Finally the End of the Week

This week seems to have been very long, and I'm not exactly sure why. As I type this, I am nodding off, even though it is only tea time. I'm just tired.

The soup maker arrived today. I got this model (though at a slightly lower price). I am looking forward to having a play. I am relying on it for lunches next week for half term. The attraction for me is that I can bung things in, come back, pour it out and then press the self clean button. It will hopefully provide decent nutrition for the men, and, if I make a decent quantity, I can start stashing spare portions in the freezer again. I can have reduced salt stock cubes, fresh veggies, and generally some decent nutrition, while taking the option to use up leftovers. The instructions are simple. Cut up ingredients into small pieces. Precook meat and defrost frozen veg (which can be done in a microwave). Add stock. Push button. Come back later and serve. I can rummage around on the internet for recipes or use my own. The soup cooker maker, Drew & Cole, have a lot of recipes on their website here and I plan to take advantage for inspiration. I shall share any triumphs.

(I also admit that one of the biggest attractions is that I won't be cleaning splatter marks off the walls after blending my usual soups. It's all contained.)

I would like to apologise to anyone who saw me trying to park at Lidl this afternoon. It really wasn't suitable for anyone of a sensitive disposition. I went three times around before I got an angle, and the car park wasn't that busy. I wasn't much better at Morrisons for bear's pick up. On the other hand, I navigated past IKEA and the incredibly complicated roundabout without issue. As I become more confident and more aware, I'm noticing someone stuck in the wrong lane roughly every other journey. I sympathise with them deeply. If you use what3words.com (I'm still getting the hang of it), the address is ///trails.flute.beside or you can look up the postcode WF17 9DT and you can get an overview of what the roads are like on Google Maps. If you get into the wrong lane you could be zipping along to Wakefield or Bradford, or on the motorway to Hull or Manchester instead of navigating between Huddersfield and Leeds. If you have a clear idea of the road you need to be on and pay attention to the road markings, you have a fighting chance, but it's desperately easy to end up in the wrong lane and having to zip around again. To be honest, last time I got it wrong I ended up accepting my fate and heading towards Bradford until I could turn off.

I am off to study soup recipes now, with a view to making lots and lots and lots of soup over the next few days.

Hugs to all.