The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

BG fell asleep in their lunch - which I still find so hilarious to watch - and yes, dear reader, I am typing this whilst sat on the 'bad mummy' step. As clearly one shouldn't laugh at one's children...........

mmmmm....

Why ever not?

:D:D

beanielou

Of course you should laugh at your children.
Or should I say laugh with them
Well I hope you know what i mean i hope :rotfl:

Oh I love love love love LA.
I lived in it in my late teen & twenties.
Blimey, that takes me back

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


Well, I'm fit fer nowt but to drop and hit the hay But i'm quite pleased with what I have achieved today


Tea ended up being wraps. I made a sorta yellow split pea puree. I didn't want it to be 'hummus' but made from split peas. it was different enough, but I think I could have been a bit bolder in my flavourings. As it was, I cooked the peas with a bay leaf and half an onion. Drained and removed the bay leaf. Then whizzed up with a spice mix which i'd made for summat last week..... and featured fenugreek and turmeric, but which was a bit too much on the curry side, rather than the more...... 'middle-eastern' vibe I was looking for. I added in loads of lemon juice, some lemon zest and some garlic, salt and pepper. So on the wrap I spread; some of the puree, some wild rocket, some pickled red onion (actually thought far-enough ahead to make it myself and it was as sweet as a nut, no added sugar! ); some lemon grilled asparagus spears, some sliced tomato, sliced boiled egg (used my egg-slicer - YAY! does happy-dance :j) and topped it off with some toasted sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and a drizzle made from yoghurt, mayo, lemon juice, smoked paprika and sumac. Rolled it all up and applied to face


It worked better than I had anticipated, despite being disappointed with the split-pea puree. It was summery, different and filling. There was crunch, zing, sweetness and savouryness. And it was packed with things that are good fer ya!


And I think I watch waaaayyyy too many episodes of D,D&D, especially featuring food trucks.......... :rotfl:


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


my health and fitness - despite feeling tired and achey A.l.l. O.v.e.r! :rotfl:

getting orf my arriss and getting and keeping momentum in the face of toot-clearing marathons......... :rotfl:


for my wonderful DH who put in a hard day's work and then continued with chores around the homestead on arrival home - thank goodness there was still time for a cwtch and bedtime story for BG too :smileyhea


Ta for popping in and encouraging me........... :rotfl:


Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Ooh Greying, your tea sounds delicious! :j :j Mind you, ours was pretty good tonight too - discovered a little metal outdoor fire grill thing someone gave us when we picked up something else from Freegle a few weeks ago - completely forgot about it til yesterday as it was far too cold to cook outside back then :rotfl: but today cooked up veggie sausage and mushrooms over it, and had it with oatcakes and Mr Cheery's 'coleslaw' - which was just grated carrot, cabbage and brocolli/broccoli (neither of them look right tonight :rotfl: ) Quite spiffing :j

So glad you have had a productive day :j I seem to be producing an abundance of *actual* hay at the minute so if you are ever in need of the physical stuff (rather than metaphorical) you know where to look :eek: :rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


My dearest Cheery - you had me at 'outdoor cooking'......... Spiffing stuff! dib-dib-dob and all that I'm thinking about your hay offer - as the inevitable bunny/gerbil/hamster/gremlin, ownership plea from BG will definitely become a 'thing' in the years to come......... :rotfl:


So today has flown by - whoosh - in a flash. I've contacted a tradesperson and got an immediate reply :j He has done work with us before, so hopefully we're good clients and he's happy to quote/do further work here.



The falling parental is being quite open-minded about 'help'. Investigations today yielded how the system 'now' works - just insert the dreaded word 'outsourcing' and you have everything you need to know. But I didn't, so I got me some information!


BG has had a good day. They fell over their own feet and bumped their head - but are OK, and impressed the assembled throng by not crying much. I think BG was rather intrigued by the assembled throng, and stopped crying to see what was going on and what all the interest was in........................:rotfl:


The next lot of S6 in mrAl yields nowt of interest for the Greying Household. Needless to say, there was no beetroot again today - and a rather snotty employee - when asked (by a colleague) if there was any more 'outback', said it was 'change over day tomorrow, so like no.......'. The employee who asked on my behalf is very nice, and always has a kind word for BG, but i remain glad that as a whole, our local branch of mrAl give me less and less incentive to shop there...... and we'll not mention parent and children spaces being hogged by staff cars, no we won't.....


Tea this evening will be mediterranean pasta; a mix of red onion (marinated - in just about enough time ), garlic, black olives, red pepper, diced tomato, mozarella 'spherical objects' and some rocket - incorporated into macaroni pasta. I'm currently waiting for everything to steep.....................


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


help from a charity and help from a 'paid/contracted' organisation - it helps enormously when you've not navigated this territory before......



help from others. Period - even if it'll be in the future. I asked, and I received, and for that, I am very, very grateful.


having a car to pootle about

Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


Few bits and bobs to get today. We're all out of fruit for a start.



The weather looks like it may be a tadge cooler, although the sun was breaking through, so probably best to get shifting soonest.


I shall try and target a grot spot again, and get things 'chucked, cupboarded or chazzered'


Right, can't think of owt else MS to report, so best get shifting-a-tail-feather.


Ta for popping by.


Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Morning Greying, I'm glad you're getting some support navigating the system - tis indeed rather a maze.

It was a grey start here too but as I sat eating breakfast outside the sun started shining through... I have shut myself away in my little study in the hope of getting some work done before I have five days off... but it's gloriously green out there and I can see bluebells from the window and it's going to be quite difficult to stay indoors til 5pm...

