Monday 31 October 2011

Halloween...Oooh Spooky!

Well we have the black cat..nearly, she is quite dark anyway. What a difference a day makes! it is now a quarter to five and it is getting really dark already. Surprised to see reports on the news about heavy snowstorms on the East Coast of America, there was one lovely picture of a large Pumpkin with all snow on the top. Aaah. I love Halloween over there, es[ecially in the New England area, they really go to town with their decorations. Massive big pumpkins on their porches etc. Ghosts dancing round trees and very inventive decorations. Its lovely.
We went to Crosby Sainsburys this morning, to get our weekly things. Called in at the garden centre over the by-pass on the way home to get our free coffees for the month, and had a good look round their gift centre. The garden centres these days have really excellent gift shops, and this one is particularly good. Vin spotted some lovely letters with writing on them in the french style, white and gold with brownish lettering. I bought a J and V for us, and a J and A for John and Ann. Really pleased with those, till we got them home and found that one of the J's wouldn't stand up. So that will have to go back. Typical. We should have stood them up in the store.
Vin has been up in the loft this afternoon, finishing off his pipe lagging and measuring the rest of the floor for the insulation. I wonder if we will get any trick or treaters this year, we haven't been having them for a good few years now, just the odd one or two.
Tonight we are having:
gruyere cheese escalope
A little pack of vegetables
Some squashed baby potatoes
Maybe some mushroom sauce.

Sunday 30 October 2011

Clocks Back!!

And doesn't it make a difference too. it was going dark at about five tonight, and I suppose it's all downhill from here. So far we haven't had a real fire, existing mainly on heaters where we go, but I don't think it will be long now, especially at the weekends. Nice to have the extra hour in bed though this morning.
Yesterday and today have been pretty normal, vin went out to get his last two rolls of loft insulation yesterday, and today he went to get the last of the pipe lagging. he reckons he will have it finished by this week. he's done really well, a new cold water tank, fully plumbed in and installed, and loft insulation over all the loft floor. He is going to put a top up on that which is only £3 a roll and subsidised by the government so that will bring it up to the high specs. Well Done my Vin XX
Did a pile of bedding today, so that will be ironing next week, never mind it's lovely going to bed in thise cotton sheets, all warm and cosy with the blanket on.
Vin hung the quilt cover out this afternoon, but it hasn't dried much too cool today I think. it must have been dreadful years ago doing the laundry and trying to dry things. i can well remember my Mum drying things in front of the fire, and the occasional hot smell when they got a bit close. Monday was wash day in ur house though not Sunday..that was for church and Sunday dinner. how things have changed in our house.
trying to make the most of the new computer. I keep doing things wrong, but Vin is very patient, and comes and explains things or puts them right. Haven't quite got the hang of putting photos on the blog yet though.

It worked!! by the looks of it. yesterday I was playing around but it wasn't working. Hooray, we are getting there.
Tonight we are ahving:
pizza with our tomato sauce. ( Need to make a batch of this next week)
Portobello mushrooms, pineapple, courgette, and pepper for Vin, not me I hate them!
Potato and egg salad with avocado pear
Potato salad for moi and sweet chilli noodle salad for Vin

Friday 28 October 2011

Technical Things!!

Went over to the Sainsbury's Walton this morning to get our weekend things. lovely morning too bright and sunny and really nice to be out. Got round the store really quickly today, wasn't busy even though it is half term. Of all the ones we go to it is actually one of the best to get round. Got everything we needed and didn't seem to have a huge amount in the trolley, but i don't think we forgot anything.
had our coffee in their car park, at the back where it is quiet. Sitting nursing our coffee mugs, we were watching a man walking up and down speaking into his mobile phone. Quite amusing to watch him actually, speaking away and gesturing with his hand obviously to make a point. Then he was jopined by another young man who was also walking round the car park where we were. is it a man thing I wonder??
Noticed a big road diversion on the way there which would have caused problems, but we were planning to call in at PC World on the way back to collect our monitor which has arrived. Vin found a really really quick way back, which savved us minutes. So the diversion did us a favour in the end, we will use that way in future. Collected the monitor and were home in our usual time.
Then Vin tried connecting it. No problem with that, but the monitor itself is very bright, too bright for me to read properly.He tried looking at the screens which came up but its all very technical and needs a while to sort out. Definitely not a simple thing to do. So, in the end he attached the old monitor for me so I could do this, and a few other things for a little while and he will have another go at it when he has more time.
he'll get there in the end, he's very bright is my Vinny.Tonight we are having:
Spinach and Ricotta flan,
Small tin of spaghetti for the tomato sauce
A couple of potato croquettes.

