The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Cheery_Daff

loving all this OS map talk :j I can't remember when I first learned to read maps. Did the bronze DofE at school but it was NOT a happy experience for me for various reasons. But then when I was about 20 I had a boyfriend who did a lot of outdoors stuff so we walked a lot (and cycled, and canoed, and climbed) and I think I got pretty good at map reading then.

(with grid references GP, and maybe you know this already, you go ALONG the corridor, then UP the stairs - so you always read the one along the bottom first).

My friends bought one of those maps for her parents with their house at the centre. Most cheerful :applause: I've been contemplating doing it for us here (but I'm not sure I walk enough to justify it sadly!)

We get a lot of DofE groups wandernig past here. I'm sure they're meant to be in groups of 4 or 5 but they've regularly joined forces by the time they get to us and there are often about 10 :rotfl: Sometimes they're ok, often they're lost and disagreeing about which way to go. I confess I do go out and help (if only to stop them shouting outside my house!)

Some of them are so far off where they're meant to be that I wonder how they'd ever get back! :eek: They're all pretty cheery though :j

greenbee

I know several people who've got the maps with their house at the centre and put them up on the wall. They look nice, and it's also a great way to explain what's nearby. I had one done for me at the last house, but didn't need one here as I'm pretty much in the middle already.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

UncannyScot wrote: »

I love what the chookyembra award scheme (what we call the DoE award scheme north o t wall ) does to promote the great ootdoors to young people... I wonder who will take it all on when the ole fella passes on? :think:

You made me think of the people in Vanuatu - i think that's what they call him in their language too :rotfl: Hasn't Andy got the gig already? I though the hand over was last year, or maybe earlier this year. One of Andy's daughter's is on the board of DoE too, if my fading brain cell serves me correctly.

UncannyScot wrote: »

Have a braw day wi the bairn today, hope the weather is grand where you are (((((HUGS)))))

We did, we DID! :j it was wonderful. The weather wasn't great - but it was still warm - so comfortable to sit outside IYSWIM. To think that all we did in effect was to take what we would have eaten indoors, outside in a tuPP3rwAr3 box, it just seemed, well, such a treat BG loved it, and commented as such - they want to do it again so we shall It costs nowt but a speck of time organising the snap bag

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

(with grid references GP, and maybe you know this already, you go ALONG the corridor, then UP the stairs - so you always read the one along the bottom first).

See now Cheery m'dear - I knew it was summat like that, but when it comes to actually REMEMBERING which comes first....... although looking at it now, A comes before U in the alphabet, so Along comes before Up, which is the sort of hook I need to better remember things, so maybe, just maybe I might be able to commit that one to memory. Thanks love!




Yes thinking about it, best of all, I would actually love BG to be ACTIVE - that sort of covers 'outdoorsy', but can incorporate sport or drama or a multitude of activities really. I agree though, that groups like Scouts or Guides (all the age categories of both), do enable young people to try out a wide variety of activities or things that maybe schools aren't able to. i guess it is still very dependent on the quality of the adult leadership - their abilities, enthusiasm and qualifications. But yes, again, I'd love for BG to be involved in something like that - to have the confidence to join in. Only time will tell, I guess. I don't think I would ever be a 'pushy' parent, and neither will we as parents be prepared to 'buy' the perfect childhood for BG (whatever that actually means), but developing curiosity to try things out, or to join in, or to experiment or to follow emergent interests - well, I have to hope we try our best with that aspect of parenting. I remember my mother being very unsupportive of me joining brownies. She said I wouldn't stick at it. Well, I didn't in truth, but I think that it had as much to do with the leaders being 'aged' 'respectable ladies' of the village - who were snowy owl, brown owl or top-banana owl for the sheer bragging rights, not anything to do with the shaping of young girls (it was girls only in those days), to become confident, competent young women. I don't think that troupe EVER went on camp - even overnight, which spoke volumes as to how church-hall-centric it was..... Apart from the one time we went on a walk around the village to get our 'nature' badge. We were nearing the end of the walk, and I'd got nothing to stick to a bit of paper and identify to get my badge. In desperation I picked the green stalk with the pretty red berries on it...... my dad was livid that they'd allowed me to pick deadly nightshade, with no means to wash hands etc......... :rotfl::eek::rotfl:


