Sunday Sleuths..

Doing the Sunday crosswords as usual, I was glad of the fact that the crossword I do which is the Mail Magazine one was quite easy today, and I did it quickly without using the crossword machine. My machine has gone caput pretty totally, and you can't make out the words any more, I think it is ready for a replacement. We completed all the xwords really fast today,there weren't any hard or tricky ones.
VT went off to get a few bits and pieces and I did a bit of surfing,we made a sourdough oatmeal bread before he went, but a big mistake.
Had a gorgeous starter going, really fizzy and bubbly, and put the ingredients in the machine. Then VT said I think the paddle isn't up, so he fished around in the machine and put that right,then pressed start and off it went. I came down later on expecting the dough to be ready and it wasn't !!! What was up?? VT came home and said "What's burning?" the bread was baking!!!
We haven't done that in this machine. It has made quite a nice loaf, but a rubbish shape,I much prefer the proper loaf shape from our tin. Ah well..it will get eaten.
Did the roast vegetables, and got the pizza dough going so had a fruitfulday.
Bit rainy today, and people on the website have been writing about fog down south particularly, so very mixed today.
Tonight we are having:
Our Pizza with our dough, and
Salad with avocado, baby plum tomatoes and other bits and pieces.

Sunshine????

Supposed to be a nice day today, but not so sure. it was quite dull this morning, then got brighter after lunch. Next door's have a big line of washing out that is blowing in the breeze, and looking like it is drying nicely.
The cats are very quiet today, both asleep in a variety of places in the house, once they have had their treats for the day, they tend to disappear, sometimes into the garden but more often than not in the house somewhere.
VT went off to Bootle this morning to get the part for his car window. he ordered it the day before yesterday, and it was delivered overnight, but had to be picked up before noon, so he was in a bit of a hurry to get there. he is looking at cars too while he is there, and has his eye on a couple I think.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese this evening, because we haven't had any for a bit.
Spring Rolls,
Vegetable stir-fry,
Sauce of some sort,
4oz egg fried rice with spring onions and peas.

Last night's meal was really lovely,
Little onion and goats cheese tarts,
Salad with avocado, and then....
Our pudding which was left over from VT's birthday. Creme caramel with raspberries and creme fraiche. Delicious..Happy Birthday VT XXXX

Friday Again..

Since it is the Friday shopping day again, we took our money over to Ormskirk. Spread it out between M&S and Morrisons, we intended to get something from M&S for our tea tonight, so we could have a light meal and then our puddings that we were going to have on Sunday for VT's birthday but were too full.
We ended up with two tarts that were 345 calories each so not too bad, and a salad..more later.
Morrisons was quite busy actually with screaming kids..be lovely next week when they are all back at school. It is much quieter and pleasanter to be out and about. ormskirk was quite busy today, but no Farmers market, wonder when they are on friday's. I'm sure that we have been on a Friday and it was on.
Tonight we are having:
Cherry tomato and camembert cheese tart,
Egg and potato salad from M&S
Creme Brulee and maybe a few raspberries if I remember to take them out of the freezer.

In and Out..

I stayed in today, did a little bit of boring ironing this morning, and just mooched about a bit. VT was trying to sort his car out. We were coming home from shopping on Monday and the window on my side stopped working. the motor was running but the window wouldn't go up or down. the other day VT undid the door frame inside and sorted out what it was, so this morning he rang a car firm he uses but they told him to go to a Toyota garage. The nearest one is in Bootle, so he decided to go there after his lunch. He's just rung up to say that he has ordered the part and it will arrive on Saturday morning. So that is done. It will be about £50!! not cheap these car parts are they.
Then just as I put the phone down the doorbell rang and it was my new shoes by Hotter. I ordered a lovely pair of sandals from them in their sale, but when they arrived they didn't firt my silly foot with its missing toe! The foot kept slipping out of the end, so I sent them back and reordered a pair of winter shoes instead. black with a strap over the foot, and they are really comfortable, and I am pleased with them won't be sending them back. I have a pair of black shoes I bought from M&S simply ages and ages ago, and they are very much on their last legs so have been looking for a replacement for a long while now. With my foot being the way it is, it makes a reeal difference actually. Anyway these are great.
Last night in the end we had pasta parcels from the freezer, with goats cheese and caramelised onion, a spinach and ricotta sauce, and mixed vegetables. Absolutely delicious and like a bistro meal.
Tonight we are having:
Lamb grills..Quorn ones,
Gravy with mushrooms gently fried,
Beans and any other vegetables that need using up,
Baby potatoes possibly squashed.
Tasty and lightish.

