Thursday 29 July 2010

Man at Work...and Work in Progress..

Wow..when VT gets going he really gets going. He has started work on the Extension/Dining Room. He cleared everything out this morning, took down the curtain pole and the big door curtain and we washed that. He has vacuumred down all the brickwork, which he said was quite dusty, and sugar soaped the varnish work. The brickwork didn't look dusty to me, but then I can't see it that well. He has taken out the clutter, and it is amazing how much bigger the room seemsnow. An old estate agents trick isn't it..remove all clutter. The carpet people are due next Thursday, so that will be good.
Otherwise a quiet day today, no callers and no phone calls either..not a lot of news either today..even the papers are not reporting much.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta bake with mixed vegetables and asparagus.
A bit of garlic bread.
Short and sweet today!!

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Taken out for Coffee..

Ooh what a treat..well it was a free one. Via the garden centre of course. trying to get them in before the month runs out. Hugely busy, and incredibly noisy too..you could hardly hear yourself think, let alone have a conversation. We got a table by the till..and i wouldn't mind winning that for half an hour..Terrific business, a right little goldmine as they say. Saw an older man walking past with a tray, with two glasses of wine on it. VT said later that a glass of wine was £2.75. Then the cost of the meal on top of that. Place was full of older people..it seems to be the older ones that have the money these days.
Before we went there we went into Formby and got caught in the rain nearly. I wanted to get some salads from M&S, but really wanted to get a look at the new Holland and Barratt. Unfortunately it wasn't open yet, but looks like it won't be too long. VT got his Polyfilla, anyway, so he was quite happy. He did the ceiling this afternoon, and he has now gone out to get some filler for around the window. he has just rung up actually to say that Homebase has some runners that would do in Jane's room, under the computer chair. that takes a bit of wear, so should protect the carpet a bit. Now...if we could keep Bobby white hair out of here that would be good. but, I wouldn't dream of keeping our cats out of anywhere. Just as I type that, littleRusty jumped up on my knee, and balances therewobbling as I move. Sweet.. She has such a lovely way with her, such a sweet cat. Never does anything wrong, and totally adores VT. Will follow him everywhere, and perches on his chest while he reads the paper. It's amazing how much love a little animal gives you.

Here she is..what a treasure...Bobby is too of course.
Tonight we are having:
Cheesy garlic kievs
Squashed potatoes
Mixed vegetables with mushrooms.

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Blind!

Chasing the blind today. Window blind that is. With VT doing over the dining room extension, he has decided that we need a new blind for the window. It is a large window, and gets full sun from early afternoon onwards so you doneed something to keep the light out. We went into Formby first to get the curtains back from the dry cleaners. They have turned out beautifully, even the tie backs which the man said might go floppy. They didn't. Then we went to Homebase. Passed the old Julian Graves shop on the way, which has been transformed into a Holland and Barratt!! What a surprise.Didn't know that was happening. I think that will do better than Julian graves.
Homebase was really disappointing. First we had a big trawl round the shop looking for blinds and eventually found them. No large blinds to speak of..very boring. A few cream coloured ones, and some bamboo ones and venetian ones that were not suitable, so we gave that up as a bad job. We will have to look elsewhere. At least VT got his clear varnish for the skirting boards and his pot of white paint for the ceiling, so didn't come away e4mpty handed. the paint was on sale so that was good, we got a two litre pot for little more than a one litre one, so a bargain. Rubbish sale otherwise though.
Cold this morning, but the sun has come out this afternoon. What a mixture of weathers.It is hard to know what to put on when you go out these days.
Tonight we are having:
Roasted tomato and feta tarts from Waitrose,
Sliced and sauteed potatoes
Beans for VT and a salad for moi. I wonder if I could get him to eat a bit of salad? Maybe not.

Monday 26 July 2010

Are we ever satisfied?

With what we have? We watched a fascinating programme last night called "The squarest teenagers in the world"..Stupid title for what was actually a very interesting programme. it showed a group of five Amish teenaagers who had come to britain to experience life here. Last night showed them living with some black families in London. The Amish teens were lovely children..very content with what they have, and appreciative of where they lived, but also very ubnderstanding of the lives that the black teens lived. They lived in a community where they are brought up to work from the age of three, and they leave school at fourteen to work within the community.I think the next programme should be interesting where they are in Kent with different youngsters. I was very impressed with the black families, and with their hospitality and the way they related to the Amish youngsters.
The other thing I did today was to look at a site from the Delia forum that I tune in to. One poster showed a beautiful house on the Sunshine beach in Noosa park Australia. What a fantastic house of your dreams, on the beach, with the beautiful sea nearly all to yourself, and great big windows to appreciate the view. yes I could fancy the life, but there again we have our own house and no mortgage,in a reasonable area, and we have a lot to be grateful for.
We nipped into Crosby to Sainsburys this morning. to get the weekly veggies. and mainly to use the coupon for three pounds off thirty!!! Joke!!! i spent some time going round putting things in to make it up to the thirty and ended up spendidng fourty three!!! Typical.
We were only there about half an hour, and it was quite nice when we went in, but when we came out it was absolutely tipping it down! lovely July weather..
Tonight we are having:
gruyere cheese escalopes,
Squashed Anya potatoes
mixed vegetables
White sauce with mushrooms.

