03-04-25

Morning, everyone.  How is your week going?

Not a clear photo but yesterday I noticed that this year the blueberry bush is loaded, absolutely loaded with flowers.  Last year there were hardly any.  I know some won't mature into fruit, but it looks promising, doesn't it?  Nice.

Yesterday went well.  The implant is now in and it's all absolutely fine and comfortable.  I did some gardening - the sun was shining beautifully although there was a chilly wind - and I enjoyed personal training very much.

To cap it all, the Y3/4 show was fantastic.

A really pleasant day indeed.

Today, I am off to the Riverside Shopping precinct as I gather Matalan has some summer dresses in.  This may sound daft but I will need a few more summer dresses for Crete next year and, if I don't get them this year, it will all be a bit of a rush.

No coffee and chat with Chris - she has to do something else.

In the afternoon, I will probably go to Lindsey's for a Groove class - she's happy for me to swap the morning SET for the afternoon Groove, either online or at Shimmy Studio.

So today should be a really pleasant day all round.

Take care, everyone, and enjoy the good weather.  xx

02-04-25

Morning, everyone.  I'm a bit later than usual because of the dentist but it's all done and dusted now and I'm back home and enjoying my first coffee of the day.

I felt I was drinking far too much coffee so I've started having boiling water with a slice of lemon and, to my surprise, I really like it.  It seems to start the day off well; I suppose it is very hydrating which is always a Good Thing.

Anyway - yesterday.  It was a really nice day.  The days are sunny but there's a chilly breeze and I was glad of my warm coat as Chris and I walked down.  It's a new block now and Lindsey had a new playlist and new routines which were, to be honest, a bit like hard work; one of the routines really wasn't kind to my ankles and feet but I can always adapt if it doesn't feel any easier next week.  By the evening, I was aching all over, but it's OK this morning and should feel easier next time.  It's an eight week block this time so by the end it will be fine, I am sure.

Then it was home and I got going with the housework, after which I went out the the garden room and that is now all fresh and clean and ready for idle afternoons reading or snoozing.  Very nice!  

It's shady in the garden room so the photo isn't the best but the Moroccan style blanket looks really lovely and I can see it from where I'm sitting.  I haven't got the matching cushion(s) yet and will wait until this spendy month is over and past.  They had some likely looking ones in Longacres so - well, I will think about it.

Anyway, it's all good and clean and attractive again.

Today has been the dentist, of course, and it feels so nice to not have that slightly uncomfortable gap in my mouth.  I've just had an apple and the chewing is much better too (hope that doesn't sound silly) so I am very satisfied.

There's just one more gap I want to fill with an implant now.  Tony Clough looked up my scans and measured and so on using some very complex software on his computer and, yes, the gum is suitable, so I have an appointment at the beginning of July.

This is all part of my 'spending my money on myself' thing that Dave and Kay were on about (in a nice way) at my financial review.  I don't think that's quite what they had in mind but it is right for me and I can afford it so . . . I'm going for it, with gratitude and thankfulness.  I have neglected my dental health for much of my life and want to make the most of what's left, so to speak.

On the way home, I stopped off at Morrisons as I was right out of table salt and carrots.  I can't remember the last time I needed to buy table salt, I use it so rarely, so I got a bit caught out.  And I need daily carrots in my life

Later on today it is personal; training as usual and then, in the evening, I am off to school to watch the Y3 and 4 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  I'm really looking forward to that, even though I don't know any of the children nowadays.

So, all in all, it is going to be a really nice day!  Hoping yours is too.  xx

02-04-25 - March review and April's aims

Written 01-04-25.

I thought I'd get this written today and set to post tomorrow so there will be something out.

These were the aims for March in italics with progress in normal:

1. Resume the daily decluttering
   Hmmm - not really.  I've done some, just not enough.
2. Get to grips with sourdough starter and baking
   Yes - done and sort of dusted.  I have two starters that seem to be pretty robust and I'm trying out recipes.  I'm booked to go on a sourdough day course in June and, basically, it has all been jolly good fun!
3. Learn how to re-stain my coffee table tops - and at least get started.
   Started.  Two of the tables have tops ready for revarnishing and I've hidden some of the superficial marks with varnish pen.
4. Find another knitting or crochet project
   Done.  I've made several pairs of fingerless gloves for the drop off point or, maybe, the food bank but I'm holding on to them until later in the year.  I've started a cardigan and that's going great guns too.

The ongoing aims were:

needs only spending

Er - sort of, not entirely.  This month HAS to be better because of some big amounts that will go out - car insurance, dental treatment, the remainder for a weekend at Potters, the deposit for the Spain holiday next April, new glasses and, possibly, new hearing aids, depending what they say at the check up.

using what I already had

Still doing that.   Yesterday I made a list from one of the bags in the freezer and now have ten meals planned using the contents thereof.  This weeks food shopping should be pretty small, not the usual beginning of new month blowout!  I want to continue that strategy - audit and then create meals.

regular savings

No.  I had money left over but it has just carried forward into April for those big payouts.  That's fine, it's what these particular savings are for.

keeping up with the financial spread sheet

Definitely.  It's really good to know exactly where I am, day by day.

food bank donating

Again, yes, and intend continuing for the remaining months of this year and, all being well, beyond.

decluttering

As the weather improves, I am feeling the call again so this month should see quite a difference.  I hope!  :-)

weed scraping

Of course and ongoing.

