Up with the lark..

Up early this morning. We had to take little Rusty to the vets for a blood test and she had to be there by a quarter to nine. She couldn't have food from midnight last night either which meant that Bobby couldn't have any either. How do you tell a cat that there is no food down because the other one can't have any? Poor bobby was sitting on the food mat looking very bewildered. So, when we got Rusty in her basket VT ran back in the kitchen to feed Bobby, but she had disappeared, she obviously thought we were taking her as well!
poor Rusty tipped over twice in her basket in the back of the car, she is so light that she hasn't got the weight to keep the basket down, so I grabbed hold of her to keep her straight. They took her off for the blood test and brought her back in about ten minutes, the results will be phoned to us either tonight or tomorrow morning!!! When I ago for a blood test it takes two weeks!!! Cost £59 for the blood test and a small tube of antibiotic cream for her eye. She's worth it though.

We came home , had a baby cup of coffee and then went into Bootle to get the part for VT's car window. It has been an absolutely horrible morning , bitterly cold and very wet and rainy. All the ditches in the country roads are full, must have been raining all night by the looks of them. Snow up in Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, so \March is going out like a Lion it seems.
Went to the library on the way home, since we both wanted to change some books. VT was pleased because he got some brand new ones, and I got some I hadn't read before. Don't really like the refurbished library much, the shelves are all low down and you get a crick in the neck trying to see what is below the second shelf.

Papa Dolmio..

Forgot to mention yesterday that when I was fiddling around on here just before lunch there was a lovely appetising aroma of onions and tomato coming up the stairs. Went down to see what was going on and VT or Papa Dolmio was cooking up a batch of pizza sauce. We had bought a variety of tinned tomatoes in Tesco yesterday, cartons of chopped in concentrated juice, organic chopped which were cheaper than napol! puree etc. We used three tins of chopped and two cartons and that made enough
for twelve little boxes of sauce. VT has his own recipe,he adds garlic puree, tomato puree, bouillon powder, sugar, salt and italian herbs. Then it is left to simmer away on the stove till it has reduced and become lovely and thick. It really is a good thing to make in a batch like marmalade.
Got a lovely easter card from John and Ann today, made me feel guilty since I haven't sent them one. I don't usually send Easter cards out. Their letter with it said that they have been having thunder and lightening and power cuts, apparently the cuts happen quite often. She says they have a generator for the kitchen light, and a gas stove so not too badly off. We are lucky here we don't generally get power cuts. i well remember the dreadful ones of the seventies when everything went off , all the street lights everywhere.
Quite cold today, and it is now tipping down and very grey looking. there actually has been snow forecast, March came in like a lamb and seems to be going out like a lion!
VT went out to get some fuel this morning, and decided to go to tesco on his way back to spend the £10 voucher. that is the last of thoseso we can leave tesco alone for a while now thank goodness. Mind you the vouchers £10 off a spend of £30 is very generous. He came back with two huge jars of Gold Blend, two packs of Whiskas, and three bottles of Lindemans Chardonnay at three for ten pounds. That was just over thirty pounds.
Saw in the paper today that Morrisons are going into a loyalty card. Also said that Morrisons are doing really well. I'm glad about that, i love Morrisons it is just the right shop for us. That and Sainsburys are probably our favourite stores.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn style chicken and mushroom pies,
potato croquettes,
Carrots and beans.

Cats...

Do cats think? now there's a philosophical question. Our Bobby certainly has some intelligence. While we were having our lunch she went outside presumably to do what cats do or have a mooch. It was raining however so she ran up the garden into the little hut , went in, turned herself round and stayed there for ages just looking out. What tells them to do that? I wonder if they think..I need to stay dry, so go into the hu, and do they think in English I wonder. Their reactions can't be just related to tones of voice..there have been occasions where animals have been brought into the UK from say France, and they don't respond to English commands.


Wet drizzly day today..so nipped into Crosby to the Sainsbury's to get our weekly veggies. Crosby was quite busy and the weather hasn't warmed up yet, it is still fairly cold. VT rang up the Toyota garage about his window mechanism which has gone caput, and that will be there on Wednesday..£50!! and i rang up about my Mr James's clinic appointment. Made that for the 5th of July 2.15. That is a follow up to my operation four years ago when I had one of my toes removed due to malignant melanoma! This should be the last appointment and I should be discharged from there. Got away with that one it seems.
Jane has just rung up from Tesco in Manchester, she couldn't decide what to buy, for their tea. She fancied pasta.always a good bet, and plenty of veggie choice.
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalopes,
Bread sauce,
Mushrooms
Mixed vegetables,
Potatoes sliced and sauteed in Fry light.

