Sunday 31 January 2010

Snow Flurries..Dogs andA Good Night's Sleep...

Weekend rambles.. yesterday and Friday saw a few snow flurries, so the wintry weather hasn't gone yet. The snow stuck a bit overnight, but melted quickly this morning and hasn't hung around.Only a light frosting on the shed and the garden.
I was sitting doing a bit of computing yesterday (Saturday) and out of the corner of my eye say a little white dog in the garden. It is one that comes round from one of the houses that share the entry, and can get under our back door. I kept looking round the window to see if it had gone, and saw its owner's head poking over the top of our back gate. So I left him to it in the hope that the dog would get the message and go to him. Ten minutes later no joy, the dog was still running round..and the owner must have been getting cold, so I left him a bit longer..then the front door bell went, and it was the owner..My dog's in your garden..Oh is it say I all innocently. he said can you unlock the back door. now I don't do back doors, fear of spiders..and I didn't fancy going into the back garden with a barking Suki at my heels, so I said "Come through and get him". First time a dog has been in our house for about sixty+ years..
Then later VT went over to do the recycling and bumped into Eddie..a little dog he trapped in our front garden last year and rang its owners because it was lost. Day for dogs I think.
At least the cats were in the house and out of the way..I woulld have gone out to save them.
Crosswords easyish today, with the aid of the computer anyway. My You magazine one was all about the Beatles and the Rubber Soul album so had to look those up. VT did his one in record time..Top of the Class VT.
Last night we had a fantastic night's sleep. We put new bedding on the bed. A Ruby red colour in Egyptian cotton, and so soft and luxurious. trouble is we didn't want to get up this morning.
Last night we had:
Chinese..Spring Rolls,
Egg fried rice
Plum and ginger sauce
Stir fry vegetables.

Tonight we are having:
Pizza made with a pizza base which we have tarted up with herbs etc,
Home made tomato sauce,
Egg and potato salad
Pasta salad to go with.

Friday 29 January 2010

Friday big Shop..

Well we seem to be back to the normal routine now after the Christmas fiasco. Last night we spotted a voucher offering £5 offf a £50 shop at ASDA so that was where we went this morning. We haven't been there for ages actually, since well before Christmas.
We walked down to the ATM but the one I use was broken and out of service so didn't bother. VT went down to the Range and the Au Natrel shop, he usually gets good Prices candles from there. Said he would see me in ASDA in 10mins by the books. When he arrived there he said it had closed down. Couldn't believe that, it had been there for years. Trouble is they had a lot of stock and not selling much. Too many cushion covers in my opinion.
Goat loads of things in ASDA, they had a good promotion on cleaning things mostly at £1 so stocked up on floor cleaner,bleach green scratchy pads etc., all very cheap. I think that is the trouble with ASDA, everything is cheap so you chuck it in the trolley..before long it is piled high and you have spentt loads. When we got to the checkout VT said have we spent the 50? then he went off to get to boxes of cat food just in case. In fact we had spent £71, so the Five pounds easily came offf. Home quite early because we didn't stop for coffee. we don't like ASDA coffee it is horrible, and served in those little plastic cups..Nasty. Definitely one area they could improve on.
Posted Johns parcel this morning, VT said it was £5.05, hope it isn't too long before it gets there, and hope he likes it. A Top gear DVD speciala box set of two dvd's . Can't stand them myself, but I know they like them.
Love the new kettle..it looks so pretty in the kitchen all lit up blue. Must get VT to take a picture of it.
Tonight we are having :
Toad in the Hole with Quorn sausage friom ASDA,
Gravy
and a few Chips for a treat. We weigh them out of course, 200grms between us!

Thursday 28 January 2010

Kettles!!

Went out this morning
to M&S in Aintree. On the way we took the seat back to Crosby and got the money back on that, then we went over to Aintree. Quite a traffic jam on the way, only a little road works but snarled everything up. mental note to avoid that road on the way back, which we did.
I wanted to get a new electric kettle, because we have had our old one for years and it has got really scruffy looking. I had a cheque from YouGov for surveys I had done for £50 so used that.
What an array of kettles in Comet..loads and loads of them of all different types and sizes. A lot of them are dome shaped with small lids no use for filling, and a vast array of colours too. It was quite difficult to choose one, but our eyes were drawn to some glass ones which looked really smart and we ended up getting a Breville energy saving one with a glass body., and a handle which lights up blue when working. What for? No idea but it looks lovely.
Then we went to M&S ffor a coffee..very nice..VT had an Americano I had a latte. Seems like every other woman in there was pregnant today, and one terrible screaming child who definitelky needed shutting up. And he was climbing all over the sofa..I hate that.
Bought a birthday card for Joh in Australia and we spotted a Top Gear DVD of two of their specials so bought him that. VT has checked and says it will work there.
Got some treats from the food section and home for lunch.
Tonight we are having:
Vegetable gratin with mushrooms
Garlic and cheese Kiev and some small potatoes in with the gratin.

