The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

You'll mostly be hearing the sound of gentle snoring eminating from Greying Towers....................

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


Good Evening :hello:


Well, we had a collective snooze this arvo. I don't know if we've been part-taaay-ing too much, or can't take the heat or what...... but we snored through 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Until some of us got up to make tea........


At least we can claim a nsd :j


And the baby was bathed :j


Tea this evening was a salad plate, which used up the pieces of green bean bake out of the freezer, teamed with minted boiled tatties, beetroot and apple salad, marinated tomatoes and portugese broad beans. I must admit, I saw the recipe for the broad beans a couple of days ago in my recipe index, and thought, 'oh, we've not had them in a while'. I have to say, there is probably a reason for it, and it ain't just winter. I had forgotten how underwhelming I find the recipe, and feel that it is just trying (but failing) to guild the lily - blame british produce, blame the cook, blame what you will. But I should have just left the broad beans as they were. I shall be removing the recipe from my index permanently. Sometimes naked is best


The minted tatties meanwhile were an absolute triumph. I put a stem of the (gifted) garden mint in with the cooking water at the end of the cooking time, and then drained and let the mint steam into the tatties. The tatties weren't 'new' pots as such, just a bag of 'small' tatties, YS'd in m&$ a couple of weeks ago. I can't even remember if they were UK produce The smell was delicious. i came downstairs from baby-bathing to the wonderfully intoxicating smell of fresh mint. Took me straight back to summertimes in my childhood, where we did have fresh dug tatties and mint for tea all the time - well, it seemed like it To finish off the tatties I made a vinagrette dressing with plenty of mint, minced up in the hand-held mouli that I have, which is probably even older than me :eek: DEE-LISH-US!


I've managed to do a bit of sorting and tidying, so we're a bit better prepared for the week ahead


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


40 winks

delicious, nutritious food and associated food memories

feel-good weather - even if I viewed most of it behind closed eyelids....... :rotfl:


Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

rtandon27

Ah - nothing better than a siesta on a warm summer afternoon!

We were like minded & had a few winks ourselves :D

beanielou

Nothing to beat a wee smooze

themadvix

Rather envious of the length of your nap, but I certainly indulged too! I'm definitely blaming the weather!

starnac

I do love an impromptu afternoon nap. Good for you.

Hope all is well

beanielou

Happy Monday

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


Ha ha - themadvix, you wouldn't be envious of my stiff neck - I fell asleep in the chair the others had the sense to retire to cots and beds of various comfort levels


:wave: starnac - longtime no see, lovely


Well, I've been a busy bee today, mostly keeping out of mischief


I used my sewing skills [tonguefirmlylodgedincheeksmiley] to make a spiffing, much loved item of clothing work as was intended, again. I managed not to stab myself with a needle, not to get blood all over everywhere and to make the fastening work :j Loads more life left in it now :money:


We got an unbranded item to do what will probably be a 'one-off' job. The reviews for it were good, it cost 1/3rd the price of the branded equivalent, and thus far is doing the job spiffingly :j:money: And no, we couldn't have 'loaned' one, as we didn't know anyone with one


I've moved on with homestead chores and got a visit from a tradesperson booked in for later in the week :j


I bought myself a couple of pairs of cotton PJ bottoms - £6 :money: They are the first PJ's I have bought since purchasing some for my ever expanding girth when pregnant! and apart from the fact you clearly have to be a size 10 and 7 foot tall (which i'm not) they fit! :rotfl:


*contemplates getting sewing machine out, on account of today's sewing success*........


Tea this evening was lentil pasta bolognese. From the freezer and a crowd pleaser :T


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


a tradesperson who calls back :j:T

BG making a little headway, growing in confidence and getting used to the big, wide-world

that I had enough skills to revive a perfectly useful/functional item - this is what life is about :money:


Ta for popping in, supporting me, and helping me. It is ALWAYS appreciated. . Ta



Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


Lots of itty-bitty things to accomplish today.



First things first, I need to sort out a meal-plan for this week. We've plenty in, I just need to allocate it accordingly.


We've a card to take to the post box. BG loves popping cards/letters into the slot, so that will be a highlight


I've the credit card bill to sort out - shift a bit of money over and get it paid. No excuses, the money is there, and we're well within the pay by date. So must get onto it, rather than forget.


There is the TV guide to get, and we're all out of BG chocolate for a treat - which is not everyday So need to get some. HB hasn't had fr3dd0's for a long while, and they were all out of choccy buttons yesterday -useless shop



Oh, I forgot to say that we had the PSB with our lentil bolognese last night. It will definitely be the last I buy. It's definitely reached the end of the season, and whilst I specifically selected the thinnest bracts available, they were soooooo fiborous............Not a pleasant eat, and no longer worth £1 of our money.


Right, best get shifting-a-tail-feather.


Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

themadvix

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

I used my sewing skills [tonguefirmlylodgedincheeksmiley] to make a spiffing, much loved item of clothing work as was intended, again. I managed not to stab myself with a needle, not to get blood all over everywhere and to make the fastening work :j Loads more life left in it now :money:

From memory of the Christmas decs you made waaay back in your diary, I don't think tongue in cheek is needed - your skills are certainly better than mine! But I totally get the satisfaction that comes from adjusting/repairing something

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha - themadvix, you are too kind. The C'mas decs were all about straight line sewing, behind the comfort of a sewing machine!


Well, I kept out of mischief this morning. But wandering around completing chores seems to have taken forever!



But, I got most everything that I had on my list. I did the baby banking - sounds like a service that you hand them in at the 'terrible 2's' and get 'em back when they've turned into nice, responsible, earning adults :rotfl:And BG had great fun handing over their passbook to the bank clerk



RESULT - our HB has started stocking 'H3nd3rs0n's R3li$h' - for £1.39 a 284ml bottle. I don't think it is necessarily any cheaper than elsewhere, but those in the know will recognise that consignments of the stuff rarely make it outside of the Sheffield perimeter



I bought some 'british' (apparently....) strawberries in mrA. They were the same price as the spanish ones were last week, £1.09. I have to say, the spanish ones edge it on taste and freshness......... I was about to buy Scottish strawberries, as they were lovely dark red and looked nice. But they were 40p dearer for the same amount. I have to say, if budget wasn't key, I would have paid the extra, and bought Scottish, as they DID look far better strawberries. But as budget is keen, then I plumped for what I would term 'seconds' quality. The 'gold plated' british strawberries were £2 a punnet.


Right, can't think of owt else to witter on about. So best go and do some housework. The house - for some reason - is currently resembling a tip!



Greying X