No Cooking For Me Tonight!

 

 

Today we were on a mission to get the EE hub sorted and we felt the way to do it once and for all was to speak to an advisor in the flesh!

So my friend and I went into town and thankfully the very helpful team were able to get the matter sorted....we hope!

 

 

We then took time out for a coffee and once again I enjoyed a delicious Pumpkin Spice latte!

Twice in a matter of days...mind you, I missed the boat altogether last year so am making up for it!

 

 

 

 

Back home, I made soup pea and ham soup from yesterdays stock made with the gammon.

My friend really enjoyed it and wanted the recipe (as he did yesterday) but I rarely make the same thing twice the same way so could only give approximate ingredients/amounts and said its all a matter of tasting as you go.

 

 

 

This afternoon I went to the funeral of one of my closest friend's dad.

As always it was a sad occasion.

I have known him for many years,watched him playing with his grandchildren, being a real fun and loving granddad.

One of his grandsons gave a fitting and emotional tribute to him...not a dry eye in the place!

 

 

 

Hubby is home early today as very unusually he has made an appointment with the doctor.

Whilst painting the garden fence at the weekend he was bitten by something...although at the time he thought it was just a scratched spot...but it has become very red and painful so I urged him to get it seen by the doctors.

 

 

All day I have been having "panic" attacks thinking "oh no...I haven't got dinner sorted!"

But the reason is, our friend has offered to buy us an Indian takeaway...a new experience for us.

It will arrive in the next half hour and we are all looking forward it.

I have a pot of yogurt on the table in case we need to extinguish any fires!

 

"The Lord is my strength and song"

 

 

A Bunnies And Broadband Crisis!

 

Today has been full of unusual happenings, not a usual sort of Monday at all!

It did start out usual, with a visit to my Monday Recycled Teenager, with my friend who is staying for the week and Teen Two in tow.

We went to Morrisons as usual, then with the shopping put away I set to making some apricot and chilli chutney to accompany tonight's gammon.

 

 

I haven't made this for years, and as our friend is a real chilli lover, I replaced the cayenne pepper with a red chilli.

 

We had homemade sweet potato and lentil soup for lunch, after which I put the gammon in to cook slowly, with some onions, split peas and garlic, to make more soup for tomorrow's lunch...our partially retired friend LOVES soup!

 

 

 

It was as I was in the middle of this that the first crisis of the day occurred...the electrics went!

Thankfully the kitchen is on a different circuit.

I went and put the switch back up...but they went again...this time I saw one of the smaller units went down as well as the main switch....on checking the label it was the garage where the problem was.

That's odd I thought, we only have the freezer in the garage.

I went down there...nope...the freezer was not on...I had only been there minutes before hand so wondered if I had somehow done something...then I heard a noise....and out from under the tool boxes that had blocking access to the back of the freezer hopped one of the bunnies!!!

I worked out pretty quickly what had happened...and couldn't believe bunny was still here to tell the tale!

My friend came out and tipped back the freezer (which is full to capacity!) to check for evidence of my suspicions..and true enough, what he saw was shredded cable and exposed wiring!!

Had this happened when we were away we would have lost everything in the freezer and possibly the bunny too!

So poor Hubby has to come home early and see if he can do something with the wiring.

I am hoping with the freezer being kept shut my food will be ok for a few hours.

If not its a quick trip round to Grandma!

 

 

 

What  a lot of hassle and what a lucky bunny!

 

 

With the problem contained  (bunnies locked out of the garage for the moment) I carried on with dessert for tonight, flapjack with apple and blackberry filling...it was this fruit I had just got from the freezer when the crisis occurred!

I place a layer of flapjack on the bottom, then a layer of fruit, then a final layer of flapjack...

 

 

....its a scrummy dessert and also lovely for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

I then got on with some laundry whilst my friend took a nap in the conservatory.

Having woken refreshed,  he wanted to take a trip to PC World.

He had problems accessing the internet at his daughters yesterday and as he is calling in to see her on the way back to Hull at the end of the week, he was keen to buy a dongle so he can fulfil his weatherman duties online.

It appeared to be very easy transaction, the salesman guided him to just what he wanted and we thought within minutes we would be out of the door and off collecting Teen Two who we had left at the gym.

How wrong can you be!!

To cut an hours long story short, my friend was not accepted for an £11 monthly contract, despite being in employment with no debts and an existing EE customer.

He was on the point of leaving without the product when I said would my card work...which it did, despite not being an EE customer and not being in employment!

After a few more technical hitches we were able to leave the store and then collect Teen Two.

 

 

Back home problems continued and three hours later they are still unresolved!

