Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Karmacat

Piquant wrote: »

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

<dances about, hip-swivelling>

Whole tins for me too

I swore off the sales for today, because of the lashing-down sort of rain, and of course the sun is trying to come out now. Having seen the number of train cancellations locally, however, I think I'll stay with "shopping cancelled" - be a shame to spend hours on a 15 minute journey having just completed a 7 hour journey on time :beer:

Greying_Pilgrim

dreaming wrote: »

I too am meal planning today, but only for 1 month at a time.

oops - I only meal-plan one month at a time too dreaming- it's only that I stick the plans to the board and looking at them the other day, I noticed that I had the full complement.

dreaming wrote: »

Have just put Anjun Anand on my library list.

Bravo! She has written a number of books - and she's a cook for one of the papers or magazines IIRC. The hotpot came from Indian Vegetarian Feasts, but she cooks meat dishes/recipes too. I think she's a good, inventive cook, but has somehow slipped under the radar - although I'm sure she did a BBC series at one point. SORRY though, I spelt her name incorrectly it is AnjuM Anand - my apologies to you and Anjum!!!

Piquant wrote: »

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

:rotfl::rotfl: Should I just add insult to injury and tell you that in fact I only ate 3 - I'd forgotten I'd 'donated' my last one (in a blue wrapper) to DP last night. Mind you, it is easy to be restrained if they are not your sweeties. If there was an open box at Greying Towers, then I might not be here telling the same tale I can usually avoid temptation if a) it doesn't come into the house in the first place and b) if the packaging remains sealed - after that all bets are off Plus it is easier to resist sweeties. Had the parentals had a cheese board and crackers on offer, again, I wouldn't be such a picture of modesty and restraint :A :rotfl::rotfl:

Karma - I think that mantra of 'shopping cancelled due to the wrong type of wind' is the best bet. Mind you, depends what there is of interest to watch on TV. I think we are watching stuff from 2012 and early 2013 off the tape :eek: Watched a 'romcom' last night with Amy Adams (her off Julie & Julia) from goodness knows when. Just the sort of light, fluffy, predicable, stereotypical, fairytale ending stuff I needed to sort my grump out

Greying

Karmacat

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Karma - I think that mantra of 'shopping cancelled due to the wrong type of wind' is the best bet. Mind you, depends what there is of interest to watch on TV.

I'm all TV'd out, having stayed with my elderly mother for 6 days :rotfl: My entertainment is on here ... plus sourcing a new camera, and checking out holiday cottages in Norfolk. And watching the rain come in again and repeating to myself, "tole'ya" (mind you, taped the first of the new Battlestar Galactica, plus a Lewis episode - never watched them before).

I think we are watching stuff from 2012 and early 2013 off the tape :eek: Watched a 'romcom' last night with Amy Adams (her off Julie & Julia) from goodness knows when. Just the sort of light, fluffy, predicable, stereotypical, fairytale ending stuff I needed to sort my grump out

Greying

Enchanted, perchance? I'm all for a good romcom, as long as I can watch something ridiculous from the other end of the spectrum, most likely a SF actioner :rotfl:

Hope the grump feels better soon, honey - I've been known to announce to shop assistants that I'm in a really bad mood, and actually laughing with them about it feels a lot better!

Greying_Pilgrim

Nope KC it was Leap Year. And it was sufficiently daft enough - but with lovely scenery - to rouse me out of my grump. Not grumpy now

I forgot to mention earlier, I noticed that the garlic - which were the cast off bulbs the gardening parental *gifted* me once all the big fat juicy bulbs had been planted - by me - up at the allotment - have started to shoot :j They were seemingly doing nothing - whilst the bulbs planted directly in the ground were up about 1 week after planting! So actually, I'd forgotten about them. But there they were today, all 4 shooting in their pots

Well, DP was prised away from the DIY and we trekked up to the high street and have done some bill paying and banking. This getting paid early mullarky is all very well, but the temptation to spend is there. I've been good - don't think that I can say the same for DP..... having said that though, he did snag a couple of nice waterproof/windproof/breathable tops for walking/cycling - for £20 I think he got a bargain

We've done our Credit Union banking, so I can update my siggie. And as it was DP doing all the spending, I can claim a NSD :j

DP also bought a bottle of wine - we could of gone to the pub, but I wasn't really in the mood. So we will not be having jack's 9p burgers for dinner - they will keep for another day, which is good, because I shall just be able to whip them out of the freezer and it'll help make a quick dinner So instead we will have veggie sausage pasta - as 'ponced' up and cheffy as I can make it with the ingredients available to me........ watch this space :rotfl:

Oh, am I glad that we managed to get out and about today. I really needed the fresh air and exercise. I feel mucho better

Right. See y'all in a bit.

Greying

EssexHebridean

I know exactly what you mean about feeling better for getting out and about Greying - we're down in South Devon currently with family - spent a chunk of today lugging their latest log delivery down the hill and stacking them in the woodshed. Not a great distance even though all up and down the hill - it wasn't until we went for a walk a short while ago that I truly felt we'd done anything much. Planning a 'proper' walk tomorrow - well, weather permitting.

