Wednesday 30 June 2010

It's a hot One..

Absolutely gorgeous today, and the sun is blazing down. Way too bright to go out without sunglasses on today.
Went out to Waitrose this morning to get some things we had run out of. Vt wanted to get a new filter cloth for the cooker hood too, so he left me in Waitrose while he went off. We had run out of some of the crackers we have at the weekend, I like their spelt flatbreads in particular, and they have a really nice smoked oatcake that VT loves so got some of those. And a few other things..so the bill was £38!! terrible shop for impulse buys, you always see things that look appealing. I'm a terrible impulse buyer, but VT goes in with a list in mind and that is what he gets.Much cheaper I know..but there is fun in getting things on impulse.
Jane rang up after lunch and we had a lovely long chat. She is making kedgeree for tea, and was waiting for Rachel to come back with the cream. She was telling me about her course which sounds good, and she is looking forward tostarting college in Sept. She had got the DVD of Lovely Bones last night and she said it is a fantastic film. I read the book ages ago and really enjoyed it and it sounds like the film is as good as the book. We will have to get that at the weekend.
While she was on I was watching the Roger Federer match, and he lost! I am shocked, he was well beaten too, by two sets to one. What a shame..leaves the way clear for Nadal now, and maybe Murray who is playing well at the moment and is winning in straight sets. I do like a bit of tennis, it is about the only sport that I follow with any interest, certainly not football. Isee all the England flags have gone now..wonder why?
Tonight we are having:
Quorn meatballs in tomato and basil sauce,
Wholemeal spaghetti
Carrot batons
A little bit of garlic bread.

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Outing...

Not really. We had our free coffee vouchers to use up for the month in the Ladygreen Nurseries garden centre, so we decided to go and use them. We had a pleasant walk round first, because I was keen to get two more plant pots for beside the front door, but they had sold out. not surprising really because they were very good value.
We went and got our coffees and were hard pressed to find somewhere to sit down. It was heaving with people..and a really popular place nowadays. Coming out i heard my name called eventually after about three times, and I had a nice chat with Judy harriss who I used to teach with at All Saints. She was looking very well and it was nice to see her, I haven't seen her in ages.
VT was looking round while I was chatting, and we then went and had a look at the plants etc., Bought a lovely blue pot that was reduced, I really wanted two of them but they only had one. The plant we bought was called "Coprosma Pacific Night". It just seemed to shout out at us buy me..it is a lovely purply coklour to the leaves, and an evergreen, so went nicely with our new pot. Never heard of them before, but we tend to buy things we like on sight, rather than other shrubs.
VT has spent the afternoon fixing his car aerial which came this morning. It was pushed through the letterbox and landed on the mat. Good job there wasn't a cat in there. He has almost finished but has found that a plug doesn't fit..so he is off to Formby aerial company to get one. Hope they have them. isn't it always the way when you are doing a job..something holds you up.
The Wimbledon is quite good at the moment. The ladies are playing for the semi finals. Venus Williams has just been knocked out by a girl from Bulgaria, and Serena is playing to stay in at the moment.
Tonight we are having:
Not exactly sure actually. Maybe a pasta dish. I have a nice pack of vegetables which I could use,
Second thoughts i might use a jar of sauce..M&S with mushroom Quorn fillets and mushroom
With the vegetables and asparagus and potato croquettes. yes that sound nice.

Monday 28 June 2010

Football all Over..

Great..Good That's terrific news. Now we will get a breather from the so called beautiful game! God knows where they got that name from, it's anything but beautifyul.
Went to the Dr's this morning. Had an appointment for a review at 9 o'clock.Got there about five to and waited about ten minutes. VT parked the car in Sainsbury's car park and came over to join me. She went over the medications I was on, and increased my Primadone to half a tablet instead of a quarter. I mentioned something else i was concerned about, and she asked me some questions then suggested a referral elsewhere. Came out with a load of prescriptions and went to Sainsburys for oyur veggies.Got round there quite quickly actually, and were home by ten o'clock.
VT let the ginger girl out early this morning,and there was no sign of her when we got home, but she had drunk nearly half her water. He always makes sure that there is water for her in our garden, but next doors don't seem to bother leaving anything. Poor little thing, she is a lovely little cat, and our two don't mind her at all, but they don't like ginger B****cks from next door the tother side. he is a bit of a bully that one and chases ours. He goes in the front garden sometimes which our two don't, and he is not too bad out there, but he is trouble when in the back garden. He is called Tom and is a real ginger tom too. The ginger girl is actually called "Cat" but they think she is a boy. He said over the fence one day, when he whad heard me saying..hello pretty girl..that Jan says all ginger cats are boys. They aren't as it happens, but one in three are girls. We had a ginger girl once called Jemima. we got her from an animal rescue, but she was a really tiny little thing, and she had epil;epsy.We had her for quite a long time, then she went missing one day, and we never saw her again. I often wonder what happened to her. We think she had an epileptic fit and didn't recover, but we never found out.
Jane rang up twice today, the first time she was on her lunch break, and the second she was going home because they were quiet so she took her holiday and had the afternoon off. She had her medical appointment last week amd wasn't too happy about that. The appt was for four, then he changed it to five, so they got there by four thirty. to find he was in theatre, and wouldn't be available till six!! So they went out, and came back at six..he eventually came at six thirty. She said it was a very cursary examination, asked her a few questions then said she could go. She said she was only about ten-fifteen minutes. What a shame, because they had made a real effort to get there too. Hope it all goes her way now.
Tonight we are having:
An escalope,
Sliced and fried potatoes,
vegetables mixed.