So - aims for April:

1.  a substantial amount of decluttering
2.   get the varnish, etc, and do those two coffee table tops - I have to admit, I am a bit nervous about this.
3. be more frugal/economical this month so I can pay all those large bills without digging into savings much more.
4. to be back in my happy weight zone again and continue to eat Mediterranean style to keep myself as fit and well as I can possibly be

I think that will do.  Most of the ongoings have now become habits - things like keeping up to date with finances, food bank donation, knitting, weed scraping, and even frugality and saving, regardless of March and April.

By the end of April, I will be able to see my way forward in savings again, I will have paid for Potters in June, I will have new and improved glasses and reliable hearing aids again, and I will have enjoyed several meals with family and friends - out with Beth and Alex for Mother's Day, to Val's for lunch on my birthday and, the next day, Dave and Anna round for dinner.  Hopefully, also, some sort of birthday jolly with Chris and with Diane.

So there we are - March's review and April's aims.   Back again next month.  xx

01-04-25

Happy April 1st, everyone!

It was an absolutely beautiful day round here yesterday, a three load drying day with fence to fence sunshine and, after a chilly start, a warm rest of day.  Fantastic.  It is supposed to be very similar for the rest of the week, with Friday being positively summer-like around here.

I got quite a lot of stuff done yesterday including some outstanding things such as renewing my driving licence, getting my medication review date sorted out, etc, etc, and  I read the gas meter so that's done for another month.

Plus the three loads of washing, drying and ironing.

And I dusted and polished around downstairs but didn't sweep the carpets so that's on today's list as well as freshening up the Garden Room now that the weather has turned so lovely.

The only thing in the diary is Groove with Chris and I have made a note to do the finances because quite a chunk of monthly payments go out on the first and I want to check that the car insurance has gone too.

A short one today - things are just ticking over nicely at the moment.  I probably won't post until later tomorrow morning as I have a dental appointment at half past eight for the last session of implant treatment - and paying the rest of the bill - ouch!

Have a lovely day, one and all.  Stay safe and be happy.  xx

31-03-25 and remembering Mum.

Good morning, everyone.  Today starts off very like yesterday with sunshine and a chilly temperature/touch of frost.  Yesterday morphed into wall to wall sunshine and today is supposed to be similar - I do hope so!

For Marjorie and anyone else interested, yes, I have a sourdough crumpet recipe.

You use 230g sourdough starter discard and mix it with one tsp granulated sugar, quarter to half tsp salt and, after mixing that, add three eighths tsp bicarb.  It will all froth up and bubble - that's the bicarb.

Heat a griddle or other pan over a cool to medium heat, grease it and your crumpet rings, warm the rings on the griddle and then pour in the mix - it should make four crumpets.

Cook for five minutes until there are bubbles in the top and it is starting to set.  Then carefully flip them over, rings and all.  The rings should drop down the turned crumpets and can be lifted off (they will be hot!).  Don't try and take them off too soon - they will just stick.

Continue to cook for a few minutes until they top (now the bottom) is golden brown.

The temperature is the important thing, I have found.  Too hot and the bottom cooks before the bubbles set on top.  I now know what ring setting works best.

Yesterday's pizza dough worked much better and is now in two sort of circular bases (they have curved edges, that's all I am saying!!) in the freezer.  I have high hopes.

The 100% wholemeal was a puzzle.  It didn't rise overly in the second ferment and I am glad I did it in a loaf tin.  It rose a bit while cooking.  However, it came out OK and with a pronounced sourdough flavour which I think I like - it's a bit of an acquired taste, isn't it?

The crumb looks OK, doesn't it?

I'll try it again but add less water, I think.  Not for a few weeks though - I have so much bread in the freezer now and I don't eat all that much myself.  I didn't make the crumpets yesterday so will do them but nothing else now for a while.

Today, being Monday, starts with circuits and then it is downstairs housework.  It's also the last day of March so I must remember to read the gas meter at some point.  That, plus any washing and the crumpets, should take up a good part of the day and then I can sit and chill with my knitting.  Maybe even outside, if the weather permits - that would be nice.  I bet Lindsey has Circuits outside today too.

Today (as well as yesterday), I am also taking some time to think about my lovely Mum who passed away early in the morning of March 31st, 2019 which just happened to be Mothering Sunday that year.  I still have the card I got from me, John and Dave which I never gave her.
I was so lucky to have her for so long, wasn't I?

Myrle Daphne Cannell, nee Jarvis

19-10-27 - 31-03-19

RIP best of Mums and all-round fantastic lady.

