TARRAGON & THYME

 Think I need bloomers on!  And the rain, I am a bit like the "Tin Man" it hurts to move.  Do not think that spraying WD40 on my joints will make much of an impression though.  The Fatigue is also not having the energy to do what you want, but it also kind of gives you like "brain freeze".  You still have your thoughts and your ideas it is just during that time you cannot always put what you want to achieve into place and into effect. For the next few days or so though I am not going to plan anything.  Just going to take it as it comes.  If I get some stuff done all well and good.  I am not going to beat myself up about it.  It is what it is. Because of the cold as it is I have a couple of blankets and quilts on the bed and now fluffy pillows since the pillow washing and drying exercise the other day.  I like the weight of quilts or blankets always feels as if something is missing if I do not during the winter months.  Of course, th...

I seem to have been hit by fatigue again. It is what it is so have to go with the flow. G has had to go off for an eye appointment today and when he goes out I will end up babysitting a certain Jack Russell who otherwise is a wreck so no progress downstairs at all.  In actual fact I may just pass trying to do anything today apart from tea.  Might not be having the planned Cottage Pie depends on whether G is happy with that.  His appetite is a bit all over the shop at the moment.  In most likelihood will try and sort out some other bits and bobs instead that although will not achieve much, will actually need doing in any event at some point.  So a way of getting on a little further but out of sequence! As suspected G not into anything really for tea. For the past few mornings he has had a proper fry up to start his day off.  Given him the option of what he would like to eat - Answer  - Cheese on toast.  As I have said before we tend to eat relative...

 where for the best part have not been able to feel my hands especially when I was preparing tea earlier.  I could not feel the tops of any of my fingers and they went blue.  I have chopped up carrot, onion, leek in butter.  Then have cooked the mince separately in some water to remove some of the fat, which I seem to get on better with doing it this way.  Then have added back the mince to a dry pan, and added in the Sauteed veggies a little passata not so much that the sauce goes sloppy, as I wanted a stiffer sauce for packing into the Cannelloni tubes (which I subsequently did I think there are 10 tubes which works out at five each) and also a couple of cloves of garlic.  I love garlic.  Yummy.  There was still some mince mixture left and so have added this to the remainder of the tomato sauce and then completely covered the Cannelloni tubes in the dish.  Then baked in the oven until cooked.  Then on serving sprinkled with grated chees...

here today in Peterborough although the Sun has been out to play.  I have plenty of layers on today and although not cold in my body my hands are freezing.  However as my hands have been in and out of water they have not warmed up that much. I have started in trying to square the kitchen up again.  I have made a good impression but still quite a way to go.  Still have no end of washing to do and so that is cluttering things up a little bit and these days if I am putting a wash on it is a full wash.  Eventually got my pillows dry from yesterday which is a bonus, but as I say still loads more stuff to get done. Once I have got the kitchen sorted will then start on some other projects.  Today I have managed to get another couple of jars sorted in the Pantry.  I now have a complete shelf full and the jars on this shelf have been labelled, not expertly however may go back and re-do them again at a later date.  Today managed to get the SR Flour in one g...

The Sun has been out and has been a welcome sight after all the rain we have had.  It is cold though.  I nipped out earlier but did not stay out for long. G has done his back in.  It is bad, the worst it has been in a good few years.  I am making him move around but he is currently dosed up with pain killers. Long story short many years ago whilst he was working his back went whilst operating a lathe (a Turner by profession).  He couldn't move and his Superintendent moved him and straightened him out which he should not have done.  He was off work over a year with it and could not get comfortable and dosed up with a heavy pain killer.  Turned out that working the lathe had caused a disability in that if his back was in a certain position through wear and tear it left him in pain.  He had to retire from being a Turner as a result as the way he had to stand at the lathe knocked his back out.  Gradually over the years he got better and it is a l...

I use old sweetie jars for a lot of bulk storage in my Pantry.  In reality though I do not have as many jars as I really need or indeed the space in the Pantry.  I am therefore adding in bits and bobs which I find useful overall.  Some of the jars are my own ideas, and they have proved useful in my Pantry for me.  However it is slow progress at the moment.  Too many things been getting in the way this week.  Hopefully I will get a decent tranche of time to get stuck in, in the next few days. The Biscuit Crumb Jar I have a jar dedicated to Biscuit Crumbs in the Pantry.  Why pay out to buy biscuits at the price they are when you can collect up the crumbs and then use them to make a no bake cheesecake or mini cheesecakes.  I have even seen a Brulee Cheesecake recipe as well which I might have to have a go at.  As kids it used to be a real treat when Dad bought home sweets or biscuits from his job. In those days the company he worked for provided...

...... well for me in any event, as I did not end up doing what I had planned on doing.  But there we are these things are sent to try us. I am a lot better than I was yesterday although still hurt.  We have rain again at the moment and I suspect that is the reason why. Thank you for your good wishes from yesterday. There has been a lot of moving stuff around today.  Not into any particular place just trying to locate certain items and get them into use.  As a result of that locate and seize exercise, there is now far more work to do than there was when I started but there we are these things happen and I have another load of washing to do as a result.  I am coming to the rapid conclusion though that I am no longer any use at lifting stuff up at all - I really struggle to hold things up these days when lifting, even though my upper arm strength has increased to what it was. Needless to say though as a result of shifting around and searching for stuff a little mo...

