Its Snowing!!

Not much really, just a bit and it isn't sticking, at least not here. Reports on  the news show a different story elswhere in the country with roads blocked and some school closed. We seem to be quite lucky on this coastline, it has to be bad for us to get bad snow. There have been a few hailstorms today though and it is cold.
Jane rang up quite early this morning. She was going in to Uni for her oral examfrom the poster that they had to do beforehand. She said the traffic was crawling there in Manchester, the roads were clear but there was more traffic than usual.
We stayed in today, we hadn't planned to go out anywhere anyway, Vin did some of his sorting out, and I had a play on the computer, well not play exactly, just see what is going on with the various sites that I use and FB.
He did get a loaf of bread going, one of the australian mixes, this time a Crusty white. It gets started in the bread machine and then tipped out when that has done the dough cycle and  put into a bread tin to rise. That way you get a proper looking loaf not the weird shape of the bread machine pan.

Tonight we are having:
Amy's kitchen macaroni cheese
Garlic bread for Vin
A few appropriate veggies that are eft.

My Treat!!

Yesterday we decided to go out today. We didn't urgently need any shopping because we are quite well stocked up and we awoke this morning to blowing wind and what looked like rain approaching, so it would have to be inside somewhere.
Since Vin had some cards from Cafe Nero we decided to go there There is one in Formby, but we tend to get a free coffee from Waitrose when we go there so never go to the Nero. Vin does the Daily mail points entry each day and then he build up points to get cards. He's had Costa ones, M&S ones and Cafe Nero ones. So, we tend to use them for our coffees out.
Parked in the car park right behind and walked through to the shops. I nipped along to Superdrug and he went to the hardware shop first as we were a bit early, I got what I wanted, Vin didn't he was looking for a brush head for the patio. Then back to the coffee shop which was nicely empty tables everywhere, so we sat at the back on a nice bench seat. Vin had a White Chocolate Mocha as a treat, and I had a Skinny Latte. Must say his looked really decadent, it had a very nice looking swirl of whipped cream topping which I pinched a bit of!!Shared a pack of shortbread biscuits. He used one of the cards and paid the extra which is why he said it was "his treat". Aaaah bless him! Spent a lovely half hour or more in there, lovely and quiet, much quieter than Costa.  i think Cafe Nero is more of a treat for us actually.
We did go into Waitrose on the way home because we needed some more soup, but unfortunately the baxters half prioce offer had finished so we got another make instead, very nice too we had it later for our lunch. We were looking to spend a fiver to get a free paper but spent more than that in the end, saw some things that we could use.
Home to a really nasty hailstorm type rainstorm, horrible, and as I type this it is just starting again. definite change in the weather today, so far it has been really mild but it is colder today. Batten up the hatches tomorrow, and stop in.
Tonight we are having:
Mozzarella and pesto escalope,
Potatoes of some sort
A pack of mixed vegetables with a cheese sauce
Cranberry sauce.

Jenny Nine Toes!!

In today..bedding day so that was stripped and washed and bed remade with another set. Vin spent a lot of time in the garden this morning scraping the flags and getting the moss off. he said he filled two coal bags of green bin stuff before he finished. The green bin isn't actually being emptied till March! I suppose the thinking behind that is that there isn't much garden waste at the moment.
I did my tootsies today. They are ready for the Chiropody appointment really which is next week, so I took off the old nail varnish and put some Nail Envy on them. Terrific product, it strengthens the nails and helps them grow. So, did toes and fingers at the same time.
Jane rang up just before lunch..first time since Thursday!! As we suspected she has been sulking..God knows why. She gets herself into a right state over exams, said she had a bad migraine last Thursday and couldn't do the exam properly!!  Grrr.,
Apart from that not much doing in the house today, one delivery and one phone call that's it.
Tonight we are having:
Little toads in the hole with quorn sausages
Potato croquettes
Carrots and swede mashed.
Gravy

Little Morning Out!

