Mostly In Today...

Up early and off to the surgery over the way to see the nursey vampire for a blood test. Jolly little woman who sort of treats you like you are about eleven.I hand over my sample of wee and she says "You little star!"  And this the woman who used to control a class of thirty very lively teens in secondary school! Anyway, she had three goes and eventually got the samples of blood that were required.
Since it was a fasting test it was home for breakfast..in my case it was a rice cake and cheese spread, in Vins it was a bowl of cereal that jane had left behind.
Stripped the bed and got that on to wash and caught up online for a bit, then it was coffee time. very nice too, from the coffee machine  (for a change!).
New Year's Eve today, and a lot better than last year. if I remember right we had to go to the walk in clinic in litherland because the stitches had sprung a leak! lovely !! But with the great NHS and all of the people involved we got there in the end. Thankyou NHS and lovely Vin without whom life would have been awful.  He isn't my rock he is my boulder :)

Last New Year's Eve. we traditionally take a picture every year  at midnight. Sometimes with a cat on the knee mostly just vin and mje. Don't expect that tonight will be any different.
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalope
bread and cranberry sauce
potato croquettes
veggies from the fridge.

A Couple of Outings!

Yesterday (Sunday) was nice. We went over to Maghull to do a bit of shopping. I wanted to go to the Bon Marche to have a look at the sale and get a few bits from Superdrug. Also wanted a look at the card shop, but that was closed. It was a beautiful day actually, very sunny which was a pain for vin driving because it was right in his eyes, but  the bonus was that we parked in the square and it was free. That was good.
I had a good browse in BM and Vin went into B&Ms to get cat food etc., Got a new jumper, fleece and another top. Some great stuff in the sales. Got my bits for Superdrug and then we went for a coffee at Costa which is quite new there. Very civilised, sat at the back out of the direct sun, then some people moved from one of the sofa areas so we went there. Lovely, relaxing time people watching.
Today we went to Dobbies to use our vouchers for December. Had a mooch there, but they didn't have much in their sales at all. Very disappointing.  Vin did get a new Ho Ho Hoe ! for doing the garden when the weather gets better.
Home via Tesco so we got our weekly veggies because we aren't going out tomorrow. We will give the machine at home a go.
I have an appointment for a blood test tomorrow and we are expecting a delivery from Bullens the Healthcare people, so stop in tomorrow more or less.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushroom and cheese and pepper for Vin
green salad with baby plum tomatoes and avocado
Potato salad for moi and pasta salad for Vin

She's Gone!

Aaaah! We were woken up early this morning by our jane with a tray with coffee on it..Bless her XXX She said she couldn't sleep so she was getting ready to go back to Manchester. She was getting a train to Southport from here, then from there to Picadilly Manchester then on to Didsbury which is about ten minutes from her house. She could book her ticket all the way through from here and it was about £12.50. Not bad really. 
Her dad went and got her a gingerbread man from the shop..she loves those, and she was all ready to go. She's planned the times of the trains so that they all connected and in fact she rang us up at a quarter to one having arrived at her house. very good timing, even though she said that Picadilly was very busy.
At least she went back with some things she wanted. I got her some gift cards from Tesco so that will keep her going, and gave her the money from the pound coins that I collect for her..which added up to about £100. Got her a little monkey purse to keep some in and some other bits and bobs.As well as her lap top so she did ok this year.
it was a lovely visit actually, a really nice Christmas. Everyone was in a good mood and the food was great, the hit of the day being the chocolate brownie dessert I think.

This is a lovely picture of Jane and her Dad. Love you both XXXX
After she had gone, we went off to Tesco's to get our weejkend things, which was good. Didn't have any problem parking, it was really quiet, nothing in the sales either, total rubbish. we did get some things to use for our weekend meals but we are very well stocked up!
Had our coffee when we got back, Vin didnt't want a Costa. :( Aaah well never mind, always next time.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and onion pasties from Waitrose,
A few baby carrots from same,
Rice puddings from Waitrose too.

Festivities!