Clocks!!

Tonight the clocks went forward so I am typing this at 6-45 and it is still bright light. The nights will be getting lighter each week now.
Yesterday it was a bit quiet and dull, didn't feel like doing much so read the papers and caught up on a few things we had recorded.
Today has been a nice Spring day, but with a cold breeze. VT has moved some of the plants into the front garden, the ones that are beginning to flower. Gives a bit of colour there. he was looking at the pots, and even some of the stoneware ones have bitten the dust this Winter, and have big cracks and flakes on them.
Last night we had:
Chinese spring rolls,
1/2 a packet of rice
ginger and spring onion sauce and vegetable stir fry.
Today we are having:
Pizza with our sauce,
met free pepperami sliced,
Mozzarella and mushroom
Salad and potato salad and pasta salad

Not Tesco for a Change!!!

Since VT used the voucher to buy the printer ink, we coud go somewhere else for our weekend things. I had forgotten how boring it was to go to the same one each week.
So today we went to Ormskirk and to the Morrisons. Thus we were able to go into the town centre and get a few other things and have a mooch. We stopped in at the vets on the way and got little Rusty's tablets..£27 ! but worth it if they keep her well. VT made an appointment for her blood test next Wednesday at a quarter to nine..so an early up without food..her that is not us.
I went into the Bon Marche shop for a looksee, and found they were having a sale since they are putting a lot of the summer things out. Didn't see anything I fancied till I walked up the shop and saw a great dressing gown/robe. it was the only one left and was reduced from £16 to £12 so i snapped that up. I have been looking for one for ages and had a look in M&S last week, but theirs are £35. This is gorgeous.. a lovely purple colour with white dots on and a real bargain. I do seem to be going through a purple period lately, everything I buy is purple.
We had our usual coffee in our little cafe and it was teeming down but stopped when we came out. Good timing.
Went down to Morrisons via M&S food shop for our salads. I do like Morrisons actually, they are not a pretentious shop, and quite good value. Couldn't decide what to have fior lunbch, then i passed by some bread which looked good. It was in their Artisan bread range, and was a Rye and Spelt bread, and was absolutely gorgeous..made a really tasty toastie with thincheese slices and tomato.
Tonight we are having:
We were having Hot Dogs for a change, but couldn''t find any hot dog sausages, So..
A Lancashire cheese and caramelised onion quiche,
Spaghetti and
A few Chips as a treat.

Proper Post..

Was trying to delete a comment this morning and came across tone of the posts I thought had disappeared, so printed that out. God knows how that happened, still never mind.
VT went to Tesco this morning to get a printer for the Epson. he used the voucher that we had for this week so got ten pounds off it which is good. It's ten pounds off thirty and the printer ink is £34 so that reduces that quite a lot.
I had a horrible bath this afternoon..I like a long soaking bath with my book and my candles and started running the water, then came in here to finish a survey. Went back in the bathroom and there was about six inches of water in the bottom of the bath!!! and the hot water was running cold. In the end I used that and had a quick dip..horrible..not what I'm used to at all.
Jane rang up at lunch time, she went to see Whistle Down the Wind at the Opera House in Manchester last night.She said it was very good and worth seeing, their seats were five rows back from the front, and on some sort of offer so were cheap. She is a bit cincerned at the moment because they have just had their gas bill which covers their heating and it was £340 !! ours is £48 but we don't have central heating. They have had visitors staying for the last few months and it seems that they have shoved the heating up. It's a bit of a dilemma really, because jane feels that she isn't responsible for the bill. Difficult problem.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope
Squashed potatoes,
Any vegetables left to use up from the week.

St patrick's Day

This is the post that I did on the 17th of March, that I thought had disappeared into outer space. found it in a draft so here it is belatedly.
St patricks day..
St patricks day..