Sunday 25 July 2010

Responsibilities...

By this i mean responsibility towards your animals.Our two cats are admittedely spoiled, and very well looked after, but the poor little ginger girl who lives next door isn't. When they go away, they generally ask VT to feed the cat, but this weekend they have been away overnight and have just left the cat to fend for herself. I think that is terrible, and we couldn't do that. VT always puts biscuits on our doorstep for her, it isn't any wonder the poor little thing comes running when she hears our car. I wonder how they think she is being fed and sheltered. We had to put her in our porch one bnight when it was all that cold weather, and she slept in the porch on a blanket. Coldest night of the year, and she was out in that. They seem quite nice peoiple too it's such a shame.The trouble is they don't have a cat flap with it being a rental house I suppose, so she has no means of getting in and out. our two jhust come and go as they please, and they are soon in if the weather is cold or wet.
Nice to see Gordon Brown out and about again. Saw him on the news yesterday presently in Uganda, on a charity mission of some sort of charity mission. Good for him, I hope the press leave him alone now.
We did the crosswords quite quickly again today. VT is getting very good at his and does the big MOS one in quick time now apart from a couple of popular culture ones.Mine wasn't too bad either, and I did that fairly quickly today. I must admit I like doing crosswords, but the general knowledge type, not cryptic ones, I lose patience with those. Can't be bothered working out the answers.
Been looking like rain all day today, we did a load of washing, but didn't hang any out in case it poured, but so far nothing, just dull.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce. mushrooms, m,eatfree sausage, pineapple and Mozzarella and basil.
potato salad for moi and spinach and pesto salad for VT
potato and egg green salad too.

Saturday 24 July 2010

Dull as....

Don't know really. Absolutely nothing going on today. Got into my letter to John and Ann this morning, and thankfully the computer was behaving today, so no errors. VT has shown me a quick way of saving what I have done, so I don't have to keep bringing the file box down each time. There is a little black square on the left of the bar that you click on and it saves what you have done. No-one has ever taught me that. In fact no-one hass taught me much about computing at all really. VT has given me tutorials and that enables me to function with it. But, when I think of all those training days when I was at school I wonder what we ever did. Terrible trainers really, the first sign of anything going wrong, and they would lean over you and press this and press that and you'd go again..till the next time. Hopeless. The best way is to learn yourself. I first got interested on Jane's old computer and I used to find food websites, the Delia Smith one was good, and you progress from there. Baby steps in my case.
Very dull today, and not too warm either, overcast, and one of those very still days. I'd be sorry if I was going on holkliday today, especially in Britain anyway.I remember all those holidays in Angelesey when we were on the beach in the cold with goosebumps. very nice if the sun was out, but don't remember too many of those days. It was better when we first went to Florida, that was warm at least. You didn't get goosebumps in their pools.
Jane rang up today. She has had a letter from the pain specialist that she went to a number of weeks ago. It is favourable towards her, and she was pleased with what he had written. So the next stage is to return that to her solicitor and wait for an answer. Seems like her case is coming nearer to the end now. it has been such a long time for her, I hope it is sorted out soon.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese..Spring rolls,
Sauce of some sort, maybe plum and ginger
Stirfry vegetables and 1/2 a packet of fried rice each.

Friday 23 July 2010

Cyberspace!!!!!!

