Frosty morning

We had a frost overnight, snow had been forecast but appears to have disappeared, glad about that. I have a grocery order to collect on Thursday.

I have prepped the veg for supper, also have a leg of pork joint in the combi cooking, it will be easier to slice if its cold. I can then put it in foil on top of the veg. Going to make a crumble from the apple I have left and some more blackberries. Thats supper sorted.

No sewing today, I have a block to unpick and shave a tiny bit off the embroidered block, I can stretch it a bit but not much. I then have to concentrate on the last of the blocks with the embroidered centres, making up the rest should not be too bad, just hope I have enough material........ I saw some fabric the other week with footballers on, wish I had bought it, football is Niblets second favourite, although his Dad plays or rather played rugby.

So a book to finish today and another one to start, then have a bit of a gap for the books on  my tablet. The mobile library is due tomorrow, if it comes........I finished all those books in the week. I like to have a couple of books on my tablet, it means if I cannot sleep I can read and not wake DB up. He had palps again on Friday, but at last he is just taking things as they come, got to be a result!! Just have to wait for the results of the phone test he has a couple of weeks ago.

Welcome

to a grey, wet countryside. 11 inches of snow is forecast....... hooray.... not. If it falls tomorrow as it did last week, there will be no cleaner again. We are fine food wise, and warm thanks to the central heating.

Nothing much going on, I have started to put Niblets quilt together, almost decided how it will go, could do with finding my design wall cloth and hanging it up. trying to do two blocks a day, have 2 finished and two set up.

DB had palps again last night, they went off during the night. It was after 1am before I got to sleep. At least now we have the monitor the techies at the hospital can see whats going on. I did check his pulse rate and oxygen levels before he went off to sleep. I bought an oxymeter particularly to check.

Supper tonight is cheese and onion quiche, We like it when its cold so will be cooking it this morning. there are a couple of small cheese cakes to finish off for dessert.

Day 324 of Lockdown

So apart from a couple of absolutely necessary trips out we have been in lockdown for 324 days........to be honest its getting very boring now, but obviously we understand why it was do important. We have both had the first part of the vaccine, waiting for the second bit now.

I started the blocks for niblets quilt, have not sewn them together but they are in piles ready to do. Whilst I was sewing yesterday afternoon there was a massive cracking sound, looked round but could not see anything, later I went to move my chair back and found a massive crack in the back. It was a cheap chair I bought some years ago from Ikea, so its going to have to go out. I will have to use the new chair for both machines.

We had another couple of calls re our internet, but I had found the number that was calling and I put a call bar on so both times it rang and when the answer machine cut in the line disconnected. I need to see if I can get number ID put on the phone.

I had an email telling me our power and gas supplier had gone bust, I read the meter as instructed, have to wait now until we are told who our new supplier is and will then use the MSE switching service to find the cheapest supplier. Martin Lewis was going on about it on his TV programme last night.

A fine morning, it is +7, so a bit warmer, heavy rain and snow is forecast but not for us thankfully.

Supper, tonight is fish and chips and I have a couple of small ginger puddings so we will have those for dessert.

I don't believe it!!

8am the phone rang...... yes it was the same call that I had 4 times yesterday. I will be putting a call bar on. Just have to figure out how to do it.

Its raining and looks as if it has been all night, there are already reports of flooded roads and parts of the country are forecast to have up to 8 inches of snow!!

Stripped all the towels out of the bathroom, they are in the washer, needless to say they will be dried in the dryer.

I am pleased to say that the nights are drawing out, we used to have to put the sitting room lights on between 3.30 and 4 pm, last night it was almost 5pm, so a sign that spring is on the day and  hopefully I will feel a bit more cheerful. I really hate the dark nights and hardly better days.

I am on my last but one library book, have not heard from the library so guess the mobile library van will be coming on Monday.

I am going to 'gird my loins' and tackle trimming down the embroidered blocks for Niblets quilt, the fabric I ordered took over a week to arrive......needs must now or it will not get finished. One of the diggers is quite big, I am going to have to make sure I have at least half an inch on each side, the top and bottom is ok. Once I have done that I need to cut the fabric for the churn dash which will have the embroidered blocks as the centre. When thats done I will decide  how to put it together, right now sashing looks like being favourite.