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:


Yes, I'm procrastinating, rather than getting on...... :rotfl: We have had a great morning. We popped to HB to stock up on fruit and veg. Spent over £8 :eek: But as you can imagine, got quite a bit of stuff for my money. Had a pack of PSB - possibly the last one, as the quality seems to have diminished (probs because we're at the end of the season), so it'll be one last 'hurrah' with it in a meal. I left the asparagus today, as whilst there was tons of it available, it was the thicker stemmed stuff, and I prefer the thinner stuff - but each to their own, British Asparagus is still :j - inducing


I got 2 nets of oranges (14 in total), produce of Eygpt, 2 kilos of polish apples, a bag of sweet potatoes and a tray of meditteranean veg, oh, and 2 punnets of chilean black grapes.



Well, it's something to go on, at least.............. :rotfl:


I bought a piece of furniture from a chazzer. I'm not really a fan of impulse purchases when it comes to furniture, but you know as well as I do, that good stuff doesn't hang around in chazzers. And I've already lost out on a bookcase, which would have been perfect for BG, because I dithered......... I'm not too sure about furnishing a home if I'm honest. I mean, yes - depending on space - cupboards, and shelves and wardrobes etc etc give you places to put 'stuff', but then sometimes you hold on to stuff because you shove it in the drawer and try to forget about it. The flip side is that our house doesn't actually look lived in - or like a 'home' sometimes. Much more like student digs if I'm honest. But then where do you find the sweet spot? I was surprised (I shouldn't have been, I'd just not really thought about it.....) to see that a local charity shop will 'quote' to do house clearances for people. On a theoretical level, I know they need to charge - a private firm would, as they probably get landed with toot as many times as they get a good piece or two that earns them the real money. But of course, it makes me think about the parental estate and what will happen there. And I'm sure I've said before, that it is imperative to me, that we are not a burden on BG as we age. We didn't have a child to look after us, nor to weigh them down with useless possessions. Still, I didn't spend a huge amount of money on what is essentially a cupboard/drawers - it'll go well in one of our rooms, will allow us to store things for now, and if we decide we don't like it, or it doesn't work in our next home, then there will be no emotional ties to it, and it can be re-chazzered or sold. It will also help to 'stage' the house, if/when we come to sell/rent.


I found a little toy in another chazzer of one of BG's favourite characters. They are absolutely in love with it! Well worth £2 They are currently having a nap, and I'm a little surprised it is not in bed with them! :rotfl:



Right, I must away and press me tofu for us tea.



Ta for listening to me witterings.


Greying X

supersaver1000

Couldn't resist popping up to add my tuppence worth about furniture. I'm trying to get rid of cluttery furniture but first I have to get rid of the tat inside it and there's so much stuff to decide about, not to mention the sentimental tat.

I made a difficult and long decision to give away a coronation mug to the charity shop - it belonged to OHs grandparents but was neither rare nor in good condition nor beautiful. Thought I'd give it a wash before sending it off and the blooming handle broke it was in that bad a condition. Hid it in the bin

People are my valuables these days

Greying_Pilgrim

supersaver1000 wrote: »

People are my valuables these days

Heartily agree love. Whilst I could never get to the 'pack up all your belongings in a suitcase and leave anything else' stage, I'm finding we are surviving (thriving?) with waaaaayyy less 'stuff' that we once had. Whilst I think that some of our clothes have gone past the 'pristine' stage, and we generally both look like a sack of spuds, there isn't alot else that we 'need'. Some new clothes would be good - on condition that we textile recycled our old ones. DH has finally got around to getting a new pair of walking shoes that replaced the 'walking trainers' that he bought to get married it :eek: and has worn to oblivion :rotfl: I actually think that a wardrobe for DH and I would be a waste of time, as we don't own the sort of formal clothes that go in a wardrobe. I'm not keen to get one whilst we are here, as a) it could cause condensation build up/mould, by forming 'cold spots' against external walls and b) it'd be one more thing to move, that would require at least a van if it was at least vaguely 'robust'. At the moment, we could move most (but not all) of our possessions in a car. We'd need a van for the rest - a long-wheel base would allow us to move it in less trips. I'm not proposing to change this situation by purchasing a house full of furniture just for the sake of it.



I forgot to say, I found out I had gone overdrawn at the bank for a day. It was within my agreed limit, and I moved money so that charges are 'limited', but it was entirely my own fault. I had written a cheque, but forgot to move the money over into my account to cover it. That would have been ok due to some other money that went into my account to move into one of BG's accounts. But I took my eye off the ball, and the payee of the cheque took 20 days to cash the cheque.............. The day after I had moved money on into BG's savings........ Nobody's fault but mine own



Tea this evening was a salad bowl. I pressed the tofu and marinated it in a citrus marinade. If I'm honest, it could have done with a bit more marinade, the tofu soaked up all the liquid, but the taste was a little 'thin' I have to say. I served it with steamed PSB, steamed quinoa (from mrAl), tomato salad (chopped tomatoes in oil, vinegar and dried basil), and the 'Happy Pear' beetroot and apple salad. I drizzled a bit of olive oil over the tofu and sprinkled a bit of sumac and sesame seeds over the top.


BG asked to eat with a fork, and was better with it than previous attempts, so progress was made They had their own tea, made up of things that they like/will eat.


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

that I spotted my financial error sooner rather than later

that BG found great delight in a £2 secondhand toy


for my hard-working DH, who yet again did more work at the homestead after working the 'day job'



Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X