Away From The Madding Crowd

~FlowerPot~

Week done on repainting the kitchen. It always difficult to do the kitchen as it's such a busy room! 

I love primrose. I love all primulas, but the pale creamy yellow ones just just the best x

jwil

Well done on painting the kitchen.

I agree about the hassle we have to go to to get a better contract price for broadband etc.

We have self seeded primroses all over our garden at the moment, it's lovely to see them.  It seems to be a bumper year this year, as we've loads more than normal.

Savvy_Sue

jwil said:

We have self seeded primroses all over our garden at the moment, it's lovely to see them.  It seems to be a bumper year this year, as we've loads more than normal.

We have more each year too, lots of different colours. I am hoping we might be able to encourage them to suffocate the (Spanish) bluebells, although those things seem indestructible!

Humboldt

Morning all.

Thank you Flowers (why does your username not appear when I type it in the system?), @jwil and @Savvy_Sue for your lovely comments.  Everything is now back in it's place in the kitchen/diner.  Although we did swap/move pictures that we already had, and this has refreshed the space and given it a different vibe at no cost.  Last year I divided my primula's in the garden border and this year they are providing a splendid display, again at no extra cost.  

Today's simple pleasure - taking the time to watch birds gather nesting material from the garden border, whilst enjoying my morning cuppa.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Living frugally is like doing yoga for your wallet – it brings flexibility and strength – Unknown.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 2 for April was £61.62.  Total spend to date for April is £98.66.

£4.10 earned by taking part in P0wer M0ve Flex events during March.  Monies will be credited to our latest energy bill.

£42 made via my side hustle (crafting) which has been added to the Birthday/Christmas account.

£6.26 gained from selling more books to W0rld of Bo0ks.  Not a lot, but I have long since learnt that every little helps, plus less clutter in the house. Unfortunately, I have had an issue with collection on this occasion, but hopefully this will be resolved swiftly.  Upon completion of the process, money will be paid into the Birthday/Christmas account.

Successfully applied for Marriage Tax Allowance for this financial year.  I found the information provided on the MSE website really useful, and the actual process very simple to follow.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Creamy tomato, bacon, and spinach pasta (P!nch of N0m recipe).  I have no bacon so will make a vegetarian version using a red pepper, thinly sliced carrot, and some courgette.

Tuesday – Moroccan minced beef pie (from one of my recipe scrap books). This is a new to me recipe which uses whole-wheat couscous to top the mince base. I will use a small pack of 5% fat beef mince and add a tin of green lentils to not only reduce costs, but to also make the recipe a little healthier and more nutritious. Edited to add that to fully utilise the oven, I baked a sourdough and roasted some fennel carrots to serve with what was a very yummy pie.

Wednesday - Cassoulet (an adaptation of a Sh!rley Go0de recipe).  I will use up chicken thighs and chipolatas from the freezer and add whatever vegetables I have.  I will cook this in the slow cooker.

This is a meal swap from last Saturday, when we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and have our first BBQ of the year.  DH cooked a half spatchcock chicken, which we enjoyed with a large mixed salad and corn on the cob. Chicken was reduced in price and frozen until required. 

Thursday - Ping meal (as above), cook once, eat twice – saves on time and energy costs.

Friday – Moroccan fish & couscous parcels (from one of my recipe scrap books).  I will use salmon that was reduced in price and frozen until required.  

Saturday – Fish and chips takeaway.

Sunday – Redcurrant leg of lamb (a slow cooker recipe which I will share below), Yorkshire puddings, new potatoes, carrots and either green beans or spring greens, with gravy. Lamb was half price in S@insbury’s. Pudding will be later in the day and will consist of whatever is left by the Easter bunny.

