Gosh this month has gone quickly..Been typically cold with a mixture of snowy weather and rain and just cold days. February isn't a memorable month really, nothing to commend it at all. Looking forward to the Spring weather coming in March now.
Had a quiet day today..we had a lie in this morning due to our early rise yesterday, so we didn't rush to get up. Did the bedding, it is much easier now I have two sets of the Egyptian cotton bedding because there isn't the rush to iron it all in the same day. We have the red bedding on the bed and the plum in the wash drying. VT nipped out quickly this morning as much to get some fresh air than anything, and was back for coffee. He said it was too quiet and nothing doing. Crosby is a dire place really, llike some Eastern European town. deadl;y with nothing to make you stay and wander. Probably why we like going to Bath and Wells etc.
We did our usual crosswords this afternoon, which proved to be fairly easy although s couple of tricky ones. Keeps the brain active anyway.
Tonight we are having:
Pizza homemade, with
Roasted vegetables. andd mushroom,
Mozzarella
Salad with avocado pear,
Potato salad and Pasta salad for VT.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Saturday, 27 February 2010
The Visit...
The reason for all the cleaning this week was a visit from a long time ago neighbour of mine, who is now a Professor in the Texas A&M University. He was in England on business and sent me an email to say he could visit today.
It was really lovely to see him, he hasn't changed a bit, but older of course. It was really nice to chat and talk over old times, and catch up on some of the people he remembered.
The village has of course changed a huge amount since he left,but there still are people around he remembered.
We have been all week cleaning up so the house looked at its best, and at least he had a look in the kitchen which is a big change from what he would have remembered. We had a big extension about 14 years ago now which effectively gave us another room and made a huge difference to the house.
VT showed him a number of books about Hightown and surrounding areas which had family connections, and will send a pack of some off to him when they have been copied.
Since he was visiting early we had to get up early, and it does make a lonmg day though.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese..spring rolls,
Fried rice 1/2 a pack
Stir fry vegetables
Sauce of some sort.
It was really lovely to see him, he hasn't changed a bit, but older of course. It was really nice to chat and talk over old times, and catch up on some of the people he remembered.
The village has of course changed a huge amount since he left,but there still are people around he remembered.
We have been all week cleaning up so the house looked at its best, and at least he had a look in the kitchen which is a big change from what he would have remembered. We had a big extension about 14 years ago now which effectively gave us another room and made a huge difference to the house.
VT showed him a number of books about Hightown and surrounding areas which had family connections, and will send a pack of some off to him when they have been copied.
Since he was visiting early we had to get up early, and it does make a lonmg day though.
Tonight we are having:
Chinese..spring rolls,
Fried rice 1/2 a pack
Stir fry vegetables
Sauce of some sort.
Friday, 26 February 2010
What a Grey day!
A really nasty grey and rainy day today. The little cats go out for a few minutes then come back into the warmth pretty quickly. They know which side their bread is buttered on.
We nipped out to Waitrose in Formby this morning for ourweekend things, expecting the car park to be busy, but in actual fact it was quite quiet and we were able to park near the front. The shop however was quite busy, but it is a nice shop with plenty of room to move around. In terms of shopping experiencces Waitrose do score quite highly..pity the same can't be said for their prices!
You know you are paying top whack for everything, and your shopping bill is going to be much higher than if you went to Asda. Does make a change though.
Little Bobby, or should I say big Bobby was walking all over me last night, or early this morning..properly woke me up. She curled herself up round my head somehow, and was purring in my ear. Now I am as deaf as a post, but it is surprising how noisy a cat's purr can be when it is going like anenginge in my good ear. Never mind though, I haven't the heart to move her, and she was so comfy.
The big Spring Clean goes on apace.. the house looks lovely, at least tidy and clean, with a smell of polish and Flash cleaner everywhere. Not a good idea to open any cupboards though it all might fall out. I said to VT where have you put all your things, and he said" I have a list!!!" That means by Monday it will all be back again. We generally have a big clean up just before we go on holiday, and I think the cats are getting worried, the only thing is we aren't getting suitcases out.
