An In Day ...

Stayed in today, mainly because we didn't have anywhere in particular to go.  The postman did bring Vin two Cafe nero cards though that he has got through the Daily Mail..so maybe one of those in the offing sometime???
Did a pile of ironing today, all the washing from yesterday, the bedding mostly, so that took a while.
Nice coffee at half twelveish, I had a cafe crema intenso which was a nice black quite strong one, and Vin had a  Chai Latte which smelled lovely. I think I could actually drink one of those although I hate tea. Haven't had a cup of tea since I had Jane almost thirty one years ago! and that was because there wasn't anything else to drink at the time.Yuk..hate tea, can't stand the smell of it and the taste is horrible. Funny that because my lovely mum used to exsist on tea. Can't be in the genes then!
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with a tomato and mascarpone sauce
A bit of garlic bread for Vin
A few green beans and mushrooms

A Productive Morning>>>

It was actually quite a productive morning. we had planned to go into Formby to get our veggies for the week, and since we had a voucher for ten pounds off thirty from Waitrose it was always going to be there. So off we went, had a quick skoot round and got everything n our list, Vin added it all up as we went and we got some exctras to make sure like cat food which we always use. He reckoned that the total came to just over which was fine. So, we parked our trolley outside the cafe and went in for our free coffees with our cards. very nice lattes we had too.  Seems that is all everyone goes in there to have these days!
Got our bill after that, and the total was about two pounds over so that was good, including our free paper, and the money off we got a load of shopping for £22. Beautiful sunny day, so Vin left me in the car with the window open, and he went off to Holland and Barratt to get me some Vitamin B12 tablets. The reason for that was because he had a voucher for two pounds off and it had to be used by tomorrow. They were also doing a buy one for a penny offer on my tablets, so he got two packs for £5. Excellent. A day of bargains too. very good!
Tonight we are having:
goats cheese and cranberry escalopes
baby jersey royals
Carrots and broccoli
cranberry sauce and maybe bread sauce.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning>>>>

Well it was, the sun was shining and no sign of rain. We had decided that we would go to Dobbies for our coffees and a mooch this morning anyway for a change. We actualy had the car windows open and it was very pleasant.
had a bit of a look round when we got there, Vin went off to look at garden things, he was after a very small garrden trowel for doing the containers , and I had a look round the gifts and the food sections. Got some mushrooms and a little pot of pear, apple and ginger chutney which was lovely actually, we had some with our lunch.
Very nice coffees i had  large Americano for free and Vin had a flat white also for free. Very quiet in there too, makes a difference that the kids have gone back.
Vin got the parcel ready for sending to Australia  for Ann's birthday. We got a nice T-Shirt..hope it fits, and a little notebook with poodles all over it, and a nice pair of Murano glass earrings in blue. Cost about ten pounds to post, but not too heavy thank goodness. it's always something you have to think about when buying presents for Australia, that things aren't too heavy.
two emails today, one from Schwartz to say the sauces have been dispatched and one from QVC that the Quacker factory has been dispatched, so maybe two parcels to come this week.
Toni9ght we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and cheese and pepper for Vin
Green salad with avocado and baby yellow plum tomatoes
potato salad for moi and a rice salad for Vin.

Coupons...