Sunday 27 June 2010

Oh Dear....

The England football tem don't seem to have done very well at all do they! Thrashed by germany in a 4-1 loss. Personally I am thrilled to bits, I absolutely hate football, and it has been on everything for the last three weeks. totally and utterly boring, and maybe we will see less of it now..I hope. I wonder what will happen to all those England flags now, maybe there will be some funereal pyre and burn them all, and an effigy of Fabio Cappelli on top.
They have mucked about with Corrie for the last three weeks now, and that's not on. Nothing should mess about with Corrie least of all football.
Anyway..beautiful day today, with the faintest of breezes, just enough to dry the washing nicely. Did our crosswords after lunch, VT finished his first, beating me this week, and I caught up a short while later. The big Sunday Mail one he almost finished but was stuck on two film star's names he had to look up. Then we watched the Deal or No Deal and sat outside for a little bit.
He has got the garden looking really nice at the moment, his hanging baskets are gorgeous, and his pots are all doing really well. When everything is in containers, it is a bit of a gmable as to what to put in them and what does well. Spireas do very well, and a lot of them are flowering at the moment too. He went out this morning to see if he could get a new cooker hood filter, and came back with some verbenas. They are pretty little plants and he filled two pots with them.
He is looking after the little ginger girl next door while they are away, and she had disappeared last night, she must have found a little space somewhere. She has been about today though, and he has just said he is going to try and get her in the house tonight because she looks tired. Poor little thing must be lonely. It has been really quiet at the front today, probably because of the football, so there hasn't been much going on for her to see.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce,
Mushrooms, sausage and pineapple
Salad with egg and potato
Potato salad for moi and pasta salad for VT.

Saturday 26 June 2010

Beautiful Day for the Weekend...

What a gorgeous day today, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. The cats are round and about. One is on the bed and the other (Bobby) is in the back garden mooching about. She likes being out in the sun, and is a real sun baby. Rusty not quite so much.
VT went out as is his usual to get a few things, and came back saying the car was too hot. The trouble is, a car is like a mini greenhouse, you could grow tomatoes in there.
Sat out this afternoon, and it was really pleasant with the umbrella up and the sun just coming round. VT is out there again with his cup of tea. he loves a cup of tea outside, must be quite nice. I don't drink tea at all. The last time I had a cup of tea was when Jane was born, almost 27years ago, and it was all they were offering in the hospital. Never really liked the taste at all.
Just watching Nadal at Wimbledon..over three hours of top class playing and five sets, they must be exhausted in this heat. They certainly earn their money.
VT is looking after the little ginger girl next door. They have gone away to London. He thinks she is a bit under the weather, and has a bit of a cough, but he will keep his eye on her. She has been sleeping in our front garden, but has gone off somewhere now.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese vegetable spring rolls,
1/2 packet of rice
Stir fry vegetables,
Lemon sauce.

Friday 25 June 2010

Just Heard...

On the radio..on Steve Wright in the afternoon..a factoid. Which insect never sleeps?
The ant!!
How in God's name does anyone ever know that..who has done research to find that ou? Good grief.
We had a coupon from our shopping last week from Sainsburys..spend £30 get £3 off, so it was decided that we would go over there to get our weekend things. Straight in and no coffeeso got round quite quickly. Did the usual shopping and got what we needed for the weekend meals, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A few things we had run out of and a couple of offers..Nescafe Parisienne coffee buy one get one free, and I like that coffee.VT spotted some reduced ground Taylors coffee toos so got that. no frozen food veggie..the freezers were all empty, so it is a good job we had some hot dog sausages in our freezer. I reckon we could restock Saqinsburys with the contents of our freezer!
Haagen Daz on offer 1.99 so got a vanilla..couldn't resist.
Then...we drove to a quiet corner of the vast carpark and had our own coffee which VT had taken with us. Lovely it was too, and we reckoned it saved us £3.65 !
Just before we went this morning, VT emptied the contents of our Heinz meanz Beanz tin which is the large one, that we fill with small change, pennies two pence and small silver ones. He emptied it into their coin machine, and there was £29.90 in it. It was full to bursting though. You get a voucher so we used that with our shopping, and I have put the equivalent amount of money in our savings box that we use for our holidays..that is if we go on one.!!
Petrol on the way home £30 so spent a bit today.
VT has ordered his new car aerial on E-Bay and save a bit on the price of the Toyota one. They charge the Earth.
Warmed up this afternoon, and the sun is blazing through the windows at the back of the house.

Thursday 24 June 2010

Quiet day

Today we had a quiet day. VT did a lot of recyckling..it is amazing where it comes from actually. He does plastic and tins and bottles, and although we don't seem to use a lot, there is a lot of packaging. If you buy a pack of pears for example, there is a plastic film over cover,a plastic tray underneath and another on top. All just for four pears! mad really.
I sorted through some magazines and VT cleared them away,then messed about on the computer. Didn't do much today at all but that doesn't matter. Who cares.
Watched the Andy Murray match for a bit this afternoon with the Queen there..first time at Wimbledon for 33 years. Good job it was a short match, the poor woman had to sit there in all her finery through it all.
Tonight we are having:
pasta with butternut squash and sweet potato, and spinach.
Maybe a bit of garlic bread.

Wednesday 23 June 2010

They've Got Me!!

