It Passed!!

Vin was up earlyish this morning to go and take his car for its M.O.T. retest. He  went out at ten past nine and his M.O.T. was ten O'Clock, but he wanted to give it a run first along the by-pass to get the emissions down and the engine hot. Whatever he did, whether it was the run up the bypass or the catalytic cleaner something worked.
He came home for his breakfast then we went off to Tesco because we had a coupon for £4 off forty, so it was worth going . Vin went round adding everything up so we got the right amount and we got some extras such as cat food and another Tassimo coffee to make it all up. They were things that we use anyway so not going to be wasted.

 I have put this on my screen mainly because I think it is such a beautiful picture, reminds me of our holidays in New England in The Fall. Just beautiful scenery,and looks exactly like this. It will be getting Autumnal there shortly, very envious.
Stayed in yesterday waiting fr the Healthcare people to ring but they rang today after lunch instead. Doesn't matter, we were in anyway. Delivery a week on Tuesday the 7th Sept. Everything is written on our calendar so we don't get mixed up.

Little Bobby and Rusty are both well at the moment thank goodness.

Tonight we are having:

Cheese and onion pasties Waitrose

Mushrooms for Vin green beans for moi

Rice pudding.

Car day today !

Today has revolved around Vin's car and getting it repaired. it needed a new shock absorber to get through the M.O.T. which he is getting done tomorrow.
So he took the car earlier than his appointment so he could get the bus and train back for his coffee. he got back really quickly actually, and was well back for his morning coffee. The sun had gone in this morning so it was an inside cup today.
Phone went at lunchtime to say it was ready so he went off for the train back at ten to four. Used his bus pass both ways which is good too. Free travel !  He rang me at five past four on his way back. Speedy Vin today eh! And he had been to Waitrose to get some pasties for tomorrow too. Well done.
Me..i played about on the computer today and had a look at this and that, so didn't do anything. waiting for a phone call from my health suppliers but nothing doing so far. They often ring later on in the afternoon, but I have been carrying around the phone all day just in case.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer, maybe an escalope.
Baby new potatoes they were gorgeous the other day,
mixed vegetables
mushroom sauce.

Quack Quack...

Vin wanted to give ghis car another blast today, plus get some cooker hood bulbs, so we nipped out to Aldi in crosby first. Can't say I am a lover of Aldi, everything is a bit of a jumble and it's hard to find anything. I was on the lookout for a couple of things but they didn't have them. Did pick up a few bits and bobs though. Vin did get his bulbs so that was ok.
After that we went to the Garden Centre over the road to get our free coffees for the month before the month ran out. Vin wanted to sit outside, I was a bit wary because of the wasps that are everywhere at the moment, but we needn't have worried there weren't any. It was really nice outside under the umbrellas with the trees and shrubs. Then along waddled a Mummy duck and her seven little ducklings./ Not an ugly duckling amongst them. Really sweet, the Mummy one was watching them the whole time shepherding them about and watching when anyone got too close.  Vin did get a pic on my phone but hasn't downloaded it yet.  Made the morning really. Beats working anyway. !
Quite a pleasant day today, not too sunny and not cloudy. There is a load of sofa covers on the line at the moment, and Vin reckons they are drying well today, not too humid.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta sauce
Mushrooms and asparagus
A bit of garlic bread for Vin.

Happy Birthday Jane XXX

The plan today was to go and get my blood test done at Aintree Hospital. This is the one I have to get done two weeks or so before the renal appointment. So Vin drove me there and on the way gave his car a good blast along the motorway to get the Catalytic cleaner working on his car. The idea of this is to reduce the emissions. he did his Graham Hill impression along the motorway and hopes that was enough.
I used the mobile in the Hospital when I had the blood test and gave him a ring when I'd finished so he picks me up. That saves three quid parking! Off we went to M&S to get our veggies and have our coffees. Had a bit of a mooch round first, me in the shop while Vin went along to Halfords.  It's a man thing!  I bought a new bracelet in a nice blue to match the set of things I have and had a look at a coat that I liked the look of. Trouble was they didn't have it in the size i wanted. They had the size below and the size above but not the one I wanted. Typical. Had our coffees very nice too, sat under a fan that was blowing out cold air. Vin liked that I didn't. People kept moving because it was too cool!
Got our veggies in the food section plus some other stuff that we like from there.
Lunch at home then rang Jane to wish her Happy Birthday. She is the ripe old age of 30 today. How did that happen! She is off to Bingo tonight with some friends then out to a meal somewhere afterwards.  Hope you win loads Janey ! They have been once before and had a really good time so going again.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope with gruyere cheese
Mushrooms in a sauce
Baby potatoes boiled and a tiny scrape of butter.
Baby carrots and broccoli.