Supper tonight is toad in the hole with veggies, there is one small lemon cheesecake and one strawberry trifle so will finish those for dessert.

Not on your nelly

Answered the phone to a call which said my internet would be cut off within 24 hours. At that point I put the phone down, I knew what was going on and scammers are not getting their hands on my dosh ........

Our snow has gone, we are promised more tomorrow, lovely, makes no difference to us we do not have to go out,  its grey and murky outside.

Yesterday I transferred some things from the inside freezer, it leaves a bit of space for some things that will come in my next order a week tomorrow from Aldi.  I will get extra milk and bread for the outside freezer. Last nights beef and bean casserole was all the better for standing in the fridge for 24 hours, we finished off the lentil soup as well, lunch today is egg mayo sarnies.

I did a semi clean yesterday, always wipe over the wet room basin etc and clean the toilet each day, so just a quick flip over the surfaces. I damp dust, so bedroom dusted and the carpet cleaned, moved on to the sitting room and then a sweep over the kitchen floor with the G Tec to get up any crumbs etc, and that was it.

I need to done the mask and go up to the post office in the next village, I have a parcel which needs to go and also some cash.

Tonights supper mac and cheese with jacket spud and a side salad. Will sort out something for dessert. 

Double Brrrrr

It was very cold overnight, even DB pulled the quilt up, we were toastie warm, a bit of a shock when we got out of bed, I think I need to set the clock for the heating to come on earlier......it was still pretty brrr even though I turned up the thermostat when we went to bed.

The delivery lady from the chemist came a calling with our scripts that I had to post last week. My medication was ok, although I ordered both lots, it was DB who needed a top up of one of his medications. Its a good job we have a big medicine cupboard in the bathroom!!

The snow did start to thaw yesterday, but froze again over night, the roads seem to be ok, but I will leave going to the Post Office until tomorrow.

The cleaner did not come yesterday, I told her to stay at home, as it happened there was a lorry jack knifed on the road between her and us which caused a lot of problems.  We do get some very large lorries coming from the continent to a factory in Langer. There is also a John Deere factory on the same road. Lorries are not allowed to come through our village, so have to come in via the Nottingham road. Its a very narrow winding road with some bad bends on it, there is also a steep but short hill into Langar which also causes problems.

I will shove the G Tec round and wave the duster at the dust this morning.

Yesterday I set to and made 2 days worth of lentil soup and also tonight's braised steak, I have one container of steak for the freezer against another supper. I plan to move excess stuff that's crammed into the house freezer out into the shed freezer. I could do with a blackboard to write on what's in the outside freezer.

So supper tonight is braised steak with veggies, not sure about dessert just now, may be a sponge pudding.

And more snow

It continued to snow through most of yesterday afternoon and then as night fell it started to freeze so the roads are hazardous to say the least. We are warm which is the main thing.

I messaged the cleaner and told her to stay put, apparently a lorry as overturned on the route between her and us, so nothing getting through anyway. No point in her coming out and getting involved in a accident, the cleaning can wait.

Nasty tablet morning, I fell asleep sitting up, DB had got up and dressed, brought me tea and coffee, so have not been up long....its -2 outside. I have turned the bedroom radiator off and opened the window, shut the door, I am not keen to have to pay for warming the sky!! Will shut the window before DB goes for his siesta. Just realised I did not read the meters last week, hey ho.

So a bit of cleaning just to freshen the place up, after that possibly trimming the blocks for Niblets quilt and reading. I have books on both my tablet and from the library to read..

Supper tonight will be cold chicken, salad and half a jacket spud. A dessert from the fridge possibly cheese cake.

 

We have snow

It started to snow around 1.30, its now 4pm and we have about 2" and still snowing. So glad I managed to get the freezer in the shed!! At the rate its going we could have 4 inches+ so glad I no longer have to go out to work. Plenty of food in so no need to go out anywhere, just stay in and keep warm.

 

Arrggghhh

Do not have anything large delivered on a Sunday!!! The bell went at 8am, the freezer. We had a very hard frost last night and the bolt had frozen on the gate, eventually we got the gate undone, freezer wheeled to the back, shed open, the chap flatly refused either to unpack, it so I could check it was not damaged or use his sack barrow to put it into the shed!! Not happy.