VT has been getting at me for absolutely ages to go and get my prescription review done. He goes over to the chemist to get all my pills (Bless him) and for a long while there have been big notices on my repeat prescriptions to go for a review. Don't like going there so put it off ..but no longer. Phone call this morning from the surgery, that they have heard from the hospital after my clinic visit on Monday, and I have a prescription for antibiotics to collect, so I made an appointment for Monday to go..9o'clock. That should keep him happy for a bit now!
We were intending to go to the garden centre to get our free coffees for June this morning, but I said we could do with some more veg for the next couple of days. The stuff we got on Monday from Sainsbury's was dreadful..they hardly had any stock. I wish there was a good farm shop near to us, with decent fruits and vegetables.. like the one at Farrington Gurney near Bath that we go to when we are on holiday. That is a lovely farm shop with loads of interesting produce..nothing like that round here unfortunately.
England's big match this afternoon, at the time of typing they are 1-0 up. God help us if they get through to the next round..it's bad enough as it is.
We went to Waitrose this morning..at least they have good veg, even if it is expensive. got a few more basics, and a nice salad for tea. I have an avocado pear left from the weekend so will use that up. Got the cats some chicken, so they will be happy, and came home for coffee.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and onion quiche..
Egg and potato salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes,
Coronation rice salad.

Tuesday 22 June 2010

Wimbledon..

Just about the only sporting fixture that I enjoy. I have always loved watching the tennis, and have watched Wimbledon over the years. Saw roger Federer yesterday in a bit of a worrying match against an unknown chap and he was two sets down at one point, but pulled back to win. i suppose Andy Murray will come along soon and the shouting will start..it was bad enough with Tim henman, it is a lot worse with Andy Murray. Nadal is playing todday, he is looking good.
Stopped in today, did the cooker this morning, and the ironing of the bed linen. trying to get the creases out of that is quite a job, but well worth it.
Gorgeous hot day today, the sky is blue and the sun is shining. Callers this morning..the Jehovahs Witnesses, and someone from an animal charity. VT already donates to the IWF so he does his bit. He said to me "You don't donate to any charity do you" so I said I do give quite a lot to the charity shops which is a form of giving I thought. I tend to give books and decent clothes that have got too big so they should get something for those.
VT is in the garden doing a bit of pottering..in fact he has just come up to say that he has had Rusty sat next to him on the seat. That cat adores him, and will follow him anywhere.
Jane rang up just before lunch to say she wanted to go to Florida!! We said save up..she said what with?
I worked twenty years before we went to florida..the first time we went, I had an endowment policy that had matured and we used that to pay for it. We stayed in a crummy motel next to the Florida Orange on Kissimmee drive, and we had crummy doughnuts every morning and apple juice. But it was the most fantastic holiday, everything was new to us, and so exciting. Wonderful.
Can't see us going anywhere this year, we don't seem to be moving at all.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages and mashed potatoes..might make it into a toad in the hole.
Mushroom gravy.

Monday 21 June 2010

Up Early..

Up very early for us actually. i had an appointment at walton for nine o'clock so we had to leave the house by eightish. this meant getting up at seven, but Bobby came on the bed to annoy me with her whisker torture at first light so I was already awakish. I asked VT what time it was and he said five..night night. I got Bobby a bit comfortable and dozed off again fitfully as they say.
Up and going by seven though, even before the alarm went off.
the traffic wasn't bad actually, the normal spots that are usually jammed weren't, so we made good time and were there for a quarter to nine. £1 to park which is ok, I expec6t it will be a lot more when the clinic moves to Fazackerley later in the year.
I seemed to be ages waiting for the first bits, where they take your blood pressure, weight and blood, but eventually got in. Didn't make a comment about my weight so must be ok.
the Dr was quite nice, an Indian man but very polite and thorough. VT nearly got to go in as well..God Forbid!!! he has been in once with me to the Dieticians clinic, and that was terrible..he didn't leave me alone after that..you can't have that you can't have this..drove me mad. He is well meaning..but just nosey, wants to know everything.
The doc mentioned a urinary infection said maybe it needed looking into, and upped one of my pills by a dose. Had a poke about my feet, and asked the usual question about my missing toe. We were out by 10ish.
over to Sainsbury's, just across the main road, to get out weekly veggies and a cup of coffee before we got going. Great big cups there, too big for me, and it is very strong coffee too. they have little squirty tubes of milk which go everywhere when you open them, horrible. maybe we should have taken our own.Certainly a lot cheaper.
Home in time for another cup of coffee, but a baby one in our little espresso cups.
Bobby and Rusty were both around when we got home, and the little ginger girl came out to greet the car when it arrived. It's a lovely little cat that one..always comes out to us when the car drives up, she knows she will get some biscuits I suppose.
Just watched Roger federer at Wimbledon, came from two sets to love down to win, three sets to two. He's such a lovely player, hope he does well.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope of some sort, maybe lemon and black pepper,
Squashed new potatoes
mixed vegetables,
bread sauce.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Father's Day..

Jane sent her Dad a card, which is unusual for her. She has written on the card..this is not a cheap card..it is not from Poundland, and it cost more than a pound too! Aaaah Bless.
It's a lovely sunny day today and we sat outside for a long time this morning. It was really pleasant, the sun comes round the back of the house about lunch time and it gets quite hot then. The little cats were in and out, one of them was trying to get a nice comfy shady spot in amongst the plant pots, and the other went back inside to the shade. They both came inside for their chicken at half past one though!
VT decided that he would stay in today, and pottered in the garden instead. We did the crosswords after lunch, and I did mine quite quickly, but VT did the big MOS one in record time, and only had to look up two clues on the computer. his brain is getting really quick, and he fills in the answers with no trouble today at all.
He is presently in the garden with a big mug of tea, We have done the pizza dough in the machine, and are ready to go.
Tonight we are having:
pizza with our tomato sauce,pportobello mushrooms pineapple
meatfree sausage pepper
Salad with egg and potato
Potato salad for moi and spinach and pesto salad for VT

Saturday 19 June 2010

Sunny Saturday..

