Achy Thursday

A lovely bright day today after yesterday's gloom.  Him indoors is going to give the lawns their last cut of the year and is also cleaning out the pond filters in preparation for the winter so finishing the loft insultation has had to go on hold. Thankfully, as it happens right now.

He did find some more things up there yesterday.  A Union Jack flag that belonged to my parents and that my mother hung out the window at the end of the last war and also for the Coronation of the Queen, a photograph of my nephews when they were little boys (they are now in their forties) and two photos of pets we have loved and lost.  There are still quite a few boxes to go.

Some of my Christmas things arrived this morning, crackers and Christmas cards.  Also something that is not for Christmas but for all year round.  I have wanted one for years and never seemed to find one.  An egg storer.  I wanted a tradition country type one and something that would match our new kitchen.  So, I was very pleased when this arrived this morning as well:-

As you can see, it blends with the work suraces beautifully.

Have just prepared all the ingredients for dinner tonight.  We are having Lancashire Hotpot.  This is a very healthy version used by slimmers so it is ideal for me with my diabetes.  In fact, it is a healthy meal for anyone whether or not they have health or weight problems.  I have decided to put the recipe on here in case any of you would be interested in it.

Lancashire Hotpot

Serves 2 people.

1lb diced Lamb or Lamb neck fillet you can dice yourself.
2  x 8oz baking potatoes
1 onion
1 carrot
Fry Light (available in a spray from most supermarkets)
Black pepper (you can also add salt but I do not)
One teaspoon of dried Thyme
One Bay Leaf
Half a pint of beef stock made with Bovril
Half a lever tablespoon of gravy granules.

1.  Preheat oven to 180c. (Gas mark 4 or 350 degrees Fahrenheit).   Remove all visible fat from the lamb and cut into bite sizes pieces.

2.  Leaving the skin on the potatoes, cut them into slices.

3.  Peel and thinly slice the onion and the carrot.

4.  Spray a casserole dish (one with a lid) with Fry Light and line with a layer of the sliced potatoes.  Season and sprinkle over half of the Thyme.  Layer the meat, onion and carrot on the top of the potatoes, season again.  Sprinkle over the remaining Thyme and add the Bayleaf.  Top with an overlapping layer of the potatoes.

5.  Mix the stock with the gravy granules and pour into the casserole dish (the gravy should not cover the top layer of potatoes).  Spray the top with Fry Light, cover and bake in the oven for two hours, then uncover and cook for another 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and golden.

5.  Serve with vegetables of your choice.

*P.S. For those of you that do no eat lamb, beef would work just as well

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Aol nearly drove me insane yesterday. Whenever I tried to access any of your journals they either would not load at all or they took ages and ages and then, when I got into them, I could not leave a comment.  I emailed the Journals Editor about the problems.  Anyway, things seem better today.

Here is a photo of one of our "missing" ornaments that him indoors found the other day.  I have no idea of the name of this Chinese goddess but her many arms are supposed to bring many gifts, health, wealth, wisdom, love, long life, intelligence, fertility etc. etc.   I would be happy for her to bestow any of her gifts on me, well apart from the fertility that is.  I think that would be a lost cause at my age!! It would also give him indoors rather a nasty shock.  She has been "absent" for a long time and I bet she is glad to see the light of day again.  I am certainly glad to have her back. She is sitting above my computer right now

I hope to get around to your journals as soon as possible but I am more than a little achy today.  As you know we had the boys here yesterday. Daniel was a right little devil, into everything and would not stop even when he was told off.  He grabbed hold of something he should not have and I dashed over and grabbed him, I swung him up by his elbows and took him to Becky.  I had his full weight on just my hands, arms and shoulders.  It was an instinctive thing, something you do not even have time to think about.  Oh boy, am I suffering today.  Both shoulder joints, between my shoulder blades.  So I am not going to sit at anything to long which would only make it worse.  At least I know what caused it and it will get better.

Well, it is lunchtime so I had better get off here and get him indoors fed.

I am glad that those who watched the video yesterday enjoyed it.  I have played it so many times.  For those of you who have not seen it yet, it really is worth watching.

Have a good day my dear readers.

