Wherethejourneytakesme - leave that kitchen alone!
Sharon - we are all stranded in some way, I think.
Bless - seeing a lot of vans around
Jill - struggling to see the funny side today
A few more posts on Online Shopping Tips and Tricks have gone up. If you have any comments, I would be happy to hear them. It's not a proper blog, it's not fancy enough, but I hope there is useful info on there. I imagine it's all old news to most reading this, but I hope that the posts I've managed will help those new to online shopping.
I've also got my response to this week's writing challenge here.
I drove to Tescos today. It was odd to queue outside with a trolley, but I didn't find it stressful. I found what I wanted, which was mainly fruit and veg with some of the men's favourite flavoured water. There were some gaps on the shelves, but there were also some decent mark downs on the yellow stickered stuff. I couldn't use most of it, so left it and just got what I wanted. The staff at Tesco were being awesome. I'm sure that they had been under a lot of pressure, but the ones I dealt with were very calm.
I picked up a couple of packets of inexpensive breakfast cereal to donate to the foodbank. It seemed a very poor contribution, but I thought I could do something. However, due to the one way system of queuing, I asked one of the staff what I should do with the packets once I had paid.
They had had to move the donations bin that is usually at the entrance. What made today hard, and what I found upsetting, was that the staff were taken by surprise. The very small contribution I was making seemed like a big deal. They didn't know what to do at first, then the assistant asked around, then they found somewhere for me to hand in the seriously unimpressive contribution with such a shocked reaction.
It's just such a little thing at a difficult time and it makes me more worried than ever for those who are less fortunate. I've not been able to shake this low feeling since I got home. As feeling glum won't help anyone, I hope I will be back to normal after a good nights sleep.
Hugs and good health to all.
Tuesday, 31 March 2020
Monday, 30 March 2020
Deluge of Disney
Bear started on his school work early on while I stayed upstairs. When I finally came down midmorning he had cut any calls with his pals and was watching Disney - all the Disney! As I mentioned, we subscribed to the Disney Plus and bear has been watching the animated films back to back. It's been something of a distraction.
I'm desperate to try and keep some structure. It helps that DH is working office hours from home, so he has fixed start, finish and lunchtimes. Today I did a little of this and that, and I'm very disatisfied with what I achieved. Tomorrow I'm going to set myself stricter targets. I'm not going to write them here. I have issues, and possibly a condition, because if I promise that I'm going to do x, then it is guaranteed that I will do anything but x - sometimes all the letters of the alphabet except x, but no x. I daren't write, 'I'm going to...' because it's almost a curse or a geas that it won't happen.
One thing I have quickly abandoned is all hope of decent meal planning. The idea was that I will check everything in the morning, make a decision on dinner and use what needs to be used up first. Between the two men, I may as well try and nail down fog. Tonight bear didn't want to eat at all, so DH and I had chili con charlie.
We had a delivery today, and practically everything was on it. It was nice to speak to someone else, as it's a driver I've chatted to for years. We're good for a while except for veg, and I'm planning a trip out for that. I'll probably be a good girl and go to Aldi and not try a new route to a farm shop I've never visited before, for the driving. I just need to work out what I need to get for around a week. Carrots never seem to keep for me, nor do parsnips, but I could make a massive batch of soup to freeze (now have some room in freezer) and I could use some potatoes.
I've resurrected the idea of a blog about online shopping. I haven't monetised it yet (thought I will), and it's in a poor state, but I'm going to post about what I know and my experiences. These are strange times and nothing is guaranteed, but I expect that more people than ever before are going to be ordering online. I plan (seriously, don't jinx it) to get a couple of articles up per day for the next few weeks, just to point people in what I believe is the right direction and the mistakes that they can hopefully avoid. Then I will get adverts and things sorted, and I may make a few pennies, but I'll get around to that.
The blog - Online Shopping Tips and Tricks - is here. You may like to look at it later, when there is more up or it's a little more polished.
Writing stuff - this week's challenge is here, all welcome.