Happy Birthday to Jane...

Happy Birthday to her,
Happy Birthday to her
Happy Birthday dear Janey,
Happy Birthday to Youuuuu.
25 today eh! and it seems like yesterday, she hasn't phoned up yet but she will I'm sure. Wonder what she is doing today, hope it is something good.
This morning I had an appointment at the eye clinic in Walton, it is the appointment you are given after your Cataract operation. You see the refraction clinic first, then the post op Dr. We got there about10 O'Clockish and were greeted by a huge long queue. I thought we were going to be there hours, but we were in and out in an hour actually. The longest wait was for the refraction woman, then moved quite quickly. The clinic was heaving but was ok for us. VT went in with me, and sat in the front waiting room then he came along the corridor to where I was. Everything is fine apparently, so have an appointment to be sent for 6 months.
Then we went over the road to Sainsbury's to get a cup of coffee, and a bit of shopping. Bought a few things for tea, and a few things we needed and came home. We were in the house by 12.30. Parcel on the step, some qvc jewellery, and a letter from John and Ann and a card for VT and Jane. VT got a nice pen and some lateral thinking card puzzles which he was doing, saying they were quite hard, till he looked on the back and it said they were for age 6 and over!!!
Tonight we are having:
Pasta of some sort,
Spinach and ricotta sauce from Sainsbury's,
Green beans or vegetables,
Maybe a bit of garlic bread.

Tuesday or is it Monday??

Been thinking it was Monday all day today. We nipped into Formby this morning to go to the bank. I wanted to pay in some money for Jane for her birthday tomorrow. there isn't any point buying her anything, have no idea what she likes these days, so if I give her money she can get a few treats for herself. We sent her cards the other day, which hopefully she will get on time.
Went to M&S to get some veggies, for the rest of the week. VT it has to be said was grumpy this morning.. must be the old age creeping up on him!!
Went very dark this morning but so far hasn't rained yet. VT is in the garden doing something about the weeds which have grown madly this year. We have a flagged garden and they have grown all in between the cracks of the flags.Since it is green bin week he tries the burner on them then gets them into the bin. I hate gardening, it always seem so futile somehow, a load of effort for not a lot, but it has to be said that when he has done the weeding it does look better.
Tonight we are having:
Little potatoes boiled then squashed a bit,
Something to go with them, maybe green beans and broccolli,
Lamb style grills or tomato fillets, not sure which.

Bank Holiday Monday..

Tyrical bank holiday weather really, dull and blowy, and it's gone quite grey now. The nights have started to draw in now, and there is a fleck of autumn in the air. Not that we have had much summer at all this year really.
Just watching the Olympic Medallists coming home, they arrived back in a plane with a gold nose. Must admit the games were good this year, and the athletes have done really well. Team GB were fourth on the medals table this time..a good result all round.
Just ordered some Christmas candles from QVC who are having an early christmas day. These are the little christmas flavours and will be good to take away with us. Yankee candles are really and these work out at about £1 each so are good value. I love scented candles and their flavours are terrific.
Tonight we are having:
Soft Cheese and Blueberry Escallopes,
Carrots,
Potatoes.
Just a simple tea tonight.

Happy Birthday to VT

Happy birthday to him
Happy birthday to him
Happy birthday to VT
Happy birthday to him....
58 today getting to be a real grumpy old man..no..not really.
Sunday today, so did the crosswords, and watched the closing ceremony of the Games in China. Looked really good, and britain will have to go some to compete with what they did. the trechnology was amazing.
Made some nice bread with the oak smoked flour this morning, and put some bread improver in it to make it a little less dense I hope. Also made a pizza dough, but found that we had run out of mixed dried herbs. We never run out of those, don't know how that happened.
I have just had to leave this to go and take some tomato sauce out of the freezer, we usually make a big batch of that and freeze it, but you have to remember to remove it or it is rock solid. Also forgot to do the roast vegetables so have put them in with the bread that is baking. busy few minutes that.
Janey rang up to wish her daddy a happy birthday, then told us about her ailments. She is certainly getting her money's worth out of the NHS.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza made with the oak smoked flour,
Tomato sauce,
Roast veggies from M&S and artichokes and aubergines,
Goats cheese,
Salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes.
potato salad and rice salad.