Thursday 27 October 2011

Lofty progress!

Stopped in today, Vin wanted to do some more work on the loft. he has put down eight rolls of insulation now, and reckons he needs one more roll to do the bits and pieces he has left. he will probably finish it next week now since we are out tomorrow and he won't do it at the weekend. He's really worked
I spent the morning finishing off my letter to John and Ann so got that printed off this afternoon. I'll get that posted, then start their one for Christmas. Bit stuck for ideas this year for their Christmas parcel. I have a really nice Thomas Kinkade calendar, but nothing else yet. I need something personal for Ann and something for John, but they need to be light, given the cost of postage which is really high these days.

Pumpkin time of the year. Saw an advert for them two for the price of one at tescos yesterday. bet they don't look like these though!
Vin rang the P.C. World place yesterday to see if the monitor had arrived. When we bought the new computer last week, we got everything but the monitor. The base unit id HP and so is the keyboard, but they had run out of the monitor which was Samsung 20". Anyway, they have one in with our name on it, so we will get it tomorrow. We were going to Sainsbury's in Walton anyhow, so it is just a little detour on the way back. Kll two birds with one stone as they say.
Tonight we are having:
Haven't a clue...No idea whatsoever.
Will have to see what we have in the freezer.
Pack of mixed vegetables to use up
Some potatoes to use up too.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Cool Nip..


In the air today. The weather forecasters all said that we were going to have rain today but that hasn't materialised. Quite sunny actually. i put my new reactions glasses on and they darkened up very quickly outside.
Vin decided that he wasn't going to do any of the loft today, and was going to have a breather, so we went out to Dobbies. I wanted to have a bit of a look round for Christmas things but didn't actually see anything that took my fancy. Vin got some nice Mandarin marmalade and i bought some shortbread and some after dinner mints to have in stock. Maybe the garden centre over the road will have something better for Christmas.
We had a lovely coffee in their busy restaurant. What a difference the half term makes, there were kids everywhere, and a lot of grandparents with kids attached, there must be an awful lot of Parents in this country who rely on Grannies and grandads to do their childcare during the holidays. We never had that because all of Jane's grandparents had died, she didn't have the pleasure of those relatives. Mind you i didn't know any of mine either so it must run in the family...
Called in at Waitrose in formby on the way home because the cats needed their chicken for tomorrow, and got a few other things for the store cupboard. At least they were quiet.
Vin spent the afternoon washing his car, while I fiddled around up here, so a mixed sort of day really.
Tonight we are having:
Chicken style pies
cauliflower cheese
A few baby potatoes squashed.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Ooops nearly forgot...

Nearly forgot to do this, and I've been on here a lot today. out of the way really, because Vin has been in the loft most of the day doing the insulation. he has nearly finished it, and says that he has to do fiddly bits now. It's lovely stuff, bright orange on one side, and a soft foil on the other. he says it is made in St. helens, from recycled glass bottles, which is good. He went out this morning to get another four rolls. he seems to think that he has enough now, but might need another one.
I have been on here most of the day doing a letter to John and Ann to replace the one that was lost on the crashed computer. The one click hard drive save arrived this morning so that will solve the problem of losing things in future we hope. It has been quite difficult trying to think of what I had put on the original one, so I think I have mostly written chatty rubbish. Never mind.
Jane rang up before and said she has got a bit of a block of time over Christmas so she might come home. That will be a wonder, she hasn't been home in an age. I think the cats will have forgotten what she looks like!
Vin has just had a nice bath he says, and the bath water was filthy..from all the dust up there. Well Done again Mr. Fixit.
They have just said on the News that a two week old baby had been recovered from the earthquake in Turkey, and the Mother and grandmother. little miracle there.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a Spinach and ricotta Sauce,
A bit of garlic bread
Some parmesan cheese.

Monday 24 October 2011

Half term...

