Out of the House..

Seem to have been in for a few days, so we went out to Dobbies to get some plants for our hanging baskets. Had a good look round, but it was one of those days when we didn't spot anything worth getting really. They do boxes of assorted plants for tubs and baskets and last year they were great, all we needed. Very disappointed in this years efforts. Leggy plants or ones that looked distinctly not well.So we didn't get anything there. We will try the garden centre near home and see if they have any. VT did get a catmintplant for our two, and all the other cats in the neighbourhood for that matter! I bought a box of after dinner mints and that was it. had to wait ages for a till to get going, annoys me when there are people wandering about in purple tops and only two on the tills working their socks off.
Had a lovely coffee in their cafe part which is huge. They have a nice part, where they have lovely chairs and tables but it is waitress service. Totally empty!!!! Seems stupid to me, you should be able to go in there if you just have a coffee or tea, what a waste of space. I think the trouble is that people don't know what it is for really, it would look much better if there were customers in there. I'm getting to be a grumpy old woman!
As soon as we got back VT put the catmint outside on the table, and Bobby immediately jumped on it and started rubbing her chin on it. It must be Cannabis for cats. Drives them wild and its great to watch.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope,
New potatoes sliced and sauteed
Cauliflower with a bit of cheese sauce on it,
Sliced mushrooms.

Typical Bank Holiday...

Usual start..dark windy and looking very much like rain, which it did later in the morning. However it has cleared up now and is nice and sunny.Probably too late for people to get out and about much.
VT has been looking after the little ginger girl from next door all weekend. She has been no trouble at all, and has come in and gone out with the weather really. She doesn't seem to like being out in the cold and the rain..who does..despite our former neighbour saying that it was an outdoor cat. It isn't really, she likes being in the sun, but is willing to go in when it goes drizzly. Very well behaved little thing VT says, has left no mess and eats it's food beautifully. Very good little thing. She is due back this afternoon, so it will be back to normal. It must be the most confused cat in the villageit must wonder why VT can't let it in all of the time.
I thought this morning..Oh Well we aint going out, so I would do the ironing, so set about doing all the bedding that was looking at me. it's a bit of a slog, but lovely when it is done, and gorgeous on the bed.
Had a bit of a flip there for a while. As I was typing this it disappeared..totally disappeared. i thought I had lost it which has happened before, but by a circuitous route I found it again.Phew!! Not being particularly good, in fact terrible with computers that was quite a relief.
Tonight we are having:
Toad in the hole. I have a pack of quorn sausages to use up,
Mushroom gravy,
Chanterelle carrots.

Little Snapshots...

I sometimes do wish that I had a mobile phone with a camera on it. I see wonderful pictures on people's blogs that are obviously taken on the spur of the moment. On Friday, going round Sainsbury's I saw a tiny little girl walking round the store with her Mum, dressed in a Bee costume. The girl that is...She had huge wings, and little stripey socks and just looked fantastic. Obviously I would never take a picture of a child, wspecially thes3e days, but you do see some things quite often that you want to capture in a picture.
There again, do I need a mobile phone...No!
Gorgeous picture on YouTube I saw today, of a tabby cat hugging her kitten. Just such an Aaah moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQSQn6c_Y6M
So sweet..what a lovely thing to watch.
Very quiet Bank Holiday weekend, nothing doing at the front of the house or at the back for that matter. At least the windy weather is keeping the barbecuers off, so we aren't getting the beefy smells coming over the fence. Very changeable today, VT went into Crosby to get a few things, and just as he left it poured, but then it cleared up later. Did a load of bedding today and hung it out for a bit which would dry it a little. Wonder how our parents used to manage without tumble driers and suchlike. No wonder there was always a scent of drying clothes on a Monday..nice smell though.
Last night (Saturday) we had:
Chinese bits from the freezer
Lemon sauce
Stirfry vegetables
1/2 a packet of rice.

Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our home made base and tomato sauce
Mushroom, peppers for VT and courgette for moi Mozzarella balls and portobello mushrooms
Egg and potato salad
Cous Cous for VT and potato salad for moi

Bank Holiday Weekend...Again!!

It seems this year that we have had such a lot of Bank Holidays, and we have yet another this weekend.
VT is in charge of next door's little ginger girl again while her owner has gone to London. He wasn't sure whether it was in or out last night, but he didn't want to open the door in case she ran out, which she tends to do. So he left her, and this morning when he went to open the door she was waiting, so she has been out all day so far. It doesn't go hungry because we leave biscuits on our doorstep, so she knows where to get food, and there is always a bowl of water in the garden. It is a lovely little cat, with a curious bobble on the end of its tail. When you run your hand up her tail you can feel it. Aaah.The wind has died down a bit, and the sun has come out, but the weather forecast is for rain this weekend. Typical.
We went off to Sainsbury's Walton to get our weekend things,took our coffee with us, and were finished quite quickly. We seemed to whizz roundit is a nice shop actually, never hugely busy and big wide aisles so you don't get crowded. Our Sainsbury's in Crosby is tiny, and if you get two people in an aisle having a conflab it's hopel;ess,
Home for a nice lunch, I had a potato and egg salad and VT had mini veggie sausage rolls and the cats had their chicken.. Then VT went out to Formby because he wabnted to get a particular magazine from Waitrose, and of course his favourite pasties from there!!So...
Tonight we are having:
Pasties one vegetable and one cheese and onion
Rice pudding from Waitrose.