Pain in the neck!! it is.. I have just spent a halfhour typing the beginning of a letter to John and Ann in Australia when some box comes up on the middle of the screen and it all disappears!!!! Where does it go? i have no idea. it is all a beautiful mystery to me and so infuriating.I hadn't finished a page so I hadn't saved it. I know I should have done but you don't always remember. Shall have to start it again tomorrow.
We went into Formby this morning. Definitely a bit busier, suppose it is all the children being off. Spotted a few with Grannies and grandads. Easy childminders I suppose. i wish we had had Grandparents when Jane was growing up, the childcare was a nightmare, especially when she was ill.But we nmanaged in the end.
VT took the curtains to Johnsons to be dry cleaned, and was surprised that they were only £18. He had been quoted about £35. But, they had an offer of 25% off curtains at the moment which makes them quite good. It's a start to the room anyway.
We got our usual things in Waitrose. I still think they are an expensive shop, everything seem to be just that bit dearer than anywhere else, and I always come out of there having spent more than when I go to the other Supermarkets. We got some of the things that we can't get anywhere else though, and it is a quick trip there being the nearest supermarket to us actually. So we were home for coffee.
VT has been sorting out some of his paperwork this afternoon. It is quite interesting actually, he found a bill for the last carpet that we had fitted in the extension and it was £149..the new one we are having is about £189ish, so not much difference, especially since it has been down for around fifteen years! Good wearing carpet that one!
Tonight we are having:
A cheats tea..Pasties from Waitrose,
Maybe a few green beans for me anyway..
Raspberries and ice cream.

Thursday 22 July 2010

VT has a Project...

Every now and then VT gets a project to do. Today he has decided to give our extension/Dining room a makeover. It is about 15 years old, and is used probably the most in the house.
He went off to the carpet shop this morning and came back with two books of carpet samples. What a time we had choosing one! The one that is down is a lightish green and we wanted a change,so we were trying the samples against all sorts of surfaces. A lot of them were very light, so not suitable for that area which takes a lot of wear, both from us and from the cats in and out all the time. We eventually settled on two..funnily enough one called Coffee and the other called Espresso. The Espresso one was slightly darker, and went well with the brick in the room, and also the pine things we have.
He then decidied to take the curtains down and we will take them tomorrow to Formby to Johnsons to get them dry cleaned. They charge by the metric yard!!!! as if that means anything! God knows why we had to go metric at all I still think in Imperial. Too many years of pounds and ounces and feet and inches to replace with the metric equivalent.
So...it is all systems go. Ceiling to be done, skirting boards to be varnished and things to be cleared out. Lovely. Must take before and after photographs.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn style chicken and mushroon pies
Squashed potatoes 4oz
Carrots asparagus and beans.
Maybe a touch of a light gravy..

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Much Better Today...

Honestly, our weather. It's no wonder that Brits are obsessed with talking about weather. yesterday was horrible, wet miserable and rainy all day. We were thinking of going to The Cheshire Oaks today, but decided against because of the rain yesterday. Wouldn't you know it, it was lovely and sunny today, and it would have been really nice.
We nipped over to Ormskirk instead for a bit of fresh air really, the schools seem to be still in but the secondary one that we pass was quiet so maybe they are breaking up. it was quite quiet today though. I had a look in my usual places and VT went off to his, then we met up for coffee at our usual coffee place. They have installed a big new television at one end of the cafe, and it wasw blaring out "Today in Parliament"..gross. Last thing you want while you are having a nice quiet cup of coffee is political discussion.Never mind it is still cheap compared to Costa!
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with spinach and asparagus and a cheese sauce.
Maybe a bit of garlic bread.

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Thoroughly Wet..

What a grey day! Wet and miserable. The poor little cats keep going out and coming back in very wet. Bobby goes into her hut and just sits there looking out of its doorway. She did come in for her chicken at lunchtime though.
I got a card from John and Ann in Perth this morning, all the way from Australia, and my own daughter couldn't even be bothered to send one!! Must admit I was a bit hurt by that. I wouldn't have dreamed of missing my Mums birthday, but maybe the young have different priorities..
John and Ann sent me a lovely little cat ornamaent which just looks like a real cat and kitten, and a very nice black bracelet which will go with a lot of my jewellery. i have quite a lot of black necklaces and earrings but no bracelets.
Jane did ring up this morning on her way to work, she is working two to ten tonight, and she was saying there was a big difference in bus times travelling at this time of the day rather than in the rush hour.
VT is spendidng the day doing his paperwork and clearing out stuff that he has had for too long. He has just come in with a huge pile of bank statements of mine going back years..he is very organised but keeps things too long.
I have spent some time today looking at some blogs on the site. There are so many it is difficult to know whwere to start. Some of them are fantastic with beautiful photograps and people lead such interesting lives. i wonder if they are all true? I like the food blogs, but there are some gorgeous craft ones.Most of the really good craft sites are American, they do have some wonderful ones, especially quilting ones.
Tonight we are having:
Garlic and cheese kiev
Squashed potatoes
Carrots and beans
Mushroom sauce.

Monday 19 July 2010

Monday washday!

