I thought I was getting better at not waking so early but today was a pre-4 o'clock wake which is always rather a pain. It was a bit of a restless night too. After all the lifting and carrying and generally being physical yesterday, I was expecting to sleep well but it was not to be. Never mind, I am sure I will atch up tonight.
After a cold start yesterday the sun came out and for a while it was lovely. Out I went and started sorting out the pit I call the shed. It's a shame the bin was nearly full anyway because I now have five bags of rubbish to take to the tip or to hold on to and bin a few at a time until they are gone. The plus side is that I can now get to my gardening stuff, the things on the shelves and both freezers without any hassle. I also found a few missing things while I was at it.
After a while I started feeling quite chilly and it looked suspiciously like rain. When my feet are cold, even when I'm walking around, some of my toes have a funny habit of cramping. It's a very odd feeling, not exactly painful but very uncomfortable and not terribly nice. Beth will remember the same thing happened a few times in the pool at Center Parcs last year and I had to get out and warm up my toes. Anyway, they got a bit crampy yesterday but I had nearly finished so it wasn't long before they warmed up..
Before I started on the shed I popped round to Wyvale and picked up some seeds - carrot, mixed lettuce and radish, simple stuff that I can grow in pots. I had a good look round but I guess it's a bit early for the interesting stuff. I looked carefully at the herbs but there wasn't anything I want particularly as I have mint (3 kinds), thyme, oregano, sage, parsley (which needs replacing but there wasn't any there), bay and rosemary. I don;t have room for all that much more anyway.
Dinner was nice. I used some of the left over chicken with some veg and made a pot pie. For the lid I mixed up some SR flour with yogurt and a bit of salt and it was good. It came out a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy underneath and I will definitely make it again.
Today I will be seeing some old friends and we will no doubt talk about my retitrement as they are all ex-colleagues and we go back a long way! Should be good! More garden in the afternoon. I want to sort out the grow bags from last year and tidy up all the pots which seem to have taken up residence in various parts of the garden!
And now I need to sort out today's food, get the yogurt on and, most importantly, make the first coffee of the day.
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Breadline: 7-4-15
Spent so far £17-72
Still to spend: £42.28
Today's menu.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs (26p) on toast (paid), orange juice (paid)
Lunch: tomato scone (2p), soft cheese (7p), chutney (5p), apple (13p)
Dinner: chilli con carne (75p), yogurt (paid) and pineapple (6p)
Today's total: £1.34
(will be edited through the day as necessary)
Still to spend: £42.28
Today's menu.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs (26p) on toast (paid), orange juice (paid)
Lunch: tomato scone (2p), soft cheese (7p), chutney (5p), apple (13p)
Dinner: chilli con carne (75p), yogurt (paid) and pineapple (6p)
Today's total: £1.34
(will be edited through the day as necessary)
Monday, 6 April 2015
Monday
Good morning! It's going now but when I looked out earlier there was a frost! I was umming and ahing about seeds and so yesterday on but realise that it's actually rather too early unless one has a greenhouse (which I haven't). Hopefully today will be rather more bright and sunny than recently and I will enjoy pottering around in the garden, doing more clearing and tidying.
Yesterday's roast dinner went down a treat and there was nothing left apart from chicken. It's amazing what you can get out of a chicken - Alex and I had a leg each, which was plenty, I carved enough for four more portions and there's two pots of 'bits' and a bowl of jelly stock. OK, the portions are not huge but they're not stingy either and it forces some portion control.
As Beth wasn't here, I used last week's beef fat to roast the potatoes and they really were delicious. I can see why people rave about using meat dripping but I can rarely indulge. The Yorkshires weren't as good as they usually are and that was my fault - I failed to shut the oven door properly when I put them in. Ah, well, they were certainly more than edible despite that.
Come the afternoon I'm afraid to say I sat down and snoozed while the telly droned away in the background. A waste of a good afternoon but, seeing as I slept well all night, I must have needed it. It's a fine thing when cooking a simple roast dinner makes one so tired but I am grateful for the time and the comfortable chair and snuggly fleece!
On to today. I am just waiting now for two friends to pop in for an early coffee and to pick up some mail that they need. Then I would like to pop down to Wyvale to look at what they have in before the crowds build up. I've checked and they open at nine. While I'm out, I might meander over to Lathcoats and check on the price of their eggs and get some more Dove dried yeast which I know they stock. Recently I have been using the yeast you need to start off as I'd run out of the other. It's dead easy, no hassle, but I like to have both kinds to hand.