Canine Capers

Just a quick entry from me today as we are looking after Nathan.  I have popped on here whilst he has gone shopping with Grandy.

I am glad to say that Jack is much better.  He is hardly limping at all now so it must have been a pulled muscle.  It slowed him down for a couple of days but he is back to his normal self now.

You all know how I love Border Collies (well all animals in fact) and I came across this lovely video of a Border Collie performing a routine with his/her owner.  Had we had Collies much earlier in our lives we would have gone in for obedience or agility work as well.  I hope you enjoy the video as much I as I do:-

 

Anyway, the "men" will be back soon so I better get off here. Nathan and Daniel are dab hands at switching the computer on and off and playing with the keyboard so I usually shut down when they are here.

From a cold and very gloomy corner of the South East of England I will bid you adieu for now. Hope you liked the video.

Of This And That

A very chilly and very overcast day here, the sun of yesterday now a fading memory.

Well, it was delicious

My rice pudding before we attacked it with gusto.  Mind you, we were very good and there is enough left for dessert this evening as well.  I never thought it was going to get done. Pudding rice, at least in this area, seems to be a thing of the past, nobody stocks it.  Basmati - yes, long grain- yes, wild rice - yes - you can get all those but plain old pudding rice...........no!  I even went to Tesco online in a search for it but could not find it there either.  In the end, in desperation, as by now him indoors  was dreaming of the rice pudding I had promised him, he went to the health shop.  Success.  They sold it under the name of Arborio white rice.  It looked the right shape so I went ahead and, as you can see, all was well.  It seems that nowadays everyone wants microwave rice puddings or tinned and there seems no call these days for good old pudding rice.  Sad really. I wonder if it is just in this part of the country.

Mike is continuing to lay insulation down in the loft and has come across one or two "lost" items up there in the process. Now, I do not know if your men are the same but ask Mike what ornaments are in our lounge and he simply could not tell you.  We have a saga every Christmas when I have to pack the ornaments away so that I can put up the Christmas decorations.  I always ask him to mark the box or boxes with whatever is in them.  Asking is one thing, getting  is another.  He always says he will remember.  So when it comes time to take the decorations down, we always have a problem.  "Where are the................" I ask him.  He looks blank.  Tells me he does not remember them.  Well, why should he, we have only had them for thirty odd years!!!!

When we moved to this bungalow we came from a four-bedroomed house.  Lots of things had to go and many more things were stored in the loft "temporarily".  The temporarily has turned into many years.  I have lost track of the times I have asked him where this ornament was or where that ornament had gone.  He assured me that every box in the loft had been gone through with a fine tooth comb and that I must have got rid of them.  I knew I never had.  My problem is that I cannot venture into the loft, never have been able to.  I do not like ladders and we have one of those pull down contraptions that is very steep.  I have never been able to attempt it.  I would much prefer having a cellar to a loft.  A cellar I could cope with. So, if him indoors tells me that everything has been checked, I have to accept it.

Late yesterday afternoon, he came down dragging some boxes with him.  "Better go through this rubbish" he says, pushing them towards me.  So in I dived.  Firstly I found a mouse had been in one of the boxes and made a nest - YUK. I hated to think of all that mouse wee over everything.  Anyway, it was mostly rubbish but buried under a heap of old newspapers were - a framed photograph of Mike's Dad,  and several of my missing ornaments!!! I had not seen them in over twelve years. 

Of course, him indoors had no explanation as to why he had never found them before or why he had told me that everything had been checked thoroughly. When I waved them in his face I get "oh yes, I remember them now".  MEN!!!!!!

He will be up there again this afternoon or tomorrow and who knows what might still turn up.  I know there are some missing family photographs. Whether they are still in existance I have no idea or maybe the mouse has eaten them if they were there to start with.

Anyway, if we find any treasures, I will let you know.  Now I am off to make a Shepherd's pie.

I am sure this desire to be cooking in the kitchen will wear off eventually.

We Have Lift Off!

I am now cooking with electric.  Yes, the work was all completed on Saturday.  Oh boy, how cold I was.  No electricity equals no heating.  I took myself into the bedroom, it was like a refrigerator.  After reading the paper I did attempt some knitting but my hands were just too cold, I could not get my fingers to work properly!  So in the end I snugged up under the duvet and listened to the radio, every so often having a nice hot cup of tea as we were able to boil water on the gas hob.