Coupons! Through the post, a week ago, so off we went to Waitrose this morning to get our weekend things. A couple of bonuses  a free newspaper, and a free cup of coffee too. Vin got a voucher for ten pounds off thirty and mine was for ten pounds offr fifty. Goodness knows why the discrepancy, doesn't make sense. Anyway it's a good discount so off we went.
very busy actually though the parking wasn't too bad and we pulled into a space that was just being vacated.  nice shop to go to, but you do have t take into account the fact that everything is dearer, but you can get treats that you don't get anywhere else. Got some lovely cheese biscuits and all of our salad things etc., Vin was adding the total up as we were going round and it soon became apparent that we were easily going over the thirty. Ah well doesn't matter. We got a trolley full and then went for our coffee, both of us having a Latte. very nice too, I usually have a black Americano but this was very well flavoured. Got a good table because it wasn't too busy but did get busier as we sat.  not quite the atmosphere of a Costa but very nice for a free coffee anyway.
 Paid for our goods and the bill came to £39 ish which I thought was quite good for a biggish Waitrose shop.
Vin posted his Sky box off to be recycled this morning..freepost so didn't cost him anything, and hopefully i will post off Ann's birthday parcel tomorrow as well. Am sending her a little notebook with poodles on it, a pair of Murano glass earrings and a T-shirt wioth butterflies on it and 3/4 sleeves. Since it is getting to be their Autumn should be ok, just hope its the right size.
Tonight we are having:
Sausage rolls frozen
jersey Royals sliced and fried
Mixed veggies that we have left over
Something tomatoey.

In and Out..

Nowhere planned today, and a delivery expected from my healthcare people Bullens so Vin decided to go to Formby. The cats were in need of cat litter and we needed  a couple of other things, so off he went to Tesco. In actual fact the delivery man came at about ten to eleven so we could have gone somewhere, but I was also expecting a delivery from my Bon Marche so i stopped here. Wasn't sure it would be here today but thought it very well might and it came at about twelvish after Vin had gone out.  So that was good for the day. Did make an order for some sauce mixes from Schwartz online which was good so another delivery probably sometime next week !
Very sunny today, but I think still a bit cool, but the temps are rising slowly, maybe it won't be too long before we are sitting outside on the bench for our coffees. notice on FB that a post from the folk in Perth that it is raining there, i expect they are glad of that it will help their gardens stay green.
Did get a phone call from the hearing aid centre to rearrange my appointment which was for the 2nd of May. It is now the 15th of May at 11.15 which is a Thursday so better really for us that a Friday. Now all we have to do is work out which car park to use.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta bake with a cheese sauce
Mushrooms and butternut squash.
A bit of garlic bread for Vin.

Out and In..

We were out yesterday so we stayed in today. Well there was a big pile of ironing to do as well as a washing machine full of washing, so it was chores today.
Vin sent off  his computer memory to the firm having downloaded a form to fill in from the website. i spent a bit of time typing my letter to go into Ann's birthday parcel, so hopefully we can get that off fairly soon.
So it was a nice coffee at home  today. I had a Cafe Intenso, and Vin had a kenco crema both of which were lovely. I do have to say that the tassimo does produce great tasting coffees, whatever you put in whether it is a Macchiato or an Americano it tastes just like the coffee shop ones.  If i won the lottery..fat chaance..i would have a house built with a porch all the way round, a stained glass front door, and a little coffee bar off the kitchen. Well a girl can dream eh!
Tonight we are having:
Quorn cottage pie,
Broccoli for Vin and carrots for moi
Gravy with mushrooms

Venture Out...

Since we were up quite early (for us!) we decided to go out as we had planned over the the Aintree retail park. The plan was to go to M&S to get our veggies for the week, and have a bit of a mooch. Vin also wanted to go to the Maplins to check about his faulty memory..not his...the one for the Netbook that he has. I was quite surprised today when he said he had had that for four and a half years, it only seems like a couple of years ago since I bought it for him.
It is getting quite busy there now, the M&S is quite a draw..but we were lucky a van was pulling out as we arrived so got a space near the front.
Vin went off to Halfords for a look and I went into Marks for a mooch. hate the way the clothes are displayed, can never find anything, and I do have to say I am really disappointed with the quality of the clothing. The blouses and shirts are terrible, so thin you can nearly see through them. Wanted a look at handbags but nothing that appealed to me, and very drab colours.  caught up with Vin at the front door and we went up for our coffee. They have re-designed the cafe area and taken out the sofas and replaced them with tables and chairs. It's better actually because there is more room for people to sit down now. Funny t6hing again, busy when we arrived the place got quiet!!
Went downstairs for our food shopping, got all our veggies for the week, I do like Marks veggies..then the things on our list and some treats as well. Always get some nice stuff there.
Tonight we are having:
escalope with gruyere cheese
Carrots beans and broccoli
Baby new potatoes (Jersey Royals)
Hollandaise sauce