Hugs and good health to all.
I'm desperate to try and keep some structure. It helps that DH is working office hours from home, so he has fixed start, finish and lunchtimes. Today I did a little of this and that, and I'm very disatisfied with what I achieved. Tomorrow I'm going to set myself stricter targets. I'm not going to write them here. I have issues, and possibly a condition, because if I promise that I'm going to do x, then it is guaranteed that I will do anything but x - sometimes all the letters of the alphabet except x, but no x. I daren't write, 'I'm going to...' because it's almost a curse or a geas that it won't happen.
One thing I have quickly abandoned is all hope of decent meal planning. The idea was that I will check everything in the morning, make a decision on dinner and use what needs to be used up first. Between the two men, I may as well try and nail down fog. Tonight bear didn't want to eat at all, so DH and I had chili con charlie.
We had a delivery today, and practically everything was on it. It was nice to speak to someone else, as it's a driver I've chatted to for years. We're good for a while except for veg, and I'm planning a trip out for that. I'll probably be a good girl and go to Aldi and not try a new route to a farm shop I've never visited before, for the driving. I just need to work out what I need to get for around a week. Carrots never seem to keep for me, nor do parsnips, but I could make a massive batch of soup to freeze (now have some room in freezer) and I could use some potatoes.
I've resurrected the idea of a blog about online shopping. I haven't monetised it yet (thought I will), and it's in a poor state, but I'm going to post about what I know and my experiences. These are strange times and nothing is guaranteed, but I expect that more people than ever before are going to be ordering online. I plan (seriously, don't jinx it) to get a couple of articles up per day for the next few weeks, just to point people in what I believe is the right direction and the mistakes that they can hopefully avoid. Then I will get adverts and things sorted, and I may make a few pennies, but I'll get around to that.
The blog - Online Shopping Tips and Tricks - is here. You may like to look at it later, when there is more up or it's a little more polished.
Writing stuff - this week's challenge is here, all welcome.
Hugs and good health to all.
Sunday, 29 March 2020
Two Knitting Fails
I knew it was too good to last.
A few weeks ago I found myself stranded with only a circular knitting needle and next to an Aldi selling yarn and started a smaller blanket to work on while waiting for bear. It went disastrously wrong and I keep trying to remind myself to go fetch the yarn out of the car and restart after knitting around six inches of 150 stitches. Meh. And I've been trying to knit a hat for donations, but it's also gone horribly, horribly wrong. I have a lot of unravelling to do. Darn it to heck.
But I think I'm doing okay in other ways. We have hung out together today, just like other Sundays. We watched Aladdin and then just chilled together. It's all been very calm.
It's really cold, colder than half of January, and there was even a little snow this morning! I don't think my feet have been warm all day. It's definitely a good time to snuggle in. Unfortunately, it's spring, the clocks have gone forward and we should be getting more active!
Bear is a little better, which is a relief, but he is still coughing. I've been reacting, rather than pro-active, over the last few days, especially as he has been so poorly, but tomorrow we are going to work on a proper structure to our days. Last week we were told that this lockdown would last for three weeks, but I would be surprised if it doesn't go on for a good deal longer, especially with bear and school. As a household, we are in an incredibly fortunate position. We have some savings, we have food in the cupboards and a roof over our heads and the incredible luxury of the internet and space for us to spread out so we can be in different rooms while using that internet. We all have supplies for our hobbies, so things could be a lot worse. I'm feeling blessed.
Hugs and healing vibes to all.
A few weeks ago I found myself stranded with only a circular knitting needle and next to an Aldi selling yarn and started a smaller blanket to work on while waiting for bear. It went disastrously wrong and I keep trying to remind myself to go fetch the yarn out of the car and restart after knitting around six inches of 150 stitches. Meh. And I've been trying to knit a hat for donations, but it's also gone horribly, horribly wrong. I have a lot of unravelling to do. Darn it to heck.
But I think I'm doing okay in other ways. We have hung out together today, just like other Sundays. We watched Aladdin and then just chilled together. It's all been very calm.
