2012.01.07 My Day

To be honest I didn't get up very early this morning - I was shattered and slept in very late for me and as a result I haven't got as much done as I wanted to but hey I've had a rest can't have it both ways.

I went to my friends last night, and she has started knitting herself a jumper - an Aran jumper and I started her off on the rib last night.  She has apparently done cable before but not an Aran jumper.  I cannot do cable but have done other stitches that she hasn't so it is going to be interesting how it grows and how she gets on.

I have obtained the first part of the Art of Quilting partwork magazine from the shop.  I am rather taken with the sampler quilt this creates if you would like to see what I am talking about please go to the link here http://www.artofquilting.co.uk/   There are 90 issues to this partwork.  I thought that this would give me time to play at home a little and get used to handling, sewing and cutting out the relevant pieces of fabric and also for me to make further sampler pieces out of fabric I already have.  I love the simplicity and colour.   Although I do intend to sign up for one of the patchwork courses at Art and Stitch at some point to square me up (when I have the spondoolies the average price is £25 which isn't too bad but am going to have to save up and then book myself in) .

I have the Art of Crotchet partwork the link is here http://www.theartofcrochet.com/collection and this collection will soon be complete there are 120 issues all told.

You can sign up on line for both partworks.

I have been on baby sitting duties today for Tiddles - his owner has been down to the smoke today and will not be back until later on so I have been over a couple of times to make a fuss of him and play silly beggars with him.

I then went shopping and got milk  (I always keep plenty of milk in for drinks and for puddings) for the week, some large flatbread Nans (we will have home made curry for tea one night during the week. 4 bags of limes at 50pence per bag = £2 to make some lime marmalade, a cauliflower, sprouting broccoli, parsnips, carrots and some vine tomatoes.  Not too much this week as I still have plenty of bits to use up from Christmas.

I also bought a chicken for roasting for dinner tomorrow, some yellow split peas for use in soup, 2 bags of sugar, 2 loaves of bread,  fresh veg stir fry mix, sausages and a box of Weetabix and some Stilton cheese.  I just bought bits to supplement what I already have in the house.  I still have plenty of eggs and other ingredients in the house and I took some smoked bacon out of the freezer.  I might make a Quiche tomorrow as well.  It is always nice warmed up with a bit of side salad and a baked potato with cheese.

We have had toad in the hole for tea tonight with mashed potato, savoy cabbage, and lashings of onion gravy. I had a pack of 8 sausages but only used 4 for the toad; the other four are designated for OH to have a fried breakfast.  It warmed us up as it has been dreadfully cold today it was a lovely comfort food meal done in my small rotisserie oven (obviously not using the rotisserie) which is cheaper than the gas cooker for the two of us.  There is still plenty of yorkshire pudding mix left over so I will use that with the roast chicken tomorrow evening.  I have the Pannetone that my brother bought me for Christmas so this is going to be used in a bread and butter pudding.   I have some bottled plums so I may well serve some of these with the bread and butter pudding.  Further comfort food for our Sunday dinner tomorrow especially with it being so cold.

The veg people are very good to me during the year; they are friends and I often get quite a reduction on various fresh items.  They also used to look after Tyson for me and I got into the habit of giving them the odd jar of chutney or pickled onions around Christmas time.  This Christmas I gave them a jar of the Parsnip, Apple and Ginger Chutney (link here http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2009/11/parsnip-apple-and-ginger-chutney.html ) [they haven't tried this yet] and also the Mango Chutney (link here http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2011/07/mango-chutney-first-version.html) .  They were quite taken with the Mango Chutney apparently it has gone down well with cold meat and cheeses etc over the Christmas period.  Another jar is destined for them next week.

I also intend to make some soup tomorrow.  I have some onions that need using up so will do some French Onion Soup and deep freeze this for use during the week.   I also intend to make some broccoli and blue cheese soup and also some carrot and coriander soup and some cream of chicken soup.  If I have enough carrots left I might also make some carrot cake.  I quite fancy a cooking day tomorrow but will have to see how we get on.

I haven't found the camera yet.  Very frustrating

The cats are comfy Demetri is sprawled on the floor well warm and fed and Squeak is cuddled up on a cushion on the settee. Missy is with OH upstairs cuddled up to the radiator.  Its cold out again tonight.  Please keep snug, warm and safe wherever you are.

Catch you soon

Pattypan

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