I used to love half terms. A whole week to myself to do what I wanted. No early mornings unless i wanted to, and no school work to spoil the weekends and evenings. Now, half terms mean an annoyance of children in the shops, running round where they shouldn't be and I can't wait for them to finish. We tend not to go anywhere when it's half term these days. funny how things change.
Went to Sainsbury's this morning to get our weekly things and whizzed round there while Vin went off to get a free bottle of Lucozade..coupon in the paper. Not much halloween stuff evident in the shops, i wonder if the interest is waning a bit. There is however a lot of christmas things appearing and the adverts have started..Buy your furniture now and it is guaranteed delivery for Christmas!

Not like these Pumpkin displays anyway!
As i type this, with some difficulty because little Rusty is on my knee, and I am trying to keep her off the new keyboard..Vin is up in the loft getting ready to start putting loft insulation up there. he has it all planned out, and has bought four rolls to start with. That was all they had in stock till they get some more in at Homebase. he has just come down to say how hot it is up there, yet it isn't a hot day. maybe he will be the one needing the Lucozade!
Tonight we are having:
Mozarella and pesto escalopes
baby baked potatoes
Mixed vegetables with a mushroom sauce.

Friday 21 October 2011

Working Well!!

This new computer is so fast it's unbelievable. Pages appear as if by magic,and it logs on in seconds.
Vin spent quite a lot of time yesterday setting things up, and he has got most of what we had on the last one. Thankfully the AOL is the same, so all my favourites etc haven't changed.Our old computer hasn't produced anything at all, and the man who was looking at it rang today to say that he couldn't retreive anything off the hard drive..it's totally kaput. The one thing that I was most annoyed about was losing the letter to John and Ann which I had been writing since August!.They are going to think that I am very rude not replying to their last letter and present etc., but couldn't be helped.
Funnily enough on QVC last night the "Today's Special Value" is a one click system that saves all of these problems, so I have ordered that, and since it works on both this computer and the Netbook it seems a good buy.
We were up early this morning because I had an appointment at the Hearing Aid centre in Southport. It was a check up after two weeks of using my new ones. Nothing much to report actually, other than I am very pleased with them. I think Vin is finding that the television isn't so loud, and I don't think that I am saying "What" to him so often. The poor man has spent so long repeating things that he has said I am amazed he has any patience left.
We parked in Sainsbury's so popped in there afterwards for a few things so we got the parking free, then we went over to ASDA which is only a few minutes away. Very quiet, still quite early I suppose. Vin wanted to have a look at their glasses so I had a look at clothing and the books. Didn't see anything at all that I fancied, and Vin caught me up to say that he wasn't impressed with the glasses. he has had glasses from there before, and thought they were quite good. I got one pair and didn't..mine were quite flimsy and the eye test wasn't up to much. Soon went back to Specsavers. My new glsses from there are great now the arms have been altered a bit, and the reactions lenses are great.
Went round and got our weekend things, plus some other stuff as we always do, and had our coffees in their car park out of the way.

This is by way of being an experiment since I haven't posted a photo on this yet..but it seems to have worked just fine!

Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers and tartare sauce
Chips 200grms between us,
mushy peas for Vin and green beans for moi.

Thursday 20 October 2011

R.I.P. Poor Little Computer!

Today weheard the tragic news that my computer could not be repaired. it had been in the computer hospital with a little man for a couple of days, but he rang Vin up this morning to tell us that is was beyond repair, or it would cost an arm and a leg to get spares. In his opinion it wasn't worth it. So it has gone to the great computer heaven or wherever they end up. The only thing that I was a lot sad about was that I was in the process of writing a long letter to John and Ann in Australia , it was about six pages of typing, and that has gone .. Bother or words to that effect! I shall have to restart that one..God knows what was in it as well. Never mind, worse things happen at sea or so they say.
So, this afternoon we went over to the P C World in Aintree and bought a new one. This is a hewlett Packhard "Pavillion" and is so fast I am amazed at its speed. We have bought all our computers from there, the first one we bought for Jane when she was doing her exams, and cost £1500 ! The second was more for me when I retired and cost about £600 plus a lot extra for a warranty, This one cost £500..Is loads faster, has more of everything and is a much better computer. So welcome to the house new computer.
This is a short and quick note today because I am trying it out.
Tonight we had:
Linda McCartney red onion and cheese plait,
Roasted butternut squash and sweet potato.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Bereft!!