Easter Weekend,

Doesn't feel like a Bamk holiday today really, Vin went off to crosby this morning which is what he usually does on a Sunday, so it feels more like a Sunday.  He didn't eat his rabbit, think he is saving that, taunting me with it I think. It's almost too nice to open really, all wrapped in gold paper and even has a little blue ribbon with a bell on it. Awww.
Spent a nice afternoon doing all of our crosswords yesterday but had to finish them off today because Vins little netbook was playing up a bit, and some of the clues were really tricky. Did them in the end though.
Nice and sunny today but I think it is still cool, Mind you I always think it is cool. Little Bobby has been out in the sun though today. Vin went out to do a bit of weeding yesterday took his cup of tea out, but said he came in later it was too cool.Waiting for the temperature to warm up really.
Had a nice Easter meal yesterday, we had our pizza as usual, with salad, and then later we had one of our Brownies that we had frozen, with some raspberries and some nice creme fraiche. Mmmm lovely.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and cheese
Green salad with avocado and baby plum tomatoes
Potato salad for moi and a pasta salad for Vin.

Good Friday...

Never really liked Good friday. Suppose it stems back  to a childhood of going to church for the endless rounds of Stations of the Cross etc., and services. it has always seemed such a drab sort of day. Everything closed and sort of dull. Things have changed a lot though, the stores are now all open for business and the services aren't as long as they used to be.
Wedidn't go out today but stopped in did odd things about the house. The sun is shining outside but it isn't very warm yet though, certainly not warm enough to sit outside on the bench yet.  The little cats are still ailing a bit. bobby seems to have another little bout of her kidney infection, and little Rusty is still being monitored with her sneezing and her eye.She needs maintenance really, constant watching to keep her comfy.1   Bobby just needs watching to make sure she doesn't piddle on the carpets!!! The joys of cat ownership.
Tonight we are having:
Fishless fingers
Mushy peas for Vin and green beans for me
Chips 200 grms.

What a Difference a Day makes!

Yesterday was a lovely day, lots of people out in shorts and tops and lighter clothes. very sunny sat in Dobies with our coffees,
Today it is grey and blowy, Vin went "round the block " for a walk before and came back with frozen hands. I have a heater on which is fairly normal for me anyway, and it appears that this cool weather is set for the weekend too.  Not sitting out on ou4r bench just yet. !
Vin went off to Formby this morning..when we were out yesterday a parcel arrived for him. Typical that, normally when we stop in nothing arrives, but the one day you go out it does. he also wanted to go to his wood place to get some free wood which he uses to light the fire,and there were a couple of things he wanted to get from Tesco, cat litter etc. he came back from there with my card twenty pounds lighter...good job it's pay day today!
Tonight we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalope
bread sauce
mixed vegetables
potato croquettes.

Hanging baskets Need...

Plants!! So the plan was to go to Dobbies to get some to fill the two hanging baskets that Vin put up yesterday. We had an idea to fill them with pansies or violas or something similar and they have a good selection there, and since it's a while since we were there there we'd have a look round as well.
Beautiful day today, and they did indeed have some nice plants, a big tray full for £4.99 which was good, and lovely colours. I particularly liked some really pretty purple ones. Had a mooch but didn't see anything that shouted out at me, did get some mints from there that we like, and bought Vin an Easter Bunny with ears so he can bite them off.
We bought our coffees today from there, Vin had a flat white and I had a medium Americano which was really nice. Expected the centre to be over run with kidas but actually it was quite quiet really, some about but not too many.
before we went there Vin had been waiting for me to come downstairs, and was talking to our neighbour, who said her cat was seriously ill. She had been to the vets with him and he had been kept in for observation, so they could do an X-ray. Poor homas, he is a real character of a ginger cat, hope he is OK. Vin saw him yesterday sitting on the decking in his garden sunning himself, so it seems to have come on very quickly. Aaaah poor Thomas.
Vin has just come upstairs actually and said "bad news I'm afraid" They couldn't do anything for him and have had to give him the injection. That's sad, and very sudden. Poor Thomas. We'll miss him coming through the garden.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta bake with a cheesey sauce and mushrooms
A bit of garlic bread for Vin,
Some green mixed vegetables.

