong, but I don't know).
Nice to see that John's son was drummer at the reunion eh?
NB
Best of Vol 1
The Early Days. Black dog is there, so is, Good times bad times, Whole lotta love, and my favourite Stairway to heaven.
Angharad
Angharad
Kashmir
From Physical Graffiti.
I also liked the live album with no quarter and have you heard the Frank Zappa version of Stairway to Heaven from the Best Band in the World You Never Heard of?
Yes heard some Zappa
My younger brother was more into rock than I was, but he used to play it so loud, I think I absorbed it by osmosis. He was into Led Zep, Cream, Deep Purple and some Black sabbath, plus Zappa & the M.O.I We had a radiogram that used to make the house shake. In those days, I was more into the Beatles and Abba, although I did like the Stones and Who. (As well as Dr Who 8) )
Angharad
Angharad
Dr Who?
Hiding behind the sofa when the cybermen came into view?
Ah, the good old days!
My mum was into Elvis, I had to rebel didn't I?
I was into David Bowie (22 albums), Cream, Who, Stones, FZ, Floyd, King Crimson, Quo, Scorpions (later), Queen etc.
Now I have a rather eclectic library from the Buzzcocks to Herbie Hancock, Sex Pistols to Deep Purple. I've even got some Abba (I know, I don't tell everyone).
I have to measure my collection in gigabytes now!
Technology is a wonderful thing ain't it?
NB
I still hide behind the sofa
while watching Dr Who! These days very eclectic too, mainly classical with film scores, most of Clannad, but also Queen, Eva Cassidy, Eagles, Hendrix plus Beatles & Stones. These days I have more Mendelssohn than McCartney, I buy what I like, so it tends to be very mixed, and possibly more John Williams or Hans Zimmer than most people.
Angharad
Angharad
Rather Fond of the Doctor Myself
I actually quite like David Tennant in the role...almost as much as i did Peter Davison. I may be the only American introduced to the show by Tom Baker who actually prefers his successor.
Just got Zep's Mothership for Christmas. It's the first of theirs I've owned since my entire collection was on vinyl :)
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
For those who haven't seen the Doctor
and would like a sample, there are some recent episodes available to watch from the BBC website.
Go to www.bbc.co.uk and click on bbc i-player, then go to categories and choose drama. Then have look, if you move your mouse over the thumbnails, they show Dr Who and the name of the episode. They are good fun and there are no adverts to interrupt them. You might not need a sofa to hide behind, for me it's an old habit. 8)
Angharad
Angharad
I go to the loo…
…when the scary parts come on.
Gabi
(the wimp)
Gabi.
I suppose I'm one of the few people here who ...
... remembers William Hartnell as the first eponymous doctor? I wasn't even a kid at the time - I was repairing TVs rather than just watching them. Is it really that scary? I suppose it's moved on from when we recognised Hoover Constellation hoses and other various domestic detritus used to represent SciFi artefacts. Not owned a TV for 40 years so the more recent incarnations are a closed book. I was a SciFi enthusiast at the time and I wasn't very impressed. Is it broadcast 'over there' now?
Wait a bit - what has this got to do AEAFOAB? Aren't we in danger of forgetting poor Cathy?
Geoff
New companion
Actually Cathy would make a great companion for The Doctor. She is feisty, adapts well and quickly, physically very capable and quite intelligent. Her empathy understanding of nature would make a good counterpoint to The Doctor's more technical viewpoint.
In the US...
We get Dr. Who on the SciFi channel and BBC America. SciFi gets the episodes a few months after the initial UK airing, then BBC America runs them after that.
Back in the 80's they showed them on some PBS stations, plus I think on cable channel Nickelodeon. And I absolutely agree that Cathy would make a great companion :)
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
EAFOOT
Easy As Falling Out of a TARDIS...
Who's up for scribbling some fanfic?
(after getting Angharad's permission, natch...)
I'd read it! ~~~Laika
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
Cathy in the Tardis?
You silly bugger! Go on then if you want to have a try or if somebody else does.
Angharad
Angharad
Don't Tempt Me!!
I might just have to consider it!
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur
Feel free
You know both the TV series and the Serial. Looks like you volunteered.
Angharad
Angharad
Series Premier
My Dad was stationed in Lakenheath Air Force Base when I was 6. I'm one of the few that got to see the series premier. I caught the PBS replays during the 80's, which introduced me to Tom Baker and John Pertwee. I still view Tom as my favorite, but I also really liked how John played the role. I always referred to him as the Dandy (reasons are obvious for anyone who saw him).
Dr. Who of that era could have good special effects or good writing, having both at the same time eluded them. I am sad to see them shift the focus to the Doctor as a sole (or nearly so) survivor. It is to the detriment of the series. You have an ancient race who can go anywhere in time and space, literally live in a shoebox, and there are no colonies anywhere? It definitely shows a lack of imagination.
William Hartnell as the Doctor
You're not the only one, Geoff, I remember him too, though I thought it was an improvement when he was renewed as Patrick Troughton. My baby sister really did hide behind the sofa when the Daleks appeared, but wouldn't let our mum turn the telly off in case the worst happened. I was about 10 when the first series was broadcast; on our very small black and white telly the effects looked quite good but it was the theme tune that really impressed me - I'd never heard electronic music before.
Sinisterpenguin
I remember Bill Hartnell,
Even saw the Dr Who movie which he was in, about a thousand years ago, but I was a kid.
Exterminate---<
Angharad
Angharad
David Tennant
is very good, and extremely yummy. My daughter watched them filming some of the scenes they did for the Christmas episode -Voyage of the Damned. The scenes in the cocktail lounge were filmed in Tredegar House, near Newport.
Angharad
Angharad
Definitely agree with the
Definitely agree with the Zimmer and Williams I put those on while wargaming they give a great ambiance feeling while destroying other armies.
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Comments
This is certainly pushing that total up isn't it?
More recipes?
Ah, not today Ang.
I think Mr. Ram is truly missing out here.
His loss I think.
Better than any of those soap operas. It keeps the days of our lives complete whether we're Home or away, with or without neighbours.
Sorry
NB
At a....
crossroads, are we Nick?
Angharad
Angharad
Oh dear, what have I started?
Okay, round two to you. I can't think of any others (basically because I don't watch them and the ones listed were the only one's I knew that fitted), so I concede here.
You wait Ang, I'll get you yet...
NB
6,054 readers and only 54 thumbs up wtf is going on
This chapter serves as a tutorial on writing. I'm receiving my BA in creative writing just reading this Redhead's "rubbish". Just read this chapter again. Angharad, You are a master !( how come no-one ever says mistress ? maybe bad connotations?) Does anybody else, besides Cathy, pee when they laugh this hard ?
What's next tissues and tears?
Cefin