I feel like my Mother today. We have done our washing today rather than yesterday since it was my birthday so didn't want to do it then.
My mum always used to do the washing on a Mobnday like countless other women of her time, and then it would be drying all over the kitchen and middle roon in front of the fire or outside on the line. There would be no drying outside today though since it is showery on and off all day. The blessings of a tumble dryer thereefore to make our modern lives easier. So it will be ironing tomorrow, since the new bedding requires a fair bit of that being cotton sheets. Worth it though because they are wonderful to sleep in.
We went to Crosby this morning to get our weeks stuff, you can park for free for 1/2 an hour so that is good and VT is pleased because it means no dawdling. It is a quick rush round then home. No kids around yet but I think they are breaking up this week.
Jane rang up this lunchtime to say she has finally got an appointment after waiting a year! she has been put off so many times that she was losing hope I think, so we will have to hope that works for her.
Very wet this afternoon, little Bobby went outside then ran straight into her hut, and stayed there for good looking out. VT went to the back door and called her and she came running in. They hate getting wet, but the little hut is good for a bit of shelter to the first come first served.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and Onion Quiche,
Sliced fried potatoes,
Cauliflower and broccoli gratin.

Sunday 18 July 2010

Happy birthday to Me...

Should be singing.."When I'm 64". Was woken up very early this morning with a cat doing her whisker torture impression, mnaybe she was giving me an early birthday greeting! Maybe not...
Then VT brought me the usual cup of coffee and a cow biscuit at a far more respectable time. He presented me with a nice card, a Yankee aromatherapy candle and some new flavour ones that were on special display..mountain lodge. There ws a bottle of Chardonnay spring low alcohol wine too. Good to see he is looking after my health. He bought me a nice bunch of red roses yesterday too, so done very well this year.
Jane phoned up at lunchtime for a quick chat, she was in the middle of watching a film! Didn't get a card from her, but she said it is in the post..we'll see!
VT went out to Formby this morning, mainly to get a couple of things we didn't get from Tescaw on friday. He came back with a nice M&S Citron tart for our pudding tonight, so that's a treat.
So it well be Cheers from me tonight..

>
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce
Portobello mushrooms meat free pepperoni sausage pineapple, pepper and courgette.
Egg and potato salad with baby plum tomatoes and avocado
Potato salad for moi and Florida salad for VT.

Friday 16 July 2010

Principals...

Ok I know I have principals, and I have been avoiding the dreaded Tesco like the plague. We go out every Monday for our weekly stuff, and every Friday for our weekend thing. We vary where we go but we do not go to Tesco..we go everywhere else but there. I simply don't like Tesco and its monopoly on shopping, and what they do . BUT VT got a voucher through the post for £7 off a spend of £50 which is a good offer under any circumstances. So we gave in and went this morning for our weekend shop.
The store is actually our nearest, and is only about ten minutes away so that saved us time, but they have moved everything round since the last time we went there so that took ages finding what we needed. Got there in the end though, since we aren't used to where everything is it took ages to find items like salads and tomatoes, humous etc..pain in the neck really. One or two items that we are used to buying that they didn't have too like our egg and potato salad but we can get that from somewhere else tomorrow.
No, I still don't like tesco, and we shall give them a miss for the next however long..till the next coupon I suppose.
Jane rang up at lunchtime to say the parcel had arrived yesterday, that was quick..well done Parcel Force. It was two great big coke bottles one for each of them to save any bits of money in. Terrible trouble to package them, VT did really well.
Turned out quite nice today, become sunny this afternoon,very blowy outside tesco though, I think it was a sign!
Tonight we are having:
Eiather fishless fingers or crispy quorn fillets,
Chips! 200 grms
Nushy peas for VT and a few green beans for moi.
Tartare sauce.

Thursday 15 July 2010

St Swithins Day..

According to folklaw, if it rains on St. swithins day, it will rain for 40 days and 40 nights. Well it has done everything today. Sunny, very windy and occasional showers, so it looks like we are set for the summer.Can't say it has been a brilliant summer so far, more blowy and dull than anything.
We did some chores this morning, a pile of ironing and the kitchen floor etc., so got straight. VT was sorting out his paperwork. He has a new folder and he reckons he is getting everythingstraight in that.
My long bath this afternoon with my book and my candles..and a really nice Crabtree & Evelyn bath essencs Patchouli. A little touch of luxury..beats teaching anyway.
Tonight we are having:
Not altogether sure actually,
A few bits of veggies to use up,
Some potatoes that can be sliced and fried,
Something out of the freezer.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Fresh Air..