A little Monday outing today. The weather is still quite mild for this time of the year, no rain or frost or snow as yet. The bulbs are being fooled a bit really, and are already coming up in the barrel at the front of the house. Just hope we don't get some bad weather to caquse trouble for them.
Vin's Robin is still in the baack garden and comes out regularly for feeding. He has a big bag of birdseed and also puts out bits of cheese which they like apparently. It still doesn't quite come onto his hand but he ddoesn't think it will be long. Aaaah.
So, off we went to Dobbies this morning. We had a bit of a look round, and I spotted a new cushion for my sofa so got that later. Nothing much garden wise it's a bit too early.  A few groups in there today, one in the tea room that they have and another in the main part of the cafe part. We had our free coffees for January, Vin had a Latte and I had an Americano, which I always enjoy from there. We take our own biscuits which is a bit cheeky but saves a few pence. Bought my cushion and a pack of the nice little light biscuits that I like and home via Tescos. the plan was t get his car some petrol, he had a 10p a litre off the cost which is a good saving so we did that on the way home. Whilst we were there he nipped into the store to get a few veggies for the week, so we don't have to go out tomorrow.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza with a greek salad for Vin
Poached egg for moi. 

Twas On A Friday Morning...

The coalman came to call!  We stopped in today  mainly because the coal that should have cme on Tuesday but didn't was due today. he actually came about two o'clock and brought 4 bags at £18 a bag! not cheap, but we do get the smokeless stuff which is dearer, and we do have the £200 heating allowance so that helps.
 We got a delivery from Lakeland the other day with quite a few bread mixes in it so Vin decided to do one of the Sourdough mixes using the bread machine again and finishing it off in the oven in an ordinary loaf tin. Works beautifully. This Sourdough mix makes a large loaf which rises to the top of the tin and as a bonus makes the house smell wonderful. I can smell it baking upstairs as soon as it goes in the oven gorgeous. He is getting good at judgng the bread these days too, knows when to put it in the oven and how long to keep it in for ..must be all my good training over the years!

The other thing we did today was to send John's parcel. Vin wrapped the DVD and the book we bought yesterday, we did his card and he went off to post it. £7 postage...getting quite expensive, and the things were only light too. Ah well he's worth it.
Nice coffees at about half past twelve, Vin had one of his own making and I had a Kenco crema. Lovely break, that coffee machine was certainly a good buy.
No news from Jane yet..not a good sign, usually means she is stressed. Oh Dear!
Tonight we are having:
Quorn crispy fillets,
Chips 200 grms
Mushy peas for Vin and green beans for me. 
Might have sausage rolls instead, depends what we fancy later

Mini Outing!

A little mini outing today. The plan was to go over to the garden centre on the bypass and get a present for our John to send off for his birthday. We didn't get going till late because we were actually waiting in for a parcel from Lakeland. Vin had tracked it on the Hermes website which is great, and found that it had been picked up by the courier at 9.30 so we knew it would be on its way. It did actually come later on in the morning so he was right. Good delivery time. Plus the postman brought yet another parcel for our neighbour! She is certainly having an online shopping fest!!!
So  then it was off to the garden centre. Had a good look at the books, and got one about Lancashire which is not too heavy and a nice birthday card to go with. Didn't linger long there and then went along the bypass to Tesco to get a Costa. Not too busy, but we started off at a table because our bench seats were occupied.  Why do people talk so loudly when they are on their mobile phones? There was a woman at one of the tables who was really nearly shouting. very irritating! Anyway, she moved so we went over to her table where Vin and I can talk together. He had a Soya milk Latte and i had a skinny latte. Lovely. Then he had a little list of things to get so left me with a paper and off he went to get those.
 Home to a nice lunch of carrot and butterbean soup, and a piece of toast.
Tonight we are having:
Amy's kitchen macaroni cheese
vegetables, Asparagus and butternut squash
A piece of garlic bread for Vin.

Concierge Service!!

Today waas a day for deliveries. We were waiting for a coal delivery which usually comes by about lunchtime but it didn't today. So Vin gave them a ring and it turns out there was a mistake and the delivery will be on Friday instead.  Never mind. Anyway the parcel from Amazon arrived that we missed yesterday, a DVD to go into John's birthday parcel. Then the doorbell went which we thought was my Lakeland delivery but it was one for our neighbour, FOUR parcels!! today to go with the two yesterday! so today was an odd sort of day. We stop in for deliveries and end up taking in more for  our neighbour than us!
jane rang up after lunch in a bit of a state really. She says that nothing is going into her brain, and her shoulder is hurting her because she is doing so much writing!! Oh dear..just don't know what to say to her. She got her parcel, but she barely mentioned it and whatever we say isn't cheering her up at all. reminds me of her "A" levels..she got into a right stat about those too, and ended up doing ok. We shall have to wait and see!
I was up here most of the morning trying to do a letter to John and Ann. It is quite difficult trying to think of things to say, because we don't exactly lead an interesting life, but do manage somehow. 
Tonight we are having:
Not sure exactly..something from the freezermaybe..
Quorn escalopes with bread sauce,
Potato croquettes
Mixed veggies

Shops and Coffee!