Nice leisurely start to the day with VT getting the papers. not that there is too much in them. Mostly about the disasterous England game last night..a 0-0 draw against Algeria who they were supposed to beat hands down. i love it..a bit of conflict. now the fans are saying the team is overpaid and not doing their job. Could have told them that years ago.
VT went out this morning and came back with some nice little chrysanthemums to fill a couple of pots he has empty. I thought it was a bit cool this morning, but it has cleared up beautifully, and the sun is quite hot now. Very nice sat outside in the sunshine under the umbrella. Bobby was mooching around the garden, but Rusty was upstairs on the bed all curled up in a ball tired out.
Tonight we are having:
A weightwatchers curry sauce with Quorn tikka fillets and mushrooms
1/2 a packet of rice
Stir fry vegetables.

Friday 18 June 2010

Football...

England flags everywhere..even the woman in the cafe we go to in Ormskirk had football earrings on. Wall to wall football on television, hours of it tonight on ITV, and no Corrie. I think they should stop the match and show Corrie in the middle.
We went over to
Ormskirk for our weekend things today. It was either that or Asda, so we opted for Ormskirk. had a bit of a look round in the usual shops.Bought a nice pair of navy trousers in Bon marche, and a few things in Superdrug. Went for our coffee in our little cafe,then to M&S. England World cup foods on display there too. Beers, and snacks etc..yawn yawn! Even delia's recipe for Waitrose is a football one..prawns in some sort of sauce..horrible.
VT came in the other night from posting a letter, and he said that nextdoors lights were on, one upstairs watching the television and the other downstairs watching the football. i said she was probably watching Desperate Housewives. I think that is the answer, seperate televisions.
Came back at lunchtime to find a note that a parcel had been delivered. it was the L'occitane soaps for men that I had ordered for VT. I do have to say they are gorgeous, the scents are just beautiful, and very classy. if i won the Lottery i would have my bathroom full of L'occitane products..dream on.
Tonight we are having:
Pasties from the freezer from Waitrose
Quick and simple.

Thursday 17 June 2010

Recovery!!

Usually, the day after we go to the Cheshire Oaks we have a stay in day. It's quite a lot of driving and walking around, and since VT does all the driving he needs a breather. I had bought a lot of tins of tomatoes from various places during the past few weeks, so we dicided to make our bqatch of tomato sauce for our pizzas. I got some quite cheap ones from Lidl last week 39p a tin so used some of those. They were a bit thinner than the more expensive brands but fine for what we were doiing.
We used our very big pan,
Tomato sauce
5 tins of chopped tomatoes tomatoes
one chopped red onion
A good spoonful of Italian herbs
A tsp of sugar,
A very good squirt of tomato puree
A very good squirt of garlic puree
Some seasoning
A teaspoon of bouillon powder.
Then you simply let it simmer for hours until it is thick and reduced. Leave it to cool, we put it into a sink of cold water, then pot it up. We use the little tubs that we used to get baby mozzarella balls in because they stack very well in the freezer.
Perfect. We get between 10-12 pots so that does us about three months. The downside is that the house smells like an Italian restaurant for hours afterwards..so it's on with the Yankee candle air fresheners.
I waxed my hair this morning with my OJON wax..it's a great conditioner, but smells horrible, but you do get used to it. Then a lovely bath this afternoon with my book and my candles..Bliss..it's great this retirement lark!
VT has spent ages on the front garden this morning..weeding etc and it's loking great now. Really tidy. Don't think ke wore his hat though. He got a lovely straw hat yesterday from the M&S outlet store, and it makes him look very distinguished indeed.
Tonight we are having:
Cheesy kievs meatfree,
Squashed potatoes
Mixed vegetables.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Our Day Out..

We were up and moving early this morning, because we had decided to go to the Cheshire Oaks. it is ages since we have been there, about March I think. Verywarm day, and it was quiet when we got there at 10 o'clock..we parked in our usual place. it is arranged in a convenient circle, so we park on the far side and aim to walk all around the circle of it.
Had a fright because my perfume shop had closed, but VT spotted a norice which said it had moved to another site further along, so that was ok. They didn't however have my perfume so I got another..hope it is alright. I'm funny with scents, they have to be a bit spicy. I am very fond of Origins Ginger essence which is lovely, and I've nearly run out. BooHoo.
got to costa Coffee and we had a break there. Loads outside but it was a bit bright so we had ours inside. VT had a soya latte and I had a small Americano. Then round to M&S mens and womens.,.two separate shops. VT was after a new panama hat for the garden, and they had some there so he chose one of those, and i got a new fitted undersheet for the bed. Really exciting shopping!
Went round to the other shops and into Past Times. Like looking round there, they usually have something nice. Pret a Manger for lunch, I had emmenthal cheese with salad and mustard dressing, VT had falafel and humous. Then a bit more browsing in some other shops and homeward bound. I got a few things I fancied, and VT got his hat so a good day out.
Little cats waiting when we got home..not for us I think more for their chicken which was an hour and a half late!!!
Gorgeous sunny day today, really warm and dry.
Tonight we are having:
Toad in the hole with quorn sausages
Cabbage and leek steamed then stir fried with mushrooms,
Maybe a few potatoes.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

In Which we Both get Hair Dos....

