Photobook...

VT spent the morning on here downloading all the photos for a photo book. It is a free offer (what else) from the Daily Mail, and you can make up your own book just for the price of post and packing.
We have an awful lot of gorgeous photos from New England that mostly just stay on here, so we have used those.

Fantastic coloured foliage and trees like these everywhere you look.


Pumpkin Pie anyone???
I really must get one of those digital photo frames then we can look at them away from the computer.
That is what we have done today really..it is unbelievably complicated doing all the technology concerned with that, VT is much better than me, I wouldn't know where to start. It wasn't exactly an easy site to navigate either.
The other thing that has gone off today is that the television has taken on a strange yellow tinge. It looks like everyone has a bad case of jaundice! Oh well.
Tonight we are havng:
Lamb grills
Squashed potatoes
green vegetable medley with asparagus.
Gravy.

Another Appointment!

Poor VT, he does the Chauffeur bit really well. This morning I had an appointment at the Ormerod Hearing Aid clinic. This was for the six monthly checkup and service. He did a hearing test today since I haven't had one for about two years now, and it seems the hearing is stable which is quite good news anyway.
I have two in the ear aids bought five years ago for £3.750 pounds!! then there was an extended warranty for £400 two years after I bought them. I have always put up with being deaf, but it is quite difficult sometimes and in certain situations. For exampl;e I go to quite a lot of hospital appointments for various clinics, and it is amazing just how many doctors talk to their computers. So you ask them to speak up because I'm deaf so they start shouting! You'd think they would teach them at medical school! Anyway he said the ones I have are fine and he didn't push new ones so we came home £23 poorer after buying batteries and baskets.
We had parked in Sainsburys over the road, so we nipped in there to get the cats their chicken..then we went to Dobbies for our free coffee since it was on our way back. VT is brilliant at finding his way round the streets of Southport, which are a minefield actually.
Had a lovely coffee..VT had one voucher for a free one which meant we had to buy one only, and on the way in I saw an advert for a Hazelnut Latte for Autumn, so I said get one I'll treat you. When he came to find me. he said the coffee was free because the lad couldn't work it on the till..so that pleased him no end. He does love a bargain my VT. Had a bit of a look round, and noticed they are beginning to put the Christmas stuff out! but only bought a pack of shortbread biscuits, and came home. Stopped at Waitrose on the way back because VT wanted a copy of GQ magazine which he had a voucher for (of course) then home for lunch.
The little cats greeted us at the door..isn't it lovely the way your animals greet you when you come home...not a bit of it..what are they after? their chicken of course.
Green bin tomorrow so VT has cleared out the barrel in the front garden, which has completely overgrown this year, and put some leaves in as well. They are beginning to fall with a real vengeance, and are covering the pavements at the moment. Quite early I think this year. VT has been downloading some of our pictures from our last New England trip and that has made us quite broody for another trip..hopefully next year.

Look at this for Autumn colour! Just gorgeous.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn fillets in tomato and olive sauce,
Either 4oz of rice or pasta
Stir fry mushroom vegetables.

The World of Technology..

What a world we live in..it's all techno and is a language of its own. I have finally got the way into Facebook. I know a lot of peoiple use it but I have always avoidid things like that. Did have a toe in the water a bit ago but never really got the hang of it, but the lovely people on the Delia Forum have a site on there, so I have gone onto that.
VT has been trying to upload a load of photos on to a photobook, but he says that it is taking too long. He played a slide show of our New England photos from a couple of years ago, and we do have some fantastic photos. The colours are unbelievable all the pure shades of gold and red and the scenery was just gorgeous. Making me want to go there again I wonder of we can go next year? It isn't looking likely that we will have a holiday this year again, so it would be nice to think ahead. Maybe the dollar will be better by then too. I still have some left from the last time we went, and it's a shame not to use them. Isn't it?
Got a letter from John and Ann in Australia yesterday, and they are moving again, well by this time she will have moved. They have had a lot of houses in their time, which is funny because I have only had one!
VT went out this morning to get a hair cut, so he got a few things from Waitrose that we needed as well.He said it was the Fifteenth of June we last got hair cuts, we were both done on the same day..can't believe it was that ling ago! I just stayed in and did apile of the ironing!
Tonight we are having:
Carrots and Asparagus,
Garlic and cheese escalope,
Squashed potatoes
Mushroom sauce.

