An in-between phase

EssexHebridean

The metal bucket would definitely be useful - I’d take that! We forage plums most years, and sometimes things like crab apples too - although that’s not really the same as finding them. 

When we lived in the flat we used to occasionally benefit from items left either in the communal hallway with a note saying free, please take, or dumped in the bin store. In our shed currently there is a broom, large spirit level and a drill (albeit missing it’s battery), several china plant pots that fall into this category - and there have been plenty of other things too. I occasionally spot books in those little mini libraries on walls etc and grab those although I’m never quite sure of the etiquette there - are you meant to leave one in return? 

The TRE/diet thing - yes, as I said the issue is that the way the diet industry have “claimed it” by couching it in non-diet terminology- something they do a lot, sadly. There are an awful lot of folk out there who have to eat a certain way due to medical requirements, and sadly either the diet industry or the wellness brigade have attempted to claim most of them (see “gluten is bad” and Tim Spector’s ludicrous encouragement of perfectly healthy people to obsess about blood sugar spikes for examples) - this is particularly problematic because it leads to those with those genuine needs facing problems where the assumption is that they are just choosing to eat that way, not that they have to. A good example is those living with coeliac disease who run the risk of being given foods with traces of gluten when food servers fail to realise that their need for a GF diet isn’t just them being faddy - something which can have incredibly serious outcomes. This is why I’ve got issues with the way the diet industry appropriate things! It’s a really interesting area - albeit definitely one of those where you need to be very careful that Dunning-Kruger doesn’t take hold! (See personal trainers giving diet advice and eating plans with no qualifications to do so!) One example of a company who originally stated their product was “not a diet” is N00m - they advertised it as everything but a diet for years, but after a LOT of calling out by various people with influence to do so, they have now reverted to marketing it as a weight loss plan. This is at least heartening as at least now they are being truthful rather than duping folk! 

 Completely agree that sometimes the right decision is to abandon a book that is just too tough to read to be enjoyable. I just finished Bill Bryson’s “Made in America” - now I love his writing as a rule, but this one was very different and far drier than most of his stuff. It was still interesting, but a far more challenging read than I expected! It will be kept anyway - as it can sit on the shelf with his others, most of which will get read again, and again..! Ultimately reading - unless doing it to learn something specific - should be enjoyable, so if it’s not, time to read something else! 

PennysIntoPounds

Never hurts to have a gander @foxgloves!
(That is not supposed to read that it never hurts to have a gander at foxgloves- unless she is wearing her amazing technicoloured dreamcardi)

Would be so useful if any of my neighbours could get rid of a couple of bathroom cabinets in decent condition...

Actually I need a spirit level too @EssexHebridean, do give me a heads up if you're going to leave it somewhere in North London 😁 I think the etiquette with mini libraries is to donate one back when you have one to get rid of but it doesn't have to be a swap then and there 

kayannie

@EssexHebridean. I agree with your views on people opting for gluten free diets that don't need it for a diagnosed medical condition. One of my daughters was diagnosed with coeliac disease by having a biopsy at just over a year old - she is now in her 50's. If she's eating out & asks for gluten free food, the restaurant staff will often assume that she's just a faddy eater, although she sometimes mentions that she is a coeliac. 

The upside that this brings is that there is now more gluten free food available - the free - from aisle in the supermarkets gets bigger every year! When my daughter was diagnosed, unless I attempted to make it, the only gf bread available was on prescription. This came in a tin that had to be boiled before it could be eaten. It tasted horrible & the only way to make it remotely edible was by toasting it! 

If gf food was still like that, not so many people would want it!

KA

PennysIntoPounds

Happy Saturday all!

Tidying
Admin

25 minute walk
Comping

Some very small progress updating LPA forms

15 minute carpet walk reading

Have set up a new ebay account, hopefully they won't randomly close this one for no reason!
I'm feeling slightly stressy about using it as have heard so many bad reports as well as my own experience, but it's not fair for me to keep giving Mr PIP extra tasks when he has enough to do (including an actual job!)

20 minute walk going to the pub. Have been very good at resisting lately and I wanted some alone time admiring the nice weather. Weekly budget covers it. Got a few more answers on the crossword, entered an Insta comp, and started a new book

Found a long and deep ceramic dish which I'm guessing is a fish baking dish but it's too good quality for me to not try to find some use for it...

Mum mentioned cheesy potatoes and baked tomatoes for dinner but is feeling a bit wiped out from her covid booster and is currently asleep so I'll start sorting that out soon
(as in, prepping the food, not waking her up demanding she cook 😁)

KajiKita

Dinner sounds good. 😊 Please tell me more about the baked tomatoes; method, flavours etc.

KK

Sun_Addict

Intrigued as to what you’re going to do with a spirit level should one become available 🤔

Another good find with the ceramic dish - 😮 

PennysIntoPounds

Nothing fancy on the baked tomatoes front @KajiKita, they're too nice unadorned! Splash out on vine tomatoes, rinse obvs, cut them in half (dividing the bit where it's been attached to the vine and the bottom so it's got 'cups' of skin), pre heat oven and baking tray to gas mark 6 or equivalent for a few mins, stick 'em in, turn after ten mins, give them another ten, and adjust times in future depending on how firm or gloopy you like them! 
Such a good way of getting tomatoey antioxidant goodness in- fitting one tomato into a sandwich without the entire thing falling apart: troublesome, fitting loadsa tomatoes in as a side dish to your dinner all warm and near bursting; no problem scoffing the lot. Might have to set up a vine tomatoes savings pot!

This ceramic dish seems to be brand new and really decent @Sun_Addict, chuffed with my find despite having no idea what to use it for 😁
The spirit level will be respectfully asked to commune with the levels on this mortal plane so I can put up pictures and shelves (and bathroom cabinets🤞) without it looking too shoddy

EssexHebridean

I’m afraid our spirit level will be staying firmly in the shed PiP - sorry about that! It’s a monster one, somewhere about 4’ long, so a really decent find!  And thanks for your take on the free libraries too - that was pretty much my take on it, so good to know I’ve been doing it right! 

PennysIntoPounds

That is an impressive length to find @EssexHebridean (where's @Blackcats, there's a smutty fnar to be had!)
Your comment about the street library has reminded me I need to donate a plant cutting to the neighbourhood table I rescued the rose from, when there's moderate enough weather that I won't just be throwing an innocent plant to the elements!

KajiKita

Ah, okay, you cook them for a bit longer than I do. Worth remembering. I add a sprinkle of black pepper on them as I serve them 😊

KK