Had to get up reasonably early this morning because I had an appointment at the hairdressers for 10o'clock.Beautiful sunny day, with clear blue skies today. VT had to return a book to the library because it was needed bby someone else, but now you can take them back to any library in Sefton. So, he said he could take it back to Formby which is anly a couple of minutes from my hairdressers. On the way he said he wasn't sure whether to get his hair cut, but when we arrived his barbers was busy so he didn't bother. My hair takes about 40 mins..nice cut, it was getting really straggly, and the girl that does it..Laura..does a really good job, just how I like it.
Came out, and VT said his barbers was empty, so I said I'd wait for him while he had his done. He came out about ten minutes later with a really short do..it's all short and feely at the back..dead sexy!
We decided to go to the garden centre to get some plants for the barrel in the front garden which has had the daffodils in. There are two garden centres next to each other in Ince Blundell. One is a good old fashioned one with just plants shrubs and other garden things, the other is poncey with the coffee shop and gift shop etc etc. We went to the first one, and got the silver ones, but he didn't have any bedding geraniums so we had to go to the poncey one for those. The first garden centre had a fire engine in the park, some woman had gone through their wall and all but demolished it..put her foot on the wrong pedal apparently.Made a reall mess.
When we had got our plants at the poncey one, I said shall we get a cup of coffee? VT went into grumpy mode, and said I don't like their coffee..well it's good enough when he has the free vouchers. He said I haven't got the vouchers..so it was home for coffee instead.
VT did the barrel after that, and made a really good job of it too. We had bought some trailing geraniums today, so will see how those do, haven't used those before in the barrel.Should be silver, with lilac and white geraniums for a change. VT said we should do a white one with a red cross in the middle..I think he was joking!!
Tonight we are having..
Pasta bake with asparagus and baby tomatoes with field mushrooms .
Maybe a bit of garlic bread.

Monday 14 June 2010

This is The Big Thousand...

Just noticed, yesterday's post was 999 so this one must be the Tghousandnth one. Fancy that.. well I have lasted longer than poor Gordon Brown. My postings started the day he became Prime Minister.The original idea was to keep a sort of diary to monitor our Healthy Eating Plan. That was actually quite successful because we both ditched the fats and oils and ate more healthily. We have had a few setbacks, but on the whole it has proved to be quite good. The idea was to post what we were having for our evening meals each night as a sort of record, a daily diary mostly. Some of the things we started doing we still do, like weighing potatoes and pasta and only having a set portion of rice. I don't use olive oil any more or spreads and try to find low fat versions of things, so not doing too badly.
This morning we nipped into Crosby to Sainsbury's, you get 1/2 an hour free parking so that limits how long you browse for. We were home in time for coffee . VT went out to feed the ginger girl next door, we leave some biscuits in a bowl on our doorstep, and came back and said there was a frog on the doorstep. The ginger girl was of course waiting..so VT came in and got a box took it out and coaxed the frog into it and took it through to the back where he let it go. I wonder which pond that had come from? Poor little thing, at least it won't be some cats dinner.
Quite cold again today, VT said last night that in the paper it was the same temperature as Perth in Australia, and it is coming up to their winter!
I had my jacket on but there were people in summer tops kidding themselves the weather is warmer.
Made an appointment to get my hair cut tomorrow at ten o'clock, it needs doing too, must be ages since I had it done, it's getting all straggly at the ends. Might make some tomato sauce then, or leave it till Thursday. Could do with going to The Cheshire Oaks this week, its ages since we were there.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and Broccoli escalopes,
Sliced and sauteed field mushrooms
Squashed potatoes
Carrots and fine beans.

Sunday 13 June 2010

It Must be Summer!

I have got a sweater on and it is really grey, rainy and cold, and very dark in the house. Poured down this afternoon,so VT couldn't go out and sit outside with his cup of tea. He said at lunchtime it's raining, and I said it couldn't be because Bobby was just sitting there in front of their hut. They hate the rain and she would have dashed inside it for shelter. She came in a few minutes later..soaked..so VT dried her off, gave her some cat food, and she disappeared off to bed probably. Did it for attention I bet.
He went out this morning, but wasn't long..nothing doing he said. I have been working on my Sourdough starters for a few days now. My one from the fridge was looking decidedly iffy, with a very nasty smelling hooch on top. But, slowly and surely I have fed it, and seem to have rescued it so it is at last getting bubbles on the surface.
My other container was made from my dried flakes that I have been storing for a long while. They started bubbling within a few days, so we decided to make a Sourdough loaf this morning using those. Triumph..it has risen beautifully. I make the dough in the bread machine using the dfough cycle only, then take it out when that is done. Put the dough on the work surface and do the folding, envelope style about four or five times with a good rest in between each. Then turn it into my loaf tin and leave to rise. This can take a few hours, but it didn't let me down and we now have one beautiful Sourdough loaf sitting on the surface.

It is good to get baking again. There was a picture of a Sourdough loaf in the paper last week for £21!!! Good grief..Couldn't believe it.
After making the loaf, we made the pizza dough for this evening. That seems like something out of the Day of the Triffids, it is growing over the top of the bowl about three times. VT will make that into our Sunday pizza later.

Today we did the crosswords in what seems like record time..VT didn't have to use the computer much at all.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauc
Mushrooms, pepper, mozzarella, herbs and pineapple and sausage (meatfree)
potato salad and pasta salad
egg and potao salad and avocado.

