Shoulder blues

Hello everyone,
There was a very brief respite in the weather yesterday afternoon and I was out there, quick as a flash to mow the lawn and strim the edges. I don't think I did a very good job, but it had got so long, will look better next time.
Anyway, I was aware that 2 sicamore trees have taken root on the perimeter of my property and need to come out before they get too big, so armed with some sheers and a saw I set about removing them. Within the first couple of good strong hacks disaster struck when I felt something give in my right shoulder, almost heard the twang! I now can barely lift my arm and it hurts like buggery. Damn it. I am going away tomorrow again til next Wednesday to do three performances and being a very physical role I am playing I am a tad worried (obviously missing is not an option as I don't get paid if I don't do - welcome to being self employed). Went to bed last night with ibruprofen but to be honest it is no better today. Bloody hell.

Anyway, on to more interesting things. I have done a lot of entertaining this week which has been lovely. My friend is working in Buxton at the moment and she came over for a quick visit on Tuesday afternoon, loved my house. As soon as anyone walks in they are immediately drawn over to the patio doors to look at the view before they have even taken in the room, I have noticed that it is an instant reaction with no exceptions so far. Then yesterday afternoon my sister and her new husband arrived, he had never been before (same reaction). They were both on some no carb diet so I made a massive bowl of coronation chicken (a la Dan) picked salad from the garden, made a tomato mozzarella salad starter and cracked open a bottle of elderflower champagne. Last night I had my friend in from down the road and we pretty much ate all the left overs plus some pate and cheese and bread and I made some delicious chorizo stuffed portabello mushrooms, a lemon merangue pie and some ice cream (they brought desert). Sadly we were, on all occasions, huddled around my stupid little temporary dining table, so today I am put into action and I am off to see if I can find myself a dining table with the money that my dad gave me for it. fingers crossed. I will let you know what I get, if anything.

Meanwhile, here is my recipe for some thrown together coronation chicken a la Dan.

Coronation Chicken

All the meat from a whole medium cooked chicken.
a small tub of sour cream
about 100 ml mayonnaise.
a tablespoon of madras curry paste (didn't have any so threw in some thai green curry paste)
A tsp of mango chutney (again didn';t have, so it was a tbs of my home made marrow chutney)
some dried fruit, I used currants and raisins
Nuts (I used walnuts)
Some torn up coriander leaves and stalks
spring onions, chopped up

I basically just bunged in all the ingredients into a bowl and mixed it up. This easily fed 6 portions as part of a salad.

As with all the best cooking, I modified hugely from the original recipe to incorporate things that I already had rather than going out and buying especially.

That's all for now, I'm going to nurse my shoulder with a sad expression like a truly wounded man.