Iam ding this on Vin's little Netbook, so there will probably be some errors, to say the least! I feel quite bereft without my big computer which is presently in the computer hospital being repaired. That should take a few days apparently. Can't wait...
Mr fix it is at it again, he is now doing loft insulation, and has been to Homebase to get four rolls of very attractive insulation to begin with, until they get more in. He needs another five rolls he says. The loft is going to be pristine when he is finished!
Haven't done a huge amount this week so far. Went to Formby yesterday to get my glasses adjusted. The earpieces were rubbing into the back of my ears, and the nose pieces on my nose. Quick bit of adjustin g and they were done. Working fine now and very comfortable ton wear. Then went to Waitrose to get a few veggies and of course the cat's chicken.
Monday I had an appointment at the Nephrology clinic in Aintree. This was at 11.30, and we just got there on time having to park on the 4th floor in the open air. Got the initial tests done quite quickly, then the long wait. Must say I noticed a lot of nurses and assistants standing roun d not doing anything yesterday. Got in to see a clinical nurse eventually, who just increased the ArNEST TO ONE INJECTION A WEEK INSTEAD FO EVERY FORTNIGHT. i ALWAYS FEEL A BIT FOBBED OFF WHEN i SEE HER, RATHER SEE A CONSULTANT WHEN YOU'VE MADE THE JOURNEY THERE. Home for lunch then that was the day sorted.
I seem to have done some of the post in shouty letters but can't be bothered redoing it son it will have to stay..
Tonight we had:
Burger Puffs
A few sliced potatoes done in Fry Light
Spaghetti in tomato sauce.
Very tasty actually.

Well..that took a bit of effort...but we got there in the end!!

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Emergency

Tragedy...main computer has temporarily fallen victim to a nasty something or other. Vin worked on it all day yesterday and didn't get anywhere. He got a little man to collect it who luckily was in the area this morning,so he has collected the base unit for removal to the computer hospital.
Normal service will be resumed as soon as it is better.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Weekend Again...

Don't they come round quickly! With monotonous regularity it seems. nothing unusual to report the normal Sunday washing of the bedding which means a load of ironing on Tuesday or thereabouts.
Crosswords this afternoon, I always enjoy those, it's a nice peaceable time working out the answers. The ones we do are general knowledge types so they can be tricky. There is a big one in The Mail ON Sunday which can be very testing, but with Vin's little Netbook we can always finish them.
He went out to Crosby this morning to get a few things for tomorrow. I have an appointment at the kidney clinic at 11.30 which is a pain of a time, breaks into the whole day. So that's another trek to Aintree and the car parking which is a real pain, but never mind.
Enjoyed watching "Strictly" last night. We record them and then fast forward all the boring bits such as the training etc., you can cut it down by quite a lot that way. It is quite a long programme otherwise. Thought Jason Donovan is proving to be a really good dancer, and fear for poor Anton this evening..time he got a decent partner i think.
Jane has just rung up with steam coming out of her engine. Wants her Dad to solve it and tell her what's wrong. As if he could tell her over the phone without looking at it! He got annoyed because she hung up on him..she is very impatient and wants things solved yesterday..and he loses patience with her. What a pair!!
Last night we had:
Chinese..Vin had Spring Rolls and I had some Quorn dippers
lemon peking sauce
Stirfry vegetables
1/2 a pack of rice.

Tonight we are having:
Pizza with tomato sauce, pineapple, courgette mushroom
potato and egg salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and sweet chilli noodle salad for Vin

Friday 14 October 2011

Weekend Again..

Looming up , another weekend.They come round very quickly, the days just flashing by in a mist of routines etc.,
This morning we went over to Walton to the bigger Sainsbury's. Opposite it there used to be Walton Hospital where I had to go for most of my appointments. I now go to Aintree which is just up the road. We noticed as we were going past this morning that they are beginning to knock it down, getting it ready I suppose for housing units. it's quite a large plot of land actually, goodness knows how many houses, apartments etc are going to be built there. Vin noticed that the house at the other end of our road is up for sale again. It is a semi and has they say four bedrooms. On sale at £250,000 or a pound under that. Don't know why they bother with the pound. It's been very carefully photographed so that you just see the house and not the Post Office right next door. The blurb also says it is opposite a "Park" I wonder when that became a "Park"? it has always been our village green..funny how estate agents make things sound much better than they really are.Like our little terraced houses suddenly becoming cottages!!Well my house isn't one yet!!

