Filed under: Chillies
Get a load of these bad boys……
Please see me for free chillies as soon as possible!
TV was dull the other night – I didn’t want to watch a load of dodgy people mumbling about bungs when we all suspect it’s rife anyway, Stephen Fry’s documentary on Bi-polar disorder was a bit too heavy for my mood and the other channels were just as unappealing. (I can’t be bothered to watch Lost – I’ll only have to start watching it religiously, order the box sets and catch up. It’s too much effort.)
I did the usual flick through the DVDs on the shelf. Some unwatched, some I could watch again. However, as Kathy was wanting to watch a film too I had more than just my own criteria to suffice – I was soon starting to feel the frustration rise as the first row of titles surrendered without even offering me a title to call out to Kathy for approval.
Here’s a top ten of titles I either ruled out immediately or Kathy declined to watch….
1. Raging Bull – Too long. Too violent. Too black and white. Not a good start.
2. 7 Samurai – Too long. Too violent. Too black and white and, too foreign. Its getting worse!
3. South Park the Movie – Too silly.
4. Hudson Hawk – While it is a post-modernist masterpiece I felt that Kathy would ridicule it (probably justifiably) to the point of me turning it off in a huff. So no.
5. Robocop – The 3 movie box set – Too violent, too violent and too silly, and ludicrously too silly. (In that order)
6. Lord of the Rings – Please! No more, Mr Smith! Make the tiny hairy people stop….I…can’t….take…no…more….
7. Hitch – What? Who owns this? I didn’t buy this. Who is planting DVDs in my collection to destroy my film credibility? Rejected and buried beneath the roses for the sake of humanity…
8. Casablanca – Of all the DVDs in all the world etc. While I could watch it again and again I didn’t think Kathy would want yet another viewing…
9. Its a Wonderful Life – OK I hold my hand up and say I have never actually seen this – I own the DVD to remedy this crime – but…as Kathy pointed out – its not Christmas quite yet…
10. Anchorman – Too silly again. Why are all my films either violent or silly?
Eventually I found the Brat Pack box set I bought for Kathy last Christmas – How about St Elmo’s Fire? Another film I have yet to seen and it didn’t rely of Christmas time for viewing.
A winner was found!
What did I think about the film having finally seen it? Well – I felt no sympathy for any of the character and thought the film look dated. But I secretly I loved it. I think the sign that a movie has done its job well is that I’m still thinking about it the next day. True – I found bits funny when meant to be serious and bits disturbing when meant to be comedy relief (Estevez stalking the object of his infatuation was creepy!) but it was a good film to pass the time.
And the point of this post? Not a lot really – I just wanted to say that I ticked off another of those films that I’d always meant to see but never quite got round to watching. It’s the small things in life…..
That gives me an idea for my next Top Ten! Films I should have watched by now but haven’t….
Filed under: Chillies
Most of the Apache have turned red now – I have so many spare I have brought some into work!
The Joe’s Long have just had the first couple turning this week. I should get a good crop off both the Joe’s Long that I planted.
The Hot Mix (only one left) has performed well – a little bit spindley but with lots of fruit – however none have turned yet!
Inspecting the greenhouse this morning I found it to be a little cold – I will have to start using the heater soon so keep the frost off. That means a lot of work for the autumn with digging and putting down some gravel around the veggie patch to make it all a bit neater. So much to do, so little time!
We finally had our Engagement Party last weekend – it was great. It was a different mix of people and a few friends came who I hadn’t seen in a while (like Mr. Bowers and Mr. Wilson) which was nice. Kathy also had some friends from Poole who I’d never met before. The party went by so quickly after a slow start – no-one turned up until 5 and then there was a rush! It all blurred by – Gareth (from work) did the cooking, Ben did the tiger impression, Andrew managed to use his Dad voice in the middle of a crowd (“Did you just kick stones at the cat?”). Most people left before 12 apart from the hardcore group who stayed up burning any wood we could find in the shed until about 3am. Luckily I was stopped before I burnt down the entire shed! (I wasn’t allowed to burn the spare door we had…spoilsports!).