I might have an irish name, but there is no Irish in me, so no celebrations for us today. No bunches of shamrock, or Irish stew for tea..nothing. Now if it was a lancashire day it might be different. At the time of typing this..Steve Wright is on the radio, and playing such a cheesey version of danny Boy you wouldn't believe!
We went out this morning, since the cats needed chicken, so we decided to go and get our free coffees in Dobbies as well. It's quite a nice journey, and a lovely day so no hardship. Lo and behold they have changed everything round! I do wish shops and places wouldn't do that, it is so confusing. I suppose it is meant to make you walk around more. I wanted to buy a nice book I had seen on a display the last time we had been there, but of course they had moved. VT spotted them tucked away in a corner, so I had a look at them while he looked for something he wanted. I wanted to get Ann one ofr her birthday. I know she likes writing things down,and this one is called a memento book. It is becoming quite popular these days to write things down for your offspring..I think it is a lovely idea, there is something nice about the written word. You coulf put stories or poems or favourite anecdotes..whatever you want really. We also bought some candles then went for our coffees.
We used to go to a little area with tables and proper seats, more comfy than the ones in the main area where you go for your meals. But...iat has gone.. there is a poncey little "Tea Room" in its place, with waitress service and a piano in the middle!!!!! So we had to go into the main area with the plebs ha ha. Oh well the coffee is the same, and we take our own biscuits so it only costs 20p, because VT has an upgrade.
We called in at Tescaw on the way back..twice in one week!!! to get the cat's chicken, and i wanted some asparagus. Nice tray of English asparagus reduced to £1.25 so got those. Also saw a jumper by thea front door on sale. £7 reduced to £5..so picked that up..gorgeous colour of pink. Whizzed round and got the other things and went to pay. The jumper VT pointed out was further reduced to £3.50 and athere was 20% off clothing as well so my jumper was £2.80 !!!! Bargain or what. Well pleased.
Tonight we are having:


We also bought some candles, and then went for our coffee. draft 17/03/2010 by JennyMac

Ear Ear!!

Had an appointment this morning with the hearing aid consultant in Southport.That was 11O'Clock and we were there on time but didn't get in tillabout a quarter past. he was a new bloke..have to say I didn't like him much, he kept slagging off the chap who was there previously, very unprofessional I think. VT took an instant dislike to him too, said first impressions weren't good. He serviced both of the hearing aids, and told me about a new technology that was much better than the ones I had. he said that mine which were eight years old technology were getting towards the end and new ones would improve my hearing. I could tell that VT was thinking that he was just selling, but, they are such an important part of my life that you do want the best. The last pair cost me £3.320!!! and a new pair isn't much more than that but with better technology. VT was trying to get me to think about it really I think mainly because he didn't like the bloke. My deafness is a problem, always has been I had a mastoid operation on my right ear when I was very small. All due to TB infected milk!! I tend to avoid social situations like the plague and that was a real problem in school.
I shall have to givce it some thought.
After going there we went into the town centre and then to M&S for our coffee. I had an Americano and a large one. VT had a loyalty card which he used today to get a free one. He usually gets a large one and I have a small one but he got two big cups because it was a better offer, Shop was really busy, and it was quite difficult to find a table, and a rainy wet Wednesday too.
I had a bit of a look round the food hall but nothing exciting in the vegetarian department, so got the cvats their chicken and a few veggies and met VT who had been to TK Max and bought a netbook/laptop cover for £7. Good bargain. we went up the road to Superdrug and I got my Linco Beer shampoo the only place on Merseyside that sells it now. Stocked up with five cartons, and got a ten per cent discount with the coupon.
Home for lunch.
Tonight we are having:
A pasta bake with a cheese and spinach sauce,
Side dish of vegetables..maybe cabbage or petit pois and carrots,
A small garlic bread.

In which VT has a busy day while I don't!!

VT got off to an early start today and went into formby for a hair-do! He hates me saying that he says it isn't a hair do its a hair cut. Anyway he has a particular barbers he goes to but he rang up later to say that they were very busy so he had gone elsewhere. Nice young girl cut his hair he said, anyhow he has lost the einstein look and is quite short again. Mine will do a bit longer, just do the roots now and again.
Jane rang up at lunchtime to say that the Olympic site which was supposed to be busy wasn't. They had only had a few phone calls and people weren't sure what the options were and were confused. She called them muppets.
After lunch VT did the lamp outside. He had originally put a low energy light bulb in it, but when he switched it on last night in the dark it wasn't that bright so he decided to use an ordinary bulb. To be honest I'm not that impressed with the low energy bulbs, i find them a bit dimm, we have them on most of the lights which is ok, but the ones by the bedside which you need for reading don't give that much light, and it is difficult for me to read by the light actually.
He has just been clearing the moss off the bay window, while he had next doors ladders. They're always swapping ladders along here, VT's long ones have been in everybody's garden I should think. He came in and said it had gone cold again, his hands were freezing.So it will be a coal fire again tonight. The last few nights he has used peat blocks which are lovely, you get a really nice glow and flame with them, but the smokeless fuel is a hotter fire.
Next door knocked this morning to say that he was going out would he take a parcel in for him if it came. The parcel turned out to be a 22in Television, not that they come in a big package these days.
I didn't do anything much today, caught up on a few websites and read a few things that I was meaning to. Appointment tomorrow so we will be out so stayed in today.
Tonight we are having:
Lamb grills (Quorn) Mushrooms
Mashed potato
broccoli and carrots.