I also emerged a couple of times to get these shots as you all expressed an interest

The above is Dean sorting out the electrics and then Mike lifts the new cooker into place.

The last screw goes into position

Finished

So, it was worth suffering the cold.  The kitchen is more or less finished now apart from a couple of accessories that I want to get.  Saturday night we christened the oven with a Tuna pasta bake and yesterday it roasted its first chicken.  It is so nice to have a cooker that works again after having been without one for such a long time and managing with a microwave and a small table top electric contraption.

This has not been the most exciting entry or set of photos in the world but you have all followed the progress throughout so I felt you would want to see the result.  We cannot thank Dean enough for all he has done for us. We could not ask for a better son-in-law, in fact he has always been like a son to us.  I hope he reads this to know how much we appreciate everything.

It is a beautiful sunny day today and the washing will be blowing on the line soon and then a second load will be going in.

Jack has hurt his leg.  We do not know how.  On Saturday night he was fine but he does bomb around the fields like a rocket and he and Jesse  also got frightened by a firework that was let off early.  Mike did see him slip over but he seemed fine.  Yesterday he was limping very badly indeed but he does not seem to be in any pain.  We have examined his paw for cuts or anything stuck in there - nothing.  He has certainly not broken anything.  This morning he is still limping although it does not seem as bad.  We are hoping he has just pulled a muscle, it has not dampened his enthusiasm for going out although Mike is keeping him firmly on the lead.  If it is no better tomorrow, it will be a trip to the vet I think.  We are hoping not.  With the prices they charge, we would have to mortgage the home!!

I am so glad you liked the baby video I posted on Saturday. I laugh everytime I see it. I have saved it to favourite places so when I feel a bit down or sorry for myself I can play it.

Do not forget that today is the very last chance to vote in the Vivi awards. I am sure most of you will have done so by now.

Well, this is not getting any work done.  I need to take the washing out now, then after another cuppa I think I will make a nice rice pudding that can cook slowly in the oven. That is something I have not been able to do for a very long time.

Have a great week everyone.

Laugh And The World Laughs With You

Whilst we are waiting for Dean to arrive and work to commence, I thought I would pop on here to say hello.

I came across this adorable video and I just had to share it with you.  I am willing to bet that you will smile if not laugh right out loud.  Who could resist?

There could be no better way to start a weekend, so sit back and enjoy.

 

It is very chilly (but with bright sunlight) so whilst the electricity is switched off I shall take myself into the bedroom with the newspaper and my knitting.  Have just put some fresh batteries in my radio so I shall be listening to that as well.

Carry that laughter with you throughout your day, I know I will.  It is true, laugh and the world laughs with you.

Have a happy Saturday.

The Autumn Leaves Drift Past My Window

These photos were taken in the garden this morning.

Now is the time for the burning of the leaves,
They go to the fire; the nostrils prick with smoke
Wandering slowly into the weeping mist.
Brittle and blotched, ragged and rotten sheaves!
A flame seizes the smouldering ruin, and bites
On stubborn stalks that crackle as they resist.
The last hollyhock’s fallen tower is dust:
All the spices of June are a bitter reek,
All the extravagant riches spent and mean.
All burns! the reddest rose is a ghost.
Spark whirl up, to expire in the mist: the wild
Fingers of fire are making corruption clean.
Now is the time for stripping the spirit bare,
Time for the burning of days ended and done,
Idle solace of things that have gone before,
Rootless hope and fruitless desire are there:
Let them go to the fire with never a look behind.
That world that was ours is a world that is ours no more.
They will come again, the leaf and the flower, to arise
From squalor of rottenness into the old splendour,
And magical scents to a wondering memory bring;
The same glory, to shine upon different eyes.
Earth cares for her own ruins, naught for ours.
Nothing is certain, only the certain spring.

 ~Laurence Binyon

 

Autumn is a wonderful time of year but the beautiful colours are all too fleeting and the leaves are falling fast now.