However, I rang our ever helpful Chapel trustee and he brought the heavy weight sack barrow round and between the two of us we got it unpacked and put on the pallet......good job done. B is the most helpful person I have ever come across. All the rubbish in the bin and the garden cleared up. So at 10 minutes past 9 all is well.

We had a severe frost overnight -2 so the heating is turned up to warm the house then I will turn it down again.

Its a grey morning, we had a quite heavy fall of snow yesterday afternoon but it did not lie on the roads, problem could be black ice this morning, glad I do not have to go out!!

DB is not very pleased, a cat has relieved its self in one of the garden pots........I will have to go out and shift it and then put a cover on the pot. The cat regularly fouls the front grass, it belongs to the lady across the road, she is hoping to move into town once covid is under control, I have to admit I hope who ever comes into the bungalow does not have a cat. Its not just us it favours. Her next door neighbour took up his grass and put down stone,  it fouls that as well.

So to supper, chicken with veg, I have a couple of parsnips to use up and some veg that is rapidly approaching, if not past its eat by date. The rice pudding last night was scrumptious, there is enough to have tonight.

2pm and we have a blizzard blowing outside, the snow is settling and the forecast is for a drop in temperature tonight.......wonderful if you do not have to go out. The new freezer is frozen down, I was going to move some stuff into it, will wait till its stopped snowing now.

Bad night and its brrrrr

I had a job getting off to sleep last night, needless to say DB was gently snoring away!!

I woke about 6.15, lay dozing till 8am, got up and made tea, finally made it our of bed at 9am when I woke DB up.

Yesterday I went to make a ring of scone, very little SR flour, so ended up with part SR part Plain and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, they rose ok, but not as much as they usually do. So I have started the next shopping list and have added SR flour x 2. Its most unusual for me to run out. Plenty of bread flour though.

Cleaner coming for coffee this morning, she has got a large block of mature chedder cheese for me when she went to Lidl yesterday.

We will have to be on the ball tomorrow, the freezer is coming, I will know by 8am roughly what time it will arrive.

No plans for today, I have library books to read, the van comes a week on Monday if its still running.

The fabric I ordered has not arrived so I am going to plough on using the poly cotton and hope its ok.....I really need to start making the blocks.

Supper tonight, all day breakfast, I have gammon in the fridge, we are having rice pudding for dessert, I need to find the recipe.

 

We have electricity

in the shed and an outside light. Electrician came just after 2 pm, everything done as I asked. We have a pull cord in the kitchen to put the out side light on so it does not get confused with the kitchen light switch. It shines right up the garden path to the big shed.

Light switch and power plugs on the side of the shed.

Out door light, shines right up the garden path to the big shed.

Safe and secure trunking carrying the cables over the path.

We had an early supper as I was expecting a Morrison delivery between 5.30 and 6.30, he arrived at 6.pm and by 6.30 everything was packed away, Small freezer on the fridge is full to bursting, some of it will get transferred once the new freezer is frozen up. When we cleared out the shed we found evidence of a little furry creature, so I am putting the sonic scarer in there. The water which had drained through on the floor hd dried up.

Its a cold bright frosty morning, the road the Long Clawson is now open. There has been quite a hard frost. Glad I do not have to go out, its brrrr. I woke up in the night cold, so the quilt will be pulled up tonight, its usually folded over the end of the bed.

So not much planned for today, its fish and chip night and I have enough creme caramel left for dessert. Tomorrow I plan to do a rice pudding in the Ninja.

Load of whites in the washer, will go in the drier.

Bad night

We had rain and strong winds blowing onto the front of the bungalow, just as we were settling down OH announced he had palpitations again!!, he settled down about 2am, it was after 3.30am before I dozed off, kept waking up, so gave up at 7.30am and got up.

He did not wake until after 9am and the palps have gone. I did check his pulse rate and it was ok, not in the danger zone.

Wonder of wonders the electrician is coming after lunch, as is the lady to collect the ironing.

Its a scratch supper tonight 3 eggs left so fritatta, cucumber, red pepper, celery and tomato in a salad. It will be a bit early as we are expecting the Morrison delivery between 5.30 and 6.30 this evening.

It continues

 The rain did clear for a while yesterday, but started again last night, its very dark and grey this morning.