Wet little Cat...

Well I am used to little cats jumping on the bed early in the morning, but this morning I got a bit of a surprise. Bobby is quite a big cat, so you know when she jumps on the end of the bed, she lands with a big thump, usually on my feet. She did this this morning, then walked up the bed and draped herself round my head. Wonder why she never goes on VT's head?
Maybe it's because I'm nearest the door. Anyway, that woke me up and I put my arm out to get her flat, and stop her pawing my neck and lo and behold her fur was all wet!!! Horrible..wet cat, not nice. Looks like a typical Bank Holiday weekend then. Keeping the barbecue brigade in though.
VT is looking after next doors ginger girl again this weekend while her owner goes to London to see her daughter.She came to the door to hand the keys, and VT said "Have a nice time" and she looked up at the sky. I hope it's nice down there for her. She is doing really well actually, been decorating a lotm so maybe she is staying. At present ginger girl is in and asleep upstairs she said, which probably means if he goes in later she will run out..it's a tricky little thing.
Did the kitchen floor this morning, and bits and bobs..wonder where that came from?
Tonight we are having:
A mozzarella and baby tomato tart from M&S,
Potato and egg salad
Potato salad to go with.

One Little Tablet...

For a little cat..how can they cost £29? They are little tiny tablets for a thyroid condition that Rusty has. She has two a day, which the gallant VT gives to her at twelve hours apart. We had to renew the prescription so went and collected them from the vets in Ormskirk.
We were late getting up this morning mainly because the two of them were playing let's wake them up at six o'clock in the morning. It's a great game that is, they jump about on the bed, then Bobby settles on top of my feet so I can't move, and Rusty goes on my hip so I can't go anywhere. great fun!
Since we were going to the Vets, we combined that with a trip into Ormskirk. We parked behind M&S so didn't have to call in at Morrisons to spend the five pounds to get the parking free. Cost about a pound, but then we didn't have to spend anything in Morrisons so I reckon that was worth it really. I went to Bon Marche to swap a T-shirt I wasn't too keen on, and got a pair of slippers and another top, so that was good. Holland and Barratt for fishless fingers, but no pepperoni style sausage which is a shame. We like those on our pizza. Superdrug for some items I wanted, and got yet another card for my purse, this is a beauty card!!! pretty pink with a mirror on it???? not very good actually. You get points when you shop there, it's a new thing...one more to add to the list.
Called in at M&S since we were parked right outside. Horrible shop..far too much temtation! so many things you want to buy but know they are not good for you. We did get some things for the freezer which is totally styffed now.
Had a coffee in our old cafe which we haven't been in for ages since we go to Morrisons now, and the television was on about the O'Bamas visit. Wonder why they weren't invited to the Royal Wedding? seems a bit mean, given the State visit now..
Must say it is still pretty cool here,had my electric blanket on last night to warm the bed up, and didn't see too many people out without coats yet!
Tonight we are having:
What I said we were having last night!
last night we had,A chicken style pie, with carrots and mushrooms and baby potatoes.
So, tonight we are having the pasta with spinach and ricotta sauce.

Pottering...

A day of doing this and that. We started off by making our tomato sauce for our Pizzas on a Sunday..This is a top secret recipe..not..
5 tins of chopped tomatoes
A good dessertspn of mixed dried herbs
A couple of sachets of brown sugar,
Salt and pepper
About two tspns of bouillon powder,
A small tin of tomato puree and
A good squirt of garlic puree.
This is all put into a large pan and left on a really low light to simmer away till well reduced and thick. Cool, and put into small plastic boxes, one for each week. It makes about twelve.So that's done for the next three months.
This can pretty much be left with the odd stirring for quite a long time, so VT went off and did the barrel in the front garden. It is the green bin this week, so he put all of the rubbish in that. The daffodil bulbs were saved for another time, and we have bought some nice plants to go in the top of the barrel. There is a loveloy geranium of a deep maroon colour in the centre, and alternating cineraria which are silver, and blue fuschia plants. Should look nice when they flower.
Our little touch of Chelsea!
I did the brasses on the front door..the only trouble with that is that it is bound to rain tomorrow now!
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a spinach and ricotta sauce
A little bit of garlic bread
Mixed greeen vegetables and asparagus.

Stormy Weather...

I know that everywhere is dry, and we could do with some rain, but this is mad. We went to crosby to Sainsburys for the usual Monday shopping, and it had started to drizzle when we came out. I had forgotten where we parked, which was right outside the store under a tree, and walked right past it.
I'm sure everyone has done that before! Anyway, VT was leaning on the car laughing at me..Funny..not. he had only done that because in the shop he was looking at some of those Actimel drink things, and trying to find the ones with the longest sell by dates, and I walked off with the trolley. He came up to me where I was, and said You walked off..I said all right bossy..and there was a woman standing by me So we laughed at each other. He gets really bossy in supermarkets..especially when things are coming off the conveyor belt.. He says we'll put all the frozen things in here, and all the cat things in here, and you take the lighter stuff. I could smack him sometimes. Think I'll change his name to Mussolini!! Only kidding..mostly I just tell him not to be so bossy!
Anyway when we got home the Heavens had opened..and we got wet just running to the house. It's cleared up beautifully now, but the traffic report just now is telling of very strong winds in Scotland especially for high sided vehicles.It's blowy here, but sunny.Not warm though.The cats aren't venturing out much, but they don't like being wet.
Tonight we are having:Escalope with gruyere cheese
baby jersey royals
Mixed vegetables with a mushroom sauce.