Catch Up..

Forgot to do the entries at the weekend..but nothing much going on anyway.The usual weekend things happening.
Saturday we had a new Quorn sweet and sour bites with our Chinese, which was actually very nice..Sunday we had the pizza with the normal toppings and accompaniments. VT's usual gorgeous pizza.
Today (Monday) we gopt up early because I had an appointment at the Aintree Hospital at 11 a m. This was in the new Elective Care Building which hasn't been opened very long. You park in the multi storey car park and then either take the lift and use a pathway, or go via a walkway which we didn't find to start with but did on the way back. This takes you directly to the car park.
Got to the correct dept, and left my letter at the reception, then waited..and waited.. called in to be weighed then waited again..and waited.. eventually after about an hour or more I got in to see the Dr. Only in for a few minutes and he sent me off for blood tests. Had to go back to fill in another form then left..this was about 12.30 ish..
Tonight we are having:
Quorn steak and mushroom pies
Squashed potatoes
Carrots and beans
Gravy.

Friday Again..

Does it come round three times a week? I'm sure it does. We seem to get our Monday things and then it is time for the Friday stuff. We were undecided where to go today, and then VT got a voucher through the post..He gets them..never me! Which gave £6 odd Forty. So it was decided then to go to the Tesco in Formby.
It was actually really busy which we don't like, but we parked fairly near to the front so that was okj. Very blowy today, there was a heck of a wind blowing around the store's entrance.
I really don't like tesco..don't know why really, just the money grabbing ethic that they have. I didn't think they were particularly cheap either. their offers weren't that good. As usual we went round thinking have we got enough for the Forty pounds, then when we get to the till after quite a wait, the bill comes to about Sixty. The trouble with going there is that we aren't really familiar with the store, so we miss things, like the stir fry.. but we get lots of others we don't get elsewhere. No matter, VT will get what we missed tomorrow somewhere.
Actually as I type this, the sun has come out really brightly and is blazing through the window. and the breeze seems to have dropped too. loads of wasps around. There was a poor little wasp on the windscreen of VT's car this morning, and it clung there almost to tesco. Wonder where it went? I have the computer in the middle upstairs room of our house, and there seems to be a wasdps nest under the eaves of the house roof. There are loads of wasps flying around just outside the window. The chap who lives two doors down who is a surveyor, says they don't come back once they have gone, but you couldn't open the window at the moment.
That reminds me. we recorded "The Secret Life of Bees" the other day, Lovely film, that will be great to watch when the weather gets bad.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Mushy peas for Vt and green beans for moi,
Chips!! 200grms
tartare sauce.

Recovery..

Period after going out all day yesterday. So we stopped in today and did things instead. I did the cooker this morning, and VT went out into the gardebn to do some weeding, but it started to rain so he came in. Funny thing was it was sunny as well, didn't look like rainy weather at all.
Jane rang up before and said it had been thundering and lightening in Manchester. I love a good storm. Remember once we were in Florida, and we had just come back from somewhere, and the Heavens opened. One of the most fantastic thunderstorms I have ever seen, Lightning every few seconds, wonderful to watch.
We haven't had a good storm here for years, not that I want to tempt providence.
Jane is now deciding which of the medical professions to go into, she is trying to get shadowing days arranged so she can fill in her Uni forms..and seems now to be undecidid avout either radio therapy or radiology. She will get there in the end I suppose.
Tonight we are having@
Pasta with a feta and olive topping and squash.
A bit of garlic bread.

Up and At Em...