No way can I get to Long Clawson without a 10 mile detour, so I am going to post the scripts, a quick trip to the PO.

I did manage to order a new freezer, its an upright which cost me a lot more than the one I wanted, its coming on Sunday, so DB will be hassling the electrician, the work needs doing NOW!!! He will have to wait for his cash.......

No plans for the day, every day is much the same as the previous one, not much change. We did have a bit of a shock yesterday DB's son has moved to Milton Keynes to live with his girlfriend, did not bother to tell his dad, which stinks, I found out through a facebook message he had posted which popped up. I am very cross. This is not the first time that he has done something without telling his dad. Last time it ended up with us moving. That will not happen this time, but feelings have been hurt. As usual I have to pick up the pieces.

We had asked him before if he was going to move and he said not, he did not want to leave his 4 older children, he never married his then partner. The MK girl friend had a baby, it seems that he is quite happy to dump his Leicester family now.

We are on the last eat it up from the freezer and cupboards. I have an order coming from Morrison tomorrow. I am hoping to start batch cooking to get some basic meals in the freezer so if I do not want to cook I can just get one out of the freezer and use the Ninja to steam the veg. I will get fresh fruit and veg as I need it.

So tonights supper is chicken pasta in cream sauce...... need to put my thinking cap on for a dessert. I do have a cooking apple....hmmmm.

Rain, rain and more rain

 The road from Clawson is flooded, no way to get through except in a lorry, so have put our repeat scripts in an envelope, and will post them, DB had a form to return as well.

It is not raining just now, but forecast for tonight and most of tomorrow and then snow!!! Brilliant. Its a good job we are under curfew. Apparently the flood as very bad in the city and around the county.

I have ordered the new freezer, had to pay more, but thats ok, its one that does not need defrosting. Its coming at the weekend. I am about to put a bomb under the electrician.........

Smoked haddock and poached eggs for supper, I made bread yesterday, so we will have a couple of slices of bread and butter with it. Very short on desserts so DB will have to have an orange.

Brrr

Its cold again, I woke up cold in the night so pulled the quilt up. As usual I had to sit up for an hour after I took the osteo medication, winkled DB out of bed just after 8am.

Its a brightish morning, we are forecast some sun, but its still at freezing point, so glad I do not have to go out.

Bed linen in the washer, it will go in the dryer. It will never dry outside. I need to sort out the linen to make up the bed, the cleaner helps me put the duvet cover on, I struggle to do it on my own.

I went on line last night to order the freezer and its out of stock!! I am cross with myself for not ordering it before......I have tried several other places and its the same all over.....I chose that one because it was bigger than the other one, but quite a bit cheaper, now I have to start the search again and find something that fits the bill.

Last night supper was delicious, I did make the chocolate dessery, will have to think of something else for tonight.

So tonights supper is egg and wedges, expect DB will want beans.

 

What??

After a dull start we have a fine morning, a brief spell of sunshine.

Our usual Sunday breakfast and then a shower. I have prepped the veggies for supper, need to sort out a dessert, might do chocolate fluff for a change.

No plans for today, I have a washer full of laundry I will put in the dryer, it will be folded and put away. Tomorrow is bed change day, so two loads to go to the ironing lady. Cleaner is also due.

I am hoping to get the shed freezer this week, I am still waiting for the electrician to come and do the wiring.......he always seems to leave things to the last minute. I only asked him to do it because he is a neighbour. He lives at the back of us. I have put off the decorator until the autumn, Hopefully things will have settled down a bit by then.

I am in a use it up phase, today we are having pork belly casserole from the freezer with veg for supper. 

 

Oh D & Blast

Yesterdays two blocks came out so puckered...... I had a feeling that the fabric was not as it was sold, I am always very careful about buying 100% cotton for a quilt, I did the crinkle test and then set fire to a small piece of fabric, its not cotton, its poly cotton. I am furious, I have spent all week sewing the blocks and heaven knows how much thread....... so its all going to start again. I have ordered fabric from a shop I have used before, and will have to start again when it comes. To say I am not happy is an understatement. It will put me back at least 2 weeks. I will have to find something to use the fabric up, its not colours I would usually use except for a baby quilt and it cannot be used for that anyway.