Boxing Day today and all is quiet. jane is in her bed having a well deserved rest from Uni and her placements etc., i am catching up on here and Vin is downstairs tootling about. Very nice :)
Christmas Day was LOVELY..really nice.
We had a great Christmas dinner and :
Chicken style roast with roast potatoes, carrots sweetcorn and parsnips
Stuffing, bread sauce and gravy. very tasty.
Our dessert was Chocolate brownie, raspberries and creme fraiche. (Gorgeous)

Absolutely beautiful!

The three of us on jane's phone. Party hats from the crackers were made for people with very small heads!
Watched the Call the Midwife..very good
Corrie..superb..
Downton Abbey..not as good as I was expecting but still good.
And, a lovely day..a LOT better than last year..stuck in a hospital bed, even though they did try to make it a bit festive.
Tonight we are having:
Bits and bobs a sort of buffet.

A festive cat to finish with. Little Rusty in her paper hat !!!

"Phew!"

What a mornng! We had to go out to get some fresh things for Christmas. i wanted to get some raspberries and also some nice vegetables for the Christmas dinner, so we thought we would go to Waitrose.
not a terrible good sign when we got there to find the queue of cars coming out of the car park, but we stuck it out. Very fortunately, as Vin turned into one of the aisles there was a car coming out, and we drove into it. Not far from the entrance either which was good since it was pouring down with rain. Shop was heaving..really heaving! People everywhere, baskets of food and vegetables everywhere, with tons of carrots and bags of sprouts filling up the aisles so you could barely get your troklley round. let alone browse. We did get everything on our list though, don't think we've missed anything which is good.
Jane is coming home tonight! Hooray!! It will be lovely to see her again, hope she has a good rest. We have her bed all ready for her with new pillows so she will be comfy. She has just rung up from her way to the station to say she is on her way to Didsbury.Should get here about six she reckons, and she said she is hungry.  :)
I did say to Vin in Waitrose..maybe there is something to be said for being in  hospital ovver Christmas and let it all wash over you..or there again maybe not!!!
it's lovely to be home again.
Tonight we are having:
pizza with cheese and mushrooms and pepper for Vin
Green salad with baby plum tomatoes and avocado
Potato salad for moi and pine nut and pasta salad for Vin.

Busy Busy!!

A bit hectic this morning. off to tesco's to get our weekend things. Thought it was going to be busy when we got there and there was a queue to get in the car park access road, but that was for getting petrol. The car park wasn't bad actually, we got a space near the door.
Busy inside though, but not so busy that it wasn't easy to get round, just had to wander around with the trolley a bit. Got all of our weekend things to begin with then some extra thingies for the holiday. Mad really isn't it..you would think we were getting ready for a siege. We did have to get some extra stuff for jane coming home in case she doesn't eat what we do..which is probably the case actually !! Met some of our neighbours in there at the checkout we haven't seen for a bit, so had a catch up with them which was nice.  Very proud granny showing us pictures of her lovely little grandson. Aaah.

Tonight we are having:
Fishless finger (Hooray!!)
Chips 200grms
Mushy peas for Vin and green beans for moi.
Tartare sauce.

Anniversary!!

Some Anniversary! it is exactly one year to the day that I had my op done in Aintree. Woke up in ICU with a lovely nurse called Rachel looking after me. Don't remember much about it all until i got back on the ward some days later.  Poor Vin was doing twice a day trips to do the visiting Bless him. The only real thing I remember was having an electric blanket put over me because I couldn't stop shivering. Always cold me! Wonderful thing it was.Wouldn't mind one for Christmas.
So, one year to the day and here we are, safe and sound and ready for action in Dobbies! Went there this morning to have our coffees for the month and get a few bits. had a good look round, bought some christmas cards for next year at half price,really nice ones, and Vin got a diary half price too which fits his holder so he is a happy bunny. He put them in the car then we went for our coffee. Big queue so I went to find a seat and he got the drinks. Vin had a lovely looking flat white with a pretty fern picture on the top and I had a tasty Americano.
Did a bit more mooching, he had some vouchers to use so we got some biscuits for cheese and a pot of damson fruits for cheese, and a big bag of logs! Funny mixture! nice trip out, better than a year ago eh!
No post today..very odd!Wonder why?
Today we are having:
Something from the freezer
Remaining veggies from the fridge,
Baked potatoes..little ones
White sauce or gravy.