Then it will be back home for coffee and some gardening (fingers crossed).
Hope you all have a good day too.
Breadline: 6-4-15
Spent so far: £16.51
Still to spend: £43.49
Today's food:
Breakfast: porridge (paid) with pineapple (6p) and yogurt (paid), orange juice (paid)
Lunch: toast (paid), beef paste (13p), toasted hot crossless bun (10p)
Dinner: chicken pot pie - chicken (42p), peppers and mushroom (27p), half an onion (3p), braised leeks (free), carrots (5p).
Topping for the pie - I tried a mix of SR flour (2p) and yogurt (paid) and it was rather nice. A bit crisp on top and soft and fluffy underneath. Great for soaking up the pie gravy. I will make that again.
Apple (13p)
Coffee (paid)
Current total: £1.21
It occurred to me that a brief explanation on a regular basis might be a good idea, in case there are visitors who haven't a clue what I'm on about.
Breadline can be found here. Scroll down for more information and yes, some things have been adapted to make is a more sensible long-term project. It is fairly self-explanatory and when the 'actual week' comes along this year I will be fund raising one way or another.
In the meanwhile, Beth (daughter) and I decided that it would be a good thing to do in the longer term for several reasons.
1. It saves money, always an attractive proposition in this day and age.
2. It forces us to consider very carefully what we choose to buy and eat, in order to maximise flavour and minimise waste.
3. I am finding that a side effect is that I am losing weight - also a good thing for someone my size!
4. It forces us to use our cooking/baking skills to make from scratch rather than buying pre-packed, pre cooked and expensive (and not as nice!)
5. It's a challenge!
Did I say 'brief' explanation? Ooops!
Still to spend: £43.49
Today's food:
Breakfast: porridge (paid) with pineapple (6p) and yogurt (paid), orange juice (paid)
Lunch: toast (paid), beef paste (13p), toasted hot crossless bun (10p)
Dinner: chicken pot pie - chicken (42p), peppers and mushroom (27p), half an onion (3p), braised leeks (free), carrots (5p).
Topping for the pie - I tried a mix of SR flour (2p) and yogurt (paid) and it was rather nice. A bit crisp on top and soft and fluffy underneath. Great for soaking up the pie gravy. I will make that again.
Apple (13p)
Coffee (paid)
Current total: £1.21
It occurred to me that a brief explanation on a regular basis might be a good idea, in case there are visitors who haven't a clue what I'm on about.
Breadline can be found here. Scroll down for more information and yes, some things have been adapted to make is a more sensible long-term project. It is fairly self-explanatory and when the 'actual week' comes along this year I will be fund raising one way or another.
In the meanwhile, Beth (daughter) and I decided that it would be a good thing to do in the longer term for several reasons.
1. It saves money, always an attractive proposition in this day and age.
2. It forces us to consider very carefully what we choose to buy and eat, in order to maximise flavour and minimise waste.
3. I am finding that a side effect is that I am losing weight - also a good thing for someone my size!
4. It forces us to use our cooking/baking skills to make from scratch rather than buying pre-packed, pre cooked and expensive (and not as nice!)
5. It's a challenge!
Did I say 'brief' explanation? Ooops!
Sunday, 5 April 2015
Sunday
Good morning. It feels chilly but I'm hoping it will be a nicer day than yesterday. Not that there was anything particularly bad about yesterday, it was just dull and dismal all day.
It didn't stop me sorting out a bit more garden though. I'm taking it bit by bit so the mess where the growhouse was last year is now clear and I will move round to the area beside the shed and the compost bin and, maybe, if I keep going, along the fence. None of it is shocking, it's all just generally not as tidy as it could be and as the days get longer and because I am at home during the day, I see it more and it's irritating me..
Indoors I made some hot cross buns and have blogged about it elsewhere. My, they were delicious - the one I ate was, anyway. The others are safely out of harm's way in the freezer for now.
I did some washing and ironing but that was about it really. A somewhat lazy and purposeless day. I need today to be livelier. It ought to be as Alex is coming over and I shall be cooking a roast chicken dinner. Roasts are not difficult, just a bit time consuming. He has already had his Easter eggs from me but I do have two creme eggs that have been calling out to me over the past week. Oh, the temptation. I shall be glad when Al has eaten them! Silly really because I don't particularly like (or dislike) them - they are just there. Calling!
That's about it really. Breadline continues and I've blogged separately about that as usual.