A Damp and wet day again and a day when I have hurt and have not been firing on all cylinders.  It is just one of those things, but am chuffed in one sense that I have managed to keep the fatigue at bay for so long as I have.  Am going to rest up and take a few days and then hopefully will be able to get stuck in again. The Pantry is still a Work in Progress.  I have added a few things to jars, but still a lot of jars to fill up.  More on that in a few days once I have a few more items added in.  It has been slow going. Have popped some items in the bottom part of the Pantry just to keep them out of the way for the time being.  The untidy bit! Have my Biscuit Crumb jar and also my Salted Peanut jars filled though. Like to be practical and not waste stuff but also like some healthy snacks available on the Pantry shelf as well.  Have had to throw some stuff in the bottom of the Pantry to keep it out of the way but it is still not completely sorted or fin...

Well it has been a very cold, wet, damp and horrid day here today in Peterborough.  A day to huddle up and keep warm.  The washing machine has been on again. Despite the bargain with the chicken last week we are all chickened out although chicken pie has been made.  Might when there are a few pennies around if the offer is still on go and buy some and preserve some for the Pantry shelf (the Chicken that is).  If I had a freezer at least a couple of trays would be squirrelled away and sorted out into family portions in one bag.  Before I look into that further though I do need to get everything together first though.  Make sure that I have enough jars and lids available.  Food is important and sensible choices have to be made despite the fact that the heart might actually say go on buy it.  As I have mentioned before I do tend to buy something that I can get at least two meals out.  No we do not have meat everyday I do mix it up a little bit....

 I have spent most of the afternoon washing the dogs bed and bedding.  She has been off colour and accidents happen.  At least she is going to be like a Princess tonight all nice and clean.  Her bedding is usually washed regularly and I normally manage to get it on the line, but the tumbler has had to take over today.  The amount of dog hairs that have come out of the bedding.  I am surprised she is not bald at the amount of hairs recovered from the washing machine and the tumbler! Been a busy day again.  The car passed the MOT which we are eminently grateful for!  Someone was looking after us.  Need the car for towing the caravan and also for going here and there. Tea was not chicken pie tonight.  I was slightly off with  my timings.  We therefore ended up with pan fried buttered chicken served with mashed potato, peas, carrots and Purple Sprouting Broccoli.  Went down an absolute treat. I do like my veggies.  Think ...

 by a day on everything planned for this week.  Today's plans just did not happen due to other things going on in real life. Simple answer - rewind 24 hours so what was planned for Monday will happen on Tuesday all the way through to the end of the week.  Everything still needs doing that was planned for this week.  No doubt there will be things added in as I go along. These things are sent to try us.  Real life eh! It is what it is, just slows the process down that little bit. Instead of having the Chicken Pot Pie therefore made use of a lot of the leftovers and had a bit of a jamboree mix for tea.  There were things I was not keen on that G was so he had them and there was a Prawn Marsala so I had that with some rice.  It worked out well in the end.  Chicken Pot Pie tomorrow now though.  Has cleared the fridge. Will also make an Orange jelly with some Mandarin Oranges in and maybe an Orange fluff as well to go with it. (Orange Fluff is a je...

Some outline plans for the week together with some bits achieved.  Quite moveable if need to do so as I do not want to overwhelm myself and I do have an awful lot to do. Sunday I saved what was left of the stir fry from last night and fridged it.  Will be good for me to warm up probably midday tomorrow. I do not like wasting stuff and this was so tasty. There are also some Barbecue beans which taste like the ones from KFC which look as though they will be putting in a regular appearance on the Pantry shelf as well. For Brunch We had some more of the chicken strips that we had the other day which are quite nice.  One is a Southern Fried Chicken the other Sweet Chilli. Today (Sunday) was planning on making Chicken Pie but in the end deferred this until tomorrow night. Monday Need to make Pastry for the Chicken Pot Pie for tea this evening. Then need to make the pie. Tidy up the kitchen and get it square again. Monday is traditionally (not always) but for the most part the d...

 Another "pottering" sort of day here in Peterborough.  Was a bit dull and dismal first thing, and not particularly warm either. Have done some more work on the "Pantry", but more on that another day. Alongside sorting things out I am also looking to prepare an Inventory which I can use as a Master List for stocking the Pantry. I did manage to nip to the Asian shop and get my replacement net of onions which am pleased about as I use onions an awful lot.  I also picked up a small bag of Onion powder (only a small one).  Will be going back for more of that and also a big bag of garlic powder as well.  I am intent on getting the Pantry contents in order and fine-tuned to make sure that I have all the items I consider are needed readily available.  This week I am planning on doing some preserving for the Pantry shelf. I need a fall back set of food for quick meals to be ready for leaner times of the month.  At the moment, I have the following items to pres...