Puzzling..

Mostly on a Sunday, we have a bit of a routine..but Sunday afternoon we do the three crosswords, one from the Mail on Sunday magazine, another from the Mail paper which is a big general knowledge one, and VT does his from the Sunday Express magazine. Funny how they vary, sometimes they are really hard, sometimes easier. Today we seemed to finish all of them quite quickly, which leaves us a bit of time before we get the tea ready.
Free CD with the Mail today of Neil Diamond. I always think that certain music or songs bring back memories, and Neil Diamond does it for me. Whenever I hear his I am I said, I can see us..VT and Me in our Morris Traveller on our way to Scotland or Cornwall for a holiday. That car we used to call EFY because that was her number plate, and she was much loved. She didn't have a cassette player or a radio, so we used to have a tape recorder balanced on our luggage on the back seat. Those were the days!!Now we have a CD stereo player but mostly we listen to Radio 2 in the car.
I still love Neil Diamond, watched a concert he did not so long ago with an audience of celebrities, and he was wonderful, everybody was singing along to Sweet Caroline.Not quite as good as Nilsson for me..but up there.
Blowy today here, the trees are going like mad, and the cats have mostly been inside. Must have warmed up a bit though, because VT has just come in for a shirt because he says he was too warm!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with a shop bought pizza topping!! Oh Horrors..we have run out of our own, and must make some more next week. Portobello mushrooms, pineapple and three cheeses..but not too much.
Salad with egg and potato,baby plum tomatoes..yellow ones. and avocado.
Potato salad for moi and a pasta salad for VT

Dull..

One of those dull days today. All day it has looked like rain, but never materialised. Bobby was out in the garden all morning, perched on top of their hut despite the bit of a breeze that was blowing. True to form, they were both trampling on me at about five thirtyish this morning, and Bobby eventually settled on my feet, and Rusty on my hip. So I was stuck there. Anyone who is a cat owner knows that you don't move them..since it is somewhat of an honour if a cat comes on your knee etc. I think it is lovely the way they grace you with their presence.
VT went out this morning armed with his coupon from the Daily Express for a free loaf from greggs. never one to turn down a free offer, this seemed to be a good bargain since we get the paper anyway on a Saturday. He came back with a tiger loaf which is presently scenting the kitchen. Tiger bread has such a strong scent, very appetising.
Listened to the Desmond Carrington show from Radio Two over lunch. We record this (when we remember) on a friday night and play it back on Saturday and Sunday lunchtime. I love his show..it has such an eclectic mix of music, most of which are off the beaten track and not well known. My very most favourite artist is Harry Nilsson whose voice I think is marvellous. His "Without Her" is my most favourite song ever, and it drives me mad when I hear steve Wright who quite often plays it talking over the end of it. You never get to hear the end on the radio. Love "Everybody's talking" and New York City..just a fantastic singing voice. Such a shame he died so young really. I hope he is singing in Heaven somewhere if there is one.
This afternoon we watched some episodes of "Come Dine With Me Down Under". I think these were from Sydney, but they were quite entertaining. Oh that accent, would drive me mad the way some of them..not all.. have that sort of tone that goes up at the end of a sentence with a sort of sliding scale. I wonder of my brother speaks in Australian. Their children will because they have been there since they were very young. I do wish there weren't so many spiders there..puts me off totally..really totally. Gives me the eebies jeebies just thinking of them.. There was an item on the Northwest News last night about some family in Crosby who had a dangerous spider loose in their house. Come from bananas..VT looked it up on the net and the bananas came from Costco otherwise we would not have been going anywhere near Sainsburys on Monday!!!

Tonight we are having:
Vegetable spring rolls
1/2 packet of rice
stir fry vegetables
Sauce of some sort.

Alarm Clock Didn't Work!!

By the alarm clock, I mean the two cats! Usually early in the morning one or other..normally both are jumping around on the bed when it starts to get light.This morning..nothing..nobody..no little paws treading on us, so we slept in. Didn't wake up till about a quarter past nine. it doesn't matter, but we were planning to go to Southport, and we usually like to get going a bit earlier.
Started off quite nice, but began to get drizzly later on and then rained about lunchtime. Our next door neighbour was going to a wedding today, and yesterday she had gone out to buy a small umbrella to match her outfit. Good job as it happened.
Went to the Range shop because I wanted a little dish to put tomatoes on in the oven. They had a pyrex one which fitted the bill perfectly. Funny how Pyrex is still going strong,I can remember my Mum using Pyrex dishes, now they are dishwasherm microwave proof etc., they weren't in my Mums day.
The ASDA in Southport, is in a small retail park, with a Next, Range Card Factory, and now a new Costa. That was a surprise, it is where the Doulton shop was, that closed when they went into receivership. Didn't go there today, because we take our own coffee there, ASDA's coffee is really really dire, and served in horrible plastic beakers. Yuk!
Must admit that they do have a lot of bargains though. We got large jars of Gold Blend coffee for two for £9, and three Horlicks packs for £5 which is really cheap. I have a mug of that every night, VT has tea which I hate. The last time I had a cup of tea I had Jane nearly twenty eight years ago! Horrible taste, can't see what people see in it. Very british thing though..a cup of tea..panacea for all ills.
Later home. but it doesn't matter.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers,
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for moi
Chips..200grms
tartare sauce.

