TARRAGON & THYME

Tuesday I felt on top of the world.  I did not ache.  I was moving around like a spring chicken.  Yesterday not so mobile today I have been crippled up.  Something has got to give. From all the research I have done on auto immune disease and disease generally I understand that most Doctors believe that most diseases stem from the gut.  To me this is logical as some people's systems are a lot slower than others, and therefore their "waste" in their system does not filter out quickly and remains for a longer period of time and I believe thus causes the body to absorb some of the toxins.   Most people with long term conditions end up with what is called "leaky gut".  Generally their systems are not able to absorb all the goodness out of food or indeed with some medication.  It does not matter what they do in this respect they just do not absorb or their systems do not absorb as much as they should and this leads to other issues.  I...

And I have had a really good time out with my friend today.  In fact the time passes far too quickly.  We had cake and a good natter and then a wander around town.   Unfortunately I will be unable to meet with her next week as I am on a computer based course for Xcel for the week.  I need the help with this.  In the past I have had a go but then not been able to use it and these sorts of programmes you need to use otherwise you just forget it. So I am hoping to put this into action at home pending me locating a job.  Well that is the plan anyway. Chicken for tea tonight which has gone down well. Weather has been beautiful and warm again but the temperature has dipped quite considerably this evening - bit nippy - but then it should be for the time of year. I am off to see another friend on Saturday and am to have another tutorial with the patchwork.  Will have to take my machine but I am keen to progress with the patchwork and because o...

today has been.  Really warm for this time of year and I felt good for a change. The sun was out, I did not ache like I normally do.  Life felt good. I met a couple of good friends today for lunch and had a good time. We don't get a lot of time of a lunch hour but we surely make the most of it.  I am blessed in my friends. OH had to go today for a check up with the Diabetic Nurse and so subsequently took a day off work.  All seems to have gone well. He has lost a couple of more pounds in weight and more importantly to me his blood pressure was normal.  For the past four or five years this particular element has been very difficult to control.  Despite me putting into effect all sorts of measures on the food front.  We have cut back on our bread and pasta consumption. Yes we have it once in a while but not as regularly as we used to.  Basically we have to watch the carbs.  I don't cook with salt - and we have plenty of veggies and fru...

Today has been sunny, clear skies and warm in the sun although chilly otherwise but for the time of year it is blooming amazing and I am very grateful for that.  We walked Missy first thing and had a really good walk with her.  She was shooting here and there and I remarked to OH that we should have called her "Bullet" as she was running off at speed.  She just never has a minute.  You would not think that she was nine years old! Afterwards, we paid a visit to the Iceland Food store and had a good mosey around to see what food they actually have on offer.  We need to start re-stocking the freezers so I wanted to see what was on offer, even though it is not shopping day and I also needed to get something for tea today. There were several very good offers on. Sometimes the offers that are available in stores such as Iceland relate more to the ancillary items that they have on offer.  Today I saw several things which I hope to top up on come pay day....

On the way back from my interview at the Job Centre a fortnight ago I came back through our John Lewis store via their kitchen Department.  I had a quick look around the cookers, more out of curiosity than anything else as I certainly cannot afford one of the big range cookers I like or indeed have anywhere to put it where we are at the moment.  But it was the end of the day I had been very busy and had worked hard so I decided to indulge in a little day dreaming and so started to work my way along the range type cookers in the store. I found a Smeg cooker and a Rangemaster cookers and they offer all sorts of possibilities.   First off it was the Smeg I fell for a beautiful cream range cooker with lots of gas hobs and a wok hob on the top.   Here is the link here:  Smeg Range Cooker . Since looking online I have also found this one as well: https://www.cookersandovens.co.uk/Smeg-Victoria-90cm-Cream-Induction-Range-Cooker-13363.html?utm_source=bing&utm...

I spotted this sign yesterday and thought that it was very appropriate for my home at the moment.  It really resonated. Catch you later. Pattypan x

Has been a lovely sunny day here today although the wind still had a little chill to it.  But still lovely to see the sun out in all its glory after such a grey winter thus far. I met up with a friend for lunch  - time goes too quickly when you enjoy yourself.  We only get about an hour but it is time enough to catch up.   I then came back home via Waitrose.  Nipped in and got some milk (6 pints), a tin of carnation evaporated milk, a pack of Aberdeen Angus lean mince, a bag of frozen mixed veggie leaves, a 1kg bag of spaghetti a bag of prepared Soffrito. I had in mind a recipe I had seen where some pasta was cooked and then topped off with just a passata sauce, grated cheese and some cooked sprouted broccoli.  However I did not have the broccoli saw the mixed leaves which were frozen and relatively cheap and thought that they would make a good substitute. When OH came back from work we walked Missy and gave her a good run and then I came b...

