Away From The Madding Crowd

Willow1983

I for one love reading your posts as I am sure others do too.  As said before we are giving up work (hopefully) at the end of the year. I will be 61 and in a seriously mundane job and my husband will be 63 and in a really strenuous job (butcher in meat factory) and it is really having an effect on his body/health.  We have both worked since before leaving school, never had time off for having kids etc as we weren’t fortunate enough to have any.  Pre covid we have been seriously saving, paid mortgage off, no debt etc and husband has a very small monthly pension and some left over for drawdown.  This and the savings will hopefully be enough to last till SP age, however, if not we will get something part time.  We have worked all our lives and contributed via tax etc all this time so we have decided to just bite the bullet as you never know what is round the corner! Hopefully we will get some good years of health just to have time to do things we enjoy while still fit enough to do them. X

Humboldt

Willow1983 said:

I for one love reading your posts as I am sure others do too.  As said before we are giving up work (hopefully) at the end of the year. I will be 61 and in a seriously mundane job and my husband will be 63 and in a really strenuous job (butcher in meat factory) and it is really having an effect on his body/health.  We have both worked since before leaving school, never had time off for having kids etc as we weren’t fortunate enough to have any.  Pre covid we have been seriously saving, paid mortgage off, no debt etc and husband has a very small monthly pension and some left over for drawdown.  This and the savings will hopefully be enough to last till SP age, however, if not we will get something part time.  We have worked all our lives and contributed via tax etc all this time so we have decided to just bite the bullet as you never know what is round the corner! Hopefully we will get some good years of health just to have time to do things we enjoy while still fit enough to do them. X

Sorry for the delay in my response to your kind comment @Willow1983. Last week, I offered to do quite a bit extra with my volunteering and the time has flown by. 

Whilst my semi-retirement, and what would now seem to be my actual retirement did not come about as I had  expected, I have no regrets.  Myself and my DH have also both worked since before leaving school (although I did take a short period of time off when I had the children), and we are finding that not working (or working less in my DH's case) does take some adjustment. I had not realised how much people have a tendency to define you by your job, and generally the first question you get asked when you meet someone new is "what is it that you do?".  Initially I felt a little awkward, but now I reply "what everyone hopes to do, I'm retired". We are gradually developing a new lifestyle that includes routine, spontaneity, planning, together with time to 'simply be' in equal measures. Like you and your DH, by making the most of our money, we will have enough until we both reach SP age.  That said, we are also aware that time is precious, so recognise that now is the time to spend some of our hard earned savings.  I wish you and your DH a long and happy retirement. 

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

We should all start to live before we get too old – Marilyn Monroe.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 1 spend for July was £60.97.

Monthly interest gained on various savings accounts for June was £78.13. 

July’s premium bond win was £50 (2025 total to date is £425).

Received the £5.51 from selling more books to W0rld of Books. Money was paid directly into the Christmas/birthday account. 

Received the £250 tax rebate via 24/25 Marriage Tax Allowance claim. Money transferred into the holiday account.

Free plants - transplanted some self-sown foxgloves to where I want them to grow.

Bargain double white fitted polycotton sheets bought in the J0hn Lewis sale for only £5 each.  I appreciate that there are better quality sheets available, but these are great for when we have guests stay now and again.  I also bought a couple of birthday gifts in the JL sale, 2 x M0lton Br0wn travel toiletry sets reduced by 25%.  Free delivery for these and the sheets. 

Fully utilised our 2-hours free electric via our energy provider.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Goats cheese and wild garlic pesto pizza.  Pesto is homemade and from the freezer. To fully utilise the oven, I will roast some leftover butternut squash to add to tomorrow’s meal.

Tuesday – Summer vegetable risotto (Pinch of N0m recipe).  I will adapt the recipe and add whatever vegetables I have, which will include spinach and homegrown courgettes gifted to me by a friend.  I will use the remainder of the spinach in tomorrow’s meal.

Wednesday – Coconut prawn curry (H@iry Dieter’s recipe) and a small portion of brown rice.  This recipe only uses half a tin of reduced fat coconut milk, so I will use some that I have frozen previously. Edited to say that rather than having rice on two consecutive days, we each had half a naan from the freezer.

Thursday - Sausage casserole (Pinch of N0m recipe).  Sausages were reduced in price and frozen until required. I will replace the new potatoes with a small amount of sweet potato.  The recipe includes a tin of butter beans which adds another vegetable and increases the fibre/nutritional content. I will add less stock and cook in the slow cooker.  Recipe serves 6, so I will reduce it.  The remaining 2 sausage will be used in tomorrow’s recipe.