Wednesday 27 January 2010

VT's "Bog Seat" Challenge..

Well it is a long story cut short. We had a seat that was dodgy to say the least..we always meant to replace it, but that proved to be more difficult than we imagined. You would think that this piece of bathroom furniture was all the same. Not a bit of it! We originally had a nice wooden one, but the hinge went, so we got a black one..and the hinge went..so after a lot of searching around all the well known DIY stores we got a nice soft touch white one. This was wonderful. Looked nice and clean, worked well if a little spooky the way it closed..and then...the hinge went! VT said one day the seat has gone again! So he said today I am going out to get a new one..off he goes to Crosby and comes back with a reasonable white one..tries it for size, and it is too short. Leave it I say..No says he I am going to get one..so off he goes back to Homebase in formby, and comes back with the same type as a previous one (the soft touch one) only this is super improved Mark2 version with stronger hinges!!! Hoorah. It fits, and looks good. We shall see how long this one lasts. What is it with VT and bathrooms!
Horrible word Bog..I wonder where it comes from.
Well after lowering the tone of the blog..it has been a grey and rainy day here. beautiful Tomato and basil soup for lunch. Judging by the letter from John and Ann I bet that is not what they are having..42degrees there in Perth! Phew..
Tonight we are having:
Weightwatchers curry with Quorn pieces,
1/2 a Packet of rice,
Stir fry vegetables.

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Global Warming!!

Today we received a lovely long letter from John and Ann in Perth Australia. They are of course in their mid -summer period, and were writing about temperatures of 40 and 43 degrees! Now that is hot..very hot. personally I think I would rather have cooler temperatures than too hot, it is easier to get warm than it is to get cool I have always thought. You can put another heater on or another layer of clothes. When it is really sticky hot it is so hard to cool down and you don't want to do anything.
John sent a very good cartoon,which showed one half..Australia with a bloke sitting sweating under a shower saying Do Not use, and the other half showing Europe with someone by a car up to their heads in snow! Summed up the weather exactly.

Somehow I don't think that the snow would last long there. i wonder if they have had any snow at all ever?
I made an appointment to get my hair done this morning. So we had an early get up. It's funny how having to get up early affects your sleep the night before. it is almost like something in your body telling you to awake early without an alarm clock. In the end we got up too early and were ready long before time..typical.
I now go to a hairdressers in Formby, since lovely Emma gave it up. You do feel better when your hair is done, I had made an appointment for before Christmas but because of the dreaded lurgy virusy thingy couldn't go so it was well overdue. i always feel scruffy when my hair is a mess, my idea of luxury would be for someone to do my hair whenever I wanted them. Lottery dreams!VT did some bits and pieces while I was in the hairdressers. He paid the money in my bank for Jane and got some petrol and smokeless fuel. Good job we stayed in actually I have spent enough money today!!!
Came home after that maionly because it was too cold to go anywhere, and have had a bitty day since then.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages (Quorn) in a gravy and mushrooms.
Colcannon
Carrots and Swedes mashed.

Monday 25 January 2010

Mucky Monday..

or blue Monday or whatever! I think if I was working I would be inclined towards a "Duvet" day. Horrible day to go to work actually. really drab and grey, and very cold too.
We went into Crosby to get our usual Monday veggies and bits and pieces, and it was really cold. The car was just warming up nicely by the time we got to the car park, and the weather is forecasting more snow by the weekend. Not surprised. Today has been one of those days when you need to put the lights on everywhere you go. The stairs and landing are pitch black, and the rooms would be really dark without lighting on.
We agot a parcel quite early this morning from QVC which was the bedding that I ordered. I ordered Egyptian cotton bedding set in a Ruby red colour. The colour is quite nice actually, a lovely warm red colour and should look nice on the bed. The parcel is amazing. it was about14ins by about 6ins, and in that there is a duvet cover, a big fitted sheet, and 4 pillowcases! how they do that I don't know. Must have a huge big folding machine. All made in China of course..what isn't? except my Hotter shoes.
Jane rang up this afternoon, wanted to speak to the one with the most money!!! She wants a loan to pay off her overdraft of £600. She says she will pay off a direct debit every nmonth till it is paid..but interest free. Crafty minx.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn style chicken pie
Sliced sauteed potatoes,
Green beans and carrots.