We decided that we needed some fresh air this morning, so we went over to Ormskirk. When we left the house it was blowy and quite cool, so I put my proper shoes on and my light coat rather than my thin jacket. Going there in the car, and the blasted sun came out, and it became quite warm.You just don't know what to put on these days. Ormskirk is a tricky place, it is quite high up so it can get breezy.
Had a good mooch around, I went into my usual shops,then we went to our cafe for a coffee. Everywhere was really quiet today, it was almost like a Sunday, hardly anyone in the cafe and no-one in the town centre. It is Market day on a Thursday, so maybe everyone was stopping in and waiting for that. Had a look in Smiths but didn't see anything I fancied there, but I bought a book in ASDA last Friday and they are cheaper. I rarely buy books from Smiths I find them on the dear side.
Called in at Morrisons on the way back, mainly because we use their car park, so you then have to go in and spend a fiver to get the car park charges back! Got a few things, and VT got a whole pineapple for 29p! What a bargain.
Home for lunch, and we just set foot through the door, and the phone was going, it was Jane, on her dinner hour, and shje was bored so she thought she would ring us up. She does that when she is bored, but we don't mind. Told her to watch out for a parcel..she will get a surprise when she sees that.
VT was doing a bit of ga5rdening this afternoon, and the Heavens opened..What a strange day today is.
Tonight we are having:
Linda McCartney Sausage rolls,
A baked potato,
tinned spaghetti.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Ah Sweet Memories...

Just been enjoying a thread on a site that I visit, all about nostalgia. It was about television programmes and other nostalgic things that people remember. the young ones on the site think we are talking gibberish but it is so nice to remember old favourites. I used to love Listen with Mother every day, I would l;isten to it on the old radiogram and then when the music started run round to school in Rathbone Road. The old Muffin the Mule programmes with Anette Mills too, they were wonderful..so innocent.Lovely remembering those.
Very cold today for the middle of July. It has gone quite blowy, dull and overcast, and looks like rain. VT went over to the chemist this morning and got some cardboard, and came back to wrap the two large plastic Coke bottles that we bought for Jane and Rachel.She reckoned that they couldn't get them there, so we had seen them in a shop in Crosby and bought them one each. VT made a wonderful job of wrapping them up in bubble wrtap and the huge pieces of cardboard and duct tape. It was a large parcel when he fonished buyt tidy. He took it to the post office and he said it would go Parcel Force..it only cost £4.41 which I thought was quite cheap considering the size of it. At least it shouldn't get pinched the size of it.
I wonder how much they will save in it? We saved over thirty pounds in small change in a big replica Heinz Beanz Tin that we took to the coin machine a couple of weeks ago, but that took us ages to collect. Jane reckoned that their last bottle split with the weight of the money, but these should be ok.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn fillets in a sauce, or maybe a green thai curry with rice
Carrots and green beans on the side.

Monday 12 July 2010

What a long Day!

When you get up early. It makes the day so long. I had a nine o'clock appointment at Walton this morning in the renal clinic, so we had to leave by eight ish in case the traffic was bad..it wasn't, well not our way anyway.
We got to the clinic on time, and had to wait a while. Grumpy receptionist..when I said that I hadn't had a letter and only knew about the appointment from a phone call on Friday, she said take it up with the call centre..here's the number. Must happen often I suppose.
Saw a clinic nurse this time, wasn't long..hardly worth going really. Got my blood taken and then went over to the Sainsbury's for the Monday stuff.Not very well packed shelves, and not a lot of choice of veggies to be honest, but we got a selection, and then went out to the car park and had our coffees. don't like Sainsbury coffee, it's too strong, and the cups are too big, and it's expensive. I wonder if we are getting to be cheapskates?
Had to cvall in at the library on the way home. We haven't been there for ages we tend to renew our books online, but VT's books had to be taken back.He renewed all of his and got a few new ones which have kept him happy all afternoon. He likes local history and there were a couple of new ones on that. I got a great big book on Vegan Cookery..seems to be a lot of beans and tofu!! but I'll have a look, and a lot of newish large print books, easier to read in bed, including an Anita Shreve one I haven't read before. We were home by twelve for a baby coffee and a look at the papers.
VT is in the garden this afternoon, says he needs to keep some fresh air in his lungs.
Tonight we are having:
Garlic and Mushroom escalope,
Mixed vegetablers,Baby baked potatoes,
Mushroom sauce.

Sunday 11 July 2010

Jazz and Chinese!