This morning, like yesterday its raining, we seem to have escaped the snow so far, lets hope it continues. The weather is so depressing as is our situation with Covid. Its almost a year since we decided to lock down a week before BJ put the country into lock down. 

Supper tonight is quiche with salad, I will use up some small potatoes to have with it and we will have the last of the crumble.

Its wet

Yesterday was a bit of a weird day, we woke to rain which turned to snow in mid morning, it settled slightly, but this morning it has gone. Its rather grey and damp, we have some fog as well, no sunshine for us.

Our fuel bill came in yesterday, it was very reasonable considering the heating has been running quite a lot. I set the thermostat at 15 when we go to bed, so when it switches on in the morning the house has warmed up, I then turn it down and we wear  jumpers if we feel cold. DB is warmer blooded than me, I am the one who wears a fleece most of the time.

DB had a phone call in the afternoon from the assessment clinic our GP had recommended. His short term memory is quite bad, he got very upset when he could not remember the name and address he was given. I have been aware of his failing memory for quite a while and decided it was time we checked it out, its almost 12 months since he saw the GP. Of course Covid interfered. We noe have to wait for the verdict.

I did manage to get another block middle done, a dumper truck this time, I have another one set up to do today. Once they are done I can make the blocks up and sort out how they are going in the quilt.

Its Friday so fish and chip day as usual, I made an apple and blackberry crumble yesterday it will do us for a couple more suppers.

Two more blocks done today, I am very disappointed I think the fabric I was sold as cotton is in fact poly cotton and that is why I have so much puckering in the blocks.

Yes!!

 I have had my jab!! it was the pfizer one, so thats ok, 12 weeks to the next one. I have a bit of a sore arm this morning, but thats only to be expected. There was a stouchy at the door when I went to go in, an old gentleman was refusing to wear a face mask, he was very unpleasant to the staff on the door and what I presumed to be his daughter and SIL. Eventually he went home, the staff, despite, or may be because of his bad language, refused to let him in. He was causing a traffic jam. My jab went ok and after 15 minutes I was free to go.

I decided to go to the Simply Food M & S store at the local garage, to my dismay they refused to take the gift card my daughter sent us for Christmas...... I was not happy, I was told it was a petrol station not an M & S store.......So why did they have an M & S shop on the site???? I put the basket down and walked. Yes I could have used my debit card, but refused to, it plainly said on the boarding out side the shop M & S Simply food. Our nearest M & S store is 28 miles away. With the Over zealous police around there is no way I could go there until after the lockdown is lifted, apart from which, I hate the shopping centre when the store is. I now have a gift card I cannot use.

Its a grey morning, thankfully we do not have any snow, it has stopped short of us, we have rain instead... uggg...

I need to get on with the third block centre once I have done the potatoes for tonight supper and made a raspberry jelly.

So beef burgers, mash and beans tonight with raspberry jelly for dessert.

Todays effort, its needs a good press. thats 3 done 3 more to go.

Todays the day!!!

Our Doctors practice phoned me on Monday afternoon offering me the Covid vaccination today, of course I said yes, so after lunch I will be driving into Melton to get my dose. I will be eternally grateful to those brave men and women who stepped up to the mark, produced and tested the vaccine in 12 months. They all deserve medals.

This wave of Covid which has mutated is far worse than the previous two, so many people are affected, how many of them I wonder, met with family and friends over the Christmas holiday? Our death count continues to rise although the infection rate seems to be coming down. Its not just the elderly this time but across all ages, even babies.

I have towels in the washer, they will have to go in the dryer, its a cold damp morning, very grey skies and the forecasters tell us we are due for 8 inches of snow at some point. I am going up to the post office this morning, all masked up. Then after lunch I will drive into Melton for 'the jab'.

Making leek and potato soup for lunch, fresh bread, we are running out of toasting bread, so saving it for morning toast. I have ham out for tonights supper. We finished off the crumble last night. The steak pie went down very well.

So ham with salad and half a large jacket potato for supper, possibly no dessert. 

 

New years resolution?

 Not really, I made a decision to sort the supper as far as I can after breakfast, I find that by mid afternoon I have 'had it', so today starts a new regime.  Tonights supper is steak pie, so as I am using up from the cupboards, I have used a tin of steak, will make the pastry top and put it in the fridge until its time to cook it. Will prepare the veggies to cook as well. We have enough of the crumble left for dessert.