Saturday 12 June 2010

Wall to Wall...

FOOTBALL!
Horrible. Someone last night was calling it "The beautiful game!" Personally I can't see anything beautiful about football. There is a picture of Wayne Rooney on the front of the TV Magazine this week, and he is almost snarling.. showing horrible little teeth, and the stubble that men seem to favour nowadays. Just gross.. Whilst England are still in it of course there is nothing but it on both channels, and what there isn't is repeats. We shall have to fall back on recorded things .
Quite a nice day today, VT went off to get some stuff from Maghull, then came home for lunch. We sat out this afternoon, but it was actually quite blowy, then he took the umbrella down and the sun came round and it warmed up.
Little Rusty seems a bit under the weather today, she is very quiet, and doesn't seem interested in her treats.At the moment she is curled up on Janes bed like a little furry ball. Best left alone and she will come round. Bobby is mooching around the garden, she loves it out there, and doesn't go much further than that. She has taken to going on next doors shed roof, which is flat and sunny and she seems to like it up there for a while.


We watched a shortish programme this afternoon on one of the Sky channels about cats. It was called Cats of ClawHill and showed with a Desperate Housewives style commentary the life of a group of cats in one particular road. Very entertaining too. I think it is a series so will have to remember next week.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese..Spring Rolls
1/2 a packet of rice
Stir fry vegetables
Lemon sauce

Friday 11 June 2010

Next...

Awoke fairly early so decided to go over to Walton to the Sainsburys there. the nearest one to us is in Crosby, and it is so tiny if you get two trolleys up an aisle there is a gridlock. The Walton one is a really good size, and the parking is easy. Next door there is a Next outlet store, and we went in to have a look today. VT was looking for a new hat for the garden, the one he had fell to pieces last year. They didn't have any, but he did spot some socks! last of the big spenders my VT. I had a quick look around, saw some dreadful clothing, very badly made and had a look at the home and wear section. I was looking out for a new sheet for the bed to go under our cotton sheets, but they only had bed sets.
Went to Sainsburys for our weekend things, and there is football stuff everywhere..yawn yawn.. football products and beer promotions.. Awful. Roll on Wimbledon.
Home for lunch and football on the news as well!! it seems that there is going to be no escape from it at all for the next few weeks.

The babies are waiting for us when we get home. it could be that it has something to do with the fact that they get a bit of chopped chicken every day at about 1.20..Now they are both asleep. Bobby is outside with VT and Rusty is upstairs with me all curled up on Jane's bed.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Beans for moi and mushy peas for VT
Chips 200 grms.

Thursday 10 June 2010

Pineapple..

Last night's pineapple dish was a triumph. VT had bought the pineapple earlier on in the week because he had seen a dish in one of the weekend magazines he fancied doing. it was really a barbecue dish, but the weather was definitely not up to that last night so he did it indoors. We haave a griddle pan, which gets very little use because of course we don't have meat or fish, and don't really bother doing vegetables on it. So that got dug out of its hiding place in the cupboard under the stairs and utilised for this dish.VT sliced the pineapple, the first time he had done that, and I think he was surprised just how much you have to take off the skin before you get to the flesh.
While he was griddling the pineapple I made the toffee sauce which was to die for actually. He griddled it beautifully and got some lovely charred marks on the flesh, so it looked good on the plate. Totally delicious, and would be great done on the barbecue if so inclined.

Delicious....
Today he went off to Formby, mainly to the bank, he is moving money around to get a bit more interest..Fat chance these days. No money in saving. it's a pity we didn't put our savings into gold years ago..that would have been worth a bit nowadays.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages(Quorn)
Vegetables in a gratin with potatoes etc.

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Coupons!

The only trouble with coupons is that they encourage you to spend them! i know that is the idea but that is not the point. You get a coupon, and you just have to go and use them. We went to Ormskirk today, and it was really quite quiet. the kids have gone back to school so there was just the odd one around. i always find myself looking at them and thinking they should be in school...I get my teacher hat on then. There was a feel of rain in the air this morning, but it kept off till we got home actually.
I had a coupon for Superdrug so went in there and stocked up on items that I needed and a few I didn't like a lovely new purple eye shadow and brush! Then went into Bon Marche to get some new Sloggies with £2 off so good value. Didn't see anything else there I fancied so was restrained today.
Had a cup of coffee in our usual cafe, and got a few things from M&S, then home for lunch. The little cats were waiting for their chicken by the time we got home. They have 1/2 a chicken breast every day at lunchtime for their treat, and I usually chop it up very small for them to make it look more! Bobby sits at my feet while I do that, and then I say Come on Hoppy, because when I go to put the chicken down on the floor for her she gives a little hop ..Bless!
VT has just done a free valuation on the internet for his car, and said guess how much it is worth? Then he said £95!!!!! Stupid..it's a fantastic car, he has had from new, always had serviced and kept it going with new tyres and everything. Where do they get these valuations from? Stupid.
Tonight we are having:
Roasted tomato and onion tart from Waitrose,
Spinach and Pasta salad and egg and potato salad,
VT has seen a recipe for griddled pineapple with a toffee sauce in a magazine. he has bought the pineapple, and the cream and we got the dark brown sugar this morning, so we are having that for a pudding tonight. Real treat.

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Low Cost Day..