Blooming Lovely...

Went out this morning to Dobbies, mainly to get some plants for the barrel in the front garden. The daffodils have well finished and looking very straggly. The weather has been so cool though that it has put off putting anything else in just yet. The last time we went to Dobbies the outside garden section was quite bare really, with nothing much to excite the senses. Today though there were plenty of plants to choose from, it was a matter of deciding which would look best. So, we had a cup of coffee and pondered the matter..free coffee that is. VT had a flat white..which he said was lovely, I had my usual black one.
Then we went and got some Cineraria for round the edge of the barrel, with a blue flowered fuschia to alternate, and a really lovely wine coloured geranium for the centre. I haven't seen a geranium that colour before, it's a sort of marroon..beautiful.20% off the bill, so not a bad deal either.
Got a car wash before we went there, because VT's car is just so mucky from the horrible sycamores. Must be lovely to have a garage, except that VT would fill it full of stuff HaHa...
Parcel delivery early this morning. I ordered some things from Debenhams online on Tuesday..in their sale, and it arrived this morning..free P&P too. Excellent deal, would recommend them to anybody. Easy to order, and a user friendly system too. Excellent..full marks Debenhams.
Funny last night. The doorbell went at about five thirty, and VT went to answer it. Apparently it was yet another man asking questions about the census! That is the third now. VT said he had filled in the form correctly, and didn't want to discuss it further thankyou. He said they have probably put a mark on our gate now.. I said GOG Grumpy Old Git !
Tonight we are having:
The rest of the jersey royals, if they haven't gone green!
Courgette sliced and fried in fry light,
Something from the freezer to go with. Maybe a pie of some sort.

Brrrrighter...

Much brighter today, the sun is shining again and it isn't so breezy. VT was in the front garden this morning doing the shrubby hedges that border our little wall. They are a mixture of different shrubs, like an orange blossom bush and eunonymous etc., and bit by bit they have merged together to make a sort of hedge. Looks quite nice at this time of year when everything is green, but it needs a good clipping to keep it straight.
He went out to Crosby this morning to get his free sandwich from Greggs..it was an offer in the Daily ExpressIt was supposed to be a bloomer sandwich, but they had all gone so he had a cheese and tomato instead.Well he seemed to enjoy it anyway. I did the big pile of ironing while he was off getting that, it sits on the chair looking at me so..it's done now.
He has just come upstairs to get a cooler shirt on, because he says it is too hot. He has his new hat on which is very smart, and makes him lok very distinguished.Little Rusty follows him upstairs like a little lap-dog, or should I say lap-cat! and I thought she was on the sofa downstairs fast asleep. So I was saying..did naughty Daddy wake you up, and he says, you've got that wrong, because she has been outside with me doing the garden. They are such loyal little things cats are. The little ginger girl was in the front garden with him this morning...she is out until lady next door comes home at about fivish.
Don't know where Bobby is, she is probably out there too. Haven't seen her since chicken time at lunchtime.
Been watching Delia Smith all week on Countdown. She is the celebrity guest on dictionary corner, and is slow getting going but quite nice. She hasn't much of a clue about the programme, but it is a change to see her on the screen.
Tonight we are having:
A pasta of some sort with mushrooms and green vegetables.
A bit of garlic bread.

Hair Dos and Hats...

Up early this morning since I had an appointment at the hairdressers for 10.30 with my nice Laura.My hair seems to last about three months then it gets straggly and needs a cut and blow. I usually get VT to put the touch up colour on before I go, so it looks faily decent when it is cut. £32 for a cut and blow, but that lasts three months so not bad. She has a little girl of two,Ava, and she was telling me about their visit to Legoland last week. Can't help thinking Jane would have loved that, she was very into Duplo when she was young, had hundreds of Duplo bricks and figures, and would play with them for hours.
See them again in twelve weeks!
VT went to Formby while I was in the hairdressers, because he had a few things to do, then when he picked me up. we went along to the Garden Centre for a look round and our coffees for May. Very quiet too, even though there was a coach in the car park. They must have been somewhere else, becaude they weren't in the restaurant, it was really quiet in there. Funny thing is when we went in everybody was sitting round the edge tables..wonder why that is? VT says it's the herding instinct.
Had a look in the gift shop, where they actually have some really good things. I bought a candle from Colony which smells of baby powder, and really nice, and VT bought a new straw hat for the garden after trying on all the L and XL ones. He said they varied quite a lot...must be the way they are made. Looks really good on him..makes him look distinguished.
VT is waiting for a phone call from his bank..should have rung at three O'Clock but it is now 4.30 and they still haven't rung. Typical..I suppose as soon as we sit down for our coffee they will ring.
Programme last night, very interesting about disasters that companies have. One was the Gerald Ratner jewellery one where the company sank following his comment about c*** jewellery, and another was Sunny D. It was an orange drink that was marketed as healthy and turned out to have little or no orange in it, and all sorts of additives plus tons of sugar. I can remember Jane having that. The way it was advertised you thought it was really good for children, and Jane was addicted to it..not as much as one little girl who drank 1 1/2 litres a day, and ended up turning orange!!! Anyway, there was a massive backlash against the product, when parents realised what was in it.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and red onion slices
Cauliflower and broccoli gratin
Squashed potatoes.