We are going to visit the EE shop in town tomorrow and see if we can get it sorted, if not the broadband crisis will continue a while longer when he leaves us.

It has been a rather trying day in some ways, and yet in others we have had laughs and are looking forward to the next few days for a few more and hopefully less hassle.

Hubby has come home early to try and resolve the freezer crisis...I am hoping my food is still ok!

Teen One enjoyed her first day at Freshers Week and looking at her timetable will have Monday's as a study day, so both the Teens will be home on Monday for the foreseeable future...it will be a lovely long weekend for them and I will rearrange my routine to enjoy it with them!

 

"O taste and see that the Lord is good"

 

Teen One Back Home

 

 

Its still the weekend...so of course the morning started with a lovely cuppa brought up by Hubby.

 

 

The morning whizzed by making the usual roast dinner and dessert.

Today I made Teen Two's favourite, syrup sponge pudding, but replaced syrup with lemon curd.

I also added some lemon zest to the sponge mixture.

 

 

 

Home made lemon curd is of course the best ...but when time is of the essence...and you don't have enough fresh lemons to hand....this 22p Morrisons Savers option is a handy stand by.

 

 

 

The sponge takes 7 minutes in the microwave and is always a hit with the family.

I should have spread the lemon curd more evenly though..I had though it would settle in cooking...but as you can see it didn't.

Really I should turn the pudding out onto a plate and let the hot curd cascade down..and if we have visitors I do....but when its just the family its served straight out of the bowl to save on washing up!

 

 

Ingredients:

100g soft marg/buter

100g sugar ( any) I used granulated, soft brown works well too

2 eggs beaten

100g Self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

2tbsp milk

3tbsp golden syrup (or lemon curd/jam/honey) I use GENEROUS spoonfuls!

 

Grease a large microwave pudding bowl.

Add syrup to bottom of the bowl

In a separate bowl mix all the other ingredient until light and fluffy.

Pour on top of syrup

Microwave on high for 7 mins...if a skewer/knife comes out clean its done...if not give it another minute.

 

 

The weekly Yorkshires came out well...but I couldn't help thinking that they just would not pass muster on GBBO....not one of them are the same!

How on earth does one get them looking identical!

I don't think I have ever managed...or ever cared!

 

 

Just as we were sitting down to lunch, the door bell went...it was my neighbour's son with these beautiful flowers!

He does spoil me!!

I tried to encourage him in for lunch but he said he had just eaten.

The new occupants move in next door at the end of this coming week....so I suspect I wont see so much of him...but I know it wont be the last I see of him and will do all I can to keep up the contact.

 

 

 

With lunch eaten, cleared up  and then tea prepared, it was time to go and collect Teen One.

The M3 was rather slow but otherwise it was an easy journey.

Its so pretty as I get near to the scout camp where the weekend is held.

The view at Boars Hill of Oxford is stunning.

Teen One had a great weekend and its great to have her home!

 

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God"

 

 

 

 

The Start Of A New Adventure!

 

 

This morning started just the way I like it...no alarm...no responsibilities...just wake up when we want.

I might have slept in longer, had I not been so cold!!!

Only yesterday I was hearing from FQ2FF how cold it was further up north, and it has now made it down south!

I turned over to see if Hubby was already up and making a cuppa...but he was sound asleep with the sheet wrapped around his neck...he too was clearly cold!

So it was my turn to go and make the Saturday morning cuppa.

 

 

With the slow start, I was in the mood for treating the boys to a cooked breakfast.

It made a great start to the day...even if it was almost 10am before we sat down to eat it.

 

 

After a few bits and pieces done at home, we headed out to Chichester and did something quite momentous....booked tickets to go to Australia!!

This is something Hubby has always dreamed of, he has family out there he has longed to see, but up until now it has been out of our league as far as flight prices are concerned.

However, with the mortgage recently paid off and our back up plans for a miserable endowment policy repayment, not needed, we have the funds available.

We were brought up with rather a sad jolt earlier in the summer, when the aunt we have the most communication with down under, suddenly died.

We have rather forgotten that most of Hubby's cousins are not his age at all, but are in their mid 70's.

The longer we leave it, the more chance some may not be well enough or even around.

My own cousin, who I have grown very fond of over the years, is in remission from breast cancer, so whilst she is still well, it will be lovely to see her and her family, who we have not seen since they were tiny tots.

So whilst we and they have health and strength and our own Teens are still at home and wanting to share family holidays, it seemed the best use of our unexpected savings pot.

We have been checking out prices online for some time and all of a sudden they are shooting up, so we decided we had to make a decision this weekend.

