Away From The Madding Crowd

BrilliantButScary

Katiehound said:

I have visited an Arctic convoy museum but I can't remember if it was in Murmansk or Arkhangelsk.
 Some of the folk  went on that cruise particularly   in remembrance of relatives and at least one person dropped the medals overboard at roughly the spot where 'their' ship went down. The conditions they sailed under where horrific.

@Katiehound
What cruise was this, it sounds interesting, I'm not a lying on a beach person.
I've also found somewhere else that would be interesting to visit, prompted by your post:

https://liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk/arctic-convoys-a-shared-history/

I've never been to Liverpool, and I'm sure that there are lots more places of interest there. 

Humboldt

@BrilliantButScary I'm not a lying on a beach type of person either, but each to their own.

I have just added Liverpool to my potential weekend's away list.  Thanks for the link, always appreciate recommendations. 

BrilliantButScary

Humboldt said:

Katiehound said:

Humboldt said:

 
I have several of the P0N recipe books, all of which are used on a regular basis.  If anyone wants to try them, they are often on sale in charity shops.
 

Funny you mentioned that as I bought one last week for £3 from a charity shop. I think it must be the first book judging by the comments from the authors.

If you have a motorhome you could go off grid & visit Frugaldom (see thread on Old style money saving board) in Dumfries & Galloway & see their feeding station for badgers & pine martens.

Glad that you were able to find a P0N book.  

Sadly we do not have a motorhome. However, my DH and I are still planning a road trip around the Scottish Isles when we fully retire, but in our car and staying at B&B's, small hotels, etc.  The possibility of seeing badgers and pine martens sounds like a worthwhile visit. 

If you go to Dumfries and Galloway, go to Bellymack Hill Farm at Laurieston, for a fabulous Red Kite feeding experience. We stayed in a cottage at Rockcliffe on the coast, which was lovely.
We have previously been both touring caravan and motorhome owners, for many years, but like the freedom of having a holiday and not having the responsibilities, cost and hassle of ownership of either now. 

bluenose1

Morning @Humboldt and all.
I do yoga nidra meditation, if I am honest because you do it lying down which appeals to my laziness side   I only normally do 10 minutes ones and have never felt as relaxed /calm in my life. This lady has loads and I tend to do hers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfLziq834to

We have a few holidays booked for this year. 

Lake Garda in May
Norwegian Fjords in June
Turkey in October.

Despite being from Liverpool never been to War Museum, thanks for reminder @BrilliantButScary.

Will put it on my To Do list for 2025. 

@humboldt -  there is certainly plenty to do/see in Liverpool. 
We only live 15 miles away now but very rarely go in unless meeting friends for drinks/ meals.  I should really go and have a bit of a sightseeing day myself.

BrilliantButScary

bluenose1 said:

Morning @Humboldt and all.
I do yoga nidra meditation, if I am honest because you do it lying down which appeals to my laziness side   I only normally do 10 minutes ones and have never felt as relaxed /calm in my life. This lady has loads and I tend to do hers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfLziq834to

We have a few holidays booked for this year. 

Lake Garda in May
Norwegian Fjords in June
Turkey in October.

Despite being from Liverpool never been to War Museum, thanks for reminder @BrilliantButScary.

Will put it on my To Do list for 2025. 

@humboldt -  there is certainly plenty to do/see in Liverpool. 
We only live 15 miles away now but very rarely go in unless meeting friends for drinks/ meals.  I should really go and have a bit of a sightseeing day myself.

@Bluenose1
Thanks for the link, I do yoga, so that might suit me very well.
You have some nice holidays planned, lots to look forward to.
I was looking at booking a cottage near the Ness Botanical gardens yesterday. We are into walking and wildlife and there seems plenty to do for a week, and with good transport links to both Liverpool and Chester.

Humboldt

@BrilliantButScary thank you for the Dumfries and Galloway recommendations.  I have added them to my notebook.  It maybe some time before we can go, but it's fun planning.  I will also be G0ogling the Ness B0tanical gardens.

@bluenose1 thanks lots for sharing the link. That's an impressive holiday list.  This year we would really like to have a few weekend breaks in the UK.  There are so many places that we have yet to discover. 

