Monday

Good morning, everyone.  Another new working week has begun.  Third week in and it is as if the holiday had never happened.  The routines and structures come back so quickly and so naturally it makes me wonder how I am every going to manage when I retire.  I will miss the 'imposed' disciplines, that's for sure although, maybe, by then I will have grown up!  I saw something on Facebook the other day that went something like 'Everyone gets older: not everyone grows up'.  Hmmmmm . . .

As I had hoped, yesterday was a gentle day.  Some kitchen pottering, family round for lunch (the soup was yum but I will definitely cut down on the ginger next time), some telly (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - a favourite) and a very tasty dinner.  I realised I haven't used Handy Andy (my halogen cooker) for a while so I did the tandoori chicken in that and it came out very nice indeed.  It was just yogurt with cumin, garlic and turmeric with some salt and pepper for the chicken breast to marinate in for a while before cooking.  I could have added some red food colouring for the 'authentic' look but I couldn't find where I've put mine and, anyway, what's the point?  I found I didn't have enough yogurt for the mint drizzle (there was some in the yogurt maker but it wasn't ready) so I left it out and that, in hindsight, was a shame.  The chicken wasn't dry at all but it would have benefited from a sauce.  One to do again though!

I spent some time going through my freezer.  I was ashamed to see how much stuff I had that was way, way, way too old and which has now been ditched.  What a shocking waste: I am so ashamed of myself!  I must, MUST, get my act together with this side of things and be less impulsive with my cooking.  Eating one and freezing three portions is fine, but I have to stop making huge potfuls of stuff.  I'm not feeding a family now, only me (and have been for a long time).  I think that I must have regular 'eat from the freezer' weeks where the majority of my meals are from there.  In fact, looking at this week's planning, I guess I'm into one now - good start!

Remember my resolutions?  Well, so far so good.  Yesterday I did have a very strong urge to hop onto the scales and see but I managed to resist it until after I'd eaten, by which time the urge had vanished (funny, that).  I go with the Hairy Bikers - weight first thing in the morning, before breakfast and after a wee!  I know I've lost some weight because of the clothes, but not how much.  Two weeks before I know - and that's OK by me!