A random read of The Daily Telegraph "A booking guide to Australia" highlighted something I had been under a false impression about....that it is not always cheaper to book direct with the airline.

That is what we have always done when flying to the US, but according to the article I read, agents get better deals.

One such company named was Flight Centre.

We looked online and arranged for a return phone call...then I happened to notice there was an office in Chichester...hence our reason for today's visit there.

We spent a pleasant hour or so in the office, really only expecting to get some prices, but were so happy with the prices, we booked there and then!

It was so easy and so much less stress than booking ourselves online...always worrying if we have put in the correct details, or having the page crash on us.

So, we have our outward flights and return flights booked.

We now just need to get confirmation from the various cousins on Hubby's side as to when we can meet up and then we can book internal flights.

I really hadn't realised how BIG Australia is and how far apart each member of the family is...just check out this comparison map....

 

 

I knew it was big...but not THAT big!

So, its all very exciting in the household....I sent a text to Teen One, who is hugely excited!

I did have to laugh at her first question...

"how early do we have to get up for the flight?"

We had been looking at some very odd flight times...infact the return flight home is 2.30am...

but thankfully its a lunchtime flight.

We have several months to get our pressies organised...thinking what to take will be fun for me...and thinking small too!

I have seen enough "Nothing to Declare" programmes to know what I can and cannot take that's for sure!

The big Down Under Adventure starts next Easter.

 

 

We were in the Travel Agents so long...with the aroma of fried onions and burgers wafting in the whole time, Teen Two and Hubby were feeling rather peckish by the time we came out...so it was street food for their lunch...something we rarely, if ever indulge in!

It wasn't to my taste really... so we headed for the nearby Starbucks, much more to my liking!

 

 

The diet went out the window when I saw their Pumpkin Spice latte was out...yes I know I could have had it without the cream....but its not nearly so nice!

When I saw the Oreo chocolate cake I just new a certain Teen who would love that....I wish I had the camera out when I arrived at the table with it...it was a picture!

 

 

 

We then had a little wander round town....The Works is always a lovely place to mooch around, then we saw this little church dating back to 1050 was opened as a Christian Book shop, so we had a look in there as well.

 

 

 

I bought an adapted copy of Pilgrims Progress for Teen Two...

 

 

 

...and one of the popular grown up colouring books we see so much of....but a Christian version.

I thought the older Friday club girls might like it.

 

 

The pages are perforated for easy removal and I think the girls will love the designs...and for us we will be delighted that they are taking home something with Scripture on.

Hubby has created his own colouring in Bible Texts for years and they have been great, but in recent times the kids have been less inclined to colour in...I hope this more modern style will inspire them again.

 

 

Chichester has all sorts of interesting and independent shops....this one was full of retro games and really interesting crafty gifts for kids.

This caught my eye...I used to have this exact designed box of Jack Straws.

I can remember how all the pieces felt and the fun I had playing with it.

I had to drag Hubby out of the shop...he could have stayed all afternoon!

Teen Two was interested in quite a bit too, but not enough to want to part with any of his birthday money!

 

We eventually headed home and have spent the early evening chilling on our various screens...with no one feeling particularly hungry at all, so its going to be a late, light something  to eat I reckon.

 

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back To The Old Routine

 

 

This morning I was up early, to get a few bits done, and a casserole put in the slow cooker, ahead of taking Teen One to Datchet.

I wasn't really looking forward to the drive as I had to use the M25.

What I hate about the M25 is there is always an accident reported and I always dread being involved in one.

Also, its like hitting the London traffic early...every one drives that extra bit faster and madder!

Today however, I was very thankful the Lord sent rain!

It meant the traffic was reduced to 40mph, but we rarely got out of third gear and the signs said

"STAY IN LANE"
Great...I didn't even have to think about that ...my kind of driving!

 

After a quick cuppa it was time to hit the road again, I didn't want

to get caught in the middle of the Friday afternoon traffic and had shopping to do on the way home too.

Thankfully my journey was hassle free and I was back home soon after 2pm, complete with shopping, so had time for a quick breather before thinking about Friday Club.

 

 

Our story tonight at Friday Club was Daniel chapter 1, where Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the kings food, asking for vegetables instead.

So for our activity I thought we would do something fun and messy..veggie printing.

I am useless at free carving potatoes so for years have been using cookie cutters to create the shape.

It works really well.

 

 

Most of my potatoes were on the small side, so I had to  cut them length ways, which didn't leave much height for holding them...so I used sweetcorn holders, which were ideal for the job.