VT is presently dusting my black and white wall. he says I keep missing bits. This is a wall on our landing which is a whole wall of black and white pictures and photographs which we collected over a few years till we got it the size we wanted. Now we don't need any more so we don't bother. I can remember where most of them came from, and it was a lovely thing to do at the time. All the frames are either black or the clear postcard type ones, and everything fits together beautifully. Of all the things in the house it is the one feature I most like.
I think most everywhere is done now, and at least it will all be nice and clean for Spring. I've even put my L'Occitane soaps in the bathroom for show!!
Tonight we are having:
Pasties from Waitrose..hand made vegetable ones. Nice and simple so we can finish off.
And...a Clotted cream rice pudding as a little treat to ourselves. Now we very rarely have puddings so this is a treat!
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Vegetarianism and Different Viewpoints...
We have been watching episodes of Come Dine With Me on Channel 4 this week, and it is set in Liverpool. They are repeats, but we had forgotten them, and since it was set in our home area we watched them again,
There is a contestant on called Ray Parry who is a vegetarian, with a very "gobby" mouth for want of a better word. He is setting the cause of vegetarianism back about thirty years. He insists on pushing his ideas onto everyone, refuses to take the food till the host has explained in detail what is in it, and how it is made. I hate people like that, we expect a certain amount of questioning when out to dinner..much along the lines of "What do you have for Christmas?" I usually say..nothing with a face, but I would never dream of inflicting my food choices on anyone. He is getting everyones back up and is so unpopular I think most of them would like to thump him.Including us!
VT ws going through our vouchers last night while tidying up, and found a Tesco one for £5.50..so off we went this morning to ohe one in Freshfield. Hate going there now, we almost never go to Tesco any more, just don't like their ethos and the Tescopoly thing. Having said that it was very busy, so someone must like them! There were a few things we needed, I wanted some flowers for the middle room, and some ice-cream for the freezer. They actually had an offer on Green and Blacks Vanilla for £1.99 so we got that. Anyway we came out having spent £36!!! so they got our money in the end. Bought a lot of Quorn things three for £5 which isn't bad.
Still tidying up, the accumulated clutter of 36 years of marriage, and a husband who hates throwing things away! He has what I call flat surfaceitis, that is, if there is a flat surface anywhere he will put things on it!!!
But who cares..he is a lovely man.
He is practically living in the recycling centre with all the paper and plastic we are recycling these days.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn fillet in a jar of M&S sauce with mushrooms, and a
Stir fry.
There is a contestant on called Ray Parry who is a vegetarian, with a very "gobby" mouth for want of a better word. He is setting the cause of vegetarianism back about thirty years. He insists on pushing his ideas onto everyone, refuses to take the food till the host has explained in detail what is in it, and how it is made. I hate people like that, we expect a certain amount of questioning when out to dinner..much along the lines of "What do you have for Christmas?" I usually say..nothing with a face, but I would never dream of inflicting my food choices on anyone. He is getting everyones back up and is so unpopular I think most of them would like to thump him.Including us!
VT ws going through our vouchers last night while tidying up, and found a Tesco one for £5.50..so off we went this morning to ohe one in Freshfield. Hate going there now, we almost never go to Tesco any more, just don't like their ethos and the Tescopoly thing. Having said that it was very busy, so someone must like them! There were a few things we needed, I wanted some flowers for the middle room, and some ice-cream for the freezer. They actually had an offer on Green and Blacks Vanilla for £1.99 so we got that. Anyway we came out having spent £36!!! so they got our money in the end. Bought a lot of Quorn things three for £5 which isn't bad.
Still tidying up, the accumulated clutter of 36 years of marriage, and a husband who hates throwing things away! He has what I call flat surfaceitis, that is, if there is a flat surface anywhere he will put things on it!!!
But who cares..he is a lovely man.
He is practically living in the recycling centre with all the paper and plastic we are recycling these days.
