Dancing in the Rain

Tinkerbelle2000

Hi DIA

Spent the last couple of evenings reading your dairy and you have come so far. Well done on the WFH, sometimes you ask, you get. And well done on becoming mortgage free.

I remember reading sometime back you had a Moleskin. Do you bullet journal? I'm trying to get Rosa and MT hooked :rotfl:

I'm slowly getting my life organised with the help of my journal/planner (a little bit addicted to you tube videos). There could be worse things. I just wish I was better with budgeting.

Off to catch up on other diaries now. Its been a bit quiet this week

Tink xx

doingitanyway

Aww thanks for dropping by Tink,

I've been following your diary since before you moved and before I had this diary. You too are doing brilliantly. Funny you should mention Moleskine I don't recall mentioning it but I am a huge fan. However v. interested in the bullet journal too, although doubting anything could meet the design and simplicity of a Moleskine.

You're right it's eerily quiet this week...

Have a good weekend Tink

doingitanyway

brizzledfw wrote: »

Brilliant news on the blankets and the WFH! Excellent xx

I know, I love the blankets. It will be hard letting go of one...Thanks Brizzled

doingitanyway

I enjoyed today, my work and my colleagues. I saw the counsellor too which was also positive. I’m feeling thankful for my job. It’s an incredibly supportive and flexible place to work.

Lunchtime, after eating my packed salad lunch I went to WaitrOse for free coffee, free reading material and a few bits.

Today I purchased:

salad dressing pots 2.40 (for salad dressings for my packed lunches)

an orange .34

minced beef 1.69 (was 4.23)
1.69 (was 4.23)

weekly travel 24.00

TOTAL =30.14

I didn’t have breakfast perhaps that’s why I arrived home hungry. I prefer to have something prepped. I thought of eggs but decided to fry some mince and mix with lentils and stuffed long red peppers and a field mushroom and grilled with halloumi cheese. I dressed rocket and had it with the stuffed veggies.

Less than 30 minutes from beginning to the plate!

I have some shoes that I should get rid of as they are mega shabby. I’m finding it hard as I still love them.

So, that’s it from me.

I hope you had a good day reader
DIA x

Tinkerbelle2000

doingitanyway wrote: »

Aww thanks for dropping by Tink,

I've been following your diary since before you moved and before I had this diary. You too are doing brilliantly. Funny you should mention Moleskine I don't recall mentioning it but I am a huge fan. However v. interested in the bullet journal too, although doubting anything could meet the design and simplicity of a Moleskine.

You're right it's eerily quiet this week...

Have a good weekend Tink

That's lovely to hear, thanks for sticking with me. I did mean to ask about your meal planning.

Right admission time, I have a slow cooker and I have never used it. I think this would be great come the colder months and especially when I start at night school two evenings a week.

Also, I have never had lentils of any kind and wouldn't know where to start but I like the idea of bulking meals out with them and also making some soups. Do I need a hand blender for soups?

I'm hoping when I get on top of my allotment I will be able to have fresh veg to use next year so I think soups would be a good idea and I love the glass jars. I have a few mason jars I bought last year so I am going to start with layered salads I think.

Any advice appreciated.

Tink xx

doingitanyway

Tinkerbelle2000 wrote: »

That's lovely to hear, thanks for sticking with me. I did mean to ask about your meal planning.

Right admission time, I have a slow cooker and I have never used it. I think this would be great come the colder months and especially when I start at night school two evenings a week.

Also, I have never had lentils of any kind and wouldn't know where to start but I like the idea of bulking meals out with them and also making some soups. Do I need a hand blender for soups?

I'm hoping when I get on top of my allotment I will be able to have fresh veg to use next year so I think soups would be a good idea and I love the glass jars. I have a few mason jars I bought last year so I am going to start with layered salads I think.

Any advice appreciated.

Tink xx

Tink, where lentils are concerned the easiest ones to start with are red lentils. They cook in 20 mins (after soaking overnight) so I tend to keep a bowl of these ready cooked in my fridge most of the time. I might add a handful to soups as a thickener or I add them to a chilli dish to keep the meat content down. I might add some smoked paprika and garlic and grated root veggies and make a burger. I kind of make it up as I go a long but I use lentils most weeks.