Happy Anniversary...

Yes it is our Wedding Anniversary today..34 years and still going strong. We were married at Alexandra Hall Registry Office in crosby 34 years ago today. It is now pulled down and is a block of apartments. Mostly retirement ones.
Not a bad day today, a bit sunny so VT hung the washing out to dry which it did, and it has only just started to rain now at 5.30. Good Olympics today too, not so many medals for "Team GB" but interesting to watch. They are currently 4th in the medals tables which is better than they have done for years.
Bought each other nice cards, but not really doing anything special.
Tonight we are having:
Two tarts with caramelised onions stilton and mushroom,
Broccoli cheese,
Potato croquettes.
Maybe the ice cream that we didn't have yesterday.

Unexpected!

One of the problems of going out without a list, and not knowing what we are going to have for the weekend meals is that it makes the buying difficult.
We took my money to formby this morning intending to go to M&S to see what their £10 deal was. it is actually a good deal..A main course, side vegetables, a dessert and a bottle of wine for the tenner. But only if you are a meat eater..you can have a chicken, or salmon or meat but a vegetarian can only have a lentil roast! bit mingy that.
Since it is our Wedding Anniversary tomorrow we didn't want to have the chinese, and we wanted to have something special, we ended up going to Waitrose as well.
Did the normal shopping there and VT treated me to a nice coffee too.
Got some decent things for tomorrow and his birthday on Sunday as well.
Then we got back to the car where the sun had come out and the car was boiling so he did the windows. But..the window on my side wouldn't go up again. it had clearly bust. he drove to the garage he uses and the bloke there said that it was probably the cable inside broken. We had to drive all the way home with the window down, good job it wasntt't raining.
When we got home he had a go at trying to get the window up again, which he did eventually, but it is still not fixed. the trouble is that with it being a Bank holiday he can't do anything more so it will have to wait a bit. So that was the unexpected bit. Poor VT..
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Mushy peas and green beans
Chips!
I wonder if we could have an ice cream??

Wipe Out..

Annoyed yesterday, just got quite a big post done, clicked submit, then poof it had gone. Somewhere in Outer Cyber space there is my post. Just couldn't be bothered to do it again and ran out of time so no post for yesterday in the end.
Today we have not done a lot. Did the top of the cooker, then we had our morning coffee and trod on the bowl of cat milk which went everywhere so we ended up doing the floor! So we have a nice clean kitchen and porch and bathroom floors.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn escallopes,
Sliced sauteed potatoes 8oz,
Carrots and peas.
We didn't have any vegetables really so sent VT to the shop for some carrots. He came back and said that he told the woman in the shop that he didn't like carrots they have no flavout..but I had sent him for them!! What a cheelk!! He has had all sorts this week, including asparagus last night!

Out today..

Day In..

Stayed in today,didn't go out anywhere maybe tomorrow. VT did some sorting out...good for him..and I messed about on the computer. Played a bit of Bookworm this afternoon, managed to get to 100,000 before I got fed up with it and let the red square go to the bottom.
Wet and windy for most of the day today, and am wearing a sweatshirt. VT is in a shortsleeved shirt, he must be frozen, but he says he isn't feeling the cold. I do..always have done, never been warm except when in Florida!
The little cats are quiet today too, they tend not to go out when the weather is dodgy, but stay in, either on or under the beds. Best place.
The Olympics is proving to be very successful this year, a lot of the "Team GB" are getting medals, particularly the cycling and the rowing. Excellent results for a change.
Maybe go out tomorrow somewhere if the weather picks up a bit.
Tonight we are having:
Not sure really..possibly Sausages,
Gravy,
Mashed potatoes 8oz,
vegetables of a mixed kind, carrots beans and peas.

Pastures new!

No we aren't moving house, but we did go to a new place for the Monday Vegetable trip. We actually intended to go to Aldi to get some mixed herbs, since theirs are excellent, but they didn't have any. We did do some of the weekly vegetable shop there though. Can't say it was the nicest of shopping experiences, the choice is not good, and the vegetables are quite sparse really, compared to Morrisons or Sainsbury's. Got a few things though, including some good wine for 2.99 a bottle. Hate the check outs where you have to queue for ages, and the firl looks grumpy, and throws the shopping down the shelf at you. Some things are cheap, asparagus for 89p, vine tomatoes for 69p and avocados for 59p. that's not bad.
Pity about the mixed herbs though.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn of some sort,
Mushrooms in a sauce of some sort,
veggies of some sort, possibly carrots (Chanterey)
peas and asparagus.

