Yesterday, and the day before.

Yesterday saw my working day start at 7.30 in the morning. Not a leisurely perusal of emails but assembling a status report in preparation for a 9 o'clock call.

"Why didn't you do it earlier?" I hear the scathing questioners. I tried, oh yes, I tried. I asked for the updates 36 hours in advance, and reminded for them too, and my dear colleagues decided to drop them in at the last possible minute. Don't worry - I know who you are and am likely to be equally cooperative should the tables turn.

A call at 8 and another at 9 and then a shower and shave and a Journey South. I wont go in to boring detail but it was a long day.

I took the Prius which is never the first choice for a Motorway Journey* but the drivers seat is very high, not at truck level but at least at White Van heights, and so commands quite splendid views from the M40. The high point was to see the Red Kites circling over the surrounding fields searching for prey. Their distinctive curved Swallow tail makes them easy to identify and they are a spectacular site and very common nowadays. Here in bad man's locality Buzzards are the re-surging bird of prey but it is reported that the Kites are making a comeback here too although I am yet to spot one locally.

I mentioned that a sausage making session was planned for Wednesday evening. This went well and we ended up with about 6.5 lbs of Black Pudding sausages and about 4 Lbs of Cajun sausages. Part of the process is to test fry a sample of the mix before stuffing to make sure that the seasoning is right. Wow! The Cajun recipe calls for Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Garlic, Minced Onion, Salt, Black Pepper, Allspice and fresh Thyme as well as the contribution made by the Pig. They certainly hit the spot and it will be interesting to see what they are like once the flavours have had the chance to mingle and mature.

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* especially when Dante's mileage rate is taken in to consideration

There's no such thing as a free lunch.....

........ but sometimes you can get a cheap one.

Sunday mornings activities at The Pile depend on the time of year. TP plays for a local rugby team and consequently during the season there is much filling of flasks, emptying dogs, cajoling 30% out of bed and shouting at TP along the lines of "if you don't get your stuff ready the night before ..." so that we can make the match or training venue.

Truthfully 30% and I really enjoy it as the parents are good fun and it is often a chat with a rugby match going on in the background.

The season ended this week but the final match was last Sunday. Consequently there was no great impetus to turn up, so we didn't.

Instead TP and I made a batch of sausages.

30% is what is described as a "canny shopper" and regularly returns home from the Supermarket with some unbelievable bargain. Eyes half closed against the midday sun she surveys the "Reduced Shelf" like a lioness scans the plains waiting for the young, tender wildebeest that has a nasty limp. The plump one that was always last in the gnu egg and spoon races.


This week she had purchased loin of pork, a boneless shoulder joint and a pack of turkey mince. All at considerably less than their normal price. Apparently there are products in Tesco that don't have a "yellow label" on them but I've never seen them.

TP and I broke out the Kenwood Mincer/Sausage Machine and after consulting Paul Peacock's "The Sausage Book" we knocked up about 8lbs of sausages. We made two recipes; Pork and Turkey and Sweet Chilli Sausages and both get a big thumbs up.

The main ingredients were all half price and the other ingredients were salt, black pepper, garlic, breadcrumbs and sweet chilli sauce so not exactly bank breakers. The bottom line is that we have 6 packs of premium sausages in the freezer at under £1 per 1lb.

TP is an absolute genius at stuffing the sausages. His role is to stand by the mincer nozzle and control the flow of sausage meat in to the skins. For some reason he is an absolute natural. 30% and I made a batch once when TP was elsewhere and the results weren't pretty. Tasted great, but weren't pretty - think "Pensioners leg in tights" and you are probably getting the picture.

TP's look like he was apprenticed to the Queen's butcher for 10 years!

30% was in charge of stuffing that day and you can imagine the lively debate we had that day .... it was once of those "I cant drive the car AND read a map" type discussions.

Back to the present, 30% put a selection of the bangers in a pan whilst TP and I popped over to see friend who had asked us to re-home a pair of unwanted chickens. Now that has the potential to be a cheap meal too but more of that another time.


The evening saw us at Warwick Arts Centre to see Dara O'Briain's latest tour. I am far to old to use txt spk but it was very funny in fact almost pmsl