Sometimes I blend soups but sometimes I don’t. With lentils I like the texture either way
I hope that helps
Enjoy the rest of the w/e

doingitanyway

Well, my enjoyment in my job peaked yesterday as today my line manager peed me off.

A good friend at work is leaving. Perhaps when the debt is paid off I will review my options. I still love my job, but I don’t have forever and perhaps there’s an exciting opportunity I can create?

Forget to take all the paperwork I had sorted for shredding at work

The house is still a tip. Kinda bored of that being my reality after a few days out of the home. I'm in all of tomorrow so cleaning will commence. Yawn, bleeping yawn. I work with people who do all manner of exciting things with their time-off. I use mine cleaning. If I did not have debt I would have a cleaner in a heartbeat...

A busy day.

What I bought:
Organic beef mince reduced 4.49 to 2.00=2.00
Chicken breasts in chilli and lime X2 packs 4.00 to 1.99 each=4.00
Salad leaves 1.50 reduced to 55p=55
Weekend paper =0
Coffee=0
Free range sausages (12) reduced from £5 to 2.75=2.75

TOTAL=£9.30

What I didn’t buy:
Kettle crisps half price 150g bag for 99p
Lean minced beef reduced from 4.29 to 1.29 X 2
G&B chocolate 2.20

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend
DIA x

Orange_Ena

Fantastic bargains DIA and I love the recording what you didn't spend! I might start doing that

I hope you managed your face pack on Friday.....I did mine

Awww, I know what you mean about spending your time off cleaning. I feel like that's all I do too, just clean and declutter endless cr*p. Maybe your colleagues live in hovels :rotfl: But they'll have some cracking memories of days out Maybe they have got the right idea though, making memories and having fun. It's partly why I don't iron. Life is too short for that. I don't know where I read this but, no one ever said on their deathbed "I wish my clothes had been more flat" :rotfl: Works for me, well that and wearing stuff that doesn't need ironing

Have a great week

doingitanyway

Orange_Ena wrote: »

Fantastic bargains DIA and I love the recording what you didn't spend! I might start doing that

I hope you managed your face pack on Friday.....I did mine
Have a great week

Hi Ena, thanks for stopping by. Nah, I didn't get around to renewing my face pack. It's still on my list. There's a nice shop in Cornwall full of natural products so I'll pick up one then

doingitanyway

HOUSEWORK
washing up x1 x1 x1 x1 x1
packing away/sorting clothes
washing and out on line x1 x1 x1
fridge cleaned and trays washed

DECLUTTERING TO CS
2 books
1 handbag

FOOD
aubergine, courgette lentil and chicken curry
quinoa (cooked for fridge)
red lentils to soak
beetroot and carrot salad made

I have toothache since yesterday. Feeling pants.

A confession: I couldn’t bear to part with either of the blankets I purchased on sale so I kept them both. They are on the backs of furniture in my living room and I don’t even feel bad. I feel happy looking at them

As the clearing-up progressed I feel more in control and happier even. Psychologically, the effect of this permanent mayhem can’t be good. I can see that in part getting rid of stuff is the key. The less stuff I have the less cleaning, sorting and storing I have to do.

If I don’t get it sorted and go out instead everything falls apart. I don’t have clean clothes to wear, I eat badly because there is nothing in the fridge prepped and ready to go. I buy food ad hoc because there is no alternative. I can’t find things I need so I’m late. So, I feel I have no choice but to clean/tidy/organise in my free time.

Most people I know have cleaners AND someone to share household tasks. They might only do ‘man’ jobs but I do ‘man’ and ‘woman’ jobs. Or they have cleaners, or dishwashers, or decent household items that aid, or easy to maintain homes. How do single parents with kids manage??? I can’t believe I am this much less efficient than the rest of the population, or are they all living in chaos?

I’ve been eating 85% chocolate. It seems to be the only chocolate where I can’t gorge on it. I can only eat a few squares at a time maximum. I still have loads left from days ago. Unheard of.

Anyway, the house is improved. t’s better now —food prepped —clean clothes —clean dishes —seeable floors and surfaces —mould cleaned away from the fridge. I’ll iron tonight. I’m winning again for now

I hope you are winning too reader
DIA x