We were up very early for us this morning, and out by nineish. We had planned to go to the Cheshire Oaks, so we went to bed early, and set the alarms. VT got up just before they went off though and went down for our small coffees to wake us up. Bless Him.
It was a beautiful day actually, with the sun shining, and lovely and warm. All we needed was a light coat. Made good time and we were there by tenish and parked where we always do. Very much creatures of habit we are !.We always walk round in a clockwise direction and tend to go into the same shops. Since we were there last about early July some shops have gone and others have arrived. A big surprise was the arrival of a L'Occitane shop. I was thrilled with this because I get some of their products from QVC, but they had things quite a lot cheaper. Didn't buy anything first time round but decided to go back afterwards. Coffee at Costa Coffee..quite busy, I wouldn't mind shares in that shop! then walked round to M&S womens and mens shops. I spotted a lovely light coat in silver..parka style from their Autograph collection for £20 !! tried it on and it was a bit big, but they only had three and the others were totally the wrong size. So bought that. Goat some ginger Origins perfume and a bit annoyed because they didn't have any of my spray, but this is a roll on and will go in my handbag beautifully. Bought our sandwiches from Pret a Manger, VT had falafel and something, and I had Emmenthal and salad. We take them back to the car, and find a lovely quiet spot in Sainsburys car park and enjoy our "picnic".
Back to L'Occitane which is in the other car park, and I bought some liquid soap and refills, some hand soap, and the girl said that if we bought something else for £12 we would get a big bag of freebies for nothing, so VT got some more soaps. I love L'Occitane soaps, the fragrances are gorgeous, and everything is such good quality. Yes its quite expensive, but I don't care, and I think you get what you pay for sometimes.
We were back by three fifteenish, and the little cats appeared in the kitchen for their chicken!!! little beggars. Nice to be greeted though.
Tonight we are having:
Red onion and feta slices
Mixed vegetables
Sliced and sauteed potatoes
Mushroom sauce.

Chores!!

One of those days that we stayed in and did chores. I did a pile of ironing this morning, and VT cleared away the accumulated papers. He tends to keep them in a big pile, then gets rid of them in one go. I did the brasses at the front of the house, this is something I tend to forget so they become quite tarnished. As we go out of the house I say to VT remind me to do the brasses, then we come in and shut the door, and they never get done. Finished off with the kitchen floor which is a mega job since everything needs moving.
Lovely long baths this afternoon...great this retirement lark.
I think we might go out tomorrow to the Cheshire Oaks since we haven't been there for ages, and VT can give his car a good run.
Tonight we are having:
No idea whatsoever. I will see what there is in the freezer when I go down.

Much nicer Today...

Typical weather really, the minute the weekend finishes the weather clearsup nicely. There is I think a slight touch of Autumn around today, but VT thinks it is too early. Although the trees are still green, I think they are turning a bit, and the nights are definitely drawing in now, and getting chillier too. I have been putting the electric blanket on the past couple of nights, but then I do feel the cold. VT doesn't at all, he thinks I'm soft.
We went out to Waitrose this morning mainly because we got up late. Bobby was climbing all over me at some ungodly hour this morning, and that wakes me up. But, i don't mind, she is such a lovely cat, and really affectionalte in her own way. VT had a cat on him too, I think they are taking us over!!
Waitrose was quite quiet, we only go there because it is fairly near to where we live, and there were one or two things we had run out of. VT particularly likes a type of oatcake that they sell, called Whitty's (I think) smoked oatcakes, and they have a very distinctive flavour. Lovely with cheese. It is an expensive shop, but they do have things that are unusual, and it is a nice place to shop.
Back in time just..for a coffee, and our pizza leftover lunch later.
One of the pleasures of typing these in the afternon, is listening to the radio. All our radios are tuned to radio two, which we both listen to mostly during the day. We like ken Bruce in the morning, and Steve Wright in the afternoon. He generally has some good guests mostly promoting their books, and today was no exception. Carol Vorderman was on because she has just finished her book.. Everything Counts. She was very interesting actually, and not at all big headed or lovey. A nice Northern girl.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn escalope,
Small new potatoes squashed,
Mushroom saucee
Mixed vegetables.

