Cooking for one (Mark Three)

Wednesday2000

It felt like Autumn yesterday, but it is warm and sunny today. I had the last crumpet and just went to get my prescription and it was quite hot on the walk back. I'm glad I switched to that pharmacy as they seem much better and quicker. They are open until 11pm on a Sunday! I bought a green smoothie from Tesco as I had forgotten my water bottle.

I had planned on having soup and a buttered roll again for lunch, but it is too hot for that.

Brambling

I'm back home 🙂 we left 7am and it was a smooth journey until the M25 which we crawled around until we made our escape taking a earlier exit than usual, it added just over the hour to the journey but quicker than the journey up.  My hip is not happy with so long in the car but at least it was my sister's turn to drive as I drove the first half. Definitely a place earmarked to go back one day, although the journey is a little off putting. His lordship has made his feeling very clear on being left 😾  I avoided his teeth but not his Claws! 

We smacked on toasted fruit bread and a cuppa at the M1 services which ended up as a early Lunch!  CBA and too tired to go out food shopping when I got home, I only need some fresh and have enough milk until after breakfast so I'll go tomorrow.  Raided the freezer for dinner and had a posh fish finger sandwich.

Good news when we got home my youngest nephew who has been job hunting (career change and he has been volunteering to build experience) he's been offered a part time job with the National Trust after a lot of 'you need more experience' job interviews, it's a step in the right direction for him and although not quite the job he's after is a step in the right direction and he is hoping will lead to a full time role in what he wants to do 

Farway

Sun's out & quite warm first thing when I went up to volunteer place to do some watering, despite the rain the pots get dry, and also a confidence check with the car petrol in diesel. Still running, so crossing fingers is working so far

Brambling said:
Good news when we got home my youngest nephew who has been job hunting (career change and he has been volunteering to build experience) he's been offered a part time job with the National Trust after a lot of 'you need more experience' job interviews, it's a step in the right direction for him and although not quite the job he's after is a step in the right direction and he is hoping will lead to a full time role in what he wants to do 

Let's hope it all works out, as we know sometimes once in a job other openings appear or are even made

I'm going over DDs later today, family gathering before summer hols is over & DGD goes way up Aberdeen area next week and her horticultural apprenticeship at Douneside House.

Thus, CFO is limited to toast for lunch, it'll be a veggie type buffet over DD's, but I'm taking along some mini M & S pork pies, pasties & Scotch eggs for us omnivores that will be there.

I know me & other DGD + boyfriend, who works in McD's will appreciate them

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Fingers crossed for your nephew Brambling. You should add an overnight midway next time to break the journey.
DS2 thinking he's found the root of our drain problem, a buried broken trap just within our boundary. Hard to see yet if the problem extends beyond the boundary line but that will need fixed anyway and he was planning to put a trap in that area and we've already bought the materials needed. The stuff for the deck roof is supposed to finally be delivered on Monday. No doubt it will arrive at the same time as the chimney sweep!
Pooch watching this afternoon/overnight for my sister. It's the first time Ari has stayed over for a while so I suspect it will be chaos for a bit before they settle down. Wee Frank is doing really well, unless anything shows up on his final tests or there's a blip he doesn't need to see the vet for two weeks and can stop wearing the buster collar on Monday. He's also beginning to gain weight and is allowed more exercise so hopefully he'll get back on track growth wise quite quickly. 
I need to investigate the freezer part of my fridge/freezer, either some numpty (me) didn't notice the door wasn't fully closed or there's something up with the door as it had popped slightly. Not enough to defrost things or set off the alarm but it's all gone a bit frosty on the outside of things.
Salady bits for lunch and HM burgers for dinner with salad and LO chippy chips from a takeaway DS2 had a few weeks ago. 

Wednesday2000

Our workman came over yesterday and is going to give us a quote about redoing our patio and he has to move the shed too. He is so much better than anyone else we have used since we have been here. Turns up when he says, turns up at the right time and works really quickly!

It feels quite warm today. I thought it was getting more Autumnal. I am going to wash all the duvet covers and pillowcases in the next few days while it is warm enough to line dry them.

I haven't eaten yet as I slept in really late. I had a vegan chicken kiev with a ton of steamed veggies last night and it filled me up. 

I need to look through the freezer later to see what needs using up before Ocado on Monday so it will be a freezer lunch.