Have to confess I'm another who can happily ration chocolate out to just a couple at a time. Easter eggs last me weeks! Now, cheese is a different matter entirely, and as for crisps...was extremely chuffed to discover a make of Salt'n'Vinegar ones I can eat the other day (Salty Dog in case you were wondering) - I'm quite nastily allergic to pretty much all the regular ones. I have another two bags before I need to find where they can be acquired locally! :rotfl:

Happy wine-drinking. We purchased a few bottles of beer earlier for drinking with dinner tonight.

miss_empty_piggy

I'm allergic to milk so can pretty much eat nothing!! no cheese, butter, or chocolate anything - it's even in most crisps. I feel like my life is over this christmas!!! sob. x x x (just had a banana to console myself). It didn't work.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Goodness EH - that sounds like you have 'achieved something' before you set out on a walk - well done. I've not heard of that brand of crisps - not that I like S&V, but I assume that they do a range?

miss empty piggy - gosh! That's hard. But yes, I can imagine that milk and milk products wend their way into everything these days. What help and support have you got?

Dinner turned out well. I had in my mind what ingredients I had available to use, but you know that I like to give credit where credit is due, and THIS blog certainly helped me to coalesce my thinking. And no, we didn't have a vegan dinner, but I used mostly the same ingredients, apart from I used dried, not fresh mushrooms, I didn't use the wine, I didn't use wholewheat penne - SP for me! - and the sausages were mrT veggie ones sliced up. I topped it with grated cheddar and some chopped parsley. I did also sneak in some dried cranberries. Photo here;



A little bit of a poncy dinner, but it used ingredients that I had in (the sausages were supposed to be for 'toad in the hole' last night) and it went well with a glass of wine.

We've just watched an episode of 'Vera' from September. DP fell asleep for the last half hour and has woken up in a grump, and it is somehow my fault that he fell asleep.... :huh:

I forgot to say earlier that we sent off the 'thank you' card. I know that I am old-fashioned minding about such things, but I figure if someone can take the time and trouble to send a useful gift, then we can spare some time to thank them.

So today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for being able to get out and about - that the weather permitted it, that our health permitted it and that I had DP to accompany me

that DP could treat himself - it doesn't happen very often, so it is nice when clothes that fit/suit are found...... especially on the bargain rail

that it was still light (ish) by 4.45pm - the days are lengthening...... :D

Thank you so much for popping by, reading, commenting and joining in. You know how much I appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

miss_empty_piggy

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

miss empty piggy - gosh! That's hard. But yes, I can imagine that milk and milk products wend their way into everything these days. What help and support have you got?

I have found it hard to be honest, but I am sure that it won't kill me. I have felt a lot better since cutting it out completely. I went to the doctors and they said "don't eat milk", the family think it's hilarious/annoying. Parents and sisters are very supportive but other than that I am on my own. It won't kill me - although chocolate especially does make my throat swell up and I wheeze, coupled with the fact that I apparently have an "abnormally small throat". A fact which my mother alluded to tell me until I was 42! Some advice from a fellow sufferer was to try goats milk/cheese as I especially love feta, but I was still snotty, wheezy and headachy. C'est la vie. There's not a lot I can do about it so I've just got to find alternatives I guess. I can't do anything about it and there are people a lot worse off than me so I take some peace in that.

I have to say that I do really enjoy eating vicariously through your pictures. Last night's looked absolutely yummylicious.

Oh and by the way, I still haven't managed to get out into the garden. I am a terrible procrastinator!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE if I don't get back on today. :beer::beer::beer:

Bad_Weather

You can buy vegan chocolate etc online Miss piggy. And in Wholefoods and Tescos and I'm sure othersupermarkets, made with soya or almond milk or coconut milk etc! I actually quite like it, whole foods do this cool honeycomb chocolate bunny that is nice!

My friend is allergic to milk and eggs (eggs kill her) and she is right into all the vegan products! She can almost eat most things - obviously aternatives.

I don't really drink cows milk anymore and it took a while but now I love soya and almond milk - LOVE IT!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

Well, today has been a funny old day. Although DP set the alarm for a modest holiday awakening at 8.00am, we both rolled over and went back to sleep. I finally emerged to make breakfast at 11.15am.................. Still, as he was eating breakfast, DP said what I was thinking, which was we cannot remember when we last had such a 'proper' sleep-in. Even on holiday, we found ourselves waking at the 'normal' time, either because we were still in 'work' mode, or because we had decided to visit somewhere and had to be up early to breakfast, make snap and get on the road etc. So, perhaps we earnt it, or just plain and simple needed it.........