Recipe - Warm 227g (small jar) redcurrant jelly with 2tbsp water in a pan and stir in 1 tbsp mustard (I use Dijon).  Rub the leg of lamb (approx. 1.5 kg) all over with salt (to taste) and 1 clove of finely chopped garlic.  Heat 25g of butter in a frying pan and brown the joint on all sides.  Transfer the lamb to the slow cooker and pour over the redcurrant glaze.  Sprinkle with 2tsp fresh/dried rosemary and cook on high for 6-7 hours.  At the end of the cooking time put the lamb on a serving dish and keep hot.  Remove excess fat from the gravy using kitchen paper.  Blend 2tbsp cornflour with a little cold water, mix with the gravy and pour into a saucepan.  Boil until thick, strain (I don’t bother) and serve.  Cooking times may need adjustment according to your slow cooker.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 43,591.

Completed 5 free meditations last week.

Completed 1 free online workout last week.

Simple pleasures.

Finally sowed my tomato, beetroot, and chilli seeds. 

Gave my summerhouse a deep clean.  Bunting has been rehung and soft furnishings added.  Bring on the summer!

My string of solar lights are staying on for longer in the evening.

A trip to the beach with DH.  A long walk by the sea, followed by a takeaway coffee and half a ginger/chocolate flapjack each. Perfect.

The garden border is now filled with spring flowers and it brings me such joy.

Books read 6/25 – The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (a charity shop find). This book was born out of her time spent working as a volunteer at a Unicef supported refugee centre in Athens.

‘Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist.  They live happily in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens and they are forced to flee.  But what Afra has seen is so terrible she has gone blind, and they must embark on a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece towards an uncertain future in Britain.’ 

Moving, compassionate and beautifully written, this book is a powerful testament to the triumph of the human spirit.  I would highly recommend it.

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

 

BrilliantButScary

I too have taken advantage of the half-price lamb from Sainsbury's, it is currently in the freezer. Your slow cooker recipe sounds nice, so I am tempted to give it a whirl.

I am reading a series of books by Jacqueline Winspear, the main character is 'Maisie Dobbs',  described as a Psychologist and Investigator. There are 18 books in the series, starting pre World War 1 and ending post World War 2. They are light reading, but interesting in the social history aspects and events of the time.

We have been busy in the garden and I am waiting for a delivery of David Austin roses, so they will need planting. I am currently enjoying a garden border that has a Pieris 'Forest Flame', a red Azalea and a red Dicentra flowering in it. The weather has been gorgeous hasn't it?

I like your quote and I am a devotee of both. I am glad you have applied for Marriage Tax Allowance, I also found it very simple to do

Humboldt

Hi @BrilliantButScary, the leg of lamb that I bought was a good size.  Half of it will be used for our Easter roast, and the other will remain in the freezer for another time. The slow cooker recipe is so simple, hope that you enjoy it.

I have so many books to read, plus an ever increasing list of more to find. Like you, I enjoy social history.  In fact, tomorrow evening DH and I are off to the local museum to watch a presentation regarding certain aspects of social history in the area. So good to support such events and at only £5 a ticket, a bargain too. 

I love a D@vid Austin rose.  Preparing the summerhouse and sowing a few seeds last week was a lovely way to spend a few hours in the sunshine.  We had rain all day yesterday, but no doubt the garden was grateful.  

Today's simple pleasure - I have made a batch of spiced orange marmalade (I cheated, using a tin of mar made, and just added a star anise, cinnamon stick and 3 cloves whilst on a rolling boil).  It maybe a drizzly morning, but the kitchen is cosy and smells delicious.

~FlowerPot~

Yep here another one who couldn't walk past the sainos lamb offer! 
I dont actually like lamb and never buy it unless it's on offer, as its so pricey. We will be having roast lamb on Sunday and will prob stick rosemary sprigs in it! I'll just have veggies and maybe a cheese sauce.

I love roses too. I think they are having a revival in popularity which is good. 

Humboldt

~FlowerPot~ said:

Yep here another one who couldn't walk past the sainos lamb offer! 
I dont actually like lamb and never buy it unless it's on offer, as its so pricey. We will be having roast lamb on Sunday and will prob stick rosemary sprigs in it! I'll just have veggies and maybe a cheese sauce.

I love roses too. I think they are having a revival in popularity which is good. 