The "Park" in the snow at the beginning of the year. The house that is for sale is the right hand one next to the Post Office!.
And so to Sainsbury's, which wasn't too busy, it never is actually, which makes it a pleasant shop to go to. Went round and followed Vin's list which was really useful today. Got all our weekend things and also a few other items we had run out of. Went round quite quickly then had our coffee in their car park at the side which is empty. Very pleasant. I had my new reactions glasses on but wouldn't you know it, no sun today, so didn't see whether they went brown quickly or not, and vice-a versa.
Not drizzly or blowy today though, in fact Vin is in the garden as I type this, getting rid of weeds, i think I can smell the weed burner. Still very quiet in the block, the neighbours haven't come back from Dubai yet on one side although I think they are due very soon. The ones on the other side are due back at the weekend or early next week.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and onion pasties from Waitrose,
Baked tomatoes to make a bit of sauce,
Rice puddings also from Waitrose. Vins favourite!

Thursday 13 October 2011

Quick One

Today a quick note. I try to get my blog finished before 5pm so that we can go down and watch Countdown and DOND. We record these on the Hard drive and then fast forward the boring bits. You can watch them in about 1/2 an hour then. We have a lovely mug of freshly brewed filter coffee and a tiny cake. It's a sort of treat for the day.
Vin went out to Formby this morning to look at loft insulation but had a look round Formby as well. I wish I had known he was going there because I would have gone to Specsavers..my glasses are rubbing the side of my head somewhat so need adjusting. Have to wait till next week now. No matter.
Very quiet day otherwise..had a lovely long bath this afternoon with my book and candles and a Crabtree and Evelyn Patchouli bath foam. It's gorgeous and scents your whole skin, a real treat. haven't much left though.
Tonight we are having:
Sliced potatoes sauteed and fried in Fry Light,
Cheesey Kiev
Any veggies that I have left over.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Eye..Eye..

Should have gone to Specsavers!! Well I did. Went to the one in Formby this morning to collect my new glasses. Two pairs nearly £200. Both pairs with bi-focals and one pair with the reactions lenses which go darker in the sunlight. Very pleased with them actually, they are a complete change from my last pair which I had got tired of anyway, and then when the Consultant at the eye clinic said I needed them changing that decided it. I got two pairs this time so I would have a spare set just in case. One pair is called Alana and the other Savannah ! I wonder just who sits down and thinks of names for glasses??
Nipped into the M&S to get some pasta sauce and we got the cats some more chicken. Their shopping costs more than ours!!
From there Vin went along to the Holland and Barratt to collect his free vitamins. Vitamin D today, Then we went to Dobbies for our free coffee for the month. Had a good look round there but didn't see anything that I wanted to get, but Vin bought a candle or two.
Last week I saw a lot of geese flying over the house. We are on their flight path, and you see them every year as the Autumn progresses. My Mum and Dad always used to say that they were a sign of bad weather coming, and lo and behold after all the warm unseasonable weather we have had along came the blustery winds and gales of the last week. Well today Vin went down to the Post Office and came back to say thathe had seen hundreds of them in the sky, going South West. So be warned..bad weather on the way alert!!I wonder what is in store? Funny some of the Old Wives Tales about weather that I have had from my parents..Cows lying down in a field means rain, the smell of the sea outside the front door means stormy weather, and the geese of course. Come to think of it, not many foreseeing good or sunny weather.

a>
Just put this in because I like pictures of pumpkins and it cheers up the blog a bit.
Tonight we are having:
pasta bake with mushrooms
Carrots
A bit of garlic bread.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Appointments!

Today was going to be a busy day wiuth quite a lot going on. I had a dental appointment for a check up at 11 0'clock according to Vin, but when I went into the surgery Judith the receptionist said we have you down at 11-45! So home I went,not a problem as we only live two doors down.. We were going to Formby to get my glasses after the 11 0'clock, but with it being later we have put that off till tomorrow. So no new glasses yet, get them tomorrow instead.
Vin woke up early because I have a delivery of my Aranesp injections, and they often come early, but there is a phone number you can ring, and they said between 11.30 and 2 O'Clock. If we were going out he would have left a note on our door to take them over to the chemist, but in the event we were in, so that was sorted.
Jane rang up before, she was walking from the car park to work. She said it was tipping it down there in Manchester, and really horrible. She's been in college all day and then goes to Ticketmaster to do an evening shift. Bless her, she is a grafter. She has always had jobs to pay her rents and expenses, it's a struggle for her, but I'm sure she will get there in the end.
Tonight we are having:
Chicken style pies
Squashed potatoes
Mixed vegetables.
Mushroom gravy.

