Living richly; simply and debt-freely

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

I hope the weather is good with you - sounded quite a mixed bag across the UK this morning, according to the radio.

Well, we all but fell asleep watching the England footy game last night - clearly we watched the wrong match, so very well done Wales Why on earth the news reports couldn't lead with 'Wales won, top the group and are through to the next round. England also qualified' I don't know. It was all about England going through and almost Wales as an after thought - not fair!

Baby Greying is keeping us amused, entertained and...... busy! I like watching baby TV - no, not the sort that uses electrickery, the genuine, mini-human sort. It is infinitely variable and doesn't require a licence! Actually, it is quite scary that you need a licence to watch TV, but they let anyone be a parent..... :rotfl:Pippi brilliantly mentioned 'warm and fuzzy' and vaccum cleaner in the same sentence. I am now wondering whether the next time there is a vAx offer on mse, whether to consider a purchase - a 'wet&dri' one would be a boon to 'bottom changing duty' :rotfl:

Where.does.it.all.come.from?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

In other :money: news. I really, really need to get back to menu planning. It is costing an arm and a leg to 'shop as we go' and our choices have diminished. So July will see us getting back on the wagon! But I'll start the planning now, so that the shopping lists can be drawn up etc. I always find the summer a bit of a struggle, because you'll put down to have a salad and it'll be blowing a gale, with sideways snow and thunderclaps all before tea-time We tried a 'new food' last night. I picked up some koftas in h3ron f00ds - they were calldron brand. They were 75p for 8 (they aren't very big) which I thought was expensive, until I saw how much they retail for in mrW :eek: They were OK, but a bit greasy for my liking. I'm sure they could be improved upon with a bit of tinkering...... We had them with yoghurt and a swirl of mango chutney, on the side of a plate that was made up of 'freezer bits' so there was oven chips, rice&lentils and a bit of morrocan stew. Definitely 'half&half' meets middle-eastern mezze :rotfl:

Well, I best get a shift on. I want to pack in lots of things today, including baking a cake, and given that I've no ingredients for it, I'd better get organised!

I did manage to complete my 'admin' yesterday - think that is it for the time being, thank goodness. And I also completed my letter to a friend, which is nothing but 'pleasure admin', so things are getting ticked off the list, slowly but surely

Right, Tuesday here we come!

Thanks for popping by and reading. It is much appreciated. Always.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Mmmm, am a bit heartily sick of all this referendum coverage now. I'm especially fed up of all these folk - seems to be alot of chaps, but the gals have done it too - who are backing one side or the other, as if because X is going to vote for *insert choice here* oooh I must as well.... *sigh* Are we no longer capable of making our own minds up? A lot of multi-millionaires seem keen to sway us one way or the other. Like whichever option will affect us all equally? I don't think so....

I'm more concerned that folks vote, not which way they do. It's a democratic right that we should value highly and engage in at every turn. The only thing that I will be doing differently this time is to take my own biro. I'm not con-spirit-isty by nature, but I remember reading something during the recent referendum, about state supplied pencils being there for a reason. Seemed a bit far-fetched, but taking a biro into the booth isn't going to be onerous. I shall also try to go early to avoid the 'can I ask you which way you voted?' brigade. I remember the very first time I voted, getting asked for my card no. by someone who worked at the same place as my Dad. He was more senior. And because I had been brought up to respect my elders, I told him. But I found out years later, that these people have absolutely no right to approach you - and you don't have to answer their questions. So now I don't. It's fine if you want to talk about who or what you voted for, but they try to make out they have an official position, which they don't.

We've a busy day in store today. I've got to tidy for a visitor. And I've no idea what's for tea. Yesterday's ended up being a 'bake' with peppers/onions/garlic/butterbeans/cottage cheese/cornmeal/seasoning and an egg to bind. I also threw in the last of the cream cheese i had bought from h3ron f00ds - as it had gelatin in it (not suitable for veggies) it was actually too hard to spread on bread - probably ok for crackers though - but did add a lovely savouriness (it was tomato & basil flavoured) to the several cooked dishes i used it in. That was plated up with tinned potatoes - yes, love them or loathe them, they're a good cupboard staple at 15p a tin from mrL - carrots & green beans. No pic, as we were running a bit late.

Had a lovely seranade from a blackbird at dawn. It truly is magical to listen to them, singing almost for the joy of it - sure there's a technical reason why they do it, but it seems so effortless for such a beautiful sound.

Right, best get going. And shift a tail-feather

Thank you for popping in and reading. Mucho appreciated.

Greying X

joeyjimbles

Dinner sounds lovely - I've not tried many of the flavoured soft cheeses that seem to abound at the moment but tomato and basil sounds like a useful flavouring. I did have a chili one a few weeks back from Asd@ yellow stickies - it was ok, but a little sweet.
Big fan of the tinned potatoes as a standby - also for making into Slimming World 'chips' with a drop of oil and paprika. Hope you have a lovely day.

Greying_Pilgrim

The cream cheese was THIS just in case anyone is interested. I didn't buy it from mrS at £1.30 a pop though, it was 2 for £1 at h3ron f00ds. I know HF aren't universal throughout the UK, but sometimes fArm f00ds have similar deals, on similar products - if you have one of them near you.

On the product website (rather than mrS's), it says that the cheese is smooth with a beautifully soft texture, I'm afraid i didn't find that - maybe left out of the fridge for a while it would be, but not straight from the fridge - hopeless for putting on bread. Flavour was good though.

