A Pleasant Day

Had a much better night with Missy last night and so were able to sleep.

Today though started off with a Tip run.  Not a massive one by our previous loads but I needed it out of the way with so that I can get on with work in the kitchen.  My general outline plan was to deal with the kitchen today but that has not happened.

En-route from our excursion to the Tip (how can one call that a pleasant day!), we ended up going to Hampton Centre to Specsavers as I now need for the Blepharus condition a cleaning solution, (to clean my eyes twice a day) and also the eyedrops recommended by the Optician for the dryness of eyes caused by Sjogren's Syndrome (pronounced Shogrins).  That is approximately £25 worth of extras per month.  However, it is working and whereas every day I was waking up with very grittty stuck eyes which were causing pain and discomfort.  Felt like my eyeball was sticking to my eyelid.  This now rarely happens and my eyes have been much more comfortable. Occasionally it happens but nowhere like what it was. The eye drops are working a treat as well in that now I am only having to put them in twice a day in the morning and at night (although I have permission to put in more if required). I was having to put them in at least several times during any one day because my eyes were so dry.   I have an eye examination and testing to be carried out shortly at the hospital to look forward to as well. That is at the beginning of July which is not that far away.  They will continue to monitor my eyes every year moving forward (because of the various conditions that I have) now that I have been referred to the Ophthalmology Department.. The appointment is in readiness for me seeing my Consultant Rheumatologist.  I know that he is particularly concerned about the Hydroxychloroquine that I am currently on so I will find out what the verdict is at the beginning of August.  Will find out what is going on moving forward then.  However, I digress.

From Specsavers we then visited Tesco.  Not a store that I use, but whilst we were near a supermarket I needed some fly spray so ostensibly I went in to get just that.  Needless to say I ended up with some fresh fruit, bread a lovely Tiger bread Baguette.  Nicest Baguette have had for a long time, but think that is because the store has a proper Bakery in store. Came out with a basket full of bits and bobs. In fairness we did need some things and ended up picking a few nice things as a result.

Also on the way out nipped to M & S and picked up some pate and some Strawberries and cream and a few other bits here as well including four different types of Pate.  The idea is that will open one of them and then freeze the rest so that it does not get wasted. I am getting very mean with things and would prefer to do this rather than waste anything.  Then if we pick up a fresh Baguette anywhere we have the pate to go with.

Has been very hot again here today and so when we got back we decided to take things a little easier.  We had some Baguette each for mid-day and intend to use the rest of it up later this evening.  

I also had to wait in for a couple of deliveries which have now been completed.  I have a storage problem for my shoes in my bedroom and so have invested in a few boxes to store them in moving forward.  I am also awaiting delivery of some Boot Trees for my Cowboy and full leg boots.  They will come another day.  It will be a gradual process building these up though.  I have found that it helps the boots no end by having these to support them.and helps keeps the boots nice and upright and also stops marks or creases forming on them 

I have also had some more tops delivered.  For the best part I tend to wear tops and jeans these days, but am trying to get back into wearing skirts and tops like I used to at work. As I have lost a little bit of weight just recently my clothes sizing has changed again.  I have lots of lovely clothes in my wardrobe and will in due course either have a go at altering some of them myself or take them and get them professionally altered.  There were just a few gaps with tops and dresses and footwear that needed to be filled.  Next on the list is some decent jeans, trousers definitely as have gone from an 18 to a 16 and underwear.  However I need to go into a shop to get those sorted. It is always for me about fitting comfortably.  It is over six years since I had new clothes and they were sorely needed as a lot of them were past redemption (the ones that fitted)!

I am going to potter this evening with tidying bits up in readiness for descending on the kitchen tomorrow.  I might try and be up at 6:00am to go out into the garden first thing and do a little bit there.  I might pot a few more items tonight in any event.

I had a lovely surprise from a friend Kelly the other day out of the blue.  She sent me a cold jacket for Missy and a cookbook.  That really made my day and it is helping Missy no end.  Missy says thank you to Aunty Kelly and Oliver for the lovely pressie.  And I absolutely love the cookbook received.  Such a lovely lady with a heart of gold.

Not because of the hot weather and not a knee jerk reaction to what madness is actually going on in this world of ours. However being prepared for all eventualities cannot harm at all.  It is part of a natural rhythm of life. I have always had a little stockpile of sorts, but the older I have become and the more experienced I have become, the more I realise that we are responsible for ourselves at the end of the day and are just numbers as far as government and different factions this and that are concerned. I am going to start  stock-piling a few bits and bobs where I can on top of what I already do.

Water:

I had used up my water pile and so am starting to re-stock this a bottle at a time (a really big bottle).  Hopefully once I get the under-stair cupboard and the Fireside cupboard sorted the water can be stored in the bottom of each.  I am mindful that water is not only needed for ourselves but also for the animals.  They are vulnerable and exclusively rely on us for assistance and I want to make sure mine are catered for.  The water can be used up periodically and re-added to as necessary.  We all should drink more water in any event.  You never quite know when you need water.  It is the one thing we all need to survive.

Vegetables:

I am going to start processing vegetables for the Pantry shelf (predominantly to take us through the Winter). This coincides with all the new crops becoming available and in season at the present moment.  I am hopeful that I will be able to grow a fair bit of food for myself, but I am also intent on having ready meals in the Pantry as well.  What I cannot grow myself will be supplemented with what I find in the shops etc.  

I have plans to prepare the following in varying formats to start with and no doubt more will be added as I go along.  This includes chutneys, soups, soup base, Salsa, Tomatoes, Pasta sauce, etc. etc.  It also includes freezing some items.

Swede

Parsnip

Ratatouille

New potatoes

Old Potatoes for mashing or Roasties

French Fries

Carrots

Pumpkin

Squash

Fruit:

Seasonal fruit also needs putting up on the Pantry shelf.  Sometimes it is cheaper to buy frozen ingredients and make your jam or pie filling from frozen fruits at least it makes jam or pie filling without paying through the nose.  I do prefer fresh where I can, but I do not think that you can always be so purist about what you do or cannot do.  It depends what is available to you in your locality and it has to fit within your budget.

I have loads of mixed fruit (commonly known as Forest fruits) in the freezer which has been there since last year.  It has always been intended for Jumbleberry jam.  That should have been made before now, but I just did not get around to it.  Same with Cranberries. I have a load in the freezer with the original intention to make Cranberry jelly.  This will also be made shortly.

I do intend to bottle some Strawberries and some Gooseberries for puddings and pies, as well as make jam.  I have some Rhubarb to harvest and will add Strawberries to make Strawberry and Rhubarb jam.

I have been collecting reduced Raspberries for sometime now. I am aiming for 2kg of fruit to make a load of Raspberry jam which is a favourite here.  I may gather a few more than I need and freeze them like I have done with the rest and then come Blackberry season make Blackberry and Raspberry jam.  When I can get Peaches I will also make Raspberry and Peach jam (Melba jam) as well.  There are lots of combinations.

However, I am intent on growing and preserving what I can at all costs.  It looks as though I am going to have to buy more preserving jars though.

On everyday stuff I am going to try and start making a few things on a Thursday afternoon/evening in readiness for eating over the weekend.  If there are things to eat already made it means that if there is the opportunity of going out, we are still going to eat well when we come home.

There is always lots to do around here.  I am good at making work for myself.

Have a lovely evening.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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