Wednesday 19 December 2012

Ooops

Youngest grand daughter, who is only 19 months old, has decided to embark on a bit of decorating.

She managed to strip a bit of wallpaper off....down by the skirting board....toddler level.  lol

When we visited I asked her if she was responsible for the bits of wallpaper that were on the carpet.

She looks at me....and says..."Oooops".....and then....finger to lips....."Sssshhhhhhhhsh".


Sunday 16 December 2012

More innocent kids and adults shot in the US of A.

Just ban the bloody guns.   End of.

Don't think the founding fathers would be too impressed at what's going on.    The Cowboys and Indians, Boston Tea Party, Colonial days are long gone.

Politicians won't, apparently, pursue banning guns because of the funding threat to their political careers.  Well, limit funding.  Give them all a set amount for their campaigns.  All equal that way.   No sucking up to sponsors, therefore, required.  That should sort them out.




Thursday 13 December 2012

Dreams, Light and Dazzle

This last week is near enough the 15th anniversary of my Dad passing.  Junior and he never met.    Makes me sad.  He's popped up in my dreams lately, though.  

Tonight there is a meteor shower expected in our area.   Maybe the skies will be lit up if the bad weather holds off.  (we've had freezing fog of late)    It's all due in the early hours.  I'll try and stay awake but I wouldn't bet on it.  lol

The house is all tinselled and baubled,  which is going down great guns with the mogs.  They are obsessed with it all, especially the baubles, which they play ping pong with.....at night..mostly!

I'm thinking of making Cilla dog a Santa coat with matching twinkly light earmuffs for her walks.  Well, it IS cold outside and you gotta take care of the elderly dog in your life, haven't you?   lol   If it turns out ok, will blog piccy.

Must remember to get batteries for camera!!!

Son No 1 was up the other day.  Helped me declutter some kitchen cupboards, as I was moaning about lack of space.  Well, to my embarrassment, he found loads of stuff with use by dates which had well and truly gone.   I had a jar of sun dried tomatoes from 2008....so he says!   So much for stockpiling!  lol




Tuesday 11 December 2012

New Life

Going to be a granny, again.

Little grandaughter on her way, all being well.

Seen the 3d scan.  Amazing all this technology.

Monday 19 November 2012

Sniff and Pluck

It's persisiting it down, again.  The weather won't let me sort the garden and hedges out..or the leak in the garden room.  Arghhhh.

We're both recovering from really bad colds and have irritating coughs, but we're Lemon and Honeying for England.  lol    Tena Lady is helping out, too!  lol

We're decluttering while we sniff.  A skip shall appear here soon and, hopefully, will help rid our house of useless clutter.  We've tons of garden rubbish, stuff that can't be recycled.  Anything that can will be recycled and freecycled or sent for the jumble sale (in aid of a local animal welfare place).  We need space for our work.  Me for the business and Junior for hers.  Am fed up of the dining table not being used for dining!  lol.  Gives me indigestion, eating from a lap tray.

Junior is blossoming in to a beautiful young woman.  She had her eyebrows (or, monobrow, as she described them!  lol)   shaped the other day by a beauty technician using a method new to me.. 'threading'..I think it's called that.   She looks lovely.  Never hardly squirmed, apparently, during her 'plucking'.   I wasn't there.  She went with her sis-in-law, who has all sorts of beauty therapy/treatments lined up to try.  Next one is for nails.  She can go for most things, except spray tanning, body piercings or tatoos!   Those are banned.   Junior's current beauty fad IS nails..and we have them all and all the jazz that goes with this 'hobby', including a stack of nail varnish colours.  lol

Anyway, Crimble is not far off so we are on with the present hunting/designing/making.    Bought my first pressie the other week....and promptly ate it (with help from others).  So much for buying tins of biscuits early!

It's cold here, so it's Tomato, Basil and Bean soup for lunch to help warm up our insides:o)

Heating is on.   Alas, couldn't wait until December which is when I planned to turn it on.  I really do envy people who have these multi fuel burners in their homes.  What I would give for one but, too expensive, as ever.  Bugger!






Saturday 17 November 2012

Happy

Am very happy.

Going to be a granny, again.

Mac is working, at last, too.

Yay!

Monday 29 October 2012

Weather..not just a British thing.

To all my friends and readers in the USA, I hope you keep safe and well amid all this Hurricane Sandy stuff. 

Keep safe.  Much love. xx

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Welcome to the Family

New car parked outside.  Yay!  

No more lugging heavy shopping up and down hill 'n' dale.

Junior is happy.  Only a couple more years and she'll be able to take her driving test.  lol

I always give my cars names. 

I had one which I bought from a Mr Holmes.  So we called it Sherlock.

Last one was named Judith, courtesy of Big Bro.  Registration number plate made that sort of obvious. 

This one is same make, less doors...and a tad racier.     Anyway,  she's called Ursula.   She's sort of a twin.  And my thinking behind this?    Phoebe out of Friends stuff.......she has a twin who is less conservative and a bit of a goer.....blah, blah.

Yeah, I know.  What an imagination!  lol

Wednesday 10 October 2012

We're Doomed!!!


There I am..pootinlg away and thnk, yes, I'll blog that.

Fifteen minutes later, when pc has fired up and  I'm 'on'...I forget what the f**k I was going to blog about.

Hail...Old age!!

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Equilibrium

I have fallen into the trap...of blogging negativity. Lost my mojo.  I've noticed that a few bloggers are suffering the same.

We do tons of stuff but I don't seem to blog as much because my camera is pooped.  Need to post piccies.!!

Not for long, though, this slump!.  Give it a month or so and we will be back to normal.  Yay!

We have news, too.  Can't divulge just yet.   . 

And...I am going to get my iMac mended.  Can't be doing with plonky, slow pc.  Eeeew.  It is such hard work.  No offence to pc owners.  I just like my Mac more. 

Well, at the mo, I am surrounded by mogs who are preening and cleaning themselves, ready for a good night's kip (she hopes).  They have just had a chicken dinner.  That should keep them quiet for a good few hours.....she hopes, again.  lol   Plus.. the heating's been on for the first time in AGES!......  Hoping it will keep 'em quiet/knock 'em out.  lol.  One can hope.  Nothing worse than a mog or two 'playing' at 2 am..when your joints are so  jammed that you can't can't get out of bed quickly enough to 'shut 'em up' before they wake half the street up with their antics...eg. usually  loud and bangy (to me) hockey type games...favourite article being Junior's rose hair grip..which they always seem to find no matter where she 'hides' it.   or, failing that, with any rogue bottle tops/pen tops they may find.  Little tinkers.

Come 6am they are sparko!  Arghhh....

