Farkel n Cockerel - Saturday 05/02/11

Ahh...Saturday. Generally, for me, no different to any other day. But this time Kit, the Boss, hitched a ride with Nick into Cardigan leaving me free to do as I wished. I wished for a wash. Frustratingly my quick fix on the bath plug let a large saucepan of freshly boiled water escape straight down the plug hole.
Stand up wash then.
Being that I washed in front of a mirror, and Imbolc has come and gone, I shaved off my Winter beard, instantly regaining my youth. Such a positive change in fact, I was kissed back into the bathroom by Emma. The kisses also put my ash toothpaste to the test. I was not impressed by the flavour, but its abrasive qualities left my teeth feeling the cleanest they've ever been. A couple leaves of mint sorted the flavour problem.
With all my time off, I quickly got bored. So for the rest of the day I sawed and chopped up wood from the slab wood pile. These are off cuts and waste from milling and only three sawn up 5 metre lengths filled our cupboard and bathroom. Despite being wet with rain this wood is more seasoned than the other crap we bought and therefore burns better. Being larch is also burns hotter too.
Kit and Nick returned around 16:30, and we began cooking the 'cock' casserole.
Slow cooked in red wine with barley grains and vegetables, the meat was exquisite. Served with roast potatoes, it was a meal worthy of an upmarket restaurant.
Our bellies full of food, we passed the evening playing 'Spicy Farkel'. Sometimes pronounced 'Fark - all' on low scoring throws! If like me, you have no idea what this is, broadly speaking, its a game of six dice. A player throws and different scores are tallied on the outcome. The throw has to include a one or a five. One = One hundred points and Five = Fifty. The other combinations of numbers and their values are similar to poker. So you have Three and Four of a kind, a straight, Three pairs etc.
Since Imbolc on the 2nd February, the weather has been dreadful, with high winds and rain, but the cloud cover has kept the temperature comfortably high. Over 13C in the caravan and over 25C inside with the wood burner on. With that in mind, I am reverting back to sleeping starkas. Albeit with a hat on and a hot water bottle, just to be safe.
Will report back on whether its safe for the rest of the population to follow suit...

"We did not receive any messages sir, and Captain Blackadder certainly did not eat this delicious plump breasted pigeon cockerel"

M Jones