Bank Holiday weekend.

Started on Saturday with Vin's birthday.   he was a bit surprised that i got togged up and went out to tesco with him. The idea was to take him to Costa fior his coffee which we did. very pleasurable it was too. He did go via the car place to see about an oil change nut they  didn't have an oil filter for his car so he didn't stop there. Then he went on to a little car place to get some Catalytic cleaner which he did.  He had a phone call from Jane later on in the evening..but nio card.
Today we stayed in because it was nice and we were planning to go out tomorrow. We don't tend to go out on a Bank  mainly because it is too busy everywhere, and we are thinking of going out tomorrow to give Vins car a blast with the Cat cleaner in it. I have to get a blood test done at Aintree so we will go there via the motorway, and then problably on to M&S in Aintree to get the veggies for the week, then back. That should get the cleaner working. So he says anyway.
Tonight we are having:
pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese
Green salad with baby plum tomatoes and avocado
Potato salad for moi and pasta salad for Vin.

Happy Anniversary to us...

Our anniversary today, and i woke up completely having forgotten what day it was. I thought it was tomorroww.! Totally shamed. I just wasn't aware of the date.
Vin bought me two lovely bunches of roses and foliage this morning, and a really nice card./ It's a shame that there isn't an equivalent of flowers for a man.
The Duchess next door has had a garden party this afternon, and they are just about going now. She has had bunting all over the shed and fence and in front of the house, and tables and chairs in her ggarden and her boyfriends next door.
We decided to stay in in the end today. Vin was thinking about going out for a coffee somewhere this morning but to be honest we couldn't think of anywhere nice to go. Our coffee machine has spoiled us for that really. So we sat in the garden with our Macchiatos and our shortbread with ground coffee in it. Ver pleasant.
Jane has just rung up because she thought it was her Dad's birthday..it isn't that is tomorrow. She said she has bought a card but hasn't sent it yet because she hasn't got a stamp. Naughty girl !!
Tonight we are having:
Mushroom risotto with carrots and beans
Lemon cheesecake for a pud.
Vin bought these in Crosby yesterday. Aaah Bless him.

Oops!!

Ooops indeed. nearly forgot to do this today. I had been trying to finish a letter to John and Ann this afternoon, and must have thought it was  my blog. Then realised I hadn't done it.
Quite a busy day today. Vin had his car booked in for its M.O.T. this morning at 12 o'clock so started with a pile of ironing this morning. All the bedding and other bits and bobs. He was going to take it in about half past elevenish then get the ten to one bus back, but decided to take it in a bit earlier so he could get the ten to twelve bus instead. That worked out well so we sat outside in the sun with our coffees.
Ooops indeed. nearly forgot to do this today. I had been trying to finish a letter to John and Ann this afternoon, and must have thought it was  my blog. Then realised I hadn't done it.
Quite a busy day today. Vin had his car booked in for its M.O.T. this morning at 12 o'clock so started with a pile of ironing this morning. All the bedding and other bits and bobs. He was going to take it in about half past elevenish then get the ten to one bus back, but decided to take it in a bit earlier so he could get the ten to twelve bus instead. That worked out well so we sat outside in the sun with our coffees. Very nice.
The garage rang back at about two thirty to say it hadn't passed. It needed a shock absorber and failed on emissions so he went to collect it and get a few things from Sainsburys. Very important..Haagen Daz ice cream at half price!!
Came home at the same time that Jane rang up so it was all going on here for a bit. He was in a hurry to go to Formby to get a quote for the shock absorber, so a quick wash down, a swill of cold water and off he went. he is going to be one tired bunny tonight.
I finished the letter to John and Ann this afternoon, and Vin had got a couple of photos printed off too so will get them off tomorrow.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer,
Little potatoes squashed and baked
 Remaining mixed vegetables
Mushroom sauce.

Out This morning...

