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.....