Saturday 23 January 2010

The Weekend..

Funny thing is when you are retired the weekend doesn't really mean an awful lot. The papers are a bit better on a Saturday and Sunday, and everywhere outside is quiter because the dentist and the chemist are closed, but apart from that nothing much doing.
VT has gone over to Maghull to get a few things, and he has just rung to say it was foggy there. it has lifted here actually, it was quite bad last night, but cleared mid morning.The little cats are still pretty much housebound, don't go out much in the cold weather, I think they like their home comforts too much. Both tend to stick by the heaters or in their baskets. Little Rusty is all curled up in a ball on Jane's bed on a blanket and looks lovely. No doubt Bobby is on my bed, she likes it there.
VT went out to post a letter late last night,and came back to say there wasn't a cat outside..there were two! The ginger girl from next door, and the black and white one from down the road. He is feeding the neighbourhoods cats for sure.
Just been adding a bit to John and Anns letter. I will have to post that fairly soon, it is Johns birthday on feb 2nd, so will have to think of something to send him. Men are so difficult to buy for, especially when they live so far away. I haven't a clue what he likes.
Tonight we are having:
Green Thai Curry,
We make this with Quorn pieces, light coconut milk and mushrooms.
Half a pack of rice,
Carrots and green beans.

Friday 22 January 2010

Weekend Shopping..

Went out this morning to get our weekly shop, well the things we need for the weekend. I had to have a blood test done at Walton before the Renal clinic appointment in two weeks time. So we decided to get out things at Sainsbury's which is only over the road. It took a few minutes to get the blood done, maionly because the phlebotomists weren't rushing to say the least. I got there and my number was 76 and the number on the screen was 73 so I thought I would be really quick. No chance, they were inside gabbing and not turning patients over quickly enough. My woman called Jennifer took two goes at me, but got there in the end.
We then went for a coffee at Sainsbury's but the coffee machine was broken, what sort of coffee shop is that where there is no coffee back up? So VT had a tea and I had a hot chocolate whicgh was horrendously expensive and far too sweet. Maybe we should take our own sachets of coffee powder in next time!
Got a load of shopping..quite a few things we had run out of, and some extras. if I go shopping the bill is always expensive..if VT goes he takes a list and gets those items and nothing else so saves money. Mind you I stock up..I bought quite a few Quorn items so have a load in the freezer for future weeks. Could do with another snow-in..No perhaps not!
VT posted Jane's parcel this morning, sent it recorded delivery, and she should get it soon. Hope they enjoy it.
Her Christmas presents to us this year were excellent, the delivery from ASDA and the Marmite plates and mugs. We use them every day..Bless her.
The mist is coming down as I type this. It is just going dark and very misty out of the window. Funny sort of weather actually. Creepy.
Tonight we are having:
Some of the bitty things that we had at Christmas. We buy boxes of buffet things, and ate half of them, so we aim to eat the other half tonight.

Thursday 21 January 2010

Blogs...

