OS Daily Wed 23 Sept 09

Looby_Lou

Hi, I've been having fun over the last couple of days making jam/jelly for the first time ever. I feel really pleased with myself. I made 3 jars of blackberry and apple jam and 2 jars of chilli and apple jelly.

I spent this morning having a look round a junior school for DS1, as he has to move at the end of the year. The schools here are all over subscribed so finding him a place may be interesting. I'm rather unsure of the school I visited, but it's the closest and the one we have most chance of getting into. I'm very glad that I didn't choose to put DS in at reception, he would never have coped. I think I need to get DH to visit to see what he thinks. They have 60 children per year, split into 2 classes but all in the same classroom , I would struggle to concentrate there so I'm not sure that DS will cope.

FairyElephant_2

Hi All,

Really a quick one today as i had so little sleep I can barely function - was beatifully comfy & asleep for once when we were woken in the early hours by DH's ex on the phone as his eldest (18) had just had another row with her husband and either been thrown or walked out (why the heck they were up at that time on a work/college night is beyond me?! - also what she expected us to do about it!?!?). Lots of phone callls & texts followed (plus me storming about the house ranting & cursing I'm afraid) so we didn't get back to sleep until gone 4, and DH gets up at 6.30. DH's son (bless him!) was cross that she phoned us, as he didn't want us involved and wanted to sort it out himself. Hope it all blows over today as I really don't need any additional stress.

Think I will leave early today - I feel a 'Dr's appt' coming on! Would not normally be naughty, but with the way the co' is treating me at the moment I'm not gonna feel too guilty about it!

Bargainbird - so sorry the news is not better.

Has anyone heard from Moggins lately?

Ivyleaf - thanks too for remembering & your kind thoughts re dad - I'm very touched.

(((HUGS))) to all,

FE -x-

catman-without_wings

Afternoon all, hope this finds everyone well. I haven't been keeping up to date with everything so best wishes to poorlies/those with troubles etc.

As usual I am in need to help and advice:o Mrs CM is quite poorly-(has been in hospital ) she is home now but still not fully recovered. Anyway, we have a couple of good friends coming for a couple of days(this will do mrs CM a lot of good as she is seriously fed up)

As I am obviously doing all the cooking I need inspiration please.
One of our visitor is a veggie so I thought we would all eat the same dish.

I have three kinds of onion(small sweet; red and normal brown) six red ,one orange, one yellow and four green peppers;
six courgettes
huge amount of dried mixed mushrooms, about 3/4 of a large punnet of fresh mushrooms;
sweet potatoes and "normal" potatoes.
Enough herbs and spices to help tesco if they run short, passata tinned and fresh tomatoes.
Various cheeses including cheddar, parmiaisn, Red Lecister,
Loads of eggs and the usual tinned veg/pulses/pasta /rice.

I was thinking about ratatouite(SP:o) but as that seems to be my usual default dish I thought I would see if there was anything else.
I would like something that can be done and left to its own devices if possible(although not essential) tasty and filling.

I will probably defrost a (bought:o)cheescake for pud or ice cream-stunning eh?
Sorry for needing help yet again:o:o:o

Hope you all have a nice day and that everything is going well. Please forgive me for not mentioning friends by name but I am spread a bit thinly at the moment.
Take care and thank you.
CM.

HariboJunkie

Catman... all those veggies would roast really well and could be added to couscous for something with a morroccan flavour or use the tomatoes as well and do a roasted vegetable lasagne which can be done in advance and served with salad and potato and sweet potato wedges.

Lots of love to you and Mrs CM and so sorry to hear about your friend Taplady. xxx

floss2

taplady wrote: »

... I had a long phonecall with my friend from work who told me she has just found out that she's got bladder cancer and has to have her bladder removed. ...

Just to let you know that it may not be bad news - a friend of ours had bladder & bowel cancers, had both bags and has recently gone back & had one reversed...this was about 5 years ago now, he has since done several Great North runs and the London Marathon, and is one of only a few survivors who are also fundraisers at Christies.

floss2

catman-without_wings wrote: »

.......
I have three kinds of onion(small sweet; red and normal brown) six red ,one orange, one yellow and four green peppers;
six courgettes
huge amount of dried mixed mushrooms, about 3/4 of a large punnet of fresh mushrooms;
sweet potatoes and "normal" potatoes.
Enough herbs and spices to help tesco if they run short, passata tinned and fresh tomatoes.
Various cheeses including cheddar, parmiaisn, Red Lecister,
Loads of eggs and the usual tinned veg/pulses/pasta /rice.