Catch Ups and Coffee..

Sunday...We seemed to get back to normal yesterday, and i made one of my Sourdough oatmeal loaves. I have been nurturing my starter all week. it hasn't been used since before Christmas with all the illnesses etc., so it needed restarting. i had removed all but a quarter of a cup and got it going with the same measure of flour and bottled water. Had to do this all last week about six or so times till I got it bubbly again. Well, I used a cup of flour on Saturday night and it was lovely and bubbly yesterday morning so i decided to do the loaf again.


Haven't lost the touch, it made a beautiful Sourdough loaf which VT enjoyed for his breakfast this morning.
We did the crosswords in the afternoon (Sunday) but VT had had one too many glasses of wine with his lunch and was dopey, so the big MOS one took ages. Wine goes straight to his head and he he just goes sleepy, so when we were watching lark Rise he nods off and that was it for most of the evening. Never mind, we did get them done but they took for ever.
last night we had our Pizza with our sauce and Portobello mushrooms on top. We cut them very thinly and they seem to dry out when baked and were delicious.

monday..dawned a bit drizzly and grey. We were going into crosby to get our veggies, and then to the garden centre for our free coffees. this is one which is just over the bypass from where we live, but we don't go often it is too big. However in the free newspaper last week we got an insert which was an offer to join the garden club. You pay £10 but get a £5 voucher and twenty four free coffees a year. So we got into that. VT went and enrolled yesterday.It has completely changed since the last time I had been there..really big now with a terrific selection of gifts to browse round. the restaurant was very busy even on a drizzly monday morning. nice coffee in decent size mugs too and i had a good look round the gift shop after. very pleasant morning, and it gives us somewhere else to go.
Weather brrightened up considerably in the afternoon round about lunchtime, and VT is out at the front of the house installing the new overhead light. Since the one outside the back door had fallen off he had a look at the one in the front and that turned out to be the same. We didn't want it falling on the postman's head so he removed it and got a new one.
What is it with the moss this year? next door has a twee little front garden laid to cobbles and it is a mass of moss covering it, and our bay window is thick with it this year. Some bird somewhere is picking off the moss and dropping it all over our front garden. using it to line its nest I suppose.
The little mini daffodils are finally out in our barrel. They look lovely at the moment, "fluttering and dancing in the breeze" I feel a poem coming on!!
Tonight we are having:
Garlic kievs,
Sliced Potatoes sauteed in fry light,
Mixed veggies..mushroom sauce.

tescaw..Again..

A couple of weeks ago VT got through the post a series of coupons for tescaw. They were for £10 off £30 so actually a very generous deal. The reason he got them and not me is beyond me..maybe because he hasn't used this card for a while, and when we get petrol we use mine. Anyway that has pretty much forced us to get our shopping there for the last two weeks now. It is our usual policy to get our Friday things in a variety of supermarkets so we don't always get the same things. I think it would be boring using the same supermarket all the time. We like Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons and Waitrose, all of which are in easy reach, but we don't go to Waitrose too often since it is so expensive.
The Tescaw that we use is in fact our nearest supermarket, fairly small and very busy, which is one reason I don't like it much..in fact I don't like tescaw at all really..but it is a good coupon. We did get parked easily today though which helps.
VT suggested that we use the next weeks coupon to buy printer ink cartridges for the computer which is a good idea and we could go somewhere else next Friday.
I ddid buy things to stock up ttoday , we needed chopped tomatoes and the Green and Blacks ice cream is still £1.95 so got a tub of vanilla and one of chocolate..Oh Yummy.
Typing this is proving to be quite difficult, because Bobby has jumped on my knee and is butting my hand every time i go for a letter!

Imagine this in the morning draped around your head and as any cat ownber will know, you don't move them..they are the boss!
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for me,
Chips!!
Tartare sauce.

Today..Thursday.

Still haven't worked out where yesterday's post went to. I wonder if there is some way you can retreive them? Not that clever with the net.
VT did a lot of recycling this morning took loads over to the various banks, then the post came with an absolute load of paper junk and nearly filled another carrier bag! just no catchi ng up with it.
Didn't do much today, and not going out till tomorrow, so cleanted the top of the cooker. No doubt it will need it again tomorrow. Bound to be something splashy for tea.
Tonight we are having:
A casserole of some sort. Not sure what yet. But I got a stewpack from Waitrose the other day that needs using up,

Vanished into Cyberspace..