 

 

As well as potatoes I used kiwi, pear, carrot , broccoli stalks, celery and pear.

 

 

One of the girls worked out that the celery made a great love heart!

 

The kids really enjoyed the activity...I remember as a child longing to do this, having seen it in a Puffin activity book I had...but we never had paints at home....however we always had plenty of wool, so maybe that's why I love anything yarny so much, as an adult!

 

 

Remember me saying I had sorted out some old birthday cards the other day?

Well I thought of a way to use them...I have done something like this before and it was always popular.

Its really simple, just punch holes all the way round...no need to have exact spacing in between ( no child as ever moaned at me yet!)

I usually use wool  for threading through (as I always have plenty!) but today used some craft ribbon ( a bit like raffia) I had bought in Lidl for 99p and it really worked well.

I had prepared it as an extra activity for the older kids and it was very popular.

 

So here we are back to the old routine, its like we have never been away!

 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from above"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting My Foot Down!

 

 

Thursday's are always a busy day for me, starting with Mother and Toddlers in the morning, then ferrying the Teens to piano and footy in the afternoon, so when I booked  a Thursday delivery for our new church fridge freezer, I did wonder if I was doing the right thing!

However, as Curry's give four hour time slots, there was a 50% chance the delivery would be in the morning when I am already at church, and would save spending another morning/afternoon there in the week.

Now of course, it isn't just a case of waiting for the delivery man to arrive...oh no...there is a host of behind the scenes arrangements needing to be made, and all sorts of  plans B C and D.

 

 

I checked the time slot after 10pm as advised, last night, and was a tincy relieved it wasn't a 7am delivery...however I was rather disappointed to say the least that it was a 2.35-6.35pm delivery...precisely the time I didn't want!

So with Plan B&C in action it was off to church this morning.

The orange playdough looked rather pretty with the autumnal playdough mats I had downloaded last year from Sparklebox

 

 

 

I really love this mats...

 

 

 

...and I really love autumn!

 

 

With Mother and Toddlers finished, Teen One and I rushed home to make the most of the couple of hours we had before heading back to church.

I tackled a job I had seen needed doing a while ago, but couldn't work out how to get the wire cage off.

Our fan has been much in use during the hot summer days ( yes we did have one or two!) and the dirt that had built up on it was revolting!

Hubby managed to take the cage off last night and I was so pleased to be able to wipe away all that dirt and grime...

 

 

...just where did it all come from!

 

Pretty soon it was time to head back to church, so armed with plenty of activities to do and thoughts of drawers and cupboards I could sort through, we set off.

When we arrived one of our elders was there, doing some DIY, and kindly offered to keep an eye out for the delivery enabling us to go home.

So plan D was now in action and home we came.

With the involvement of someone else, it meant I had to consider plans E F and possibly G!

By the time Teen One's piano lesson had come round, there was no news of the delivery having arrived, so plan E was put into action...Teen Two thankfully wasn't too disappointed when I suggested we cancel footy to make one less journey and arrangement for, meaning plan F wasn't needed.

Plan G...Grandma....was put into action and I took her and Teen Two to church, enabling the elder to go home for his much needed dinner.

With piano, finished Teen One and I went back to church, to find Hubby there...so we left him to do the last shift and I brought everyone else home.

With only 45 minutes left until the end of our time slot, we thought, surely this very long day would soon be over...

well....

...not quite!

Having arrived home I then had a phone call from Curry's, the lorry had broken down so delivery wasn't going to be made today....could they deliver it tomorrow!

Tomorrow I am driving to Datchet and back to deliver Teen One to some friends for onward journeying to Oxford for a YP weekend, so no way did I have four hours to spare.

So having explained delivery was not to a private house, but to a church and today had been planned with military precision, and I was not prepared to go through it all again, I put my foot down firmly and insisted on a four hour slot next Thursday morning when I would be at church already...

and to my surprise the man said yes!

 

What a day!

 

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"

 

 

 

Boundless Energy and Mysteries Solved!

 

Today has been a very industrious day, it was one of those days when I woke up with seemingly boundless energy...or was I just trying to take my mind off the worry of Teen Two??

Anyway, which ever it was, the house benefitted as a result!

I started with all the usual first thing in the morning chores, then went on to cleaning the conservatory windows, inside....then out...then the kitchen windows...then the front windows...boy was I on a roll!

Thankfully it was still quite cool.

 

 

Next job was to make some playdough ready for Mother and Toddlers tomorrow.

I wasn't able to make it last week as I was missing one vital ingredient (oil) and made up a quick dough using just flour and water instead.

The tots LOVED it...adding flour as and when the dough got sticky, it was like real pastry for them.