Have a very happy and satisfying Easter Sunday, everyone.
And now I'd better put the dough on as I didn't do it yesterday. Loaves for Beth . . .
It didn't stop me sorting out a bit more garden though. I'm taking it bit by bit so the mess where the growhouse was last year is now clear and I will move round to the area beside the shed and the compost bin and, maybe, if I keep going, along the fence. None of it is shocking, it's all just generally not as tidy as it could be and as the days get longer and because I am at home during the day, I see it more and it's irritating me..
Indoors I made some hot cross buns and have blogged about it elsewhere. My, they were delicious - the one I ate was, anyway. The others are safely out of harm's way in the freezer for now.
I did some washing and ironing but that was about it really. A somewhat lazy and purposeless day. I need today to be livelier. It ought to be as Alex is coming over and I shall be cooking a roast chicken dinner. Roasts are not difficult, just a bit time consuming. He has already had his Easter eggs from me but I do have two creme eggs that have been calling out to me over the past week. Oh, the temptation. I shall be glad when Al has eaten them! Silly really because I don't particularly like (or dislike) them - they are just there. Calling!
That's about it really. Breadline continues and I've blogged separately about that as usual.
Have a very happy and satisfying Easter Sunday, everyone.
And now I'd better put the dough on as I didn't do it yesterday. Loaves for Beth . . .
Breadline 5-4-15
Spent so far: £15.38
Still to spend: £44.62
Today's food:
Breakfast: 1 English muffin (11p), 2 rashers bacon (10p), 1 egg (14p), orange juice (paid).
Dinner: roast chicken 42p*, Yorkshires (6p), roast pots (paid), carrots (5p).
Tea: toast (paid), tuna melt (made with leftover tuna from yesterday, already paid) and grated cheese (paid),
The tuna melt was delicious and I will post the recipe tomorrow.
And then I only went and finished off the Yorkshires (12p)! It hasn't hurt the budget much but it won't have done the calories much good. Ah, well!
Current total: £1.00
* I roasted a chicken (three for a tenner) today and got eight portions out of it, plus a good stock. Two for lunch, four portions are sliced meat and two are 'bits'. Great value.
Still to spend: £44.62
Today's food:
Breakfast: 1 English muffin (11p), 2 rashers bacon (10p), 1 egg (14p), orange juice (paid).
Dinner: roast chicken 42p*, Yorkshires (6p), roast pots (paid), carrots (5p).
Tea: toast (paid), tuna melt (made with leftover tuna from yesterday, already paid) and grated cheese (paid),
The tuna melt was delicious and I will post the recipe tomorrow.
And then I only went and finished off the Yorkshires (12p)! It hasn't hurt the budget much but it won't have done the calories much good. Ah, well!
Current total: £1.00
* I roasted a chicken (three for a tenner) today and got eight portions out of it, plus a good stock. Two for lunch, four portions are sliced meat and two are 'bits'. Great value.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
Saturday
Was it a dull and dismal day yesterday where you live? It was here with seemingly non stop rain or drizzle, lowering clouds and a chilly feeling in the air. Downright miserable, in fact.
Indoors it was much brighter as I did some loads of washing and ironed what needed ironing. Mini-quiche was on the menu but there were none left in the freezer so I set to and made a couple more, one for yesterday and one for the freezer. It gave me the opportunity to price it out properly which was helpful as I had grossly over-estimated how much it would cost! I also made some butterbean, leek and potato soup so now have some lunches for next week prepared. It made a scrummy soup even without butter, milk and cream.
Today is another day at home, I suspect. More washing and more ironing, some clearing out, some hot crossless buns to make (the dough is rising as I type - I hope) and some telly to watch. I might go for a walk if it's not too dismal and I have to do my time in the garden.
I hope you all have a good day, whatever your plans.
Indoors it was much brighter as I did some loads of washing and ironed what needed ironing. Mini-quiche was on the menu but there were none left in the freezer so I set to and made a couple more, one for yesterday and one for the freezer. It gave me the opportunity to price it out properly which was helpful as I had grossly over-estimated how much it would cost! I also made some butterbean, leek and potato soup so now have some lunches for next week prepared. It made a scrummy soup even without butter, milk and cream.
Today is another day at home, I suspect. More washing and more ironing, some clearing out, some hot crossless buns to make (the dough is rising as I type - I hope) and some telly to watch. I might go for a walk if it's not too dismal and I have to do my time in the garden.
I hope you all have a good day, whatever your plans.
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