No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

scottishminnie

Evening all. Hope the rest of your Easter was productive or relaxing depending on what you prefer!

The weather here over the weekend was atrocious, howling wind and lashing rain followed by lovely sunshine but not until 5pm or so by which point it's too late to do anything outside. I suspect this is how the rest of April will be so I'd better get used to it. The tomatoes continue to flourish - they are safe and cosy on the kitchen window ledge and tomorrow I shall give them some watery tomorite to see how they react.

I had a brief trip to Costco today (really exciting way to spend a day's holiday!) and bought some stamps. I don't use many so should have enough for a while now. I think every single person at the checkouts had stamps of some descirption - seems every has suddenly become money savers!

MrsLW - I love the 39 Steps - one of my absolute favourites books, films (the one with Robert Powell) and play so I hope you really enjoy it.

[Deleted User]

Morning all, we had a really lovely day in London yesterday, the theatre was so enjoyable we went to the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery and enjoyed the early religious works on display and they have a Titian - The Flight into Egypt which is on display until August and quite beautiful. We had a lovely browse in the Swedish shop and a very nice lunch there too! got back home at 9.45 pm having got the 9.32 am train in the morning so quite tired but very happy. Cheers Lyn.

flowertotmum

Hello all...wow you have all been busy bunnies..

MLW..so glad you had a great day out..
Kaz hope you enjoyed your bath..
Scottishminnie..yep weather is atrocious for you up there...

Had some busy days myself..we have finally got the garden ready for planting and about time too...i did all the beds and sorted the wardrobes again..
Was a bit bogged off on sunday..i wanted to do the egg hunt outside but it was wet through..so had to hide eggs inside..was funny though the girls walked right past at least 4 of them twice...my mother didn't get them an egg..she got them a dress each..very nice of her to do that but they are not what you would call child friendly...they are lace and crochet..and very delicate..ferns is ruined already..it got caught on my dried twigs in the dining room and now has a huge pull in it...iris's didn't fair much better and has a hole in it..i have washed them and put them away...nevermind they are nice to look at but not for 2 little tykes who love to play rough...
Hubby has been at our eldests all week near enough doing her kitchen for her...poor chap..its my kitchens turn soon...
Has anyone seen kittie? sent her a pm but no answer..hope she is ok..
got to go lunch time..
love to you all
ftm

[Deleted User]

I am here ftm!!! well I am now that my cold/sinusitis/cough has gone. Flipping heck, the older you get the harder it hits and then naturally dh gets it so I have to forget about mine. Actually he cannot get a chest infection and is meant to keep antibiotics at home, so I have had to do my `her indoors` bit and be very firm about him not going out. Touch wood he is well on the mend now

Gentle gardening has been on-going but nothing too strenuous and all seeds are now sown. sprouted onion sets are out as are good broad bean plants. All done in between the the two spots of rain that we had. Strawberries are in full flower and tomatoes, chillis and peppers are bursting to be planted permanently.. I am putting 26 tomatoes out this year as they preserved so very well

Sm re feeding tomatoes, don`t give them any tom food until you see the first fruits. Its good to spray once or twice, until flowering, with miracle grow

Mrs LW your day in london sounds great

I have also had to come to terms with dd and her dh and two grandchildren (4 and 2) going to australia in autumn. I absolutely don`t blame them at all but it was gut wrenching when I heard, I did hide it well though. It is their time now, we have had ours.

I am covering a few things outside tonight ie carrots, peas etc and bringing the toms and chillis in. I heard on the local news that a drought will be declared in our area next week so I`ll be getting the black degradable mulch ready to put on after a thorough watering. At the same time we are getting a fair bit of info on floods and that sort of info is always followed by flooding somewhere or other.

Other dd is very very stressed with her work. P/T with F/T work and also being kept down by an eton male. She is very frustrated and now has a cold and sinusitis and has major decisions to make. DS is job searching in scotland as they are so ground down re the pace of life near London. So all change here

scottishminnie

kittie wrote: »

Sm re feeding tomatoes, don`t give them any tom food until you see the first fruits. Its good to spray once or twice, until flowering, with miracle grow


I have also had to come to terms with dd and her dh and two grandchildren (4 and 2) going to australia in autumn. I absolutely don`t blame them at all but it was gut wrenching when I heard, I did hide it well though. It is their time now, we have had ours.

Thanks Kittie - I will dissolve some miracle grow and give them a spray then.

Your attitude to your dd is great and what I so wanted from my parents when we broached the subject of emigrating across the pond in the other direction. Unfortunately their reaction was so extreme my hubby immediately announced he couldn't live with himself if we left them to cope with the farm and business alone and the dream ended pretty swiftly. That was some 10 years ago when they were much fitter and healthier than now and I don't see it ever happening now. Ironically my younger sister has now moved away and made a very seperate life for herself which doesn't include chipping in to help out so short of a lottery win I'll be stuck here forever. I hope your dd and her family settle well down under - after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained:o

Kaz2904

I have cheated with my salad leaves, I went to Aldi today to get some bits and they had their living salads their for 79p per bag. I bought 2 as we get through lots of it in the summer and it doesn't go off. At least I will (hopefully) have some salad always available
I had a lovely bath the other night FTP, thanks for asking!

