Hello.
My tomatoes taste horrible and seeing as they are the reason I started all this well...bit of a pain. Will stick with them and then think of something. Have now started some broad beans and onions in the old compost. The seeds were very cheap so no problem if they don't work. but something for me to tend over winter. The spinach is coming along.
I am trying to change how I eat. We eat fairly healthily and although we have the odd treat and takeaway we usually avoid processed food. However my metabolism cannot compete with my teen son's and changes are needed. I am not a natural cook so to contemplate cooking totally different meals is not the best option. And I did a lot of that when caring for my mum. So I need subtle changes.
At the moment I am reducing my fat intake. I love cheese and that is a big downfall. But if I reduce not eliminate it from my diet I may win that battle.
...I had written more about this then realised how bored I was writing it so can imagine reading it is even harder.
I made lemon chicken and we loved it. Had fat free natural yog instead of mayo. it's a start. Just got to watch I don't substitute it all with sugary stuff. If I don't tell myself its a diet I may just get away with it.
Concise diet info - that was much better.
I love to read the ins and out of lives on blogs, the more detail of regular stuff the better. Especially when accompanied by pics. But the minute I try to write about my mundane my brain tunes out. Bullet points could be my way forward.
Well at least I didn't mention Bake off in this post.
x
ps
never got the job I interviewed for, big shame as it's the first one I left the interview really excited by.
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Nearly Norman/Bin gate!!!!! breaking news edit
hi all and thanks for your comments yesterday, will pop back and answer them.
I reckon Norman was saved by Ian's strop tonight. Although why on earth was his ice cream left on the side? Ice cream gate!!!!!
Love Norman tho and the old fashioned posh lady (with the messy hair and trainers) and Martha and lovely Luis.
Can't bake
Don't want to
Can't cook
Hate competition
love the bake off though.
x
Thursday now and the bake off kick off has hit the news. 'Bingate'... but prefer my ice cream gate. Poor ol Diana (that's the one) is taking the blame. Nice lady like that, never.
People took time to contact the bbc and complained. Really? Surely not.
Maybe Diana and stroppy baked Alaska lad are actors and this is a publicity ruse. Maybe Mary was worrying her book sales were down.
Maybe I should really get a life.
x
I reckon Norman was saved by Ian's strop tonight. Although why on earth was his ice cream left on the side? Ice cream gate!!!!!
Love Norman tho and the old fashioned posh lady (with the messy hair and trainers) and Martha and lovely Luis.
Can't bake
Don't want to
Can't cook
Hate competition
love the bake off though.
x
Thursday now and the bake off kick off has hit the news. 'Bingate'... but prefer my ice cream gate. Poor ol Diana (that's the one) is taking the blame. Nice lady like that, never.
People took time to contact the bbc and complained. Really? Surely not.
Maybe Diana and stroppy baked Alaska lad are actors and this is a publicity ruse. Maybe Mary was worrying her book sales were down.
Maybe I should really get a life.
x
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Lazy scroungers unite
Hello, thanks for comments and hello to people who have followed.
I looked up the Harcombe diet after reading Sue's (Our New Life in the Country) post about her blog pal. I stumbled to the Daily Mail website to read what I thought was an article about it. Was more of a promotion. Foolish me read the comments. Someone managed to mention lazy benefit scroungers. Even in a article about a diet. How? The genius of the bigot. Or a wind up?
Why do the words lazy and benefits seem to go hand in hand nowadays. I received carers allowance and was anything but. 'Oh we don't mean carers' they may backtrack. Well I'm claiming jobseekers now I would tell them. Backtrack yer way out of that, you ignorant idiot. I cannot get employment because I took years out to care and now no-one believes I have a functioning brain.
on benefits - yes
lazy - no
scrounger - no.
Then I would poke them in the eye and run away because I'm not that big or brave.
Nothing like an imaginary conversation to help ease the anger.
x
I looked up the Harcombe diet after reading Sue's (Our New Life in the Country) post about her blog pal. I stumbled to the Daily Mail website to read what I thought was an article about it. Was more of a promotion. Foolish me read the comments. Someone managed to mention lazy benefit scroungers. Even in a article about a diet. How? The genius of the bigot. Or a wind up?