Occasionally I have a look at other peoples scribblings and efforts. Some of them are stupendous, with photos and writings that are nothing short of awesome. I particularly like the foodie ones, because those I find most interesting. Some of the American ones are terrific, with snippets of all sorts of information sometimes very personal. It makes me realise how amateurish mine is, but no matter..it was never started as a tome, but as a personal record of our trials and tribulations with out Health Eating Plan. That has proved to be OK really, we have both lost weight, and have changed our eating habits quite drastically. We now have mainly a low fat diet, originally following the Rosemary Conley plan, which we have adapted to our likes and dislikes. We do have the occasional treat which keeps us going, and since Christmas was such a washout for both of us, we have had some since, which hasn't affected our diet by much actually.
Last night rejoiced with the cast of Coronation Street, when they won the best Drama Serial at the National Television Awards. It is usually won by Eastenders, so a good result. It will be 50 next year!! Unbelievable..and I think I have seen most of the episodes from the beginning. Such good characters and terrific storylines keep it strong.
We stopped watching Eastenders years ago, it seems that every time we switch that on they are screaming at each other. Not what you want all the time. I love my Corrie..Long live Corrie.Gave up on Emmerdale basically when it lost its farm..it was much more interesting when it was the adventures of the Sugden family. Too many young ones in them these days, and they all look the same!!
VT went out briefly this morning to get some fuel, and see if Homebase had a replacement toilet seat..He has broken the last one! good job he didn't blame it on me! Reminds me of an incident in a villa in Orlando, when we were on holiday. He broke the toilet handle, and then blamed it on little Jane. I went storming into her bedroom, all guns blazing and really told her off. He let me go on for an age then confessed it was him. Needless to say we have never let him forget that. The "Boghandle" incident is one of the family legends.
Tonight we are having:
A pasty from Waitrose,
And, the last of the clotted cream rice puddings! Yum Yum..
Definitely not allowed on the Healthy Eating Plan..but just this once!!

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Lazy Days..


Didn't go anywhere today, but did bits and pieces in the house. Got the last of the Christmas ironing done so the tablecloths and napkins etc., are packed away for another twelve months. The table this year looked really nice actually, it was a shame that we were both so under the weather to enjoy it properly. never mind.
VT has been clearing magazines, of which we seem to accumulate a lot. Mainly they are my puzzle ones which have the odd reasonable story in them. Mostly they are about minging people and not worth reading.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with butternut squash and sweet potato and broccoli.
Tomato and mascarpone sauce.

Tuesday 19 January 2010

WoooHooo..Let Out...

Went out today for the first time since before Christmas!. only went to Dobbies, but it was a nice trip. We had a coffee, and bought some primroses for the hanging basket at the front of the house to cheer it up a bit. i bought some oatcakes but nothing in the food hall to get, nothing on sale really that we would have anyway.
called in at Waitrose on the way back to get some soup for lunch and ended up getting a few things, as usual. if I go shopping we spend far more. If VT goes swhopping he goes with a list and gets what is on the list so spends less. Mind you I haven't spent much over the Christmas so don't mind.
Tonight we are having:
Not sure actually, but did get some nice veggies from Waitrose so will use those up.
Short and sweet today!
In the end we had:
Quorn fillets with mushroom in a M&S Watercress sauce,
1/2 a packet of long grain rice each,
Carrots and green beans.

Monday 18 January 2010

Blue Monday...

Today it is supposed to be the dullest day of the year. I can quite believe it actually, looking out of the window it is drab and grey with not a lot moving except a few marauding cats in the garden. Everywhere is dull ow the snow has melted. Whilst it was a pain to get round it did have the advantage of making everywhere look pretty.
I was intending to go out today, but we didn't get up early enough, so VT nipped out to Sainsbury's for some veggies. We have a few left in the fridge so didn't need a lot. We could do with getting back to normal now, but the lure of a nice warm bed in the morning is too tempting.
Jane rang up this morning, she is off today, and was going to ASDA for some shopping. She said she is going to make a chilli bean pie for her and Rachel tonight. At least she has a few meal things that I taught her to do. She likes that one, and the Kedgeree using the Quorn pieces too. She is getting about in the car again now the weather is better, she hasn't been driving in the snow. VT sealed up her Christmas parcel today. We have put a few things in it for them for Christmas, intending to go over and see them, but with one thing and another we never managed it. So, we have put some stuff in a parcel. Just a tin of Celebrations, a jar of Marmite cashew nuts, and a tin of biscuits. There are also a couple of little parcels from John and Ann as well which is nice of them. VT is going to send it via the Post Office next day delivery service so she should get it on Saturday. My new shoes arrived today from Hotter, they were quick I only ordered them on Wednesday! And, I have ordered a new set of bedding from QVC today too. Well if you can't go out shopping, order online!
Didn't get round to doing yesterday's blog, but we did our usual things. The crosswords were quite easy yesterday,and we finished them fairly quickly. Last night we had a Dr Otker pizza,and a nice small salad to go with. Just enough actually, I think sometimes we had too big salads, so we have cut down quite a lot really. Weighed myself this morning, and I have put a couple of pounds back on, not surprising actually, since
I had lost a lot of weight through not eating when I was ill. The Horlicks and digestive biscuit diet works very well.
VT was reading an article yesterday which said that the sales of things like chocolate drinks and Horlicks has risen, and ready meals, and puddings like apple crumbles and sticky toffee puddings. There was a headline in a paper a copuple of weeks ago which said.."What do we want? Stodge..When do we want it? Now" Too true, it is all comfort food.
We haven't got a lot left now, just half odf a rice pudding in the freezer.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn escalopes,
Hasselback potatoes,
Broccoli and Cauliflower and white sauce. Mushrooms, maybe.