It's really cold, colder than half of January, and there was even a little snow this morning! I don't think my feet have been warm all day. It's definitely a good time to snuggle in. Unfortunately, it's spring, the clocks have gone forward and we should be getting more active!
Bear is a little better, which is a relief, but he is still coughing. I've been reacting, rather than pro-active, over the last few days, especially as he has been so poorly, but tomorrow we are going to work on a proper structure to our days. Last week we were told that this lockdown would last for three weeks, but I would be surprised if it doesn't go on for a good deal longer, especially with bear and school. As a household, we are in an incredibly fortunate position. We have some savings, we have food in the cupboards and a roof over our heads and the incredible luxury of the internet and space for us to spread out so we can be in different rooms while using that internet. We all have supplies for our hobbies, so things could be a lot worse. I'm feeling blessed.
Hugs and healing vibes to all.
Saturday, 28 March 2020
I Finished Something!
I finished a blanket! This may look like an 'arty' shot, but it's actually just an attempt to show the three colours without spreading it out as any shot of my home would show a serious lack of housewifery. I used a free Ravelry pattern - Garter Squish by Stephen West. It's basically just garter stitch with two strands of yarn and I used mid blue, pale blue, dark blue, pale blue, mid blue in stripes with a sort of mottled grey throughout, both of them DK which I think is slightly thinner than the pattern calls for. It has a cute rolled edge which I'm not going to try and photo, and I got the yarn from Marriners Yarns. I'm not going to put a price because it is going to be a gift, but it was around 1000g of yarn and the main expense was the time, a lot of which was waiting to pick bear up from school.
I will have to post it off, but I want to wait until after I've had it dry cleaned. It should be machine washable, as it's acrylic, but it's around 180cm square, or around 6 ft and I think my washer may struggle. It's a wonderful cuddly blanket. I did one with slightly different dimensions which bear has already commandeered, and I plan to do a few more to snuggle under. I know we are heading into summer, but it doesn't feel like it.
Thank you for all the good wishes. I have a suspicion I have had the corona virus. It may just be hypochondria, but I've definitely had the symptoms. I no longer have a temperature, though, so I'm good to leave the house under the social distancing rules. I shouldn't be infectious, but I worry that I could carry the virus from bear. I'm putting off going out until I need to.
Bear is still poorly, but doing okay. I think that it's going to be tough for him, shut inside all this time. I'm working on ideas to keep him busy after he has finished his school work.
Hugs to all and wishes for good health
Friday, 27 March 2020
Bugger It Soup
Thank you for all the good wishes for bear. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't Covid-19. I'm recovering nicely from a temperature and cough, and I have no sense of taste or smell. There may have been infections for all of us, but we haven't been tested. I was considering going out today for some bits, but changed my mind. I didn't want to carry anything from bear, and we can hang on for a few days. Bear is very achy and fed up, but he's keeping himself busy. I'm treating him to a new puzzle cube to keep him distracted (when he's not doing school work). It's something something something something with magnets. Bear explained, but his explanation lacked footnotes.
Tonight we had 'Bugger It' Soup. It was supposed to be Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup, but it's funny how things turn out. I'd picked up the carrots, celery and sweet pepper at the farm shop, and they had gone off somewhat. In fact they looked like a slug would reject them. I said 'bugger it' and decided to plough on regardless. I eventually found the tin of black beans (when this disruption is over I swear I'm going to get stuff like that dried and soak them). Bear 'reorganised' my tin cupboard some time ago and I can't find a dratted thing. I had most of the stuff out on the kitchen floor before I found it.