The Scent of Bread..

As I type this the aroma of newly baked bread is wafting up the stairs. And what a scent that is. We have tried the new flour I got from Waitrose, which is an oak smoked wholemeal flour. Looked pretty good when we opened the pack but I do have to say not a hugely strong oaky smoky smell. Maybe it comes out when it is cut. We used the flour for our pizza dough as well so we will taste the dough later.
Mixed weather day today, it is now quite sunny, and VT has gone outside with his cup of tea, and the little cats have joined him out there. The crosswords were fairly east this afternoon, and were finished off using the internet without the quiz site. Most of the clues were straightforward and came up easily. Just one or two awkward ones, but got there in the end.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with the dough made from oak smoked flour,
Homemade tomato sauce,
roast vegetables,
Goat cheese topping.
Salad with the usual tomatoes baby plum and avocado,
Potato salad and coronation rice salad for VT.

Blowy Saturday..

Quite blowy today, all the trees at the back of the house are blowing away like mad, and it is looking quite Autumnal. Not worth putting the washing out because it has looked like rain all day, except that it hasn't yet.
Noathing doing anywhere really today, no post again. it seems that we don't get post on a Saturday much these days,and no parcels either today. VT went into Maghull this morning, he had to take the books he had cleared out yesterday to the Charity shops, so that has freed up a bit of space. The trouble is that you buy books, read them, and then put them away .Mostly they never get read again, so the best place is the Charity shops, then other people can read them, and the Charity gets some money. Mostly we use the Animal rescue ones, because of the cats, you feel that you are helping then.
jane's flowers are doing beautifully, bless her. They are quite scented, which is unusual these days. Especially roses, you don't seem to get scented roses any more. My Dad used to grow lovely roses, there was a climber on the back wall that was a mass of pink ones with a gorgeous smell, but you do have to know what you are doing with roses I think, and we don't.
Tonight we are having:
Curry..Delia's Egg and Spinach curry, with all the bits.
Poppadums,2
Onion and tomato and lime juice, and Banana.
4oz of rice just white boiled.

Going to do the starter for a Brown bread tonight. You have to get the sourdough starter going overnight, then make the bread in the morning.
We bought some new Oak Smoked Flour from Waitrose this week, and I'm looking forward to using that. Should make a different bread at least.

Friday Again..

Don't Fridays come round quickly each week. We took my money ff to Sainsbury's in Walton this morning. This is quite a journey really, but their branch in Crosby is dire..too small to go round, and with the kids off at the moment pretty nearly impossible to get round. So we go off further afield. At least we get a nice cup of coffee when we get there, save money by taking our own biscuits! well they are from there anyway.
Decided not to have Chinese again tomorrow night so bought things for a curry. We were trying to decide what to have tonight when we saw that there was an offer on weightwatchers meals so went for them. More later.
Post rubbish these days, all we seem to get are bank balances and junk mail, mostly thrown away, or taken to the recycling bin.
VT is clearing up again!!! there are bangs and bumps coming from his room.Hope he is getting rid..there is plenty to get rid of!terrible thing being a hoarder.
Tonight we are having:
Weightwatchers Macaroni Cheese, with
A little garlic bread,
And green beans..Won't be popular with VT because he isn't really a vegetable man, but I got a bogof deal at the beginning of the week and I aint wasting them.
Funny at lunch time..he makes such a fuss about salad. I got a lovely egg and potato salad from Sainsbury's for my lunch, and he got a quorn "pork" pie. he put that on a small plate so he didn't have room for any salad, but I left some in the carton so he tipped it on the plate. Then he pinched some tomato, and potato, then said he would have had more if I had left it!!!!

Annoying!!

