Monday: back to school!

Hey ho, the golden time is over, back to work again.  It's been a lovely break, despite the aches, pains, exhaustion and general urgh.

It's quite a while since I cooked a proper roast beef dinner - yorkshires, roasties, veg and a good gravy - but yesterday's effort was absolutely delicious with hardly any left over after seconds had been demolished.  I am very glad I kept some of the meat aside for another day or two.

I've never been all that good with roast beef and, in any case, am not keen on the pink variety, so I did a slow roast in my slow cooker overnight and during the first part of the morning and it was scrummy, so scrummy that I have posted the recipe in Teacher's Recipes, here.  As Beth cannot have meat, I made her some butter bean burgers and they came out well too, so I posted about that too, here.  The beef certainly isn't frugal but the burgers are pretty good value.

Today is, as already mentioned, back to work day but I am looking forward to seeing all my littlies again.  A few of them have kept in contact via our learning platform and some have blogged but it's not really the same.
However, it has been raining overnight and more is predicted so I am prepared for wet playtimes!  Ho Hum!

Can't wait for 8:45!!!

Mum's VERY popular vegetarian sausage rolls!

Sunday: The Very Last Day!

After the winds dropped and the skies cleared we had quite a chilly night and I woke to a frost this morning which was nice to see after so much damp dreariness.  Hopefully it won't have been bad enough to make the roads dangerous though.

Yesterday was a satisfyingly lazy day, punctuated by fun in the kitchen now and again.  Today is a family day and both my 'children' are round for lunch (and Alex, of course), so I'm looking forward to that.  The rest of the time will be spent making sure that I am fully prepared for tomorrow and the start of the new term.  I have just realised that this coming half term is my turn to be off morning playground duties, which is rather nice.

I've been busy in the kitchen checking the beef in the slow cooker, making Beth's vegetarian dinner, making the batter for the Yorkshires and, of course, making my breakfast.  Now I need to go up and get myself bathed and dressed.

Have a good day!

More Christmas photo, this one taken before the hoardes descended!

Saturday

Left over fom the smoked salmon!

Well, it's still raining, still gusty at times although nothing worse than gusty though, thank goodness, still dull as ditchwater and very, very mild for the time of year but it's lovely and bright indoors.  The tree lights are on (I'm making the most of the sight as it all goes away tomorrow), I've turned the heating down as it was too warm which is one big advantage of the mild weather, my breakfast porridge is slowly cooking, there's a batch of dough rising steadily and sensibly and there's not an awful lot needs doing today as my lovely cleaning lady, Lenka, came yesterday and worked her usual magic!  What more could you ask of a last weekend before the new term starts, eh?

I'm being very good and sticking to my no spend pledge, more or less.  I did pop into Morrison's a few days ago as I needed milk, washing powder and carrots (can't manage without carrots!) but apart from that I am using what I have pretty well really.  As I have just bought a kindle, it is just as well I can and am saving in other directions, isn't it?

I have just braved the wind and rain and dashed out to the freezer to bring something in for my evening meal.  Some of my freezer stuff is very old and I have brought in some stew which is - well, I'm not going to say how old it is but I will thaw it, check, and if the texture is wrong, I will zizz it into a soup which should do nicely as it won't have gone 'bad', not in the freezer.  Nothing wrong with living on soups and I can wham in some cooked pasta to make it more substantial, if I wish.  If it is OK, I might strain off the gravy and make a pie/pasty or something of the kind.  Or I could slide in some spicy stuff and make it into a sort of curry-type thing.  Lots of options and I'm not sure which I fancy right now.

I think my main task today is to sort out one of my wardrobes.  There's stuff in there I won't ever wear again and it needs ditching.  Some of it is so very old it is almost falling to pieces.  I don't intend to go out so I might be incredibly lazy yet again and make it another PJ day; the third this week but dear me, what are holidays for if not for being very lazy?

Right, well, I think the porridge is ready, I need to check the rising dough and I think I will treat myself to proper coffee this morning so I'd better get going.
Have a safe, warm and dry day today, wherever you are.  Stay safe.

Just to add . . .

I've just made a leek and potato soup . . . with . . . a leek pulled from my garden.

And it's absolutely gorgeous!!

That's all.

Friday

. . . and here we are at the last day of the holiday.  Weekends don't count - well, they do but they're always there so they're not, strictly speaking, holiday.  It's been a good one, aches and sleeps to the contrary notwithstanding.  I'm not entirely sure I am ready to go back but I've missed the children so Monday will be a delight!

Yesterday was also a delight.  I had lunch with a dear friend, Jackie, who cooked a quiche with new potatoes and a salad and it was scrummy.  I love quiche but for one it isn't all that sensible.  I've tried freezing leftovers but it loses a certain something in the process.  We also had a great chat and will be continuing this sometime soon.

