Friday 11 July 2014

Saturday, or Friday, I Forget Which Day it is... Snippets No 14.


I hope no one minds me coming back with a 'light' and normal post. I haven't done a 'Snippets' for a long time, and as I am wrestling manfully (or should I be politically correct and say womanfully) with a stupid computer that keeps freezing and saying 'non responsive' I am doing a whole mixture of stuff here today.

Firstly I plan to do a little Martha-Stewarting with some traditional English ideas for summer. (Believe me when I say the rain has been just awful this past week. I am very glad to think no-one has come here on holiday because if you have I am afraid you will take some very wet memories home with you.)

As several of you know, I live in a very old house. Over five hundred years old. Sometimes it leaves much to be desired, but when it is hot it seems to retain a coolness which can be quite desirable. However, in summer the kitchen is not for lingering in, only for preparing food quickly, and taking it outside to eat. Under the heavy beams the kitchen is dark and the stone slabbed floor is cool, but outside beckons.

On rare, perfectly still evenings of high summer, there is food to be cooked outside, over charcoal. Plain cuts of best-quality meat, well marinaded in oil and wine vinegar, with some fresh herbs and seasoning, and grilled very hot and fast, served with a tossed salad and garlic or herb bread.




 In July the kitchen is full of bowls and baskets of fruit, heaps of strawberries and raspberries, gooseberries and loganberries and cherries, red and white and black currants, glistening and richly-ripe.

They may be made into jams and jellies, pies and puddings, creams and fools, sauces and purees and cordials, or else bottled and frozen and crystallised or otherwise preserved for eating later in the year.

But best of all, eat them at once, whole and raw and fresh and in great quantities, greedily, steeped in sugar and thick, yellow cream!

Or in that fragrant, juice-seeping, parcel of perfection, Summer Pudding.




Summer Pudding

Line a basin with slices of white, crustless bread, leaving no chinks between. 

Take 1 lb raspberries, half a pound of red currants, a quarter of a pound of black currants (and some strawberries if you wish but they must be soft a ripe). Rinse and prepare carefully. Cook with 4 oz sugar for five minutes, to dissolve the sugar and free the juices.

Take out one small cup of juice, then fill the basin with the fruit. Top with more slices of bread, then a plate and a heavy weight. Chill overnight. Turn out gingerly (very carefully!). Pour over the reserved juice. Serve (with cream!!!).

Why not take a boat on the river? There are blue skies with a puff or two of cloud, warm sunshine, the lightest of breezes. Glide gently downstream, hands dabbling through the weed-fronded water. Come to rest against the bank, under the shade of over-reaching willows. 




Spread a checked cloth upon the grass. Open the wicker basket with a creak.

Rat and Mole had such a picnic!

There is food to be eaten of delicately patterned bone china plates. Dainty, genteel, afternoon tea. Cucumber sandwiches, with white crustless bread, sliced paper thin. Creamy egg and cress sandwiches with brown bread. Tiny strawberry tartlets, served with clotted cream.


********

I was recently reading about all the uses of 'vinegar'. It is quite incredible what you can use it for. I'll share one or two, but if anyone has anything at all they need fixing, just let me know and I will look it up in my book of 1001 Uses of Vinegar.

Keeping flies away from you swimming pool: Pour vinegar around the sides of your pool and it helps keep flies away.

Cleaning the base of an iron: Use a paste of vinegar and baking soda to clean the sole plate of your iron. It will be smooth, clean and shiny and will not harm any surface.

Insect repellent: Drink a couple of spoonfuls a day to keep mosquitoes away - your perspiration will be unpleasant to them. If you rub or spray yourself with vinegar, it will keep ticks off. They may get on you but they will not stay...and no, once it dries you do not smell like a vinegar bottle!

Substitute for eggs: When baking, if you find you are short of eggs, substitute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per egg. This seems to work for cakes and muffins.

********

Dan and I are doing okay. Spankings are a little like hen's teeth at the moment but happily he is still remembering without any bratting, urging or outside interference from me that I need at least a weekly spanky session, which in this household can mean any type of spanking you care to envisage, and then some.

So last week, when he said he was going downstairs to make an early morning cup of tea/coffee, and to be ready with the paddle when he returned, I decided to try something out on him and watch his reaction. 

Corner time is not something we do. In fact, once upon a time I was very much against it. Now I say "Do whatever is your thing". See how easy-going I have become? 




So whilst Dan was downstairs I hopped up out of bed and stood wedged into our only habitable corner in our bedroom. We are up under the eaves, and I am tallish, so it wasn't ever so easy. I stood with the paddle clasped behind my back and waited patiently. And waited. And waited some more. Good grief what a boring exercise. You will be pleased to know I got out the vacuum later that day and gave that corner a jolly good clean!