Yesterday's bread made by Vin. It was a pack of Sourdough bread mix thaat he bought from Tesco to have in for over the Christmas period. With ordering the bread mixes from Lakeland yesterday it reminded him that he had one in stock so he did this in the afternoon. We did the dough in the bread machine which is what we always used to do and then finished it off in the bread tin. Never liked the shape of the loaves that the breadmaker makes so that is a good option. Turned out beautifully, and he had some for toast for breakfast and also with his soup for lunch. Excellent!
We needed some veggies for the week so off we went to Waitrose this morning. We don't go there that often because they are on the expensive side  Cold today, he had to go out and use his de-icer this morning to get the frost off the windscreen. Funny thing is that on FB today one of the girls in Australia was saying how hot it was there, with temperatures of 40degrees. Now that is hot alright.
Anyway, the parking was fine not too busy, and we got round the store quite quickly. They do have some offers on at the moment with half price things so we did stock up on soups etc., nice ones too like Baxters. 
Had our free coffee which wasn't a latte because the machine was broken so it was a nice black one instead. That's ok it was a nice breather anyhw.
Jane rang up at lunchtime her head is full to bursting she says, too many facts and they aren't going in! Oh Dear!.
Tonight we are having:
Cottage pie with gravy
Carrots and broccoli.

Mondays!!

Didn't go out today, mainly beause we didn't actualy plan to. Vin went out to feed his Robin quite earlyish, and he says it is coming towards him.Aaah, they are sweet little birds. 
Did a bit of ironing to finish off the bedding this morning too, and placed an order online for Lakeland. we had tried to do this yesterday but had terrible trouble getting on the site. We did the order ok but culdn't get the password to apply!!! What a performance! Apparently if you haven't been online with them for a whiloe you need to reset the password, but it didn't work anyway.So, this morning we eventually got the reset email and did that and got the order done. Some firms do make it hard for themselves. Others a doddle!
Got a lovely letter from John and Ann, so I must start one to go with John's birthday parcel. It sounds like they are really having the heat there 40 degrees! OMG can't even begin to imagine that sort of heat. i don't think we could put up with that here, we would melt.
Vin made a loaf of Sourdough bread in the bread machine today as well, it is such a long time since we used the bread machine, it is nice to get it going again. The smell of baking bread is gorgeous. I can smell it cooking up here in the middle room. 
Tonight we are having:
Pizza and salad for Vin, with a cous cous salad to go with
Maybe an egg on toast for moi.

All Change!!

Me again..I o5rdered a jumper from the Bon Marche online site which was a nice fluffy tinsel one from the David Emmanuel collection. When it came I wasn't entirely pleased with it, thought it was a bit dark looking and also a little bit scratchy, so had decided to take it back.
 Of course the bonus is that we can always  go for a Costa coffee in Maghull at the same time so that is a bit of a bonus for Vin..and me!
Parked in the town square which was free too.. always a bonus too, and I went to change my jumper. Didn't bother having much of a look round because I have already ordered another from them, so just did a quick return. Never any problem with that which is good.
 Then went and sat in the car for a bit because I was tired today for some reason, had a breather, then just as it started to sleety rain we went over to the Costa. Quite busy in there, must be the weather! Vin got a Caramello and I had a medio Latte..not a skinny one because he said I didn't ask for one!! He should know these things!!! Had a nice little breather and people watched a bit which is always interesting! Home just in time to answer the phone to Jane.  She had been to Uni for an appointment which went well, and was going into Iceland to get some stuff to keep her going. 
Tonight we are having:
Not sure exactly today. Something from the freezer,
Veggies that we have left over.

Competitions!