Nice neighbour gave us some apples.  Good old British ones..but we have no idea what 'breed' they are.   Her neighbour has trees that overhang into her garden.  They are never picked.  Just allowed to drop, which is such a criminal waste of food.  So, she picks the overhang lot and uses them.  I aim to make a few apple pies...most aimed for the freezer.  Apples are another food that has been hit by the manky weather.  Produce down by 20% in this country alone.  Expect not the pristine specimens in the supermarkets but the 'normal' type...with the odd blemish here and there.  No point chucking 'em out .  Waste not, etc.o)

Talking of no waste.  I found a website that reckons you can feed a family of 4 (parents and 2 teenage kids) for £100 a MONTH.  You need to menu plan.  Might be of use to people.  Times are hard so every bit helps.  It's called Cheap-family-recipes.  Google it and you should get it to come up.  Might be of help to you in these hard times.

Anyway, off to make Mexican Hot Chocolate.  It's from the Barefoot Contessa.  Easy to veganise.

Basically, melt some chopped chocolate into hot milk.  Add a pinch of cinammon, some vanilla extract and a pinch of cayenne pepper..  She uses a cinammon stick as a stirrer.    That should keep you warm at night for a bit:o)

Sunday 9 September 2012

I should be so lucky

It was our Gardening Club's Annual Show this weekend.   I won the best herb display last year.  I got a certificate but the £5 prize money  never found its way to me and I never said anything out of embarassment.   Didn't enter anything this time just mainly because we've been too busy, but next year we will.

Anyway, we had a good look round, bought some plants (including spider plants which the mogs are doing their utmost to eat), some onions and homemade blackcurrant jam.....  Had a cream tea.  Lovely.

The exhibits were quite good.  There were some carrots there which I swear were 6 feet long and some onions the size of melons.  Brussel sprout plants about 6 feet tall.  Amazing....but I am easily impressed.  lol

There was the usual tombola.  Lots of ok prizes, some naff ones but it was the wines that caught my eye.  lol    Lots of NICE wines to be won.   Yay.   So, Junior and I had a go, with a view to winning the aforementioned vinos for me and make up goodies for my dear daughter.  So, two quid lighter we gets our tickets (5 for a quid).  I muttered to the Tombola Lady that I never win anything on these things, but 'today I have that lucky feeling.' 

After opening them we ended up with one lucky ticket each!  Yay.  Daughter is happy.  Now for what prizes we get?  Excited.  Tombola Man takes our winning tickets up to the Prize Table and brings our winnings to us.  Yippee...

Junior won a travel size bottle of bubble bath...and I won a bottle, too..........of Tesco Everyday Value Tomato Ketchup! 

Hmmphhh!

Friday 7 September 2012

Work Buddies

I've been crocheting away..complicated cushion design.   Will take me at least 8 hours to complete it.  There's no way you can make a living out of this crafting lark...especially when a certain attention-seeking Olive decides that she wants some quality time with moi..... and so eats into my 'make some money' time!!   lol  Like, 'don't do that, do this'....as in 'fuss me!  It's more interesting!'    Olive is nuts.  Quite potty...but very loveable.

 
I envy people who have studios.  All that space just for their craft!  Bliss.  In this house, there's crafting stuff stashed all over the place..and the light is crap.  The best light is in my bedroom!  Not ideal...but there I sit,...in my rocker..working away.  The mogs are either usually sparko on the bed, on top of the wardrobe (on a hat box) or else on the windowsill....sunbathing.  They are always close by.  Dog is usually under or on the bed....snoring!  

Anyway...The Great British Bake Off is on again!  Yay!  Might inspire Junior to experiment more in the baking dept.  She's lost interest of late.   All baked out!  On our Kitchen Gadget Wish List is a Kitchen Áid food mixer.  Beautiful...but expensive.  Might treat myself.   So many colours to choose from.   sigh.....

Thursday 23 August 2012

Fancy being rudely awakened!

For a change, I went to bed before 11pm last night.  I was pooped and joints had been playing up due to the change in weather.

I settles everyone.   Junior,  Mogs on their favourite perches/beds/windowsills/chairs/rockers/tops of wardrobes, etc..  Dog highjacks one side of my bed and is soon snoring and woof  woof, wip wipping away, with paws doing the galloping action as she lay there, otherwise motionless, deep in dreamworld.  God know what she was dreaming about?....probably a chase.  Very apt.

Ay...all is well.....I settles down.  Pillows nicely fluffed up so I don't get a stiff neck or an imprint of the  metal headboard on the back of my head.

Lights out.......Off, to the land of nod....yay....

THEN.   2am.     NOISE...and lots of it!   

Blumming Police helicopter was hovering around our neighbourhood...again........car chase.  Arghhhh.  (You can tell what a lovely place we live in).  Anyway, police helicopter pilots.... they can go and chase as many cars as they want, but why is it always in the middle of the night and why do they always hover and make the racket of the devil over my house roof ?

Helicopters are noisy things!   Better than alarm clocks for knocking sleep out of you.  Of course, the mogs were then 'up'.  Sigh.   Takes me ages to round 'em up and settle 'em down, again or otherwise they would party.  Then, various neighbours go off to work.  3 am local milk van roars up the road,  A neighbour goes to work at at 4am..car..Another at 5am..car.  Another 5.45..car..  Train in the distance...5.30 bloody am!

Got back to sleep at 6am.   I have staggered through the day....sleep deprivation is crap.    Now it's 6pm and one of the neighbours has decided to indulge in a bit of diy.   Bang, bang, bang.    Another, previous to this, at the top of his voice was yelling at his poor kids.    Arghhhhh!

Fun in Hill Billy Land!

What do I want for Christmas?     Earplugs.  Or a detached house in the middle of a field.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Ah, have been waylaid with the Olympics.  I'm sad that it's all over. 

We stayed up to watch the closing ceremony.  Spice Girls rule!!!..even though Posh nearly fell off her taxi. 

Some folk have made nasty comments about Gary Barlow performing.  (His daughter was stillborn earlier in the week)  .  Jason Manford, who is some tv personality/comedian,  stuck up for him and wrote a moving piece on his blog.  Think the blog is called The Young Turk.

Anyway.... red tape.  Council sent me a letter, wanting to know if |I intend to keep the allotment on....they have a waiting list.  Well, because of the crap weather we've had, nothing has been happening on the allotment.  A lot of the allotments have proved to be too much for their tenants .   It is hard work.  Will take years to get ours sorted.   Veg has been flooded,  soil like a bog, etc.  There hasn't been enough light, too.    The boys (and grandkids) came up and mowed it down for me, to keep the weeds at bay.  They've just taken over..like triffids .  I'll just have to try and  get the soil in the right condition for next season....too late to do anything else on the land this year, apart from the odd planting and hard landscaping..