Dan eventually arrived back in the bedroom and put the tray down. He was completely silent and I didn't say a word, just waited for him.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I am in the corner waiting for you."

"Well you have me totally baffled."

"It's meant to clear the mind and prepare me for my spanking. I think."

"Well you look bloody ridiculous. Here's your coffee."

Friends, it was a dismal failure. I climbed back into bed.

"What were you hoping to achieve? People don't actually do this do they?"

"I thought you might like it. After all, how many men walk into their bedrooms to find their naked wives in a corner holding a paddle they hope to later be spanked with?"

Dan couldn't reply because he was laughing to much and I was feeling a little miffed because his reaction was not everything I had hoped it would be.

"Some men get their wives to stand in a corner before a spanking. But others do it half way through. And others do it at the end."

"Does it do any good?"

"Maybe. I was able to see which parts I needed to dust. There were quite a few dead flies in the very corner where the carpet meets the walls. It was a bit chilly standing there with the window open and a breeze blowing in."

"Ami you are ridiculous. Get over my lap. That's the best position as far as I am concerned."

See? Hopeless!

He warmed me up really well for the paddle which slammed down and made me squeak at first. Then, horrors, my body started jerking up to meet it and Dan said he legs were getting wet which made me blush crimson, although it is easy to blush crimson when you are face down and studying the carpet. 

These days I don't seem to be able to squeeze out any tears. They are apparently reserved for the 'one in a blue moon' occasion when I know my bitch/troll has escaped from the depths and requires Dan to fight it back down there again. 

"Is that enough?" I was asked.

I thought about it. 

"No. I need more" I told him.

Dan happily swished away, but eventually he said his arm was tired. So no stress relief or any other kind of tears for me, even if my bottom did feel rather fiery. 

"I much prefer using the paddle on the 'rose' side" Dan informed me. "It leaves pretty patterns."




Well thank you dear husband! Hmmm....

Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome. And I mean ANY ideas or suggestions. Or comments! My life is not very exciting at the moment! It is very hard NOT to 'control'. To just hope he will pick me up on a few things. Not too many. But the odd thing would relieve the monotony. What does a girl have to do around here?! I don't want to go back to how we were at the start, but I would so like a few more spontaneous, any time but in the morning, and any place but in the bedroom, spankings. Any ideas?

Horrors! I just looked for a picture of a paddle on Google images and found my very own picture taken with my very own camera on our very own bed!!!! What the heck?!!! Did anyone realise this could happen? This puts a whole new slant on things! Looks like my day just gets better and better! Ronnie, if you are reading this, I hope your "bottom" hasn't gone viral!!!  LOL LOL LOL


We are just going to sit down to a tea of fried chicken, fried sliced potatoes with onion and corn fritters.





Having spent the last few days at a health spa with very healthy and very green and uncooked food, we are both starving. The food was bland, raw on the whole, and totally uninteresting. I even had to fight to obtain salt and pepper. The spa side of things was good and I had a treatment or two and did lots of healthy things like swimming relentlessly up and down the huge and enticing pool while Dan went to work sorting out the management in a large construction company. It was great except we got lost trying to find our way home across half of England when they closed the slip road on to our motorway.

Hence the cheerful and fattening tea.

Bye until next time!

24 comments:

  1. Ami, my good friend,
    Your post have me laughing and drooling! You must have buns of steel to ask for more. Brave woman!
    Meredith

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    1. Hi Meredith!

      I am glad I made you laugh. I am SUCH a hopeless case as many around here will nod their heads at. No, I don't have buns of steel. Dan never spanks very hard unless I have changed my personna to Bitch/Troll. But he does tend to spank in the same spot for a long time before moving on, and give me a rapid volley that has me twisting and turning. I find the gradual build up burns as hotly as any other method. But mostly it depends upon my state of mind as to how I react. And no, I am most certainly not brave. Some of the descriptions of spankings around here scare the socks off me.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  2. I love you Ami! We are so much alike, except I can't cook. But the spanking part. Getting very few here - but I'm not complaining, Nick has to be careful with his shoulder and I still can't stand anything touching my leg. But soon I hope. I've always kinda sorta wanted to try corner time. I'm sure Nick reaction would be much like Dan's, bewilderment and a little teasing. Not exactly the stuff of fantasies.

    I say neglect your chores and duties for blogging. Perhaps that will earn you a good spanking.

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    1. Hi PK,

      I can do cooking lessons for friends via satellite! LOL!

      I can quite understand why your spankings are thin on the ground. I do hope you are both recovering. It still makes me shudder to think about it. Would spraying some "new skin" on your leg help prevent it rubbing on sheets etc?