Why not roast a couple of trays of veg - slice up the courgettes & peppers, quarter the onions, drizzle with oilve oil and season.

Then (to borow a phrase or two!) use these as your bedrock recipe - use hot with sweet potato mash, baked mushrooms & salad first time.....tumble down to swerve with hot pasta & fresh grated parmesan on 2nd time....and finally whats left can be tumbled down into scrummy pitta bread fillings with some humouss for the last meal or for a packed lunch for their journey home.

taplady

floss2 wrote: »

Just to let you know that it may not be bad news - a friend of ours had bladder & bowel cancers, had both bags and has recently gone back & had one reversed...this was about 5 years ago now, he has since done several Great North runs and the London Marathon, and is one of only a few survivors who are also fundraisers at Christies.

thanks Floss!:T I will tell her about your friend!

valk_scot

I've not posted here for a few days because *deep breath* I have been clearing out DS's room. :eek: :eek: :eek:

No, I'm not throwing him out or anything. He's only 13! But to get the story into perspective, he's recently hooked up with a new pal at school. Pal is lovely, Pal's family is lovely. Pal's family is bloomin' magazine perfect, come to think of it. Mum and Dad both work full time but they still seem to have a ton of time to spend on their three great kids, an immaculate house, a cat and pale cream carpets in their bloomin' immaculate house. They were even repainting the three kids' bedrooms over the holiday weekend. And she was still looking immaculate whilest doing it. Really, I could hate her if she wasn't so nice!

Now don't get me wrong, my house is not a slum. But it tends to run to bohemian eccentric with added dust, you know? It's really pretty big with high ceilings and lots of nice features but it's messy...old furniture inherited from parents/relatives/the charity shop, lots of clutter, lots of toys and hobbies and the amount of possessions that means it takes a day to tidy up before you can actually clean anything. Last time I painted a whole room was eight years ago.....:o

Anyway, I'm not that humiliated about it but DS is getting to the age that I don't want to show him up too much in front of his pals, especially ones that live in immaculate houses.

Anyway, back to the room. There's a lot of shelves. I really took to the storage box system for toys when the kids were young, you know, and that meant a lot of shelves. Actually there are two walls full of shelves and they are all full of toys. I'm really good at car boots and jumble sales and as I collect vintage toys I go to a lot of toys sales and the kids have had a good share of this, lol! But DS is getting past the main toy stage. Lego, yup. Jigsaws and Playmobil? Not so much. His sister has her own walls of shelves. Some of it has to go.

Truely, it's been horrific. I've been at it three days already and it looks worse than when I started. I've been sorting into heaps...keep, bin, charity shop, Scout car boot sale and Ebay. But it's still overwhelming. There's just so much of it! I'm sure I've been getting rid of things as I they grew out of them and yes, there's no real baby or little kid stuff but where did the rest of it come from?

Argghhhhh...

...I am going to have a lie down now, I think. Thanks for listening to me destress!

ivyleaf

(((HUGS))) taplady, so sorry to hear about your friend x

bargainbird - Sorry no more positive news yet ((HUGS)) Hope Spike enjoyed watching Loose Women

catman-without-wings - How nice to "see" you, but so sorry to hear Mrs catman hasn't been well. It's lovely that you're going to cook for your friends. I really like Floss's idea!

valk_scot - Aw, hon! It's so awful when it's at the "looking much worse before it looks better" phase, isn't it! It will all be worth it. Shame you can't see our house - I'm sure it would make you feel much better about yours. I love the idea of "bohemian eccentric with added dust" - I haven't yet managed the bohemian eccentric bit........and can't work out where all the "stuff" comes from. Quite honestly there is so much at DH's "end" of the room, even after him getting rid of loads, that there just seems no point trying to sort out my end - and my DBro and his OH are visiting on Friday:o I really, really need to hoover the stairs, but it's so exhausting that I just can't face it! At least I don't need to cook while they're here. They'll be here for Friday lunchtime and we'll have fish and chips, as his OH is American but has lived in Germany for many years and has never had fish and chips. And we're going out for dinner,so that's all right too

Tonight's dinner is LW's and Penny_Pincher's (hope you are both feeling a bit better today, ladies) fave, shepherd's pie using meat left over from Sunday - I'll mince it in the food processor. Haven't tried doing that before. We'll have it with carrots, because I've got lots of those, and tenderheart cabbage.

redruby

mummysaver wrote: »

And for all those who wondered about exactly what went on at Puppetry have a quick looksee at my fb page!

cant see anything ???