Still Brrr..

The trees here are blowing like mad. Outside our row of terraced houses, sow tweely called cottages by some, we have a row of sycamore trees. Largely they are a pain in the neck, because they drop things for most of the year. At the moment, they are dropping sticky little buds of green things, that get trodden into the house, stick on to cars, and make them look grubby, and get trodden into the inside of cars so the footwell is really grubby. The wind over the last few days has blown a lot down, together with quite a lot of leaves, so it actually looks like we are having an early Autumn. Very odd.
We did have a fire last night which was nice, it warmed the whole house for a change.You kid yourself that it is warmer because it is May, but I bet people with central heating still have theirs on.
Went to Crosby this morning, just a quick trip to Sainsburys to get the veggies for the week. Nothing special going on there, very ordinary day.
Looking forward to watching Countdown this afternoon, because the Sainted Delia is on as the Celebrity guest. I hope there isn't too much football talk though. We watch Countdown most days, we record it on the hard drive, so you can fast forward the placing of the letters, and get it down to about twenty five minutes or so. We have a cup of freshly brewed ground coffee and a bit of a low cal cake and that's our treat for the day.
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalope,
bread sauce with that,
Vegetables with a bit of a sauce maybe mushroom.
Baby Jersey Royals.

Brrrr...

Well..last night we succombed to having a fire. VT had been sitting in his short sleeved shirt all afternoon, and even he went upstairs to change into his sweatshirt..there see..it must be cold. It's actually like march or early September. So he lit a coal fire and the room warmed up . Bobby came right down, i swear she can tell a heater is on from three rooms away, and was to be found stretched out in front of the fire all evening.
Today (Sunday) he has lit a peat fire, since he still has some left from the winter order.I like a peat fire, the smell is gorgeous, but I wouldn't exactly say it is warming. Wouldn't like to be in the wilds of Scotland with only a peat fire for heat,,you get a glow more than a blaze with peat.
VT sat out this afternoon with hios cup of tea, but only lasted about two minutes,his tea was probably getting cold!
The Sunday crosswords were fairly taxing today, the big Mail on Sunday one needed a lot looking up on the netbook, he usually does more of it than he did today. Mine was a proverb theme which is a pain till you get them. One was Practise what you preach, and the other was practice makes perfect, with the word practice being used for both answers..confusing.

Watched some of the Eurovision last night..don't know why we bother, the songs I like never win, except that the Italy entry I thought was good and that came second. The one that won was very mediocre, from Azerbaistan (sp) and was voted for by all of the Eastern European countries. It's such a fix..Russia votes for Georgia and vice-versa. England gave top marks to Jedward for Ireland!!!!! mad..totally mad.
Tonight we are having:
The lovely pizza that VT makes..
Our tomato sauce, mushrooms, sausage pineapple and goats cheese today
Potato salad for me and rice salad for VT
Potato and egg green salad with avocado.

The March Winds Doth Blow..

And it's May, Really blowy and cool here today, you open the back door and you can smell the sea which is a bad sign. The little cats haven't ventured out much today. Bobby went out a bit after lunch and sat on top of the hut, but soon came in again when it started raining.Rusty went out, walked up the garden and ran straight back again. Both fast asleep now for the afternoon! That's the life.
VT went out for a mooch this morning , said it was quite quiet. Suppose people were getting ready for the Cup Final. Not that it bothers us, neither of us watches football, but apparently Manchester City won, so the locals in Manchester will be pleased.
I think it is really cold today, but then I do feel the cold. If we had central heating I'm sure I would have it on, low at any rate. We have a coal fire which heats up radiators, but you tend to think that if it is May, you shouldn't have a fire..Rubbish i say. Don't think VT will be sitting outside with his cup of tea this afternoon.
yesterday the Blogger was being somewhat awkward and wouldn't open anything up. It was only quite late last night that I managed to put my entry on. It's funny actually, I miss it when I don't use it. You get used to putting silly things on here, it's a bit like a sort of diary. It was started to keep a record of our healthy eating plan, so I do try to enter what we have had for tea most nights, as a record. Not as healthy as we were though!
Tonight we are having:
veggie spring rolls,
1/2 packet of rice,
Sweet and sour sauce,
Stir fry vegetables.

Posh Shop Today..

Waitrose for the weekend things today. It is a posh shop to me, nice place to go for a supermarket, but very expensive. What we tend to do is get the staples for our weekend..fatal to browse, that just bulks up the trolley, and lessens the amount in your purse.
VT was very pleased though because he got his favourite pasties, they are just like Cornish Pasties but are vegetarian, and we have them on a Friday as a treat.
Went to the bank in Formby to pay some money in for Jane to help her out a bit, and lo and behold we could actually park outside, and the first time too. Usually we have to go round the block a few times..so the luck was with us. Hope she spends it wisely. I'm sure she will.
Blowy and drizzly today although we managed to dodge the rain, parked right outside Waitrose front door too, one of those days I think.
This afternoon I finished my letter to John and Ann in Australia. I tend to start one then do bits and opieces at a time, but I wanted to get it done so I could send Anns Birthday things. Got her..a bag in a bag for quick shopping, A CD of Edmund Hockridge, she used to like years ago, a lovely cheery cashmere scarf from M&S that was reduced to an absolute bargain price in their sale, and a McIntosh bookmark from Past Times. Quite light this time, only cost £5.50 to post.
Tonight we have had!:
Pasties from Waitrose
Gravy
Rice Pudding also from Waitrose.