BG did show a great deal of interest in another child that joined us at lunchtime. The child had a new toy, literally just bought from the shop. BG recognised the character (heavily promoted/marketed character from a children's TV series), and was obviously watching every move of play until the child moved away. When we got home, BG started to whine that they wanted such a toy - they even mentioned giving up one of their favourite toys to 'secure' the new toy. This surprised me a little. I mean, I think all children do it - I know I did, but this was the first time that they have shown a real interest in having a specific (branded) toy. And the first time we've had pester power for a 'thing'. Perhaps we've been lucky up to now. And at least BG did mention charity shops - in the context of if such an item was in a charity shop, then maybe they could have the item. There is every possibility that that may happen - charity shops are full of toys, games and books - of all the current 'must have' characters. It'll be interesting to see if their desire for the item continues, or whether they forget about it. Thus far, in shops (charity or otherwise), we've been able to spot X, Y or Z and be content to leave it on the shelf, most of the time. I wonder if it will be harder in future to avoid, 'but I WANT it....' Fingers crossed.........


Tea this evening was tofu and red kidney bean chilli. I used up the remaining 2 cartons of marinaded tofu, one tin of RKB's and a punnet of passata, alomg with 2 onions, some red peppers and a splodge of garlic and assorted herbs and spices. Served with boiled basmati, it made a good feast and we scoffed the lot Dessert was strawberries and yoghurt and they were lush



I think I inadvertently snagged a nsd today! It's about blessed time But we spent nowt :j


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


simple pleasures/activities seen through the eyes of a child

people sharing spaces (everyone decided to descend on the oasis when they heard we'd be there............ :rotfl:)


spending nowt - f.i.n.a.l.l.y!!! :j


Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

Suffolk_lass

A bit late, but yes, you can order the centred maps on the OS web-site. It had never occurred to me that telephone boxes, pubs or PO might disappear off my older maps

Smurphington

I wouldn't worry BG will probably completely of forgotten it's existence by now ha. My daughter is 4 and I have always been careful not to frame toys as for boys or girls but rather letting her discover what she likes but she has suddenly started claiming anything blue is for boys and how girls can't do this or that. I use it as an opportunity to talk to her and encourage a different viewpoint but it shocked me!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:


Today has been great, but jam-packed.


I was caught under-dressed by a surprise visit from a tradesperson to price up a job........ :eek: After all that, they are going to have to come back 'with a ladder', so my embarassment might have been unnecessary And of course I have a dilemma if they don't return...... is it me? or my PJ's?????? :rotfl:



We went to a near-by-ish town today, made a donation to the FB there. BG handed over a little bag of treats too. And we were thanked - so all good



We went to the library, and chanced upon a copy of JM's tin can cook The librarian spoke highly of it so we shall see



Interestingly, on the 'must have' toys debate - in the library, BG found the carousel of DVD's - which obviously have a charge for loan (books don't), and asked for X, Y and Z - but seemed reasonably happy to leave them on the shelf when I said we weren't going to have any of them. They did however kick up a fuss about leaving the library - BG LOVES libraries Here's hoping that BG is really only asking for things, and not really wanting them with all their heart - and so 99 times out of 100 is happy to leave without the new 'thing'.



We were 'frightfully boring' and AGAIN had a picnic lunch - in the park this time BG loved it - although we chose a quieter spot today, and only had two young people playing tennis to distract us There was a modicum of inappropriate language, but hopefully BG didn't decipher it.........


The afternoon was spent in a garden of a chum. Mucho, mucho fun was had by all. The time flew - a bit too fast, and we left later than intended Hope we didn't disrupt their plans


Tea was pizza and pasta - as we were late and there was no time to cook owt. But it all got eaten, so........


I picked up 4 nectarines in the 'PotW' in mrL today for 45p. Time will tell if they ever ripen, they are currently like cricket balls.


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;


the sound of BG squealing and laughing with glee

wonderful tales of adventure

the tradesperson popping round - might be the start of progress????


Thanks for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

Cheery_Daff

:rotfl: at you being happened upon in your pjs Greying! :eek: I too was spotted in my nightware the other day :eek: by the neighbouring farmer :rotfl: I was out in the garden, which I confess is also on a public footpath :rotfl: but in my defence it was only 8am on a Saturday so... (I realise that's practically lunchtime to the farmer but not to me!)

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


I've been having a quick peek at the tin can cook, and I think there may be one or two recipes to try. After the success of JM's peach and chickpea curry, I think the red lentil and mandarin curry warrants being given a whirl


I also forgot to mention that I got a 1kg net of 'easy peelers' from h0m3 bargins yesterday too. They were produce of S Africa - and cost £1. They are Ok - not the juciest/sweetest, but certainly fruity


The fruit bowl is now overflowing, as they had lots of the nice type of apples in HB too, so I got a couple of bags.