Stayed in that's why. Didn't go out so didn't spend any dosh. Apart from getting a couple of things from the local shop spent nothing.
VT was sorting out a load of newspapers and magazines this morning and has a huge big pile of them to go to the recycling bins. He came back saying the plastic one was full, and wouldn't take any more. Suppose it's all those big plastic bottles for soft drinks. Mind you we go through a few of those in a week, with diet lemonade and bottled water.VT likes the sparkling water with his spritzer.I have diet lemonade with mine. Gone are the days when we used to have a glass of wine or two with our evening meals, now it is a dribble at the bottom of the glass!
I did a pile of ironing this morning, chiefly the bedding. That takes a lot of ironing, but it is worth it for the luxury of Egyptian cotton on the bed. The only disadvantage is that you don't want to get up in the morning!
I got an email this morning from Lynn of Lynns cooking Blog. It was about my Sourdough, which is funny because I was just thinking about my starter last night watching a programme about a bakery in London. I don't do as much Sourdough making in the warmer weather, and it is easy to forget the starterm and to keep it going. So i took it out of the fridge and it is quite vinegary, so have put some flour and bottled water ito that and will see how that goes. I've also begun another lot with some starter flakes that I had kept so will get those going in a couple of days. I love making Sourdough actually, and there are so many really nice breads that you can make.

I tend to make a normal loaf mainly because we like to use the bread for sandwiches and toast, and the round loaves don't suit us. When I get the starter flakes going again I will send her some with the information, and away you go.
VT is in the garden this afternoon while the rain keeps off, it is the green bin this week, and he likes to get it used.
Tonight we are having:
Lamb grills (Quorn)
Mashed potatoes Madeira wine gravy,
Cabbage in a creamed sauce with mushrooms.

Monday 7 June 2010

1/2 hour Shopping!

VT suggested that we go to Crosby to get our Monday veggies. The thinkibng behind that is that we can park for free for just a 1/2 hour, so that is a quick whizz round Sainsbury's then home in time for coffee. It was much quieter today mainly because the kids have gone back,didn't have to wait long for a change.
Got a good range of veggies, and a few things we had run out oflike drinks etc.
Weather is dull today with a bit of light rain about lunch time. Little Bobby was asleep on the garden table and has come in wet on one side. It is supposed to be a lot cooler tomorrow too. I suppose the next thing will be a hosepipe ban!!!
Item in the news today about two babies that have been attacked by a fox in London. the parents were watching television with their back door open and a fox has slipped in and got up to the babie's room and attacked them. The parents heard the babies screaming and found the fox in the room. The babies are said to be serious but stable today in hospital. What a thing to happen, I have never heard of that before ever. The poor parents must be distraught.
Phew...just had a blip with this post. Must have pressed some button somewhere and the post disappeared. Couldn't seem to get it back at all, but eventually found a page which said edit posts so I clicked on that and lo and behold it appeared. I hate it when that happens.
Tonight we are having:
Mozzare3lla and pesto escalopes
Mushroom sauce
Carrots and beans
Squashed potatoes.

Sunday 6 June 2010

Sunday is Washday..

In our house nowadays. it just seems the right day to do it somehow. We get the bedding done in two washloads and VT hung the first lot out to dry. it wasn't out very long when it started to drizzle, then it teemed down, so it was the tumble dryer for us. takes quite a while for it to dry, and you have to keep pulling it out and getting it free from the large ball that it makes then shove it back again. eventually it dries. ironing will come on Tuesday becaus thankfully I have a spare set to use today.
VT went out to Crosby, there was an offer in one of the papers for a free tub of Pringles so he went in search of those. he loves a freebie does VT.
Cleared up this afternoon and the sun came out, next door's have got their washing on their line blowing away in the breeze. He is washing his car at the moment, it is bound to rain again!
We did the crosswords this afternoon, and VT who usually finishes before me was havuing trouble today, I finished well before him. Does give you a bit of self satisfaction does that, but his is harder, it is more general knowledge. He uses a small crossword machine which has the Encyclopaedia brittanica on it and gets a lot of the answers that way. My one doesn't have that, but it does have the dictionary and solver and thesaraus. very clever machines these days.
Tonight we are having:
pizza with tomato sauce..(we need to make some more)
Salad with egg and potato
Potato salad for moi and rice salad for VT
Mushrooms and meatfree pepperoni and pineapple on top of the pizza.
There was an article in one of the magazines at the weekend about woodfired pizza oven..love one of those.

Saturday 5 June 2010

Pleasant Day...

Jane rang us up this morning so had a nice long chat with her. She has a lot on the go at the moment, and has just got her ShowSec job at Manchester Arena, so will be aiming to do some shifts there. Apparently the opay is quite good at about £10 an hour so it will keep her going when she is at college.
VT went out to Maghull to get a few things,and came back with two nice plants for the garden pots. We had a really nice pot..somewhat Grecian in appearance that had had a Cordyline in it, but the frost had got it this winter, so it had dropped off. He spent ages yesterday pulling it out of the pot, and it left a really nice plant pot actually. He came back with a Pelargonium which has good pinky purple flowers and looks really pretty.
We had a long sit out in the garden after lunch with our coffees, really pleasant. The sun wasn't too hot, and there was a gentle breeze. Little Bobby was mooching about and kept flopping down in sunny spots. She is a real sun baby is Bobby, and usually ends up on one of our chairs.

Later on it began to cloud over a little so we came in to get a cup of something..VT has tea and I have a black coffee. We watched the Great British Menu that I had recorded from last night. it was the actual banquet and was an interesting programme.One of the chefs cooking was from the North West so it made it quite local as well.
Tonight we are having:
Tacos from Mexico...
Chilli with Quorn in taco trays,
Dip, salsa and guacamole.grated cheese and shredded lettuce.