Up and At Em..

This morning we were up early, since we had planned to go to the Cheshire Oaks.Left the house at about 9-15 after the morning rush, and got there about an hour later. it's a good run, through the Mersey Tunnel, which has now gone up to £1.50 each way, past the Ellesmere Boat Museum, and then you are there. Loads of parking spaces, and we park in our usual place being creatures of habit. We always walk round clockwise, then we are at the Costa Coffee shop at the right time. The monsoon shop has closed which is a shame, but other new ones have opened up, a lot of young men's shops that you look at but don't go in. Lovely coffee at Costa. VT has a medium latte, and I have an Americano. Really nice place to catch your breath, I love Costa. Went into my perfume shop, and lo and behold they actually had some of my Origins Ginger Essence eau de toilette.They haven't had that for simply ages, and I absolutely love it..so me a happy bunny. Went into Mulberry..picked up a lovely little purple..well blueberry credit card holder..price £63!!!!! Good grief, talk about paying for the name. Bought a lovely silky top in M&S Outlet in the Per Una range, only £5 so well pleased with that. They have great bargains there, VT got some lovely cheap tea lights and some socks..really exciting..oh and a pack of shortbread. I got another top in Cotton Traders round the corner which goes beautifully with the jacket that we hemmed yesterday. VT got some sunglasses from the Sunglasses hut, polarised,, and the ones that fit over your prescription glasses. Only £10 so he was chuffed with those.
Past Times is always a draw for me. Didn't see anything I wanted but got a gorgeous McIntosh bookmark that I can send to Ann in her birthday parcel in a few days..nice and light to pack too considering it is going to Australia.
Sainsburys for lunch, because VT wanted some of their Vegetarian Sushi, but they didn't have any!! sad about that. It is still quite hard to get lunches when you are vegetarian, you tend to end up with cheese sandwiches. In the end I had cheese and tomato and VT had some wraps, shared a bottle of water and a bag of crisps so not too bad.
Home by 3-15 . Had a lovely day today. Got lots of things I wanted,,, unlike the last time I went there, and came hole with nothing. But, that is the nature of Outolet villages.
Little ginger girl came to greet his car when we came home bless her. She is such a gorgeous cat. Our two sort of nonchalantly come down the stairs..no hurry..spoilt brats.
Tonight we are having:
Chicken style piem
Mixed vegetables
The rest of the baby jersey royals
Mushroom sauce.

Bits and Pieces

Stayed in today, with a view to going out tomorrow, maybe to the Cheshire Oaks. So we did bits and pieces. VT sorted out some of his papers, and I read some! Also did the hem of a jacket I have had in my wardrobe for years really. I bought in America, very very much reduced because the hem had come undone, always meaning to sew it up, but never got round to it. VT had this tape that you use for hems, called a magic tape, and you iron it in place, it worked wonders, and has fixed it beautifully. I should have sewn it a long long time ago, and now I don't think I could see to thread the needle, but no matter. It is a lovely jacket actually, very stylish in a print, and not the sort of thing you see here unfortunately.A real pity.
Green bin today, so VT did some tidying up in the front garden, and sat outside in the back one. He said little ginger girl from next door and our Bobby were touching noses, which is a good sign. I think the poor little thing needs a friend to play with.VT says it comes and finds him where he is, it's a sociable little thing in its own way. It will be round the front now, waiting for its mummy to come home.
Tonight we are having:
Something easty... I will use the freezer, and whatever VT fancies.

Change is as good as a rest..

Decided to have a bit of a change anyway today, bit tired of Sainsbury's and Crosby, so we went over to Maghull to the Morrisons there. Such an interesting life we lead.
I love morrisons..it's such an ordinary shop..no pretentions like Waitrose, and no bully boy tactics like tescos. The one in Maghull used to be a Gateway, then it was a Somerfield, then it became a Morrisons, but it's only quite small. Nice though. Got some beautiful little Jersey Royals for £1 a bag..I love those..sadly no longer smothered in butter though!! Those were the days before the healthy eating plan! Why aren't all the nice things good for you?
Went round the square first, VT had a reason for suggesting Maghull..he wanted to get a book he had seen on Saturday and didn't buy..about Samuel Peyps, by Clare Tomalin. It is about three inches thick, and will last him years! I have a horribole feeling it's going to be one of those books that he reads bits of to me in bed.
I bought a nice new nail varnish in Superdrug, which I thought was purply, only to find that I had the same colour at home!! Doh!! as the kids say. What I thought was gold is actually a metallic purply colour!!
We just got back to Morrisons to do our shop and the drizzle started, then it caught us as we went to the car. Stopped off at the garden centre for a coffee, and sat in a part of it that is like a conservatory. Then the heavens opened..talk about rain, and the noise on the conservatory roof was deafening..wouldn't like one myself. Next doors have one, and VT says that you can hear the rain when he goes in to feed the cat. We stayed in a holiday cottage once where the dining table was in a conservatory, and it was awful. really cold and noisy even though it had heaters. I'm really glad our extension is a properly built one with a proper roof. We use it a terrific amount, it is truly an extra room.