This was the first mowing.  It got done twice, so the grass is REALLY short  making it easier to dig out little beds..  I'm having grass paths and not soil ones.  Have to laugh at N (Son No 2's best mate) on the left, checking his nails.  Junior is on her bit at the back....flowers and plants at that end.   There are roses down there, view blocked by the tree. 
 The grandkids.  Note to Son no 1,...don't dress your kid in white when visiting the allotment!  lol
 Little one was smiling at her Mummy.
Everyone busy.   Next door's plot is overgrown but not as bad as some of the others.
We're sussing out the possibility of keeping chickens up there and Grandchild  One of Min has the task of naming one.  Up to press, hers will be called Minnie Mouse!  lol    Grandchild Two is only little yet, but she'll probably call hers Dad.  (She's obsessed with her Daddy::o)  )      I was showing Grandchild  One of Min the chickens of a fellow allotmenteer and she was asking all the usual questions, like where were the eggs be, etc...   And, suddently....sharp pain in backside.

Would you Adam and Eve it..some bloody insect had climbed up my trouser leg and then decided to bite my back end!   Ow!!!

Had to rush home....as there was no way I could rip my trousers off in full view of half a dozen or so male allotmenteers.!  (Well, I could have, but it woul have put them off their tea!)  Still don't know what it was that munched me.  I tried to squeeze the bugger but, when I got home, I didn't dare look to see what it was.  Eeeew!    Just dumped the trousers in the washing machine..and put a hot wash on!  |

Next time we are up at the plot  it'll be elastic bands around the ankles!  lol

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Roasted Red Pepper, Sweet Potato and Spinach Lasagne

Junior and I were perusing the Meal Deals for 2 at Tesco the other day.  A few of the supermarkets do them.  We ogle the Marks and Sparks ones, but they're getting a bit hit and miss with the wine selections.  lol.    For these deals you get a main dish, side, pudding and a bottle of wine/non alcoholic drink...all for a tenner.  There are various options for you to choose..meat and vegetarian stuff.

Anyway, we were eyeing up one of the mains....(In post title)..and so I decided to have a go at making it, seeing as we're still on this economy drive.  I looked at the ingredients on the back of the ready made one and picked out the stuff that I thought was relevant.  .

Have to say, it was really nice and tasty.  A good veggie dish me thinks.  We made enough for 4 people!  Overdoing it, again.   lol

Ingredients

2 Pointy red peppers - roasted and skin removed
Large sweet potato - chopped and boiled and mashed up roughly
Bag of spinach
Chopped onion
Handful of sliced mushrooms
Half a tetra pack of passata..you could use a tin of tomatoes
1 TBS of tomato puree
Tablespoon of Garlic and Herb cream cheese
Couple cloves of garlice, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Teaspoon of fresh Thyme
Bayleaf
Lasagne sheets....I used dry type
Bechamel sauce..I used milk, margarine, plain flour, seasoning and grated nutmeg.  Cooked it the Crafty way..eg.  cold pan, add all the ingredients.  make sure the milk is cold.  Put heat on and keep stirring.  It goes all lumpy at first but the lumps will eventuall go to give you a smooth sauce.  Saves doing it the roux way.
Grated cheese ..some for in the sauce, some for on top.   The dish is really colourful when you're putting it together...red pepper, green spinach, orange sweet potato.  V appetising.

Method
Roast pepper in oven for 15/20 minutes and skin.  Discard skin and chop flesh.  Add to finished sauce.
Saute onion in a little olive oil.  Add garlic and cook until transluscent.  Add mushrooms and cook a few minutes more.
Add thyme and bayleaf.
Add passata and tomato puree and stir.  Cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add a couple handfuls of spinach.
Stir in cream cheese.
Season.  I used loads of freshly ground black pepper and a smidge of salt

Assembly job is:-

Spoonful of sauce on bottom of ovenproof dish..  Don't forget to take out the bay leaf.
Layer of lasagne sheets
Layer of sauce
Layer of fresh spinach
Layer of sweet potato
Layer of lasagne sheets., etc, etc.....keep going until you've used up everything.

Bechamel sauce on top with as sprinkling of cheese.

Cook in oven...about 170 C for about 45 minutes...until the top is golden brown.

This would be nice with a nice crispy salad.  Don't have it straight out of the oven.  Give it a couple of minutes to cool so you don't end up burning your mouth!   It's really nice the next day)

I used one and a half pointy red peppers but the roasted remnants didn't yeild as much as I thought, so I would use at least 2 next time.

You could, instead of mashing up the sweet potato, just layer them as slices, dauphinoisse style.

Forgot to take a photo of the cooked dish out of the oven.  Just got this pathetic offering left.  We had it with spinach and sweetcorn salad with a balsamic dressing (you can get little pots of this from Asda for 27p each.)  It was lovely the next day with a few chips/fries.



Sunday 29 July 2012

The Olympics

Junior and I watched the opening ceremony yesterday.

Have to say that I felt very proud to be British. 

I loved the bit with Her Majesty and James Bond.  ......and the kids.....bouncing about on their NHS beds, having nightmares and being saved by Mary Poppins.  All mad.  And the mini...  Wonder how many people over the world 'got' our sense of humour?  Then the music...Sex Pistols and Dizzie Rascal...and Mike Oldfield...and, at the end.... all these countries that I have never heard of and their reps marching into the stadium...proud as punch.   Wasn't it nice that instead of some famous British Olympian lighting the flame...our most famous nominated 7 talented youngsters to do the job instead.   Just great. x

You can watch it on the BBC iPlayer.  No commercial interruptions!!..although there is no commentary.    Read the British Newspapers online to get a gist of it all if you're kerfuffled about some of it..

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Let Me Depress You a Little

Do you ever fret about what will happen once you depart this life?  I mean, to those you leave behind.

I do.

I haven't felt that I'm 'long for this earth' for a while.   Illness gets you like that.....Especially when you have a 'bad episode' and pain renders you useless..

So, what plops on the doormat this morning?  Michael Parkinson and his life policy.  The one where you get a lump sum paid on your demise.   The relatives spend it as they wish.   Joke.    Actually, it can be used to 'funeral' you, if that's what you desire.  You even get a 'free gift..before you 'pass on'.   16 inch led tv, little camcorder, sat nav, etc.  Personally, I'd go for the £75 Marks and Sparks vouchers.  Junior agrees, so if I were to take this policy out we would be straight off to their food department, clutching afore-mentioned vouchers!  lol

Then, there's a will to sort out.   Don't want anybody fighting over my costume jewellery and crochet hooks.

Depressing, but these things have to be sorted.  Taking early retirement makes you think of these things. 