The grocery budget is now looking a bit sad, but we've plenty of stores, and if the weather carries on in this vein, we'll be thankful of soups, stews, stodge and crumbles


Oh, I also needed some more smoked paprika, and spotted a jar in mrAl's herbs/spices selection. A jar cost 49p and had 40g in it I think. I thought this was quite a good price. Particularly if you are trying to build up a spice/herb store cupboard from scratch. I was also impressed that they had smoked paprika in too - I did only expect paprika in the more affordable lines.


I don't know what will be for tea tonight - not pizza and wedges, as we broke into the 'emergency' l/o pizza last night, so I don't want the same thing 2 nights on the trot But I might do tortelloni (I have some ambient product - 69p for 250g), in a tomato-based sauce and throw an ancient stick of garlic bread into the oven, with a fruit crumble. It'll probably be snowing by tea-time :rotfl:


Right, I cannae think of owt else :money: to witter on about. So I best shush and shuffle orf.



Ta for popping by. Appreciated.


Greying X

Silver_Queen

Greying, I am a huge fan of JM's spiced chicken and mandarin tagine - made with chickpeas instead, and with a couple of large handfuls of spinach thrown in at the end. Served with rice, couscous or quinoa - it's delicious!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Silver_Queen wrote: »

Greying, I am a huge fan of JM's spiced chicken and mandarin tagine - made with chickpeas instead, and with a couple of large handfuls of spinach thrown in at the end. Served with rice, couscous or quinoa - it's delicious!

I am armed and dangerous now, Silver Queen, as I today purchased a tin of mandarins (unfortunately in syrup ), so the world is my chickpea - but decisions, decisions - which JM recipe to try first????? :rotfl:


Gosh, time is whizzing. Where to start?



The free event that I mentioned a while back went on over the weekend. It was a nice event - small and very 'artisanally' put together, but we got enjoyment from going. It was something a bit different, in a location I have not visited in all my years on this planet - so a bit of a win-win It was a bit home-spun and woolly around the edges, but was free, so........ As there were refreshments on-site, we didn't feel right cracking open our picnic 'hamper' - we certainly wouldn't have comandeered a table which was the domain of the licensed caterer, so we went off to another remote 'country park'. Unfortunately, the weather changed, and the wind got up, and a rather manky picnic bench wasn't appealing - as neither were rather a lot of dogs that were running around off the lead, busy doing their business. Some was picked up by considerate owners.......... and........ so we stayed in the car and munched our lunch. Again, moving on from our lunch spot when the heaven's opened, we came across another attraction that we didn't know existed, but which will supply a wonderful - grab a lunch bag and dash over to destination - on any occasion when we want/need to get out of the house and grab a bit of fresh air. Other than fuel for the car - there would be no entrance fee :j



Our trip out cost fuel for the car, a £1 donation to charity - BG put it in the box, and an over-priced £3 'raffle ticket' from a wide-boy salesman type who didn't sell anything to me, but did [STRIKE]con[/STRIKE] get DH onside....... <rollseyessmilie> Personally, I think the charity should have got a bigger bung, and wide-boy should have taken a hike. I might need the services of the particular charity - I don't need what wide-boy was offering.......





Tea choices have been all over the place, partly because of time and partly because of insufficient of the right type of ingredients. But we've not starved


Tea this evening was Stevie Parle's Sri Lankan Cucumber Curry - made with some courgettes that I picked out of a 'FREE - please take some' box, found on my wanderings about I love this curry. it's so light and summery (I probably reel back on the chilli a bit), and I teamed it with lentil dhal and boiled basmati. I have some more courgettes (I used globe ones in the curry), that I plan on trying out a 'new to me' recipe with


DH has changed the blown lightbulb in the oven. He got replacements from w1ck3$ - I happened to notice in W1lk0's today, they stock the bulb too - at about 50p cheaper They stock fridge and....... mmmmm? Microwave? or freezer bulbs??? too. Definitely fridge and oven (both ES fitting??), not sure about the others.



Today I am grateful for these three things;

Help and assistance when I needed it - I asked and I got, and for that I'm grateful


Excellent care and attention to detail concerning a health matter for BG - our surgery really are great, definitely working for their patient's betterment


Free food! - I never take more than I use, and it gives me such pleasure to know I can make certain dishes because it's courgette season again :j



Ta for popping in. Time is whizzing, and I have probs missed out some of what we've been up to. Partly because of wanting to retain a shred of anonymity, partly because not everything we do is of a money-saving/debt-avoidance nature, and sometimes because I just plain forget But for sure, at the minute, my blessings are outnumbering my 'bl**%y h$311s' by about 9 million to one


Ta for popping by.


Greying X