Last night we had a musical evening! The local tennis club were having a Jazz Evening in the area of land behind our house last night. It started around 7.30 ish and they played a medley of tunes for about an hour then they had a break. Since we were preparing our evening meal at the time we had the back door open and we had a very nice accompaniment to our tea. Unfortunately for the people, it was a bit drizzly and it got worse as the evening wore on, but judging by the chattering it was a success. They started off again about an hour later and went on till around 11ish. The cats stayed in fortunately, I don't think they like the loud music but they did play Pink Panther tune, and I'm the King of the Jungle. Don't think Bobby and Rusty were too impressed though.
Today has been changeable, a bit blowy and a bit sunny but I wouldn't exactly say it had been boiling hot. VT is presently in the garden trying to do something with the large Spirea from the pot at the end of the garden that has broken and split in the bad weather. He has got a big plastic pot to try and keep it going in, he likes nurturing things and really makes a good job of them too. There are a number of plants in the garden that he has bought needing a bit of tlc, or ones that have almost given up, and he has brought them back to life. VT Titchmarsh..
We did the crosswords after lunch, and he did his very quickly, he is getting good at his these days. Mine was a bit slower today, one or two tricky words.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce,
Portobello mushrooms, pineapple, sausage and pepper for VT.
Salad with egg and tpotato baby yellow plum tomatoes and avocado.
Potato salad for me and pasta salad for VT.

Saturday 10 July 2010

Jazz It Up!

Weather changeable today, it diesn't seem to know whether it wants to rain or be sunny. At the back of our house there is a plot of land that cannot be accessed, and is now divided into three gardens. two of which belong to the houses in an adjoining road. Tonight there is going to be a jazz concert on the larger plot, and most of the afternoon there have been heads bobbing up and down over the top of our garden gate. Quite a lot of activity. there was a lot of rain this afternoon, but it has cleared up now, so it looks like it will be good for them.
I hope the cats don't go out there and get frightened, they don't like trespassers on their territory.
VT went into Crosby this morning to pay Jane's money into the bank for her, he sent her a text, and I sent her an email, and she rang up later, when she was on her lunch break. that should help a bit. He called in at the garden centre on the way back, and bought some of the daisies for a nice blue pot we have for the front garden.
People beginning to arrive now, i wonder if we shall hear the music, maybe we should open our back yard as a celebrity area!
Tonight we are having:
Chinese spring rolls,
1/2 a packet of egg fried rice,
Stir fry vegetables,
One of the sauces that we have in stock.

Friday 9 July 2010

Different direction Today..

Today we went in a different direction and took my money off to ASDA in Southport. No roadworks either which is a change, so got there quite quickly.
At least the parking is good there, usually plenty of spaces, but the store seemed busier than usual. I got some money out of the bank machine for Jane to keep her going, which VT was grumpy about. he says she is 27 and should be standing up for herself, but I think you have to support them if necessary. She has had to pay £400 for her tuition fees, and that must be hard for her at the moment. She is working still at Ticketmaster, and is doing extra hours. One thing about Jane, she is a grafter, she has always worked, and will put the hours in. VT says she will be able to buy her cigarettes now..he is such a cynic!!
Did all our shopping for the weekend and got some extras. It turns out it was a good job that we went in that direction because VT has just rung his bank, and found a message on the answerphone. It was a reminder to say that I have an appointment at Mr. Graddons clinic on Monday 12th at 9 O'clock. So that is Walton again. This came as a total surprise because we thought that we were clear of all appointments for July having done the Mr James one last week.Just given them a ring, and the appointment is correct, so that is a trip all the way over there on Monday. What a pain. We have had no paperwork at all for this one, none whatsoever, and I keep all my letters in a special folder, which we have gone through, and nothing. Oh well, snother cock up somewhere along the line.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta bake with asparagus,
A bit of garlic bread,
Vegetables on the side.

Last night in the end we had:
Quorn sausage rolls,
A tin of spaghetti
M&S bubble and squeak cakes. Tasty too!

Thursday 8 July 2010

A touch of the Alan Titchmarshes...

VT went out quite early to the garden centre and came back with some compost and a new spirea for the plant pot at the end of the garden. This is to replace the one htat has been there for a long number of years. It had grown quite tall, but unfortunately this winter the plant pot itself which was a big one has cracked completely down the sides. I expect that the harsh winter weather had got to it. It is a shame because it was quite a big pot, but we got a replacement at Dobbies yesterday for £25 which I thought wasn't too bad at all. So the end of the garden is looking quite nece again now thanks to VT Titchmarsh.
He has spent ages in the garden today, and watered all the pots. They do dry out quicker than garden plants, and a bit of rain would be good.
Totally no idea what we are having for tea tonight!! Completely stumped for ideas. We have things in the freezer, it is just a case of deciding what to have. I have a bag of mixed vegetables, but don't fancy them actually, so will have to see what VT fancies, and what there is in the freezer to use up.
Tonight we are having:
No idea at all.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Garden centres..