I put the soup pan on the stove with some water and a stock cube, added the rinsed beans, some oil, three sliced sweet potatoes, some onion granules I got on a really good deal from (I think) Approved Food, some of the celery salt I got at a quarter of the RRP when Tesco got rid of a load of their spices at ridiculously wonderful prices, some curry powder (I bought 500g with my most recent Approved Food order) and some serious garlic. These were cooked hard together for twenty minutes and blended. The men loved it and have requested it as a regular. I've just run my eye over this again. I think it cost around £1.20 for three substantial portions of relatively healthy (if you don't watch your salt) soup plus another large portion (possibly two) in the fridge for tomorow. The tin of black beans was 55p and I used just under half a pack of sweet potatoes that cost 99p, the stock cube was 5p, and I don't suppose that the spices cost that much. It's nice that for once I managed something economically. I wonder how the current crisis will affect people's cookery.
Hugs and good vibes for health and safety to all.
Tonight we had 'Bugger It' Soup. It was supposed to be Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup, but it's funny how things turn out. I'd picked up the carrots, celery and sweet pepper at the farm shop, and they had gone off somewhat. In fact they looked like a slug would reject them. I said 'bugger it' and decided to plough on regardless. I eventually found the tin of black beans (when this disruption is over I swear I'm going to get stuff like that dried and soak them). Bear 'reorganised' my tin cupboard some time ago and I can't find a dratted thing. I had most of the stuff out on the kitchen floor before I found it.
I put the soup pan on the stove with some water and a stock cube, added the rinsed beans, some oil, three sliced sweet potatoes, some onion granules I got on a really good deal from (I think) Approved Food, some of the celery salt I got at a quarter of the RRP when Tesco got rid of a load of their spices at ridiculously wonderful prices, some curry powder (I bought 500g with my most recent Approved Food order) and some serious garlic. These were cooked hard together for twenty minutes and blended. The men loved it and have requested it as a regular. I've just run my eye over this again. I think it cost around £1.20 for three substantial portions of relatively healthy (if you don't watch your salt) soup plus another large portion (possibly two) in the fridge for tomorow. The tin of black beans was 55p and I used just under half a pack of sweet potatoes that cost 99p, the stock cube was 5p, and I don't suppose that the spices cost that much. It's nice that for once I managed something economically. I wonder how the current crisis will affect people's cookery.
Hugs and good vibes for health and safety to all.
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
I Admit Nothing
Aileen - I like the idea of a delivery camel. So far we've seen threats of war, floods, fire and pestilence. If there was a sweepstake I would be putting my money on Godzilla next, and delivery camels fit in perfectly with the way this year is going!
I went out in the car for the first time in a week. Mistakes may have been made, but I admit to nothing. Red does not approve of lack of exercise. She also is a grump when it comes to short runs. She complained for around ten minutes into the drive before she was back to normal. I hoped to get a little faster on the stretches (where speed limits allow) to hopefully blow some cobwebs away, but I kept getting stuck behind (absolutely necessary) delivery trucks and while I wasn't stressed, I think Red would have liked to open up. If I wasn't worried about avoiding frivolous journeys, this would have been an ideal time to try the motorway, as the roads were practically empty.
The MOT being deferred is a relief, but I'll try and get her in for a service soon. As I'm still getting the hang of things (though infinitely better), I suspect the engine could use some TLC. She was definitely grumbling. I know that my car shouldn't be given a name, and that it's an inanimate object that has perfectly reasonable technical reasons for the engine being a little growly, but she is becoming a personality to me, and she likes a long run and she likes to get out often.
I visited a farm shop, where I picked up some awesome veg, and Tescos, which was remarkably empty. I can't justify another run for a few days, and it may be that DH needs a turn. I'm not on his insurance and I've never driven his car, but it will need a decent run at some point to keep the battery topped up.
All this wittering is a distraction because bear is poorly. He's not serious, but he has aches and pains and a fever with shortness of breath. I'm keeping a very close eye on him and fussing. He's being awesome. I'm being worried. So I'm distracting myself briefly with the car as bear and DH are hanging out then we will be watching something together on Disney again no doubt.
Hugs and good wishes for health to all.
