The Big Adventure

Goldiegirl

Work - honestly, you couldn't make it up.


Bearing in mind I'd had the best part of three weeks off and I was doing a role I hadn't done for several months, they also put me on a two hour course.


So in between dealing with three weeks emails, remembering how to do the job, finding out what had changed ( they never tell me anything!), doing this course and fitting in all the work that had to be done, it wasn't a gentle day back at work.


I think I need chocolate !

Goldiegirl

I only had about half the work in today, than I did yesterday, so at least I was able to catch up with myself.


But, as ever, I'm very tired after just two days there, heaven knows what state I'd be in if I was there 5 days a week.


Can't really string anything coherent together tonight. I'm going to watch a programme about cruise ships at 8pm, and maybe have some more chocolate.


Normal service to be resumed tomorrow

Habibiboo

:wave:

Happy weekend (and Friday night chocolate) Goldie ... the first few days back after a holiday are grim, but they've started your big countdown (to retirement or next holiday, depending which comes first)! x

Goldiegirl

Habibiboo wrote: »

:wave:

Happy weekend (and Friday night chocolate) Goldie ... the first few days back after a holiday are grim, but they've started your big countdown (to retirement or next holiday, depending which comes first)! x

The next holiday I have is at Christmas. We are going away for Christmas week ( on a cruise and I've never been away at Christmas before). Due to my working pattern, I only need to take one days holiday to get nearly two weeks off work, so that's pretty good.


Then we have two weeks in March, also a cruise.


Our general feeling is that'll we'll stop work just before this March cruise. But I'm keeping my holiday booked at work, just in case we don't stop working


This leaves me with one day to take between now and Christmas. I'll probably have a day off in October.


But time does fly, I'll just get my head down at work and get on with it!


We went out this morning, just to get some onions, leeks and rocket, for things I want to cook this week.


For lunch we had HM pizza, and for a side, I used some of the rocket and some slices of our first home grown cucumber !


The last few days have been cold for the time of year and wet, but it has picked up a bit today, so I've got washing on the line which should dry ok.


I've got 100 free listings on eBay this weekend, so I intend to get some random things listed. A few things that are relists, a few lots of postcards, a couple of bulk lots of DVD's, maybe a couple of jigsaws, and a few bits that my friend has given me to eBay.


This evening we intend watching one of the films we've got recorded from Sky. In spite of talking about giving up Sky Movies, neither of us are showing any real desire to stop the subscription, so we are going to watch more films to get our money's worth.


Have a good Saturday

edinburgher

Have a lovely evening Goldie, I hope the chocolate did the trick?

I've often dreamed of getting away at Christmas (possibly because I feel a bit flummoxed by all the parties with people who we only see a few times a year)?

Do you mind if I ask where you're cruising?

Habibiboo

:wave:

Love rocket! We have loads of self-seeded rocket in the herb garden (sounds posh but its just the bit of the garden where herbs run amok, hens permitting). It's great just to go out and grab some green for a sandwich or salad when you need it. Perhaps you could grow some in a pot so it's always on hand?

Great holiday plans BTW, itching to try cruising, despite being sea-sickness queen! I fancy the Norwegian Fjords and Northern Lights x

BookWorm

Hello Goldie,

I tend to hang around these boards and do de-lurk on occasion.

I have just read your diary from the beginning and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. Although I am in a very different place to yourself (I am 30 something with many years of both a mortgage and work left), I like reading about how you are cutting down living costs to prepare for your forthcoming retirement and being careful with spending is something I can relate to!

There was thing I wanted to ask...there was a few mentions of paprika beef in the slow cooker....it sounds intriguing...would you mind sharing the recipe?

Best of luck with everything.

BW

Goldiegirl

edinburgher wrote: »

Have a lovely evening Goldie, I hope the chocolate did the trick?

I've often dreamed of getting away at Christmas (possibly because I feel a bit flummoxed by all the parties with people who we only see a few times a year)?

Do you mind if I ask where you're cruising?

Chocolate always does the trick!


I know what you mean about Christmas parties - I'm not very comfortable at those sort of parties where everyone stands around holding a drink, making small talk. Not my sort of thing at all.


This Christmas cruise I'm going on is only for a week. We go to Bruges, Copenhagen, and Oslo, have Christmas Day and Boxing Day on board, and then back home on 27th December. I'm looking forward to the pre-Christmas excitement in the ports. I hope to go to the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, which should be good, all done out for Christmas.


I've got mixed feelings about not being at home for Christmas Day itself. For as far back as I can remember, firstly at my parents, then at our house (or sometimes the MIL's house) Christmas Day has always been a big dinner and then the Queen's speech. It's like the thread that connects my life, always the same year after year.


