May 14, 2024 by Mike Madden

A Measured Response

A Welcome Return

After two weeks of work the demolition of our old kitchen finished. There was still a lot to do, and it would be many months before completion, but at least we got our cooker back.

Unfortunately this was not in time for St Patrick’s Day, but I did manage to make a St Patrick’s Day cake in the slow cooker, as well as Dublin coddle and soda bread.

The cake was a rather odd shape as the slow cooker is oval.

However, I managed to keep it exceptionally moist (probably due to the Guinness).

And it didn’t last very long!

Back To Basics

The Dublin Coddle required sausages, and it was quite satisfying cooking these on an open fire in the garden.

I think the soda bread could have been better – it was a bit crumbly, but not bad given the circumstances. All finished off with a pint of the black stuff in the Drum & Monkey.

I also made barbeque chicken and potatoes in the slow cooker, a throwback to the days of cooking for the services when the dam threatened the village.

Mmm…Cookbooks

Once I got my oven back there seemed to be a burst of cooking. There were old favourites such as enchiladas…

Sticky toffee pudding…

And turkey slices…

There were also a few new creations such as flatbreads stuffed with feta, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella and chorizo.

These have gone down particularly well, with several variations.

I also bought some ramekins, and these have been instrumental in dishes both sweet and savoury.

Little lemon puddings (an inventive name given by Nigella) are lemon puddings that are quite small! They make use of lashings of lemon curd.

Whilst chocolate lava cakes were a more traditional creation.

Chicken rogan josh pie might seem unusual, but it is a classic mix of the British love of pies and Indian food. It also gave me the chance to try some side dishes, in this case cabbage with cinnamon (note – use ground cinnamon – sticks are a nightmare), and aloo ki bhaji.

Its Only One Out!

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen and we were all set to have the decorative stone laid above the new bi-fold doors, and then the doors themselves could be fitted. Not the end of the project by any means, but it would add some normality to the kitchen area. Unfortunately, when the time came it was discovered that the gap in the wall was 3.8 metres, but the meticulously measured stone was only 2.8 metres. The options were to laugh, cry, or wait for a new piece of stone.

No further progress!

Unfortunately the stonemason was about to go on holiday and the door fitter could only fit us in that week. A number of phone calls later and the delay was shortened somewhat, as the builders procured new stone and fitted it just 3 days later than originally anticipated. The door could then be fitted after the weekend, meaning an overall delay of around 6 days. In the grand scheme of things I will take that!

Night Shift

Sally decided to help out with the removal of some tiles from the wall using a hammer. For some inexplicable reason she decided to do this at 3.30am. When I went down to remonstrate with her she dissolved into uncontrollable giggles that didn’t subside when she made her way to bed!

In the daytime the builders returned and continued the incessant banging. I told Sally that I might have to set up an office in Whaley Bridge so that I could concentrate. She suggested that I might struggle with the commute to make a 9am meeting. She’s clearly going to have to be taken down a peg or two!

The latest estimate is that the kitchen might be ready for July, and there would be a lot of decorating to do afterwards.

Watching Me Watching You

Thomas is starting to get a little braver, spending whole nights outside. However, he still does like to be in close proximity to myself. So, I should not have been surprised when I decided to take a bath, and he opted for something similar in the sink!

Amazon Addiction

On the way to Bath racecourse the radio provided some entertainment. There was a phone-in about online shopping, and the way that it seems to have got out of control. It is considered an addiction, and has even cost people their friendships and marriages. Apparently the process involves three separate dopamine hits. The first when the product is ordered, the second when it arrives and the third when it is unboxed. One caller suggested that there was a fourth, and Sally wholeheartedly agreed. That happens when the item is resold on Vinted! The struggle is real.

Battle Of The Birds

The garden continues to attract a variety of birds. Unfortunately the crows, magpies and squirrels are still a nuisance, emptying all manner of feeders often within minutes of them being filled.

I moved the feeders amongst the branches of some trees rather than have them in an exposed position beneath the cherry tree. This certainly helped but the nuisance persists. Watch this space for an update on my cunning deterrents.

Football Firsts

It was a very successful football season for Ole, as his Hayfield team scooped the league and cup double, culminating with the final at a very cold Silverlands in Buxton. They won’t find it so easy next season with promotion to the Premier division.