I went out in the car for the first time in a week. Mistakes may have been made, but I admit to nothing. Red does not approve of lack of exercise. She also is a grump when it comes to short runs. She complained for around ten minutes into the drive before she was back to normal. I hoped to get a little faster on the stretches (where speed limits allow) to hopefully blow some cobwebs away, but I kept getting stuck behind (absolutely necessary) delivery trucks and while I wasn't stressed, I think Red would have liked to open up. If I wasn't worried about avoiding frivolous journeys, this would have been an ideal time to try the motorway, as the roads were practically empty.
The MOT being deferred is a relief, but I'll try and get her in for a service soon. As I'm still getting the hang of things (though infinitely better), I suspect the engine could use some TLC. She was definitely grumbling. I know that my car shouldn't be given a name, and that it's an inanimate object that has perfectly reasonable technical reasons for the engine being a little growly, but she is becoming a personality to me, and she likes a long run and she likes to get out often.
I visited a farm shop, where I picked up some awesome veg, and Tescos, which was remarkably empty. I can't justify another run for a few days, and it may be that DH needs a turn. I'm not on his insurance and I've never driven his car, but it will need a decent run at some point to keep the battery topped up.
All this wittering is a distraction because bear is poorly. He's not serious, but he has aches and pains and a fever with shortness of breath. I'm keeping a very close eye on him and fussing. He's being awesome. I'm being worried. So I'm distracting myself briefly with the car as bear and DH are hanging out then we will be watching something together on Disney again no doubt.
Hugs and good wishes for health to all.
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
Shopping
I'm feeling better and I should be free of the lurgy, if it was the lurgy. According to guidelines, I can go out tomorrow. I do wonder if I should. We have a lot of stuff in the house, and I could last a few days more. However I am going to be buying more because now, and for probably a few months, I will be needing more. Bear will not be having school lunches, and I will not be sending him around the corner for a sandwich. DH will not be getting his lunch from the Subway near work but be eating at home. There will be extra coffee drunk, extra toilet paper needed as a result of the coffee and as no-one will be picking up a treat to and from work or school, I need to have them in. It should in theory work out less expensive over all, even including the extra we will be spending on electric for heating and computers.
Tomorrow I plan to call into a farm shop to see what they have in the fruit and veg line, and then possibly to Tesco, where there is a bottle bank to get rid of some of the jars. I hope I'm okay driving. It feels like a long time since I started a car.
I don't think I need much, just some bits for lunches. Bear is notoriously picky and DH likes ham and cheese sandwiches and we are out of ham. I'm determined not to buy a thing I don't need (unless I walk past a really good sale on yarn, then all bets are off). I hope things are settling down.
I pre-ordered the Disney plus channel a few weeks ago. I didn't know how much of a boon it would be. We are going to hang out together tonight and watch Jungle Book. Bear hasn't seen it, and I have a wonderful memory of watching it with my grandmother when I was very tiny. As a pre-order, it cost £50 for the year, and I think we will get our money's worth in the first week. I must remember to make room in the budget next March to renew as it's not only going to be Disney plus but also my MOT and car insurance.
Writing stuff - this week's answer to the challenge is here.
Hugs to all with good vibes and hope for good health and safety.
Tomorrow I plan to call into a farm shop to see what they have in the fruit and veg line, and then possibly to Tesco, where there is a bottle bank to get rid of some of the jars. I hope I'm okay driving. It feels like a long time since I started a car.
I don't think I need much, just some bits for lunches. Bear is notoriously picky and DH likes ham and cheese sandwiches and we are out of ham. I'm determined not to buy a thing I don't need (unless I walk past a really good sale on yarn, then all bets are off). I hope things are settling down.
I pre-ordered the Disney plus channel a few weeks ago. I didn't know how much of a boon it would be. We are going to hang out together tonight and watch Jungle Book. Bear hasn't seen it, and I have a wonderful memory of watching it with my grandmother when I was very tiny. As a pre-order, it cost £50 for the year, and I think we will get our money's worth in the first week. I must remember to make room in the budget next March to renew as it's not only going to be Disney plus but also my MOT and car insurance.
Writing stuff - this week's answer to the challenge is here.
Hugs to all with good vibes and hope for good health and safety.
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