Wednesday, 04-02-26

Good morning, lovely people all.  Welcome to my Wednesday post!  We had some horrible weather yesterday - cold (for round here) and very wet.  Today's forecast to be better and my fingers are crossed.  We need some sunshine, we really do.

Mind you, yesterday was good.
Groove class confirmed that I'm really back in the  - well, in the groove (sorry) again as far as fitness classes are concerned.  I felt very energised and happy.
Beth had made the most delicious vegetable soup for us to enjoy and we got stuff done.  Also, quite fortuitously, while I was there she got a phone call that involved us both - sheer lucky timing there.  We had a look at some of the different Center Parcs accommodation at Elveden - we will be going there next year to celebrate my 75th and want to maybe go a bit upmarket.

I'm on the last spike stitch round of my blanket now.  So many mistakes in the border but you really can't see them.  Then there's just one round of crab stitch, a few ends to sew in and that's it - finished.
I had some good news that involves me thinking about a baby blanket and I think the spike stitch done with the baby Aran yarn you can get at Hobbycraft would be perfect.  It's so soft and squidgy.

I always like Wednesday mornings.  It's the only day in the working week (not that I work now but you know what I mean) when I don't have to be out of the house by around nine-ish.  I can take things just that bit more slowly and that's what I will be doing today.  It is going to be a day of housework, cooking, washing, ironing, etc, and generally pottering around happily.
In the afternoon it's personal training which is always good.

Another very pleasant day in store.

This morning, I'm hoping that the weather is going to be good where you are and that you have nice things planned.
Take care, stay warm and see you tomorrow, maybe with a finished blanket!  xx

Tuesday, 03-02-26

Good morning, everyone.

Yesterday was just a happy day because:

I slept really well over Sunday night and didn't wake until nearly seven.

At circuits, I felt as strong and energetic as I was before I got the virus.

The coffee morning at school was really good and I felt useful.

I couldn't go over to Beth's but she's invited me over for lunch (hm soup) today.  I can take her bread and ravioli then).

I properly sorted put the paperwork on my desk and there were no unpleasant surprises, nothing forgotten that should have been paid!

And as a result, I found two recipes I have been looking for.

My meals were all tasty!!
Some kaftans I ordered (for Crete and Shimmy in Spain) arrived and I really like them.  They're not the most flattering (kaftans are very loose, after all) but flattering is as flattering does, they will be cool and I feel comfortable in them.

And I got a pile of washing done.

Such a nice day.  

xx

Monday, 02-02-26

Morning!!  It's another dull start to the day but maybe it will cheer up - you never know.  I'd love to be able to get my washing out on the line again!

Yesterday was another quietly busy day.

I finished both loaves and even managed to time it so that I could bake them together.  I will take Lindsey's over when I go to circuits and maybe drop Beth's off this afternoon.

Beth and I had our online chat using teams so she could share a screen; we got done what we wanted to get done so all's good.  She's feeling better but Alex is still rough, poor chap.

I managed to do a fair bit on the blanket.  The trouble with borders is that they are so, so long and mistakes are only noticed when you come back round to them.  My spike stitch border is far from perfect but, by the very nature of the pattern, mistakes don't stand out at all so I'm afraid it will just have to lump it.  I'm not undoing a round I just spent ages doing.
I think I have pretty much four more rounds and then I'm finishing off with crab stitch where you go backwards instead of forwards and it makes a nice finish.

Today I will be popping off to Circuits shortly before getting hurriedly freshened up, changing and then going to School for a SEND coffee morning wearing my Governor's hat.

This afternoon will be the usual housework, etc.

Nice day with opportunities to get out and about.  
Hoping yours is good too.  xx

Sunday, 01-02-26

 Good morning, everyone.  I hope you're having a lovely weekend so far.

First of all, Blods, you asked about the savoury bean crumble recipe.  I've written it out and you can find it here.
https://sw-the-med-way.blogspot.com/2026/01/recipe-savoury-bean-crumble.html

I had a gently busy day yesterday.   Here comes another list or two!  😀
I . . .
read the gas meter and sent off the reading
did my weekly shop; it was ouch because of needing cleaning products, loo roll, etc
found a recipe for sweet potato falafel
made some very successful rye sourdough pasta dough and turned it into twelve ravioli (for Beth) and a good portion of tagliatelle.  Both are now in the freezer
got more than halfway through Lindsey's loaf which is warming up in the loaf tin so it can do its final rise and bake
experimented with lunch and enjoyed the results
checked the boiler pressure (all good)
continued with the blanket edging

So today I need to . . .
get that washing and ironing done
make some rice pudding
sharpen my knives
finish Lindsey's loaf
make Beth's loaf

I was hoping to pop round to Beth's to help her with something but she's said don't because neither she nor Alex are all that well yet.  We're going to chat online instead.
I'm not sorry to be staying in - I haven't slept that well overnight and will be catching up today, I'm sure.