This was us last year..a few days later when I was back on the ward. Desperate to have my hair washed too ! This is one lovely husband..My rock!

A Quick Obe...

Stopped in today..well we have been out for the last two days so we wanted to get a bit of time at home. No deliveries or anything but just wanted a breather. Nice and quiet.
Vin wrapped the few things that we had got for jane this morning. he is such a good gift wrapper, he does it so carefully, folds in the paper and everything.  So she has some things for Christmas Day. I'm really looking forward to seeing her, she needs a good rest poor kid, she is working so hard.

We seem to be quite well organised this year. Vin got the chicken stye roast from Holland and Barratt the other day and we have all the bits and bobs, just need the fresh things early next week.

It is exactly one year to the day that I went into hospital for my operation last year. I did think I would have been out for Christmas but it wasn't to be. Poor Vin spent the holiday period going back and forth to Aintree doing the visiting, Bless him that must have been so tiring.
It's been a bit of an up and down road, not always plain sailing and a few problems to begin with, and it really took me a lot longer to get over than I would have expected, but we are definitely getting there now. been out and about a lot more, and the trip to The Cheshier oaks the other week was a bit of a milestone. That was great. Onwards and upwards now. Thankyou all of the wonderful people in the NHS and especially to my wonderful husband for being..dare I say it  "My Rock".
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a cheese sauce,
mushrooms
A bit of garlic bread for Vin
Yello Carrots and asparagus.

One of Those days!

It was. One of those days when everything goes right when you are out. They don't happen very often so it's pleasant when they do.
We had decided to go over to Ormskirk mainly to get little Rusty's tablets from the vets, and then to go on and get some shopping bits as well. Tablets duly received, so we went off to the town centre to see if we could park in behind M&S. Just as we drove into the car park a car was pulling out so Vin nipped in. Good Start!.  Went to Holland and Barratt to see if by any chance they had our fishkless fingers. They did! so we got four packs. They are on buy one get one half price offer so that was a bonus. I had some bits to get from Superdrug, and Vin had a few places to go so we split up for a bit. Did manage to get his christmas card so that was good.  Back to the car with a few minutes to spare so he ran into M&S to see if they had his damson and sloe gin jam they didn't but they did have a similar one. Also the frangipan tray bake that we both like a lot. Great.
Then down to Morrisons to get our veggies for the week. Refreshing cup of coffee in their cafe..very nice too and cheap which is probably why it is so busy. 2 coffees and a pack of shortbread biscuits well under £4. Wandered round the store to get some things that the other s/markets don't sell   . Did get some intriguing looking carrots in a pack..yellow and orange! haven't had those before so they will be new. lots of bits and bobs for Jane for when she comes home too, plus stuff for the store cupboard. Did really well.
Home about twoish so had lunch and that's it for the day really.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope
Mixed veggies with a white sauce
Sliced and fried potaatoes

Out and About..

I had aqn appointment over the way at the surgery this afternoon so didn't want to waste the day waiting for that. Went over the bypass to The Ladygreen Garden Centre this morning for our free coffees for the month . For once it wasn't heaving, so we were able to get a table for a change! I found a table and Vin went and got the dfcoffees. We had already had a bit of a look round before so had a bit of an idea what was going n.
nice table in the end by the window until some screaming child came and sat nearby..ah well you can't have everything. It was quite a pretty child though!
Had a bit more of a mooch after that, Vin bought a really nice candle..gold,frankinsense and myrrh. Smells lovely. I bought some coconut shortbreads and a very dinky little set of heart shaped tea spoons which will be great for desserts. Can't wait to try the brownies with them!
Went along to the other garden centre next door it is much much smaller but more of a serious garden place. Vin wanted to get some light bulbs for his garden lightswhich he did.  So that was successful.
Then along to Tesco petrol station to get some petrol, it was for a change quite quiet, so he got that and home for lunch.
Appointment after lunch at three thirty. We got there on time and waited about ten minutes. Total waste of time, all she did was to take my blood pressure, and make appointments for another nursie todo the diabetic review, in January. Grrr.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese
Green salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and celery fruit and nut for Vin

Oooh Friday the 13th !