Brambling

Good news re Frank Caronc 🙂 my sister and I have bounced the idea of visiting Scotland either next year or 2025 she reckons between us it's a day driving but after hobbling around today I think we will need to break the journey if I want to walk the next few days.  We shall have that discussion if we decide to make the trip 😁

Its been a lovely day to dry my holiday washing 🙂 looks like a Indian summer down here next week 🌞😡 then trip to Sainsbury's this morning to restock the fridge and this afternoon I popped around to drop a birthday card off to a elderly friend for tomorrow and did a few jobs for her.  

Beans on toast for a easy late lunch.  I planned prawns and stir fry veggies for dinner but just before cooking noticed the prawns brought this morning had a used by 01/09/23 date  and I don't like to risk seafood so it was just the veggies with a chilli sauce and I took the prawns back afterwards, was surprised to see the customer service guy was wearing a body cam. As it was after 7pm I went across the road to Waitrose to see if any bargains and picked are a £1.29 cook in the bag chicken which will now be dinner tomorrow and a 27p half pork fillet from the meat counter which has gone in the freezer they also had the Greek yogurt I couldn't get in Sainsbury's 🙂

Farway

Likewise for Indian summer, very muggy last night and hardly slept, or so it seemed anyway, sun is out & it's warm already

Driving to Scotland, my DGD is doing just that next week, from Southampton area to Aberdeen area, nearly the whole length of the country, and only passed her test a couple of months back . Luckily she is going in convoy with her BF, so they can watch out for each other, but I really don't think either appreciate just how far & tiring it will be, they flew up for the interview. They plan to stop overnight in Carlisle

Not much CFO involved today, I have some LO from yesterday's buffet, so I'll be picking at them

Lunch, mini pork pies + salad bits

Dinner, more salad bits and mini Scotch eggs

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Breaking the journey sounds the way to go Brambling and the Borders & Dumfries & Galloway are lovely if you don't fancy going too far up.
That is a long drive for DGD Farway, mind you it doesn't seem to bother the young ones. DS1 drove from Cardiff to here mainly in the dark just a few weeks after he passed his test. My heart was in my mouth but he said he enjoyed it. A month or so he then drove from Cardiff to Belgium, again mainly in dark, to "rescue" DIL-to-be after she broke her wrist. That was when I knew she was definitely "the one". 
Hector and Ari just played and played yesterday, I think they had missed each other! They both shattered come bed time. 
Sunny and warm here today, apart from thoroughly cleaning out the stove ready for it's annual sweep and service tomorrow and a bit of hoover round I had a lazy day yesterday. Need to crack on today, the greenhouse is needing de-jungled again and I think one of the tomato plants needs ditching as it's dying back. It's in the back corner and I think has suffered the most from the lack of light this summer.
Slow roasted topside for dinner, I'm aiming for pink and tender. It's a cut I usually pot roast in the slow cooker but DS2 isn't so keen on it that way. I'll make some red chimichurri to go with it rather than gravy etc. since the weather too nice to fancy a full roast. LOs for lunch.

Wednesday2000

My brother and his girlfriend drove to Scotland (from South London) last year, but they broke it up with stops along the way. I've never even been to Scotland. I would like to go one day.

I'm having a glass of lemon water and I'm trying to decide what to eat. I had two veggie chicken wraps last night and I have two tortilla wraps left.

I have one tin of kidney beans left from when I bulk bought them during the pandemic, but it doesn't feel like the right weather for chili!

I'm going to catch up with YouTube. I always do that on a Sunday as two of the people I follow bring videos out.

Brambling

Definitely the confidence of youth Farway 🙂 TBH I don't like driving probably because I didn't learn until I was 40! My car is getting over the shock of doing 900 miles in a week and my sister's driving 

another warm day I got too hot in the green house lunchtime, the tomatoes were slightly neglected when I was away and no tomatoes picked    i think I should have roasted some when the oven was on tonight I may make some tomato pasta sauce to freeze tomorrow and offload some to my sister as there are rather a lot.  

The furry tyrant decided to wake me silly o'clock sleeping on my head   he knows it's not allowed I think I'm still being punished 

Food wise has been a YS day 😁 poached salmon from Waitrose with watercress salad for lunch, I do like their poached salmon but I'm too tight MSE to buy unless it's SO and YS the second piece is in the freezer.  Dinner was the chicken I picked up yesterday (which is bigger than expected so the menu plan for the week has been rejigged) with gifted runner beans, carrots, jacket potatoes and roasted corn on the cob with chilli butter. A cooked a couple of extra potatoes for wedges this week and extra veg for LOs 

whilst we were queuing for lunch at Alnwick we got chatting to a American couple and ended up translating some of the food for them 😁 jacket potato, coronation chicken, scones and did the British really eat battered sausages with chips 😁