But, in the interests of new experiences I'm looking forward to something different.

Habibiboo wrote: »

:wave:

Love rocket! We have loads of self-seeded rocket in the herb garden (sounds posh but its just the bit of the garden where herbs run amok, hens permitting). It's great just to go out and grab some green for a sandwich or salad when you need it. Perhaps you could grow some in a pot so it's always on hand?

Great holiday plans BTW, itching to try cruising, despite being sea-sickness queen! I fancy the Norwegian Fjords and Northern Lights x

We did try to grow rocket last year, but it wasn't a successful attempt as it got eaten by bugs:(


But I think we'll have another go next year, as rocket is my favourite leaf.


On the subject of cruising, the Norwegian Fjords could be a good one to start with, as they do several week long cruises to that area. Most call at Stavanger and Bergen with two other scenic fjord ports, my favourite being Geiranger. These are mainly summer cruises though.


I'd love to go further north to see the Northern Lights. I think Hurtigruten do winter cruises for the Northern Lights. That one is on my bucket list!


I've been sea sick only twice..... all the ships have stabilisers and often you forget you are on a ship!

Goldiegirl

BookWorm wrote: »

Hello Goldie,

I tend to hang around these boards and do de-lurk on occasion.

I have just read your diary from the beginning and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. Although I am in a very different place to yourself (I am 30 something with many years of both a mortgage and work left), I like reading about how you are cutting down living costs to prepare for your forthcoming retirement and being careful with spending is something I can relate to!

There was thing I wanted to ask...there was a few mentions of paprika beef in the slow cooker....it sounds intriguing...would you mind sharing the recipe?

Best of luck with everything.

BW

Hello :wave:


Thank you for reading my thread:)


I think we might have something in common, as I'm an avid reader, although, I'm more of a Kindleworm these days!


What I particularly enjoy about these boards is that we are all at different stages of our lives, yet the principles of a MFW lifestyle are helping all of us achieve our goals.


Whilst I don't regret anything that I've done in my life, I wish MSE had been around when I was about 30, as I'd have done the same things, but would have done them in a more money saving way. I'm sure I'd have paid my mortgage off sooner, and would have been more pro-active in looking for offers and deals. And the things that I threw away that I could have sold on... it doesn't bear thinking about !


Hindsight is a wonderful thing!


That paprika beef recipe was one that was supplied in the instruction booklet for the slow cooker.


I've copied and pasted it here, although I didn't include the garlic and used tinned tomatoes A couple of months ago I bought two slow cooker recipe books, I really must start using them!


Sorry about some of the formatting, it went a bit weird !




• 700g stewing steak
30g seasoned flour
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 30g cooking fat
• 500g tomatoes
• 400ml beef stock




• 1and a half tsp paprika


• 1and a half tbsp tomato puree








• 2 bay leaves




• 1and a half tsp mixed herbs






• salt and pepper




Method:

1 Cut the meat into cubes and coat in seasoned flour.

2 In the Cooking Pot, fry the onions and garlic until softened, then
add the meat and continue to fry until the meat is seared.

3 Skin and chop the tomatoes finely. Add to the Cooking Pot.

4 Blend the stock with the paprika, tomato puree, bay leaves and
mixed herbs. Add to the Cooking Pot and season to taste.

5 Transfer the Cooking Pot into the Base Unit.

6 Cover with the Glass Lid and cook for approximately 5-8 hours on

the Medium setting.

7 Before serving, remove the bay leaves and thicken the sauce if necessary

Goldiegirl

It's a strange day today.


First of all it was raining, so I thought I'd do the washing tomorrow. Then it turned sunny, so I put the washing in the machine, now, just as it's nearly time to hang the washing out it's not looking promising again.


Before I started this journey, I'd have just bunged the washing in the dryer on a day like today.... not anymore - they tumble dryer is only used in cases of dire necessity.


We got our English Heritage magazine this week, and there was a free offer for two months membership of the Gourmet Society, where you get money off at selected restaurants.


I've signed up, only because they didn't want my bank details. There was another offer to have 4 months membership for £1, plus money off cinema tickets, but I think that was only an excuse to harvest bank details - I've heard these sorts of things can be difficult to cancel once they get payment details.


But in this case I thought there was nothing to lose, and we should be able to use it a couple of times over the next two months


My pension details are now online, so I've registered on that site too, should I need to 'interact' with my pension at any time (their words not mine!)


We have beans from the garden with dinner - we may get a few more dinner's worth, but the bean yield will not be huge this year.


But I think we'll have a tomato glut - the plants are doing really well.