Doesn't seem to make any difference, except that a little dish that we use for Rusty's creme fraiche seems to have been spirited away. it is a sweet little heart shaped dish and it's has just gone..vamooshed! I've said the prayer to St. Anthony and expect it will turn up somewhere.
We went off to Tesco this morning, via Waitrose where the car park was heaving. Vin ran in and got the pasties for tea so he is happy there. Then off to the tip to discard the toaster that had broken and Tesco for the weekend things. Got more things for the storecupboard too, and I got Jane another of the gift cards that they do. We were running out of time by this tinmne so we didn't stop for coffee in the Costa but came home instead which save about a fiver! looked quite busy anyway. Plus we had a lot of frozen stuff that we needed to get in the freezer.
Vin has just dug the Christmas cards out of the cupboard for me so I'll get them done in the next couple of days. getting a bit late actually,and we are getting a flurry of them now. Done the neighbours ones and Vin has posted them through their respective letterboxes.
Tonight we are having:
Cheese and onion pasties
green beans and any remaining veggies
Rice pudding..yum yum.

The Unexpected.!

Well, the plan today was to get up earlyish and go to Southport to the Dunelm Mill shop to get new pillows for Jane's bed. Then to go on to Dobbies for our coffee!
Then...we woke up later, so that wasn't a good start, and then Vin had got up to go to the bathroom and came back to say the carpet by the side of his bed was damp. This is where the radiator is, and it turned out it was dribbling water which waasn't good either.  So, that needed attention.
by this time the clock was moving on and I had thought it wasn't worth going out, but Vin said that he had fixed it temporarily and we could go. So off we went. Must admit I wasn't going to bother but in the end I'm glad we did.
Dunelm Mill had a great choice of pillows. Jane wanted soft ones so we got some feather and down ones, £12.99 each, but what we will do is when she has been and gone, we will swap them for our two top ones which are getting a bit worn. Also saw some tumblers that we were looking for. |They had them in M&S but out of stock, or discontinued so we got them there instead, 59p each..cheap enough. A nice pack of napkins and a little sugar bowl with sugar written all round it like the one I had broken. So a good shop.  Vin also went to the Brabantia (sp) store next door to see if they had any slippers..they did have one pair that he liked in the right size so he was happy. Glad we went in the end. Plus..we had a lovely coffee and shortbread in the Dunelm coffee shop. Free parking too.
Plus Vin fixed the valve on the radiator this afternoon so that is OK now. Well done Vin XXX
Tonight we are having:
Something from the freezer..
Potatoes baked in the ovenRemaining veggies from the fridge,
Mushroom sauce.

11/12/13 !

What an odd date today! at ten past nine tonight it will be 9 10 11/12/13.That would be a good date to be born wouldn't it. imagine saying that all of your life..11/12/13. Someone will be using that in years to come.
Didn't go out today, had a rest day and stayed in. We have been out for the last two days so we needed to catch up. Vin wanted to clear out the bottom of the freezer, it was all iced up and he had bought a new spray to use so he did that. It's all ready for getting some Christmas stuff now.Jane will want some roast potatoes and bits like that. We did find a bag of peas that have been there since God knows when and some yorkshire puddings likewise but not a huge ammount to throw away really. Fridge is nice and clear now.
Mainly the reason we stopped in today was that we were having a coal delivery, that came mid-day and was £57 for three bags!! What a price it is now..smokeless fuel that is.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta in tomato and basil sauce,
Butternut squash with sweet potato,
Mushrooms
A bit of garlic bread for Vin

Out Again!!