It has a massive window at the end, and the cats, usually little Rusty will sit on that for ages just looking out onto the garden.
Anyway, we had a nice coffee and a homemade shortbread biscuit, that needed a touch of salt in it. I can see my dad saying that when I made something..needs a bit of salt Jennifer, and he was usually right.
Tonight we are having:
lemon and black pepper escalope,
Baby jersey royals..
Vegetables with onion sauce and spinach.

The March Winds doth Blow...in May!!

Quite blowy today, with some sun but not a huge amount. Had a line of washing out which was blowing around very nicely, but you had to watch out for spots of rain. Eventually brought them in to finish ibn the frier. Little ginger girl was on the fence between the houses this morning witgh our Bobby keeping a watchful eye out. There is a real little community of cats out there, each one having their own territory.Ginger Thomas from the house the other side uses our garden as a passageway becaude he can't get under his own back door. Ours has a space so that our two can come and go quickly. Has been useful when they have been chased.
As i type this the sun is blazing through the window with a sharp shower of rain. It is so bright that you can hardly look out of the window. There must be a fantastic rainbow somewhere. I love rainbows, and the story about the pot of gold at the end of them. I wonder if parents still tell their children about that.
Had my hair touched up this afternoon..VT does a great job of that. i get a roots touch up which is enough to colour the grey at the parting. Overall the hair isn't bad, not a huge amount of grey really. VT stands behind me and puts the stuff on the parting and top of my head, and asks me where I am going for my holidays!! He is so funny.
At present I am listening to the Paul O'Grady show on radio Two. Bot a huge fan of his, but his show on a Sunday evening is really good. He has just played a piano piece by someone he calls Mrs Balaclava...no idea what that is about, but the piano playing was lovely. I do wish I could play the piano..One of my most wonderful memories was once when Jane was about five. We won a weekend in Gleneagles Scotland, and one night when we were having dinner, there was a pianist playing. I asked Jane to go and ask him to play "As time goes by" and she did. It was wonderful..everlasting memory.

Tonight we are having:
pizza with our own bread base, and tomato sauce
Mozzarella portobello mushrooms and courgette, pineapple and meatfree sausage.
Potato and egg salad
Potato salad for moi and bulgar what salad for VT.

The End...

Not of the blog, but of a series that we have watched for years called "Monk". We have enjoyed this series so much, it has been a quirky show with a lot of humour in it. Monk is a detective with OCD who solves crimes. Excellent characters through the years, and good writing. Today saw the very last ever episode of it. It has been on a variety of channels including some Sky ones but lately on BBC2 at about twoish in the afternoon, so we record them for later. I suppose it has been a sort of cult show, but it has won a lot of awards over its time. The producers decided to go while they were still on a high so ..the end today. Sad but satisfying in the end. Well done Monk!
Changeable today, VT went out this morning, and had to use the umbrella, but the sun is shining as I type.
Sad to see two great sportsmen have died this week. Henry Cooper a few days ago, and Seve Ballesteros today at only 54. Both gentlemen of sport, and some of today's sportsmen and women would do well to follow their example. R.I.P. Henry and Seve.
Tonight we are having:
Delia Smiths Madras egg curry
1/2 a packet of rice
Stir fry vegetables
Banana, poppadums and mango chutney, with a tomato cuchumber.

Left or Right?

As we drive out of our village, which is a one way in and out place, you can go left to go to Southport, or you can go right to go to Liverpool. Our village is right in the middle of the two. We were undecidid about where to go for the weekend things, it being laft for ASDA or right for Sainsburys. So I left it to VT, and he turned right. So Walton it was.
We got up a bit later this morning..the trouble is one of the cats jumps on the bed at about fivish in the morning, and wakes me up so I tend to sleep on after that.If in doubt..blame Rusty! I thought we would have been late getting there but it was good in the end, we seemed to whizz round, and had time for our coffee in their nice big park afterwards.I thought it was going to be cool again, but the sun came out as we were driving, and it has turned into a nice day after all. Cold last night thoughm I actually puit the electric blanket on for a bit of cosy warmth. Thought I had switched it off but had missed a stop..and woke up much later cooking!!
Anyway, we got all our weekend stuff.. and as always some extras. We must have the most stocked up cupboards in the row.
VT is in the garden this afternoon, at least he is a pleased bunny with his bargain car insurance. Lo and behold, there was a letter from the AA insurance this morning with another quote. This was for the original one, not the one he was given when he rang them up which was suddenly £70 cheaper.. still nearly two hundred dearer than Saga..You would think that the AA would cover the Saga group, but apparently not. So they have lost his business..and www.moneysupermarket.com have done him a favour..and the Daily Mail.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers
Chips!! a treat..
Mushy peas for VT and green beans for moi
Tartare sauce.

In Which VT sorts his car out..