Monday 10 October 2011

Get Up and Go..

Vin will be full of get up and go now. There was a voucher in today's paper for a free tub of vitamins from Holland and Barratt, so we went to Formby for our weekly things because there is a branch there. He was quite pleased that he got them..ABC vitamins, but a bit miffed that they had Senior on them!! HaHa..
Blowy again today,and wettish and drizzly. Waitrose was fairly quiet as is usual, and I got round quite quickly before he found me again.I remembered pretty well everything that we needed plus a few extras. I did pick up a pack of Union State Pretzels that was a limited edition for Halloween, which I thought looked good, till Vin pointed out that there were spiders all over the packet..Put them back pretty quickly!!
They do have a good selection of veggies in there even if they are on the expensive side. Home in time for coffee, the cats hadn't moved of course and were where we left them fast asleep. They know what to do on a rainy Monday!
Tonight we are having:
Escalopes from the freezer,
Mixed vegetables with Hollandaise sauce
Baby baked potatoes.

Sunday 9 October 2011

Getting Used To Them...

The hearing aids I mean. Poor Vin is often being told to Shhh! After such a long time of having to speak loudly I am having to tell him to quieten down a bit. Also he is quite often telling me to turn the television up a bit instead of down. I think the trouble is that I have a volume switch on these so it is a case of twiddling them a bit until we find a happy medium.
Quite blowy today but not rainy like yesterday. Vin went out this morning to get some cat food and their chicken, but wasn't out long and was back for his coffee at about the right time. Did our crosswords after lunch. I always enjoy Sunday afternoons and the crosswords, it's a nice peaceable time for us. Having just said that it isn't raining today, it has just started to pour down and is looking quite wintry out. The nights are drawing in quickly now it is beginning to get dark and it is only a quarter past six.

Nice Autumnal scene..
Yesterday no-one went anywhere it was too nasty a day really, even the cats stayed out. Little Rusty did venture out but ran straight to the hut and stayed there for a while then ran back in again!.
Last night we had:
Chinese dippers with sweet and sour sauce
1/2 a packet of fried rice between us
Stir fry vegetables
Vin had some sauteed red peppers..he's welcome!
At the moment on the radio they are playing a Beatles medley. Paul McCartney is marrying his third bride today..wish him every happiness with this one.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato sauce portobello mushrooms courgette and pineapple
Egg and potato salad with avocado and baby yellow plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and a pesto pasta salad for Vin.

Friday 7 October 2011

Hear..Hear...

I knew what to call todays post. We were up early this morning because I had an appointment at the David Ormerod Hearing Centre at 10 O'Clock. Parked just opposite there in the Sainsbury's car park which means you get free parking if you spend £5 in there which we were anyway.
New hearing aids in both ears, at a cost of £1.895... Spent a lot on the old plastic debit card today, that plus £40 for petrol on the way and £40 in ASDA afterwards.
Fitting the aids is weird..they are attached via wires and a little tube down the ear, andthen Steve tunes them in. Nothing at first then a series of extremely loud booms and squeaks and rattles and whistles till you then get speech. Since he was softly spoken to start with , there was a difference I could get immediately. Vin was wsitting on my "bad" side and I could hear him on that too which is good. This is easier in the car when he is naturally on my bad side. When we are out walking he always walks on my good side so that I can hear his speech. These aids have a button that you press for various functions. You press the button and a womans voice says "One"..or "Two"..or "Three". Really odd takes some getting used to. I have a volume switch on these too for an extra boost.They will take some getting used to and will settle down also apparently, so I have a follow up appointment in two weeks time.
Went from there quickly into Sainsbury's to get a couple of things to spend the £5, then on to ASDA which is only minutes away. I like ASDA I always come out of there thinking that I have got good value for money. Took a top back that was to big, and spotted a very nice nightshirt in brushed cotton with long sleeves all cosy for the colder weather. Vin forgot his list but we remembered all of the things on it anyway.We are having Chinese tomorrow so it was things like stir fry etc.,We have it off to a fine art in there..I walk round with the trolley and Vin goes off to collect things! Tannoy quite noisy today..I wonder why??
Moved down the car park to a quieter spot and had our coffee. ASDA sell a really lovely vanilla milk which is gorgeous in coffee. Normally I have my coffee black, but the vanilla milk is lovely. We sit there in the sun with our flask, coffee and biscuit and it is really pleasant. Pity there isn't a nice view though..HaHa.