Off we went to Dobbies to have our free coffees for the month. A bit dull so not really good for sitting outside but got a bit brighter later on as the morning went on.   Quite busy today, but had a good look round. Saw some more of the white cups that I bought the last time we were there, so decided to get another two to make the set of four. I like things in fours!  They were even cheaper this time, £2 for a cup and saucer, the last time they were £2.80 or thereabouts. Quite a bargain actually.
There seemed to be something going on in their education house which is outside then we realised that it was a children's activity. While we were having our coffees inside there appeared a girl dressed all in blue with very blonde hair and a hair band and little black pumps, accompanied by a chap drGetting some nice stuff now.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta bake with a tomato and mascarpone sauce,
garlic bread for Vin
 carrots and asparagus.essed in a tall hat with jacket and waistcoat. yes it was a mad hatters tea party by the looks of it.  Lovely for the children. Jane would have loved things like that. She used to love activity things.
Had another bit of a mooch after coffee and Vin bought some candle things from yankee, and i got the cups and saucers and a box of shortbreads. Pity they didn't sell the espresso cups, but I have ordered those now from Amazon via another company. The david Mason Suffolk espresso mugs in the end. They have been dispatched so should be here soon I hope.

Expensive Frying Pan!!

Went off to Tescos this morning mainly because it is veggie shopping day, and also we wanted to look at frying pans. Mine has given up the ghost, and we needed to get a new one. Vin had a card with tokens on it and we had enough to get one for £12.99 with ten of them. They were quite good actually, a good make and nice and thick so got one. Traipsed around with the trolley and put in some things that we needed plus some we didn't ! and before we knew it spent £70 odd. !!
Did buy some nice Tassimo carte dor cafe intenso so home to one of those each. very nice too sat outside in the sort of sunshine drinking them. Gone warmer now though. Quite sunny which is good because there is a lot of stuff on the line drying.
Mail order again today. Wrote yesterday about the little espresso mugs from David Mason Suffolk range. Well ordered four of those today. Dinky little mugs hope they are what we want. It is quite difficult buying online because the one thing you can't do is pick things up like you can in a shop, so sometimes you do make mistakes, like the last lot  I ordered which were so tiny you would just about have had one mouthful of coffee. These should be the same size as the ones that we have at present but are cracked.
Vin is outside playing with his car. There is something wrong with his sunroof which won't operate so he aint a happy bunny. He has just come in to say that he's fixed it for now, he's disabled the fuse so it can't be used, so at least that will mean the seal will be ok.
Tonight we are having:
lemon and black pepper escalopes
Little new potatoes sliced and fried (in our new pan!)
Mixed vegetables
Bread sauce.

Grrrrr!!!

Grrr..! Just spent the last half an hour trying to order some david mason Suffolk espresso mugs from Amazon. Put the orde4r through then tried to use the I-click super saver delivery option and it wouldn't work. Since we ordered four of them and the postage would have been £5.70 we didn't want to miss that. Tried a number of ways round the problem but gave up in the end. So they have lost a sale. Shame because they were just what we were looking for.
Given up now!
Decided not to go out today, so Vin mooched about and cleaned the inside of his car, and I did a load of ironing mainly from Jane's visit.She rang up last night, they have got a new girl in the house, to replace Jayne who had left a few days ago.  So they are back to three again.
Gone quite cool at the moment but the forecast is for another heatwave at the end of the week. Supposed to hit the nineties by the weekend and over the bank holiday.  The weather wasn't good for the Tennis Club barbecue on Saturday evening. every year it's the same. Pours down with rain, and the sit out there on the plot with their chairs and blankets and umbrellas having barbecue food and listening to a band. This year Vin said it was a girl with a backing few and they were singing popular beatles things etc.,
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and pepper for Vin
green salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and celery fruit and nut for Vin.

Tyres and Wheels...

Today vin had to take his car off to Formby to get two new tyres and the tracking done. So that was the morning sorted. Whilst he was there he went to Tesco and got the things for the weekend which saves a job tomorrow.  two lovely new tyres later and the tracking as good as new off he went to Waitrose also to get a few things for tonight.
 I spent a couple of hours getting a letter to Joh and Ann going again. I had started it a while ago but got sidetracked unfortunately, but since the visit from Tony and janet on Tuesday I got it going again. My letters to them tend to be in fits and startsanyway, but it was nice to have something to write about that was family. While she was home Jane showed me how to use the Facebook a bit better so I have now got the other two sisters online as well.
Vin came home for his coffeewhich we had sitting outside in the sunshine which was nice. Little Rusty joined us while we were outside, she generally goes for Vins lap, but sometimes she goes on the little shelf between the two chairs of the bench. Looks really cute there too.
Just heard on the radio on the factoids that Steve Wright has on his radio show in the afternoon, that a group of frogs is called an army. I never knew that!
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and onion pasty from Waitrose
green beans for moi and mushrooms for Vin
Rice pudding from Waitrose.

