Friday

Has been another quietish day and I pootled into town as I needed a few bits and bobs for the house.  I hit B & M and saw all sorts of things that I needed for the pantry shelf at quite reasonable prices, but as I did not have the capacity to bring all that stuff home with me today, as I was on my own, I have decided to go back, probably with my bright and spotty purple shopping trolley (you cannot miss me) to carry as much as I can to a usual pick up spot so that I do not have to walk all the way home with it.  A lot of bargains in there at present, a lot of it very useful in providing a meal of sorts from a tin can store, dried items, sauces and condiments and basics like coffee, tea, baking bits and bobs and of course lots of practical items to help in the home.

I did however, find two heart shaped Christmas Wreaths which had been reduced for £2 apiece (I think although maybe wrong that they were originally £6 apiece) and so they have come home with me in readiness for next year's Christmas decorating.  The wreaths fit in very well with my country-cross-traditional-Victorian style of decorating.

I have also come away with some cup a soup's - I think these were £1 a box OH likes these and some mug shots at 60p a packet the sweet and sour ones.  I like B & M for tinned stuff generally and they had some very decent offers on at the moment.

A pair of thermal gloves also jumped off the shelf at me.  I am feeling the cold very badly again at the moment and am needing the gloves.  I have been using a very thin pair of gloves, but I could potentially wear these under the new ones to keep my digits functioning properly. I have Raynaud's Syndrome where my fingers go blue and I feel like I have ice water running through my hands.  I then take absolutely ages to get my hands going again and getting them warm. The gloves were £2.99 for plain black ones.  I normally buy the cheaper plain gloves from Primark they are about £0.99 a pair which I do not object to as I am a beggar at losing them.  I am considering threading them on elastic and popping them through my coat like we used to have as children. Fortunately I do have good coats even though my really good one is down in Cornwall at the moment, the one I have here does sterling service.  I really need a good wool full length coat which would be a bit dressier for going out.  My Marmot feather one though is as warm as toast.

I have also managed to get my Kitchen Garden Magazine, the Grow Your Own food magazine and my Quilting magazine today and so I am looking forward to a really good browse later on.  There are lots of free seeds too.  One of the packets did make me chuckle though, some Rocket seed known as "Tricia - All Year Round".  Is somebody trying to tell me something!   I need to sort my seed box out and get some stuff underway, but the weather will have to be a little warmer for me to venture out.

Here are the Kitchen Garden's Freebie Seeds

And here are the Grow Your Own Seeds

Quite a good and varied selection.

Tomorrow I will be back to cleaning again and more washing and ironing.  I suspect I will be mostly housebound but I do need another sack of potatoes and some more onions and most definitely a tray of eggs.  I also need some fresh veggies for Sunday dinner, and also during the week.

Whilst I was out earlier on OH has been to the local Butcher.  He has come back with 1kg of Stewing Meat, three bags of mince which were on offer, a pork pie, a rolled Loin Pork joint for Sunday dinner.  He also came back with a couple of steaks.  A Rib Eye for me and he has chosen to have a Sirloin steak.  They are for tomorrow night's tea with some home made chips and maybe a side salad and a green Peppercorn sauce.

Today I have also managed to find some Aran wool to match in as best it can with the woollen blanket I am knitting so I am hoping that it will not be too noticeable.  That will teach me next time to make sure that I have enough wool for the project I am working.  Never mind these things are sent to try us.

I have had to buy some more new coat-hangers today.  I prefer wooden coat-hangers, but you cannot always locate them these days.  I like to pad and cover the more traditional shaped single hangers with a bit of lace and some beadwork, however I have not been able to locate these for some time.  The larger bulkier wooden hangers are available from Wilko at five for £3, and so I have come away with 20 hangers today.  I have had to replace some of the black plastic ones I have had for these sturdier ones.  A good coat-hanger keeps the shape of your clothes better.

This evening have done a little more knitting.  Still have quite a way to go though.  Well at least something is getting done.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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