Excellent service deserves recommendation....

A couple of years ago I bought a Topfield 5800 Personal Digital Video Recorder, all was fine until a few weeks ago when it just died, I checked fuses etc., but nothing doing. After a bit of research I found a repair business. I called them & got some great advice & agreed to send my unit to them for repair & upgrade of a common fault that would have affected my unit at some time in the future as well.

Graham Robinson of Goldstar Computers is the business I found, he does SkyHD & Humax repairs & upgrades as well, I cannot fault his service & frankly the £45 he charged me was in my opinion not enough & has saved my going out & buying a replacement PVR for hundreds of pounds.

Website link is here - http://www.free-sat-tv.co.uk/

Wine find of the month....

Casas del Bosque - if you can find this in your local independent off license then buy some, for under £10 it's amazing wine and excellent value.

Locally I found it at Grape Expectations, it's also stocked by the Dorset Wine Company.

I think I was in it momentarily!

Le jardin aujourd'hui

The current status is as follows...

1. Lawn looking better - red thread treatment working. Growing well, needs cutting every other day!

2. Fruit tree's doing very well, lot's of apple's & pear's still hanging.

3. The new extended section of the garden is work in progress.
a. Fencing done.
b. Concrete bases for summer house & workshop completed, potting area base to be done next.
c. Oak sleepers have arrived for raised beds. Bank holiday weekend project!
d. Grass seeded a test area & it's sprouted!

The machines have taken over.....

How the hell did they get up there?

Recent visit to Longstock Water Gardens

Whilst my brother was over from Sydney, a few days out were had. Sunday was one of the nicer days weather wise & so after a pleasant lunch at the (newly extended & highly recommended) Three Cups in Stockbridge, a short wander around Longstock Water Gardens was had. It's not open all year round, so if you want to see these beautiful gardens you need to look here for opening dates. The gardens are part of the John Lewis Partnership & open in aid of various charities throughout the year.

Click on the images for full size versions.

An urban fox in London....

Spiders nursery....

Spring Rhubarb - Roasted with vanilla

If you have lots of rhubarb in the garden - like my neighbours.... (thankyou Phil & Sally!)and you have gone through the Rhubarb Fool, Syllabub, Compote, Flan, Chutney recipes, then try this one, it gives a much better flavour and can be used as is or as a base for better Fool\Syllabub\Compote etc...

Cut into 1" pieces, arrange as a single layer in roasting dish, add 1 split vanilla pod, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons golden granulated sugar, roast for 25 mins at 200'C, stir halfway through.

Anyone seen a small German chicken?

Back to the Future in Andover.....