Wherever that is? Yesterday I spent ages typing out my blog for the day..pressed the publish post button and Hey presto..the vanishing trick it disappeared into wherever.
I had written about our little trip to Dobbies to get our coffee. When we got there it has all changed! and it had only been five weeks since we were there last. The lovely little area we used to sit in for our coffee has gone! Replaced by a poncy looking "Tea Room" with waitress service. the comfy seats that we sat in were still there but sort of barriered off and a waitress at the entrance. And, a poncy little piano in the middle. So, we collected our free coffees and took them into the main area where you usually have lunches etc. Sitting with the plebs we had our coffee and our own biscuits. Very nice but a shame.
Had a bit of a mooch around and all the present products were rearranged so I couldn't find the book I was looking for. VT eventually found them in a corner. This was a lovely range of notebooks called memento books with lovely paper, and designs on the covers and fastened over. i wanted to get one for Ann for her birthday, she likes writing and it is quite popular these days to write things down for your children family etc. I think it is a lovely idea so chose a nice one.
Can't remember what else I had written about..no doubt it was very important.
Last night we had:
Pasta 4oz with asparagus and a selection of green vegetables. I used a carton of cheese sauce, and we had a bit of garlic bread.
Followed this by a small carton of clotted cream rice pudding.

Gently does it..

Gently being woken up at sixish by a marauding cat..namely Bobby with her whisker torture. Then if that doesn't get a reaction, it is the trample over the back of the head, and a bit of a pick at my hair. that works..just fine. So I turn over, she tramps down to the middle of the bed and then settles down there. We then get another few hours till the sun comes through the window. I think we could do with some thicker curtains because once the sun is up it streams through the window and wakes everyone up.
I did the ironing this morning, all the sheets and pillowcases. It might be luxurious bedding but it takes an awful lot of pressing to get the creases out. Looks good when it is done though. I actually quite like ironing, the way things look so much better when the creases have gone. Sad that. I put the television on when I am doing it, and This Morning was on discussing sex..Well is this what women do in the mornings, sit around drinking coffee and watching programmes about sex? Apparently there were couples yesterday on simulating the act.. should have been doing the ironing yesterday!
VT spent the morning getting some photocopying things ready to post to John C who came to see us a couple of weeks ago. There were all sorts of bits and pieces about his family, and things about Hightown that he has put together, and he posted them off this afternon.
Tonight we are having:
Not exactly sure..
Maybe a Goulash with quorn balls,
1/2 a packet of rice,
Broccoli and carrots.

The Ides of March..

Not to worry since my name isn't Julius Caesar!
Did things a bit differently this morning. VT had a voucher from our local newspaper for a free cup of coffee at Costa Coffee. Since we are fans of Costa we thought we would go into formby, do our shopping at Waitrose, and then try the new Costa.So that is what we did. Didn't need much in the way of veggies, and got a few other things, put them in the car, then went for our coffee. turns out the new bar is lovely, seats downstairs and more seats upstairs. very comfortable and well laid out, and not too busy either. i had a small Americano which was quite big actually, and VT had a Lattee, and we shared a bag of little shortbreads. very pleasant experience, i would go back, but not too often, it is quite a pricey trip. £4-7p for one Americano and a bag of shortbreads, and VT's was free!
Jane has just rung us up. She is doing training for the Olympics in 2012 and the selling of tickets. Apparently there is to be a big launch on Monday and then people will ring in with details etc. There are going to be nine million tickets sold for the events. Quite mind blowing actually. When you think of all the organisation that is going to be needed. She is off for the next three days, and is planning to go to the College open evening on Thursday night.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope,
Cauliflower and broccoli cheese,
Sliced and sauteed potatoes.

Mother's Day..

Got a nice phone call from daughter number one and only wishing me a Happy mothers Day. She was up and getting ready for work, and is on 12-800 today. She thought it would be quite busy with peiople buying tickets for their mums.
She is getting us tickets for the Cirque de Soleil in the Manchester |News Arena on june 13th. That should be good its a great show with plenty to see. We have seen the ones in Florida and one in the trafford Centre, but this is a new one.
VT had said he wasn't going out today, but he went to crosby to get the free bar of Galaxy in the newspaper. It's a big bar too!
Last night we had Quorn goujons in the end, with 1/2 a packet of rice and a stir fry. Quite tasty too.
Doing the bedding again today, but don't have to rush to iron it now because we have two sets which is good.
Will do the crosswords later after lunch, which is going to be a Ciabatta loaf spread with pesto and filled with Mozzarella and tomato. Very yummy.
I got my sourdough starter out of the fridge last night, and tried to get it going again with some flour and water. Doesn't seem too bad this morning, there are a few bubbles there, and I think another couple of goes at it and it will revive. it is ages since I made a Sourdough loaf, and it is good bread, must get it going again.


Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce,mushrooms and sausage,
Salad with potato salad and pasta salad.