Mostly today VT wanted to get his car sorted. It has been sitting outside the house, we don't have a drive...under two horrible sycamore trees, and at this time of the year they drop all sorts of sticky bits on cars. So it was badly in need of a wash, which he did this morning. He got out there with his buckets and car wash and was a proper little sponge bob. Now he has a nice shiny car..for a while anyway.
Then we went round to vote. We have the referendum for or against AV.Must admit I can't see the advantage of that..I go for simple..and then we had the local elections as well. So two papers today. So that's done.
Then he sorted out his car insurance, which he had a reminder for a bit ago. It had gone up somewhat alarmingly, so he had been looking around. He had seen an article in The Daily Mail about car insurance, which had given reasons why insurance has risen so much, but they gave a website to look at for quotes. The cheapest by far was SAGA..which was about a hundred pounds cheaper than his AA quote. So he was well chuffed with that. I dread to think what some of these footballers must be paying for their car insurance. There was one in our local news the other day being dine for careless driving. Too much money and too fast cars. Saw a report in the paper this morning of a GP who couldn't read the top line of an eye chart, yet was driving a Porsche and had killed a woman. You would think they would know better. Last time I went to my eye clinic, they asked me whether I drove. I laughed and said not for a long time now. They said you'd be surprised at the people they get in there with dreadful eyesight who still drive.
Wouldn't you know it...it's just started raining! typical..why does it always rain when you have just done the windows or had the car washed. Mind you we can do with some rain, everywhere is very dry.Quite a lot of moorland fires around the country at the moment, because everywhere is so dry.
Tonight we are having:

Cheese kievs
Vegetables to use up from the fridge,
Small potatoes sauteed,
Mushroom sauce.

Caught Out...

I bet there were some people caught out today. While it looked lovely and sunny, my word there was a chilly breeze. We went to Ormskirk to get a few things and a bit of fresh air. I saw a couple of girls/women in sleevelless tops, they must have been frozen. OK in the sunshine, but really cool in the shadows.
Very quiet today it does make a difference when the kids are back in school.lovely going round everywhere because you can move.
Had a really nice coffee in Morrisons, again quieter than the last time we were in there, so conversation is easier. We only went in for a few things and came out with a trolley load,but mostly things we needed so doesn't matter. I wonder if internet shopping stoips the impulse buys? but then you wouldn't see new things either, or the special offers.
Tonight we are having:
Quiche..cheddar cheese and onion
Little potatoes in a herb butter
Small tin of tomatoey something.
Peaches in brandy that we didn't have last night!!

Done...

A big pile of ironing that has been looking at me since Sunday. Mostly bedding, with sheets that get extremely creased in the wash, but do iron out beautifully. The trouble with Egyptian cotton sheeting is that is creases like crazy in the wash, but it is so luxurious on the bed it is worth the effort.
I thought it was quite cold this morning, and when VT went down for the papers he came back and said that a few people had commented on the coolness of the weather. The sun is shining through the windows, so it looks very deceptive.
Our neighbour from next door rang the bell last night about fivish. She had been out and come back to find all the downstairs electric off, so she came to ask VT what she could do because she was worried about her fridge and freezer. So off he went, she must miss her husband for those sort of things, such a shame. Anyway he came back after a bit to say that they had rigged up a cable from upstairs which was ok, so at least the fridge and freezer were sorted. You take your partner so much for granted, I know I do, and it must be hard when suddenly you have to cope on your own. The last time she rang the bell, naughty ginger girl had left a mouse on her doorstep..as they do..and she doesn't like mice. Our Bobby used to do that, especially when Jane was here, I think she thought it was a present for her..which she certainly didn't appreciate, and didn't endear her to bobby at all. She doesn't bring anything in nowadays

Another Bank Holiday! and...Hares and Rabbits..

May 1st yesterday, so Hares and Rabbits again, these months are flying by, it will be summer vefore we know it, then Christmas.
Quite nice yesterday, we sat outside for a bit in the afternoon after we had finished the crosswords. They proved to be not too bad with one or two awkward ones we had to lok up on the internet.VT is very good at the general knowledge ones, he actually finished today's one (Monday) in record timewhile we were having a little coffee after shopping.
He has the garden loking really nice at the moment, with everything greening up beautifully, after the awful Winter we had. Some pots cracked, and a few shrubs got by the snow. I had a really nice Bay shrub which has completely gone, just brown shrivelled leaves that have gone crispy. I was quite surprised by that because I thought they were hardy shrubs. Since our garden is all plants or shrubs in pots or containers, it has been a bit of a learning curve as to what lasts well. The only shrub that seems to do extremely well is the Spirea, and we have absolutely loads of those. The good thing is, that they come in different colours and sizes, and flower at different times of the year too, so very useful. They come in light green, dark green, yellowy green with a reddish edge and different shaped leaves.

There is a beautiful acer tree that VT has nurtured from a very tint tree that looked very much worse for wear in a garden centre. With tlc it is now a gorgeous little tree with absolutely beautiful leaves, that sort of shimmer and flutter in the breeze. It is a real pleasure to sit out there with the fountain on one side and the budda and the acer tree. Very pleasant.
Big news of the day is the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. I just hope there isn't going to be repercussions after it.

Today Monday we nipped out to Sainsburys, just to get the weeks veggies Just got the half hour ticket which is free, so were back in time for a coffee, then our lunch of last night's pizza and salad.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope
Baby jersey royals
Mixed green vegetables.