Not Out Today...

No plans for today so we stopped in. It is normally our day for changing the bedding so got that underway. nice sunny day today too so Vin got them out on the line to dry which is about a first for the year. Blowing beautifully in the breeze as well.
He did a bit on the garden this morning as well, put two hanging baskets up, and we'll go and get some plants for them tomorrow somewhere. He has put two up at each end of the shed which will look lovely with some flowers in at the end of the garden.
Even little Bobby went out in the sun today, had a lovely sit out on the flags getting a bit of warmth. She seems a lot better from her kidney infection (touch wood) and doesn't appear to be up and down so much. Hate it when the little cats aren't well, you worry about them.
Tonight we are having:
Escalope..lemon and black pepper
bread sauce
mixed vegetables
Potato croquettes.

The Gremlins!!

What a weekend! The gremlins had certainly hit our computers..both of them. All sorts going wrong..kept cutting off, Vin couldn't get on his netbook at all on Saturday and best part of Sunday. A total pain in the neck. Caused all sorts of trouble..made him very grumpy and arguments between us. Last night he did get them going, but it seems that it was a virus that had affected many computers here,according to one of the papers yesterday online. Not too clever today either, mine keeps cutting out and closing down for no reason. Grrrr !!!!
Today we went to Crosby to get some stuff, mainly because Vin didn't go on Sunday as he usually does, so I said I'd go with him and we went round Sainsburys. He had a voucher for £3 odd £30 so we went round putting things in the trolley to make up the total. Then we got to the checkout and two things happened. Number One he found the voucher had expired and Number Two we had spent £40odd pounds !!! Double Grrr!!!. So not a happy bunny. He said if it would make me any happier he would give me the £3 so when we got to the car I held my hand out for the money. He dug in his pursey thingy and found three pound coins. That will teach him.!
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with cheese and mushrooms
Green salad with tomatoes and avocado
Potato salad.

Out Today...

Beautiful sunny and mild day today. No cats stirring to wake us up though, but we got up at a reasonable time anyway.  Since it's Friday  it is get the weekend things, so it's a matter of where to go.
Vin decided that because he was dying for a coffee out  (just for a change!). In the end it was Tesco's because of their Costa.  he whizzes me round the shop..armed with his list, and directs me to the right sections..he gets round in no time!
We got all of our stuff for the weekend..dodging the kids..through the checkout and he went to put the bags in the car. I parked myself in a nice seat and he got the coffees. I had a medium Americano and he had a very nice ooking Capucinno minus the chocolate on the top. Looked lovely..hesaid it was about the same as the ones we make with our machine!!
No news from Jane about her exam..the phone just went and I thought it was her, but it was one of those nuisance phone calls where you turn everything off to answer it, say hello, and they hang up at the other end. Total pain. You wouldn't mind if they replied but they don't. Grrrr!
Toni9ght we are having:
    Cheese and onion pasties from Waitrose
green beans for me and maybe sweetcorn for Vin
Rice puddings from Waitrose.

Change of Plan...