Weekend Things..

Just the usual in our house. No-one went anywhere yesterday, since it poured down with rain all day. Next door neighbours put a line of washing out early in the morning and left it. of course it started to rain, and the washing was left out, all day and all night and was only taken in this morning Sunday! Don't get it myself,the washibng must smell and then must need washing again to make it fresh. Waste of washing powder and electricity! Daft.
This afternoon the whole house smells of onions and garlic. The neighbours the other way must be cooking again,, either that or making chutney..don't see her as the chutney type though!
One of the perils of living in a terraced house I suppose.
The rain has eventually cleared up and a very bright sun came out for a few minutes this afternoon.
VT went oput this morning mainly to get an egg salad from Sainsburys. The ones in the shop on Friday were all soggy, and they were well in date as well. He only went out for a short while and was home for his coffee.
Did the crosswords this afternoon as usual, I did mine really quickly, he got a bit stuck on his, then sulked because I had done mine early. Mine was easy today though I thought. He did most of the big MOS one, but finished it off on the computer later. His machine is a little crossword solver, and has an encyclopaedia Britt aon it, but it doesn' t have modern writers on it much, so they usually need looking up.
Last night we had:
Tacos with quorn mince and chilli beans
All the bits and pieces, grated cheese, lettuce, soured cream and guacamole.
VT got a parcel ready for the post today. It is a pack of Oval Alberts with celery in them, that when we opened them yesterday smelled awful, of rancid fat. So he has written a letter, and is sending them back tomorrow. We will see what we get back from them. I love sending things back, it is always interesting to see what returns.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomatoes sauce,roasted vegetables and mushrooms.
Egg and potato salad, with avocado
Potato salad for me and pasta salad for VT.

Friday Outing..

Went over to Sainsburys Walton this morning for our weekend things. it's quite hard these days to know what to put on. Yesterday I put a thicker coat on and was too warm by a long way. Today I put a thinner coat n and it was coolish, but warmed up a lot later on. It's presently very sunny and I have the blind down.Got most of what we wanted but their egg and potato salads were a bit wet, so didn't get one of those, and they didn't have any taco trays, only the shells which we don't like as much. Not as good as usual. I always have a look at their vegetarian frozen food too, but that was really badly iced up, with almost icicles hanging down from the top of the refrigerator. So didn't buy anything there either. Bit of a pain, I might send them an email later!
Had our coffee in their car park, VT has it off to a fine art now, and it is really nice, and cheap as well!. Home in time for lunch. We bought some soup which was on offer, but didn't fancy it when we got home, so had a cheese sandwich instead. While we were eating our lunch VT jumped up and ran to the back door and said "Squirrel". He had seen a red squirrel running along our wall between our house and next door. By the time I got up it had gone, he said it had jumped over the fence. Good job too..get away from the cats.
Well. that's a first, I've never seen a squirrel in our garden before. There aren't a huge number of trees around actually, most of them are in the gardens right at the back of the house. it's lovely to think of wildlife in the garden though.
Tonight we are having:
Vegetable pasties, and a drop of gravy,
Creamy rice pudding.

Flower Power...

We went out this morning, because VT had a voucher for a free bag of tulip bulbs from Dobbies. He loves a freebie does VT, and he has done well this week.Sunday he got a free bag of veggies from Sainsburys because it didn't have a bar code on it, Tuesday he got a bag of daffodil bulbs free from the Garden Centre, and today the free bag of Tulip bulbs.
I had a mooch round the food court and got a frw things for the store cupboard, then we came home. Because the weather yesterday was so dreadful, I put a thicker jacket on today, and wouldn't you know it, the weather warmed up and i was too hot walking round.Typical.
Tonight I am doing :
Toad in the hole,with Quorn sausages,
Mixed vegetables
Mashed potatoes.