Off out this morning to Dobbies to have a bit of a mooch there, and get our free coffees for the month.
We have a big Spirea at the bottom of the garden which has been ther3e for years. The big pot that it is in has cracked though, and has been got at by the winter weather this year, like many of them. So we had a lood around to see what they had, and found they had a nice large blue pot which was just £25 so we got that. We seem to be developing a blue theme in the garden with a number of lovely bright blue pots and accessories. We then went for our coffees, and were very surprised to find that it was extremely quiet. They have a huge eating area, but it was fairly empty. Totally different from the one at Lady Green nurseries which was heaving, and so noisy you could barely hear a conversation. Nice though we prefer them quiet.
I then had a look around and picked up a couple of things, shortbreads, and after dinner mints that we like.
Home in time for lunch and VT wheeled the pot round, and got caught in the rain which teemed down for a short while. Cleared up nicely in the afternoon though, and he had a go at getting the plant out f the old one. He said the roots were huge, and it wasn't going to be possible to save the plant so we might transplant another into the pot and get a small replacement.
Activity in the back area outside our houses. There is to be a jazz concert in the gardens at the back on Saturday, so VT says people are bringing barbecues round etc. Should be fun.
Jane rang up twice today, she is off to the college this afternoon, to enrol I think, at least she seems keen.
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalopes,
Potato croquettes,
Carrots and beans
Bread sauce.

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Stop In Day

Big ironing day today, couldn't look at the pile of ironing on the chair in the extension any longer. Mostly it is the bedding from Sunday.Since we have two sets there is no urgency to get them washed and dried on the same day, but it still is there looking at you. So got that done. VT went into the garden to burn off some weeds, he has this weed burner, and he gets at them good and proper, but it has to be the right sort of day, not too blowy, or too hot, and it is ok today. He was telling me that he was in the garden looking towards the back door, when a woman who lives close by looked over the back garden gate. i can just imagine the scene, I bet she got a surprise,especially when he waved at her!!
The cats are quite quiet today, at one point, there was one asleep in our front garden, one asleep in our front room, and another asleep in the middle room. It seems they have a siesta time at the same time of the day. out two woke up at chicken time though, and they both hang around for that at lunch time.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese, potato and leek tarts,
Sliced new potatoes fried,
Green bean medley,
Mushrooms in a creme fraiche sauce.

Monday 5 July 2010

Upside Down...

our day today was a bit topsy turvy because I had an appointment at Walton. This one was for the toe..or the skin melanoma that I had done four years ago. My appointment is for each year as a check up, and I had thought that this year would be the last, but Mr James said normally they do five year check ups. so next year should be the last. He is very nice this one, at least when you go for this appt you see the same person each time..so many of them you see anyone. He says "Ah my lady with the toe..or without the toe to be precise", then has a fell of the leg, and the groin then that is it really. I seem to have got away with that one.
Since my appt was for 2-05 we decided to do our veg shopping in the Sainsburys over the road. We were out of the hospital in record time and went over to get our weekly veggies etc. We had a very light lunch so we are having the remainder of the pizza for our tea tonight.
VT went next door and got some compost from the cheap shop, he wanted some of their envelopes but they had run out, so just the compost today. We were home quite quickly, traffic going our way both ways was quite good so no hold ups. Little ginger girl is in our front garden rolling over and looking very appealing. I go over to stroke her and she lets me then digs her claws in. I think she needs training. She is a lovely little thing but she hasn't been socialised properly. Give VT a while with her and she would be different.
Tonight we are having:
The remaining pizza from last night,
Remaining salads
Egg and potato salad from sainsburys and avocado.

Sunday 4 July 2010

Lovely Bones..

Watched this last night. It is a terrific film, I read the book when it first came out in paperback, and enjoyed that. It was one of those books you couldn't put down, and the film was true to the book. Very well done with superb graphics, and extremely good acting. We both really enjoyed that, and VT took it back this morning.
He said the Farmers Market was in Maghull again this morning, but there were only about seven stalls, I don't know how they keep it going there, it would be better in Crosby or Formby.
We made our pizza dough this morning, and put the roast vegetables on to cook gently. Did the bedding, and VT hung one of the sheets on the line where it was blowing nearly off the line. It is very blustery here today, with the trees really moving in the wind.
We watched the men's singles finals this afternoon, won by Nadal in three sets, fairly easily. Wasn't that much of a match actually, they tend to be big bang service games with not many rallies in between, So, that is Wimbledon over for this year. Quite enjoyable with very good weather too, so they didn't have to use their new roof at all.
Did the crsswords this afternoon, and they proved to be fairly easy. The theme on mine was rivers, and were about the ten longest rivers in the uk. VT did the big MOS one quite easily and only had to look up a few on the computer.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with out tomato sauce,
Roasted vegetables. portabello mushrooms.
Salad and potato salad for moi and spinach and pesto salad for VT.