Tell you, this getting old lark...not for the faint hearted.

It's not all doom and gloom.  Also in the post, to Junior's delight, was a 'Subway' promotion leaflet with lots of free meal vouchers.  She and Son no 1 are unashamed Subbers.

Back to  it.   At my 'Do'....wear bright clothes, tell jokes and play me out to Status Quo!

Sunday 22 July 2012

Sunday Best

All is quiet here...except for Cilla dog's  gentle snoring.  Give it ten minutes and I'll need earplugs!  lol    She's in season at the moment and a proper sex pest.  The mogs are keeping a wide berth!


Junior made Sunday Dinner.... curry.  Very nice it was, too.  Fruit for pud, or a syrup sponge cake.  Bought some Levi Roots ginger beer which I've had with the meal...also very nice.  :o).  I'll be doing the washing up.  Untypically (is that a word?) she's not used every pot and pan in the house.  Yay. 

I've spent a couple of hours tearing up old newspapers for the cat litters..  Emergency, as we've run out of the 'normal' cat litter.    We are about to experiment with a new litter (Cats Best).  Been highly recommended, so we're giving it a go tomorrow.  It's meant to be more cost effective and eco friendlier than the stuff we use now (mainly Tesco's..'cos it's cheap and not that heavy).  Junior's been beavering away on the net, trying to find the best price for it and for food, too.  (Good for the maths and housekeeping skills!)  The mogs haven't been very happy of late with the normal wet and dry food we give , so we're going to try and get them on a good quality dried food.  It's swings and roundabouts expense-wise.  .  Works out the same nowadays 'cos the internet price finds that Junior has sussed means we can afford them now.   The cheaper stuff doesn't fill them up and/or makes them puke...(and the other).  They need more of it to be satisfied.  Supermarket makes they do not like and they've even gone off some of the well known stuff!  So, we may as well feed them the best we can afford.   So,  tester pack buying it is tomorrow for Applaws, Nutram and Royal Canine.

The weather....sunny today.  Yay!   Might even risk sowing some seeds.   We have a large propogater...which should be a snail-free zone.   Junior harvested some mega sized blueberries. 

Up at the allotment, runner bean plants have only grown about 18 inches!!  Soddened soil there is a lot of!  . But, we discovered that we have a globe artichoke plant in amongst the shrubbery and it seems to be doing ok.  The boys cut down the weeds and mowed the plot for me in June.  Think I'm just going to have little beds of stuff and keep the paths as grass/lawn. Much more interesting.  Saves digging.   You can always tell which of the plots are run by blokes because they just look like giant ploughed fields.  All very industrial...and boring.  Mainly brassicas and spuds!    Anyway, the plot wants moving again, due to the amount of rain......the grass has well and truly grown!  We have an array of garden plants there on ours, if nothing else, thanks to the previous plot holder.  Roses, buddliea, bearded iris, jasmine.  And..buttercups...I love 'em..don't care if other folk think they're weeds...they're so bright and lovely.  Remind me of my childhood when you used to hold them up to you and the yellow of the flower would reflect on to your chin.  And we have clover....means the soil has a good nitrogen supply, apparently, according to horticulturist neighbour.   Anyway. not chopping them.  The bees and insects can enjoy them, too.

I took loads of photos but....ping, ping, pong.   You guessed it.....batteries conked! 




Saturday 21 July 2012

Need To Grow More

We need to get our fingers out and get on with growing some food!    Our efforts this time have been thwarted by all this flipping rain and our super Olympian snails.(rage!!)..  So, there's isomniacal  moi, laying in bed..thinking of ways to make the pennies stretch more, 'cos there ain't many pounds around here at Chez Min.

Wonder what you can grow in a poly tunnel? We're craving spinach at the mo..and beetroot..and all manner of things...but they're expensive up at the shops here, being in Hill Billy Land.   Are these tunnels sturdy enough for our mad weather?   Can you grow fruit and veg in one all year round?  I've only just thought of the possibility of getting one..  Put it off because of cost.  Anyway, wonder if anyone has advice/tips on this?  Shall have to do some 'research'.  Do you need planning permission to put one up in your back garden?  No point asking the council, 'cos they won't know. lol

Would be nice if it all comes to fruition, so to speak.  Just in time for my early retirement  AND...it could be an escape from nosey neighbour!  Yay!! 

Thursday 19 July 2012

NOT HAPPY AT ALL

Been blubbing.

Both my boys have families...and jobs and they work jolly hard ( get up EARLY...one at 3am, the other at 5.30am...to go to work).  They both didn't end up in their 'desired' trades.   Spent years doing college courses only to find that the jobs weren't there at the end, even with qualifications.  They both wish they'd left school at 16 and  had gotten into their desired careers by starting at the bottom and climbing up the ladder that way., instead of staying on at school and massaging youth unemployment figures..

I didn't mind what they chose career-wise, as long as it was safe.  But, there was one career that I absolutely did not/do not want them in.  Don't think it ever crossed their minds, either.

Well, because he hates his boring job so much and that there is no chance of promotion,  Son no 2 has decided that he is going to join the Army.  I am absolutely against it.. Mortified .   Hate it..all that macho bull and the thought of him being target practice in some faraway place..  Ack.

Bloody war has wiped out most of my family.  Apart from one granma, who died when I was very young,  I have never met any  relatives that my parents had.  No Grandads, uncles, aunties, cousins, etc.    No family homes to visit.  All gone, even paper records, so we can't do a proper family tree,    Nothing.  So, I hate and detest war/military stuff.

Why are they recruiting when they are making tens of thousands redundant?.   Probably all comes down to money.  Get rid of the older, well-salaried blokes and train up newbies and pay them a smaller salary.  ££££££££  

Told him ages ago that if he ever went for it then I would knee-cap him.

Off to do a little job!!.....................

Then I'm gonna smash all his computer games!!.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Jollies, Again.

Well,  Junior's decided that she jolly well can't swim and that it's bloomin hard to learn.  Since her 'dunk' the other day, she's not too partial to putting her head under water...or letting her feet float up!  Oh Dear.    Have told her that I will arrange swimming lessons for her. 

They went out yesterday evening and managed to win £15 and 1kg of chocolate between them!    Sufice it to say, it's 'Film Night' tonight..so choccie sharing should be plentiful......says she.  (Son no 1 is a choccie nut...always has been...so try to wrestle it from him 'cos he's the one who won the chocs..  Pretty apt, really, as he always had a chocolate 'mouth' as a kid...as does Junior.   lol)  They are alike that way.

Today they all went swimming, as per above (cheap day) and went to 'The Dogs this evening.  Apparently, it was really good.  They won a bit.  Hope they don't come back with a 'retired' greyhound, which is what I would probably do.  lol 

Tomorrow is 'Zoo Day.  I know they are looking forward to this.  Big highlight  Expensive entrance fee.  Hope it goes ok.

