Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well, I hope you are all fine and dandy.

We got round to watching 'Australia' with Nicole and Hugh last night. It was 3hrs (on the tape) so we've been putting it off, but actually, some of that was adverts. I did wonder at one point whether it was going to be any good, and found myself thinking that 'Moulin Rouge' was far better. But the film came good. Good music too.

We've just scoffed a pile of soda farls, scrambled egg, smoked cheese and sweet peppers washed down with coffee for breakfast. The soda farls were made with the whey from the HM labneh, the remainder of the labneh went into the scrambled eggs to make them creamy, the smoked cheese was the last little bit from last night ('fraid the 'flowery islands' cheese got scoffed, but that had already done 'double duty' by filling our butties on boxing day ). The farls were also slathered in the last of the garlic butter made for our solstice dinner I honestly cannot see why folk waste food - everything can be used up in such a wide variety of ways.......

We've visiting the parentals on the agenda today, although DP is itching to get on with more DIY.

I'm also going to start looking at the meal planner for January. Do you know, 2013 is the first year, since I have been doing meal planning (which is actually quite a long time ), that I have actually managed to have 12 months worth of meal plans? Sure, we haven't necessarily had every meal as planned, and substitutions have taken place for a wide variety of reasons. But I usually start off the year well, then by April/May time, begin to lose my way and resort to 'winging it'. Well, not this year I think I'll take a look at how many meals we actually had in each month - I have a sneaky suspicion that things 'tightened up' after July????

We have already spent money today, so can't claim a NSD. We will have to get milk too, so may as well get it today. I can then try to get the last 2 days of the year spend free and get nearer to my total than I thought was going to be possible

Right, best get a shuffle on I suppose.

beanie - lovely to *see* you as always

rtandon - we really enjoyed the 'simplicity' of it. The right choice I think.

Ta for popping by, reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

See y'all in a bit.

Greying

miss_empty_piggy

Good morning all - hope you've got a lovely frugalling day planned. It's gorgeous here - thinking I might get out into the garden to see what needs doing to sort it out - and with plans to see what I can plant for this year. Wish me luck - it's a jungle out there! x

Piquant_2

*Piq sidles in nervously. Not sure if she's on the menu with the pears or allowed in to play with the others*

Twelve months of meal planning is very impressive, will you be recycling the menu planner? I actually have a document with all the meals I make, then just cut and paste accordingly for a weekly planner. Keeps me on the straight and narrow!

Hope you're enjoying sunshine wherever you are.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

missemptypiggy - how's the garden looking? I'm pretty sure that the gardening parental was dropping a hint yesterday that the next 1/4 of the allotment will be ready for digging Still, the weather will have to clear up a little first.

Piq - you come on in and *play* with the others. I just smiled when I looked at the pepper jar yesterday morning. Besides, you bet I want you around in 2014 for what EssexHebridean has so rightly coined; 'thread based cheeriness' :D

No, I don't think I will 'recycle' the planners as such. I mean, there are some dishes that appear regularly anyway, but I do like to try new things, and I get bored easily, so I like the challenge of starting afresh. But I will check through to make sure that I have a note of any 'new' dishes that we tried - especially if it was a 'made up' dish, following the gift of.... a handful of asparagus or a dish of peas or something. My only regret is that our meals are not more tightly wedded to 'seasonal' eating. But until I have the opportunity to vegetable garden again, that will be limited, by cost and availability.

So, I'm sorry that I didn't reappear last night. I got an attack of the grumps. I can lay the blame entirely at my own door, as I inadvertently drank 3 cups of coffee yesterday and also my body decided it had had enough of 'bland', 'boring' and 'beige'. And whilst we only had 4 Quality S sweets yesterday (courtesy of the non-gardening parental) I'm definitely fed up of sugar already. I suppose our normal diet is so 'ordinary' that it doesn't take much 'fancy' or processed stuff to put us out of kilter.

Anyway, we had Anjun Anand's 'Lemony Spinach Hotpot' with a bit of rice for dinner. I have made this before, and unfortunately, I don't think that it is on the web. But it was just the ticket - plenty of carrot, spinach and interesting spices (there is no chilli in the dish) Photo here;



I also wondered whether I was starting with a cold (from getting chilled on Christmas Day I expect), so I drank some thyme tea and that seems to of staved off the beginnings of a sore throat. I also snagged the orange out of the fruit bowl and ate that. It was absolutely delish and a real antidote to stodge.

We should really of gone for a walk in the nice weather yesterday, but visiting took priority - as it should, so no point in having regrets.

So, I'm back and raring to go today.