Not so cold this morning, I have opened the bedroom window and switched the radiator off for an hour or so........we do have trickle vents on the windows, but I do like a good airing when the weather permits.

Its on to the second block today, They do not take long to sew out, sorting the thread out takes the time. I am going to starch this one see if it makes a difference.

So, I have a delivery from Wiltshire FF sometime today, I have room in the kitchen freezer for them, there have been times recently when I could have done without having to cook supper. The mac and cheese last night was good, we had it with salad.

Todays offering, still puckered, its where there is very dense stitching.

A new week

I dislike Mondays, its the day I take my osteo medication and then feel iffy for a couple of days, I am waiting for an appointment to get the injection which has to be done at the hospital, guess with all the covid around I will not be getting it anytime soon, so I persevere with the tablets.

Load in the washer, coloureds, I will wait till later in the week to do a white load, I also need to wash the towels.

Its quite a bit warmer this morning, so heating is back down to its normal level. Cleaner is due. I am wondering how long it will be before even cleaners are stopped. I was horrified at the pictures in the paper of people in parks and on the beaches without masks, what is it with these people??? The hospitals are coping with the fall out from Christmas, watch the figures, they will go up even further in a couple of weeks time.

I am hoping to start on Niblets quilt this week, have decided what pattern I am using - Churn Dash, the centre block will be embroidered, will post a piccy when I have done the first one.

First of the centre blocks done, it has still pulled.....grrrr.

DB and my neighbour are ok, so now they have to wait 12 weeks for the second jab. I am hoping that I get the pfizer jab, it seems more effective than the Astra Zenica one according to articles I have read.

The grand daughter we have not seen since her daddy died is 16 today. Its a shame we have missed so much of both girls growing up, their mother is very non co-operative, because she was not married to Nick she was not entitled to any money for the girls. The money for his 4 children was put into trust until the eldest 2 were 18 and the younger two 21, money could be drawn from the interest for the children, but she wanted to get her hands on the capital.....no way was that going to happen. His two eldest children from his marriage have had theirs. Grand daughter has gone through most of hers in 2 years. It was not a small sum either.

Supper tonight mac and cheese and salad, I have some rocket to use up.......rhubarb and raspberry crumble for dessert.

Frost again

10am and the frost is not lifting, not as bad as pervious days but bad enough. The sun broke through for all of 5 seconds and then disappeared. We had fog all day yesterday, did not clear, but obviously it did overnight or we would not have had the frost.

Yesterday the two of us stripped out the shed where the freezer is going, swept the floor and moved the pallet, found a huge number of plastic carrier bags which we will put in the recycle bin, there are a couple of decent heavier bags which I will keep for the kitchen, they do come in useful occasionally. Everything was put back and I measured the pallet to make sure it was big enough to take the freezer, the one I have chosen is especially for outbuildings etc and was cheaper than the original one I chose. Hopefully I will get the wiring and freezer for under $600.So that will take up the cash I would usually put into our savings account.

I have prepped all the veg for supper, we are having the last of the turkey with veg and stuffing balls. I am going to make a crumble for dessert with whats left over from the fruit. This coming summer I will be  able to store a lot more, got to be good. I need to get some cooking apples, there are 2 bags of blackberries in the freezer.

This is where the freezer is going.

Nice clean tidy shed, wonder how long it will last???

There is plenty of room to get past the freezer to get to the stuff in the back of the shed.

So thats about it for today, a very grey day and very cold. The heating has taken a bit of a wallop this week.

 

No snow, just freezing fog

So far we have not got snow, late yesterday the fog rolled in and at bedtime it was very foggy, as it was when we got up, however, the sun has broken through although the temperature is still below freezing. We are going out in a short while to do a bit more sorting in the shed where the freezer is going.

I nipped over to my neighbour yesterday to check she was ok, she said she was very weary, which is one of the side effects of the vaccine, will phone her today and see how she is. Wonder of wonders DB, apart from a sore arm, is ok.

Yesterday I did a check through what I have in the freezer and cupboards to keep us going until our Morrison order comes. We had an email yesterday to say that Aldi now had the provision to go in and alter orders for their click and collect which is great. It was one thing I missed.