Meanwhile......I am attempting to 'sort out' Junior's bedroom ready for redecorating.  Man... she has way toooooooo much stuff.    Lots of storage boxes required, me thinks....or knows.   If you have teenagers, then you will know that half of your crockery and cutlery lives, permanently, in thier room.   I freed a load of mine today!   lol

Sorry for any typos.  Blogger playing up.

Monday 9 July 2012

Waiting

Junior's on holiday.

The mogs have been turning the house upside down looking for her.  Bart, Tinks, Henry, Ringy and Popeye are permanently attached to her bed!  Waiting......Bless......

Meanwhile, Cilla has come on heat.  Joy.

She is not fussy and will bonk anything.

Mogs are keeping out of the way.

I am keeping her occupied with bonios.  No pun intended.

The panting gets on yer nerves after a while, though.....lol

Meanwhile....in the land of 'Holiday'....

Junior decided that she was going down the waterslide at the water centre where she's at...Big bros have taken her on hol.

She can't swim.

She's not bothered and seems to have no fear.  Not bothered about wearing water wings or a rubber ring.

So,  Son no 2 was waiting for her at the bottom of this huge slide.   Down she comes.....and, typically,  he got distracted.  Junior lands...splosh....and goes under.....Son no 1 thought she had drowned....  Admittedly, Junior was a bit pissed off.  Didn't cry, though.  Says she's going to have another go tomorrow.....sigh.....

Have told Son no 1 to be on 'catch' duty....or else!!

Sunday 8 July 2012

Ding Dong

It was like something out of a comedy sketch.

As per usual...  after I had hung out a line of washing (mostly Junior's stuff, I might add)   the blooming heavens opened, again....BIG TIME.  Sigh.....   Our weather of late is PSYCHO!!!

'Bugger it' I thought..and left it there...the washing...  'Not going out in that lot'.

So...mutter, mutter...toddles into kitchen...then upstairs and....doorbell goes.  Wonders who is stupid enough to come out in this stuff.    I looks out of the bedroom window and no-one is there.. The bloody doorbell has 'tripped' again and was 'bing bonging' away. 

The rain was so heavy it was constantly 'ringing the bell'..for want of a better expression.

After 15 minutes it tends to get on yer mammeries, so I traipse downstairs and open the door to try and stop the button from sticking.

Bad move.

Overhead gutters were overflowing due to the sheer volume of rain and water was virtually dropping down  like a sheet, right on the doorstep.   So, I retreat.

Bugger.  Am wet and pissed off.

Bing bloody bong...bing bong, bing bong....on and on and on and on and on and on.....

I tries to coax (whack) the indoor speaker to 'shut up!   No joy.

So, bright idea....gets the umbrella and opens it, then the door.......WHAM.....a ton of water kops me  It must have known my plan and was waiting for me, I'm sure!!  Well, there I am, struggling to keep the umbrella over my head while I unjam the bloody bing bong button.

Meanwhile.....water floods into the hallway.   Yikes!!   I give up the umjamming of bing bong and close the door......Where's a sandbag when you need one?    I am SOAKED!...and I haven't even stepped outside!!!

Am mighty fed up at this point. 

'Slop, slop, slop'...sound of me waddling into the kitchen.  I go in there so I can remove my sodden clothing.  Yorks to what the neighbours think.  Off with me kit and on with the dry!!  Who wants pneumonia in 'summer'?

Anyway.  my soaking served its purpose.  Bing bong is no more.  Peace.

It's sunny outside....but I'm staying put.

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Forgot

Happy 4th July to 'you lot over there!!' xxx
Junior is busy getting stuff ready for her jollies.  She has so much stuff laid out that I fear that a suitcase will not suffice.  We need a Harry Potter style trunk!  lol

Bikini has been purchased.  Two, actually, so that's one job done.  No point in buying suntan lotion until they get to their destination, given the weather!

I finished my neon orange socks.  They're ok.  Junior has bagged them, so I must make more to, if anything,  perfect the art.   It takes at least 6 hours to knit them, so I don't suppose I will be making them to sell...unless they go for £30 a pair!  lol    Plus, on these one rib is deeper than the other.  Same no of rows so don't ask me how I managed that,  I used the same size needles, too. 
I have lots on my 'To Do while she is away' list.  Be interesting to see how much I actually do get done.

More Piccies
Pear and Almond pie, recipe from River Cottage Family.

Crocheted Wool Blanket, now with new owner.

Rainbow


Think this is a clematis

Junior and Meg

Popeye relaxing

Feeding Time .  The kitchen units have now been painted a sort of duck egg blue.

Crochet cushion front. Made this with bits and bobs from my stash.  Just need a pad.

Back of crocheted cushion. Ran out of colour! lol

Saturday 30 June 2012

Been Raided!!



Junior's been shopping today with Son no 1 and his other half..  She needs a bikini for her hols.  So, off she goes on the bus..15 mile journey and meets them at the other end for a day of shopping and 'dinner out',   She comes home with her buys  and  so I suggest that she tries on said bikini to see if it fits.  (she bought it without trying...aparrentlhy, you ain't allowed to try them on anymore!  What!!! )  So...eventually..she lets me into her bedroom...and she is clinging to her dressing gown. Bikini's underneath. 
'So, let's have a look then'. 
'It fits' she says
'Let me have a look' I replies.  Need to ensure it fits ok to avoid embarassment.
This conversation to and fros for about ten minutes. Eventually, I tells her that I can see her arse in the mirror so she may as well let me have a look.  After all, I'm her mother and have seen it all before.!     What are teens like?  lol

Bikini has to go back...Too small on top.  She has an enviable figure and I keep getting told that she should go into modelling...but Junior doesn't seem interested.....yet.     How can you not be able to return children's clothing if it doesn't fit?  Sigh...Anyway....piccies... 

New Feeding regime.  This is the last box of wet food until Monday.  Bart says it's his!

 Not on your nelly, says Popeye.  It's mine.
 Meg says it's hers.  Trying to open it for herself, too.
 Boris the Spider, obviously.
 His origins.
Bloody snails have had 'me' courgettes.  Bugger!
 So mad, I posted the pic twice!  lol   The crushed eggshell thing didn't work then!!
Buggers haven't got my tomatoes!!   yet.......only 'cos they're in a hanging basket.
 First strawberries.
 Choc pie with 'cheffy Junior cream Masterchef swirl' thing..and strawbs.  Nom nom nom:o)


Thursday 28 June 2012

All Change

Our mogs are weird!

