Tuesday 19^th January, 2021 1545

If truth be told the omelette was perfect but the chips less so. The internet can be a wondrous thing at times but it has its faults. With the absence of any instructions in English and the impossibility of finding an English instruction manual online for a Silede DF25A (searches returned results based on Suzuki motorbikes!!) I had to plump for what seemed to be the correct answer.

Now as an amateur (and slow) cook, when a recipe calls for a pan on a medium heat I generally opt for the low option, high I go for medium. So one answer was 170C so I thought I played safe setting it for 160C. Ere long my chips looked as if they had been in the African sun for an entire year! Tonight as a result, I shall go for sensible option – 130C.

The annoying thing is, the damned thing doesn't tell you when it has reached temperature. Oh, it has a green light to say it is warming and an orange light I expected to replace it when it had done its business but it appears the only time that comes on is when I turn the dial full whack. I do believe I have a learning curve ahead of me, particularly if I want to attempt anything other than chips!

But I CAN do chips!

1815

I braved the sub-arctic conditions earlier (and the extended trek because of the now defunct shortcut). I really do need to go to BHG, if only for the fact that locally the wine is costing me double (one bottle's discount pays for taxi there and back) but I just can't seem to motivate myself.

I think our drains are blocking again. They were buggering about with the outside manholes a couple of days ago so someone must have complained. After months of absolutely wonderful drainage after they actually did the job right in summer I am guessing I may have to put in a complaint imminently. I will see if I am flooded again in my shower tomorrow. Why does everything go wrong in the holidays??? Even the internet keeps going off lately.

I made an awful dinner for myself tonight. I pulled a frozen burger out of the freezer. I couldn't remember if that batch was the tasteless lot I made about a year ago so took a chance. I shouldn't have. No herbs, spices or anything. Yuk. But my second attempt at chips worked a treat! Now I just need decent potatoes to come back into season. Might try deep frying buffalo wings next. Just a case of trying to work out a suitable something to smother them in after cooking.

But hell! What am I moaning about? The locked-down UK is now Top Of The Pops for world virus deaths (that'll show the Yanks!) South Africa you can't get a beer, they're having tennis practise in hotel rooms in Oz and partying like there's no vaccine in Rio. In the meantime I have cancelled yet another holiday but the mask only comes out for buses and supermarkets.

No threat of a jab for me yet, or other teachers as far as I know.

Oh and I have now noticed the orange light goes out when the fryer reaches temperature – the low sun must have obscured it yesterday. Happy days!