Today's simple pleasure - warming porridge with fresh blueberries for breakfast (blueberries currently on offer in Ald!'s).  

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Life is short.  Smile while you still have teeth – Mall0ry H0pkins.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 1 spend for February was £63.02.

A free scale/polish and a 15% reduction on recent dental treatment via our DenPl@n.

£24 made via my side hustle (crafting) which has been added to the Christmas/Birthday account. 

February’s premium bond win was £25.  (2025 total to date is £125).

This week’s main menu

This week I am continuing to trial recipes from the P!nch of N0m ‘All in One’ book that I was gifted for Christmas.

Monday – Homemade pizza with chorizo, sweetcorn, red onion, peppers, olives, and half-fat mozzarella.  The tomato sauce base is homemade and from the freezer. Chorizo was left over from last week.  To utilise the oven, I will cook a couple of baking potatoes for lunch tomorrow.

Tuesday – Slow cooker sweet potato and feta risotto (P0N book).  There was enough vegetable korma last Monday to enjoy the following day. This resulted in last week’s meals being swapped around a bit.  Hence, why we are having last Saturday’s meal today.

Wednesday – Spicy chicken with sweet potato. A tasty, simple recipe that I have previously shared in one of my weekly updates. To utilise the oven, I will cook a batch of chocolate and raspberry muffins for the freezer.  Raspberries were reduced in price and frozen until required.

Thursday – Slow cooker smoky fish soup (P0N recipe). Smoked haddock was reduced in price and frozen until required. I will replace the kale with some leftover spinach.  I will just be adding smoked haddock and a few prawns to the soup rather than a fish pie mix.

Friday – Cajun-style chicken orzo (P0N recipe).  To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a sourdough loaf.

Saturday – Steak, a small portion of oven chips, peas, tomato, and onion rings.  Followed by homemade Bailey’s cheesecake. Salt dry aged Aberdeen Angus steak was reduced in price and frozen until required.  Cheesecake was left over from Christmas and from the freezer. A belated Valentine’s Day treat.

Sunday – Chilli con carne with a small portion of brown rice. I will add carrots and peppers to the chilli.  I will cook the chilli in the slow cooker.  Carrots were reduced in price and most have been used in soups this week.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 53,865.

Completed 5 free meditations last week.

Completed 2 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

The daffodils in the garden border are now in bud.  Not long before they bloom.

Potted on 3 baby Pilea plants and 1 baby String of Pearls plant.  Fingers crossed that they grow so I can gift some to family.  

A slice of leftover Christmas cake and a cuppa.

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

Katiehound

Sorry, I can't remember who asked the question but just to say that the cruise to the White Sea was pre covid with Cruise & Maritime (now essentially Ambassador)  Of course due to current political situation no cruises are going to any part of Russia.  That means that the piece de resistance of Baltic cruises is now omitted (St Petersburg)

The White sea cruise was really interesting. Small world coincidence too: the only local I spoke to in Murmansk was pushing a pink lined pram, spoke English & had been training in UK only 25 miles away from where I live!
The closest cruise that you can find currently will be one that goes to northern  Norway: North Cape or the Lofoten islands, or Kirkenes.

BrilliantButScary

Katiehound said:

Sorry, I can't remember who asked the question but just to say that the cruise to the White Sea was pre covid with Cruise & Maritime (now essentially Ambassador)  Of course due to current political situation no cruises are going to any part of Russia.  That means that the piece de resistance of Baltic cruises is now omitted (St Petersburg)

The White sea cruise was really interesting. Small world coincidence too: the only local I spoke to in Murmansk was pushing a pink lined pram, spoke English & had been training in UK only 25 miles away from where I live!
The closest cruise that you can find currently will be one that goes to northern  Norway: North Cape or the Lofoten islands, or Kirkenes.

Thank you for your reply @Katiehound, it was me!
I'm going to have a look to see if there is something we might like. The only cruise we have ever done was along the Nile, not something my husband has been keen to repeat, as he was really unwell with sickness and diarrhoea.

Humboldt

@Katiehound you do go on some interesting cruises.  My absolute favourite cruise has to be Alaska, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  The scenery and wildlife were spectacular.

@BrilliantButScary a Nile cruise is on our never ending list of places to visit.

Today's simple pleasure -  I started a new jigsaw.