I've noticed lately that they hunt down items I've made from mohair!  Thankfully, my newly hand knitted bedsocks have survived these raids  Tinks has just rushed downstairs with a mohair fingerless glove clamped in her mouth.  (Beats a dead rodent or bird anyday).    She dropped it by my side here, by the desk.  She's bringing me pressies!  :o))

More like a hint.

Are you on our side?  If so.....Feed me....NOW!!

Junior has devised a new feeding and discipline regime.  She reckons they are spoilt!  So, they get wet food once a day (apart from the Old Ladies who get it twice daily) and the rest is dry, complete food.  Typically, the mogs are NOT PLAYING  and are rebelling.  lol

On the discipline front.....no more kipping in her room...they are early risers and like to play...at 5.30am..  When I go in there on a morning, I am confronted by a barrage of items littered by the door.  These are usually cushions, soft toys, shoes...all missiles lobbed by Junior in an attempt to shut them up so she can sleep in peace...she's too lazy to get out of bed and open the door to let them out.

Won't last long.  Henry and Bart are expert yowlers if they want their own way or attention. AND they are her spook protectors.   I'll give it a week. 

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Piccies


Junior sporting her newly crocheted hairband.  She got up at 6.30am, raided my wool stash and an hour later came back to show me the finished article.  It's a mini granny square effort.  Granny square tote in the foreground that I made yonks ago and is awaiting lining.
Grandchild of Min and me.  Looks just like her Daddy.....and has his 'stick your tongue out when pictures of you are being taken' habit!
Henry posing.  Bit blurred but he is a lovely, handsome talkative little fellow...and completely adores  Junior.


Megan's weird look.

Junior's bead weaving.

Son No 1 with Grandchild no 2.  She looks like her Daddy, too.
 
Rolled out Michaelmas daisy.  You could make this into a necklace, me thinks.

The flattened out version.

Daisies for contrast.

Lovely cupcakes that Junior made.  They were EXTREMELY yummy.
Spooky.  She's 15 years old.  Very cantankerous at times but likes her food and kip..and a cuddle.  Cannot get a worming tablet down her for the life in me.  She rips you to shreds with her very sharp 15 year old claws!  lol

Bart and Tinks...the Hypers!!  Waiting for their nosh.  Henry in the background, tucking into some chives!  Weird cat!
Bart, Ringo and Henry as kittens, being supervised by Dad aka |Popeye.
Think Popeye was about to dish out some discipline in  this one.
LooLoo keeping her bum warm on the PC tower.
Flowers picked from the garden yesterday.  'Scuse state of window sill.
They smell divine.  Peonie at the back.
LooLoo caught in the bathroom sink.  Think mogs like to laze in it because it's cool.

It's a dog life!!
And a cat's!!!

Sunday 24 June 2012

Olympic Creatures

Blummin' Eck!  It's absolutely pooping it down with rain...still!   My poor courgettes will drown at this rate.

I have some bean plantlings to plant.  Dare I, given the wet weather?  Might stick them in up at the allotment.  Snail population up there is not as bad as Chez Min.  Loads in the garden.  The little blighters are EVERYWHERE and seem to be made of Olympic material.  . I found one inside the HOUSE the other week..It'd managed to make it's way through the catflap and then UPSTAIRS and was found on the landing dado rail!  Thought 'Right, find Junior and show her our new visitor'.  Came back and it was making it's way back downstairs!  I did evict it to the strains of' 'Eeeeew'  from Junior.

The Olympic Torch is heading our way.  Maybe the snail was sussing out a viewing post?  lol  Anyway, am hoping that we can get to see the Torch when it passes through Hill Billy Land.  

It's all my fault..this rain.   My Dad always joked that it rains when I peg out washing.   I put out a line of washing the other day, to obviously dry...and it remains there....very wet.  At some point I'm going to have to leg it out there and rescue 'me stuff'.  lol 
Junior is busy making a granny square bag for her hols.  It's looking very funky and nice up to press.   In fact, I think it's mega!  She's at her least favourite stage of 'construction'....sewing it all up.  Just had a tantrum...'cos she sewed some squares but managed to sew a right side and a wrong side together...then she did it again!  lol     She intends to line the bag, too and is turning the house upside down to find a complimentary piece of material for this.  No luck yet.  I'm saying nothing.  Keep shtum and keep the old tin hat on...until tantrum head has gone! 

I've finished a crochet cushion cover for t'Shop and am now attempting my second pair of knitted socks.   First pair were in mohair....very toasty as bed socks and mega soft and good at keeping my joints warm...second pair are in bog standard dk...and are in a very fetching neon orange:o)   Is there a market for handmade knitted socks, I wonder?  Putting piccies up on the blog is a pain at the mo.  It costs to send them from my phone....... so there's the camera.    Sigh... Why don't batteries last long enough for me to take a couple of piccies and to then upload 'em?  Maybe I should get my finger out and reinvest in another rechargeable battery unit thingy. 

The 'spook' is about.  Olive cat is alert and growling at thin air.  The other mogs have legged it upstairs.  And where is the dog.....under the desk!  Bless..

Thursday 21 June 2012

Skunk Patrol


Wonder if I could borrow this lot?

It's bogging it down, again.  Courgettes won't need watering then!

EASY MEAL.

Saute a chopped onion in olive oil, add sliced mushrooms and fry until just done.  Season.

Meanwhile, cook some tagliatelle, drain..leaving some of the cooking water.

To the onion and mushrooms (when they are cooked) add a couple of spoonfuls of pesto sauce.  Mix and add to the pasta...slosh in some of the water to the veg and pesto mix if it needs loosening up.  It can be a bit claggy sometimes.

Serve,  Sprinkle on grated cheese if desired...   Really yummy...and cheap!

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Wish List

I had a bad day yesterday. 

Emergency doctor called out ...Mother not very well at all...had to drive up the motorway in not so well car to be with and help out, etc...

With our situation here 'back home' and all the obnoxiousness...perhaps earplugs are in order?   And maybe a skunk to patrol the garden boundaries to stave off any penking and tresspassing?  lol 

Monday 18 June 2012

Pissed Off of Hill Billy Land

I am hoping someone 'up there' will hear my prayer and rid me of my neighbours...as in get them to piiss off and move away/ gag them.....or help us move to 'better pastures'.   Bloody move them or help me move away....please.     

I hate the tittle tattle, malicious gossip of these mindless, rude 'peope'...if you can call them that....people, I mean.  Can't even go in the garden without having to endure the 'over the gardens' tripe that comes out of these peoples' mouths.   They think they own the place and so have the belief that you do as they say.   Sone of these people have had terrible luck in the past. and still do now...seems they deserve it.

Nasty, bitchy, two-faced .

Horrid people.