two days on the run..getting to be a habit! Today we went over to the M&S in Aintree to get some things that we wanted for Christmas. We wanted to get some of the accompaniments for the Christmas dinner and theirs are quite good. Also there were one or two things that i wanted to look at.
Got there quite reasonably, clever Vin spotted a car coming out of a space that we were going along, so he pulled in quick. just in front of the store too. Walked aalong to the Boots because I was looking for some of the perfume that I wear..the ginger Origins one, but they don'e sell it. Only liverpookl or Speke the girl said! So I walked back to the M&S and he went to the Halfords next door. I had a good mooch round and spotted a pair of slippers in my size. I have terrible trouble with slippers, they rub my toes, or are too big..or something! got a nice pair though straight away for a change. Then i was looking for a nail varnish but they werre upstairs by which time Vin had found me so we went up there. They were on offer for three for two, so I got that, and Vin got some of his Wood Spice which is lovely. He had a voucher off that so used that up.
Coffee Time!!! And guess what..he had a card for a free coffee, so I had an Americano and he had a flat white.Took our own biscuits so was a nice cheap do!!
Round the food hall then. Got some stuff for treats,Plus some essentials. Then home for lunch. Really enjoyed the trip actually. This time last year I wasn't going anywhere. Mind you saved a ton of money though :).
Tonight we are having:
Escalope of some sort,
baby potatoes baked in the oven
Vegetable mixture
Sauce of some sort..not sure what yet.

Thank Goodness!!

Indeed, thank goodness. My blog appears to be working properly these last few days. For some weeks now I have had terrible trouble with it. Couldn't get signed on and couldn't get rid of the Malwear that was on it. Then Vin looked it up online and someone suggested that you get rid of the calendar that was a gadget on the site. That was easier said than done however, because I couldn't get on to the settings. Then one day last week I found another way to access the blog and lo and behold the settings were accessible, so I deleted the calendar and  Hey Presto the site was going again!Saves such a long time.

Today was a going out day. We went to Homebase first to get some outside Christmas Lights. he had seen some on Saturday for half price so we went to get them today. he bought them on the Nectar points so didn't cost anything, except you can't buy on them for less than ten pounds. The lights were £9.99 ! so he picked up a [packet of gold coins for Jane's stocking as well !! We then went to Tesco to get the veg shopping for the week which we usually do on a Tuesday, but we were nearby so that was it. Went round there quite quickly, and the it was up the bypass to the Ladygreen garden centre. The idea was to get our free coffees for the month but the place was so busy that we couldn't see a table so we turned round and came home. We did go via the littler garden centre next door, and got a wreath for the front door which looks lovely.

It is all beginning to look lovely and Christmassy now.
Home for our coffee.. in the peace and quiet of the house, and a lovely Americano from the Tassimo machine !!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese and pepper on Vins one
Potato salad for moi and cheese and nut salad for Vin
green salad with avocadoes and baby plum tomatoes.

It's beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!

Well in our house it is. We have spent the day putting the trees up and the decorations, so everywhere is looking lovely and festive now.  Vin has the trees and the decorations very carefully packed away upstairs, and it is quite a job for him to get them down. He knows where everything goes though and it's a case of everything in its place.

This is the ne he hates putting up the most, he always swears when this one goes up because it's a tiny little hook and it takes a while to hang it up there above the fireplace.
He said we put them up on the same day last year, so we will get the month out of them given that we take them down on the 6th of Jan.
The news today everywhere is of Nelson Mandela's death yesterday. Endless news reports, and the world and his wife are cropping up to say what his death means and when they met him etc.,The Beeb have probably had programmes prepared for months given his precarious state of health.
We did share the same birthday..but not the year!
Tonight we are having:
Crustless cheese and onion flan,
Spaghetti in tomato sauce
A few chips..200grms between us.

Best Laid Plans!!

Of mice and men and retired couples!!. The plan was to go over to maghull and I could have a look at the Bon Marche shop which had a tempting %20 off everything offer, and Vin would have a mooch about, then we'd have a coffee at Costa.
However, we woke up this morning, lateish because it was dark, looked out of the window and the trees were blowing about like crazy, plus it was raining, so we decided against that idea and stopped in.
Vin did some clearing up af the places where the Christmas trees were going, and then just beat the hailstones and got the one out of the shed that goes in the extension.; Plus the one that goes in the middle room as well. So he did well!!
Very dark and wintry looking today, horrible outside and lots of trouble on the news. bridges closed all over especially in the North, a lorry blown over and the driver killed, a man blown off his mobility scooter and killed, and flooding all over too. Looks very bad, particularly in Scotland.
I did a bit of ordering online so that I got the discount from the Bon Marche,so I'm a happy bunny. The little cats are indoors today too they know which side of their bread is buttered.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope with gruyere cheese,
Mixed vegetables with a sauce
Baby potatoes sliced and sauteed.