Pumpkins Anyone?
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers and Chips..200grms worth
Mushy peas for Vin and green beans for moi
Tartare sauce.

Thursday 6 October 2011

I Think Autumn is Here!!

Really blowy today, the trees at the back of our house, and the horrible sycamores at the front are waving about like mad things today. The weather people on the North West News today were spot on..they said wtch out for gales and branches coming down. We've already had that this week with the lopping of the massive conifers way over in the distant house!
Didn't go anywhere today, we had a day of mooching about doing bits and bobs. Vin had some paperwork he wanted to attend to and I moved some of my money from a savings account that I have to my bank account to pay for my hearing aids tomorrow.
I'm getting quite excited about those, I'm hoping for a miracle really, but if my hearing improves enough to make mine and Vin's life easier it will be worth it, even if they are two thousand pounds!!
Couldn't do anything outside today because of the weather, but it was nice just being inside with the cats. Mind you they sleep most of the day really. It's a lovely life being a cat..I think I will come back as one..except for the cat food..don't fancy that! Had a really lovely bath this afternoon..all my candles lit, my book, good bath foam and a tiny little Toblerone bar as a treat. Bliss!
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with spinach and ricotta sauce,
Sauteed baby courgettes
A tiny bit of garlic bread and a little bit of parmesan.

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Odd Weather...

Woke up this morning to a blowy and very dull morning. i asked Vin if it had been raining it was so dull..it hadn't. I had to go and get a blood test done at the hospital, the one that I have done before my Nephrology appointment in two weeks time. So we set off for there. Car park was dire..round and round, until we eventually gor right up to the top..4th floor which is on the roof. never parked there before, but it did us a favour actually because we parked next to the lift, went down to floor two..walked the long way to the Elective care centre, and thus to the blood dept. Walded right in..the girl was really good straight into the vein, not like the last chap at the Formby clinic who had about three goes digging around then gave up and used the other arm. Came out, did the reverse lift journey, got my £2 out ready to pay at the machine and because we were less than 1/2 an hour it was free!! Excellent.
Decided to go to M&S because the cats needed chicken, and we could have a bit of a look round since it is a bigger out of town store. Vin wanted to go to Halfords which is two stores down so I was left to mooch in M&S while he did that. He caught me up a bit later by the jewellery..Wonder how he knows where to find me!! HaHa..Didn't buy anything there though not this time anyway. Went for another coffee upstairs which was really nice, but too busy, it was quite hard to find somewhere to sit down. Had a look round and i bought a cute little magnifying glass with a light made in guess where...China..but it has a lovely pinky purple handle, and will be useful upstairs in the bedroom when I am reading. Got a few things from the food section including the cat's chicken,and left for home. Great parking too for a change right outside..funny how some days it seems to go right.
Gone very blowy now, there was a gale warning on the North West news for tomorrow.
Tonight we are having:
Mushroom and ale pies
baby potatoes squashed
Mixed veg and a mushroom gravy.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

If its Tuesday it must be...

ironing day..Mostly there is the bedding to get on with. While I did that, Vin sorted out the cupboard in the corner which is ubnder the kettle area. It is a large corner cupboard which we put all our dry goods. Surprising what you turn up actually. It was a good day to do it because it is our black bin day tomorrow. We found packets of CousCous, why on earth did I buy that? dated from 2009!! Loads of assorted packets of pasta, which is not needed these days because I use the gluten free pasta which is excellent. A number of Mexican meal kits which you think you will use but somehow never get round to it.Before he knew it there were a couple of carrier bags full. Good clear out in the end which has cleared up loads of space. Now let me see..what will we fill it up with???
Vin was sorting out the Medi Cash forms this afternoon, it's quite a good deal really, you get money off glasses,dental treatment and all sorts.I joined when I was in teaching and they were doing a promotion, and it is a terrific scheme. I am getting £80 off the cost of my glasses so that reduces them quite a bit. i will also get some off my hearing aids, and my dental work next week. it's been an excellent scheme to be in actually.
Gone quite blowy this afternoon, still can't get used to the new outlook from the back of our house with the very large conifers gone. Makes a huge difference, and will let a lot more light into our garden in the late afternoon.
We are stuck in the middle at the moment. Our new neighbours have gone off to Turkey for two weeks, and our neighbour the other way is off to Dubai tomorrow, to stay with her daughter who works out there. So, too is her next door neighbourwho is her "boyfriend" and they have adjoining houses.
As I am typing this the radio 2 is playing "Everybody's Talking" by Harry Nilsson..What a record and what a voice,One of my most favourite records second only to Without Her..that is my most favourite record in the world. The only trouble is that Steve Wright ALWAYS starts yapping before it finishes..drives me mad!!
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and Onion Flan
Potato Croquettes
Small tin of something tomatoey/pataish
Mushrooms sauteed.