So have a very lovely day, everyone.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Saturday, 31-01-26

Morning.  And here we are at the end of January and it's another dull old start to the day.  The forecast is pretty good, however, so fingers crossed.

As I mentioned in comments yesterday, poor old Alex has gone down with another stonking cold so didn't come.  He and Beth seems to have been tossing the same virus to and fro between each other all month.  As soon as one feels better, the other goes down.
The good news is that Beth is feeling brighter now (for now, anyway).

So yesterday's class didn't happen which means that next week's is all planned and ready.  That's good!

When I am doing my meal planning for the week before I do my weekly shop, sometimes my brain just goes blank.  Then, I go into my Readly app and look at the recipe links I have saved in there.  This time I came up with things like smoky beans on toast, tuna quesadillas and black bean and carrot burger - now next week's plans look rather good!  :-)

Today or tomorrow I have to:

read the meter
check the boiler pressure (Matt told me to do it once a month and showed me what to do if the pressure falls to a certain level)
sharpen my knives

I've already done the finance round up so that's good.

And today I plan to:

do my weekly shop

start Lindsey's sourdough loaf

have a go at some sourdough pasta - if it works, I plan to use what's left over of the Christmas not-sausage roll filling to make some ravioli for Beth

do some washing and the ironing

make some rice pudding in the slow cooker

make some sweet potato falafel (must find a recipe)

and carry on with the border to the blanket.

All self-imposed busy-ness which takes the pressure off and makes it fun.

How about you?

Happy Saturday, everyone.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Friday, 30-01-26

Morning, everyone!  It's Friday already, the last Friday in January, and I have no idea what the weather is going to do.  I bet it will be dull and dismal; though, like yesterday!    To be honest, a little snow fall that lasts would brighten thing up tremendously but I can't see that happening!  😊

I did a few bits and bobs yesterday.  One was getting the end of month finances sorted as there shouldn't be any more payments to make for January.
So I did that and was able to move a tidy sum over to savings, which is nice.
I like February and March as there's no rates and water to pay so that will all boost the savings.

As always, coffee and chat with Chris was lovely and the time passed in a flash.
A little while later, Val arrived and we chatted, crafted, ate home made wrap based pizza (very SW friendly!) and generally had a good time.

Then I continued to work on the blanket border.  In the end I kept the spike stitch but used a smaller hook and that's worked out just fine.  It's looking good and, as I have it all draped over my knees, it keeps me beautifully warm too.

An online chat in the evening finished the day off nicely.

It's Friday so it's Slimming World and then Alex should be over for our cookery session.  Today he is making Beth's favourite savoury bean crumble and taking it home for their dinner tonight.  As with all the best recipes, I already have everything needed so no need to buy anything special.

And that is that.  Life is plodding on nicely and, while it feels a bit busy at times, it really isn't, it's almost all self chosen stuff and that's fine.  It's been a nice, gentle five days and that does my soul good amidst all the worries of Real Life.
Have a lovely Friday, be happy, stay warm and comfortable and I'll see you tomorrow.  xx

Thursday, 29-01-26

Morning, everyone!  How can it be so very close to a new month right now.  Only last week it was New Year's Day, surely???  

One good thing is that the last of the payment have gone out for this month so I can round up the January finance ahead of time: one thing I don't have to do at the weekend now.  If I go food shopping, I will count it as the first for February!

I got a shock when I walked out of the house to go to Lindsey's at seven yesterday morning.  The temperature dropped overnight and there was a thin sheet of ice over my car, something I had not expected.  I was five minutes late in the end because it took ages to clear properly.
PT was great though - I think I rather like doing it early morning; it started the day off well.

Another thing that was great was the governors' monitoring afternoon.  We had feedback from staff about SEND, maths, English, phonics and early years and we went out during lunchtime to watch OPAL in action.  Very, very impressive.

Then we split into four groups for quadrant meetings (the rest of the curriculum is split into four areas, called quadrants).  I was allocated the mental and physical wellbeing quadrant, essentially PE and PSHE.  Not areas of particular interest before the meeting but it really aroused my interest.  Very informative.  

The other governor I was with will write the report and send it to me for my additions.

It was very intense and I was glad for an hour's rest with a cuppa before being picked up for the meal.

And that was also lovely - goodness, how we talked!  Beth is not that well, couldn't come, so we have arranged another date for the beginning of March.  I'm really looking forward to that.

On to today and it's much easier.  It's the usual Chris and coffee time, over hers today, and then Val is here for lunch.  In the evening there's an online chat.  I'll be all talked out by the end of the day, won't I?

Have a lovely day, all, stay safe and warm and see you tomorrow.   Bye.  xx