Well we were going t go out this morning, but I had a few problems last night, had to get up before six so had a disturbed night for bboth of us. In the end when we got back to sleep again we were late getting up, so it was too late to go anywhere. Doesn't matter actually, Vin found lots to do and I had a bit more of a go on the computer with letters etc.,
We thought ittle Bobby was a bit better and she is a bit, but she is still on and off the litter tray in waves. She is ok for a while and gets a good sleep then she wakes up and it seems to hit her again. Poor little thing, it must be very uncomfortable for her. She has finished al of the tablets the vet gave her, so Vin is deciding what to do with her now. We need to get her back to normal.

At least little Rusty seems to be good at the moment.

 

Tonight we are having:

Southern fried escalope

bread sauce

Vegetables left over in the fridge

Potato croquettes

mushrooms

 

Writing Letters...

Nobody writes letters much these days do they?  I spent the morning doing a letter to the folks in Australia, which will hopefully go into Anns parcel for her birthday in May.  I do them on the computer these days, mostly because my handwriting is very shaky, and it is easier to see on the computer too with the bigger printing. I can save what I have typed and add to it when I have a few minutes or something happens. With the Facebook, I get some info about what their girls are doing which is really nice, and they are very good at posting photos on there.It's a great way of keeping in touch.
We didn't go out anywhere today but will tomorrow. Vin wanted to go through some magazines and papers, and sort out his shredder which had gone wrong yesterday. It was a little plastic bit apparently in the end and he fixed that. Mr Fixit does it again.
Tonight we are having:
Pasta with somje sort of sauce,
Mushrooms
Mixed veggies or butternut squash,
A bit of garlic bread for Vin.

Thankyou Mr. Waitrose...

Out veggie shopping this morning, decided to go to Waitrose for a change. It's a while since we have been there actually, apart from calling in very quickly for one or two items.  They do have nice veg in there and since we had done tesco last Friday we thought a change would be an idea. Besides.... you can get a free paper if you spend over a fiver which we jknew we would, and we could get free coffees with our card.  So, off we went there.
Whizzed round the shop actually, got some lovely veggies, and Vin got his pasties for Friday. Had a good mooch too, but didn't see anything much apart from Easter eggs everywhere you look.
Went for our free coffees which were very nice, I had a black and Vin had a latte and we shared a pack of shortbreads.
very interesting programme on BBC2 last night about the rise of coffee shops. mainly about the big three..namely Starbucks, Cafe nero and Costa. We have Costa handy, and there is a Cafe nero in Formby which we have been in once or twice but no Starbucks. Not sorry about that, I prefer Costa anyway. Apparently they are on top in the UK at present and expanding..the one that is attached to the Tesco in Formby is great, you wouldn't think you were in a supermarket.
Nice to get out, it is a sunny day but cold today, still a bit wintery, but the trees are greening up now.
Tonight we are having:
Gruyere cheese escalope,
carrots and broccoli
Hollandaise sauce
Potato croquettes.

Vin and Jen At Home!!

Sounds good doesn't it! All it means is that we didn't go anywhere. It was a grey and rainy day and we hadn't p;anned to go out anyway.  Stopped in and caught up on things.
I did the ironing which has been lying around for nearly a week looking at me. The bedding is a pain to iron but worth it for the good quality bedding.
Little Bobby has been up and down over the weekend. Just as you think she is getting better, she has a bad turn, and woke Vin up at some ungodly hour this morning. He followed her down and had to wait with her to sort her out. Poor vin. he will be tired tonight. She still has some tablets to go so hope that they will get her right.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with mushrooms and mozzarella cheese
Potato salad
green salad with peppers for Vin.

Short and Sweet...

just an ordinary day today really. Nothing much doing in our household. No phone calls, no parcels/packages and nobody calling.  Nice day though, quite pleasant out in the sunshine..colish though.
We took my money off to Tesco for the weekend things. Vin armed with a list and me looking round for impulse buys! i think Vin's list won out in the end though. Had a bit of a mooch going round and got everything that we needed for the weekend.
Went to the Costa for a coffee afterwards, it was quite busy when we arrived then emptied as Vin collected the coffees so we got a great quiet seat. I had a medio Americano and Vin had a Hazelnut Latte which looked really good and we shared a pack of mini shortbreads which are melt in the mouth..good job you can't buy them in Tesco.
Tonight we are having:
fishless fingers with tartare sauce
green beans for moi and mushy peas for Vin
Chips..200 grms.

