Tales from The Shire

PurpleFairy26

You have been busy fortune I lost my tomato plants to frost. Managed to save one which I bought back inside and it's flourished. I bought some plants yesterday from a local cooperative who are fund raising for a polytunnel. I was very impressed with them (wasn't sure what to expect) and have kept several inside until they are stronger and bigger. 

I've sent people a few treats during this time and they have been much appreciated. Think it's just nice to have a break from the (current) normal. Agree with you about r1vrf0rd and their recipes. There boxes have been fabulous quality too. 

Enjoy your weekend, Purps. 

rtandon27

Fortune - we tried out the sausage with red veg recipe last night - really lovely sticky sweet sauce!  Highly recommend that recipe, thank you for posting the link.  Alongside, we fried up a package of pumpkin gnocchi that was languishing at the back of the fridge.  OH could not believe I was letting him have sausages for his second solid meal after two weeks on liquids!   😂😂😂 I'm not going to point out just how much veg he had!!! - RT xx

Fortune_Smiles

PurpleFairy26 said:

You have been busy fortune I lost my tomato plants to frost. Managed to save one which I bought back inside and it's flourished. I bought some plants yesterday from a local cooperative who are fund raising for a polytunnel. I was very impressed with them (wasn't sure what to expect) and have kept several inside until they are stronger and bigger. 

I've sent people a few treats during this time and they have been much appreciated. Think it's just nice to have a break from the (current) normal. Agree with you about r1vrf0rd and their recipes. There boxes have been fabulous quality too. 

Enjoy your weekend, Purps. 

Hi there Purps 😀

I received an unexpected, belated, birthday present through the post and it was such a lovely surprise I thought I would pay it forward.  I've been sending cheese and wine or afternoon tea hampers for birthday presents so that people can have a little 'event' for their special day.  It's not very MS, of course, but you can't put a price on bringing a little happiness at this time.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

rtandon27 said:

Fortune - we tried out the sausage with red veg recipe last night - really lovely sticky sweet sauce!  Highly recommend that recipe, thank you for posting the link.  Alongside, we fried up a package of pumpkin gnocchi that was languishing at the back of the fridge.  OH could not believe I was letting him have sausages for his second solid meal after two weeks on liquids!   😂😂😂 I'm not going to point out just how much veg he had!!! - RT xx

Hi there RT 😀

glad you enjoyed the recipe.  Most of the ones I choose are on the basis of speed, convenience and what needs using up in the fridge.  They aren't always a success but this one usually turns out well.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Recap

It's over a week since I last posted - not sure how that happened.  Anyhoo, it feels as though now would be a good time to have a recap on our lockdown goals.

Financial Health 💰

• our savings are pretty much keeping pace with the spreadsheet I set up at the start of all of this.  Mr F has had a letter confirming his bonus and payrise but leaving the timescales for payment vague
• our grocery spends have come down to a reasonable level although still higher than pre-Covid.  I think this is because Mr F is home all the time now so needs more feeding!  Although I think food prices have increased too
• our annex is still closed.  We decided not to open for key workers as they generally require longer stays and we wouldn't be able to give them access to a washing machine.  Self-catering holiday lets may be able to open from July if the R Rate remains low so we will open then if we are able.  I've changed our minimum stay to 3 nights and removed the 10% discount we usually give for week long stays.  We'll probably need (and be required) to leave 72 hours between bookings so it wouldn't be worth our while to open without making the changes.

Physical Health 🏃‍♀️

• we have been able to start harvesting from the veg garden 😁  Just radishes and lettuce for now but it's very satisfying.  Everything has germinated and is thriving except for the spring onions which are a bit patchy.  A kind friend delivered two tomato and two cavolo nero plants yesterday.  Typically, my own tomato seeds have started to germinate.  One from the seeds I bought and several from the tomato slices I planted.  Friend's plants are mystery tomatoes.  She planted bought seeds and slices of tomatoes from the supermarket and then got them muddled up so they could be anything 😆
• we are still having a few small treats in our diets - a coffee with cream each day, an ice cream in the afternoon.  I have flattened the waistline curve for the moment though 😂  It's a matter of reducing the R rate now 🤣
• I am continuing with C25K slowly, repeating weeks so that I don't put too much pressure on my joints.  Also yoga, although I did miss last week's session.

Mental Health 🤸‍♀️

• Mr F has had one, outdoor, socially distant visit with DS1.  I stayed inside as I have lots of video socialising opportunties at the moment while Mr F doesn't have as much.  DS2 is due to visit Mr F on Saturday.  I have had a short chat (or rather shout from a distance) with neighbours I met on our lane and the friend who delivered the plants
• we are still have regular video calls with family and friends
• my creative outlet this week has been writing.  I've made some progress with a short story and also won a national Haiku competition 😎  I won a £20 book token and the glory of winning a high brow, literary competition.  I was astounded tbh.
• we've not had to venture out at all as most places are delivering, although Mr F will have to pick up some fuel at some point as we can't maintain our land without it.

We're not at all inclined to go out in the world.  One of our near neighbours has just tested positive for the virus and we live in a tiny, isolated hamlet of just 5 houses.  Plus it seems as though the number of cases are increasing in the local hospitals.  I would very much like to be tested for antibodies as I think Mr F and I may have had Covid.  I did have a bug with all the described symptoms, although it was some time ago.  I also spent time with a friend before lockdown who almost certainly had it at the time.  We shall see.

My next writing group challenge is "The first thing I'll do...."  When it's safe to get back in the water, the first thing I'll do is visit my local independent book shop.  I'd love to be able to pick the books up and browse through before making a decision about which to buy.  Then sit down and start reading in the cafe area with a steaming cappuccino and slice of fresh-baked cake.

What will you do?

Fortune x


 

PurpleFairy26

What a lovely update fortune Congratulations on the win! 

food is definitely more expensive and I think that’s probably just here to stay and I hope people continue to support local where they can when restrictions are lifted. 

I’m with you in that I’m not in any rush to get back out in the world. Like most, I’d definitely like to see my family face to face. The change in pace has bought us many pleasures, and for that I’m very grateful 

themadvix

Congratulations on your win Fortune!

You sound like you're really enjoying this new way of life, which is good to hear. I, too, have no desire for everyone to start rushing about again. A simpler way of life is good (albeit with a bit more socialising!).

beanielou

Lovely news on your win 

VintageHistorian

Congratulations on the win Fortune!

Last month I calculated our extra food spends and realised that most of it was simply a transfer of food from work (me once a week, DH twice a week, plus occasional snacks) to the supermarket. There was a bit extra on top, but it wasn't as bad as I had thought, we'd spend most of the money anyway but wouldn't notice as much as it would come out in dribs and drabs during the month.

Fortune_Smiles

PurpleFairy26 said:

What a lovely update fortune Congratulations on the win! 

food is definitely more expensive and I think that’s probably just here to stay and I hope people continue to support local where they can when restrictions are lifted. 

I’m with you in that I’m not in any rush to get back out in the world. Like most, I’d definitely like to see my family face to face. The change in pace has bought us many pleasures, and for that I’m very grateful 

Thank you Purps.  We are still managing to get T£$co deliveries, however, they are concentrating on essential products so there are some things we'd usually buy that we can't get.  It's really Mr F being at home that's making the difference.  If he's away for two weeks I can get by on just one shop rather than two.  He's expensive to keep 😆

Fortune x