Tescaw...

Well they got us..the lure of a ten pound off thirty coupon in the post sent to VT got us there today for our weekend shop.
I do have to say I really don't like Tescaw..it is always extremely crowded and the aisles are so crammed it is hard to get round. We traipsed around getting our usual weekend things and a few things we sometimes get there, and VT said have we got £30 quids worth? It turned out we had £40 quids worth but the ten pound off did make a difference. Do have to admit that is a good offer. the only trouble is that we have another three os these coupons to use up in successive weeks, so I suppose we will go and use them, then that will be it. I do try to avoid tescaw..just don't like them or their shopping tactics. they work though don't they.
Another lakeland catalogue in the post this morning..they do seem to send an awful lot of catalogues..it must cost them a fortune. I think I have most of everything I need, and haven't seen anything that my heart desires..not from the Lakeland catalogue anyway.
One thing we bought this morning was a loaf without crusts!! My mum would be turning over in her grave!. we were looking for a loaf to use in the toastie machine, and there were so many of them I got fed up and picked this one up. Kingsmill crusts away..high fibre. turns out it was brilliant, and made a lovely toastie for our lunch. i spread the bread with a little pesto, then cheese slices with a tomato sliced..very tasty. Would make lovely cucumber sandwiches too!
Last night we had a treat.. a small amount of green and Blacks vanilla ice cream with baileys dribbled over..lovely. VT has been restriciting my alcohol for ages because one of the tablets |I take says no alcohol, but he was talking to the chemist over the road and he hsaid it wasn't a problem really. so Cheers!
Tonight we are having:
Waitrose pasties..cheese and onion.
VT's very favourite.

Deleting Posts

or rather comments. On one of my posts I received a comment written in Chinese script figures. In my innocence i tried looking at translation programmes but to no avail. We tried every Chinesey type of script that we could think of but nothing.
So i had a little mess about this morning with the Blogger site, and eventually came across a query that someone had entered about such Chinese script. then it transp[ired that many people had the same problem, and it was a website to do with a seex chat line. Eventually I found after much looking a tiny little dustbin at the side of the comment and clicked on that. hey presto it disappeared .So at least I have learned something new today, how to get rid of stuff!
VT got his car alarm back today, and thank the Lord it is working, so he is quite pleased. I had the front door bell upstairs with me, and the minute I went upstairs it rang..typical, but the exercise will do me good! The post came much later, all for him, I never get much these days, just appointment things and bills.
Nice day today but cold, sunny and bright but with a nip in the air. I stopped in today but he went out for coal. He says we probably won't need much more coal now, but I'm not so sure, the evenings get quite cool.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn either sausages or lamb style grills in gravy,
Mashed potato with spring onions
Carrots and green beans.

Out and About..

Since we were up reasonably early this morning, we decided to go into Southport. VT wanted to take his watch to the Jewellers and watch repairers, he has a gold Tissot watch that needs a new winder, and one of mine needed attention. So we took those in..will be about ten days.
We then went to M&S for a cup of coffee..it has completely changed since the last time we went to their cafe. it is in a totally different place, and much bigger. nice Americano and biscuit for two about a fiver.Not cheap..i don't know how people afford coffees out every day. I bought a purply lipstick, and a new bra in a beautiful shade of sort of wine colour. We then had a bit of a look round the town centre. The Woolies is still covered over but it looks like it is going to be something..hope it isn't another pound store! I had a bit of a look in BHS and VT went to Superdrug where he got me some Linco Beer shampoo.. God bless him, I have only got a couple left, and he said they had three so he bought them all. I love that shampoo, and all of the Superdrugs locally have stopped selling it. I wonder if you can order it? Had a bit of a look at TKMax, and VT got some of his favourite after shave cologne that he hasn't been able to get.
Back to the car..parking isn't bad at £1 for two hours! and home in time for lunch.
A nice wholemeal roll with Quorn peppered beef slices, and a small packet of crisps..the low calorie ones from Sainsbury.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope with goat cheese and cranberry,
Squashed potato
vegetable mixture.

Day of Rest..

VT decided today would be a day of rest, that is we wouldn't go out anywhere. Quite nice actually to just stop in and not do a lot. He did go out this morning to buy a new lamp for over the front door. Since the one over the back door was so dodgy, I said the front one would be the same. It was. So he went to get another for there. This time he has got plastic covered ones but a similar style. He fitted the back door one yesterday, and it looks lovely. Very bright in the dark. A shining beacon no less!
I finished the last chapter of my book..a Patricia Cornwell novel..The Murder book, and a kay Scarpetta book. I do have to say that her books are nowhere as good as they used to be. i found this one quite boring, and found myself skip reading some sections. I wonder if she has lost her touch? Maybe. She needs to develop new characters, or get another style going. definitely gone off. Now I shall have to find another one to read, I hate starting a new book takes me a bit to get into it. Might start the Maeve Binchy one I have been keeping.
Tonight we are having:
A common tea!!
Quorn crispy fillet,
8oz sliced fried potatoes..done in fry light,
Tin of spaghetti,
Sliced mushrooms.

