Away From The Madding Crowd

QrizB

Alnat1 said:

I had something similar when a "dissolving" stitch remained. Hospital referred me to GP, GP said it was hospital's responsibility. I still have a small black lump on my heel 3 years later.

I've had surgery a couple of times. Both times it's taken several years for my body to finish expelling bits of suture that didn't dissolve. Usually via a "spot" appearing that has a piece of debris embedded in it.

Your heel might still reject that bit!

Humboldt

Hello and welcome @Alnat1 and @CarolWHerts, thanks for taking the time to comment. @Savvy_Sue I will keep my thoughts to myself and once again, wish you a swift recovery

Today's simple pleasure - I have embraced what feels like a shift in the seasons and prepped gifted apples for the freezer.  My kitchen is filled with the comforting scent of stewed apples and cinnamon. 

BrilliantButScary

Gifting, and being gifted produce, at this time of year is great, isn't it?

We have had an abundance of courgettes, which have benefitted both neighbours and friends. In return we have had apples and some delicious figs.

Your stewed apples and cinnamon sound lovely. I made some walnut and cinnamon muffins a few weeks ago, they didn't last long!

Feeling Autumnal here too.

Nebulous2

Humboldt said:

Hello and welcome @Alnat1 and @CarolWHerts, thanks for taking the time to comment. @Savvy_Sue I will keep my thoughts to myself and once again, wish you a swift recovery

Today's simple pleasure - I have embraced what feels like a shift in the seasons and prepped gifted apples for the freezer.  My kitchen is filled with the comforting scent of stewed apples and cinnamon. 

It feels very much as if it shouldn't be autumn, but the shift around me is telling me that it is. We saw some ripe blackberries a few days ago. Smaller than usual, possibly due to the dry weather, but definitely almost ready. We have a favourite spot to go and pick them, so need to find an opportunity sometime soon. 

Humboldt

BrilliantButScary said:

Gifting, and being gifted produce, at this time of year is great, isn't it?

We have had an abundance of courgettes, which have benefitted both neighbours and friends. In return we have had apples and some delicious figs.

Your stewed apples and cinnamon sound lovely. I made some walnut and cinnamon muffins a few weeks ago, they didn't last long!

Feeling Autumnal here too.

Lovely to hear from you @BrilliantButScary. 

It feels very special to be gifted produce that people have nurtured with care.  Thankfully they appear to be equally as happy to be given a jar of jam, a pie or crumble in return. Walnut and cinnamon muffins sound very yummy.

Humboldt

Nebulous2 said:

Humboldt said:

Hello and welcome @Alnat1 and @CarolWHerts, thanks for taking the time to comment. @Savvy_Sue I will keep my thoughts to myself and once again, wish you a swift recovery

Today's simple pleasure - I have embraced what feels like a shift in the seasons and prepped gifted apples for the freezer.  My kitchen is filled with the comforting scent of stewed apples and cinnamon. 

It feels very much as if it shouldn't be autumn, but the shift around me is telling me that it is. We saw some ripe blackberries a few days ago. Smaller than usual, possibly due to the dry weather, but definitely almost ready. We have a favourite spot to go and pick them, so need to find an opportunity sometime soon. 

Hi @Nebulous2, have you been on your overseas touring holiday?

The signs of the shift in seasons are becoming much more noticeable.  A drop in the evening temperatures, the hedgerow's laden with berries, and the Christmas items have already appeared in the local garden centre! 

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves – Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, in the reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and King George the First. Wow, that quote has stood the test of time!

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250. Week 3 spend for August was £64.21.  Total spend to date for August is £220.39.

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

DH saved 20% when buying a casual shirt in M+S (Sp@rks offer).

Whilst in M+S we picked up a free box of extremely chocolaty biscuits (Sp@rks birthday offer).

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Roast chicken wings with lemon and cracked pepper (N!gel Sl@ter recipe), a small portion of oven chips and a side salad.  M+S chicken wings are only £1.65 for 750g. 

This is a meal swap from Saturday when we had a ‘ping meal’ and enjoyed the other half of the courgette and pea tart (W@itrose recipe).

Tuesday – Cottage pie (H@iry D!eter’s recipe) with roast vegetables. I will top with sweet potato and carrot mash.

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

Thursday – Tuna pasta bake (He@lthy Living J@mes recipe). This recipe uses passata rather than a cheese sauce, although it does include some grated cheese.  I will use a basic passata and increase the vegetable content by adding peppers, courgettes, and spinach.  To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a whole-wheat seeded sourdough.