Just finishing off typing this blog a bit earlier when the darned computer went "Goodbye!" in its annoying loud female voice and turned off!! Of course all the typing went, and I can't remember what on earth I had been typing. Ah Well try again eh!
Just an ordinary day really, nothing much doing, but it is quite nice that way. Just had a gorgeous scented bath with the new bath foam from L'Occitaine and QVC, Very pleasant. Scented bath, candles and a good readm what more do you want.
VT went off to Maghull this morning, I stayed here to surf a bit. He had a lot of books to take to a charity shop, he has been clearing out again..the thing is it never looks any less though. Never mind, I can't talk about books, I have a pile of about thirty or more by the bed waiting to be read and then you see another new one, just waiting to be bought.
Tonight we are having:
A mixture of sweet potato and butternut squash roasted with some asparagus,
Pork ribsters (Quorn) or sausages,
A few carrots.
Last nights meal was really delicious, it was the offer from Waitrose.
£10 ..A pizza, ours was vegetable, but we put a few extra veggies on it,
A bottle of very nice Pinot Grigio wine,
And, and really lovely pudding of a New York Cheesecake with some fresh raspberries from M&S.
Must say the raspberries were gorgeous, not seedy like they used to be, but smooth and very flavoursome.
A success.

Mooch in the Sun!

Awoke with the little rusty on the bed. All comfy and cosy where my feet go, VT then went to get our coffee and cow biscuit and we had a leisurely read until a wasp decided to attack us. So that was it..I went on the landing and he shooed it out of the window eventually. So we got up then. Decided to go to Ormskirk for a bit of fresh air and a mooch, went into our usual places, and had a coffee in our usual cafe.
It is a lovely little old fashioned cafe and you often see the same people in there having the same things. Lots of grannies and grandads with kids at the moment because of the school holidays.
Went to M&S to get a few things we needed, and then Morrisons to get the money back on the car park. Home for lunch.
Sunny this afternoon so the cats are either asleep or wandering around the garden.
Tonight we are having:
Our £10 meal from Waitrose.
A vegetable pizza with a few extras on top,
Salad from M&S egg and potato,
Bottle of wine, and
A pudding. Cheesecake and raspberries.

Parcels and Post..

No post today actually which is quite unusual really. We rarely go a day without getting something, but the postman didn't come up the path today. But, we did get two deliveries of parcels. One was some bath essence I ordered from QVC, very nice..Lemon Verbena..smells gorgeous, and makes a good unisex bath treat. Looking forward to my next bath with that. The other delivery was a pair of shoes I ordered from Hotter shoes. VT got a Sale catalogue a bit ago and I ordered a pair of sandals in the sale. They came this morning, and I really did like them. Extremely comfortable, but....not having five toes makes a big difference to my foot, and I have been having shoe trouble. The toe that is missing is the one next to the little toe on my right foot, and this was where the straps on the sandals went. Consequently, the toes go over the top edge of the shoe on these sandals. So, sadly I have had to return them. I have ordered another pair though but this time a pair of proper shoes for the Autumn and Winter. Hope these fit.
VT has been doing some Hoovering by his side of the bed, and came into here saying hold out your hand and shut your eyes. He handed me a pearl earring I had lost many moons ago. I was really sad about it since they were a lovely little leverback pair of golden pearl earrings, and I thought it had gone for good, since we had a really good look for it but nothing had turned up. Just shows you, everything turns up eventually.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a sauce and vegetables. I have some Asparagus, tenderstem Brocolli and peas,
A little garlic bread, and a bit of parmesan cheese.

Just a Few Veggies!!!

Post this morning consisted of a magazine for VT..a training one..people management, and a QVC parcel for moi. lord knows how they got it through the letterbox! Anyway it was a peaked sun shade, which looked nice on the screen, and was in the sale, but in reality looked silly. VT took one look and laughed, so I knew that would go back. Ah well, you win some and you lose some.
We then went to Waitrose for a few veggies and came out having spent £46.. bought bits and pieces, including their dinner for two offer which is a Pizza, a bottle of wine a bag of salad and a desert for £10. Good offer actually, and its nice wine too.
Also bought a bag of beautiful flour oak smoked wholewheat flour. Can't wait to try that on Sunday. It should make a gorgeous pizza too.
Got loads of veggies actually, quite a lot are on bogof so will have lots of choice tonight.
Doorbell went after lunch and VT went to the door to come back with a gorgeous vase of flowers, in a really nice glass vase, very good looking frosted glass. From lovely JaneXXX Card says For Mummy, miss you and love you..Aaah. I love flowers, especially in a vase.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn escallopes of some sort,
Potatoes maybe sauteed,
Vegetables..cauliflower in a cheese sauce, and carrots and peas.
Cranberry sauce.

Bread and Wine..