Arghhhh!!!

Saturday 16 June 2012

Mock

We've been watching Gok Wan's new Chinese Cookery programme (Channel 4) and have made a few of his dishes, which were very nice..especially the Ma Po Tufu.  Anyway, to do this properly, you need the right  ingredients, so we are buying them, bit by bit, week by week.  Scouring the internet for the nearest Chinese supermarket has kept me busy for a bit.  lol    Not many around here in Hill Billy Land.

Well, Junior loves chilli garlic prawns...with coconut rice:o)   It's truly delicious.  So on our last visit to the grocery shops I spied some VEGETARIAN PRAWNS in the freezer dept.  Can you believe that one can buy such things....even vegan prawns, too?   (You can buy mock meat or even make it yourself.  I've never tasted vegan meat substitutes before, though).  I lie...I made some seitan a while back, but it turned out like squash ball in consistency.  Apparently, I didn't braise it long enough.  

And so...what do we think after having indulged in the above Chilli Prawn dish?   I really like them....they look like the real thing.  Smell ok.     They even have that  munch/bite, too.  Not soggy or anything like that.   My plate is clean...not a morsel left.  I forgot to take a photo in my haste.  Dash it!! 

I give the pretend prawns 8/10.  Junior's verdict is 4/10....but she ate most of them!  She likes her meat and will NEVER be a vegetarian, let alone a vegan.

I am happy.  As far as I'm concerned, you prawns of the world can live in peace.  I won't eat you:o)

Good old Linda McCartney.  £2.50 a bag at Tescos..and there were LOADS in the bag.  Never seen them in shops here before, although you can buy different makes off the internet..

FOR THE DISH...We finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic,and sliced 4 spring onions.  Gently fried the 'prawns' for 10-15 mins with the garlic and spring onions.  A few minutes before serving we just sloshed some sweet chilli dipping sauce in and served over Coconut Rice...which is basically rice cooked with a little water and the contents of a tin of coconut milk.  Season the rice, though, or else it can be bland.

On the mechanical front...car is a bit pooped.  Keeps over revving.  It's an automatic..like a go cart!  lol     Big Bro has sent me copy of the car manual to help me suss out the bits under the bonnet so I can, hopefully, sort it out.   Not at the moment, though.  Barmy, potty English weather is at it..again.   Rain, rain, rain.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Anoraks at the ready

Blimey.....It ain't half raining in Hill Billy Land!   As they say...It's ABSOLUTELY bogging it down!!!

Our side roof was damaged by builders employed by the new neighbours..the ones we don't get on with.  No-one has had the common courtesy or decency to repair the damage they caused or pay for the repairs...so when it rains..in it comes.    Big Bro did a temporary repair to tide us over, but that's starting to give way now.  I

Anyhow, being rather peeved at the sight and sound of water cascading into the back passage and especially the garden room and bedraggled cats coming through the catflap, Junior and I donned our weatherproofs and tried to do a repair to the garden room......downpipe and guttering had come away, causing some of the hassle.  We managed to stop the waterfall....thanks to our nice crafting neighbour up the road.  Down she came, armed with another pair of ladders and some polycarbonate sheeting and 15 minutes later...it was done.  We (she and Junior...rickety joints don't let me do things like climb ladders!)  had to stretch across the existing polycarbonate roofing to rejoin the guttering.  So, nice neighbour was at one side...6 feet away from downpipe..and Junior was up ladder No 2 at the front of the downpipe....which was 7 feet away from her.  What do you use in these circumstance to lift up and rejoin so a nice, leak-free, 90 degree join is made?   Washing poles!  Big Bro made me two a while back and they are now currently holding our repair together.  lol  (Best get him to make more.)  Nice, old fashioned wooden washing poles, not those useless, crappy metal jobs.  They acted a bit like giant chopsticks. We even got a water butt set up too...all in the pouring rain!  Knowing our barmy, English weather...it'll be scorching next week, so the saved water will do for the plants.   Nice neighbour is 76!!!!!  Don't know where she gets the energy from. 

So, we sort of dried off...and then I went up to her house, bearing a Thank You gift....Scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam:o)    She played hell with me , saying that she didn't expect a thank you pressie for helping out....but she smiled broadly once she clapped her eyes on our little Thank You 'package'. 

Hope people out there stay safe and as dry as possible.

Wonder if the hosepipe ban will stay?  lol

The Queen's Jubilee weekend was brilliant.  Her Maj did well, considering her age and that Prince Philip was ill.  Junior and I made some red, white and blue bunting.  Put it up at the front windows....and the mogs promptly tried to take it down!  We have balloons outside the front door.   Bit deflated now, though.  Shan't say what they remind me of.  Just think rude!   

Friday 1 June 2012

Klingon

The dog still refuses to leave my side.

Le Spook is doing my head in.  Elderly semi-feral cat...who NEVER comes to me when called,  is now my new BF.

As I type, Cilla is under my feet.  Shoved herself into the little footwell beneath my desk.  No wonder my feet are becoming deformed.  Can't move for the dog!   Junior still 'arms' herself with the mogs when it's beddybye time..  And every light that the house has... remains ON!!

I am so sleep deprived that I don't give a bugger anymore.  Knock me out with a glass or five of red wine!  (Marks and Sparks do a great Vegan wine.  Beautiful!!!  Fairtrade aswell.)

The pets will only stay downstairs in the living room at night time if we are there with them, otherwise they play up.  Once it's daylight then they're ok....and then they party.   Lttle buggers!  

Up to press, Le Spook is much nicer than neighbours on either side of us.   Maybe he's trying to tell me something?  Anyhow, I love his house.  Knackered and all that  it is......

11.45pm  and Henry is now whining away at Junior's bedrooms door. 'Waaaahhhh....let me in!'    Wuss!

Junior...understandably....not very pleased.   Tell you something you might know.....teenage hormones are kicking in!   Junior has also developed 'selective hearing'.   Ohhh, bliss.  a Spook, neurotis dog and teenage hormones.  Arghhhh! 

  

Monday 28 May 2012

What's your safe place?

Woke up and could not find my mobile phone.

Bugger!  Major bugger.

Where did I put the thing?  Turns our that I put it in the safest place,  

Down the old bra!  

|like most folk, we  have tea/dinner/evening meal.  Bit of a hike from kitchen to dining room in this house.

Only so many hands are available to get stuff from A to B......so...down it goes..the phone.....  Trouble is, this time, ...I forgot to put it by the bedside lamp.  Just hopped into bed...and....beddybyes.......land of nod.

Ringing bras are ...different!

Thursday 24 May 2012

What has the dog spotted?

Bleaugh...

Not been well.  And, there's been all this dodgy weather.  Potty!