In other news Ole completed his Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification, so expect to seem in a gym in the near future!

Unexpected Cleaning

Ole and Zac cleaned the pool room without being asked, which was highly suspicious. It turned out they wanted to use the pool room, Zac for a poker night and Ole for a drinks party. Of course, it did not take long for the room to become a tip again, However, this gave me the opportunity to brush, hoover and iron the pool table, for the first time in around ten years!

AI?

For those of you wondering what this AI is all about, I have engaged with the University of Derby to create an AI Toolkit. Hopefully this will also include some real world examples of the implementation of AI.

Tales Of The Turf

In the horseracing world there have been some dramatic ups and downs.

Finals day at Lingfield was looming but Star Of Lady M was not quite high enough in the ratings to guarantee our place. We headed to Newcastle, passing the Angel Of The North in both directions, and had an easy stroll to the course from our hotel. She finished a very close second to multiple winner Bonito Cavalo. That meant we had to go up, hopefully by the four or five pounds necessary. Our walk back to the hotel, in the dark, was a lot more problematic, particularly as the rain had made our path somewhat muddy!

The Angel Of The North

Ready to race at Newcastle

There was an anxious wait, and it was a disappointment that we only went up two pounds, as did the winner. I consoled myself that most of the leading jockeys would either be at the Dubai World Cup or the grand final at Newcastle, so we certainly would not get Oisin Murphy or Danny Tudhope.

Every Cloud…

It was soon confirmed that we did not make finals day, but we did not let that deter us. A few days later Star Of Lady M came out at Lingfield again. This time Danny Tudhope rode her, and she was second favourite. I travelled down on the train, once again taking advantage of my senior railcard, and I arrived in good time. Danny broke slowly, but this was always a part of the plan.

Danny took the ride at Lingfield

Catch Me If You Can

The outsider kicked for home, going two, three, four lengths clear and not stopping. Danny went after the leader, and he clinched victory on the line in the most dramatic fashion, making up five lengths in the final furlong. It was just a £9,500 race, a far cry from the £65,000 that we could have been competing for, but it was her seventh career win, the most by any progeny of Havana Grey.

Seventh Heaven at Lingfield

She also recorded her highest ever RPR of 93 and TS of 86. You will have to do your own research if you want to understand that!

The Grass Is Always Greener

The end of the all weather season was upon us, and I put it to David O’Meara that Star Of Lady M might qualify for a lower turf rating than all weather. He suggested that I email the handicapper and ask the question, so I did. I got a very polite response saying that as she had not raced on turf since October, and she had previously won on turf off 86, we had no chance.

Bath Bombs

So, we planned our next outing. Beverley was abandoned, and there was a lot of heavy ground. The one race that stood out was the Listed race at Bath, at a meeting sponsored by Whitsbury Manor. This was Star Of Lady M’s birthplace, and where her parents still live.

It was a long drive, and in such exalted company Star was an outsider. We caught up with some friends before the race, including Sam Hoskins of Hot To Trot, and Ed Harper from Whitsbury Manor. Ed was keen to get Star to Whitsbury to mate before she went off to Mount Coote, but that would be a discussion for another day.

Wondering what all of the fuss is about

It was good to have Jason Watson back in the saddle, he was the last jockey to win on her on turf at Musselburgh. The race was eventful, with Star Of Lady M getting bumped at the start and then squeezed. At some point she lost a shoe, and it was no surprise that she finished 10th of 13. However, she showed enough to encourage us to go for another Listed race later in the season.

Jason Watson back on board at Bath

There was some good news a couple of days later, as the handicapper finally decided that Star Of Lady M deserved a revised turf rating, and she was dropped 4lbs to 82.

The Daydream

Back at Willow Farm, Percy’s Daydream was the subject of another stable visit. Seven of us watched her canter up the gallops, and although she still has some growing to do, she remains on course for a June or July debut.

Although shares in Percy’s Daydream have sold out, we may look to do something similar for the 2025 season.

Percy’s Daydream ready to canter

Percy’s Daydream at home

You can read the previous edition here…

Whoa! We’re Going To Barbados