Made our usual loaf this morning, and again it was a very sticky dough. I don't know what it is these days, but we seem to be putting too much liquid into the mix. We did reduce the amount of flour to 3 cups from 31/2 maybe that is the problem. But it has baked quite well if a little overdone. One day we will get it right again. Does make a lovely flavoured loaf though. Oatmeal and Potato and a Sourdough.
Also did our roast vegetables, and the pizza dough. VT came home from his mooch and put all the pizza ingredients into the machine..he's getting good at doing this. So all set for this evening.
Did the crosswords without any trouble, just had to look up a couple of ones that we didn't know. The Mail on Sunday has General Knowledge questions which need to be looked up, but are easy to find.
I was watching Quacker Factory on QVC while I was typing this, I do like their clothes and have quite a few of their things. Lovely T shirts, all with something a bit different.
Tonight we are having:
pizza with tomato sauce,
roast Vegetables,
Salad with baby yellow plum tomatoes and avocado,
Potato salad and cous cous for VT with butternut squash.

Wet and Drizzly..

Not a nice day today, did the bedding but cannot hang it out because it is drizzly in bursts. The little cats are going out of their cat flap and straight to their hut, and sit there with their faces looking out of the hole. Sweet. they don't go in there together of course..no fear.. that would never happen.
Olympics on the box all morning, not very interesting yet, most things are in the early stages, heats and so on. I wonder who are going to be the stars this year. I think the opening ceremony was the star so far, it was truly amazing, and must have been wonderful to have been there.
Nothing much on the box these days, all of our favourite series are finishing, and we are going to have to relly on films until the Autumn series start again.Film tonight with George Clooney though, might be worth watching.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese..well we didn't have one last week, we had a change and had Taco's instead. And very nice they were too.
Spring Rolls,
Fried rice 4oz
Stir fried vegetables
Sauce that comes to hand from the cupboard.
Next week we might have a curry, so we have something different every other week.
Is that adventurous..for us..yes.
Haven't mentioned the weight lately. truth is it is the same for both of us. We have certainly reached a plateau, and we don't lose any or put any on either, so that's good. And, lets face it, it isn't exactly salad weather.

Friday 08-08-08

Quite a day since it is the 8th of the 8th 08. Supposed to be a lucky day. As I type this I am watching the 2008 Olympic games starting in China. Quite a spectacle I must say, the organisation of it must have been incredible. Amazing choreography with hundreds and thousands of people taking part.
Went to ASDA this morning with our money, got a fair number of things we needed.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
CHIPS !!
Peas for VT and Green beans for moi.

Parcels and Post.

My post is very boring. usually I get junk mail or appointments but rarely anything of interest. Today and yesterday nothing..
Same with parcels, you wait in and nothing arrives. Then the minute you go out you get a card behind the door to say that you missed a delivery. Why is it that always happens. I am waiting for a pair of shoes..what's the betting they will come tomorrow when we go for the shopping!
Quiet day in today, did some ironing and the top of the cooker and that's it really. Nice scented bath with my candles this afternoon and a good read. Lovely.
Tonight we are having:
Not altogether sure. maybe sausages and a few mashed potatoes. Not sure what vegetables there are. it will be a use up day I think.

Shopping

Went into Ormskirk this morning to get a few things and have a look around. We really went for some Cat Chicken, as we felt guilty not giving them any yesterday. We give them a 1/2 a chicken breast every day as a treat, usually when we are having our lunch. They seem to come in then and Bobby sits at our feet waiting.
We had a look around the town centre, and went into our usual haunts. VT noticed that Julian Graves were having a 1/2 price sale, so he went in and got some things then I went back later and got some more. Good bargains.
Didn't buy any clothes today, didn't see anything I liked or wanted, so saved my money. Had a nice cup of coffee, got some stuff at Morrisons and came home for lunch.
The afternoons are very different at present since there is no Countdown. That was really a part of our routine, sit down at 5ish, have a lovely cup of proper coffee and a cake and Countdown. But there seems to be a problem. We know Des O'Connor is leaving, and then it has been announced that Carol Vorderman is leaving too after 26 years. Now that's a shame. Big Mistake Channel 4!! So we have been watching Heir Hunters which is quite interesting but not as good as Countdown.
I hope they sort it out soon.
Tonight we are having:
Escallopes with Wensleydale cheese and blueberries,
Little baked potatoes, or maybe sauteed,
Tenderstem Broccolli.with toasted pine nuts.
Mushrooms.