Stormy Weather..

Awoke this morning to a really dark blowy day. Not the sort of day you really want to get up and go anywhere at all really. So we decided to stay in and get a couple of things done.
There was actually a huge pile of ironing sitting on a chair in the kitchen, all of the bedding from the weekend. This is our Egyptian cotton bedding which is lovely to sleep on, but comes out of the washing machine looking like a crumpled mass, so it takes a lot of ironing. Never mind it is worth it. There also seemed to be a lot of clothing too, mostly shirts and tops. Think those will be going away for the time geing now. VT washed his light summer coat yesterday, and that's a bad sign.
While I was typing this, I was listening to the radio as usual, the Steve Wright show. He was talking to and playing Lynda Carter music..(Wonderwoman) and he played her singing "Cry me a river". Now I find that is one of those songs that just gets into your head, and it won't go away. Once you hear it you have it all night. I read somewhere the other day that this phenomenon is called an "Ear Worm". It is a song or piece of music that gets into your brain and doesn't leave it. There are a couple that do it for me, that is one, and Hey Jude is another. So there you go.
Jane rang up this morning, she had been to see yet another Consultant, this time a Neurology one. he was asking questions about her medical background, and her family history. His brief apparently was to check for some genetic cause of her problem. She said it went well though and seemed pleased. She rang up later on too, to say her car had got through the MOT which was good, at least that doesn't need a lot of work doing. So a couple of bits of good news today for her.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages, maybe in a toad in the hole.
Mashed potatoes 8oz
Carrots and green beans.

What a Day!

Yesterdays blog disappeared...just vanished..Lord knows where. Somewhere in Cyberspace there is the World's most interesting blog just floating around. I typed a whole page out, pressed publish post, and it went..just went. So annoying when that happens, and you don't seem to be able to retreive it again either. Even VT had a look and he was stumped. So farewell good post, I hope you find a happy home somewhere.
Today was one of those days that everything seemed to happen. We got up early because I had an appointment at the GPs at ten past nine. Got there just on time and only waited a couple of minutes and was called in. it was about a letter from a visit to the Nephrology clinic in July. I have to stop taking some antibiotics that I have just been prescribed, and take some other type. So that is a waste of a packet of pills. She did the blood pressure and increased one of those tablets by the same again. Wonder when I start rattling!
Went over to Sainsburys in a cloudburst..horrible grey rainy day, and then home by tenish!
Then second appointment for the day at the Dentist, next door but one, so not far to go. That was just a checkup, but cost £16.50. I will get that back from Medicash though. One of the few good perks from joining the schemne while teaching. You get money back from dental, and glasses and it has proved to be really useful over the years.Check up proved fine. so didn't need anything doing, paid my money, had a nice chat and came home in time for a good coffee.
Then the gas man came..and within an hour the electric man came! so two bills will be coming soon.
Then we decidid to make our tomato sauce, for our pizzas. So our house smells like an Italian pizza parlour. We used some value tomatoes from Morrisons, and i do have to say they were quite runny. Not sure whether they are worth the money.
Tonight we are having:
Brocolli and cheese escalope
Little baked potatoes
Cauliflower broccoli and carrot mix
Mushroom sauce.

Its The Weekend..

