Cold

Bless - I fail so much with meal planning and I'm learning to be flexible. It's why I'm always so fascinated by your meal plans. Any time I try to meal plan, it goes wrong. But the honeysuckle seems very happy with the trellis.

Eileen - I get all my cola from Aldi. I have an unfortunate caffeine addiction and, despite what I sometimes put on facebook, coffee gives me headaches and tea can make me sick. I turned to cola but  Tesco/Morrisons/Adsa/Sainsburys own brand colas all contain gluten, and Coca Cola and Pepsi are too expensive. I've had some good meat from Aldi, and quite often pick up bits. I remember getting an amazing bargain on lamb mince once - I picked up 4 lots of 250g for £2.84. I'm considering changing my shopping habits to pick up better bargains. I don't go into Lidl so much, though I may change around. There is one quite near bear's school. 

Following on from that, I am wary of yellow sticker stuff. Quite often, it isn't marked down that much when I go into my local Tesco or Morrisons and can be quite battered or unpleasant. I get some good bargains from the Co-op first thing in the morning, but it depends. The mushrooms are usually marked down to 77p for 300g, and they are really nice mushrooms. The frozen mushrooms at Tesco aren't nearly as nice and are £1.10 for 500g. However the mushrooms at the Co-op at full price are too much (if I remember correctly, £1.05 or £1.15 for 300g before being reduced). I think you have to know the prices. If Aldi or Tesco are having an offer on mushrooms, they can be quite reduced in price, but not nearly as good quality as the Co-op ones. 

Sometimes I think you need a black belt in shopping just to work out the deals.

I had rebooked the delivery that missed on Saturday for today. I was in two minds about cancelling it, but I went ahead. I thought that I would get the bagged salad that way. It was the only item that was missed in the delivery, of course. If bear hadn't been there, I may have said some rude words. I had a quick word with the driver who said that they were getting used to a new system. To be honest, I felt for him. Once he had left, I nipped out to the Co-op to pick up salad and I didn't look at anything else! Mind you, the freezer is so full that I swear I saw it wince when I shut the door.  And I forgot to take any pics.

Cherie - I'm going to have to take a leaf out of your book and start growing some salad leaves!

While we were hanging out after dinner, I was reading and I got cold before I realised it. I feel cold to the centre! I just can't bring myself to put the fire on, though, so I am sitting here with one of my shawls around my shoulders, a blanket on my knee and a severe rum and coke. After this I think I shall get out my knitting and watch some NCIS.

Writing stuff - just a little chat about how I came to write Monday's story here.

Hugs and good health to all.