      Corner time is not what it's cracked up to be, although for people who do it and get something out of it, I think it could be okay. But it's not for me. My mind wanders far too much off the subject. I have to tell you that Dan has several 'other' ways of getting my full attention. Ahem.

      Now are you being naughty PK?! Leading me astray?! I can always arrange to have you go on the Christmas Naughty List and send a new wooden spoon to Nick. LOL!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  3. I had to show your cartoon to my hubby who does work from home in sleep shorts or sweats or jeans at the most. Would LOVE to see him a la naturale on a Friday - though we'd have to get those kids gone, lol. But we both guffawed at the cartoon!
    :) Cali

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    1. Hi Cali,

      Did he enjoy the cartoon? A nearby friend sent us several funny computer cartoons but that one is my favourite. I suppose if the weather was very hot and sultry it would be quite okay to sit around in the nuddy, but personally my silhouette is not what it used to be! LOL!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  4. Hi Ami : ) maybe you need a new implement. We have a leather paddle and I can take tons of spanks with it without it being enough. Have you tried a tilt wand? Those are very painful. Jordan's favorite because I like to be spanked but not with that. Just a suggestion :)~

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    1. Hi Lillyanna,

      Think I'll stick to my rose paddle, thank you. Dan knows where the wooden bath brush is kept should he ever need it. Thank goodness it has been a very long time.....

      I have heard about a tilt wand but we don't have them over here, to my knowledge. Sounds horrid. Think I'll stick to the ground I am familiar with. We tried a coathanger once, right at the beginning, and I nearly climbed to the ceiling!

      I do like it when people suggest things though. Thank you.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  5. Ami, I wish I had some suggestions for you. I had to laugh at Dan's reaction to corner time, that would be Ray's. Spanking is about as far as he's going to go and Dan actually is better than Ray. Ray gets tired way before me too.

    Everything else sounds wonderful though. Glad you're enjoyig your summer.

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    1. Hi Leigh,

      Maybe we all need to feed our menfolk some energy boosting food before spanking sessions? Or is that a bad idea? LOL! Or would a Red Bull help?

      Summer over here will be good - when it gets started. Too much cloud and rain this year. Last year was so good that we thought it would always be like that. Oh well, at least I can envy you with all your good weather. This is the penalty of living in a temperate zone on a small island somewhat north of the equator!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  6. Hey Ami...so happy to hear from you...was getting a bit worried! Love the casual Friday gif...thanks.

    "Well you look bloody ridiculous. Here's your coffee."...ROFLMBO...I can just picture Dan's face and tone of voice! Laughing so hard I'm crying here! I do enjoy my raw veggies but enjoy seasoning on them. ;) Hope everything else is going well.

    Hugs and Blessings...
    Cat

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    1. Hi Cat,

      Nothing exciting over here these days. Just coasting along. But maybe that is a good thing, right? I was imagining all of us sitting at our computers on Friday sans culottes! So funny!

      Dan really does talk like that. He just doesn't care, and I won't alter him now as he is too set in his ways. He thought I was absolutely bonkers.

      Yes, I agree about raw veggies, but I soooooo like flavoursome sauces and marinades. I suppose I am more used to the French way of cooking.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  7. What is hens teeth?? I mean....is that something painful or do they not have teeth, so it is nothing at all?
    You are forever making me smile! I love how you jump from one subject to the other! Some may feel I do the very same thing!
    The summer pudding sounds interesting....White bread?? Not sure that computes. However I know that you would never steer us wrong!

    The corner time idea used to make me so upset when I first began reading about its use....now in fantasy....not sure....But maybe the Scotsman should keep his distance if he ever tries it! LOL...!

    Dan cracks me up! He just says it all in such a succinct manner!
    Love your snippets....or your posts!

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    1. Hi Minelle,

      Hen's teeth = hen's don't have any teeth! So if something happens very rarely, or not at all, we say it is like 'hen's teeth'. Although chicks have a thing called an 'egg tooth' to help them break out of their shell when they hatch.

      I know I am crazy with a butterfly mind. (You should know that by now too.)

      The summer pudding is very very good. I challenge you to try it and send me a photo! You will love it, I guarantee. (Or your money back!) I know the bread sounds funny, but it is there to form the 'shell' of the pudding, and to absorb all the fruit juices. If you don't want to add any sugar, you don't have to, but I find it could be a little tart without any at all.

      Yes, I used to get very upset about corner time. I sincerely don't think it is for us, but if others find it helps, then that is fine by me. I do like to try new things. Guffaw! Poor Scotsman! I can just see you turning around with that paddle and clobbering him around the ear with it!