Sunday 17 January 2010

Weekend things..

All signs of snow have completely disappeared now, I looked out of the window yesterday and said to VT there was still a bit on top of the shed in the Dentists garden, but he informed me that it was white plastic!! Should have gone to Specsavers!
Yesterday we did gits and pieces, mostly washing, the bedding takes forever to dry in the tumble dryer, must get a biogger one someday. mind you at least it isn't drying round the fire like when we were kids. i can remember the clothes maiden draped with washing drying round the coal firem and having to be turned every few minutes. trouble was the fire was hidden then so you were freezing..we don't know we are born these days!
Had a lovely Ciabatta roll for lunch. We split a Ciabatta in half, spread each half lightly with pesto, and the put some sliced tomato and Mozzarella in the centre. Close it up, and lightly wrap in foil then bake in the oven for about fifteen minutes. Scrumptious, and really tasty. makes a nice change from cheese and crackers.
Last night we had:
Chinese spring rolls,
Eggfried rice and a lemon sauce.

Friday 15 January 2010

The Clear Up!

Yes it is still Wintry weather outside, or so VT tells me..I haven't been out of the house in an age. The snow has all but gone here, and everywhere now is not looking pretty, but dull and grey. Tiny little humps of snow still linger where the snow was heaped up, but that is going fast. It was pretty while it lasted though.

VT is presently in the garden doing a bit of clearing up. He says quite a lot of the plant pots have been damaged by the frost this year..we haven't had that for a long time. Not a bad thing though, we have an awful lot of pots in the back garden.
Every New Year at the stroke of midnight we take a picture..it is a sort of tradition in our house.VT uses the timer then runs to the sofa for the picture. it is always a laugh because neither of us are really smiling because we are both waiting for the flash to go off.VT has a nice dram of whisky here, and this year i have a glass of Lucozade!! probably why i am looking so miserable. We have about thirty odd of these pictures..they would probably look quite interesting if they were all put together in a sort of timeline.

I had always thought that this blog must be the least viewed in the whole of cyberspace, but lo and behold i find it listed on another that I look at frequently. Wonder how on earth it got there? I started this on the day that Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, mainly to keep a sort of diary of our eating plans, and a record of our healthy eating diet plan. Well, we are due for an election in the next few months. Poor Gordon has had one disaster after another, but our eating plan has proved quite successful. VT has lost a reasonable amount of weight, and I have lost about two stones together. Mind you the last few months have helped, a diet of Horlicks and M&S digestive biscuits for about two weeks saw a weight loss. VT says he is not listening to my healthy eating ideas any more because they haven't done me any good. i seem to have had one thing or another since the beginning of November, and he says "Look where all the vegetables and salads have got you"
Jane rang up today to say that she had received a letter from her solicitor. it is looking like her claim is finally coming to an end. that has been ongoing for an age, so it is good for her that she is finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
Tonight we are having:
A common tea..
Fishless fingers,
Chips!! 200 grms between us,
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for me.
Tartare sauce.

Thursday 14 January 2010

Thursday Doings...


This was our Christmas table this year. It really loed nice, even though neither of us were in the mood for the festivities really.Poor VT had such a heavy cold, but he still had his Christmas dinner, and got the table all ready like we always do. We had a nice dinner, but we were just talking before and said that we would have to come up with something else next year for the main course. The Quorn escalopes were very dry, and needed something tastier. Maybe do a Quorn en croute with stuffing, and cranberry jelly inside. Shall have to think about that.
Today VT went into Crosby to pay some money in for Jane, She had been saying that she was a bit short and living off her overdraft so it will help her a bit. He also went to Sainsbury's to get some chicky for the cats, and a few other things that we needed.
The snow is still lingering, but it is thawing a bit off the top of the shed. The nights are drawing out a bit actually, it is twenty to five as I type this and it is still light outside. The little cats are not going out though, they are well esconsed in the house. Next doors ginger girl is out, and VT said she was sitting in our path looking at him, expecting him to open the door and let it in.
of course he can't because he doesn't have the key any more. He seems to have gone away, and she has gone to work, so the poor little thing has to wait till she gets back. They need a cat flap really.
Tonight we are having:
Something out of the freezer, Quorn style,
Carrots and green beans,
Mushroom sauce
Squashed potatoes.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Snowing Again