We saw Nathan and Daniel this morning and they were well wrapped up for the chilly weather.  Not quite sure what Nathan was looking at in this photo

 

 

Normally he hates anything on his head and takes hats off as soon as they are put on but he actually choose this one himself.  When he was in the shop he ran over and grabbed it and is very happy to wear it.

 

 

Here he is again entertaining us with his clapping song. Daniel, on the other hand, is one for cuddly toys.  He just adores the lamb that I have here.  Strange because my favourite toy as a child was a lamb called Larry, I remember him so well.  I was heartbroken to come home from school one day to find my mother had thrown him away thinking I was too old for him now.  He was my closest companion, the one I told all my secrets to.  It is lovely that Daniel now takes this lamb with him wherever he goes in our home.

 

He had been wearing his hat, different to Nathan's more of a Russian style and it had flattened all his pretty curls.  However, those curls will not be around much longer. His hair is now so long it is getting in his eyes and Becky has decided that it really has to be cut for the first time in the near future.  I wonder how different he will look?

Well, tomorrow is new oven fitting day.  I am hoping it will not be too cold because as the electrics have to be switched off, that means no heating.  Extra jumpers all around!!! I do not know how long it will take, but I should imagine a good part of the day as we are also having a new fuse box fitted.  If I am on the computer it will not be until tomorrow evening unless I can sneak on before the work starts.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Final Voting For Vivis

The site is open for the final votes for the Vivi Awards, so pop along and get yours in.  My tarot reader above is busy predicting all the winners but is staying very tight lipped. Very good luck to all the nominees. To me, all the journals I read are special and so are the people who write them. You have until the 6th to make your final choice and then the polls close.

Here is the link to the voting site.

Main Page @ viviawards.bravehost.com - A Bravenet.com Hosted Site

Well, we really had a taste of winter yesterday, very cold especially last night.  I had a tiny hope of a white Christmas.  I remember how I used to love them when I was little, I can remember so well opening my Christmas presents and then rushing outside to build a snowman and having a snowball fight with my Dad whilst Mum cooked the Christmas lunch.  I would like Nathan and Daniel to experience something like that.  However, the climate has changed so much over the years and it seems that in this corner of England, a white Christmas is definitely a thing of the past.  The long term forecast in the paper says that Christmas is going to be very mild and possibly wet and that any really cold weather we get will not be until next February.  Still, I suppose things could change.

We did not get any trick or treaters, in fact, it was all quiet around here.  They raked "Halloween" out yet again for the fright film of the night.  How many times can they keep showing that?  We ended up watching a DVD - "Derailed" and enjoyed it very much.  I like films with a twist in them.

Him indoors has started laying new insulating material  in the loft.  What is already up  there is very old and thin.  With the ever spiralling gas and electric bills, we have to save money where we can.  I suppose that is the good thing that will come out of a mild winter, we can have the heating on lower.  Really, what with still battling the bug he has, he should be resting but Mike is one that likes to keep on the go.

He was speaking to one of the nurses that daily visit our neighbour, Janet, across the road.  He mentioned the bug and asked the best thing to do.  She said there is so much of it about, that it is a virus and does not respond to anti-biotics and can take up to three weeks before you really start to feel better, which probably accounts for the both of us feeling so tired.  Even Becky is not completely over it yet.

I have decided to do a bit of knitting.  Maybe it is the winter.  I used to love to knit whilst I was watching t.v. but once I got into the computer that fell by the wayside to a great extent.  Anyway, last night I suddenly got the desire to pick up the needles again.  Nothing fancy, just a totally plain jumper for me.  I have some nice pale lilac wool so, later on, when I have done some housework and caught up on alerts, I am going to make a start.

The day after tomorrow our new oven should be going in and I am looking forward to cooking the Sunday dinner in that. The electric will be off as I mentioned in a previous entry so I do not know if I will get around to commenting on Saturday but at least I will have my knitting to keep me occupied whilst the men are at work.

Now, I had better toodle off and make a start on what needs doing.

Once again, do not forget to cast your vote.  Jackie, Chris and the team have worked very hard to keep this together despite the problems there have been.  Make it all worthwhile by supporting the awards and having your say.

Have a good day everyone.