25-03-25

Good morning, everyone.  Do you have times when all the days feel like different days.  After going out on Sunday afternoon, which hardly ever happens and which made Sunday feel like Saturday, yesterday's not going to circuits made the day feel like Sunday so I woke up this morning thinking it was Monday!

Not for long though because I remembered I did loads of housework yesterday, which I hardly ever do on a Sunday, and we had our lovely Slim Win  online friends chat last night.

After a dreadful night's sleep over Sunday night, I was so pleased that I managed to stay awake through yesterday so that when I went to bed after a day when I did more than the usual Monday housework, I can't even remember turning the lamp off and slept solidly until 5:50.  Thank goodness for that!

The Bubbles, Squibbles and Squeak saga slows down now.  Squeak has been fed and is now in the fridge, Bubbles was already there and Squibbles is also there but her lid isn't clipped down.  The first two will have weekly feeds unless I want some activated starter and Squibbles will be added to and used as and when B and S have been fed.
I'm now wanting to  try various different recipes to see what works and what doesn't but let's be sensible here.  I need to find a 'bank' of people who won't mind me tossing bread in their direction although I am pretty sure Beth will be happy to take some.  

Maybe focaccia???  Hmmm - I wonder.

So - it is now Tuesday (nearly typed Monday)!  I've slept like a log, thank goodness, and all I have in the diary is Groove.  The weather looks to be pleasant so Chris and I will walk - and chat - there and back.  I have bedding to wash, etc, windows to clean and, assuming it isn't cold, I think I will freshen up the Garden Room ready for those warm days to come.  I'm getting on with that cardigan.  The back is done and I've started the sleeves; this time I am doing both at the same time on the same set of needles so I know the shaping is the same and I don't have to keep counting rows so much.

What are your plans for today?

All the best, happy Tuesday, enjoy your life and stay safe and well.  xx

24-03-25

Good morning again, everyone.  Monday, new week last full one in March - the year is racing away right now.  Yesterday's weather wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might be.  Not too much rain and when it did, it wasn't heavy.

The outcome of yesterday mornings bakery session (plus some sourdough crackers with are delicious but will need crisping up before eating.

The crumpets are much better than the previous one except that the bases are a little over-browned.  It's not a problem, I can just toast one side and they will be lovely topped with an egg and with tomatoes and mushrooms on the side for breakfast.  They're now in the freezer.

As for the half and half loaf, well done, Bubbles!  I left it wrapped in a clean cloth to cool and it sort of worked - the crust was still crusty but much easier to slice.  Apart from the end I tasted, the rest is now in the freezer.

The ballet yesterday was absolutely lovely.  You don't get a really bad view in the Chelmsford Theatre Studio, as it calls itself.  Ideally I would have liked to be a little higher and more central but that's just being fussy!  It was everything I wanted it to be and as well as the ballet itself, Darcey Bussell and someone else whose name I cannot remember, were interviewing people in the intervals and that was really interesting.  The buses worked so, really, everything was good.

Today I have a blank page in my diary.  I didn't sleep at all well last night and have pulled pout of circuits - I will make that up later this week - and once I am bathed and ready for the day, I will potter inside and get things in order for the week.  That should make me feel brighter.  :-)

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

23-03-25

Good morning, everyone.  It's a dull, damp weekend which is a shame after all the lovely sunshine but at least it isn't icy cold, thank goodness.

I had a quiet day yesterday.  The weather wasn't amazing so I stayed in and chilled.  I did a Lindsey SET online, some knitting, some reading, started a half and half loaf because I prefer to have wholemeal bread, didn't make the sourdough crackers and took half a loaf over to Beth in the afternoon. 

As Keats said, 'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever' and maybe one could turn it round and say ' a joyous thing is always beautiful'.
This is my idea of something beautiful (in its own way).  My dough this morning when I came downstairs.
It's now been pulled, folded, shaped and is in the banneton and in the fridge until ten when I will bake it.  An oval one this time - much easier for getting slices.

I've also made some discard crackers which are currently baking in my new-to-me microwave using the convection function.  Fingers crossed.  And later on I want to make some crumpets for the freezer - lucky freezer! - and that will pretty much use up Squibbles.  Once the starters are established, they go into the fridge and only need feeding about once a week or less.   

As well as that, I need (not want!) to do some housework bits and bobs and, this afternoon, I am off into town on the bus (so it will rain, of course) to see a live film showing of the Royal Ballet's Romeo and Juliet, my absolute favourite ballet of all time.  The seat isn't great but I was lucky to get a ticket so no complaints.  And I might treat myself to a drink in the interval, seeing as I am not driving.  I've worked out the times - going is fine, coming back might be a bit more problematic but if I miss one, there's another about ten minutes later and, if all else fails, I can get a taxi as I don't want to wait an hour for the next one - not so many buses on a Sunday.

