And welcome to the most troublesome part of the weekly blogging... how to start.
Yup, blank page syndrome is most definitely a thing, and as someone who has been known to jot the odd thought down, it’s a thing which proves irksome in the extreme.
One has to start somewhere, but where is that? What will grab the attention? What will make an impact? Where can I shoehorn in some horrendous pun, which only I find funny? As I open up the word processing package and look down at the keyboard, these questions and more are always at the forefront of my mind. Eventually, I’ll type out a few words. Then, most of the time, I’ll delete them and start again, until something, somewhere, clicks and that first thought leads on to others. Only then, once the flow is established, are we finally cooking on gas.
Which, rather handily, brings me on to the topic of today’s offering, and no, it’s not gas, but the thorny issue of cooking.
Alright, Alright, Alright!
I have, occasionally, been known to turn my hand to a spot of cooking. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that preparing meals for myself and my wife, Tina, is a job which seems (in the main) to have fallen to me. Not that I mind, you understand. I’d much rather potter around the kitchen, not that there’s all that much kitchen to potter around (let’s just say the cats are definitely safe from any swinging in that particular room). It’s a damn sight more enjoyable than dealing with the inevitable devastation I leave in my wake, anyway.
No, I’m quite happy with a pan in my hand, and I’d like to think that at least some of the meals I come up with are edible, too. One or two of them might have reached the giddy heights of ‘tasty’ or, as my dad invariably says, of every meal put in front of him, ‘alright’.
Of course, a lot of meal prep comes down to the actual preparation, and a key part of that, I have found, is ensuring one has the right equipment. A sharp knife, a good pan, a sturdy spatula, oh, and something else, too. Now, what was it? Ah, that’s right, an actual working oven.
What's In A Name?
This, in case you haven’t already guess is the current fly in the ointment (or should that be soup?), because although we do own an oven, as a lot of couples do these days, ours is currently kaput.
The issue started over the weekend, Sunday morning, to be precise. I tried to turn the oven on; it thought about complying for a little while, then decided the whole heating up thing was just too much work and turned itself off again. This phenomenon repeated several times over in the next few minutes, with the latter attempts incorporating some percussive maintenance and imaginative swearing in an attempt to hasten things along.
Of course, a lot of meal prep comes down to the actual preparation, and a key part of that, I have found, is ensuring one has the right equipment. A sharp knife, a good pan, a sturdy spatula, oh, and something else, too. Now, what was it? Ah, that’s right, an actual working oven.
What's In A Name?
This, in case you haven’t already guess is the current fly in the ointment (or should that be soup?), because although we do own an oven, as a lot of couples do these days, ours is currently kaput.
The issue started over the weekend, Sunday morning, to be precise. I tried to turn the oven on; it thought about complying for a little while, then decided the whole heating up thing was just too much work and turned itself off again. This phenomenon repeated several times over in the next few minutes, with the latter attempts incorporating some percussive maintenance and imaginative swearing in an attempt to hasten things along.
Luckily, the Sunday roast was already taken care of. The brisket had been stewing in gravy in the slow cooker overnight, and the sweet potatoes, mash, peas and carrots were all things I could easily manage on the stovetop. The only real victims were the Yorkshire puddings, and as a certain aunt of most people’s familiarity had a hand in those, (I know, the shame. And I have the temerity to call myself a Yorkshireman) they wouldn’t be all that big of a miss.
The Mother of Invention
Since then, we’ve tried to coax the beast back to life on several occasions, but with my electrical knowledge (shout at it, and f that doesn’t work, hit it) expended, we are resigned to getting someone who actually knows what they’re doing in. Hopefully, some loose connection, somewhere amid the wires and stuff, is to blame, and the problem will be easily solved. At worst it will come down to a choice between getting a new oven or getting more and more inventive with the induction hob and slow-cooker. What we’ll do with the pizzas in the freezer is anyone’s guess. Is there a thriving market for second hand pizza? (one careful owner, never taken out of the box, only dropped once...ish)
The Mother of Invention
Since then, we’ve tried to coax the beast back to life on several occasions, but with my electrical knowledge (shout at it, and f that doesn’t work, hit it) expended, we are resigned to getting someone who actually knows what they’re doing in. Hopefully, some loose connection, somewhere amid the wires and stuff, is to blame, and the problem will be easily solved. At worst it will come down to a choice between getting a new oven or getting more and more inventive with the induction hob and slow-cooker. What we’ll do with the pizzas in the freezer is anyone’s guess. Is there a thriving market for second hand pizza? (one careful owner, never taken out of the box, only dropped once...ish)
And so, feelers have been put out. A post on Mirfield matters (a debatable title for a local group on Facebook) has been, um, posted, and one or more recommendations are literally flooding in as we speak. Until we take the financial plunge, or the appliance in question spontaneously resurrects, we will just have to manage, although on the bright side, takeouts have suddenly become a whole lot easier to justify.
Now, where did I put that menu?
Until next week...
Now, where did I put that menu?
Until next week...
***
Hey, folks! If you would care to take a look at some of my more creative and properly edited writing, then the links below will transport you to the magical worlds of two anthologies my short (in one case, very short) stories have been included in. Feel free to check’em out!
Death ShipReaperman
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reaperman-Drabbles-3-Legends-Night-ebook/dp/B099NNPTQ1A
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