Weekend Things and Early Rise..

Quite a nortmal weekend this week.We don't tend to go out on a Saturday or Sunday, preferring to go out during the week when it is quieter. VT went to Crosby to get a new outside light. We had noticed that the one we had was hanging on by a wire literally, so he took it down and discovered that it was totally corroded. It's a good job it hadn't fallen on a cat actually. i wonder if it is the terrible frost and cold we have had this winter. We have a lot of cradcked pots in the garden according to VT and the paint on the wall outside has flaked off nearly totally. As for potholes...they have appeared everywhere.
We had a lovely Chinese on Saturday night..we can do them quite quickly now, and can put one on the table in about twenty minutes.
Sunday was cold and bright,and a bit too cold to put the new light up. I used to do a birthday quiz in the Sunday Express magazine on a Sunday morning, but for some reason that has been dropped.I really miss that,I used to do that when VT went out on a Sunday morning.
VT made a gorgeous pizza last night..it was mushroom, pineapple and a meatfree pepperoni style sausage. It was one of the nicest pizzas he has made, and best of all we have enough left over for our lunch today.
Up early this morning (Monday) 7O'Clock rise but not before we had our cup of coffee. My appointment was at Walton for Nine so we set out fairly early. The traffic wasn't bad actually, just a couple of hold ups, and we got there with ten minutes to spare. Quite a quick moving clinic and I got my regulation 5 minutes in with the Consultant. Very good at talking to the computer, and I had to ask her to repeat herself, then she started shouting so I said just speak clearly that's enough. Anyway she said I would probably need a course of antibiotics, and to keep taking all of the other pills and potions.
Went over to Sainsbury's for our weekly stuff and had a good cup of coffee first. too early though we were home after an Imo car wash too by twelve. So had another baby coffee to keep us going.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn Pasty
mashed potato with spring onion,
Green vegetables with a spinach sauce.

Where Are the Daffodils??

We went over to Ormskirk this morning for the weekend things, mainly to go to morrisons for a change.
We take a country route which takes about 20-30 mins depending on roadworks or traffic etc. usually about this time of the year there are loads of daffodils around the houses, but there are none yet. I suppose it is a leftover from the dreadful winter weather we have had. the poor bulbs are still keeping warm in the soil. It was a nice sunny day today though so maybe they will spring up soon.
Had a lovely look round, paid our money into the budget account to cover the heating, then got my things in Superdrug and had a look in Bon marche. They had a lovely coat I had my eye on reduced in the sale by %50. If the one I was wearing was getting a bit worn I might have bought it but I can't buy any more coats. it was a lovely colour though, a sort of deep raspberry shade, really nice. I like that shop, always get something there and the clothes are very good quality too. I bought a pair of denim jean type trousers for £13 which will last for ages, and they fit beautifully.When I got to the till, the lady said if you spend another two pounds you get 10% off and I had been looking at a pair of slippers so went back and got those. Then she said that puts you into the %15 off range..so I did well this morning. Saved quite a bit. Sorry i didn't get the coat though.
Got our fishless fingers at Holland and Barratt, and went to M&S for our salads. None to be had there, not the ones we get anyway, so went to Morrisons. We had an hour left on our ticket so got round there quickly, And out with about 15mins to spare. lovely soup for lunch and one of their tiger rolls, which we could smell all the way home. Soup was reduced 69p for two of us..not bad.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers..
Mushy peas for VT and carrots for me and a few green beans,
Chips!! the treat, just 200grms for two of us.
Tartare sauce.

Catching Up...

Spent some time today catching up on things I didn't do yesterday. Firstly I read the lovely long letter John and Ann sent that arrived in yesterday's post, and I didn't have time to read. Their weather was 44 degrees at time of writing..good grief that's hot hot hot..way too hot for me. It was hot when we went to Florida years ago but not that hot. Wonder how they keep cool. fans I suppose. She wrote about power cuts, and how they affect the area. She wrote that the fridge had gone off so she had put the contents into cool bags but the ice cream was dodgy and going soft. It seems to happen quite regularly. They were longing for a bit of rain, it hadn't rained in months so everything was dry.They sent some lovely family photos and a postcard of the wreath plant, a native of where they live.It just looks like awreath but grows that way apparently.
Had a quiet day today since we were out all day yesterday, stayed in, but VT went out for some fuel. We haqve decided to use the heating allowance this year for what it was intended, and he took the money out of the bank account to put into the budget account. We haven't stinted on heating this winter, and have used supplementary heating as and when required, so are expecting bigger bills than usual. That should help anyway.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn pie
Squashed potatoes,
Vegetables..cauliflower and broccoli with a bit of sauce.