Monday 3 October 2011

Should Have Gone to Specsavers....

Well we did! We both had appointments this morning for eye tests. One at 11 O'Clock the other at 11>20 O'Clock. Vin went in forst while I had a browse around the shop at glasses. Oh My..what an array of different glasses to choose from. I wanted to get two pairs because I wanted a spare pair this time. The glasses I am wearing are my only ones, and that has always bothered me, so I knew they were doing different offers, like %25 off for over 60s, or buy one get one free. I had a good look round, some of the frames were plainly on the cheap side, and some I thought were over expensive..these were the designer ranges on the whole. i think often you are paying for the name, and they started at £125 before all the extras..bi-focals and reactions and so on. Settled on the £85 range which were good glasses, but then ..Which ones? While Vin was getting his eyes done I picked up a couple which turned out to be very similar. He came out and helped me then. You do need someone else when picking them because they can tell you which suit you better. He found a lovely pair actually that I had missed, with little sunbursts on the side of the frames, really nice. So i discarded one of the frames I had picked and got those instead. Measured and details taken and all done. One pair with bi-focals and reactions and the other with just bi-focals. My eyes had changed a bit according to the very nice chap who did the very thorough eye examination, so did the prescription and paid and went. Bac a week tomorrow to ge6t them. £199 for two pairs and then I get £80 back from Medi Cash so a good deal I thought.
Vin didn't see any he fancied..he was looking for something different he said but nothing caught his eye..HaHa.
Time getting on, we had been in there about an hour, so we went over the road to Waitrose where we had parked to get our weekly things. Very warm and sunny, although it has gone really blowy now. Treated Vin to a coffee in Waitrose which was about £5 !! a bit dearer than morrisons, but it was a nice coffee. Did our shopping then home in time for lunch.
Funny thing this morning..Little Rusty was having her usual piece of toast with my Dairylea light cheese spread and a scraping of Marmite on it, and she turned round to look out of the window with a start. We thought that there was a cat in the garden, but Vin noticed some large branches being lopped off from some horrible conifers way way over in one of the gardens at the back of our house. Nothing wrong with her eyesight then!!
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalope,
bread sauce and cranberry sauce,
baby baked potatoes
Baby mixed vegetables.

Sunday 2 October 2011

What a Difference a Day Makes!

Yesterday was lovely and warm all day. bright sunshine, but today is totally different. Dull, overcast and a bit drizzly in the afternoon.We had forgotten a few things on Friday, and also the Sainsburys we went to didn't have some things we wanted so Vin nipped out to Formby to the Waitrose to get them.
I always have the radio on while I am doing these, Radio 2 of course, and at the time of typing this I am listening to the Paul O'Grady show. he is playing the new record by Susan Boyle which was from her new album which is being released on November the 6th. Wow..what a beautiful voice that woman has got. Really powerful and beautifully sung. Nice to know she is still doing well..Good for Her.
The cats have been very sleepy this afternoon, I wonder if it is the weather affecting them? Nights are drawing in rapidly now. it is only seven o'clock and it is getting dark already. I suppose the clocks will go back in a couple of weeks.
Our crosswords seemed to take much longer this afternoon, both Vin and I had problems with them, although the big Sunday on in the Mail didn't prove to bad.
Last night we had:
green Thai Curry which was gorgeous.
With 1/2 pack of rice and a mushroom stir fry.

Tonight we are having:
Pizza with our tomato saucve
Courgette, portobello mushrooms and mozzarella cheese.
Egg and potato salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and pasta salad for Vin