This week ......

Really has been a non-event.  I did not even realise it was Thursday today.  Seem to have been doing everything that I did not want to deal with because of other things going on and not getting or being able to deal with what I had intended doing.  Therefore I am going back to the Work Schedules.  I have decided that they help my focus that bit more even when I do get interrupted, as I can just then carry on as if no interruption had actually happened.  Therefore back to the Lists!  Suits me though.

Simple breakfast for us both this morning as I was not in the mood to "cook" first thing.  So just toast and jam.  Had to re-stock from under the stairs on jam and have liberated a new jar of Blackberry jam, a jar of Lemon Marmalade and a jar of Victoria Plum jam.  It is good to use up something that you have gone to the effort of making in everyday eating and enjoying the flavour of the product as well.  It is also very comforting when pennies are tight to be able to go and grab a jar of something to fill the tummy.  Toast and jam or Cinnamon sugar is a favourite here.  I even make my own Cinnamon sugar!

I have had more administration to deal with today as well and have been waiting on phone calls again but the bulk of that has now all been sorted out and so it is just a matter of waiting now. I have done everything I need to do so hopefully will be able to concentrate on other matters going forward.  Phew!

We have had a rather simple plain tea this evening.  I had some very large and thick chicken breasts in a large tray from Iceland.  There are usually 7 to 8 breasts in a tray which usually costs about £10 from their fresh meat section.  Not too bad a buy for the size of them. One of the breasts really is far too much for me, but it does not go to waste. We therefore had chicken sandwich each last night for tea, but tonight well I cooked a chicken breast each on a base of onion with some butter and oil in the oven for about 40 minutes covered in foil.  After the 40 minutes were over I took the foil lid off and let the meat brown up a little and then used the onions and meat juices to make the gravy.  Served it all up accompanied with steamed veggies i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and baby new potatoes as I have mentioned with gravy as well. I like new potatoes scrunched down with a fork on my plate and then mashed in the gravy. Went down very nicely in view of the fact that it started off damp here today and has been rough with the wind ever since.  Autumn is slowly creeping in.

Today I have also sharpened all my working knives on the knife sharpener.  G is left handed and cannot manage the gadget used for sharpening.  I would prefer an oil stone to sharpen.  My Dad showed me how to use one many years ago, but I think I would need a refresher now.

Plans for tomorrow:

1. Make Pastry for a Quiche and also a pudding.
2. Make Quiche and pudding.
3. Make some cake.
4. I have to wait in for a collection tomorrow so that is the main thing to deal with. Should be receiving confirmation of what time they are calling, first thing tomorrow.  At the moment it is between 9:00am and 3:00pm so it is going to be an early get up tomorrow.  However in-between times I will be concentrating on the following:
5. Kitchen:  It is that time again deep clean time. So that apart from the collection is where the focus is going to be tomorrow to get the kitchen stripped out and all tidied up again.  That includes:

• Tidying under the sink where all the cleaning stuff is. I have managed to knock the shelf down and it is awkward to put back in place and so that really needs sorting pretty quickly.  
• Therefore:
• Strip the cupboard out;
• Give it a good wash out
• Get that shelf back up;
• Refill the cupboard tidying it out as I go along and making a note of items I will need to replenish long term.
• Then move along to the Dishwasher and the washing machine, and the washing machine cupboard.
• Wash both the Dishwasher and the Washing machine down and making sure are both clean.
• Empty out the Soap-powder cupboard and wash that out.
• Empty rubbish bin and tidy up that area.
• Then working down the other side of the kitchen, sorting out my trolley table and all bits on it to make sure that is all tidy and everything is back in the drawers.  I then need to bring that forward to sort out the Microwave and the Small Multi-function electric cooker that I have.  I am hoping G is going to sort out the electric for me just there shortly so that I can use both machines a lot more easily.
• Checking the cupboards and making sure everything is back where it belongs and tidying and washing down as I go including cupboard doors.  Once washed and dried I then polish down.  Then just working my way down the cupboards along that side wall and yet again wiping and tidying as I go.  
• Need to set about the cooker again and get that all washed down.
• Once everything is back into the kitchen and all tidied I can then get the floor washed.

I think that is more than enough for tomorrow.

Catch up soon.

Pattypan

x