New internet connection is ok.  Not gone to plan, but that would be the story of my life....sigh...

Eyesight seems to be shot, too.  All this good news!   Can you take it?   lol

Well, talking of neighbours....we have Big Ears on one side...and not so nice ones on the other.  NOW....we have a bit of a diversion.  

SPOOK IN THE HOUSE!!!

The dog will not be left alone.  No No No!!!!!  Doesn't like the downstairs. 

Will not stay in the kitchen.   AND.... no amount of 'You will do as you are told' will do. 

Nope.

Wherever we go, she goes.  She is glued to my side.     As previously mentioned, she has bulldozed her way through a mighty strong dog gate.  She just pants and stresses for England.  She either stays by my side..or goes under the bed or dining table.

The cats growl on occasion....and they seem to prefer to be upstairs.

Well...a previous resident, apparently, passed over in the house.  Elderly gentleman.

Now, we have a fitted glass cupboard in the living room and I have noticed that one of the doors opens....usually about 3am. (been kipping downstairs 'cos of the rabble that's moved in next door).  Well, the day before we had our new phone line installed, we bought a new phone.  Took it out of the box and put it on the coffee table.  We had no phone connection or anything.   Well, bugger me....it started bleeping at....3am   Argh...   Safe to say that I nearly pooped my pants,

Junior sleeps with all the lights on that are available to her..plus she has with her  her arsenal of clawy, bad-tempered mogs...all eleven of 'em!!!

Me.. it's just me and the dog in my bedroom...Up to press, the dog is the one kipping under the bed!
Ay, never a dull moment.

Ironic thing is...we have a cat (one of the Old Ladies) who is called... Spooky. 



Monday 23 April 2012

'Dragon' Slaying

It's Saint George's Day!  May you gain confidence to 'slay' your fears, doubts and thereby overcome any 'obstacles' that are causing you unhappiness..... and gyp!

(George and the Dragon stories...up on Wikipedia.  I like the Wormingford one best) 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George_and_the_Dragon

Friday 13 April 2012

That Blooming Dog

The dog did it...again.

Bulldozed the dog gate, just as Big Bro arrived..... Got WELL AND TRULY stuck this time. She was so pleased to see him...never saw the dog gate! lol

Well, he shoved and I pulled. Nothing doing. After ten minutes we still had a dog with a dog gate around her middle. We got a metal hacksaw out to try and cut off the bars. Nothing doing. So, he went in search of better hacksaw...searching my toolbox. Shuffled off to garden room where said toolbox is kept. Meanwhile, Cilla was not having it. What! no attention!....so she wiggled out of her metal tutu and toddled off in search of her audience! :o) Big Bro has come up with the idea of replacing the bars with wood. Good idea me thinks. Get on with it, then! lol

He is here to babysit our house and pets as we in turn are going to babysit Son No 1's place and his dog. He's away for the weekend...wedding. So, we have got a long weekend with......Sky TV, central heating and Grandchild of Min! I can finish off my next blanket in comfort. Yay Junior is all packed up, ready to go:o) Hope he's got those pizzas in for us! lol

Hope you have a lovely weekend. x

Tuesday 10 April 2012

The Full Moon Thing

You can tell it's recently been full moon time.

Holy Moley...the mogs AND the dogs have been REALLY unsettled lately, especially at night. Has been driving me potty....sleep deprivation. They're just not themselves at the mo and are proper hyper and snappy.

I put Cilla to bed in the kitchen last night. Nice warm dog bed with woollen blanket, freshly laundered. All her food and water available. There is a dog gate, so I don't have to close the door on her. Anyway, this morning found that she'd squeezed through the dog gate bars like bloody Popeye, of eating spinach fame and caused havoc in the hallway....rubbish bag chewed open plus she'd relieved herself, too. Not being that pleased to behold such a sight first thing in the morning, I put her back in the kitchen! Well, she wasn't having it and became very stressed out and virtually bulldozed through the dog gate again....only this time she got stuck...one half of dog gate at right side, other at left...dog in niddle. Dog gate was like a bloomin tutu on her!! I had a walking dog gate in the kitchen. And it was only bloody 6.45 AM!!! She had managed to dislodge it from the door frame and so there's me, cursing away at the dratted dog and trying to get the blooming thing off her at the same time. Push, shove..... TEN minutes trying to shove her back, then forwards. Eventually got her free but my, she was proper potty...and I was well and truly peed off. Apparently, I woke up Junior with my yelling...and probably the neighbours, too. Maybe the dog can sense something in the kitchen. I don't know. At the moment, she won't leave my side. Neither will bro's dog but he's not as bad as Cilla, though.

I've been sussing out a few websites and blogs that talk about saving money. The frugal ones....seeing as I need to save up for a new dog gate now. I found one today where the authors reckon you can feed a person three meals for a £1 a day. Does anyone manage that, I wonder? Can't see how you can do that, unless you buy stuff in bulk and factor it out that way. Bet you lose weight. I ought to put the dog on a bloody diet after Dog Gate!! Anyway.....we're going to have a go. Luckily Junior likes porridge, so that's breakfast sorted. lol. 9p for that they reckon. Shall have to work on the remaining 91pence! When we figure it out I'll let you know what meals we've come up with. But, I can't work out how we'll get the old 5-a-day within the budget.

Talking of healthy... on another blog...The hedgecombers... there is a post about nettles...using them in a smoothie type drink...without blanching first so that the 'sting' is gone! Eek. Anyway, turns out it was not so bad....so...seeing as we have a new patch of said nettles at the bottom of the garden...I think I might have a go. The recipe is...2 bananas, water, some berry puree and the nettles, all whizzed up in a blender. Makes two portions, apparently. Could nettles be one of our 5-a-day? Can't see Junior going for that. Nettle smoothie. Don't think so.

Also, there was a tip on cleaning a manky glass oven door. I nearly had a cardiac arrest because it just looked like ours and I was getting a bit paranoid, wondering which creep had posted a sneaky pic of ours up on the internet to shame me into cleaning it. (maybe it's the full moon thing) The blogger got a load of bicarb of soda and added water to make a thick paste, slapped it on the oven door and glass and left if for a while. Scraped it off with a window paint scraper type of thingy and it came up really sparkly clean. We're def going to have a go at that. There's me thinking I'd have to buy one of those kits that cost lots of poundies and now I don't. Yay

Anyway, time for beddies. Shall have to have Klingon aka Cilla with me this time. Bugger! More sleep deprivation. (she sneaks on when I'm asleep and likes to lay on my legs...probably because they're pillow like...being so podgy! And believe it or not, not being able to feel/move my feet keeps me awake. You'd think being in the 'land of nod' that it wouldn't matter.... Work that one out!