One of the nice things about making your own is that you usually have something tasty and unique to pick up and take as a gift and I was thrilled to be able to take over a wee pot of plam jam with star anise and a titchy bottle of strawberry vodka.  In exchange I came home with a red onion as Jackie has bought a net of three but didn't need them all!  You know me - never one to say no to a frugal offer!

On the way back I quickly popped into Beths.  I didn't stay long as she was right in the middle of a TMA but I did stay long enough to aaaahhhhh over the kittens.  Their eyes are now open and their ears are beginning to unfold and they are much more active and very indignant if they are taken away from mamma-milk-machine for any time.  Very cute.

Today is cleaning lady day so I need to just tidy up a little bit.  It's not too bad and won't take too long, thank goodness.  Then I need to get the planning ready for next week - sigh!  After that it is planning/making dinner which will be a savoury rice mixture as the ham needs finishing off today or thrown away (and I'm not doing that).  There isn't enough to freeze really.

So better get going!

Christmas pot pourri

Thursday

Well, what a day yesterday was.  Cold, very wet, very blustery, dark and dismal.  I did open the curtains in the morning but wondered why several times during the day.  By four they were all drawn across again and a little while later the heating clicked on to warm up the home.

I have a wonder-thermostat that enables me to set for four periods each day, weekdays and weekends.  Obviously, the week-day daytime temperature is set quite low (because usually I am out) and, in an effort to be frugal with heating, I am trying to manage without turning it up this week.  It wasn't too bad , as I had the halogen oven on for some of the time and was working in the kitchen but I was glad when the heating clicked on for the evening slot all the same.

After several days of listless aches and pains, my get-up-and-go, which had got-up-and-gone somewhere came back again and I was much more lively.  I made a mini loaf (using the halogen oven) which should do me until the weekend and I made some really delicious cream of tomato and lentil soup which I blogged about in Teacher's Recipes .  I've also just added the recipe for the cheese, ham and potato bake I made for my evening meal and the banana pancakes I had for breakfast. Do follow the link if you're interested.   I also managed several loads of washing and a bit of ironing yesterday so I think I'm definitely on the up, thank goodness.

Glancing out, it is lovely and sunny and the winds have died down.  How cheering to see the sun again.  What is also cheering is a quick glance around the living room as it isn't too messy and untidy so I won't have a big panic before my cleaning lady, Lenka, arrives tomorrow to work her fortnightly magic.  It's not totally tidy but it's all little things and will take around 30 mins of gentle pottering to sort it out - less time if I move faster!

Well, the decorations are due to come down in a few days.  I feel quite sad about that as what I get up is fairly minimal so doesn't make a mess.  Basically it is the tree, the crib and the candles.  I stick to red and gold so a little goes a long way.  Ah, well, the way time is flying it will be Christmas again in a few months' time.

The crib, bought when the children were very small and a tradition in itself.  Also a tradition is that the baby doesn't go in the manger until Christmas morning so SOMEone (not looking at anyone in particular, Beth) puts a wrapped sweet there instead!!

And I'd better get moving.  I'm being very lazy this holiday and need to bustle a bit more with the new term looming on the horizon.

Wednesday: New year's day!

Accidental photo taken outside on Christmas Eve.  I want to put musical notes on those lines!

A very Happy New Year to you all!

I had a 'nothing' day yesterday.  As promised, I went back to bed and slept soundly for another two hours or so, unheard of in my book but there you go, I must have needed it.  I then pootled around on Facebook which was quite busy and lively and bravely ventured into the OUSA forums.  After another sleep in the afternoon and again in the evening, I was sure I wouldn't sleep at night but I did.  And I've just yawned again - but that might be because I haven't yet had my coffee.

One friend with a young family wrote about her 'family pig' and I thought it was such a great idea.  Basically she got her two children to list things that they would like to do on Saturdays and post each idea in the family pig.  The only restrictions were that they shouldn't be expensive and they must be things they could and would would all do together, she and the two children.  Each week one will be chosen and done.
What a super idea, don't you think?  The responses were good too - things like playing pooh sticks, reading a book together, having breakfast out, etc.  All to be done together, enjoying each others' company without any huge financial outlay.  All power to them.

I thought I might adapt it for myself at some time.  I'm not good at that sort of thing, either looking back or looking forward.  Perhaps I live too much in the present, I don't know.  However, I have just treated myself to a Kindle.  It's something I have been wanting for quite some time and as I have just joined a Facebook reading group it seemed as good a time as any.  I'm hoping I get on with it OK although I still reckon there's nothing like the feel and smell of a real book.  I know Kindles are old hat now but it takes me time to get used to new-fangled technology!

Right, well, I had better get the coffee on - as it is NYD I am treating myself to proper coffee, caffeine and all.  Ooooh, naughty!  And then I am going to spend some time thinking about menu planning for the next little while.  I do also have some planning to do - school planning.  All good things, etc . . .