Friday – Tuscan bean soup (H!nt of He@lthy recipe), with a hunk of sourdough.  I will swap the kale for spinach.

Saturday – Cheese, onion and tomato quiche, sweet potato wedges and a side salad.  Quiche is homemade and from the freezer. I will cook the sweet potato wedges in the air fryer.

Sunday – Moroccan fish and couscous parcels  (S@insbury’s recipe). I will swap the harissa paste with chipotle because that is what I have and it needs using up.  The Basa was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 57,197.

Completed 4 free meditations last week.

Completed 3 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

We very much enjoyed our overnight stay.   Despite it being a Bank Holiday weekend, we were able to find peace and solitude when walking. A picnic, stunning scenery and an ice cream bought from an enterprising farmer – perfect.

Porridge with perfectly ripe blueberries and a drizzle of local honey for breakfast.

Many of the strawberry runners that I potted on have successfully rooted.

Chard, salad onion and poppy seeds sown.  Kale seedlings potted on.

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

 

BrilliantButScary

Humboldt said:

BrilliantButScary said:

Gifting, and being gifted produce, at this time of year is great, isn't it?

We have had an abundance of courgettes, which have benefitted both neighbours and friends. In return we have had apples and some delicious figs.

Your stewed apples and cinnamon sound lovely. I made some walnut and cinnamon muffins a few weeks ago, they didn't last long!

Feeling Autumnal here too.

Lovely to hear from you @BrilliantButScary. 

It feels very special to be gifted produce that people have nurtured with care.  Thankfully they appear to be equally as happy to be given a jar of jam, a pie or crumble in return. Walnut and cinnamon muffins sound very yummy.

Just in case you want to give them a whirl!

https://thetoastykitchen.com/cinnamon-muffins-from-scratch/#how-to-make-walnut-muffins

Humboldt

BrilliantButScary said:

Humboldt said:

BrilliantButScary said:

Gifting, and being gifted produce, at this time of year is great, isn't it?

We have had an abundance of courgettes, which have benefitted both neighbours and friends. In return we have had apples and some delicious figs.

Your stewed apples and cinnamon sound lovely. I made some walnut and cinnamon muffins a few weeks ago, they didn't last long!

Feeling Autumnal here too.

Lovely to hear from you @BrilliantButScary. 

It feels very special to be gifted produce that people have nurtured with care.  Thankfully they appear to be equally as happy to be given a jar of jam, a pie or crumble in return. Walnut and cinnamon muffins sound very yummy.

Just in case you want to give them a whirl!

https://thetoastykitchen.com/cinnamon-muffins-from-scratch/#how-to-make-walnut-muffins

Morning @BrilliantButScary so kind of you to provide the link.  A really lovely recipe for the new season.  Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Today's simple pleasure - the garden looks refreshed following some much needed rain.

Nebulous2

Humboldt said:

Nebulous2 said:

Humboldt said:

Hello and welcome @Alnat1 and @CarolWHerts, thanks for taking the time to comment. @Savvy_Sue I will keep my thoughts to myself and once again, wish you a swift recovery

Today's simple pleasure - I have embraced what feels like a shift in the seasons and prepped gifted apples for the freezer.  My kitchen is filled with the comforting scent of stewed apples and cinnamon. 

It feels very much as if it shouldn't be autumn, but the shift around me is telling me that it is. We saw some ripe blackberries a few days ago. Smaller than usual, possibly due to the dry weather, but definitely almost ready. We have a favourite spot to go and pick them, so need to find an opportunity sometime soon. 

Hi @Nebulous2, have you been on your overseas touring holiday?

The signs of the shift in seasons are becoming much more noticeable.  A drop in the evening temperatures, the hedgerow's laden with berries, and the Christmas items have already appeared in the local garden centre! 

Thanks Humboldt - I've been quieter here of late - no financial updates but we've been busy and I'll do one after month-end. 

Yes we spent 5 weeks touring France, Portugal and Northern Spain, having a great time, but it was too hot. We were okay, but we had to be careful managing the dogs. Great food, cultural sights and pace of life however. 

Simple pleasures this week.  We walked up a forestry commission trail to a spectacular viewpoint on a lovely sunny day. While we were standing taking in the view - about 13 miles of a valley right to the sea, we heard broom seed pods popping. I've always liked that noise, but its another indicator that the seasons are changing.