Enough to keep us in this morning, and we were planning to go out today as well.
VT had the bright idea to make some Marmalade this morning so that is what we did. We use a tin of Marmade..4lbs of sugar, and a good slug of Remy Martin Congac at the end. That makes about 7lbs of the most tasty marmalade in beautiful jars. That lasts about a year in total. The Marmade system is really good and you can't go wrong with it. We have used a variety of alcohol in the past such as whisky, cointreau or brandy, but he fancied some Congac which has been in the cupboard for an age.
VT woke up the other night by a bang. I didn't wake up, nothing gets me up once the hearing aids have come out. But he was wondering where it had come from, and initially thought it had come from next door. Anyway, he has just come in to say that it was something in the cupboard over the wardrobes. A christmas tree had overbalanced a bit and pushed something in the adjoining cupboard that had fallen down.
Well that's cleared up.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese leek and potato tarts from Waitrose,
Spaghetti (tinned)
Maybe the last of the puddings.. Bread and Butter.

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Thaw..


Is it me or is it thawing a little? The snow seems to be going from the top of the shed and around the plant pots in the garden. VT was out this morning clearing a path down the garden to walk along. There is a forecast for snow later this week, but today the weather girl Heather with the Weather says that it is warming u as the week goes on. We shall see.
I had a very decadent bath this morning with my book and my candles. VT told me not to have it too hot, so I mainly had a warmish bath, and it was really nice. I don't normally have baths in the morning, so it made a nice change, and didn't leave me too wilted. I don't know how next door manages without a bath, I love my baths.
We haven't been out for ages. VT has been out quite a lot, but i haven't been anywhere since before Christmas. Maybe we will get to go somewhere tomorrow, would make a change to get out of the house.

Mrs Misery stuck in the house!!!
Today for lunch we had some potato farls with a slice of leerdammer cheese and tomato, so
Tonight we are having:
A Cornish pasty, courtesy of Waitrose. I am having a vegetable one and VT is having a Cheese and Onion one.

Monday 11 January 2010

Still Cold Weather..


This is Mrs Misery on Christmas Day 2009. Poor VT wanted a Christmas Dinner so we had one, despite him having a terrible cold. I ate about one roast potato which was very nice, but we didn't have the dinner like we normally have, and for the first time in years i didn't do our Hazelnut gateau either. never mind eh..I haven't been out of the house for an age, what with the virus thingy, and the weather, I am in danger of becoming a recluse...
We have been in the habit during the last few weeks of staying in bed later in the morning. Since we don't put our lights out until One O'Clock, we tend to wake up at about eight or nineish. Then VT gets our morning coffee and we have a bit of a chat till we get up. Yesterday and today, he went down for the papers then brought breakfast in bed. Very decadent. The trouble is the bed is so lovely and cosy and warm it is too nice to get out of. The quilt that we bought last year is proving to be a godsend, I have never paid so much for a quilt before, but we bought a Siberian goose Down one which is absolutely terrific. Very light but totally watm. luxury really. When I think back to when we were little and had umpteen layers on the bed and still you were never warm technology is good progress in this case.

Last night we had a Dr otkers pizza with mushrooms and a Waitrose salad which was really tasty.
VT reckons that the nights are drawing out a bit..maybe they are, it was still quite light at 4.15 today. There is a forecast for more snow, but it does seem to be thawing a bit here. Mind you he has just come upstairs and said that it is freezing out, when he went down the garden to get the coal, there were signs that it was freezing again.
Tonight we are having:
gruyere cheese escalopes,
Carrots,
Potato croquettes...just a nice simple tea tonight.

Sunday 10 January 2010

Saturday on Sunday...