Outing for the Day..

Up early this morning and out by nineish. Good time to go actually because the rush hour traffic has gone so we had an easy journey. We took ourselves off to The Cheshire Oaks, and we were there by ten o'clock just in time for the opening.
Went into Clarks, i was after a pair of slippers, but they were rubbish didn't have any to suit, and all very odd sizes. Seasonal I suppose. Round to the kitchen shop, where we always have a look, but nothing to buy there either. I did get some perfume from the cosmetic shop though, a small handbag version of the Origins ginger essence I love so I am well chuffed with that.
Coffee in Costa Coffee which is our treat, and one of the only reasons VT goes there I think. I had an Americano, and VT had a Soy latte with a hazelnut shot. Shared a bag of little mini shortbreads too..very nice.The hardest seat I have ever sat in in my life though very strange.
Had a general look in some other shops,I always like Past Times, they have some lovely things in there, and Cotton traders. Got a beautiful top from the M&S outlet..Per Una in a lovely shade of purple for £7..Well chuffed with that too. VT said very slimming!!
Lunch round at Sainsbury's a Sunblush and mozzarella Panini and a bottle of water, then back for another look at the shops. My fault that, I wanted to get a ring from Past Times I had seen. had a bit more of a mooch and then home by 3.30ish.
Tons of post today. and a parcel on the doorstep..bit naughty that, and two more parcels on the mat..lots of letters today too including one from john and Ann in Perth, where it was 44 degrees!!!!!! Way too hot for me. Sent some lovely photos and a lovely long letter I shall read later.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn pie
Vegetables to use up,
Small baked potatoes.

Moaners!

I wonder why it is that people visit a site and moan for Britain. I use the Delia online site most days, not always answering, but certainly having a look to see what is going on. The thing with these sites is that every now and again someone will come on and have a moan about the site or someone on it. often they are people who are just stirring things up. I wonder why they do it, they must lead sad lives. They cause a ripple of trouble then go away, probably on to somewhere else.
We got up late again this morning, but since we were not going out anywhere, it didn't matter. We are thinking of going to The Cheshire Oaks tomorrow, since we haven't been there for simply ages, before Christmas I think.
Just on the radio about a doccumentary tonight about Skippy..Australias first superstar. All together now..Skippy...Skippy..Skippy the bush kangaroo..from the late sixties early seventies. My goodness, that takes me back. Apparently the programmes were huge and seen all over the world. It was supposed to do all sorts of things, and all you saw was a paw in close up. Hilarious.
Haven'rt done much today, just caught up on the ironing this morning. The trouble with having cotton sheets is that they need ironing, since they come out of the tumble dryer creased to death. I suppose the ideal would be one of those presses that you just feed the sheets into, but no room for one of those in this house. I wonder how small our house seemed to our visitor on Saturday? i asked him about his house and he said it's just a ranch..probably huge. I don't think they do little in Texas.
Tonight we are having:
Peppered steaks..Quorn ones,
gravy with mushrooms,
Mashed Potatoes,
Carrots and beans.

Hares and Rabbits..

Beat VT to it this morning..he usually says it first. Wonder why we do this? Certainly it is a nicer day today, with bright sun coming through the window this morning,quite dazzling. Still cold out though but there are signs of Spring around. The papers are saying that there are no daffodils about this year though, there are photos of the daffodil fields empty. Since today is St David's day and traditionally the day when daffodils are worn by the Welsh it is quite surprising that there are none around. ours in the garden are nowhere near up and blooming, the barrel that we have in the front garden has just one little snowdrop out..poor little thing.
We went to crosby this morning to get the weekly veggies, and it was really quiet, loads of parking spaces for a change. The shop is still busy though, it's a horrible little Sainsburys. needs to be three times bigger. Trouble is there is no land in Crosby.
VT spent the afternoon dealing with his remote control for his car, which needs to be sent back for further work. he has sent the whole thing off so they can get it right this time. He got a special bag from the post office, and packed it in a box.
The house still looks nice, and the stairs are still clear!! For how long..we shall see.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope,
Beans and carrots
Sliced and fried little potatoes,
Mushrooms in a little sauce.