Deja Vu !!

Have we been this way before..yes..Yesterday ! Little bobby has been a bit under the weather for the last couple of days with a wee problem it seems to have been distressing her so Vin rang the vets this morning and got an appointment for twenty to twelve. better than the Doctors eh!Unfortunately it is the same direction that we went yesterday since it is in Ormskirk. So that was our morning.. get ready to go out and get the cat basket out without them seeing it because they run and hide. Nice vet Mr Tim who is getting to know our cats really well since he treats little Rusty mostly. We like him !

He gave bobby a good examination and while he was feeling her bladder she actually had a wee so the girl was able to get a sample which was good actually. turns out it is a sort of cystitis which is what we thought it was, he gave her an anti infammatory and some tablets that Vin has to give her once a dy for a week.  Good luck with that!
Home in nice time for coffee, then lunch later.
Jane rang up just before we had our lunch..said she had been to Tesco's for some stores, and got a Costa coffee on the way out. She said there was a man in the queue who was trying to push in front of her and being grumpy about it, so she said "You can go first if you like" he gave her a scowl got his coffee then went out. Then when she got hers and got in her car there was a car who was trying to get in front of hers. Yep..the grump from the queue. best thing was though, he had driven off with his Coffee cup on top of his car!! bet she enjoyed th

Revenge of the Wheelie Bins !!

We now are a 3 Wheelie Bin house. We have a grey bin for general rubbish..a Green bin for garden refuse and Now a Brown bin for Cardboard. it's getting all a bit silly. We are a row of little terraced houses some call them cottages!! but I don't. They have a longish garden with a passageway/entry at the back which is now full of Wheelie bins. maybe they are taking over the world?
Off we went to Ormskirk this morning. Vin said before that it had been 15 weeks since we had been there.Couldn't believe that, but when we got there and parked in the car park behind M&S Vin noticed that one of the shops in the centre that has been there for Donkey's years..Taylors had gone. It is now a furniture store with a cafe on one side. Amazing ! taylors has been there for so long.
Vin went into Smiths and i went into Superdrug. Wanted to get some decent plasters there aren't any in the first aid box, only cheapo ones which are useless. What we actually went for were fishless fingers from Holland and Barratt he had rung up before we went to make sure they had some. They did so we got four boxes, and some sausage rolls and a nice long sausage roll for Vin for Friday. All meatfree.
off then to Morrisons for a nice cheap coffee and a biscuit. Proper mugs and very good value. had a little mooch round there afterwards then home by lunchtime.
Tonight we are having:
pasta with a cheese sauce and mushrooms
carrots and broccoli
A bit of garlic bread for Vin.

Odd Day...

We both woke up early this morning mainly because Bobby was trampling all over Vin and he thought she wanted food. So off he went downstairs to get her some food..but she didn't follow him! Typical!  I got up to go to the bathroom so Vin went down to get our cffee since we were both wide awake.  Then we went back to sleep again!!!
Breakfast, then he went off to Tesco with the coupons and his list.  He said it was quiet today..why is it always quiet when I don't go with him..and the Costa was quiet as well.! Never mind we had a lovely Tassimo cappuccino at home.
Two post deliveries today. One from the Royal Mail and one from TNT. What is going on here..they seem to have their own post people now..very odd. The letter we got from TNT wasa Tesco voucher too!
Bedding done today, lovely clean bed tonight. I love clean sheets, especially the Egyptian cotton ones. Gorgeous.
Toni9ght we are having:
Lemon and black pepper escalope
potato croquettes
mixed vegetables
Hollandaise sauce.