After a quiet pottering day at home I was not really very hungry.  OH did not know what he wanted and in the end opted for a chilli chicken.  After me being unwell the other week I am steering clear of chilli for the time being so no way was I going there.  In the end I opted for a Caemembert which I had with carrot and celery sticks and some five seed crusty bread and it has gone down very nicely.  Topped off with a few seedless grapes and I have really enjoyed my tea this evening.   The only thing I should have done was put some garlic into the cheese but otherwise it was lovely. I have since ended up on Pinterest and You Tube and have been squirrelling up information and bits and bobs on how to do different stuff for an hour or so. Particularly with regard to Patchwork and sewing, and food, and preserving, and recycling pieces of fabric and also furniture made from old window panes and bits and bobs like that. Old habits die hard.  However it proves...

is a complete and utter luxury of late.  I seem to have been on the hop from one day to another. I also seem to have been on the computer for the past couple of days trying to sort paperwork out.  I am waiting for a friend to call in to collect some paperwork for a group I belong to. I do not at the moment know what time she is coming for.  However it is not preventing me from getting on with stuff. OH whilst walking the dog this morning nipped to the local shop and brought me back three hot croissants.  What a treat.  I have been sat eating one of them with some of my home made strawberry jam.  Sheer indulgence.  I shall save the others for later - my appetite is not that big in any event. I have also had a small lay in compared to the rest of the week which has been welcome.  Now to start on the kitchen. Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye! Catch you soon. Pattypan x

Today started with another early morning where I went on the computer to try and prepare yet another version of my CV from an online template which I was not very convinced about. So I spent a good three hours trying to sort out my CV to bring how these are prepared up to date.  Apparently all sorts of things have changed since I was taught how to prepare the same and it would appear that I am giving far too much information.  Well one cannot help how one was taught!  I am afraid it is in my nature to dot the i's and cross the t's!  Rather too much information than nothing at all has always been my way.  Will have another look tomorrow. Then into town and spent time with a good friend.  Had a lovely lunch and "girlie time"! Put the world to rights as per usual. Had an appointment at the JC and have managed to get myself some training on Excel.  A four day training course.  I am not very good with Excel and so I am hoping that this wil...

As a follow on from yesterday's post I have since found the following on Pinterest. https://labient.com/zero-waste-kitchen-guide/ It is well worth the reading and a simple guide as to how to be more eco friendly at home. I surprised myself because I am already doing a few of these things. I already use cloths that can be washed and re-used.  I have done this ever since I was first married.  I also use a boiling pot for cleaning such cloths on the stove.  I have a couple of pots that were originally intended to do preserves in but they are not quite up to snuff so they make ideal boiling pots.  Basically I put whatever needs cleaning into the pot with hot water and some soap powder and bring to the boil.  I then let it simmer for an hour or so and then tip into the sink and drench with cold water.  The cloths should be clean by this point.  It takes less time on the top of the cooker than in the washing machine so it is cost and time ef...

When it works is marvellous.  When it throws an iffy it is not.  I have spent the best part of today typing up Minutes.   The first set went marvellously the second which was a part-prepared document in any event was just not playing ball.  Would not let me amend or change the document in any way. Would not even let me type in on the keyboard to do a search of my emails.  Left no image of letters at all just would not budge.  OH came home and had all the keys out, the keyboard, and also completely rebooted the system even putting new batteries in and trying two other keyboards as well which we had to hand.  I was pulling my hair out by this time as I also need to do some further work on a brand new CV.  Which I just have not got to.  Will try again for tomorrow as I need it for Wednesday.  However happy to say computer now co-operating.  This always tends to happen whenever there is a software update.  Don't think the...

From being a little girl I always had to wear a pinny.  In fact I still have my favourite one that was given to me by my aunty it has holes in it, is pretty faded and of course is far too small.  It is sentimental really but I just cannot let it go at the moment. Mum also had me wearing a pinny.  All the ladies in our family wore pinnies when they were cooking.  Indeed my Great Auntie used to make everyone a pinny as part of their Christmas presents.  I still have some that she made for my mum. At my first senior school in Peterborough, the girls all had to make an overall pinny to wear in the cooking class.  Peterborough schools at that time were teaching the new syllabus (not secondary modern syllabus) where we were taught a lot of stuff that my father classed as complete and utter nonsense. Then when I went on to my final secondary school and did Domestic Science lessons as they were called then all the girls were expected to wear a white pi...

I am keen to be more eco friendly when it comes to food storage and indeed have made myself some fruit and veg cotton bags for when I go to the veg shop so as not to use carrier bags and have smaller bags to hold more fragile fruit etc.  These bags will wash at the end of the day whereas plastic etc. goes into landfill and does not necessarily break down. Whilst I am not buying any more plastic containers per se, I do have a lot already in existence and it really would be defeating the process if I were simply to dump these which will only add to the landfill problem.  What is here is here and if it is capable of still being used properly I will do so unless and until a day comes where it cannot be used again.  However in the process that also raises up a whole load of problems. I have a lot to learn in this respect and as a result I have been reading various articles to see other people's take on this issue.  Including articles on making and sewing bags ...

It has been a busy day today and I have not got half of the things I needed to get done accomplished.  So it will be all systems go for the next couple of days or so.  On the weather front it has been another lovely day with the sun out again.  Hope it is like it tomorrow and during the week as I would like to start getting stuck in with the garden a little bit.  Tidying and clearing in the first instance but it needs to be relatively mild for me to go out and get stuck in. We had some roast pork for tea with all the trimmings.  Went down very nicely and the crackling was nice and crisp.  Thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not quite sure where this weekend has got to.  That tends to be the way when you enjoy yourself and I certainly had a good day yesterday. Right have a couple of more things to do before retiring in readiness for OH going to work tomorrow. Hopefully will get in a longer post tomorrow. Sorry got to scoot. Catch you la...

Received at the Crafting Day held yesterday and which I attended.  This is only a mere fraction of the amount of quilts and blankets received.  Alison's car was stuffed to the gunnells by the time we left.  So much beautiful, loving, incredible and talented work all donated to this very special project by some very special people.  Thank you to you all. Catch you soon. Pattypan x