Albert Dock and Klimt

Up early this morning, but not before lovely VT got us going with a coffee and cow biscuit!
I had booked tickets for the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Liverpool Tate gallery. So off we went there. Drizzly rain so needed the umbrella. Car parked in front of the Dock area..£6 !! but we were very near. Got there a bit early so he treated me to a nice Americano in a little coffee bar next door. then we went in to the Tate. Had a look round downstairs before going up. Well worth going. Some absolutely gorgeous pictures, and the thing that surprised both of us was how varied the paintings were, from portraits to his gold paintings to landscapes done like Monet etc.,
i bought some postcards, and a fridge magnet so we would have a reminder. very busy with lots of cultured looking peopl;e there, some children but not many. very worth the visit, think even VT enjoyed it. Home in time for lunch as the cafe was heaving.
Tonight we are having:
Not sure..maybe a goulash with Quorn meatballs,
Rice..1/2 pack of basmati, and carrots.

Cards, Shoes and Vegetables..

Went into Formby this morning for a few vegetables from Waitrose, but in the end used their car park but didn't go in there. Walked down the village towards the Post Office to see if I could collect a parcel that was delivered on friday afternoon but we missed it. Apparently the batteries in out doorbell thing weren't working so we didn't hear the bell.
Anyway the parcel was a box of shoes from QVC which were Dr Scholl sandals reduced in their sales. My size in one colour, and they are gawjus, really comfortable. I am dead chuffed with them.
Then we went into M&S and got just a few veggies so didn't need to go into Waitrose after all. Home for coffee and lunch.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer, and
Potatoes..squashed probably,
Carrots and beans,
Mushroom sauce.
Tomorrow we are off to The Albert Dock to the Tate gallery to see the Klimt exhibition.

Soggy bread!!

Made a nice loaf of Potato Oatmeal Sourdough bread this morning but the dough for some reason was really soggy. very doughy, and sticky. Folded it a number of times, and even re-proofed it, but it is raggy on the top. never mind, it is in the oven baking as I type this, so it will have to do.
Did the pizza dough as well, that turned out fine anyway. Run out of Basil oil, so will have to get some more from Tesco.
Crosswords done quite quickly, the You magazine one had a very tricky proverb in it, I couldn't see at all. VT took it over and finished it off, something about the straw that broke the camel's back. The trouble is a proverb fills up about 7or8 clues so if you don't see it straightaway, you struggle.
Last night was quite momentous, we didn't have our Chinese for the first time in about 15 years..and what a change. We had Tacos instead and very tasty they were as well.
Tonight we are having:
Salad with avocado, plum tomatoes, cucumber and seeds.
Pizza with pineapple, tomato, mushroom,and sausage. A vegetarian one.
Potato salad and Rice salad.

Computer Makeover..

This morning the new memory came for the computer. VT only ordered it the other day so that was a quick delivery. he fitted it very speedily this morning before breakfast, and the difference is amazing, really amazing. it is like a new computer, much much faster, and no looooong wait in between each process. it will be interesting to see how much better it will be tomorrow when we are doing the crosswords. It is looking like it will be totally better. The last few months have been dire, with huge waits for replies, enough to drive you mad really.
Big change tonight. For the first time in countless years we are not having a Chinese for tea!!! We decided last week that we were finally getting tired of the same meal on a Saturday night, the chinese, fried rice, stir fry vegetables and sauce. So...
Tonight we are having..:
Tacos!!
We bought some new taco shells by Discovery, done like trays, and into them you put:
Chilli mince,
lettuce,
tomato,
a little grated cheese, and some low fat creme fraiche.
I wonder if it will seem funny not having a chinese..I will say tomorrow.
:

Where are My Parcels????

Ordered a couple of things from QVC last week and have been waiting for them all week. Nothing..I felt sure that they would arrive this morning as soon as we set foot outside the door to go shopping, but nothing..Ah well, stuck in the post as they say.
Took our money to Sainsbury's Walton this morning. We had decided not to have a Chinese tomorrow night, since we felt that we were finally sick of them every week. Only been about twelve years of having a chinese type tea every saturday night!!
So we thought what we would have and decided on Tacos. Sainsbury's had a new type of one from Discovery which is a taco tray. It is supposed to be tacos without the mess. We shall see.
Spent £69 this morning, God knows what on really, only ordinary things, but the list was huge. Good job we had a nice cup of coffee first to keep us going.
Tonight we are having:
Curry with egg , spinach and all the bits a la Delia.
Rice 1/2 a pack. Poppadums etc.