Yesterday i said that I had got a cheque for £1000 from the Chat nmagazine. Well we do quite a lot of competitions but don't actualy win a lot really. 
Thing is though I do enjoy doing puzzles and Vin does a few crosswords too, so between us we do  a fair number every week. This time of the year however, I seem to have got a bit behind, and am finding myself getting in a rush with the three that I do. I do  Take a Break first, then Chat and finish off with Pick Me Up. Then we do three crosswords on a Sunday too so we send off a number every week. 
This morning Vin did put the things away that came from M&S, I had ordered a dangly reindeer which just looked so cute and was half price, and the Christmas cards for this year. They came in quite bulky boxes so he put them into two and so rreduce4d the space they needed for storage. Good plan, so they are away out of the way now. Christmas done and dusted.
He went outside to do some bits and pieces mainly chopping logs and the free firewood that he had got from Formby which he uses to light the fire. Cold and blowy today not rainy or snowy, but a grey day.  Nice coffe3es today, I had a Kenco crema and Vin had a Colombian with a milk pod. Lovely. Lunch was carrot and coriander soup , a nice light lunch without being too filling.
Tonight we are having:
Sausages Quorn with a Yorkshire pudding
Potato croquettes
Carrots and gravy.

Outing!!

Yep a little outing! We were planning to go over to Aintree hospital for my blood test today. They have sent letters with the forms in so we went off there today. Nice journey, no traffic and we made good time. one of the benefits of going there is that you don't have an appointment to keep, so you turn up and hope for the best that there isn't a queue. 
well today there wasn't. no parking in the drop off point so I went up on my own while Vin went to park the car. However, when I got up there it was just one man waiting and I went straight in to have my blood taken by a nice girl with the same name as me. We had a bit of a conversation about our names and then I was done..double quick.
Went out then and phoned Vin who said he would be outside so by the time i got down he was there. No parking fee which is always a bonus!
Off we went to M&S in Aintree, had a little look round and went straight up for coffees. Surprisingly busy up there today, I thought it would be quiet, mind you it was getting up to lunchtime by then, and they put the barrier up after we had gone in.  We both had very nice Americanos, with a little biscuit and a shortbread that we had bought.
Down to the Food Hall, picking up a small milk pan on the way to pay for in the FH. had a bit of a look there and got some good offers including a really nice broccoli and stilton soup that we had later for our lunch.Some ground coffee that we like and shortbreads on a two for price. Then home by half past one. Good outing and I quite enjoyed that.
Oh by the way I got my cheque for £1001 this morning from the Chat magazine for winning a crossword!! Wouldn't mind one of those every week!!
Tonight we are having:
pasta with a cheese sauce,
Butternut squash and carrots
A bit of garlic bread for Vin. 

Cold and Grey Again!

Yeep, Tuesday ,orning nd grey and cold once more. there is snow in Wales and the Cat and Fiddle road but at this time of the year it is to be expected really. No sign of any snow here yet though!
Started off the day with the doorbell going, it was the Royal Mail with my order from M&S must say that came very quickly, only ordered it the other day. I bought some very nice Christmas cards and a dangly reindeer which is really sweet.. So, that's net year's cards sorted. I have always bought them in the January sales, got £5 boxes for £2 and they were on buy one get one half price too, so a good deal.
Then the phone went, it was Aranesp about my injections and the next delivery date, then the door again which was my Bullens delivery. Busy morning.
Jane rang as we were having our coffee, she had been to Uni to do her poster, but she was tired, didn't get much sleep last night and was tired. She was going to Sainsburys to get some bits then home to have a nap!
Vin went off to Tesco to get a few veggies and other bits. Rang up from the car park to say it was freezing and he was coming home for his coffee. 
Tonight we are having:
Cottage pie from Quorn
gravy,
Either carrots or butternut squash.

Grey Monday!!

Quite grey today, not really rainy apart from a bit before lunch, but darkish and gloomy. They say january is one of the worst months.

We stopped in today and did the bedding which was a bit overdue for doing. Vin has done some of his sorting out, financially, and went out when the weather picked up to chop up some of the firewood that he brought homje yesterday. 

Jane rang up while we were having our morning coffee. I don't know how she does it, she always rings up when we are having our coffee or when we are having our lunch! never mind, I'm just glad she rings up. She had been for her appointment at the eye hospital, and was then going to the poundshop to get some bits. She was thrilled to beits to get some mis shapes jelly beans Big Kid!!