Tonight we are having:
Quorn fillet in a jar of M&S sauce with mushrooms, and a
Stir fry.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Hive of Activity..
What a busy day...we didn't get up too early either! After our breakfast we started on the big clean up..one thing leading to another. I did the shelf in the kitchen which has a lot of bits and bobs on it that need washing, and VT then did the window and the tile shelf for me. Then he said the outside looked mucky so he did those too, then he did the big window at the end that Rusty sticks her nose up against. That led to doing shelves and cupboards. After our coffee, I started to do a bit of baking. Haven't done any for ages and ages, but wanted to make some home made biscuits for Saturday.
Made some Viennese fingers..a recipe I have had since I was very young and the recipe is barely readable in my handwritten recipe book.
(Swiss Fingers)
8oz butter or marg
2oz of Icing Sugar
2oz of Cornflour
2oz Plain Flour,
1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of salt.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together till light. Add the other ingredients till a soft mix is formed. Put the mix into a piping bag and pipe out fingers or whirls onto a baking sheet on baking paper. Cook at Gas mark 5 till golden brown about 10-15 mins. Leave for a while then transfer to a tray. Careful, they are delicate.
When cold sandwich together with a little buttercream and dip the ends in chocolate if you like.
VT spent ages in the front room tidying up in there. A lot of winter dust..he said there were Cobwebs in the co5rners!!! one thing about not having good eyesight is that you can't see things like cobwebs! It must be lovely to have a cleaner to keep on top of it all.
VT is sneezing now..He says it is the dust!!!! Bless..
After lunch he went to finish off, and I made some Oaty Biscuits.. A Rachel Allen recipe I got off the Internet.
Oaty Biscuits
5oz Oats I used Jumbo ones it was all I had,
2 1/2 oz caster sugar
4oz butter
2oz Plain Flour.
1/2 tsp salt
Whizz the oats in a food processor till quite fine, then add all the other ingredients and process till the mix comes together. Simple as that. Then roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 in thick and cut into rounds or squares whatever. |I did rounds.
Bake at gas mark 5 about 10-15 mins. Absolutely delicious. I will get VT to take a photo sometime of my baking endeavours.
Must admit I really enjoyed the baking, I haven't done any in so long.. trouble is what you make is terribly moreish!! then there are the calories. But what the heck..it was nice while it lasted.
VT has done a stellar job on the front room, what a star!
Tonight we are having:
Pie maybe?
Mashed potato with leek,
Cauliflower gratin and mushrooms.
Made some Viennese fingers..a recipe I have had since I was very young and the recipe is barely readable in my handwritten recipe book.
(Swiss Fingers)
8oz butter or marg
2oz of Icing Sugar
2oz of Cornflour
2oz Plain Flour,
1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of salt.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together till light. Add the other ingredients till a soft mix is formed. Put the mix into a piping bag and pipe out fingers or whirls onto a baking sheet on baking paper. Cook at Gas mark 5 till golden brown about 10-15 mins. Leave for a while then transfer to a tray. Careful, they are delicate.
When cold sandwich together with a little buttercream and dip the ends in chocolate if you like.
VT spent ages in the front room tidying up in there. A lot of winter dust..he said there were Cobwebs in the co5rners!!! one thing about not having good eyesight is that you can't see things like cobwebs! It must be lovely to have a cleaner to keep on top of it all.
VT is sneezing now..He says it is the dust!!!! Bless..
After lunch he went to finish off, and I made some Oaty Biscuits.. A Rachel Allen recipe I got off the Internet.
Oaty Biscuits
5oz Oats I used Jumbo ones it was all I had,
2 1/2 oz caster sugar
4oz butter
2oz Plain Flour.
1/2 tsp salt
Whizz the oats in a food processor till quite fine, then add all the other ingredients and process till the mix comes together. Simple as that. Then roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 in thick and cut into rounds or squares whatever. |I did rounds.
Bake at gas mark 5 about 10-15 mins. Absolutely delicious. I will get VT to take a photo sometime of my baking endeavours.