Saturday, mo-one went out except for the papers etc. It was a bit wet and windy, so wasn't a good day for mooching around. We had bits and pieces to do, and had a quiet afternoon reading and doing what we wanted.
Last night we had:
Spring rolls
egg fried rice 1/2 a packet each,
Stir fry vegetables, and plum and ginger sauce.
Sunday dawned sunny and bright. Did the bedding which was hung out..some of it, and dried really well. I will iron that later in the week.Maybe tomorrow. VT went out quickly because there were a few things he wanted to get in Crosby, so he went into Sainsburys and got some veggies for tomorrow. I have an appointment at the GP's on Tuesday morning at ten past nine, so we will go there and get the rest of our things afterwards. Don't know what it is about, I got a call on Friday from the surgery to go and chat about a letter from July??? Probably nothing. I also have a dental checkup at twelve on the same day, so will be busy in Tuesday.
We did the crosswords after lunch, and VT nearly finished the big MOS one on his own this afternoon. One clue he had to look up was the former name of Diana Dors. It wouldn't come to me at all.. I kept thinking it was Quick..in fact it was Diana Fluck! No wonder she changed her name!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with tomato sauce (must make some next week)
Mushrooms, pineapple, pepperoni sausage and pepper.
Salad with egg and potato
Potato salad and crunchy florida salad for VT

Time for a Change..

Friday..and in our house that means we go somewhere for our weekend things. Since we haven't been to ASDA for qages, we decided to go there. It is a bit of a trek, but worth it for different things.
We had a look round the Range store, and then the new Poundworld shop. it's like a grotto in there, but I didn't see anything we wanted. Got myself a new Pyrex casserole dish from the Range shoip, to replace the one that VT broke, which was one of my favourites.
ASDA then, once we found a trolley, Bit short on trolleys there.
Had a really good look round, the clothes are as usual rubbish,3but I did get a new book! not that I need any new books!
I do like ASDA actually, it is just that bit too far away to go more often which is a shame. Their prices are excellent, and you always seem to get a lot for your money.Mind you there are a lot of impulse buys that went into the trolley. I think that is the thing about going to a different supermarket, you see different items that other ones don't have.
We took our coffee with us, because ASDA coffee is dreadful. So, we move to a quiet part of the car park and enjoy our coffee there.
I had a nice egg salad for lunch, and VT had a Sos roll that I had bought from Holland and Barratt, and some baked beans. Each to his own!
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Chips 200 grms
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for moi
Tartare sauce.

Autumn Harvest?

On Tuesday we bought some damsons from Ormskirk..11/2 lbs of them..from the Vale of Evesham apparently. So today we decided to make some damson cheese. We hit a bit of a snag to begin with because we forgot to buy some sugar from Morrisons, but VT said they sell it in the shop down the road. He went down for the papers this morning, and lo and behold they have sold out! well we didn't want the damsons going off, so VT hopped in his car and went to Tescos. He put his stop watch on and he was actually there and back in a tad over 23 minutes..very good going.
While he went there I washed the fruit and picked off the stalks and any leaves. Put that into a saucepan with a quarter of a pint of water and simmered them slowly till the fruit was soft.
Then came the messy bit. It had to be sieved.




We were left with the stones and the puree, just under a pint of that. Glorious colour, a deep deep wine colour.
Put the puree in a pan with a pound of sugar and simmered to begin with to dissolve the sugar, and then boiled a bit to get the set.
This is the puree and the stones. Didn't boil it very long because the last time we made this it set too hard, so hope this one is right..Fingers crossed!


We pay £3.99 for the small jar from Dobbies, and £3.15 from The Fine Cheese Company Bath. We made the total amount for a couple of quid!


So, a good mornings work, and it looks lovely.
Tonight we are having:
Chicken style drumsticks
Bread sauce
Carrots and beans
Little hassleback potatoes.

Out and About..

We nipped out this morning over to Ormskirk. VT wanted to test his exhaust, and it is quite a nice run. Gosh it does make a difference when the kids are back in school, everywhere is much quieter, and the car park at Morrisons was full of spaces.
It was an absolutely beautiful day, and really pleasant to be out. Lots of people out with just shirts on or tops on their own. Should have had this in August.
I went into my usual shops, had a good look round in Bon Marche because they had a sale on, but unusually didn't see anything today! Got some stuff in Superdrug and then we went to our normakl cafe for a quick coffee.No sign of Christmas stuff in the shops yet, maybe the Halloween things have to go out first? VT had a good look round, but I don't think he bought anything today. He went to the greengrocers for damsons, and I went the other way for stuff from Holland and Barratt. Then to M&S for a few bits and Morrisons to get our car park money back. Nice outing actually, and the exhaust was behaving like a dream.. the car just purrs along now.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a Spinach and Ricotta sauce,
Some extra spinach thrown in and asparagus.
A small light garlic bread.