Apart from a short time in the shed, nothing planned for the day, I am waiting on two parcels, one of which was posted Royal Mail some days ago. Still waiting for the estimate from the electrician......I have decided to hang off ordering the freezer until after the 21st to make sure the job is done before it arrives.

Tonights supper will be all day breakfast, we have 2 mince pies left so they will be dessert. I will raid the freezer for fruit to make a crumble for tomorrow supper. It will be a bit of a mixture, there is very little fruit left.

Another frosty morning

Not as low as yesterday, but still cold, glad we no longer have to go out to work, although as things stand right now we could not go anyway thanks to the lockdown.

Yesterdays trip went very well although I was glad to get home safely. DB is fine this morning, will nip over to my neighbour and check on her this morning.

I need to do a bit of an audit on meals for the next 10 + days until my next order from Morrison on 21st. I am scraping the barrel so I can clean out the freezer in the kitchen, it defrosts automatically, but I usually run it down a couple of times a year to clean it out.

My cleaner is still able to come, so we will practice social distancing as usual, we move from room to room as each one is cleaned. Works for us.

I am waiting for one lot of fabric before starting on Niblets quilt, I am pretty sure what I am going to do now, will do an experimental block and see how it works out.

So supper tonight is our usual fish and chips, will have fresh fruit for dessert.

 

Deep Freeze

Just when I do not want it, we had a very heavy frost last night and it is still -3. I am taking my neighbour and DB for their covid injections later this morning, need to travel into Melton. Looks like I might have to go the bus route way which takes us up a very steep hill, but its a bus route so should be gritted. Fingers crossed it lifts before then, we need to leave at 10 30am unless they ring to cancel.

The chap is coming this morning with the letter giving us permission to do the electric work, so I can order the freezer........hope to get it delivered the week I get my Morrison delivery.

DB had palps again yesterday, lasted for about 5 hours, just not bothering about them, the pacemaker will pass information to the Pacemaker clinic remotely. They can decide if anything needs to be done.

Quiet day, it was very cold. DB did go out and shift some light stuff in the shed, we need to move the  pallet where the freezer is to go. I think I will have to do most of that, bit by bit. Electrician is coming next week to put the wiring in.

Supper tonight will be bacon frittata and salad. We ate the sponge puddings yesterday. I went to make a rapsberry jelly, no jelly...... hey ho.

Update.

After defrosting the car we travelled and returned safely, now my neighbour and DB have to wait up to 12 weeks for the top up injection. The roads were not too bad, but the freezing fog became thicker as we got closer to home. DB was taen early, so we were home before 12 noon which was great. A large bowl of soup and a bread roll was our lunch and very welcome.

Winter is upon us

We had a slight fall of snow, thankfully it did not last and has mostly disappeared. It is very cold and we have obviously had a frost, the car windscreens are frozen up. Glad I went shopping yesterday.

DB has cleared a bit of the old coal house so the chap can see where the freezer is to go, he also found an onion which had been chewed, so we have a mouse in there again, will get the scarer out and put it on. I am going to get a double socket put in so we can keep the scarer on all the time. Without a doubt it is a field mouse.

I am using up stuff from the little fridge freezer just now........ once I get the other one sorted I can put bread and milk in the bottom, so I have a couple of weeks stock, it can be moved into the fridge freezer as and when. It will also allow me to store half a dozen ready meals too. I bought a swede yesterday to do mashed carrot and swede as an extra veg.  I can also keep that in portions in the freezer.

It is a dull morning, DB says we may get more snow during the day, the temperature will not go up much.

I have taken cooked mince out of the freezer, I froze it in the dish I use for shepherds pie, so will do mash for the top and we will have it tonight with veg. I will also use up the last of the raspberries in some jelly, it will do us a couple of nights for dessert.                                                                                                             

Once more into the breach.........

 Back into lockdown from midnight tonight.

I had an order to collect from Aldi, so a trip into town, I was very careful coming home down the Waltham Lane hill, All packed away. I was surprised there were not many cars in the car park, the lady who brought out my order said the store was quiet, they are rationing some things so people cannot walk out with bags full of toilet rolls etc.

I have put in an order from Morrison for 21st Feb, things I cannot get from Aldi.