Hardcore people included, Jon and Emily next door, James and Ruth, Kathy’s parents, Emma and Mark. We suffered the next day.
Food went down well – although in retrospect over 1kg of cous cous was a bit too much as I now have had cous cous for the last 3 days and there is no change for the rest of the week! More kebabs were needed - I underestimated the numbers and how hungry people would be. I used some of the Apache chillies in the chicken kebabs – 3 chillies in the marinade for 6 large breasts. It gave it a real kick….maybe 1 or 2 would of been sufficient but, hey, whats the point in growing them if you’re not going to use them?
I must mention a disappointing aspect – a uni friend bailing at the last minute. It was the second party in a row that he has said yes then no at the last minute – it seems that London to Reading is a journey too far for some. At least it makes a hard decision easier when compiling my wedding list!
Filed under: Wedding Plans
Kathy went wedding dress shopping the weekend before last – its now a nearly year before we get hitched!
It seems to go by pretty quickly – I feel I need to start getting on top of things before the Wedding takes over.
We still have plenty to finish off on the house and we want to redo the garden at the front.
In retrospect I should have gone to play golf instead of hanging around Hereford – it was a bit dull. I can never get in the mood for shopping when I’m on my own. I can’t say much about the Wedding dresses obviously but Kathy looked pretty tired after. She did mention that they only have size 16 to try on and as she is about half that I’m not sure how much use it was! I guess thats the average size and it makes sense to have a dress that large, but when you spend that much on a piece of clothing it must be difficult to make a decision – especially when its possible to fit 2 brides inside! (They did give her a box to stand on which meant at least her head came out at the right level!)
I think I’m going to opt for the smart suit I can wear again for my clothes on the day – it gives me the chance to get a tailor made suit and nice shirt. Dressing up in Morning suits sounded fun but I want to have a bit more of a relaxed feel to the wedding. It gives the ushers and best man less to think about. I just have to make sure they have some form of ‘uniform’ like a similar tie or shirt. (Like Ed and Lisa’s wedding).
So next time Kathy goes off for dress shopping I shall spend the day in London getting lagered, I mean, measured up!
Filed under: Chillies
OK – So I never properly blogged about my chillies and this won’t be a good reference for the future if I don’t get on with it so here is a brief history of the chillies this year.
I started in mid feb with 3 types. I had the Hot Mix and Joes Long from last year and I bought some new Apache to try as well.
They all germinated bar a couple – I started them off in the kitchen with a propagator (This next year will see the electricity in the greenhouse being used more effectively!).
I pricked them out after about 6 weeks – I pinched out a couple but wasn’t sure what I should be doing so I’m not sure I did any good to them – especially the Apache which I later found out didn’t need it.
They all grew OK – once the first flowers had set I started the feed – Tomatorite. Same dose as the Tom’s.
The first fruit had set by July sometime and the first red fruit was in Mid-august.
The Hot Mix and Joes are still yet to ripen but are producing lots of fruit. I have 1 Joes in a 9 inch pot and another in the ground inside the greenhouse. Both are about the same but I would recommend the pot for the future – easier for feeding and maintenance.
The Hot Mix is in the ground and the 3 Apaches are in pots.
Apaches seem to not mind being outside too much – the results are much the same for either. They produce lots and lots of small red fruit. Too many branches come from the base of the stem however and I have lost quite a few through moving and general clumsyness! I would recommend keeping on top of these and clipping the bush to a managable shape from the start – it will always produce enough fruit. I started to take off new flowers in mid-august to ensure ripening of the other fruits – this seemed to work.
The support of all chillies was a nightmare this year – I have subsequently bought some new round supports for the pots next year.
Space is also an issue – I will grow only necessary chillies this next season – maybe some minatures on the staging tables but limited to 3 in the Hydroponic set in the greenhouse and some in pots.
As for the varieties – I would like 2 apaches for a good looking pot plant outside, several minatures such as Prairie Fire, Riot or Rooster Spur, a large sweet pepper, a Jalepeno and another large mild variety.
