Old Style Diary Archive - AUG 05

margaretclare

Hi

Yesterday (Friday 12th) was really really old-style. Following someone giving me the link for bigbarn - https://www.bigbarnco.uk we found a local farm where they produce their own meat, eggs etc and they sell to the public one day a month. Yesterday was the day for August, so we went along. You can pre-book which cuts of an animal you want, but we didn't - we just went along to see what they had. and ended up spending £68, but that will last us more than one month! Smoked back bacon from Gloucester Old Spot pigs, free-range eggs...Some of the pieces of beef were too big for the 2 of us, but what we did when we got home was unwrap them (they're all vacuum-packed) and cut one piece of silverside into 3 pieces, each of which will make us a darned good meal.

The farmer invited us to drive down through the farm and see the riverside meadows where the cattle are raised naturally - River Crouch. And we saw rabbits, and partridges. They can't guarantee organic, because some fertilisers are used if necessary, but they do guarantee no GM.

This morning we are going to the local fruit and veg shop and then for lunch (maybe about 2 pm because we had a really good breakfast) we will cook some of the burgers we got yesterday with local tomatoes and mushrooms.

I am slowly, slowly, convincing B. He has been sold on the 'cheap food at all costs' idea up to now, but is gradually changing. We need quality rather than quantity, we want to buy food as locally as possible, and we are voting with our wallets against the supermarket stranglehold.

It was lovely to get right out into the countryside and to buy meat from the people who actually produce it and know about it. Old-style if you like!

Aunty Margaret

Kippsy

Hi everybody!!

Hope you are all doing ok with lots of money saving! Went out last night for friends 30th, was lovely evening! Couldn't drink though because the last time I had a sip of wine I had an allergic reaction, I went bright red and it felt like there were pins sticking out of my cheeks, was horrible burning sensation so steering clear until I get sorted!

Just seem to be becoming more allergic to more things! Boo hiss... as long as I can eat a bit of choccie, tuna sandwiches and chiken I will survive.... just! Doc will only tell me, again, it is because of the extra stress my body is under while I'm waiting for my op!

Anyway, Sqeuaks, enjoying the new kitchen? Got it all sussed and using the recipe's from the MEGA thread?

mshon- all your picnic food sounds great! I have been invited over for donner to my friends on the condition that they teach me a new fish dish and I bring them a nice cake for pudding!

Ticklemouse

Hello everyone :wave:

I'm at breaking point at the moment. Anyone want 2 kids? Free to a good home - well any home really

After deciding on an early night last night, which went wrong (see last night's post) I eventually got to sleep at 12.15 (got way-laid by Peter Kay ) In a lovely and much needed sleep when one of the smoke alarm batteries decided to bleep to tell me it was fading!! 3.30am! So, after hanging around deciding which one was bleeping (they always stop when you're waiting for them), falling over vacuum cleaner I'd put out of the way but forgotten about and nearly breaking my toe (cue lots of hopping on one foot with silent swearing cos outside boys bedrooms) and eventually tracking down the offending alarm, couldn't get back to sleep till 4.30. Then DS1, having promised not to, starts shouting up the stairs at 6.30 to say he can't get the DVD player to work :mad:

Since then, have had to contend with 2 still overtired and crotchety boys wanting to kill each other. Also, everyone I phoned is out (need an adult to talk to) So, have put on washing machine (for a change) DW (for a change) need to clean living room (for a change) and BM needs to go on this afternoon. Also it's pouring down here and I feel so miserable that I've put my heating on (hell, it's only the middle of summer ) The boys have just started killing each other again, so may put them in wellies this afternoon and drag them through the woods, whether they want to or not *wicked grin*

I am soooo in need of my holiday, but I still have most of the packing to do. Mr TM will be home about 6pm and if he tells me he's tired, needs a lie in and I don't need a holiday cos I don't work I shall be up on a murder charge He's been away at a cadet camp all week and spent yesterday with a couple of the other leaders having a day off in London, which is at least one more day off than I've had this millenium!!

Oh well, I feel better for my rant. Sometime I just need to get it all off my chest (erm, not that there's a lot there to start with ) Hope the rest of you have a great day.

TM

squeaky

Kippsy wrote:

Anyway, Sqeuaks, enjoying the new kitchen? Got it all sussed and using the recipe's from the MEGA thread?

It's not quite all there yet. I still need a double cupboard and a vent fan fitted, a wall re plastered and tiled and a radiator replaced.

But compared with what I used to have - it's GREAT!



As for today's recipe - I needed to use up some beetroot from my veg box and since I'm not very keen on it I had to keep it hidden.

I zapped it in the microwave until it was pretty much done and then blitzed it with a couple of onions, some ginger and chilli in vinegar, and a dash of this and that and even some of the other.

Then I dumped it over some parboiled taters and carrot in the slow cooker with a good dollop of mince over the top of the lot.

I'll let you know how it turns out...

margaretclare

Hi all

Beautiful sunny day here in south Essex. We had a gorgeous breakfast of free-range eggs plus smoked back bacon from Gloucester Old Spot pigs (what we bought yesterday at the farm - see https://www.bigbarn.co.uk - Woodford Farm Fresh Meats.