Despite the turn in the weather, it should be a lovely day and I'm looking forward to it.  

Wishing you as nice a day too.  xx

22-03-25 - bread and some really good news

Morning, lovely people.  Welcome to Saturday and the start of the weekend. 

Well, we did it.  After Slimming World, I got the loaf in the oven on a cold bake (no preheating the oven) which is a lot better because it's only five minutes longer and it takes fifteen minutes for my oven to heat up that high - cold bake is definitely cheaper.

And here we are.  I was so thrilled with how it came out - and the house smelled amazing!

Isn't it lovely?

And I had to check the inside, didn't I.  This isn't down the middle, I just cut a bit off the side.  And it was delicious!

I enjoyed that bit.

I cut straight down the middle, Beth is having half and the rest is sliced (with difficulty) and in my freezer.

The crust was very crunchy and I think for the next one I will wrap the hot loaf in a clean tea towel which should soften the crust and make it easier to slice.

Today I'm using some discard to make Vanessa's crackers and I am also starting another loaf, this time half and half wholemeal which will make it more SW friendly and more what I like - I do prefer wholemeal bread.

I have some very good news - good for me, I mean.  After my blood test, I looked on my NHS online app today in case anything was through and it said everything was normal, no further action needed, which I am assuming means the high LDLs have been sorted.  Woo hoo!!  No 'discussion' re taking statins now.  The blood pressure readings are good too - I need to get them into a table and send that off.

Have a great day, everyone.  xx

(oops, posted early but never mind - it's been a really good day so I am sharing early.  Just imagine it's Saturday if you read it Friday evening)

21-03-25

Morning, lovely readers!  How did your yesterday go?  It was glorious here, warm and sunny, almost summery, and when I went out, I just wore a cardigan, no coat was needed.

Chris and I had a good old natter before I got the bus into town to have that fairly long overdue blood test and, when that was done, I only had to wait a short time before a bus came along to get me back home again.  It was pleasant in the sunshine - I must go in a bit more often when the weather is good.

I drove over to Lindsey's and, apart from the personal training, the microwave combi is now on the side and cooked yesterday's dinner.  I have to get used to the temperatures and it operates very differently to my old one which was much simpler, but I'll get there and Lindsey sent me the link to the online manual so it shouldn't be a problem.

It has three main functions, microwave, grill and convection or a combination so it will be fun trying things out.

I woke Bubbles to start the first sourdough loaf which has been sitting on the side all night for the 'bulk ferment' which I usually call the first rise.  It really is a long and slow process.

After refreshing your starter and letting it grow, you put all the ingredients in a bowl and give it a good mix.  It looks very ragged but that's OK, you just leave it for an hour to hydrate the flour.  This bit was the hardest work, I think - I could use Thermione but wanted to do it all by hand this first time.

Then you don't knead in the conventional way, you do a series of pulls and folds over several hours, leaving it to relax, covered, between times before giving it a final pull and fold, covering it and leaving it on the side for the bulk ferment.  I gather, if it is very hot weather, you can pop it into the fridge overnight.

As I went through the pulls and folds, the dough became increasingly smooth and silky feeling - it felt so lovely and much less work than the way one kneads yeast bread.

So, after that last pull and stretch and re-covering (I used a shower cap!), I left it on the side and went to bed . . 

. . . and when I came down this morning, magic had happened!  I was almost shocked!!

Good old Bubbles.

I was a bit afraid it had over risen but no, it responded really well to one more set of pulls and folds , it didn't stick to my fingers and now the hopefully tight ball of dough is in the banneton.

Like this.

Now it is covered again and in the fridge as per the instructions where it should slowly rise and be ready to score and bake when I get back from Slimming World.  I'm doing a cold bake when you heat the oven with the dough already in.

The instructions have worked well so far so I am going to trust them in this too.  Fingers are crossed.

And, in the meanwhile, Squeak is being a good little sourdough starter, doing everything expected, and has just had her first discard and feed.

Tomorrow, or maybe later on today, I plan to make something with the mixed discards from Bubbles and Squeak.

OK, so that's that.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Today, being Friday, is Slimming World day so I will be there at 8:15 to help Heidi get set up.  I have a very small shop to do but I think I will come home after SW, do the baking, etc, and do my shop either this afternoon or tomorrow - or maybe both.  I want to go to Aldi for the food bank stuff but Morrisons for my shop because they have what I need.

And that, with the blood pressure readings, is what is happening today.  Plenty of time for housework - what a shame, eh?

Have a great day and take care.  xx

20-03-25

Morning!!