Car Troubles!

first thing to do today was for Vin to sort his car out. So off he went to Formby tyres to get the disc brakes looked at. Since he thought it would be a longish job he went on his own, and did a bit of veggie shopping in Tesco (over the road).  He wasn't long actually, and was back fairly soon. They looked at the braked, fixed them and he booked in for tomorrow for two new tyres and tracking.He came home quite pleased because they didn't charge him since he was going back tomorrow.
Jane is still with us today, but says she is going back tonight by the train.  She had a bit of a dodgy tum so waited till that settled down before going.
Started out sunny this morning but has gone vercast now, and the forecast is for rain tonight. Typical.
been in touch with Ruth and Rachel on facebook today. It is amazing what yu can do on that actually. I wish I were more technical minded but learning a bit as you go along.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer,
Mushrooms
Crrots and beans
 Potato croquettes.

It's Been a While!

Since I posted. We had visitors coming from Australia on Tuesday, so the weekend we were getting cleaned up and organised. Monday was a very big clean up day, and I got the food ready. I made a Spinach, pine nut and butternut squash lasagne with ricotta cheese, and a raspberry and hazelnut gateaux for pudding.  
We went and got them from their hotel The John Lennon Holiday Inn Express which is by Speke Airport, for 10. 30. I recognised her as soon as she came out of the lift with her husband Tony. She is an older version of the little girl on the photo I have posted earl;ier. What a lovely couple they are too. Janet is really nice as is Tony, very sociable and friendly.
 We drove them down the road where she used to live as a child before they emigrated to Oz, then home for coffee. Vin showed his prowess on the coffee machine, and everyone had something different. Then it was off to show them around Hightown which Vin did, and home for a light unch. After that a car drive round Little Crosby to see the church where her Mum and Dad were married in 1956. I was a bridesmaid at that wedding at the ripe old age of 10.  Then to Crosby beach to look at "The Iron Men" it was a bit blowy and the tide was in so they weren't as visible as usual, but Tony took a lot of pictures. Back home via St Mary's College where John went to school. and home for a chat etc.,
Nice for Jane to meet her cousins from Australia too, janet is a nurse so quite interesting for her.
Got the evening meal ready and Vin drove them back to their hotel via Liverpool, including the waterfront, and Penny Lane area.
Lovely visit, and a really good day.
We are relaxing a bit today, Vin did a bit of cooking. Made some Pizza Twists
This is the box front from the packet he used. he did them all on his own..no help from me too. So he and Jane had them for their lunch.  Well done Vin. I trained yu well.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer,
Butternut squash with sage,
Potato croquettes.

Clearing Up..

Cleared up again,working the way round the house with bits and bobs. Lots of cat hairs and other catty detritus !! no not really. Amazing where the cat hairs come from though.  Made Jane's bed up for her so that it is nice for when she comes home which will be Monday if all goes to plan. We still don't know what day our visitors from Oz are coming but they will probably phone when they get into  Liverpool.
Colish this morning but gone quite warm and sunny now, the sun is shining through the window as I type this.
Little Rusty had her tail washed this morning which she didn't like at all !! very indignant about it. We were trying to get some sticky stuff of the end of her tail where she has dribbled on it, and Vin got it bathed with some nice soap and I held her in a cuddle. Poor little thing. It's much better now though.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers
Mushy peas for Vin and green beans for moi
Chis !!! 200 grms.

The big iron...

Well there it sat, looking at us. A big pile of ironing waiting to be done, mostly the bedding from Tuesday. So that was the job for the morning. While I did that Vin tackled janes room with the pet vacuum to try and get all the cat hair up off the carpet.It has actually come up very well. I have a job seeing it so he does that bless him. Now if we could get Bobby to stp shedding white cat hairs it would be a lot better.
jane has just rung up on her way back from the dentists. She has had another filling at the front to one side she said, and her gums are all numb and she says it is her lip too and she looks like she has been punched in the mouth. The way she was saying it made me laugh and that annoyed her, she said I had no sympathy and it wasn't funny, but it was the was she was telling it.  That will teach her for eating all those sweets and cola drinks and not brushing her teeth. Maybe she will now eh !
Bit dull today, but it's clearing up nicely now and the sun is shining.hope it lasts for Janet and Tony next week.
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer
New potatoes with pa4rsley
Mixed vegetables
Mushroom sauce.

Photos...

The object of the morning was to get a couple of photos enlarged ready to give janet when she comes next week. Still don't know what day they are coming but maybe they will phone soon.
The photo shop is in Crosby not far from Sainsburys so I nipped in there while Vin went to get them enlarged. I had a bit of a browse round the newly refurbished shop while he went off. very nice now, except that you can't find anything!! I was lucky though and came across what I wanted quite quickly. He caught up with me by the home baking section where I was looking for hazelnuts. He sort of creeps up on me and speaks into my ear which makes me jump.!
The photos he got done were really lovely. One of them was a little quite faded looking one of John and the four girls and the girl cropped it and made it bigger. Beautifully done.

