Today...what have you been up to? [4] (10 Viewers)

[Angie]

Olbas oil is also eucalyptus drops that I put in hot water and steam. It's great for clearing your head and helps you breathe much more easily. I'm not sure what your American equivalent would be unless they sell it stateside. Definitely worth a look though if they do, it's great stuff and works wonders.

Happy Groundhog Day!

 

[A Guy]

We don't do winter here



A Guy

 

[Joan]

Aren't you the lucky one, although a summer cold can be just as bad.

We've just had a bit of snow here, it was raining then there were a few flakes which got heavier, then they stopped but carried on raining. I don't mind so much as least the wind has died down compared to yesterday when it was blowing a gale.

 

[Joan]

I see you've all left me on my own again.

I've been busy changing the bed plus have to change the curtains when I do that because they match the bedding. I've also been trying to sort out an app I've got to help with my knitting plus done the washing. It still surprises me how long it takes me these day to do the simplest things, I get so annoyed about it.

Oh well no use complaining it wont make any difference so I'll wiz around the forums then should have time to get a few rows knitting done before starting to settle down around midnight.

 

[Angie]

Hello you sounds like you've had a busy day. I bet Bill is trying to get himself better and I've had an unproductive day today had to switch a few things round so haven't got much done. We have just watched Deep Water Horizon oh wow I cried especially because it's based on a true story. Made me jump a few times too. Off to pull my washing out now before I forget. Hope you managed to sort all your bedding and curtains out.

 

[A Guy]

I survived Back to office Monday. Hello ladies. A Guy

 

[Joan]

Hello Bill, it's nice to hear you sound so much better.

I've been all over the place today trying to sort out a new microwave. John used it late afternoon to heat up a tin of soup without problems. Last night I went to make my cocoa, the light was on, the turntable went round and the display showed the time counting down. Took it out after the first 1½ minutes, thought it didn't look right and the container was cold, put it back in to do another minute and when I took it out after that and it was still stone cold.

Used my other to make the cocoa and looked at it this morning wondering if John may have caught a button putting it in the lowest power.

No that was OK so tried again, put ½ pint in a jug and put it in for a minute, no joy still stone cold not even slightly warm so it's obviously broke, don't really know which part.

 

[A Guy]

No heat, but runs, likely the Magnetron, the HV diode, or the HV Capacitor

A Guy

 

[Joan]

And none of that means a thing to me Bill with regards a microwave I associate those items with a television.

I'd assume it means either it can't be fixed or if it can it would be expensive, never mind ordered a new one which comes tomorrow, I'd had the other one a few years and they don't make things that last these days. :huh:

 

[Angie]

Hi Bill.

I'm assuming it was some part of the heating element. I've always actually replaced microwaves before they have gone on me but I know what you mean, things don't last like they used too Joan.

So today I've made two batches of Strawberry milkshake buttercream. The first batch I added too much milk so had to redo and I think I've still added a little too much to the second batch too.

I also made a Victoria sponge made some extra cupcakes and have done a doilie powder decoration effect on the top of the cake which didn't come out properly because the doilie didn't have enough holes in it. Lol! Also done two reports and now on the school run. I'm prepping ahead of my God daughters birthday over the weekend. Phew long day! Also done two batches of washing too.

 

[Joan]

It seems as if you've been having a fun day with your baking Angie, don't you just love it when things go wrong.

I bet your Goddaughter will have some beautiful cakes for her birthday, how old is she going to be ?

 

[Angie]

She's going to be 7 this time, there's a lot of prep work for this one so I'm just hoping it comes out alright! I get to taste test later though so I'll let you know.

:thumbs:

 

[A Guy]

I can imagine destroying the evidence of your mistakes would have me at 300lbs

Yeah, with cost of a new microwave, out of manuf. warranty, hardly worth fixing. My microwave was made in July 1989, still works great (knock wood). If I got a new one, I'd have to relearn times and such. Although new ones have sensors, and some have convection, and grills, etc.

A Guy

 

[Angie]

Lol yeah probably Bill.

Well considering Han doesn't do buttercream she really enjoyed the cake and the milkshake buttercream. It's still soft but not bad. It tastes good so on the next batch I'll just use less milk.

So today I've made all Hans chocolate lollies. They look pretty good too. I've just ordered some lolly bags so they can now look pretty. I was going to wrap them in clingfilm but I want them to look good so hopefully my delivery will arrive tomorrow.

I've also pre dyed my icing today and discovered that one of the colours I wanted hasn't turned out so I've had to get a rush order of the colour I need tomorrow.

I've also done a pre run of the cupcake design and I'm happy with it. I just need Hans critique and then I'm good to go. Oh I've done the washing again as well. Lol!

 

[Joan]

I agree Bill the cost would not be worth having it fixed. New one came today, there's a couple of differences, they are both made by Sharp but the new one is an upgrade. Whereas the old one had a white interior so you could see easily inside while it cooks this one is dark grey and you can only just see what's inside when it's working. My other one is a Samsung with a Ceramic interior and that is the same colour but you can't see inside that one while it cooks.

We'll have to see how it goes, another difference is that with the previous one after putting the stuff inside just press the start button and it would do for a minute, or you could put the food inside, close the door and input the time.

The new one will still do the minute after pressing start but if you want to input a different time you have to press the Power Level button first before you could input a time.

OK I'll be using it for the first time shortly to heat up a small tin of beans. I'm not worried about using it but anything that's a bit different will have John complaining.

 

[Joan]

Yippee! that's great, you can see inside with no problem, I think when I looked at it earlier I was using a brown Pyrex jug with just water in it which is why it didn't show very well.

I'm happy and I'm sure John will be when he uses it.


I know what you mean about learning new things with each new version that comes out. I remember when it was just a couple of dials and no digital screen. Now you can get them and be able to grill, roast etc. of course the price follows as well.

At least the one I got wasn't too expensive, it's a 20 litre size and 800w power and cost me £48.98. My Samsung cost me about £70 but was slightly bigger size, still the same wattage.

 

[Angie]

That's a really good deal especially for a microwave. Mines integrated and a lot smaller than the free standing ones but it does the job. Ours has a black mesh print on the door so you cannot see what on earth is going on in there but it does the job.

Cake baked today and 3rd attempt at buttercream came out fab. I adjusted my quantities changed to butter and lessened the amount of milk I used so all now good for putting everything together tomorrow.

 

[Joan]

In some ways seeing what's happening inside is not as important as easy cleaning. My Samsung is a Ceramic interior so is a dark grey colour but yippee so easy to clean. The new one is just slightly lighter in colour and even though it doesn't say it's ceramic it looks the same and I reckon it's going to be just as easy to clean. I found that having the white insides stain so easy and you can't get it off.

Glad to hear you finally managed to get your buttercream how you wanted it. Good luck with the party tomorrow and I hope your goddaughter has a good time.

 

[A Guy]

Buttercream :homer_drooling:

A Guy

 

[Joan]

I agree with you Bill, buttercream is yummy, I like coffee flavour.