Friday 4 June 2010

Overslept..

This morning I woke up earlyish, and got up to go to the bathroom. Got back in bed and VT said it's 7o'clock night night..and we both turned over to have a few more minutes. next thing we knew he was saying it's half past ten! couldn't bel;ieve it..three more hours and it only felt like about half an hour.We must have been really comfy. I blame the bedding, all that egyptian cotton.
So, while we had planned to go over to Ormskirk to get our shopping at Morrisons, we decided to go to Formby since it was quicker. Hence we ended up at Waitrose. it wasn't very busy actually, I thought it would be crowded because it is half term, but we parked right outside. We got round quite quickly, and got a good range of salads etc.,It is undoubtably an expensive shop, we didn't get a huge amount of things and the bill came to £40.44 I was quite surprised. If we had gone to Asda or Morrisons, you would have got a lot more for your money than that.
By the way, we were going to have a pasta bake with asparagus last night, but when I got the Lidl asparagus out of the fridge it was decidedly smelly, and brown slimy on the tips.NOt so cheap after all! Very disappointing Lidl. We had pasta bake with Quorn meatballs instead, and it was very tasty.
Home in time for a coffee, and a nice sandwich lunch. VT is in the garden pootling about, and I am up here Pootling too.
Very warm today, really quite close,but the weather says rain later. Might do it had clouded over now.
Tonight we are having:
Pasties from Waitrose,
Peach, one remaining one each and a bit of ice cream.

Thursday 3 June 2010

One of Thoses Days...

When you don't do a huge amount..but, VT did a lot of bits and pieces in the garden. I had actually planned to do some ironing, but it turned out that there was very little, just a few things to be folded and a pair of trousers to be foleded also and that was it. I did do the brasses on the front door whch were getting quite discoloured after the rain earlier in the week, and VT took some nice planters round to the front, so that is looking quite nice now. He is good with planters . Some of them have gone in the frost, despite us buying frost proof ones,great cracks down the length of the pot. Thing is you can;t tell which would go
, he found one this morning that was a really thick earthenware one, and that had totally gone, yet there are small ones that are perfectly fine.
The news today was all of the shootings in Cumbria. 12 people dead and many injured, three critical in hospital. it seems that Cumbria has had its fair share of misery this year, with the floods last year, and a coach crash that killed three people last week and now this. Some of the stories are terrible.
Tonight we are having:
pasta bake with asparagus.
Maybe a bit of garlic bread.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

In which we were amused by some Chickens..

We went out this morning, because VT wanted to get some plants for his two hanging baskets. One for the front and the other for the back outside the kitchen window. So we went to Dobbies, then we could get our free coffees as well. Method in the madness!
Gorgeous day today,really warm and sunny. Dobbies was quite quiet, we thought it would be busy with kids but it wasn't at all. VT suggested we had our coffees outside, so we did, sat under an umbrella in front of a nice display with grasses shrubs and a rowing boat. really lovely. then he pointed out there were chickens on the other side, and a cockerel started crowing! It seemed every time VT opened his mouth it crowed..and what a crow. it sounded like he had a sore throat and needed some throat sweets. it was a sort of cockle doodle squawk! hilarious..kept us amused for ages. We had a mooch round the gardens and ended up at the chickens. they were for sale £35 each..quite nice colours all a bit different. there was one little one that was being picked on by the others poor little thing. i would have had that one. It had a little friend a lovely white fluffy one and they would have made a nice pair.
Came back via waitrose to get some potatoes, and also some ice cream to go with our peaches in brandy that we have got left. They had an offer on Green and Blacks two for £5 so we got those. One vanilla and one vanilla and raspberry swirl. Mmmm.
VT is in the garden planting his baskets now, the cats are prowling around, including the ginger girl next door, but Rusty is up here on the bed all curled up in the shade.
Tonight we are having:
pea mint and feta tartlet from Waitrose..two packs for £5.
Small tin of spaghetti to go with
A few little new potatoes.
Peaches in brandy and ice cream yum yum.

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Hares and Rabbits

Yet another month approaches..we are now into June. It came in with a wet dark and rainy start, not exactly June weather.
We went over to Maghull, because I had seen an advert in the paper at the weekend for a mobile phone with large numbers for £39.99. They are usually a lot more expensive than that, so we went to the Lidl store to see them. Bit cheesed off actually because they didn't have any!!!! they probably only have two in each store! It seems I am destined not to have a mobile phone at all.
It is a store I haven't been in for years, mainly because it is well out of the way for us, but I was surprised at the price of some things. they had diet lemonade for 18p a 2litre bottle!!. VT did a taste test when we were having our lunch, and I couldn't tell the difference between that and Shweppes at about 80p a bottle! We got some veggies there..not a huge range I have to say, but mushrooms were good, and vine tomatoes excellent for £1.20. Wouldn't like to do my main shop there but not bad for the few things like tinned tomatoes at 31p a tin.
We then went to Morrisons on our way back, and the car park was heaving..VT drove round twice, and couldn't find a parking space, so i said forget it and we came home. So, they lost our business today. Maybe it is after the bank holiday, or the half term, but it was certainly busy.
So, we came home for a cup of coffee instead.
It has cleared up now, and the sun is shining, everywhere looks nice and green after the rain. The cats are asleep all curled up, full of their chicken, and in the sunshine. They look mega peaceful.
Tonight we are having:
Garlic kievs meatfree,
Sliced fried new potatoes in fry light
Carrots and peas
Mushrooms in a light sauce.