This is the original one before it was redddone. I think she will be really pleased with that.
On the way back we stoppedat little crosby church where John and Ann were married over 50 odd years ago. Unfortunately as is the way with most churches these days it was closed but there is a telephone number outside that you can ring. Pity we don't know what day they are coming up to Liverpool but we will have to play it by ear for that one.
Vin is doing some vacuuming of the landing mainly because he can see the cat hair. i wish they would stop shedding hair everywhere.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with mushrooms and asparagus
Garlic bread for Vin
A few carrots to go with.

Chores...

Like bedding, washing etc., vin is doing a lot of clearing up. He says he's getting there bit by bit by bit.  i shall look forward to seeing a clutter free zone. Well a girl can dream !
Jane rang up before, she wasn't working today because she had just been to the dentist. She was in tesco looking for something soft to eat because she was hungry. She was getting tiger rolls because she likes them...big kid ! They are having someone in to view the house tonight so she was hoping that the numbness would wear off by then. I told her not to dribble all over them !!
little Rusty seems better today, the antibiotics seem to be working (touch wood) she doesn't appear to be sneezing as much and is livlier.

There is a rusty in there somewhere! This is her all curled up without a care in the world.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope
Little baked mushrooms
New potatoes
Mixed vegetables.

Rotten Fruit...

Funny weekend. bits and Bobs. We had to take little Rusty to the vets on Saturday. Vin rang up half eight on Saturday morning and got an appointment for twenty past ten !! Pretty good going. Better than the GPs ! She had a bad day on Friday because she was sneezing pretty much all day so we thought that we couldn't leave her. So off we went to Ormskirk. it is a bit of a trek but they are very good and they have dealt with our cats for donkey's years.
We saw a very fit looking vet called Peter who examined her all over, and gave her an injection of antibiotics. that together with a renewal prescription for her thyroid tablets cost £75 ! She is worth it though, she is such a sweetie.
Today we were ff to tescos to take back some pears that Vin had bought yesterday that were in a pack and were going bad..quite badly off too so that decided our veggie shopping for the week. Ended up spending £32 and we only went in for veg ! it's me and my impulse buys. terrible. When Vin goes in with a list he gets just what is on it which is a much better way of shopping really. never mind it will all get used. !
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and mozzarella cheese
Green salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes

Nowhere to Go !!

Well I thought we were going out somewhere today so I washed my hair last night (what there is of it!) and put my rollers in this morning but in the event we didn't go anywhere. I think the thught that everywhere is busy at this time of the year, and there isn't really anywhere to go from here put us off.
So Vin did some stuff in the house. One of the things he did were the windows, with his great big window pole. Apparently it cost about £7 to get our windows done here, and it's only a little terraced hous too, so he has saved a ton of money. Well done Vincent XXX
I did a couple of surveys on the computer. i do the Yougov ones and you get 50 or 100 points each for doing them depending on the length. Some of them are really boring others more interesting. Today's was on the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, which I must confess I don't know much about, i think it is more of an American thing, and the other was on my viewing habits of television and the radio. That was easy because we only listen to Radio two. All the radios are permanently tuned to Two plus the car radio too.
Tonight we are having:
Broccoli and cheese flan,
Small tin of spaghetti hoops for the sauce
Maybe a few potatoes.

Hares and Rabbits!

Again! here we are in August already. Doesn't time fly..the months are passing so quickly Nice to have a bit of sunshine to go through the summer with too. Sitting outside in the garden with our coffees this morning was very pleasant but it is getting a tad warm now though. Both of the little cats are inside, must be a bit hot for them too.
Vin was out this morning finishing off his painting of the fence. he had started it last week but had run out of paint so had to go and buy some more on Sunday. Been a bit dodgy weatherwise for painting fences but it was good this morning and not too hot early on so job done. The whole fence is now a fetching shade of forest green which is a sort of National Trust colour, and looks really nice actually. Wouldn't have thought he would have gone for forest green but hey you get surprised sometimes even after nearly 39 years of marriage. 
Must say it has gone extremely hot here now. The sun is streaming through the bedroom window, and even with the window open and the blind drawn and the curtain drawn a bit as well it is getting war. Supposed to be cloudy here today! They got that one wrong then !!
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer,
Little potatoes boiled and squashed
Veggies that are left over in the fridge.