The S@insbury's lamb offer was certainly popular, shame that it wasn't British lamb though. We are finally getting to sample the lamb today after an unexpected meal out with family. Hope that you are enjoying the long weekend.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

JOMO  - The Joy of Missing Out.

 A term coined as the antidote to its opposite, FOMO - Fear of Missing Out.  FOMO refers to the pressure to see, do, eat, and share the same experiences as our peers.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 3 spend for April was £72.94.  Total spend for April to date is £171.60.

Foraged wild garlic and made a batch of wild garlic pesto (Go0d Fo0d recipe).  I swap pine nuts for walnuts, and use olive oil rather than rapeseed oil when making.  8 portions now tucked away in the freezer.   

Took advantage of the offer on beers in S@insbury’s, saving £4.  Beers now stashed away for DH to enjoy with family and friends over the summer (alcohol is not included in my grocery budget).

£15 made via my side hustle (crafting).  Money paid into the Birthday/Christmas account.

I have had an invitation to a Bo0ts Over 60’s Rew@rds Shopping Day.  They are offering 10% off a £20 spend, and the more you spend, the higher the percentage on offer. Should I attend, I will also be able to choose 1 item from a range of full size No7 products (worth up to £27.95) at no cost.  I can also enter a free prize draw.  Given that I was intending to go to my local town next week, I will go on the day of the event, claim my free gift and enter the prize draw.  Previous events have also included a lucky dip for a small donation to a cancer charity, which includes decent prizes. It is free to join Bo0ts Over 60's Rewards, just check out their App, ring the telephone number on the back of your Advant@ge card, or ask in store. 

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Redcurrant leg of lamb (a slow cooker recipe), homemade Yorkshire puddings, roast carrots, honey roast parsnips and spring greens, with gravy.  Parsnips, garlic, and carrots were only 15p (Easter veg offers). 

This is a meal swap from Saturday, when we decided to go out with family for a pub meal, rather than have a fish and chip takeaway.  I have tweaked it slightly by not including new potatoes and adding parsnips. Sunday brunch consisted of smashed avocado on sourdough toast, with poached eggs (which were reduced in price and still in date), grilled bacon (which was reduced in price and frozen until required), and tomato.  Having also enjoyed tea and cake in the afternoon,  we only needed a sandwich on the evening.  Just adding that eating out/takeaways are not included in our grocery budget.

Tuesday - Ping meal (as above) – cook once, eat twice (saves on time and energy costs).

Wednesday - Fish pie (an adaptation of the H@iry D!eters recipe), spring greens, and carrots.  Smoked Basa and non-smoked Basa were reduced in price and frozen until required.  I will also add half a bag of frozen prawns. Spring onions (added to the mashed potato topping) were only 15p (Easter veg offers). To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a wholemeal sourdough.

Thursday – Ping meal (as above) – cook once, eat twice (saves on time and energy costs).

Friday  – Spiced carrot and lentil soup (Go0d F0od recipe) with homemade sourdough (still using up the 15p carrots). The chicken stock is homemade and from the freezer. 

Saturday - Chicken enchiladas, with a large green dressed salad.  I have a half price Old Elp@so  enchilada ‘kit,’ so just need to add peppers, chicken, and some rainbow chard from the garden.  Peppers were reduced in price.

Sunday – Flamiche (Go0d F0od recipe), with a large mixed dressed salad.  A French dish that is halfway between a pizza and a quiche.  Rosemary and leeks are from the garden.  I will use a 30% less fat cheddar for this recipe. To fully utilise the oven, I will bake some healthier flapjacks (Br!tish He@rt F0undation recipe), which will be frozen until required.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 53,166.

Completed 3 free meditations last week.

Completed 0 free online workouts last week.

Lots of simple Easter pleasures.

Family visiting.

A meal out with family.

Saw my first wild bluebells of the year.

The Easter bunny left us an Easter egg.

Saw my first swallow of the year.

The vivid blue of the forget-me-nots in the garden border.

White blossom viewed against a blue sky.

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