I had a message back from the council yesterday, I have to sign the letter the chap will bring on Thursday when he photographs where the freezer will go, so just need to get Damien to come round and sort it.

DB has elected to have sausage roll with salad for supper, we have a couple of slices of cheese cake for dessert.

Shutdown

Once again we are on the verge of a total shut down, thanks to the idiots who fail to follow the guide lines set down by the government. I  just cannot understand why people insist that the virus is fake, its only too real. Personally I think the people who do not believe we are in a critical state should be taken to wards where people with this virus are fighting for their lives. The police should be given stronger powers and the army brought in to water cannon mobs!!

Yesterday was another quiet day, there is little change in the days. The cleaner is due this morning, she is having a cookery lesson.......I am going to make a pan of soup for lunches this week. I want to try and sort out Niblets quilt once and for all and get it started.

Bed stripped linen in the washer, it will go in the dryer and be folded up ready to go to be ironed along with the next load.

No idea about tonights supper, will have to go freezer diving.

Snow?

It started to snow late yesterday afternoon quite heavily, it did settle but by this morning it had gone, just a bit at the bottom of the windscreen on our neighbours car. Mind you its still brrrrrrr, just poked my nose outside!!

I need to get my brain into a mindset to do Niblets new quilt if he is to have it for his birthday in March, Still undecided re design.....have some fabric, but so undecided.......

We had a very heated exchange of words yesterday....... DB was rather quiet afterwards,  I know nothing will change it never does!!

Cleaner is here tomorrow, she is having a cookery lesson on how to use an electric steamer.....could be interesting!!

Usual Sunday breakfast, I have prepped the veg for tonight's roast pork and stuffing, mixed berry cheese cake for dessert.

 

Brrrrr

A bright sunny morning but Brrrrrr its very cold. DB opened the back door gosh was the draught cold!!

A massive fail again this morning re getting up early. I woke at 6.30am for a toilet break, then woke at 8.45am.......we are going to have to set the alarm especially in the week.

I see the forecast is predicting another beast from the east shortly, will have to make sure we are well stocked up. I know we are getting short on meat......I am seriously considering getting a quote to have the electric run to the old coal house so I can put a small chest freezer in. It would be useful to keep meat etc in, which could be transferred to the house when needed and replaced so there is a running stock.

I was in touch with a local carpet shop, the chances of us getting a  new carpet are not good whilst we are in our present group, so it looks like we are going to have to wait, I am determined to get the room decorated though, I will just have to put up with the carpet for now, in which case it might never get done. I have a problem with mess at the best of times.........the though of having everything moved again to fit a new carpet fills me with dread. I also need a word with the decorator we were going to sleep at a neighbours but if we can I am going to utilize the spare room bed and the settee in the sitting room, or borrow a camp bed.

So life goes on a new year.......it has not started well and I doubt it will change much, we have been in isolation for almost a year now. DB gets more argumentative by the day, drives me nuts, had to throw my toys out the pram this morning.......again!!

So supper tonight, gammon, egg, tomato and fried bread, we are still eating mince pies as dessert.

welcome to 2021

Another New Year . It is my sincere hope that this year turns out better than 2020 in more ways than one.

Niblet welcoming in the New Year at Nanny and Pappys.

We are getting very bad at getting up, I think we are going to have to start using the alarm clock again.....it was almost 9am this morning before I surfaced. Hopefully I am catching up with some much needed sleep.

Its a very cold day, we still have a bit of snow lying and it appears there is a lot of black ice around, reports of vehicles skidding on the roads. Glad we are warm and cosy inside.

We will be spending a quiet day, but then all our days seem to be quiet....... apart from the odd phone call.

I checked yesterday and our cleaner and also the decorator can come, so I need to sort out storing the furniture and the new carpet, I really hope we can get the carpet fitted, I do not want to have to go moving all the bedroom furniture again.

Supper tonight will be the usual fish and chips, its the one night I do not have to think 'what are we having for supper' there are two raspberry sponges in the fridge so we may well have them. I want to use up the last of the raspberries so will make a jelly.... that will do us three nights.

Tuesday I have a click and collect order from Aldi, I priced up one from Sainsbury and there was £20 difference......no contest, the car needs a decent run so Melton it is, on Tuesday morning.

 A happy new year to all my readers. I hope 2021 is a better year for everyone.