TARRAGON & THYME

  Saturday I managed to score two medium sized pumpkins for £2 each.  The first of I hope to be a couple of batches of pumpkin to be preserved for the Pantry shelf. I also want to make some Pumpkin Marmalade as well. First things first though, I intend to chunk the pumpkins I have for use in soups, pies etc. I have never been able to do this in the past as did not have the right instructions.  If I had a freezer I would also be blanching and freezing it in wedges to roast up and serve with a roast lunch.  You do not have to defrost them as they can go into hot fat straight from the freezer.  Does spit a bit, but you do need the hot fat for roasts.  I have found keeps its shape better this way round.  If I get a chance I will also be making some soup as well. I also scored 6 x 1lb bags of carrots reduced to 31p a bag.  Would have seemed rude not to have bought them home.  Plans are to water bath these also for the Pantry shelf so that I have a...

Things are a bit hit and miss here at the moment.  Things are slowly and I mean slowly getting done.  However there is a heck of a lot to do and despite my focus and intentions I am slightly overwhelmed at the moment. The colder weather is not helping either blue fingers and blue toes! I am in the interest of my sanity therefore proposing to go radio silent until next Monday evening, to give myself a chance of getting myself together and to get back up to speed.  Various things have been going on but will update on Monday evening.  Such is life.  Speed bumps in the road of life as it were! So compared to the other day progress has been made; I am happier than I was as to the state of play, but still a way to go.  I am still trying to organise myself so that we can do things a little differently during these winter months on several scores.  I want to overall try and make life a little easier, but it is going to take some sorting out to get things there...

 but I did not get there.  A very short post this evening as nothing has really happened today apart from a lot of toing and froing! G had forgotten that he had a Doctor's appointment this morning.  Fortunately he got there just in time, but I had a bit of running around to do on his behalf before he left the house. He did not get back until gone 12 noon when I set too and did a brekkie and some clearing up, washing and then drying.  Before I knew it I had to get ready to leave for the hospital for my physiotherapy class.  It was my last session with the class today.  However every so often I will be attending one on one with the physio. Think it will be another couple of weeks before I see her again.  Have my exercises to do in the meantime which I have been keeping up with at home. In reality my arm is a lot more comfortable than it was.  At the last session two weeks ago after class my arm pinged.  I know I have rotor cuff issues as the ul...

Trust me to be too ambitious. Unfortunately the weather, fatigue and feeling generally unwell got to me more or less straight away as I started to get myself together to try and conquer this kitchen.  I have not felt too good and my extremities have been going blue as a result of the damp and cold weather, and I have been on the pain killers.  The rain on its own never does me much good in any event even though I try and carry on sometimes it is best just to climb under covers and keep warm. Wednesday I ended up in the garden and had more chillies to harvest which I brought into the house.  I also picked the last lot of fresh mint I think for this year for drying off my Dresser.  I managed to get them onto the Dresser to dry utilising clothes pegs and modern day Bull Dog style clips.  Sometimes I just use strings off a central string that I have strung from one side of the Dresser to the other.    I need to put a string up on the other Dresser and brin...

 Things have gone a little wrong.  Am having to rest up because of the weather (all the rain) and a flare up at the same time. I have had to have the Paracetamol which I also normally try and stay away from.  Will therefore start again on Monday coming.  I will be resting up until then. Real life  - always gets in the way. Catch up soon. Pattypan x

Day 3 Thursday 19 October 2023 Today the focus is going to be on the kitchen.  Not got on as well the past few days with the kitchen as I had hoped; have done a bit but things taking a little longer than anticipated. I therefore propose to do no cooking today apart from tea this evening so that I can really get stuck in.  With the lack of sleep and today the rain and an arthritis flare.  I am going to settle and focus on the kitchen as much as I can.  Needs must. That means I will be kitchen bound for most of Day Three i.e. Thursday 19 October 2023. Needless to say we will be having breakfast, midday and teatime meals! If I can add anything further into the mix I will, or if I get closer to finishing the kitchen I may extend this into the evening to finish off, if I can get it sorted that is. Otherwise it will be in to Friday to get this done.  Fingers crossed and toes plaited. If can achieve this can then start on the Pantry on Saturday, Sunday and into Monday....

  Wednesday 18 October 2023 An amendment to yesterday's tea.  We were supposed to be having Italian sausages with Roasted veggies.  G could not fancy as he just wanted something light to eat.  In the end I offered Egg and Chips  - he was quite happy with that.  I wasn't and in the end just opted for a bowl of the Broccoli and Stilton soup.  It was delicious.  I had programmed and scheduled the post for yesterday. He then changed his mind! Breakfast today Bacon sarnies; Make a bread loaf;  we seem to be getting through the bread again at the moment, possibly because we are having it as part of our breakfast of a morning. Not everyday but certainly for the past couple of days. We have now run out of bread, so bread machine to the rescue. Broccoli and Blue Cheese soup.  This was left overnight on Monday to cool down and allow the flavours to develop.  Has now been whizzed up and the cheese melted.  It is now in the fridge ready fo...