The need to flatten

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Nicky has been suffering with a cold this week. She went into work on Monday, but had to take Tuesday and Wednesday off. Even though she improved a little and went to work on Thursday and Friday, she has gone downhill again over the weekend.

I have had some Mac work at the beginning and the end of the week, and modelling yesterday. On Monday I used my birthday present pasta machine for the first time and made a lasagne. The rolling of the pasta was more difficult than I expected, but I had some left over and tried using more flour while rolling on Wednesday when I made some tagliatelle. The pasta was OK, but I realised I was unrealistic in my expectations of the taste. Being made from just eggs and flour it is quite bland,. It is the texture which is different with freshly made. So, further experimentation is required, which I am looking forward to.

While doing some ironing on Wednesday, our iron (which we bought while we staying in Clare Cottage shortly after we arrived in NZ) died. I was most miffed. Not only was this an expense which I wasn't expecting, but it meant I couldn't get the ironing finished. I know, dear reader, that you will feel just as I do; that nothing should come between a house husband and his ironing. The internet not being available is one thing, but no iron is a disaster! So, Thursday morning I was up at the BHB library reading the Consumer magazine reports, before zipping off to the mall to procure a new instrument of flattening. This duly done I felt much better. Unfortunately, the quality of my ironing, which is more like flattening and crease re-distribution, is no better, but at least I can keep practising.

I popped in to see Claire at some point during the week to deliver pretzels made by a German lady and available in the up-market supermarkets. I had read a very good review of them and know that Claire likes a good authentic pretzel. However, I have not yet received any feedback regarding daughterly taste tests of said goodies.

We have had some rain this week, some very heavy, but had some sun in the middle of the week to keep our spirits up.

On Saturday while I was off modelling again, Nicky went shopping with Mary from church to some quilting and patchwork emporia, and had a wonderful time. They were just finishing lunch when I got back. After Mary departed Nicky and I walked down to Puketea Street for afternoon tea with Mitra and her mother. Puketea Street runs parallel to Matata Street where we used to live. Mitra, an architect from Iran, has built a house on a small section and we got into conversation with her one weekend during the construction process. We have kept in touch but not actually got together for awhile so it was good to chat and to see round her home now that it is finished. We liked it very much and were very impressed with some of her design concepts.

Today has been very wet so it has been a day of Scrabble and cooking and a bit of reading. Nicky has gone to bed early because of her cold and I am off to watch a programme about the development of safety in F1 racing.

Bye for now,
Rick

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