Today should be a NSD. We got milk yesterday and we have everything else we need, so I shall be aiming to snag it

Dinner this evening will be jack's 9p burgers, along with some 'fixings' cowboy style Ill enjoy the preparation

I'm half way through January's meal plan. I'm trying to keep it interesting and frugal - I must find out when the Ald* S6 is due to change, see if that will help my choices any

DP is going to do more DIY - talk about 'bit between the teeth'

Right, I'd better seize the day and get on with things.

Thanks for stopping by, reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

Bad_Weather

Can you post the link to Memory Girls Curry in a Hurry recipe? If you have it? The aubergine curry looks YUMMY

I also think I will just base my next 12 months of meal plans on yours, as being veggie, I often lack inspiration and yours just look great! SO erm...keep up the meal plans and pictures please xx

Karmacat

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

And karma - wishing you safe travel to be with your family

Thank you! :beer: My travel was fantastic, unlike last year - both up and down the country, everything was bang on time, it was astonishing, I avoided the chaos at Euston by a couple of hours, and even the planned diversion to the Sussex wilds because of Victoria/Gatwick engineering works only held me up by 45 minutes, not the 70 - 90 minutes they advertised. Bliss.

rtandon27 wrote: »

Have sent KC an e-mail of the enquiring type - will report back when she does!

And answered, and reporting in myself :T:kisses3::kisses3: Twas lovely - I had two Christmas dinners, with my mum, and with my brother and most of his family the next day, plus some drinkies with other rellies. One of the best Christmases ever, actually, I was really chuffed.

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Good Morning :hello:

So, I'm sorry that I didn't reappear last night. I got an attack of the grumps. I can lay the blame entirely at my own door, as I inadvertently drank 3 cups of coffee yesterday and also my body decided it had had enough of 'bland', 'boring' and 'beige'. And whilst we only had 4 Quality S sweets yesterday (courtesy of the non-gardening parental) I'm definitely fed up of sugar already. I suppose our normal diet is so 'ordinary' that it doesn't take much 'fancy' or processed stuff to put us out of kilter.

We should really of gone for a walk in the nice weather yesterday, but visiting took priority - as it should, so no point in having regrets.

So, I'm back and raring to go today.

I can relate to all of that, though I've definitely been poisoning myself with a lot more than four Quality Street :eek: I do get a bit addictive when it comes to an open box of presentation chocolates

Still, I'm here, the house hasn't blown down, I'm almost entirely unpacked, off to look at a few necessary things in the sales. Hope your day is turning out to be a good one, Greying :kisses3:

Greying_Pilgrim

Bad Weather Elaine's link is HERE and in the same post, she links to the curries (well some of them ) that you can make with the paste.

HTH

Greying

Greying_Pilgrim

:j Yay, Karma's back :j

Sounds like you've had a ball - and well done for dodging the bad weather and delays at every turn

Yep, I'm for one looking forward to the return to 'normal'. We don't make a big fuss at all at NY, so we're starting to get back into the rhythm already really

Greying

dreaming

I too am meal planning today, but only for 1 month at a time. I have been through the cupboards/freezer and worked around what I already have. Due to my stocking up before xmas I should get away with having to buy just milk and fresh f&v. Budget planning tomorrow but I am fairly happy with my level of expenditure. I allow myself a bit of mad money but occasionally go even madder:rotfl:so will focus on that this year.
DD bought me 2 lovely books for xmas - 1 about knitting/crochet. and 1 about quilting. I used to knit when kids were little but got out of the habit, and I love quilts but have never made one. Will try and work these into budget as well so I can have a bit of creativity this year. She also bought (last year for birthday/retirement present) a huge pack of veg. seeds so garden planning also required. My DD is extremely generous, and also bought me a wheat pad for xmas (it's a bit of a long-standing joke between us) and it is really comforting on my arthritic shoulder.
Although I have a weakness for sweets I don't like "posh" chocs (Smarties are more my taste) but I do love Sugared Almonds which DS bought for me, along with some gorgeous candles. My kids are so lovely - I am so lucky.
Have just put Anjun Anand on my library list.

Piquant_2

Karmacat wrote: »

I can relate to all of that, though I've definitely been poisoning myself with a lot more than four Quality Street :eek: I do get a bit addictive when it comes to an open box of presentation chocolates

Still, I'm here, the house hasn't blown down, I'm almost entirely unpacked, off to look at a few necessary things in the sales. Hope your day is turning out to be a good one, Greying :kisses3:

Welcome back Karma :santa2: 'tis good to see you back safe and sound.

I've never known anyone before dear greying who can eat just four Quality Street, 40 perhaps, but four??? I'm afraid I'm a nothing or the whole tin sort of girl :(:o