Away From The Madding Crowd

uralmaid

@Nebulous2 - just Wow!

Katiehound

Today's free enjoyment (sadly not the weather!- cold & grey)

saw a wren in the garden right up near the house
Now 2 snowdrops!

The hound is doing well.
We did our usual walk this morning, haven't been that far for 10 days and he was able to trot round part of the field. I wouldn't let him go the whole way: I can't carry a 26 kg hound! he is off the drugs & eating well.
The hall runner has been vigourosly scrubbed and is dry! 
 His head is slightly tilted and he has the very odd wobble but it is hard to remember what he was like last Wednesday.  He is not allowed up the stairs.... yet. He certainly improves every day, so hopefully he will be running soon.

ShyAndRetiring

  Welcome back from your hols @Humboldt - glad you've settled back into your joyful routines and simple pleasures. It's lovely to get away but it's also brilliant when home is a joy to come back to.

We're as far 'dahn sarf' as you can get before reaching France and it's wonderfully mild but alas no snowdrops at all in our front garden yet. We planted some when we first moved in several years ago and always secretly hope that one year they will just appear, especially as they're my 'birth flower' (January birthday). Not this year it seems.

Looking forward to hearing more about your reading, I'm always trying to make more time to read so glad to be inspired by your thread!

Wishing you well for February, S&R  

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure I've planted snowdrops twice. My neighbour has some, and I've seen them over the road, but nothing in my garden. :-(

Clowance

Savvy_Sue said:

I'm sure I've planted snowdrops twice. My neighbour has some, and I've seen them over the road, but nothing in my garden. :-(

I believe you are meant to plant them "in the green" for best results, https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/snowdrops/growing-guide
I will have a look outside, being on south coast there should be some although haven't noticed any yet.
best wishes. 

Savvy_Sue

Clowance said:

Savvy_Sue said:

I'm sure I've planted snowdrops twice. My neighbour has some, and I've seen them over the road, but nothing in my garden. :-(

I believe you are meant to plant them "in the green" for best results, https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/snowdrops/growing-guide
I will have a look outside, being on south coast there should be some although haven't noticed any yet.
best wishes. 

I'm sure we've done that once, but I guess I can but try again ....

I want Lily of the Valley too, yes I know it's actually a pernicious weed once it gets a grip, but I haven't managed that either. 

Humboldt

@Nebulous2 I echo @uralmaid's comment  'just - Wow!'  

@BrilliantButScary I had to google Arisaig.  It looks absolutely beautiful. When OH and I fully retire, we hope to do a road trip around that area. 

@Katiehound thanks for the update on 'the hound'.  So pleased to read that he is doing well.

@ShyAndRetiring and @Savvy_Sue snowdrops appear to be temperamental.  As @Clowance says, best planted in the green, but still no guarantees.  I guess they like the dappled shade of trees/shrubs as per Nebulous2's fabulous pics, unfortunately I cannot provide that type of environment.

@Savvy_Sue my outlaws used to have lots of lily of the valley in their front garden, despite my efforts, they never took to my garden.  

On 31st January I received my 1st anniversary badge. Where does time go?  At the risk of repeating myself, retirement/semi-retirement takes some adjustment and we all do it differently.  I like that the over 50's thread enables me and others to share our experiences, as we navigate our way through this next chapter in our lives.  Thanks again to all who take the time to comment, or offer thanks on my little part of this supportive thread, your kindness is much appreciated.

Today's simple pleasure - The stunning photo's that @Nebulous2 so kindly shared.  Nature at it's best.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

No one is perfect – that’s why pencils have erasers – Wolfgang Riebe.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 5 spend was £56.83.  Due to being away on holiday, January’s total was £159.74.  To gain extra points, I have taken the decision to now pay for our weekly shopping using our credit card.   The credit card is paid in full at the end of the month. The points are then exchanged for vouchers which help with the Christmas food shop in December.  Free money as @Organgrinder would say.

Trip to the local town on the bus.  The new government has increased the £2 bus fare cap to £3, saving £1 on the return journey. 

£9.73 gained by selling some books via W0rld of B0oks (formally known as Z!ffit).  I downloaded the App, scanned the barcodes on the books, and was then offered a price, which I either accepted, or not.  I choose to have the books collected free by their courier on a date of my choice.  An invoice, and confirmation from the courier were swiftly received.  They do not offer much for the books, but it was money for minimum effort, and I long since learnt that every little helps. I will reserve judgement until I have completed the full process, but I am impressed so far.  The money will be paid direct into the Christmas/Birthday account.

Half price Christmas cards purchased in Oxf@m when donating a bag of books.

This week’s main menu.

This week I will be trialling some recipes from the P!nch of N0m ‘All in One’ book that I was gifted for Christmas. 

Monday – Vegetable korma (H@iry D!eters recipe), a small portion of brown rice and vegetable samosa's.  I will add whatever vegetables we have, plus spinach.  I will use the leftover double cream from Sunday’s recipe.  The samosa's were reduced in price.

Tuesday – Spanish-style chicken traybake (recipe from the P0N book).  I will replace the new potatoes with carrots and sweet potatoes (adding these a little later so they retain their texture). I will replace the cherry tomatoes with standard tomatoes (because I already have these), and use fresh garlic (because I do not have any garlic granules). Rather than use ready sliced chorizo I will purchase a whole one and use the remainder for another recipe. I will utilise the oven by baking a sourdough loaf.

Wednesday – Baked feta, vegetable, and couscous traybake (recipe from the P0N book).  The remaining feta will be used in the risotto on Saturday. I will replace the giant couscous with whole-wheat couscous, and the cherry tomatoes with standard tomatoes.  I will probably add some carrots and stir though spinach leftover from the vegetable korma.  Fresh rosemary will be from the garden.  I will cook a sweet treat to fully utilise the oven, then freeze it in portions.

Thursday – Lentil Bolognese with spaghetti (an adaptation of the one-pot sausage Bolognese recipe from the P0N book).  Green lentils now 55p a tin in Ald!.

Friday – Breaded haddock (from the freezer), a small portion of oven chips, sweetcorn, and peas. Haddock was reduced in price and frozen until required. I will utilise the oven by baking a sourdough loaf.

Saturday – Slow cooker sweet potato and feta risotto (from the P0N book).  A first for me, never made a risotto in the slow cooker.

Sunday – David’s goulash with dumplings (Tesc0 recipe from my recipe scrap book).  I will cook this in the slow cooker. Aberdeen angus shin beef was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 38,159.

Completed  4 free meditations last week.

Completed 0 free online workouts.

Simple pleasures.

A homemade hot chocolate, to which I added ground cinnamon and a grating of fresh nutmeg. Delicious.

A trip to the beach with DH.  A long walk in the wintery sunshine and lunch with a view. 

A cuppa and natter with friends.

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

Organgrinder

Until I started stoozing, I always used my cc to do the weekly shop in order to get extra clubcard points.

It was surprising how much it added up to back in the day!

BrilliantButScary

Hi,  it's nice to have you back from holiday, hope you had a lovely time.
Another place I can recommend for your Scottish trip is:
https://racmp.co.uk/
We did the NC 500 a couple of years ago, bed and breakfasting along the way.

I have the PON Comfort Food book, and your post has prompted me to have another peruse of that for inspiration.

Can you recommend any meditation apps, as it is something that I want to get into. I do regular yoga and pilates classes, and find these beneficial to both my mental and physical health.

Thanks