Exhaust..ed!!

Today has centered around VT's exhaust system. Not his, but his cars. It was booked in for a new exhaust early this morning, so he went ofgf to the garage in Crosby quite early, coming back on the local bus for breakfast. He expected to get it back at lunchtime, so we did bits and pieces waiting for the phone call. That came to say that it needed a part called a Lambda which is something to do with the catalytic convertor. It wouldn't be ready till after three o'clock when the part arrived.
VT checked the bus times to find they changed after lunch so it was a good job he did, it is only a little local bus and doesn't run very often, about once an hour.
Just as he set off, the garage rang to say his car was ready. Isn't that always the way.
He is back now and says it drives like a new car. It isn't it is 16 years old, but he has had it from new, and really looked after it.
Really funny weather today. Dullish this morning, then at lunchtime it went really dark, so much so we had to put lights on, and we had a terrific rainstorm with hailstones and everything. Now, as I type this, it is bright sunshine. What a country!
So that has been our day today..a sort of mish mash.But no matter, we have all the time in the world.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope with gruyere cheese,
Cauliflower and broccoli with mushrooms and a few potatoes, done in a gratin sauce.
T

Return To Waitrose...

When I opened the avocado for last night's tea, I found that it was really "manky". Fortunately, I had bought a double pack, so I opened that one too instead. The pity was, that was "manky" too!! a double pack of horrible avocadoes. So our meal was avocado less. VT said we would take them back today, which is what we did. Car park was really quiet, maybe because the kids are back at school this week, and we parked right outside. VT went in, and came out a few minutes later with £4. The avocadoes were £1.99 and apparently they give a double refund, which I didn't know.
We didn't do any more shopping there, and went over to Tesco.
Got all our weekly veggies from there today, and some other bits and bobs that they sell.Home in time for our coffee just before lunch.
The weather is really blowy today, the trees are going like mad at the back of the house, and it is quite cool too. The papers are saying that Autumn is on its way, and I can believe that, I think I shall be putting my sandals away soon, certainly my thin jacket. I was frozen walking round Tescos, certainly in the chilled foods aisle.
Tonight we are having:
Chicken style pie (Quorn)
Sliced sauteed potatoes,
Chanterey carrots and green beans,
Mushroom sauce.

Weekend Matters..

Very blowy today with a few patches of sunlight showing through, but few and far between. Saturday was a bit different from usual since VT didn't go out. I think he was thinking about his car and the exhaust. So we stopped in and did bits and pieces. Last night we had been going to have our Fishless fingers and chips but in the end we had a simple but good pasta meal with some tomato and marscapone sauce, and a bit of garlic bread. Sometimes the simple is really good.
Today (Sunday) the weather is really blowy, the trees at the back of the house in the adjoining gardens beyond the plot are blowing away like mad. The nights are drawing in too and it is now beginning to go dark at about a quarter to nine. I feel a touch of Autumn in the air. VT was saying that the hanging baskets are looking like they are finishing so maybe we will look for some spring bulbs to put in them. I feel a trip to the garden centre coming on....
VT did his crossword really quickly this afternoon, and sat about making noises about helping me with mine. Cheek!! I had one word that was a pain and wasn't coming up on my machine but came up on his. The big MOS crossword he finished again very quickly, apart from a Shakespeare characxter..Mistress Quickly who wasn't in the crossword solver book that we have. We then had to look up two on the computer then it was done. Well done VT..Brain as sharp as ever for a 60yr old!!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce****reminder to make some more***
Potato and egg salad wioth plum tomatoes and avocado pear
Potato salad for me and roast vegetable salad for VT.

Sunny September..