      My husband is incorrigible. What more can I say. If you ever meet him you will understand completely!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  8. I, too, am curious about the hens teeth thing! So Scotty you didn't get the hoped for response concerning the corner time but I gotta ask, how was it up till that point?

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    1. Hi Eva,

      Hen's teeth don't exist - and that is a bit like spankings here at the moment! LOL We've just been too busy and when we're not, we are too exhausted. Such are our lives.

      Oh - it is Minelle's husband who is the Scotsman. My husband is a Lincolnshire Yellowbelly. (Don't ask!!!) LOL! And if you mean with us, well, the spanking came after and the tea came before. LOL!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  9. Hi Ami, poor Dan coming back and finding you in the corner. Bless him, My beloved would laugh too. I hate summer pudding ,ugh soggy bread. love the fruit though, lots of cream on mine thankyou. I have no ideas, at the minute I am being spanked if I eat the wrong food. I am keeping a diary and he checks it every evening. I am so desperate to lose weight that bless him he is trying to help me. I am being good so far. love Jan,xx

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    1. I think you are very lucky. I tried this once and it lasted all of a week! I think it's the weather that is to blame. When the sun shines you don't seem to get so hungry do you? LOL

      Hugs
      Ami

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  10. So fun to read your snippets. :-) We had a lovely picnic the other day. :-) Hugs to you

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    1. Picnics are great. When I retired from school last year the kids gave me a large wicker picnic basket with all the crockery and cutlery plus wine glasses and napkins etc. So fun to pack! Hope you enjoyed your picnic!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  11. Oh Ami my stomach dropped when I read Dan's words to you. I know he didn't mean to be hurtful, but I was just putting myself if that position. I would be mortified If I was hopeful and vulnerable and heard those words. THEN I would be a bit miffed.

    I'll try to email later in the weekend to chat about the rest.

    much love
    willie

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    1. Don't worry, Willie. My wicked sense of humour kicked in because it really was a silly thing to do 'out of the blue' like that. I suppose the reaction I would have liked was a sexy "Come here woman and let me warm that bottom" order. I do my best on the whole to live normally these days and not provoke. It seems to work well most of the time, and I just can't go back to how it all used to be as it was emotionally exhausting to keep pushing for something I didn't even know if I wanted. Dan is quiet and calm, but believe me, on the few occasions I cross the line, my bottom pays the price in a big way. I've found I quite like that, but I have also discovered that my body has this unforeseen capacity to react to being spanked that I still cannot quite come to terms with. It must have lain in the shadows all my life just waiting for a way out. But more spontaneity is what I would like the most, and sadly it is not present. I suppose I get a little envious of reading about 'any' type of spontaneity folk post about. It gets a little frustrating to 'always' know what is coming.

      Thanks, Willie. I am out most of Sunday, but will be around most of Monday apart from the little 'pop in and out'.

      Many hugs
      Ami

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  12. Loved all of your snippets Ami! :) I am catching up and will do some back tracking as time and computer privacy permits. Always glad to read here!

    Your pudding looks and sounds so yummy! I might give it a go one of these days. The picnic with the little sandwiches, the tartlets, etc., all sound really sweet and relaxing. Did you forget the Pimms??? Well, then you might not be able to steer the boat very well. Maybe best to wait. LOL!

    I had quite a chuckle at Dan's response to your experimental corner time. Gosh sounds like something that Rob would say. You were brave to try it. And your response to "does it do any good' was a hoot- seeing the cobwebs, etc. I've never tried corner time but once I mentioned it to Rob and he dismissed it with a similar comment to what you heard. I know that some people use it and use it well. It is not in the cards over here at our place. Rob is not interested in maintenance either it seems. I asked him if he wanted to try it out, not too long ago. He didn't. As I remember, he once labeled a spanking as maintenance, but he was being humourous I think back then. He doesn't know how it all works and it's possible benefits. He's always done it his way, and I guess it best continue... Go with the flow and patience I think. The results have been pretty great. Sounds like yours have too. I am happy for you.

    I didn't get the hen's teeth either, but read up and know now. We have those lull times around here, especially the past couple of months with all the travels, kids coming and going. But there is usually some action in the midst of it all, and certainly I was surprised more recently. Like everything, there is a cycle I think. Things ebb and flow. Rob likes to swat so there is always a little of that to whet the appetite I guess...

    Enjoyed this post, Ami! Always nice to read here. Enjoy the post spa food. Rob would have the meat on the grill asap. LOL. Bet that the treatments were very relaxing! Many hugs,

    <3 Katie

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  13. Dan's reaction to you standing in the corner made me smile.

    Yikes, I never realised my bottom could have gone viral. I'm off to check Google images. Thanks.

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

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