It does all look quite pretty though.As long as you are not cut off in it. We are well stocked up, plenty of things in the freezer, and the store cupboard. It seems at the moment that you need stodge to keep you warm, things like soups, toasties etc, rather than colkd things. Leave the salad alone for a while I think.
The little cats are esconsed indoors, they venture out for a very short while then run back in again, I don't think they like getting theior paws wet really.
Last night we had:
Waitrose chinese vegetable spring rolls,
Packet of egg fried rice,
Jar of sweet and sour sauce.

Friday 8 January 2010

The Big Freeze..

Still in the grip of the big freeze. Temperatures plummeting to all time lows..minus 27 in parts of Scotland, and minus 18 in Woodford Cheshire.
VT decided that he would go out in his car today, and try to get to Formby to the Waitrose there. He took a list, the top of the list was cat food, they were getting low on supplies. I told him not to worry about money, and to get whatever he saw that we could use. He came back with a fantastic array of different things. What a good shopper he is. He bought some great bready things, soda farls, potato cakes cheese topped buns and ciabatta rolls. He also got some nice soups, and things for the freezer,pizza and salad for Sunday. We are well stocked up now.Plus the cat food so the babies are well catered for.
He said the roads were passable but you had to be careful. One of the main roads out of Hightown was dodgy because it hasn't been gritted, but the other was ok, and the bypass was alright. I was on pins till he came back. He also went to the garage to get some coal too so we have enough fuel to keep the fire going.Next door neighbour said their cold water was off...serves them right for not letting their lovely little ginger girl in. The poor little cat is waiting by their back door, because it wants to go in..shame.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Chips,
Green beans for me and mushy peas for VT.

Thursday 7 January 2010

Still Holed Up..

Still not a lot moving outside. A few cars going up and down but not many compared to the normal.VT had said he was going to try to get his car going but he cleared the windscreens and then said he might go out tomorrow. it seems that most people have the same idea. VT was talking to one of our neighbours from further down the road, and he helped him to clear Mrs Tysons path because it is so steep. Such a good neighbour isn't he.
Jane rang again this morning, we had a long chat while she was waiting for the bus, and then on the bus into town on the way to work. She has struggled to get into work this week bless her. What a good kid she is, I wish we could see more of her really.
Widespread ice has kept its grip in the country, and they reckon the colder weather will keep up for another two or three weeks!
The little cats ventured out but not too far. VT was getting the bin round because they haven't been emptied, and said they were under the garden table. I don't think they like the snow on their paws really. Can't bleme them actually.
Tonight we are having:
Baked potato with...not sure.
We had a nice Panini for lunch with a bit of cheese and tomato, VT had pickle..he doesn't like tomato!

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Still a White World..

Still snow around, although not actually snowing outside. it is all very pretty outside providing you don't have to go out in it. VT went out to clear the front path this morning though, and put a bit of salt down. He has taken some pictures, and i will put a few on the blog when they are downloaded. There are some nice ones of the christmas dinner table even though we didn't have much of a Christmas dinner, the table looked lovely.
Poor little jane rang up last night as she was leaving work at about ten past ten. She was making her way to the buses, and was a bit worried about there being any. However, she rang up about twenty minutes later to say she was hiome, there were no cars on the road, so the buses had a clear run, so that was good. poor kid, she is a real little trooper, she said 50 people had rung in sick or couldn't get in,and she had got there early, so asked if they needed any help. She got an hour extra out of that.
The little cats haven't strayed far from home the last few days. they just go out for a few minutes then straight back in, can't say I blame them. No sign of the little ginger girl next door either, if its got any sense it will be inside in the warm.
The traffic reports on the radio seem to be getting longer and longer, mind you it is snowing down in London now, so that always gets the news. lots of snhools closed and emergency services warning people not to ring unless it is a dire emergency!
VT put the Christmas trees away in the shed this morning, where they will stay until next November!
Last night we had a lovely Pasty from Waitrose, VT was thrilled to bits when he found they were actually made in Cornwall. Very tasty Pasty they were too, we just had them on their own with a drop of gravy. Lovely.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta made with a tub of Three cheese sauce, so a bit like a macaroni Cheese.
maybe a bit of garlic bread if we have any.