Otherwise not much doing today, very quiet.

Tonight we are having:

pizza for vin with salad and pasta salad.

Maybe a poached egg for moi

Eye Eye!!

Today started with my eye appointment. Only trouble was it was at 9.30 in litherland, so that meant we had to be up very early this morning. Out by nine this morning, and off to Litherland Centre.  Quite quiet at that time of the day because you beat the rush hour. 
Got there on time, went in straightaway and the girl did my eye test on each eye, then put some drops in. very stingy today too for some reason, they don't usualy bother me. then had to wait outside for them to work, takes about a quarter of an hour and go back in. She takes pictures of each eye with the camera machine and job done. Off we go. Done and dusted nice and early, so we decided to go over the way to the garden centre to see if they had any Christmas cards in the sales. They didn't, what they had was rubbish, so we decided since it was so early we would go to Dobbies to see what they had. Nothing there either, no cards at all. For the first year in an absolute age I haven't got any next year's Christmas cards!!!
Oh well i shall have to buy some expensive ones next year!
However we did get our free coffees for the month, and I had an Americano and Vin had a flat white which he said was lovely, nice and strong.  I had a fairly large one so he went off to have a bit of a look round but didn't buy anything. All we came out with was a pack of biscuits.!!
Tonight we are having:
Not sure exactly, might do a pasta.
veggies to go with.

A Little Outing!!

We had planned today to go out for a bit of a mooch out. Vin had to change some lights he had bought from homebase which had broken lights on them. He reckoned about 20% of them had gone so that wasn't very good was it! Anyway we went there first and i waited outside listening to Joni mitchell singing a beautiful version of "Both sides now" on the car radio, while he went in. he came back with a Homebase gift6 ca4rd because the lights had been bought on the Nectar pointsbut he got all of the money back so that was ok. 
Then to Tesco over the road. Parked right outside the front, very quiet at the moment. He had a diary to take back there because the inside pages had fallen out!!! Made in China obviously. he says he has a technique for taking things back now, he makes a bit of a joke..like he didn't say anything to the girl in Tesco and when she opened the diary the pages dropped out!! so he said the man with the glue must have been off that day and she laughed. Job done. Money back..and he got one cheaper in Home and bargains so he was wel pleased!
Did our shopping, not a lot to get actually, just some fresh veggies and bits and bobs, then we went for a nice Costa. Really quiet in there with loads of spaces. The thing about Costa is that anyone goes in there from really old couples to young families, seems to cater for everyone.  I had a skinny latte medio and Vin had a Soya latte with caramel medio. Very pleasant.

This was my Christmas present to vin this year. very appropriate since he is either in Costa or making oyur coffees on the Tassimo machine. he seems to like anyway. It is an Emma Bridgewater mug which was personalised, and best of all british made!!  mine from him was a lovely photo frame with spaces for ffour photos which I have yet to choose. 
Tonight we are having:
Cottage pie with gravy and mixed vegies.

Hello Again Blog..Another Year!!

Been a while. Christmas and new year all gone and done and dusted. Spent today taking down the decorations. Three trees and assorted stuff everywhere all goes in boxes and then in the cupboard on the landing or over the wardrobes in the bedroom. vin has a way of tucking everything away really carefully. 
Jane rang this morning, just as we were about to have our coffee. I don't know how she does it, every time she rings up we are either having a meal or having our coffee :)  She had been out shopping to I celand to get some supplies for the week, and she has bought three boxes of crackers, the kind you pull! for 70p at Sainsburys!!  We are hoping to go over to see her on thursday if everything goes to plan.
We had a nice christmas, but quiet. everyone in the row of houses was away so no neighbours, and of course we missed the cats a lot. no little noses waking us up, and no little catty presents to open this year either. 

This was them opening their new collars, we gave them those every year mostly. gone but never forgotten. 
Quite cold here today, I notice on FB that the temperature in perth Ozis 44degrees. Phew, that's a bit hot for us here.  They are very welcome to that. Can't imagine being anywhere that hot, must be very sticky.

Been a bit under the weather a few days last week, another blocking situation, so just catching up from that. Hopefully we can go somewhere maybe tomorrow. 
Tonight we are having:
Pizza and salad for Vin,  
Poached egg for moi.