It was huge success but one I wont repeat too often.....boy did they make a mess!

I was of course expecting it and honestly didn't mind, but for the comfort and ease of a quicker clear up, I shall reserve that treat for occasional use!

 

 

Here is my scrappy recipe!

For large quantities I use:

500g flour ( any)

750ml water

250g salt

5tsp cooking oil

5tsp cream of tartar

Food colouring ( I add this to the water for an even distribution)

 

For a smaller batch its:

100g flour

150ml water

50g salt

1 tsp cooking oil

1tsp cream of tartar

Food colouring

 

Add all the ingredients to a large pan and stir constantly over a medium heat until the mixture forms a large lump and comes away from the sides of the pan.

Leave to cool, then keep in an airtight tin...kept in the fridge it will last indefinitely.

I re do my every term  but have had home batches in the fridge for a year or two!

TOP TIP....leave the pan in soak then it will clean easily.

 

 

I went with orange food colouring today...very autumnal I thought.

 

 

With an unusual amount of energy still coursing through my veins, I dusted downstairs within an inch of its life, vacuumed, sorted dinner out, then had a call from a friend saying was I in for lunch.

I had a loaf of our favourite speciality bread in the freezer, cranberry and pumpkin seeds, so whipped that out, and by leaving it in the sun it managed to thaw out in time for her arrival.

 

 

With it being such a lovely day we were able to sit in the garden for lunch...oh and did I mention I cut the grass as well this morning!

We had a lovely catch up and just enjoyed the sounds of the birds and gentle hopping of the bunnies around our feet, whilst I crocheted a few granny squares.

 

 

All too soon it was time for my friend to go back to work...although she wished she could just spend the rest of the afternoon sitting in the garden with me...and I wouldn't have minded a couple of hours with her too!

With my friend back to work, I decided I would make the most of the sunshine and sort through my bags in the garden....I don't know how they get so cluttered so quickly, with things like tissues, receipts, sticky sweet wrappers and the like.

Boy was I glad I decided to do that little job...because look what I found!

My credit  card!!

I didn't even remember having a handbag with me that day, so didn't even think to look in there.

So, what a huge relief that was, whilst I knew I was safe from any fraudulent charges as I had cancelled it with the bank, I was worried that someone had enough information to get into mischief none the less.

But thankfully all is well and I am not quite as absentminded as I had thought I was, I did take it from the reader, but didn't put it back in my purse as I usually would.

 

 

With that worry off my mind and my bags nice and clutter free, I thought I would tackle the weeds in the garden....I had to smile at the bunny as I went out, for some reason he had jumped into the cat litter tray!

On sunny days I leave it in the garden ( hot litter tray in the conservatory is not the best of aromas!)

He obviously wasn't worried about what he could smell as he then proceeded to lie on his back and roll over  and give himself a good old dusting!

 

 

Two large bags of weeds later, it was time to take Teen One for her Meningitis ACWY vaccination.

 

Unusually we were back home before even our appointment time had come round!

Sometimes it pays to go early.

 

Back home I decided some sitting down chores were the order of the day

(can you guess the energy is flagging!)

I have been meaning to send my sister in law copies of photos I took at her BBQ earlier in the summer, uploading photos always takes an age ( for me anyway) so  I knew I would need about half an hour.

 

Before long Teen Two was home and whilst he had a better day, the person who called him a rude name yesterday made an unnecessary comment today, as Teen Two was leaving the chill out room at lunch time the person said "what the **** is he doing?"

I can only assume this person has some problems and have suggested to Teen Two he find somewhere else to go.

He is now the proud owner of an Ipad mini and has spent the last half hour with Teen One getting it set up.

Having an Apple Ambassador in the family has paid dividends today I can tell you!

 

 

With his Ipad up and running, Teen Two randomly asked if I had seen his comb.

His hair isn't usually long enough to need combing, but I keep putting off giving it a trim (really do need to get it done soon though!) so he must have felt it looked a mess at some point today and wanted to have his comb in his bag.

As its usually on a bits and bobs basket on the bookshelf by the mirror in the hall, we started looking there...nope...then I thought, well maybe it fell behind, so pulled the bookcase out, not only was the comb there, but the Mother and Toddler register I had lost back in February was also there!

I had the house upside down looking for that back in the winter, but could I find it!

So, two mysteries solved today!

 

Teen One and I are looking forward to Bake Off tonight, but a little worried as to what the powers that be are going to do to one of our favourite programmes!

As for the weekly challenge to bake something...sadly I ran out of energy today!!

 

"Come unto Me and be ye saved"