Light the fire...

savingholmes

I've had the electric blanket on at times this week the weather has just been awful. 

Hope you have lots of fun filled days 

LeighofMar

Great job on the business loan. Your motorhome holiday sounds wonderful. We like to travel by RV too. 

woodfired

Thanks everyone for your comments cheering me on! Means a lot

Just checking in on a more normal Monday.  DH has been back at work today so I have been able to get some jobs done with him out from under my feet . I have done some washing and hung out to dry, trimmed and tied up my tomato plants in the greenhouse, watered all plants, cleaned the kitchen, completed DH's VAT return and paid it, helped with the stock delivery at the shop and am now prepping dinner.  A productive day so far.  I'm waiting for a grocery delivery later this afternoon so there is still that on my to-do list but most jobs have been crossed off.

We had a good few hours in the garden over the weekend in between the rain.  Its getting like a jungle with all the warm wet weather so we set-to and hacked back quite a few areas including the lane outside our drive which was hideously overgrown and set off the beepers on the vehicles as you drove past all the time!  It all looks so much neater now and should make the autumn clear up so much easier in a few weeks.  We also managed a cheap night away again in our little motorhome which was great.  Took our own food and wine and spent a happy hour cooking dinner on the river bank about 40mins from home.  A quick, cheap little getaway that made the most of a few hours of sunshine on Friday afternoon/evening and felt like a special treat. We were back in front of the fire at home (was pouring rain AGAIN) by 10.30am on Saturday ha.

I've been continuing to try to eat all the courgettes from the garden and this morning made some lovely vegetable fritter/pancakes that were inspired by a korean vegetable pancake recipe I saw. Dead easy, no measuring just a throw it in by eye type recipe that turned out really well and I have extra portions of pancakes for the next two mornings that will reheat in the airfryer.  I served them with poached eggs and some chilli jam and it was a very acceptable breakfast that probably covered most of my 5 a day.  Lunch was soup and dinner is roast chicken, which is currently in the remoska, with (more) vegetables and homegrown potatoes tossed in butter. 

Ok, I'd better go and bring the washing in, the sky is looking a bit ominous! WF x

savingholmes

Glad you are managing to get some mini breaks in. I'm looking forward to the sun returning this week and have provisionally booked a day off. Can't wait!

lucielle

Love the impromptu break, sometimes they’re the best! Enjoy the courgettes. 

L

woodfired

Thanks SH & Lucielle.  I have entered my courgettes in the village horticultural society show next week so I need to refrain from eating them for a week now lol!  

Another camping related update this week folks.  We have just spent a fabulous couple of nights in a field on a river in Settle with a lovely bunch of people, laughing until our sides hurt, playing rounders and just having an all round ball.  Its been fabulous.  All food and drinks taken with us so another frugal weekend too yet such fun.  It was brill.

Elsewhere this week:

*  I paid just over a thousand pounds off the tax bill, will keep chipping away at that over the next few weeks.

*  Ate my courgette/veg fritters each morning with eggs for brekkie.  Made lovely salads every lunch with a chicken I roasted at the start of the week so got lots of healthy veggies in and am feeling a bit less sluggish as a result.  I also lost a couple of pounds so will try to keep this up.

*  Spent quite a bit of time sorting out the tomato plant jungle and getting on with general garden maintenance whilst the weather allowed.  That is now looking much tidier.

* I emptied every laundry hamper and washed and dried everything whilst the weather was good, including our bedding.  All folded and put away (although wet, muddy weekend washing now requires attention).

* Tidied and cleaned the house prior to going away so all clean and smart when we got home today which I always appreciate.

Not a bad week but a few jobs I need to get on with this week on top of the usual, including:

+  Clean the motorhome - it is filthy as the weather was awful whilst packing up this morning.

+  Put up awning on the lawn and leave to dry.  Then fold and put away.

+  Clean awning carpet.

+  Meal plan and food shop - Mum is on her hols this week leaving Dad at home so will make him some nice dinners too.

+  Wash & dry children's bedding

+  Order new school uniform from specialist supplier

+  Source generic uniform and new shoes for both children

I'm sure there's lots more but that will do.  We are having a naughty take away tonight as a treat as we haven't had one for ages and we are all very  tired.  I need to pop out and collect it.  Have a happy week all. WF xx

lucielle

Used to live near Settle. Nice part of the world. 

L

savingholmes

Glad you had fun. Good to create memories too.

woodfired

lucielle said:

Used to live near Settle. Nice part of the world. 

L

Wow, it is a beautiful place! My Dad's family farmed around the Ingleton/Clapham area so it's a bit of a spiritual home to me and I often say I could happily live there.  Its gorgeous.

savingholmes said:

Glad you had fun. Good to create memories too.

Thanks SH, we seem to have done lots of that this summer.  We've been very lucky. 


I've been a bit rubbish today and had a bit of a lazy day - I'm still catching up from the weekend it would seem.  I've done a bit of tidying and a bit of work from home.  Helped at the shop with the warehouse order and visited my Mum who is off on her holidays tonight.  I also evicted the cat from the motorhome where he had spent the night after sneaking in to sleep - and cleaned up the wet patch he left behind as a result grrr.  It's lucky I needed a box of eggs I'd left in there or who knows what mess would have been made by the time I found him.  Naughty boy.

Dinner this evening was a lazy one, Chilli con carne from the freezer for DH and a noodle salad for me with 75p cooked noodles I picked up on yellow sticker from Co-op last night.  I had half for lunch and the other half for dinner with prawns, winter salad type veggies and a peanut butter, soy, sweet chilli and lemon juice dressing - it was really tasty and filling.  I was happy to eat it twice lol. The children had chicken burgers to use up some brioche buns that I opened last week and needed eating.  Quick and easy on a dreary night.

We are now sat in front of the (lit) fire with a cup of tea - it feels like Autumn.
Hopefully the promised good weather will materialise tomorrow so I can get on with some outside jobs. Fingers crossed x

lucielle

A lazy day is sometimes what’s needed. 

L