Starting to get to Grips with things- Well we were until this morning

Warning, this is a bit of a long post!

I am so sorry that I have not been around for a little while.  A combination of things, being over-whelmed, fighting fatigue and arthritis and a little dog causing sleepless nights.  I was not unwell initially, just deeply tired and drained.  I managed to get everything done for the subsequent Gas inspection and the kitchen was finished.  Since then I have been pottering around doing stuff, but not anything that was on my list, but smaller jobs that could be ticked off the list and which needed doing but which were not the bigger jobs.

With the weather also being very cold and wet, I have also had Raynaud's attacks where I have lost the circulation in my hands and feet.  We need the water yes, but the combination of the cold and the damp has also seized me up a bit.  Mornings are especially difficult and it takes me a couple of hours to "warm up" and being able to move around without being stiff and sore.  Once I get going I am more than alright, it is just getting kick started!  Now to try and get back on track.

Tuesday

Because of the weather we did not manage to get rid of all the rubbish bags which was a major job that needed tackling.  Fortunately I had bagged everything up with thick bags and although the bags were wet on the outside the contents were still dry.

As we have no garage, when we need to go to the tip we have to remove G's fishing equipment and store it safely in the house before we can even contemplate going to the tip.  Then the bags have to be loaded and then four trips later, we had managed to get rid of everything for this week.  However, next week there will be more to go as I have to start to sort the garden out.  I will as long as it is a fine day then be able to get items sorted for another trip.  At least things are getting dealt with.

I also ended up going to the Butcher today.  I have added a tray of Rib Eye steaks for £20 (steaks work out at £5 each) buying this way on.  A Horseshoe Gammon joint for cooking in a week or two, a big pack of bacon, a tray of Lamb steaks about 15 on a tray also £20, a big tray of Chicken breasts £17 (about 2kg in weight).  These will be packaged up into portions for two which quite often here is in threes, one for me and two for himself.  I do not have a big appetite these days.

I also nipped to the CS and managed to score three preserving jars; the first one was a large Hexagonal Green Glass jar.  I had some of these but lost them in the fire, and was pleased to have found this one.  It will be ideal for a family sized jar of either Pickled Shallots or Pickled Onions, a pretty fluted round jar and a smaller pate style jar all for £4.50.  I did not do too badly.  I tend to buy preserving jars where I can second hand although I do buy them new as well.  I am still adding to the number after having been left depleted and losing so much preserving equipment during the fire.  It is a slow process but am getting there.

For tea tonight we have very large Hot Dog sausages, the type that come in a jar.  There are 8 large Hot Dogs per jar (very tall jars which are also going to be ideal for preserving later on).  I have two jars available to use at the moment and after this jar has been emptied will then have three available.  I think that they are going to be ideal for soup.  I am therefore adding the Hot Dogs in once a month.  A sort of homemade take away.  I do the same with Burgers as  I am not keen on the offerings found in the Take away shops themselves.

I also nipped to the shop to pick up a few things and I came back with a pack of kippers which I love. They have only just started selling them.  This is to go into the freezer so that I can have these when I fancy them.  G does not do kippers.

I also found out that my next door neighbours, are going to be moving into residential care - probably from April.  (the neighbours who I have had to help out on a couple of occasions (i.e. when J fell and broke her hip, and latterly R.   I had to knock the bathroom door down to extract him as he had managed to lock himself in the bathroom and could not get out.  It turned out that he is Claustraphobic which I did not know.  I got him out in any event  

In reality J had to have a hip replacement and since then she has hardly been able to walk.  Also bearing in mind the two recent incidents, I think the family have made them see sense at long last.  It is okay wanting to be independent, but their quality of life has suffered quite a bit as a result.  In one sense it is a shame, as they have lived here 38 years as well.  I think we will be the only original residents left in the street at this rate.  I am therefore pleased for them in one sense, but you get used to people (even when they are being difficult).

Wednesday

A quiet day after yesterday's efforts.  I hurt today and so it has been an easier day all round.

I did pay a quick unexpected visit to the CS again and came away with a couple of on their side storage jars for £2 each and a very large Pyrex style bowl which is extremely deep.  I think this will be ideal for making bread dough.  It is quite substantial and I am quite pleased with it.  It looks as though it has never been used.  I have also put down a deposit on a very large Victorian Print which is framed.  A scene of a group of angelic looking children.  It is massive and I paid £10 for it.  I will go and collect that on Friday.

Today we are having a home made curry style dish of chicken cooked in a Balti style sauce with some proper Naan bread and some yogurt for me to add to the sauce if it is a little too spicy.  It is a mix I have not used before.  This is going to be served with some rice.  It went down very nicely and afterwards, I sorted out all the meat (which was put in the fridge overnight - a very cold fridge) and I have set too and re-packaged everything.