Tuesday 5 January 2010

White World

it is indeed a white outlook today. it was snowing steadily this morning and sticking, so it all looks really pretty. Poor little Jane rang up this morning, she had walked to the main road to see if there were buses running. She had heard that the buses were cancelled,but she said that there were quite a few running both ways, along the main road anyway. This left her in a quandary, because she had already had a few days off with no voice, and didn't want to have any more off, but she was worried about getting home when her shift ended at ten tonight. Anyway, she rang up later to say she had made it into work, and would see about a taxi maybe later. She was quite pleased that the firm (Ticketmaster) had given her a ten pound voucher for working late on Christmas Eve. She's a good kid, and works really hard. Little treats keep her going.
VT went out ot the shops this morning, just the local one, and got a few things to keep us going. We have a well stocked freezer, so will not starve.
The little cats haven't ventured out today, we haven't really seen them in the snow, I expect it is a bit of a surprise to them, we can't remember snow here in Hightown for a number of years actually.
We spent the morning taking down the Christmas decorations. It is a mornings work too, going round collecting everything. The house looks really bare now with no lights and trees. We have a tree in each room downstairs, just artificial ones, but they looked pretty this year. We have some lovely decorations now, picked them up from all over, some from America..the craft ones, some from Past Times, and some from places like the National Trust. I tend to buy them in the sales, but haven't got round to them this year. VT would say, it was a good job!
He is working hard putting them all away in the cupboard in our bedroom, probably only be another eight months before they are down again!!
Tonight we aree having:
Pasties from the freezer.
Waitrose vegetable pasties and a bit of gravy to go with.

Monday 4 January 2010

Brrrr..Hibernating today...and the tale of a little ginger cat..

Really cold today, and the frost was everywhere this morning. So we stayed in today, and had soup for lunch and fiddled around a bit.
VT has been looking after next doors little ginger girl cat all over Christmas and New Year. He let her out each morning and in again each night as it went dark. She is a beautiful little thing..comes running when he arrives in his car, and follows him down to the Post office when he goes to post a letter or get the papers. Well they arrived back on Saturday night, so he doesn't do that anymore. Last night was the coldest night of the year. He went down to post a letter at about midnight and came back to say the little ginger cat was outside, and they were in bed!!!!!!!!!
All the work he had done getting it into a lovely little routine! one night back and it's out in the cold! poor little thing. So we had a bit of a conflab, and he decided to let it stay in the porch. he got her some biscuits, and some water, and made some curtains into a little nest for her, and she stayed there all night. He let her out in the morning, and he said she seemed thrilled, and was rolling over in the path. God knows where they thought she was sleeping last night..they should be ashamed of themselves! I know we treat our two like babies a bit, but i couldn't live with myself if I thought they were shut out on such a cold night. There's no knowing some folks is there!

At least we both seem to be on the mend now. It has been a rubbish Christmas really, what with me and the virus, and VT and his terrible cold..Good job we didn't have a load of food in we didn't waste anything really, just a few bits and pieces.The hit of the Christmas was the clotted cream rice puddings, they were sublime, we both enjoyed those.
Our daily menu has fallen by the wayside the last few weeks, mainly because we have both been off our food, so it has been a matter of tempting the appetite really.We hanen't had proper main meals just had what we fancied. We have both lost weight, VT from running around after moi, and me through not eating a lot. I reckon to have gone down about a stone, and VT says he is under the eleven stone mark.+
The last day or so we have been eating more normally though, but a bit of a way to go yet.At least we are not worrying about the amount of weight we have put on over Christmas!
Tonight we are having:
Carrots..
Apart from that, not sure.

Friday 1 January 2010

Happy New Year Blog!!

Well it is 2010, and the start of a new decade too. I only hope that this year proves to be better than the last one..at least the latter half of it!
Mrs misery is getting going a bit today, still got the beam end of a cold (Thankyou VT) but better that previously.
Last night New Years Eve was the first I can remember without an alcholic drink but VT had a nice whisky and ginger ale.
The hit of the evening was a pizza that VT cooked then later some really really yummy Clotted Cream rice puddings. VT had spotted them in Sainsbury's and thought they might tempt me..Well they did!Totally yummy and true comfort food. We savoured every mouthful..lovely and hot from the microwave and truly delicious.
Quite a nice day here today..the sun is bursting through, but Jane rang up earlier on her way to work and waiting for a bus, and she said it was snowing there in Manchester. She was waiting ages for a bus poor little kid. She didn't want to take her car because she hasn't done much snow driving and the parking in town is dreadful would have cost her about twenty quid she said.
So heres to 2010 and a better New Year..after the Christmas that never was!
By the way, in the paper today..tesco have the Eqaster Eggs on the shelves!