So, DP has spent the rest of the day ripping wallpaper off the bathroom walls - how come it peels and looks awful, so when you make the decision to rip it off, it sticks like the stickiest thing!!! :huh: I would of helped DP, but he insisted I had a shower as the paint is now dry, and then said that I couldn't get dusty??? *sigh*

I've had a pottery-type day, but I'd be the first to say that I've not achieved much. I was aching to go out for a walk earlier, but didn't want to risk my potential NSD by going near shops and I knew DP wouldn't leave the job half done to go for a 'walk' walk So a day indoors it has been. I have been doing meal-planning stuff. It is interesting that we had the most meals off the planner in April and December of this year with 25/30 and 26/31 respectively (tonight's meal is on track, hence why I've totalled December). The worst month was September with only 16/30 (I think my mojo was waning at that point due to pressure on the finances) and 4 of the 12 months saw us having 19 meals off the planner out of 31. So, the average of all that lot is 21 meals off the planner per month. For 2014, I clearly hope to better that! But at the very least, I will aim for 21 meals as set down, to be eaten each month. I do wonder how much the weather plays a part too, after all, if you'd put down to have stew and it's 24 degrees in the shade........ Interestingly, of the 'weeks' where we stuck to the planner the best, the two self-catering holiday weeks come out amongst the top. Clearly, I am a tight-wad :rotfl:

Of course, the airwaves have been full of people enquiring, 'what's your best bits of 2013 been' and equally, 'what are your resolutions for 2014'.

I think on the whole, 2013 has been a good year for the Greying household. Yes, I know I wasn't saying that in July, but we have had many more pluses that minuses this year, even with the key debacle. I think it has been a shame that the gardening parental has been ill, and that several things came at once - change is discombobulating enough, but when several things come together, it can send you under....... Thankfully, I think it is ok to conclude that the parentals are actually ending this year more strongly than they started it. And I've rediscovered my digging muscles..... :rotfl:

We have had some cracking days out, and a couple of holidays. DP has really begun to appreciate the value of 'down-time' and a change of scene. For that I am very grateful. We've had a ball with our NT membership, and whilst we won't join in 2014 as much because of lack of time as money, we have the memories and pictures of our 2013 visits to remind us of the fun we had.

The meetings of 'sub-committee No. 5' on Mondays have been a boon. DP has really got into the swing of them and they are set to continue in 2014 :T He has also got the hang of handling the budget for vehicle expenses using the credit union :T He has also realised how hard budgeting can be, and is more appreciative of my efforts to juggle the household finances :T:rotfl:

I love how DP has developed over this year. His confidence is growing - and still has plenty of scope to develop - and we function really well as a team... most of the time. Sometimes, I will try to get DP to adopt an idea/practice and it can seem like I'm trying to push water up a mountain, but then all of a sudden, he makes it a part of his routine and I fall flat on my face because I'm still pushing and he's up and running with it, *roadrunner* style - meep meep! :rotfl: I was a little disappointed last night, when I asked DP to take the socks off the drier, so that I could put the newly washed (bargain) jackets on to dry in front of the stove. A pile of socks just got dumped on the arm of the chair. I figured I'd have to sort them out today. Cue this morning, and I went into the room, and not only had all the socks been pared up and set neatly on the side, but 2 socks that need to be darned had been separated and set aside :rotfl::rotfl: Be very careful what you wish for fellow MSE'rs - you may yet create a monster :rotfl:

Starting this diary has been such a good idea and I cannot thank you enough for making it into what it has become. So thank you if you have lurked, read, commented and joined in with anyone of the 1069 - or so - posts that we have made between us. YOU ARE APPRECIATED - big style :D:D

Our 2014 could yet be brilliant. We have set ourself a task of moving house and possibly becoming landlords. I'm nervous, but I'm still thinking that it can be achieved........

We think that we will book a week's holiday. Whilst part of us thinks - 'what a waste of money, moving is more important', we both think that the time away and the thought of something to look forward to - in between all the DIY and dust - will provide us with an extra spur to do the 'monotonous' stuff. So, I'll have to work our where the deposit will come from, we'll have to work out time off with employers and it'll grow - or not - from there. Naturally, all other holiday/time off will be allocating to - moving house :rotfl::rotfl:

So, for 2013 I am grateful for these 3 things;

for DP - it ain't all plain sailing, but we've achieved so much as 'Team Greying' in 2013, and I am so looking forward to more, much more in 2014. Thank You dearest DP

for YOU - I hope you realise how much you have contributed to our progress in 2013. I hope I don't ever take your support for granted, but I would be delighted if you'd continue to spare me your time and support in 2014. THANK YOU

for growth - triumph's and trials have taught us much, knocked us back, stretched us, motivated us, made us think outside the box, and strengthened us in 2013. We've cheered, cried, sworn and laughed, in pretty equal measure this year!....... but above all, we've lived and for that, I am, and remain, utterly, utterly grateful.

Right, I am away to light the woodstove and begin preparations for dinner. We're having curry and a bottle of wine. I hope the wine is good - I don't expect you to recall, but it was the one bottle that I bought in October, when we had an 'alcohol free' month - I could only claim 30/31 days because of that bottle that was a *bargain* price from HB - so it had better be good

I may pop by later, but just in case I don't. Can I wish YOU and all YOURS a very happy, peaceful, prosperous, progressive and productive 2014. I shall be here for it, and I hope very much that you will be able to join me too :D

See y'all later.

Greying