The chicken breasts I bought, as I have said previously I paid £17 for which was approximately 2kg in weight.  They are extremely big breasts being the twice the size of standard sized chicken breasts from the supermarket.  There were 8 to the tray, and we had two tonight in the curry.  Normally I would use four for the mix, and we had a good feed, and there is more for another meal which has been popped into the freezer also.  I have three bags x 2 popped into the freezer.

The naked Lamb steaks were 20 for the tray and there were 12 steaks plus a little bit in the tray.  It worked out cheaper to buy the steaks this way than to buy the smaller trays which are plain or minted and not as thick in size.  They are also de-boned.  There are four packs of 3  which have also been popped into the freezer.

The Rib Eye steaks are £20 for a tray of four which works out at £5 a steak.  There are two packs of 2 which are also now in the freezer.

Also squeezed into the freezer was a good 1.6kg Chicken which yet again is nice and plump on the breasts and a good shape.  I also bought in a Horseshoe Gammon joint which was about £12.76 for cooking up at a later date.

I buy where I can the Clay Oven Naan breads.  They are nice and large and you get two for a pack.  I only used one and therefore to save on waste I now have a Naan ready to go in the freezer for a further meal.

Getting everything into the freezer is a job well done.  We do not have meat everyday for our meals.  Meat meals are interspaced with lots of other items as well.  Monday evening we had Haddock Loins gently fried in some oil and butter served with some bread and Butter.  Nice and simple but very delicious.  Tuesday night it was hot dogs and tonight the curry.  Tomorrow (Thursday) will have the rest of the hot dogs to finish them off.

Since coming home, I have been sorting out some of the items I already have.  Namely a box of DVD's which I have acquired over a period of time from the CS.  I have also indexed them so that I know what I have.  Another box packed for me to use or keep stored until a curl up Sunday afternoon.

Thursday

The Plan

I need to go to the Pet store to buy in food for both Missy and Mischief.  I used to buy every week, but have now taken to buying once a fortnight which means I always have food on hand for them and it saves a trip out every week, which is not always called for.  Saves Diesel for the car as well.  

The Reality

Well under normal circumstances this was the plan, but the execution has been deferred until tomorrow when we will have a full running around day.

Tea was using up the remainder of the Hot dogs that we had the other day.  It went down well.  A jar of 8 extra large Hot dogs does us for two meals with two of the sausages in a very large Demi Baguette style roll, served with fried onions.  This is a once a month buy.  I do not know what it is but I just like Hot dogs this way.  I know it is not to everyone's taste; just a little peccadillo of mine!

Although it has been a quieter day, I have managed to get a lot of washing and drying done today.  It had kind of got away from me in the last few days or so, but am nearly caught up now.  Will get that completed tomorrow.

I also ordered a book for a patchwork quilt which is a combination of hand embroidery and patchwork.  It is a hand worked piece and I was quite taken with it.  I will then buy the templates and the paper piecing and then start to buy the fabric a little at a time.  The original is worked in Liberty Lawn and as much as I would like to make it in this, the reality for me is that I have a lot of fabric in the house already which needs using up, and I will buy in other fabrics probably in smaller pieces like fat quarters to build up the rest of the fabric.  I also need to source backing material, and a good quality wadding for this.  I have other projects to deal with but was keen to get the pattern in order that I have this to hand and also to start gathering things together for working at a later stage.  I do not want to be buying in any embroidery threads at the moment, and it is my intention to use where I can embroidery threads that I already have in my stash. There is quite a bit of embroidery to do on some of the panels for the quilt.  There are a lot of threads and some of them are vintage.

I have also added in a few tins to add to my collection. I have a side collection of vintage tins, although I did lose a few when we had the fire. One of the things I do at Christmas is bring out some of my vintage tins to pop snack items, biscuits, sweets etc. into over Christmas so that they can be covered up and left on the coffee table.  I have added a few more tins to the collection at a good price, which will be used more as decorations although could be used for the snack items.  I like things that are a little different.  I am also on the look out for a vintage biscuit tin which in effect is used as a child's drum and has drumsticks.  I had one of these but sadly something fell on it and did it quite some damage.  The something that fell on it was me!  I used to use it as part of the Tableau under the Christmas tree and am looking to replace this in due course.

Friday

The plan 

We need to go to Tallington Farm shop to get stocked up on potatoes, eggs and fresh vegetables and fruit.  I am in need of a good stock up on this front.  This main stock up will usually last me a good couple of weeks (I store in the fridge) with the potatoes being under the stairs and the onions in the dry pantry.  I do not store them together as the onions give off a gas which makes the potatoes not last very long.