[Deleted User]

Morning everyone hope all is well with you and yours, its much cooler here in Hampshire this morning and DH has just departed with the lurcher for his morning walk. We've had a difficult couple of days with the boy as he's so frightened by thunderstorms and we have had quite a few on both Thursday and Friday afternoons so as a consequence have spent most of the time on the computer with him at my feet under the desk where he feels safest. Poor old boy! We have been trying the Paleo Diet for a couple of weeks now, no processed foods, no carbohydrates so no bread, cereals, potatoes or pulses and no dairy. It was difficult for a couple of days just getting used to protein, vegetables and fruit (with a little honey) but we are all feeling so much healthier now that I think this may be our way of eating from now on - we have learned to love the sweet potato and the butternut squash. Have a lovely weekend folks Cheers Lyn.

flowertotmum

Morning all...hope your all ok..
Kittie glad your back...being poorly is awful..just totally draining..your poor hubby..worse when they are active and want to do things but just can't..being cruel to be kind is hard..

MLW..hey there..poor dog..ours loves the storms..in fact i am sure he has a few screws loose..he has to be locked on firework night..he actually tries to catch the bloody things..and jumps up to do it..
Your diet sounds good..glad its doing you good.
Kaz..a warm bath is the best cure to anything..

Kittie meant to say its hard when family move away..and even harder when its the other side of the world..hugs for you hunny..

Well i have just about had it with my van driving,driveway blocking neighbour...i had to go 3 times this week to ask him to move it..last time he moaned at me and said he was going to report me to the council for harrassment..!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry for that...as i politely pointed out through gritted teeth..its my drive not yours,if heaven forbid i need an emergency service then how are they supposed to get to my house..climb over the van...as i said go ahead report me then..and i will have things to tell them too...thats was thursday..ever since he has been parking up the road away from my drive...ignorant swine...he keeps giving me filthy looks and stares directly in my living room..if he thinks i am going to be intimidated by a mountain of lard then he is very sadly mistaken...he only does it when hubby is at work..coward.
Apart from that its been a lovely week with the girls..we have been doing bits and bobs in the garden..i have got fern started on sewing..just hemming really but she has enjoyed it..iris wasn't interested at all...but i did find an old alphabet poster..i put it up on their bedroom door...nearly everyday she has been singing it to me..so sweet..they have had a teddy tea-party,princess picnic and a day finger painting...shame she has to go back to school tomorrow...
The money situation is okish..we have redone our budget at least a million times and fingers crossed we can stick to it..did have to pay out £25 on friday to local council for our green bin collections..we do use that service so i don't mind paying for it..
I have saved about £50-£60 a month by getting rid of Virgin broadband and phone and switching it all to sky..the lady on the phone gave me an amazing deal for 12 months..Virgin keep ringing me to tempt me back but they can't match the offer so it hi-ho silver away to Virgin.
I finally got some big boxes to start emptying my kitchen..don't quite know where to start but i will...
Right thats me..i going to have a nice cuppa before the bedlam that is lunch starts..
love to you all
ftm

[Deleted User]

Mrslw, our ds has been eating paleo for several months now. He has been veggie for 25 years and a vegan for 8 of those and ate very healthily but he started to look `blobby` even though he is over 6` and fit. Stress at work really affected him as he had great responsibilities and deadlines (but not the remuneration). Then he got one illness after another and did a great deal of research, cutting down on exercise was one result and the other was eating paleo. I saw him last week and he looks amazing, much leaner and glowing. Paleo food is really good (expensive) and I sent him home after trout for breakfast. He normally eats liver for breakfast. He limits his meat intake and like you, has completely cut out grains, potatoes and legumes. I have seen the result with my own eyes and it speaks for itself

FTM,I am glad Fern is getting crafty. It all starts with little steps

A very warm and lovely day again, so a bit more garden pottering, just re-using old compost adding bfb and transplanting marigolds, calendulas and little gem lettuces. We have 3 raised beds here, each about 5 sq ` and they produce a lot of veg, in rotation. Peas are in one now and are 6" tall, 4 healthy kales in another and garlics in the 3rd. I used to hate kale but I dig up 3 green garlic, chop and saute in a little olive oil and then add chopped kale, lid on and steam for 8 minutes. It is gorgeous. I have 2 more kale plants here in a plastic planter and I recommend red russian and dwarf curly kale. The next lot of kale will follow the peas and I will double the number of garlic cloves that I planted and they will go in after the present kale. It is such an easy way to provide good fresh veg in the hungry gap months. Courgettes are up already, just 5 days, so more plants to put out and bring in every night

I am so hoping we get some rain next week

[Deleted User]

I`m always experimenting and today I made 24 granary/wheatmeal rolls. I have a neff double oven, small fan on the bottom and smaller normal above it. I put 12 rolls in each and that is the first time I have baked bread in the top oven. What a noticeable difference!!!! the top oven rolls were bigger and better all round. Grhhh, I have never liked the fan ovens I have had. Well I cannot make loaves in the top oven as it is too small but I also got great results with a plaited brioche that I made as well. If my oven ever breaks down then I am replacing it with a full size `normal` non-fan oven. Another grhhh, I have to kneel on the floor to see inside my lower oven. Stupid design. Triple grhhh, the oven hardly holds anything and it is difficult to batch cook anything. Designed by a 20 something supple man I suppose