Hooray!! At Last!!

At long last, after about three weeks or more of trouble with getting on the blog , it finally seems clear. Fingers and toes crossed at this point. I went on my blog via another website yesterday, and found the settings. So, deleted the calendar gadget that someone had said to remove. Did that and hey presto I was back on. Great.
Stayed in this morning , had to really because we were expecting a coal delivery. That came at about a quarter past one and three bags for £59. !! not a cheap fuel these days is it. We have the winter fuel allowance which helps with some deliveries, so that's good.
I did a pile of ironing all of the bedding that was washed yesterday. Vin was up and down doing some clearing up, going through papers etc., so getting a bit ready for Christmas. he did put some lights up outside too and we'll put the trees etc., up soon.
First Christmas card arrived this morning so must get going on mine.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a cheese sauce
Asparagus and butternut squash
A bit of garlic bread for Vin.

Is It Once A Year??

You can tell Christmas is coming round because the brasses get done. Not the ones at the front of the house because they get done when they tarnish, but the ones round the fireplace. They have been there for donkey's years, my mum used to do them weekly, but we don't I'm afraid.  They do look good when they are done though, especially with the Christmas decorations done.

Some of them are just viewable here but the picture is a bit yellow for some reason. no matter. So that was the job this morning, Vin puts the Brasso on and I do the rubbing off. It doesn't take that long actually, you just keep putting it off.

bedding done as well this morning, so all changed and new. lovely. The reason we stayed in today was because I had a delivery expected..well two actually. One from the Aranesp injections people and the other from bullen's healthcare with the colo stuff. 

just heard Johnny mathis on the Steve Wright show, talking about his new Christmas album and his up coming tour of the country starting in April. What a good voice he still has, a proper legend not like some of the one day wonders you hear these days.

Tonight we are having:

Chicken and mushroom style pies

baby roasted/baked potatoes

Carrots and beans

Mushroom gravy.

Well It's a Nightmare!!

Trying to get on my blog is a nightmare..that's what. !
I haven't a clue what is going on these days, just don't seem to be able to get rid of the "Buddyhost" block that comes up every time I sign on. Proper pain in the neck, and I mean a REAL pain in the neck! it used to be so easy, now I have to find circuitous routes to get on my blog. Ah well. All down to sonmething called Malware that affects what you are doing.
Odd weekend. Vin broke our toaster yesterday, so that meant we had to get another one today. It is used a lot so is an essential piece of electrical.  We have vouchers from tesco who are doing a five pound converts to ten on electrical items so that was a good choice. he went to the one in Formby yesterday but they only had four slice ones which are too big for us, or a couple of very cheap own make ones which we didn't want. Went from there to Homebase and they were the same. So the plan was to go to the big one at kew today to see what they had. Success found the last Russell Hobbs one in the store, £19.50. Vin took the vouchers to the customer service desk, and the lady gave us two ten pound conversion vouchers. She shouldn't have, because we should only have used one, and paid £9.50 remaining. But, he took the item to the self scanning till and put one in and the girl came over to say that we shouldn't have two! oh dear..she goes off to consult her team leader and comes back to say because it was their fault we coyuld put it through. Goody..we got a toaster for our vouchers with nothing to pay.
From there to ARGOS to get a One for All for the new television and sound box from Bose. Mainly it is to work the sound because the one I use now doesn't work the new sound box from Bose..Grrr. We still have some vouchers from the Shopping monitor so used those. Vin chose the most suitable one so he bought that. Didn't cost anything either.
Called in at Waitrose on the way back. got free coffees on our cards, very nice too. Vin had a Latte I had a black like an Americano. He got a free newspaper too..good going. Did our veggie shopping for the week, and got a few extra things we had run out of.
So all in all a really good free day eh!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushroom and extra cheese
green salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
potato salad for moi and celery fruit and nut for Vin.