The reality

Yes we got there.  I bought in two trays of eggs, one 25kg bag of potatoes, 8 peaches (4 for £1), a Cauliflower, Cavolo Nero Kale, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, a couple of large Leeks, a couple of parsnips, 5 large Field Mushrooms, three Courgettes,

We then went on to the Pet food store and despite me normally buying in two boxes, they only had the one available today so will have to go back next week to see if I can get another couple.  I will need one in any event.

We were supposed to be going to Home Bargains but this has been deferred until tomorrow.  I need to get a few cleaning items, particularly some soap powder as are in need of this.  I also want to have a look at what else they have available.

I also went back to the CS and paid for the picture I paid a deposit on, on Wednesday.  I also found another large picture; however the print is sun-faded but the frame is absolutely gorgeous and I have also bought that. I have plans to display a vintage embroidery in this.  I will collect both items either Monday or Tuesday next week.  Very pleased with these two acquisitions.   I also came away with a further 6 DVD's for £2 (i.e. 3 for £1).

I also have some preserving to start.  I have a number of Quail Eggs which I would like to get processed probably tomorrow evening and then pickled (i.e. Saturday or Sunday evening).  Will make a useful contribution to the Pantry shelf.  I also have some larger eggs which I will also pickle.  

I do have some plans to carry out some preserving during the coming week. I have a load of jam to make and this should also free up some more space in the freezer. One thing I do need to get are some cooking apples though.

Following on from last night's purchase, the quilt book pattern, I have also been browsing for backing fabric.  Not seen any that has taken my fancy at the moment.  Am just researching really.

Tea tonight was fish and chips from a local shop.  It was an extravagance, but lovely.  We are trying not to have takeaways etc.  Once a month is doable, however I would rather have the money for food for the Pantry.  It goes a lot further.

Saturday

The Plan

We need to go to Home Bargains to do the cleaning run.  I also want to have a quick look around to see what items they have available at the moment.

What actually happened

We were having a leisurely morning and decided to have a late breakfast and were planning to go to Home Bargains so that I could top up on cleaning products as it has been a while since I have done a shop in there.  I tend to buy in for a couple of months at a time. We had just finished breakfast and had been enjoying the morning when the next door neighbour but two popped his head around to tell us that someone has crashed into and damaged our car whilst it was parked up in Residents parking which we have the pleasure of paying for each year.

What transpired was that indeed our car had received serious damage to the back of the car.  Apparently according to those who were witness to the accident it would appear that a young man came flying down the left hand side of the street.  He says that he was not speeding, but those who were witness to the incident believed that he had been.  He then pranged the Hairdresser over the road's car, which was also parked  up legally in his own parking area outside of his shop.  It has completely totalled the Hairdressers car.  The right hand side of the car on the rear has had its whole wing done in and the axle has been severed and his wheel not joined to the car.  His car had then ricocheted into the rear of our car.  In the meantime the perpetrator's car changed lanes with the impact of hitting the Hairdressers car and his car was then spun around in the right hand lane facing the opposite direction.  A lot of damage has been sustained as a result.  The incident was reported to the Police who were not interested in attending unless someone was hurt.  However we do have an accident reference number which is the main thing.

Our insurance company has been informed and they have arranged alternative transport for us, which was out within 50 minutes of notification.  We are still waiting for our car to be picked up.  All of the three vehicles were not moveable.  We are also not sure if there is any underlaying damage to the underside of the car either.  We hope not but you can never tell and it will only be after it has been inspected at the garage as to what the actual overall damage has been.

This will be the second time that we will have been involved in an accident when the car is stationary, parked  up and we have been in the house in just over a year! The third time overall.  The first time over 20 years ago our car was totally written off.

It has therefore been a relatively stressful day.  At the time of updating this post i.e. 5:00pm the Garage have still not been out to speak with us about collection of the car or let us know what the arrangements will be.

Once the replacement vehicle arrived, G then took me to Home Bargains for my previously scheduled shopping trip and I managed to get stocked up on a range of basic items that I prefer to use.  This mainly consisted of toilet rolls, a couple of boxes of soap powder (the large ones), fabric conditioner, Oxi powder for stain removal, Brillo pads, Bar Keepers Friend, etc. etc. So at least I got my shopping done.  I do need to go back to do a stock up on tinned goods but that will happen next month now.  As I have mentioned before I tend to focus on a particular area that needs re-stocking and we have added quite a bit of meat this month.  Tinned goods and associated items will therefore be next month.

Needless to say apart from the shopping, what I had planned to deal with, did not get dealt with today.

Oh well this life is sent to try us.  Things could have been far worse.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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