Friday – Pasta with sausage, oregano, and cream (W@itrose recipe). Oregano will be from the garden. This recipe is simple, tasty and uses only 2 sausages.  Recipe below if anyone wants to try it:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add 1 diced onion, 1 crushed garlic clove (I finely chop) and 2 thyme sprigs (can use dried); sweat for 5 minutes until soft but not coloured.

Squeeze 2 pork sausages (or whatever type you are using) from their skins (discard the skins).  Add to the pan, break up the meat; fry for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook 150g penne pasta (any pasta is fine) for 1 minute less than the pack instructions; drain reserving a cupful of the cooking liquid. 

Add 75ml of white wine (or stock) to the sausages and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until reduced, add cream and bring back to a simmer. 

Tip the pasta into the pan with 4 tbsp cooking water, stir over a low heat until the sauce coats the pasta. 

Stir in 3 oregano sprigs, leaves picked (can use dried), a small handful of grated parmesan (or similar) and the zest of half a lemon, and serve immediately.  Serves 2.

Saturday – Puttanesca-style chicken tray bake (from one of my recipe scrap books), with a side salad. I have chosen this recipe because I have leftover capers and black olives that need using up.  I find that the Spanish black olives in Ald! for 99p a jar are fine for cooking, and cherry tomatoes are now in season so cost less.  To fully utilise the oven, I will roast the remainder of the pack of chicken thighs, coated in chicken spice (bought when on holiday) for tomorrow’s meal.  I will also make a fruit crumble and serve with the leftover cream from Friday’s meal. The remainder of the crumble will be frozen.

Sunday –  Chicken and avocado fajitas (W@itrose recipe).  I will make my own tomato salsa and add chopped peppers.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 34,831.  A sedentary week!

Completed 5 free meditations last week.

Completed 0 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

Our pantry project is moving forward.  We have now bought wood for the shelves and the brackets; total cost was just over £30. The preparation of the shelving and painting of the cupboard is next on the agenda. 

Took advantage of a midweek indulgence offer, and booked an overnight stay in a 5* hotel to celebrate a special occasion. The offer includes a standard room, 3 course dinner, a full English breakfast, a bottle of champagne and chocolates. We are looking forward to exploring the city over two days.

The fence behind our garden border is now covered in an abundance of little pale yellow jasmine flowers (clotted cream).  I am hoping for some more warm weather to enjoy the scent whilst sitting in the garden.

DH and I attended a fascinating presentation at a local museum.  So important to support such events, and at only £5 a ticket, well worth the money spent.

Books read 10/25 – The Zanzibar Wife by Deborah R0driguez (library book). The Zanzibar Wife is a story of clashing cultures, of secrets and revelations by the author of the international bestseller The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul.

Three women will quickly learn that, in Oman, things are not always what they appear to be. Rachel, an American war photographer, who is struggling to shed the trauma of her career.  Arina, a bubbly English woman who has rashly volunteered as Rachel’s fixer, a job she has never heard of in a country she knows nothing about. Miza, a young woman living far from her beloved homeland of Zanzibar.

Having enjoyed The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul some time ago, I was looking forward to reading the authors latest novel.  I was not disappointed, and enjoyed learning about the location and its culture. The review below sums it up beautifully:

‘As if Maeve B!nchy had written The Kite Runner,’ another book that I very much enjoyed reading.

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

jwil

The overnight break sounds a real treat!

Humboldt

jwil said:

The overnight break sounds a real treat!

Morning @jwil, we are so looking forward to our overnight stay.  DH has already checked out the dinner menu!

Today's simple pleasure - flat peach season, delicious.  Currently only £1 a pack in S@insbury's (Nect@r price).

mark55man

wow you are certainly packing a lot into your days off.

I think you have got a great answer to your what do you do question

Not really a motivational quote but I was reading a Raymond Chandler novel in which one of the spanish characters says (in response as to why he had not taken some money he could have) "Honour does not move sideways like a crab" - which I loved although a bit Harsh on crabs,  I think saying from other countries/langauges are fascinating

Humboldt

mark55man said:

wow you are certainly packing a lot into your days off.

