Sheep shoulder day

About ten days ago it was Sheep Shoulder Day, the first such since the overcooking at Easter, noticed at reference 1. Overcooking which prompted review of both the not very satisfactory record and our trusty Radiation Cook Book. And failing to find BH's elderly temperature conversion chart I had to ask Bing, with the results included above. To which one needs to deduct an allowance for fan ovens which seem to run hotter than regular ovens at the same nominal temperature. And, as it happens, I don't think I have ever strayed into mark 8 or 9. I wonder now what they are for.

With Shoulder Day being a Sunday, proceedings actually started on the Friday with collection of the shoulder from the butcher in the morning and purchase of nearly new potatoes (plus some other stuff) from the Waitrose in the afternoon. The cherries from Waitrose have been good this year and did not survive 24 hours. The potatoes, centre front, did make it.

The shoulder weighed in Sunday morning at 6lbs 10oz. We settled for the Radiation low temperature method, which translated to into the pre-heated oven at 10:00 at 160C, heading for oven off at 13:15 and forks down at 13:30. Approximately 30 minutes to the pound.

This important matter settled, off round Jubilee Way. This on a mild, overcast morning which looked set for rain. As it turned out it didn't. But the spin was enlivened by a Pontiac Transam at some lights on the Ewell by-pass. Top down, driver with earring, companion with hood. Light grey paint, discrete chrome trim and looking immaculate - despite its 43 years. And it nipped away when the lights changed at a good pace, with a murmur which suggested power without being loud and vulgar. It wasn't convenient to snap it there and then, but Bing obliged with that above afterwards. Not as good as mine, but it does give the idea. Maybe something for early-onset?

Some benches had finally appeared outside the previously comatose Queen Adelaide. Maybe there is life there yet. And both palm trees above and lilies below were in full flower at the Ruxley Lane junction. With the palm trees in puffs of white, rather more showy than the lilies, at least in the light of that day. While the best I could do on numbers was No.33 below and No.51 above. I seem to see quite a lot of No.33, not all the same vehicle by any means, which makes it odd that No.34 fails to appear at all. Is there something special about either number?

Back to find the shoulder done to a turn. We got it right this time.

With the potatoes aforementioned, plus the usual cabbage and carrots. BH does mint jelly and other condiments of that sort, but I pass. Plus a spot of Pomerol, also from Waitrose. A tipple which seems to be reliable.

While Polly and her friends had a good tuck-in to give them strength for the sermon to follow, already noticed at reference 2.

The scene at the end of part one. Polly fusses about her weight and so left here fat. But she and her friends had had more than enough to send them off into a short snooze.

Which was followed by the blackberry and apple, visible behind the bottle, which proved a good complement to the meat. The last of the 2020 blackberries, so something of a gap this year. Last year the old year more or less made it to the new year.

Later, I walked some bricks. And then won at Scrabble, on a modest combined score of just over 500.

Day two and day three cold. Day two was cold, so the cold meat was supplemented with a mixed (left over) vegetable soup. While on day three, the crows were much quicker off the mark with the left over fat. With a magpie turning out when they had finished to hoover up the crumbs.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/04/easter-celebrations.html. 

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/06/series-3-episode-xii.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/05/ruxley-lane-anti-clockwise.html. The Ruxley Lane lilies last year.