Went to the local fruit and veg shop, B spent about £14 but he got peaches, strawberries, all kinds of good things, mostly produced fairly locally. He said it was the same as he would have spent in Tesco but it's better quality - he thinks that 'Tesco fresh fruit and veg is c**p'. So he is gradually coming round to my way of thinking - quality before quantity.

We've just had a lovely lunch - beefburgers bought yesterday with all the other meat, new potato, mushroom, red onion, then strawberries with Yeo Valley yogurt. https://www.yeovalley.co.uk We've finished the last of the Badoit fizzy water and the only place to get it around here is Waitrose. Don't want to go out shopping again.

B has borrowed a ladder from the builder 2 doors down and is threatening to paint the gable-end of the bungalow. It's the only part that he needs a ladder for.

Aunty Margaret

apple_mint

It's the start of my two weeks off work ... whey hey !!!

Today popped into town and set up some standing orders so that the household bills account will not get low again. OH hates having to dash down to the bank to put a cheque in. We've put a little extra on top which we plan to build up for Christmas.

Tomorrow we are going away for a few days so this afternoon I'm baking and OH is making bread so that we can have a lovely packed lunch on the way up to the hotel.

I've still got to iron all my clothes ... but I don't care 'cause I'm in holiday mood

Loadsabob

Well, it's lovely to be with you all at the weekend - I try and keep the computer OFF at weekends, as I spend all week at work staring at the thing.

Very OS cooking weekend. Made myself a birthday cake last night, just made Catznine's blackberry preserve (FINALLY - with last Autumn's blackberries from the freezer!), and about to make a batch of banana oat muffins to freeze, before the bananas walk off! Lovely baked macaroni cheese tonight, and boyfriend is cooking me a roast tomorrow, yum!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend. Cornwall has the rain and gloom today, so hopefully some of you haven't.

BWZN93

Well its a lovely rainy cool day in Bath (:dance: - I hate summer!) and have done not a lot so far today. I had some Raspberry Jam on Toast this morning then realised im going to have to start making my own, shop bought stuff just isnt tasting nice anymore, and I was confused over the flavour, not very Raspberry'y....

As I did a massive clean yesterday I dont really have much to do, and I thought about making some bread but looked in the oven and saw that the landlord came in this morning and sprayed the thing with awful nasty chemically gunk, good job I checked really as I wouldnt have been too pleased with burnt chemical marinated bread. The kitchen is calling me though, having it exceptionally sparkly makes me want to go and destroy it by doing a lot of cooking!

Apart from cleaning that out (I dont know why he did that tbh - It was done a week ago and had barely been used since!) and then maybe making some bread, I might do a bit of quilting, and I also need to start ordering some more fabric samples off the net (I need green and blue for my quilt now) as I am trying to make it as cheap as possible, but attempting professional looking at the same time. Its going well so far, and I do think Ill have it ready for xmas!

Last night the boyf decided that he hates the duvet on the bed and requests that I burn it and buy another (all it needs is a good wash!! Its just a bit flat and has a green tea stain on it from where he drank tea in bed as he couldnt be bothered to get out, and managed to dribble it everywhere :rolleyes: ) so Im going to take it to the laundrette and tell him I bought a new one. He'll never know!

I need to pop to the shop later too, and buy milk, but I have enough food still to last another couple of days (although I am foraging in the freezer ) so im trying to eek it out as far as possible. I also prevented boyf from paying to upgrade his Limewire on the PC so he could have faster downloads which saved around £12. I told him to learn the value of patience, £12 is not worth downloading things a bit quicker. All he wanted was another episode of 'Lost' anyway, and there was only an hour left to go. Silly Boy!!!

I also need to phone a friend today, and see if she has made plans for xmas yet (she will be shocked as most non mse'rs are, but hey, I want her to come to us!) and invite her if not. I'll probably send an email to some Uni freinds too, and then if I still have nothing to do, I might just do some cushion cover making!

Have a lovely weekend all!

Jo xx

littlereddevil

what does OS mean?

Ticklemouse

Hello again - calmed down somewhat now

Took boys out for a walk in the rain - got very wet as I can't find my rainproof coat so had to put winter hooded one on which just soaks up all the wet stuff However, wandering through the woods in wellies when it's lashing down, puddle jumping does great things for the spirit. Also, DS1's friend has come home so they are outside now, having blagged some balloons from another neighbour's house whose daughter was having a b'day party. DS2 has just put a Tweenies video on so I'm having 10 mins on here before I finish hoovering upstairs and also finish the ironing.

I really must sort some paperwork out - Mr TM hates it lying around but he files his straight away and can't see why I don't do the same - not easy when you have kids to cater for at the same time, which is something he manages to ignore. At least it's all in a big pile so not like it's all over the place.

We're not going away until next Thursday now. My sister who lives in Eastbourne has to work away next week and BIL is currently doing up to 18 hour days, so not much point. Will go away Thursday so just stay overnight with the couple we are going on hols with. It's my birthday on the Friday so will have a drinkie on the thurday night as I will be driving Friday night as we're on the 5pm shuttle from Folkestone. (DS1 thinks we'll be able to see the fishes over us, like at an aquarium He's gonna be disappointed

Ah well, it saturday and I've decided to have a wee drinkie now - calms the nerves and I don't usually drink later at night anyway, so might as well have one now (it's a good excuse:D) Off to a quick surf then the remaining jobs beckon, before Mr TM gets home.