Must admit I really enjoyed the baking, I haven't done any in so long.. trouble is what you make is terribly moreish!! then there are the calories. But what the heck..it was nice while it lasted.
VT has done a stellar job on the front room, what a star!
Tonight we are having:
Pie maybe?
Mashed potato with leek,
Cauliflower gratin and mushrooms.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
A Cool Clean
Still cold today, and we stayed in to get some Spring cleaning done. We are expecting a visit from a one time neighbour from years ago on Saturday, so are sprucing the place up a bit. Getting rid of the vcestages of Winter clutter. Actually, it is amazing how much you accumulate in a house after 36 years of marriage. I was saying to VT at lunch time that you change over the years, and so your belongings change. We tend to keep things in a cupboard and there they stay for ever, till you decide that is long enough.
VT spent quite a lot of time this morning clearing out the extension which has been dusted and polished. It is surprising how much dust accumulates on brickwork, which we have in there. We did the lamp, and the vase and the wine rack, and the shelf in the middle room with the ornaments on, so all is looking lovely now.
As I type this it is snowing again, but very lightly, and it won't stick I don't think. VT has been over recycling again, and says it is very cold.
I used to know the visitor when I was young, he was two years older than me, and went to the Grammar school. From teacher training college he went on eventually to become a Professor in Texas University, and a well known academic in his field. I don't think we have ever had a Professor in the house before! it will be nice to catch up.
VT had some quorn sausage rolls for his lunch, but I had an egg salad! absolutely freezing..can't think why I fancied that! I do love salads, but not really in the middle of Winter!
Tonight we are having:
Goats cheese and cranberry escalope.
Mashed potato,
Mushrooms with hollandaise sauce,
Green beans and broccoli.
VT spent quite a lot of time this morning clearing out the extension which has been dusted and polished. It is surprising how much dust accumulates on brickwork, which we have in there. We did the lamp, and the vase and the wine rack, and the shelf in the middle room with the ornaments on, so all is looking lovely now.
As I type this it is snowing again, but very lightly, and it won't stick I don't think. VT has been over recycling again, and says it is very cold.
I used to know the visitor when I was young, he was two years older than me, and went to the Grammar school. From teacher training college he went on eventually to become a Professor in Texas University, and a well known academic in his field. I don't think we have ever had a Professor in the house before! it will be nice to catch up.
VT had some quorn sausage rolls for his lunch, but I had an egg salad! absolutely freezing..can't think why I fancied that! I do love salads, but not really in the middle of Winter!
Tonight we are having:
Goats cheese and cranberry escalope.
Mashed potato,
Mushrooms with hollandaise sauce,
Green beans and broccoli.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Poor Gordon...
All over the newspapers again this weekend and today, accused of bullying his staff. The man has had no let up since he took on the role two years ago. One thing after another...
Nice bright Monday, but very cold, we went into Crosby for the weeks veggies. VT took my prescription to the Dr's, and some things to the charity shop, and I started to go round Sainsbury's. Quite quiet today, considering it is one of their smaller shops. Not much bigger than a Metro shop really! Could do with being three times as big.
Anyway got a nice mix of veggies to do things with during the week, and some other things we had run out of. Took about half an hour so the parking is free and home in time for coffee so saved a fiver too!
Tonight we are having:
Moussaka..our veggie version with Quorn mince,
Potatoes, carrots leek and tomatoes.
Then I put a cheese sauce on top with egg beaten into it.
Nice bright Monday, but very cold, we went into Crosby for the weeks veggies. VT took my prescription to the Dr's, and some things to the charity shop, and I started to go round Sainsbury's. Quite quiet today, considering it is one of their smaller shops. Not much bigger than a Metro shop really! Could do with being three times as big.
Anyway got a nice mix of veggies to do things with during the week, and some other things we had run out of. Took about half an hour so the parking is free and home in time for coffee so saved a fiver too!
Tonight we are having:
Moussaka..our veggie version with Quorn mince,
Potatoes, carrots leek and tomatoes.
Then I put a cheese sauce on top with egg beaten into it.
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