What a Windy but Warmer Day

 A lot warmer overnight to what it has been and I have felt the warmest I have in just over a week.  Very pleased for the temperature increase. I have still wrapped up warmly though as with me it is often the layers that keeps me warmest.  Especially with all the various auto-immune conditions lurking under the surface and never really knowing which one is kicking off as they all give off the same symptoms.  Just grin and bear it job a lot of the time.  It has been blowing a proper hooley all day long and seems to have gathered a bit more speed as we have entered into evening.

Since the change in the clocks, I have no sense of time of a morning sometimes sleeping later than I want or need to.  Been right out for the count.  I put a lot of it down to the weather as it has been cosiest and warmest under a pile of quilts and blankets and I have kept toasty with my hot water bottle.

Met with a friend for a walk early on today and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Yes the wind was windy but it was warm and not unpleasant and I felt strangely invigorated after the jaunt.  I also felt warm which was the bonus.  Very grateful for that.

I love walking and talking and putting the world to rights each of us need good friends that we can turn to. However it also takes you out into the natural real world and not the artificial world of the treadmill.  Lets you breathe, is good for your soul and it nurtures you.

Lots to do this week.  Christmas will be low key and a time for rest more than anything else although I do have a lot of stuff to do in any event, I am going to be taking some time out to craft over this Christmas period and to get unfinished projects done and dusted so that I can wrinkle out a lot more and also get them concluded all in due time.

Tea tonight has been an old favourite, a simple dish consisting of either sausages or chipolatas (it is worth buying a decent sausage for this recipe) and a tin of Italian Plum Tomatoes sprinkled liberally with white pepper. [I also like it with mixed herbs in OH does not}.  I find white pepper is much more subtle than black pepper and I think it gives a rounder flavour to anything to which it is added.  You can either "fry" the sausages; I often use a frying pan but with no oil or you can grill them The sausages are cooked until evenly browned and then the tin of tomatoes added. (I prepped 10 chipolatas four for me and six for OH, so if four of you i.e. two ladies and two men approx 20 chipolatas at the ratio I have used.  You can also add fried egg and bacon to the plate as well if you wish. I always chop the large plum tomatoes down in any event, add a little sugar and then a sprinkling of white pepper.  It is served simply in a bowl with some plain bread or bread and butter. All that flavour in the tomato juice is not to be wasted. Very simple one pan cooking whichever way you do it that makes a very filling tea or supper.  One of the recipes my mum used to do for us - usually for a Saturday night tea or an evening meal during the week.  It is a family favourite and comfort food.

That has gone down very nicely indeed.  I cannot always eat very much, but four chipolatas was enough for me.  Sometimes you have to let the ingredients speak for themselves with simple dishes which also save time and washing up.

The wind is still howling well as I bring this note to a close for today.  Hopefully it will ease off somewhat.

Please take care, keep safe and keep warm.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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