I think you have got a great answer to your what do you do question

Not really a motivational quote but I was reading a Raymond Chandler novel in which one of the spanish characters says (in response as to why he had not taken some money he could have) "Honour does not move sideways like a crab" - which I loved although a bit Harsh on crabs,  I think saying from other countries/langauges are fascinating

Morning @mark55man, thank you for taking the time to comment and share another great quote.  I find quotes say lots in a few words.  

Since retiring, I do manage to pack a lot into my days. When working fulltime, I somehow had to fit everything else  into what was left of the day, now I am amazed at how much I can get done and still have time to read, craft, walk, meet friends, etc.  It is my intention to nurture my physical and metal well-being as long as possible, by staying active, challenging myself, socialising, and enjoying life's simple pleasures.  Have a great weekend.

Today's simple pleasure - watching the hummingbird moths enjoying the jasmine flowers in the garden.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds floating across the sky, is by no means a waste of time – John Lubbock.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 2 spend for July was £64.86.  Total to date for July is £125.83.

Took advantage of a S@insbury’s offer on a 1ltr bottle of P!mms,  £10 (Nect@r price), saving £12.50.

Our toaster broke. Ordered a replacement, which was reduced by £26.

Rather than renewing our home insurance with the current provider, I used the MSE Compare+ Home Insurance tool, saving £107.51. 

Some of the money saved on the home insurance was spent on an air fryer, which was reduced by £21.02. This will be our first air fryer.  

Made a batch of summer fruit jam (fruit was kindly gifted from a friend who has an allotment).  A taste of summer to enjoy now and in the colder months.   

Earned an extra 200 Nect@r points by completing Task 1 of the Healthy Ch0ice challenge at S@insbury’s. 

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Eating out.

Tuesday – Tuna pasta bake.

Wednesday – Salmon with pesto butter and ratatouille (slow cooker recipe).  Salmon with pesto butter was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Thursday – Tuna salad with red onion and beans (H@iry D!eter’s recipe).

Friday – Beetroot burger (BB( Food recipe, I add Cajun spice) in a wholemeal bun, smoked paprika sweet potato wedges, BBQ beans (I just add a dollop of BBQ sauce to baked beans).  The beetroot burgers are homemade and from the freezer. To fully utilise the oven, I will also roast some red peppers to add to tomorrow’s recipe.

Saturday – Spanish stuffed marrow (GF recipe), with a side salad. I will replace the roasted red peppers from a jar with some that I cooked yesterday, and the Manchego cheese with 25% lighter Cheddar (because that is what I have). Parsley will be from the garden. The marrow was gifted from a friend. To fully utilise the oven, I will also bake a multi seed wholemeal sourdough.  

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

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 55,530.

Completed 4 free meditations last week.

Completed 2 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

Catch-up with friends.  Always good for the soul.

The drumstick alliums in the garden are now at their best, and attracting numerous pollinators.

The kale, carrots, and extra radish that I recently sowed have now germinated.  No sign of the spinach yet, but fingers crossed.

Having read the foodbank donation thread (Food shopping & groceries), I was prompted to donate some items to our local food bank.  @Brie highlights how the school summer holidays can be a difficult time for a lot of families whose children are no longer getting school lunches.  If it is of interest to you, @Brie provides an overview of things to buy.

Books read 11/25 – A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke (a library book). 

Paris, 1885.  On an otherwise ordinary night, Aubry Tourvel – spoiled, stubborn and nine years old – is suddenly struck down by a mysterious illness at the family dinner table. When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, Aubry flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realises that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. She has no choice: she must run from this curse.  And so begins her incredible lifelong journey across the world.

I was not sure at first, but the book eventually drew me in. The review below sums it up perfectly:

‘Imagine Life of Pi and The Midnight Library rolled into one’ – New Y0rk T!mes.

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

Organgrinder

I must confess that air fryers can be marvellous, in the same way slow cookers are I suppose. It's a case of finding enough to make them worthwhile.

The trick as always are the things that work well. Ours has a rotisserie function and the results are great. The cleaning afterwards however is too much of a faff!!!

But for thing like chicken kebabs it's great. Cooked breakfasts too!

Would I buy another? Hmmm. Jury is out. 

uralmaid

I hold my hands up to owning 2 airfryers.  We originally bought a single one after months of resisting. I really liked it and decided that we should have got the double one - so we bought a double and the single now lives in the motorhome.  I ony use it for a few things - it cooks salmon or lamp chops nicely. Chips of course and a cheese filled bagel wrapped in smoked bacon is very tasty.