30-03-25

Morning, all.  BST has landed and I have a few clocks to adjust today.  It will be so very pleasant to have the longer evenings again and I really won't notice the later dawns.  Good old summer time!

I'm sat here by the French windows watching a pair of magpies cavorting in the garden.  What dramatic birds they are, to be sure, all black and white as if they were going to some posh do at the Palace.  I gather they are very sociable birds too.   I know they scare away the little birds which is a shame.

They are seen as good omens.   Google tells me:

This belief stems from the fact that the magpie has been associated with prosperity, transformation, and wisdom. They are believed to bring their signatures to acknowledge that a person is on the right track, especially when starting a new endeavour or making crucial life decisions.

(photo borrowed from Google Images)
As the old rhyme goes:

One for sorrow, 

Two for joy,

Three for a girl, 

Four for a boy,

Five for silver, 

Six for gold, 

Seven for a story yet to be told. 

The full version of the Magpie Rhyme has a few extra verses added:

Eight for a wish, 

Nine for a kiss,

Ten for a bird you must not miss. 

There are different versions, of course, as with any old rhyme.  I saw two so that's nice!

On to more mundane things.

I had a go at the 100% wholemeal sourdough loaf yesterday.  Things seemed to be going OK but it remained very sticky and soft and wasn't rising all that well so I gave it one more pulls and folds before bedtime and left it overnight.  This morning, it had risen very nicely but was still soft and a bit sticky so it is now in a loaf tin rather than in a banneton as it would never hold its shape.

I think it will be OK as a loaf but it needs something to give it shape.

As for the pizza dough, I am sorry to say that Squeak didn't behave well yesterday and failed to double in size so I fed her again before bedtime and left her overnight and, again, this morning, she's much better.  The dough is now in a covered bowl and rising very nicely, much softer and nicer than the first go.  I think this one will work.

And I have a lot of discard since feeding both starters yesterday so I need to find something to make with it.  :-)

I tried to catch the partial eclipse, but it really wasn't much of a sight.  I got some photos but they only showed the slightest little dent in the sun, so small that it could just be imagination.  Did any of you do any better?

Apart from the bread, I have two things I must do today.  One is getting the finances sorted as I didn't do that yesterday and the other is to sort out a talk I am giving in the Slim Win live chat tomorrow.  And if the weather is anything like, I will go out for a walk too.

What are you doing today?  xx

29-03-25

Morning, everyone; welcome to a cold and frosty Saturday morning.  To be fair, it WAS cold and frosty earlier but by the time I had fed Bubbles and Squeak and cleared the mess, the frost was melting rapidly and it's all gone now, the sun is shining brightly and I'm looking forward to a very pleasant day with not an awful lot I HAVE to do.

SW was OK yesterday.  I gained a pound but I wasn't surprised as I've been a bit off track a few times last weekend and it didn't help that I dived face first into some cashews on Thursday evening.  Very healthy, yes, but not necessarily diet friendly, not the amount I managed to polish off.

Anyway, we move on, and I moved on to Morrisons for what I hopefully thought of as a 'small shop'.  Small it was, cheap it wasn't.  It never is nowadays!

I used the first of the sourdough bases to make this dinner with coleslaw on the side.

The pizza was, taken as a whole, really tasty but the base wasn't a 1--% success - the bits that weren't covered by topping were OK - quite solid and hard but OK - but the middle was really heavy and stodgy.  Edible, good flavour, just too heavy and, as I found out overnight, indigestible too.
Oh, well, you have to try!

I have another base in the freezer and I think I am going to try it as a calzone and see if baking it that way with a filling rather than a topping makes a difference.  Worth a go anyway.

(And while I am thinking pizza, I wholeheartedly recommend Mutti classico pizza sauce.  It's in a can, isn't cheap, is absolutely delicious and I have eight small pots of single portions for future pizzas, whether they be proper ones, or using a wrap or some pitta as a base - which make it much more economical than you would think at first).

I'm not giving in, mind you.  I think I will do what I should have done first time and follow the original recipe instead of trying to change anything.  And if that doesn't make any difference, I was write off that recipe and look for another one.  After all, this is a journey of discovery, isn't it?  A culinary education, part of lifelong learning.

I also found, just this morning, a recipe/detailed instructions for a 100% wholemeal sourdough loaf and I am going to follow it through, bit by bit.  

With these in mind, I have fed both Bubbles and Squeak to activate them and am trying both recipes, seeing as I have a free weekend and can be around.

The other thing I absolutely want to do today or, at the latest, tomorrow is go through March's finances.  I don't have any more expenses until April 1st so I can close that page.  There won't be anything to move into savings because of the extra expenses in April (car, hearing aids, glasses, holidays - eeeek) but I will know where I am and whether I can cover the costs without taking from short term savings.  Knowledge is power, isn't it?

Time to go so I will love you and leave you and wish you a very restful and/or enjoyable Saturday.  xx