View from an office block

Dear reader, I've been working in London this week and was lucky enough to be right on Oxford Street.  The view from our meeting room window was straight on to the works for the crossrail  Elizabeth Line. 

We remarked that they didn't appear here to be going deep so concluded that this is the works for a station.  It makes sense to have one on Oxford St. 

The men look like Leggo figures. 

This guy up in the crane for hours. 

Google says that in fact this is to be a ticket hall with entrance on Dean Street  for the new and expanding Tottenham Court Road station which will have an Elizabeth Line stop ergo, we were correct in our deductions. 

Ardingly South of England Show

Dear reader, today's blog is a pictorial of the South of England show.  Mr Him and I took the day off work on Friday and attended this epitome of countryfile local to our home.  I see that Battleaxe also visited  (that's not my new name for Miss 21, although apt on occaisions.)

Firstly the horse bit (not a pun.)

The shire's were pulling their tradional carts and lining up for the judging.  The driver had to doff his cap to the judge and address him as Sir.  

This one is sponosored by our local Lewes brewery.  

After the parade Mr Him visited the shire's for himself, no doubt looking for the associated brewery. 

The Hounds on display

This hound kept running off to join other pack's.  Friendly little canine.  

We moved on and Mr Him found the Leffe beer sampling stall.  I lost him for half an hour here. 

I feel I should remark on the hayfever he suffered that day.  The pollen even caused a rash on his face,  or was it the beer. 

Jointly we found the wine tasting stall. 

We stayed a bit longer at the wine tasting stall. Wisely we took the bus to the show and left the car at home. 

These little cauliflower sheep look easy to reproduce for a table display. 

The cactus stall was so pretty too

This could do for me at home.

The geese 

Mr Him looks like he's lining up for a dog treat too. 

No! We aren't having one of those!  Just No!

The local school's costume competition winners. To make it clear this is not uniforms! 

and the school's word work competition winners.  I love the fish below.

Finally a Seed's for Change stall (for Christine.)

In other news I have discovered Aperol here 

and housework here 

The Full Monty of Trifle

Having left Brussels to recover from my visit I have thrown myself into family life this last weekend.  On Saturday I made a trifle.  This was no ordinary twee sweet sherry trifle.  No, for I went for a 'full monty vodka shot trifle' many months in the preparation.  Mr Him had made strawberry and mango vodka last year. Rather than waste those vodka infused fruits we froze them to enjoy in the summer.  Perfect to serve to unwitting guests at a bbq, accompanied by a taxi home.

The vodka soaked strawberries and mango chunks were flooded by strawberry jelly and left to set overnight.

A layer of custard  (I used a carton) 

followed by a layer of whipped cream 

and topped with sprinkles. 

All the better to stop the vodka evaporating.  Served with a spoon and a glint to my eye, from the fumes.

The sun shone.  It was hot but not too hot.  The family and guests were polite but not too polite. The potato salad creamy but not too creamy. The trifle  tipsy but not too tipsy.  A perfect use of the strawberries and mango.  The good news is we still have more in the freezer.

On bank holiday Monday I met my brother and my mum for lunch and we went to Prezzo.   I so love those decorative jars in there. Always a photo opportunity but I think we make far better use of infused fruits. 

Mum was sent home with half her carbonara in a doggy bag  (carton actually.)

Back to work Tuesday and the Yogurt Churner Extraordinaire decided to move back in. There is no more room at the inn. We are now full.