Saturday 3 July 2010

Wimbledon..

Just about the only sport that we watch. Since everywhere is wall to wall football, the tennis is at least a good distraction. Today was the Ladies singles Finals and it was another win for Serena Williams, and makes her fourth win in total, and makes her a million pounds richer. Not bad for an hour and a half win. Quite a good match against the russian girl, but she was outclassed.
They were saying that it had been beautiful weather there. They have built a roof that folds over the centre court, and it hasn't been used this year at all. Cost millions too. Wouldn't you know that would happen.
Next door's have arrived back at some ungodly hour in the morning, so VT doesn't have to look after the cat any more. He said last night, he was putting something into his car, and it had seen him and come running at a pace to be let in because it was tired. He gets it into a good routine, and it comes running to him most nights, they need a pattern of behaviour really.
Funny day today, it is either very sunny or overcast. VT had put the umbrella out in the garden, and the minute he put it up the sun went in, then the minute he took it down again it came out.. talk about contrary.
He went to Maghull this morning, and came back with a DVD of "The lovely bones". i read the book quite some time ago, and really enjoyed it so am looking forward to seeing the film. It was a free film anyway off the Tesco vouchers, We won't be getting too many more of those, since we don't shop in Tescaw any more unless we cannot help it. hate tescaws.
Tonight we are having:
Goats cheese and fire roasted tomato en croute
House salad
Pudding of a raspberry and vanilla slice
It's one of the M&S dine in for a tenner deals.

Friday 2 July 2010

Whisker Torture...

I was woken up early this morning by the dreaded whisker torture. Bobby finds it very amusing to get on to the bed, crawl up to me and butt my head with hers, then stroke my cheek with her whiskers.

Now this is all very nice and lovely, but this is taking place VERY early in the morning. Then she proceeds to pick at my chest, so I turn over and she picks at my neck. I then put my arm around her and she settles down until after a long while she gets bored of this and climbs out and goes off to her little bed in front of the window in Jane's room. Aaah, she is a lovely little cat though.
We got going over to Ormskirk this morning, and got our weekend things there. Spotted some fishless fingers in Holland and barratt, and everything was buy one get one half price, so got a few things there. Had our coffee in our little cafe,then went to M&S because we like their salads. Spotted a Dine in for £10 deal so got that. The vegetarian choice was particularly nice, it was a Goat's cheese and fire roasted tomato en croute, so got that. A house salad to go with it, and Raspberry and vanilla slices and a nice bottle of wine. Great deal. So that is tomorrow.
Ended up in NMorrisons for all the rest of the things we needed.
I do like Morrisons, they are just right for us. it is a real shame that the one in Formby became a Waitrose, but never mind. VT got a nice pizza for his lunch and I had an egg salad from M&S so we shared that. Home a bit later but it doesn't matter.
Big tennis match today with Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal. At the time of typing Nadal is one set up, but that happened yesterday, and he went on to win. We swhall see. I am rooting for Nadal actually.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for me,
Chips!! Tartare sauce.

Thursday 1 July 2010

Hares and Rabbits..

Yet another month gone by and now it is July. Very mixed today with rainy spells and sunshine patches and dull spells too. Does it bode well for the month I wonder?
Quite muggy for the tennis players at Wimbledon I should think.The Ladies semi-finals today to see who is in the final on Saturday. The men's should be interesting now that Federer is out of it.
The cats haven't moved much today and are presently both asleep on the bed, it is a little bit breezy out, and I don't thi nk they like that.
We watched a programme last night about a "Bionic vet" who deals with animals that have huge problems. One case was a little black cat called Oscar, who had his back two paws chopped off by a combine harvester. The vet made him two implants to go into his legs, and some engineers from the University of Salford made him some little prosthetic feet. The cat is adorable with huge bug green eyes, and was so calm throughout. He was last seen walking around confidently in his house, you'd never know what had happened to him. The wondders of technolkogy.
Tonight we are having:
Cheesey kievs
Squashed new potatoes