Well, our visitor has been. Cake has been munched and lovely conversation had. Hope to be able to do it again soon DH will be pleased too, as there is cake left over So it can go in his snap box for the rest of the week

Greying X

tunathe_cat

To GP family and co., have been reading daily for a while., Enjoy being part of your cyber company!Love your recipe and tea photos.

I am a nan to two and love it! infact I would put this as my profession along with fulltime carer to hubby who has a complicated medical history. Also servant to two cats.

In last weeks storms we were flooded and have up sticks to local hotel! Cats on guard duty at home we are minutes away so easy to pop back to feed/cuddles. One is stressed because of blower fans drying rooms the other is a sandwich short of a picnic and will be often found high as a kite on cat mint!
Andrea

Cheery_Daff

We have [EMAIL="J@ck"]J@ck[/EMAIL] Fult0ns which I suspect is probably similar - it's where most of my reduced cheese and yogurt comes from, and other occasional cheapo treats

Greying_Pilgrim

Ay up tuna - I recognise your username, you've popped in before Thank you for posting - especially as you have your hands full at the moment clearly. Will you just need to dry out, or has there been damage too? Did you get flooded with 'clean' water or...........

cheery - yes jAcK Fult0n$ - I've heard of those stores, I think they may be even more geographically specific than HF?? But absolutely, same sort of concept I think I keep on meaning to try the somerset brie from our HF, but it does always look very ripe. I'm not a huge fan of brie anyway, but definitely not of the really ooooozy type - culinary heathen, yes, I realise I am...... I just want to try it because it's made in Somerset Like I tried the halloumi made in Sussex from m&$...... Ummm, good job it was YS'd I think is all I'll say on that.....

Well, I was watching the Rep. Ireland game, but got a bit bored, but from noises eminating from elsewhere in Greying Towers, I think they have now scored a goal Actually, I'm sure it must have finished now, so presumably they won?

Tea this evening was a veggie version of 'bobotie' - just the stew bit, not with the topping baked in the oven. I served with rice and yoghurt. I used a tin of baked beans, as I had no red kidney beans, but almost had a disaster as I left it cooking and the sugar content in the beans encouraged the stew to stick and burn. I managed to save the stew, by transferring it to another saucepan, and luckily the burnt stuff on the bottom of the saucepan came off with a combination of soaking and scrubbing

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

- a new friend, who is good company

- DH getting an early finish

- that my saucepan survived to cook another day

Thank you for popping in, reading and contributing. It is appreciated, very much, by me. Always

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well, I have been to take my trusty biro for a walk to the polling booth. The state sponsored pencils were in situ again - tied to the booth LOL - what does that say about the area I live in? :rotfl:DH looked after BG so i could mooch over without having to negotiate steps, but actually, the building used has had a makeover (it is less than 5 yrs old) and it is easier to get into now.

The gal on the desk must have been expecting a long day, she had her porridge on the table in front of her :rotfl: Still, they were doing brisk 'business' with a constant flow of folk. And thankfully the 'askers' weren't around to ask for card no.s/way you voted, so that was a blessing as far as I am concerned.

Right, I hope to seize the day today, being up, washed, dressed and breakfasted all before 6.45am I'll need to make up a list of things to do and see how far I get I've no idea what's for tea again. It'll have to be a 'trawl' of cupboards, freezer, fridge or a combination of them Definitely 'menu-planning' needs to be on the 'to do' list.

Have a great day. See y'all later

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

mmmmm, Baby Greying must know when I've managed to get a little ahead of myself, as we've had a sideways p00 explosion today and 2 bouts of projectile vomiting..... ho hum..... goes my washing machine..... :rotfl:

Anyway, we achieved some of the chores on my list. We have been to the library to get a stack of books for bedtime reading But meal-planning hasn't happened. Perhaps I'll get 15 minutes just now to do it.

Tea tonight was a 'cobble'. I used up the last of the 'bake' that I made the other evening. I had popped it in the fridge, with the intention portioning it to go into the freezer, but decided to use it up tonight instead. I served it with pugilese salad (beetroot), salata al-banadora (a lebanese tomato and cucumber salad, from Arto der Haroutunian's book, sorry can't find the recipe) and a version of the Potato salad from the Meat Free Monday cookbook. Filling, used up odds and sods and storecupboard staples and came together pretty quickly whilst DH nipped off to vote



Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

- automatic washing machines

- democracy

- Public libraries

Thanks everso for popping by and reading. Mucho appreciated. By me. Always.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well, we've had a productive start to the day. Everyone is fed and watered, snap has been made, restorative teas and coffee drunk . Some of us are appropriately dressed to greet the day, others...... And there is a story being read nearby, with interuptions - which is very funny

I actually got on with my meal-planning last night! Huzzah. Think I am about 4 days short of the month I've tried to include some new recipes, even if it is for 'accompaniments', rather than main courses.

Pizza for tea tonight, definitely. Currently undecided what will accompany - wedges, oven chips or something else. Will have a look to see what variety potatoes h3ron f00ds have in, let that be the decider, as i can always pick up some frozen chips from there if necessary.

Got to do some money moving to pay some bills And will try to get a walk in the fresh air shoe-horned in too.

Think that's about it

Thanks for popping by. Much appreciated. As ever.

Greying X