Away From The Madding Crowd

Humboldt

Morning all.

@bluenose1 I was gifted The Christmas Chronicles several years ago, and I enjoy rereading it each year. Thank you for sharing your festive activities, and I hope that you enjoyed the carol concert.

@Brie your latest comment is a reminder to others that "it's good to talk".  I hope that things are improving for you.

Simple pleasures - returning home after a few days visiting family and friends.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Sometimes all you hear about is the hate, but there is more love in this world than you could possibly imagine – from the book The Boy, the mole, the fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.

Money saving.

Our monthly budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 1 spend for December was £69.56. 

Gained a further 300 Nect@r points by completing task 3 in the S@insbury’s ‘C0unt up to Christmas Challenge’.  I have long since learnt that even the smallest of wins make a difference.   

Bought more paint from B+Q via my Nect@r account to gain more points.  I also used another £5 voucher code that B+Q sent me following my last purchase.  In fact, B+Q have sent me yet another £5 voucher code which I will use in January.  That will be £15 saved, so it was worth me signing up to the free B+Q members club.

December’s premium bond win was £25 (2024 total to date is £1,275).

DH received a free packet of ‘extremely chocolatey biscuits@ via his M+S Sp@rks App.  Although it is me who generally buys things from M+S, we both signed up to the App to maximise the offers.  

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Away overnight.

Tuesday – Away overnight.

Wednesday – Dine in meal (purchased on our way home).

Thursday – Sausages in rich onion gravy (H@iry D!eters recipe), swede/carrot mash (from the freezer) and spiced red cabbage (from the freezer).  Venison sausages were from Ald! when on offer at £2.99 and were frozen until required.

Friday –  Wild garlic pesto and goats cheese pizza.  I will make a sourdough base for the pizza, and the pesto is also homemade (from the freezer).  To utilise the oven, I will bake a homemade sourdough loaf.

Saturday – Baked fish with chorizo crust (H@iry D!eters recipe), butterbean mash (G0od Fo0d recipe) and whatever green vegetables are on offer i.e. green beans, sugar snap peas, kale, etc.  Cod was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Sunday – Roasted red pepper, tomato, and basil soup (from one of my cut-out recipe scrap books), with homemade sourdough bread.

Healthier lifestyle.

Completed 0 online workouts.

Completed 2 free meditations.

Step count last week was 57,811.

Simple pleasures.

DH and I have been away visiting family and friends.  Our time was filled with chatter, laughter, and festive activities.  One of the many highlights, was a day trip to London, where we enjoyed the fabulous Christmas displays. 

Books read 16/24 – The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse.  A free book from the local book swap. The author has written many best sellers, including Labyrinth and Sepulchre, both of which I have read. 

‘Do you believe in ghosts?’ It’s 1928.  Freddie Watson is still grieving for his brother, lost in the Great War.  Driving through the foothills of the French Pyrenees, his car spins off the road in a snowstorm.  Freddie takes refuge in an isolated village and there meets a beautiful captivating woman.  They spend the night talking of love and loss and war.  But by daybreak, Fabrissa has vanished and Freddie realises he holds the key to an ancient mystery that leads him deep into the mountains, to a cave that has concealed an appalling secret for 700 years …

I love the historical detail this author includes in her novels, plus this book was the perfect winter’s tale.  Highly recommended. 

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

The first Christmas was simple.  It’s ok if yours is too – Imperfectly Simple.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 2 spend for December was £56.07.  Total spend to date for December is £125.63.

Bought a Pukk@ tea advent calendar in Waitr0se, reduced from £12.99 to £3.25. A good price for a nice selection of 24 different teas.

Bought a tub of Ba!ley’s ice-cream in Her0n Fo0ds for only £2. The perfect accompaniment to warm homemade mince pies.

This week’s main menu.

Monday –  Chicken jalfrezi (H@iry D!eters recipe) with M+S chilli & smoked garlic naan.  Both the chicken and naan were reduced in price and frozen until required.

Tuesday –  North African squash and chickpea stew (R!ver C0ttage Veg recipe).

Wednesday – Baked potato with smoked mackerel filling (‘the perfect baked potato’ BB( Fo0d recipe) and a large mixed salad.  I will utilise the oven by cooking a homemade rye sourdough loaf, and roasting chicken wings which will be made into stock for the Christmas gravy.

Thursday –Broccoli and stilton soup (G0od F0od recipe) with homemade rye sourdough loaf.  Broccoli was reduced in price; stilton was from the freezer.

Friday – Italian meatballs with chunky tomato sauce (H@iry D!eters recipe), with whole-wheat spaghetti.  Meatballs were reduced in price and frozen until required. Fresh oregano from the garden.

Saturday – Spanish-style chicken bake (H@iry D!eters recipe).  I will replace the new potatoes with carrots and sweet potatoes, and use the other half of the chorizo that I bought last week.  I will utilise the oven by cooking a batch of homemade Christmas sausage rolls.

Sunday – Haddock fillet with a salt & pepper dusting, oven chips and peas (frozen).  Fish was reduced in price and frozen until required.  I will utilise the oven by cooking a homemade sourdough loaf.

Healthier lifestyle.

Completed 1 free online workout this week.

Completed 5 free meditations this week.

Last week’s step count was 65,433.

Simple pleasures.

Christmas gift wrapping.

Planted some forgotten about tulip bulbs in pots. Possibly a bit late, but it’s worth a try.

Receiving Christmas cards with handwritten notes in them.

DH and I spent a lovely afternoon at a festive charity event held at our local brewery.  A nice selection of craft and food items.

Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

bluenose1

Lovely update @Humboldt and very impressed with your bargain tea calendar and ice cream.
I have mostly wrapped all my presents but sorry I bought such thick wrapping paper as  the sellotape keeps undoing. First world problems.
Had lovely Christmas meal in small, local French Bistro yesterday with hubby,  They played  Christmas music while we ate and felt very festive. The owner is a dance teacher and was showing me the Jive while we were eating, was good for the soul

Humboldt

Morning @bluenose1 thank you as always, for taking the time to comment. I could picture that beautiful little French Bistro in my mind whilst reading your lovely description.  

Today's simple pleasure - I watched Vivi's latest post 'Tre@ts for a tenner' whilst having my breakfast.  I found 'Wh@t V!vi did next' on Y0uTube during lockdown, and since then, she often accompanies me whilst I am doing something in the kitchen.  Her post this morning was very humbling and just shows that things need not cost lots to bring joy.

Humboldt

Merry Christmas to all.

Motivational quote of the week.

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags.  It came without packages, boxes, and bags.  And he puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.  What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more – How the Grinch stole Christmas by Dr Seuss.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 3 spend for December was £90.08.  Because this shop included items for Christmas, we used a £50.00 voucher gained via our credit card points, resulting in a reduced cost of £40.08.  Total spent to date for December is £165.71.

We used another voucher gained by our credit card points to purchase a few alcoholic beverages for the festive season.

Bought a real leather crossover handbag in TK M@x, reduced from £79.00 to £24.99.  A replacement for my current bag which I have had for over 5 years, and cost me 99p on eB@y!

Whilst visiting family last week, I purchased Du(hy Organic strong white bread flour (1.5kg) for £2.00 and Du(hy Organic stoneground strong wholemeal bread flour (1.5kg) for £2.20.   Both of which I thought were a good price for organic bread flour for those who live near a Waitr0se, I bought 2 of each because we do not.

I will take advantage of the seasonal reductions on vegetables, using them over the festive period and beyond.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Eating out with family who arrive today.

Tuesday – Spaghetti Bolognese.  Mince was reduced in price and frozen until required.  I will cook the bolognese in the slow cooker whilst we wait for more family to arrive today.

Wednesday – Turkey, orange and maple glazed gammon, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets, spiced red cabbage, potatoes roasted in duck fat, swede/carrot mash, sprouts, honey roasted parsnips and broccoli.  Followed by homemade B@ileys cheesecake and B@ileys ice cream, then coffee and after dinner treats. In the evening, a cheese board with crackers, olives, dried figs, dates, grapes, homemade chilli jam, chutney, and warm homemade sausage rolls. Oh, my goodness what a feast!

Cranberry sauce and spiced red cabbage were made earlier and frozen until required.  Duck fat was bought at a reduced price in January and is still in date. Chipolatas and sausage meat were reduced in price and frozen until required. B@ileys ice cream was only £2 from Her0n. We were gifted a lovely cheese hamper from friends for Christmas. Wine, chocolates and after dinner mints  were contributed by family.

Thursday – Cold leftover meats, pork pie, homemade coleslaw, and salads, with chutney/pickles.  A choice of leftover cheesecake, homemade stollen, or homemade warm mince pie with B@ileys ice cream. Stollen and mince pies were made earlier and frozen until required. Mincemeat was bought at a reduced price in January and is still in date.

Friday – Homemade turkey and gammon pie with roasted vegetables (still using leftovers). I will use a reduced-fat puff pastry for the pie.

Saturday – Ping meal – as above (cook once, eat twice – saves on time and energy costs).  Today I will strip the turkey and use the carcass to make stock in the slow cooker, which I will then freeze.

Sunday – Turkey curry (using leftover turkey) and a small portion of brown rice, and homemade onion bhaji from the freezer.  I will use a jar of readymade curry sauce and cook the curry in the slow cooker.  Family will have left, so a day to relax and catch-up on Christmas tv!  

Healthier lifestyle (not so healthy over the festive season).

Completed 0 free online workouts last week.

Completed 3 free meditations last week.

Step count last week was 38,000.

Simple pleasures.

Free Waitr0se magazines. I love the recipes, many of which are included in my recipe scrap books.

DH and I supported our local Christmas tractor run.  This wonderful event is not only a festive spectacle, but also raises much needed funds for a local charity.

Spending Christmas with family.  As parents and children get older, I am aware that we must make the most of these times.

Christmas music. The perfect accompaniment to Christmas food prep.

Christmas stockings filled with inexpensive gifts.  I think that the Sp0uty P@nts game bought in The W0rks for £3 will provide lots of fun entertainment.

Thank you for dropping by and for taking the time to read my diary.

jwil

I'll be over for Christmas dinner, it sounds lovely!

bluenose1

Lovely festive motivational quote @humboldt and great update. Love the insight into your menu plan over Christmas. Just added pork pies and sausage rolls to get from M&S tomorrow as a good idea to add to my Boxing Day table. 

Considering I have adult children I seem to have bought as much as when they were kids. We need to agree on a Christmas Eve movie to watch together and will no doubt have our usual debate as hubby likes violence and I like comedy or romance.
Have a lovely Christmas.

Humboldt

Hi @jwil sorry I missed your post before Christmas.  There was plenty of food for an extra one!  I hope that you had a fabulous Christmas.

@bluenose1 our Christmas Eve movie of choice is N@tional Lampo0n's Christmas Vacati0n.  It has some great one liners.  We had a lovely Christmas, hope that you did too.

Today's simple pleasure - Christmas leftovers.

jwil

Thank you, I did have a good Christmas, glad you did too.