Three nice things happened yesterday morning

I know this might be getting boring for some but I know others are interested so, if you're one of the former, just scroll down - I promise I won't be offended  🤣

The new Squeak is, like her predecessor, doing just what is expected of her, bubbling in a way Bubbles never did at this stage.  Very early days though; her first discard/feed is tomorrow, day 4 so today is just a feed.  Goodness, it's just like having a new born baby, just less smelly and doesn't generate nearly so much work or mess!

I've been in touch with brother, John, because of his birthday, I told him about my Edinburgh trip in November and he was really pleased, saying we will definitely meet up.  Lovely.

And the third nice thing - Lindsey is replacing her microwave/grill/convection thingy and offered her current one for sale.  I was able to snap it up at a very reasonable price as I have been thinking about replacing my little bog standard one with something bigger and a bit more useful.  I have Nellie, of course, but the baskets aren't all that big and there's things I can't do it her.  I'd looked around a bit in the shops but hadn't made any decisions about which one to get and they are quite expensive so this is perfect.

As expected, yesterday was a day of two halves.  The morning was easy - I re-read the paperwork for the meeting, did some cleaning and tidying and chilled a bit.

Come the afternoon, I set off to school, taking the car because I wanted to go straight on to Lindsey's  School is only five minutes walk away so it's easy to walk but this time car was needed - I thought.

The course was really good, well worth the time.  Once that was over and I was back in the car, I thought I would just check my messages and thank goodness I did because Lindsey had messaged to say please could I come at half four instead (she explained why).  I couldn't because of the Gov Meeting so we rescheduled for this afternoon. 

As for the meeting - it was really good, very positive and very upbeat.  I like meetings like this.

On to today and this morning I am coffee-ing with Chris and then bussing into town for my blood test.  That's it as far as diary stuff is concerned, apart from the personal training this afternoon (and bringing the microwave home).  The timings seem to work for starting my very first Bubbles loaf so fingers crossed.  I'm used to bunging everything into Thermione for the kneading, etc, and three hours or so later, I am popping the loaf into the oven.  This is a whole different ball game.  It will be mostly a white load, the aim being to gradually transfer to wholemeal as I get a better feel for it all.  Wish me luck.

xx

19-03-25

 Good morning.  Another chilly start but if today is anything like yesterday, it will be really lovely.  It was a perfect drying day.  Sunny and breezy and I got a load line dried really well with no need to air after ironing.

Groove was fab, as usual.  I don't know how Lindsey keep the energy levels going but she absolutely does.  So much fun.

As expected, the dental thingy was just measuring up my mouth using a clicky sort of thing that took photos and 'data' using some high tech machine.  Very clever stuff.  I'm back in a fortnight for the tooth to be fitted and, hopefully, that will be that (apart from paying the bill ouch)!

I came home and there was a letter about my car insurance.  I'm not sure how but it has gone DOWN by more than just a little bit - maybe because the car is older and, I think, has hit the ten years old mark now. 
That was a pleasant surprise and I can pretty much meet it all with what I have not spent this month, what with some of the local bills being paid just over then months with two months 'free' so to speak so no need to dig into my savings.
Mind you, that's what my short term savings are for so the money is there already but it's nice to manage without using it.  I just won't be putting anything into the holidays fund at the end of this month but it's all swings and roundabouts, isn't it?

Then I got an email from Eon about my bill from mid Feb to mid March and that had gone down too - so I was happy with that as well.

We've got there.

Bubbles is, finally!  No bubbles on the top (which is what I meant yesterday) but loads of activity and a great rise.  Woo hoo.

And Squeak is giving the owls something to think about.  Not sure they totally approve of her bid for freedom though.

So I have combined the two ryes and started a white.  I know I don't need both but it is fun.

Annoyingly, I'm not going to have the time at home today needed to make a proper sourdough loaf so I will have to be patient (again).

And I have changed my mind - the rye is going to remain as Bubbles and, if I manage a white, that will be Squeak.  And, thank you, Sue, the discard will be Squibbles  - a bit of each and a bit of itself too.

The spell checker doesn't like it  :-) .

Also thanks to Veronica for her advice - it's always good to get input from an expert.

Today is a day of two halves.  This morning is easy enough, just home based stuff.  However, the afternoon is packed.
First of all, I am in school for a course - I don't HAVE to go, it is a SEND thing but I am the SEND link governor and it will do as my governor training for this term.
Then I need to whizz over to Lindsey's for my personal training.  I'll take my exercise leggings with me and change at hers.
Finally, after a quick freshen up, I am back into school for the governors' meeting.
I will be ready for bed after that, for sure.

Have a really good day, everyone.  I hope the weather is lovely where you are.  Take care.  xx