What gorgeous weather, it is so pleasant outside today. People in tops and skirts and shorts. The sort of weather we should have had in August. The sun is blazing through the window and the little cat is blissfully asleep in her basket underneath.
We went into Formby this morning, mainly because we were a bit later getting going, and also because VT didn't want to chance his exhaust I think. He has it booked in for Tuesday to be repaired.
So we went to Waitrose. The idea was that we should get only what we needed, but as usual we came out witha lots of extra things. I bought a pack of Duchy Original Dark Chocolate Mint Thins for Christmas!!!!VT thought I was mad, but they were on offer, and we do like a good after dinner mint. i've put them away in the box upstairs that we keep our stock in. It is an expensive shop, there is no doubt of that, but they do have good quality things, so it is good for other items than usual grocery things. I prefer Sainsburys or Morrisons for those.
Ordered the Quorn recipe book this afternoon. What a kerfuffle trying to fill in all the details on the website. Buying online isn't actually that easy, and as for remembering passwords..too easy to forget them.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for moi
Chips 200grms
Tartare sauce.

Indian Summer..

Absolutely typical. Today dawned bright and sunny and lovely and warm. Quite a lot of schoolchildren have gone back today, and we have the weather that we should have had in August.
We went into Crosby this morning because VT had to take his car in for its MOT. He left the car in the garage and we had a mooch about the village. Not a huge lot to look at actually, but I did get a few things I wanted at Superdrug and Home and Bargains. Why is it that when you are stood at a checkout, other peoples shopping always looks more interesting than your own. The girl in front of me had some tins of coconut milk only 49p which is a good deal. We went to Cost a Coffee for a break and to waste time really (in a very pleasant way) We had a small Americano each which came in a big cup..I wish you could get child size cups sometimes they are too big for me. It was really busy but we got a table easily. I was saying to VT, if we won a load on the Lottery, I would have a big coffee machine like theirs built into a coffee alcove with one or two booths to sit in. That woulod be quite nice I think. That would be in a house like the Barefioot Contessas in an area like hers too. Dream on Jenny!!
Went and got his car to find that it had not passed, it has a hole in the exhaust, so will need a new exhaust system. He is ringing them up as I type this to arrange it for next week. I did have an appointment arranged for next week at Fazackerley, but that has been cancelled by them, so next week is clear now.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages in Toad in the hole.
Mixed vegetables
Madeira wine gravy.

Hares and Rabbits..

Again, another month creeps up on us. The papers said that August was the wettest month for seventeen years, and I can well believe that. The last two or three days, have been really nice, and it is lovely and sunny today. Typical since the kids go back to school during this week. The weather always warms up for when it is time to go back to school. I remember it well!
VT has spent most of the day titivating his car up, ready for its MOT tomorrow. He has put new wipers and lights and other bits on it because he says these are things that it would fail on. That seems to have come round so quickly, can't believe iot has been a year since the last one.He has just come in, and said he is going to sit outside with a cooling drink now.
I suppose all of the back to school things will be going away in the shops, and the Halloween stuff will be coming out now, followed by the Christmas stock pretty soon. I bet there are some bargains in the Garden centres now after the wet summer.
On one of the websites I look at, there was a thread about favourite things. I think one of my favourite things is my Mums rolling pin. It was given to her as a wedding present about 1925. it is a really good wood, quite long with with two small knobs/handles at each end. I can imagine her using it, especially to make her apple pies. I was never able to make as good an apple pie as she did! VT uses it every Sunday to roll out his pizza it's a good length for that.
Clearly we didn't go out today, and tomorrow is his MOT day so it will be Friday before we get anywhere this week. Not sure where yet though.
Just broken a nail Darn it! Why is it that you just get your nails looking nice and then you break one?Ah well, file it down and do a quick repair.
Tonight we are having:
Sausage Rolls..with Quorn,
Small tin of spaghetti hoops
Sliced fried potatoes,
Baked tomatoes and mushrooms.