Why do the words lazy and benefits seem to go hand in hand nowadays. I received carers allowance and was anything but. 'Oh we don't mean carers' they may backtrack. Well I'm claiming jobseekers now I would tell them. Backtrack yer way out of that, you ignorant idiot. I cannot get employment because I took years out to care and now no-one believes I have a functioning brain.
on benefits - yes
lazy - no
scrounger - no.
Then I would poke them in the eye and run away because I'm not that big or brave.
Nothing like an imaginary conversation to help ease the anger.
x
Monday, 25 August 2014
Funny Irishman
Watching Dave Allen tonight takes me back. Laughing at nuns and priests, so daring. He still makes me laugh. The lovely Irish brogue, so familiar.
I went to a convent school but I stopped going to church in my early teens. Was not something to brag about so used to keep quiet if we were quizzed on the Monday what the Gospel readings had been. When we did go I found it amusing that the priests would be round the front of the church after mass, fags lit having a laugh and a joke with all of us traipsing out. I did love choir though and miss the hymns and carols. Don't miss the parables though; could not make head nor tail of them. My poor mum never forgave the church for not letting her take communion once she divorced only when he died could she take it again as she was a widow in their eyes. But she had long since stopped attending mass by then. One story she told was how in a works canteen every Friday they produced a gorgeous roast dinner however she had to have the fish dinner. Catholics weren't allowed meat on Fridays. She followed it faithfully even though she longed for that roast dinner and was probably to poor to have one at home. I believe that rule has been lifted now.
Best thing a nun ever did for me was introduce me to Gerald Durrell books. Although that could just have been the curriculum, if that existed then. If not that means I don't need to be grateful to a nun for anything at all. That's good.
The priest didn't even turn up to issue last rites for me mum. I think a nun turned up and prayed although was a bit worried what she might say as the dementia had made her blurt things out. The chaplain from the home where she had respite turned up and they prayed together. Would have liked her to have received the last sacrament though. She would have had a full set then. Bloody church let her down loads. Priest didn't even do the funeral mass as she had the audacity to die at Easter. The nice chaplain man did a lovely reading. A good man. Stupid barriers of religion.
'May your God go with you' cheers Dave.
x
I went to a convent school but I stopped going to church in my early teens. Was not something to brag about so used to keep quiet if we were quizzed on the Monday what the Gospel readings had been. When we did go I found it amusing that the priests would be round the front of the church after mass, fags lit having a laugh and a joke with all of us traipsing out. I did love choir though and miss the hymns and carols. Don't miss the parables though; could not make head nor tail of them. My poor mum never forgave the church for not letting her take communion once she divorced only when he died could she take it again as she was a widow in their eyes. But she had long since stopped attending mass by then. One story she told was how in a works canteen every Friday they produced a gorgeous roast dinner however she had to have the fish dinner. Catholics weren't allowed meat on Fridays. She followed it faithfully even though she longed for that roast dinner and was probably to poor to have one at home. I believe that rule has been lifted now.
Best thing a nun ever did for me was introduce me to Gerald Durrell books. Although that could just have been the curriculum, if that existed then. If not that means I don't need to be grateful to a nun for anything at all. That's good.
The priest didn't even turn up to issue last rites for me mum. I think a nun turned up and prayed although was a bit worried what she might say as the dementia had made her blurt things out. The chaplain from the home where she had respite turned up and they prayed together. Would have liked her to have received the last sacrament though. She would have had a full set then. Bloody church let her down loads. Priest didn't even do the funeral mass as she had the audacity to die at Easter. The nice chaplain man did a lovely reading. A good man. Stupid barriers of religion.
'May your God go with you' cheers Dave.
x
Saturday, 23 August 2014
O not another post about results.
Have started to post a few times this week then abandoned them. Have no idea why. Have not written a story or article in weeks either. Even composing the cover letters with my CV send outs have been a struggle. Probably need to just buckle down and get on with it. I lead a mundane life (happily) and so often figure who wants to read about that.
My son got his GCSE results. Results that would have left me on my knees crying in complete gratitude at 16. But he was not so impressed. A couple of A* and loads of A's and a C. He did impress me when he said he would just have to work even harder for his A levels. Ever since he discovered universities it was all he wanted to do from that moment on. He accepted that school would be his best option as there was no way I could afford for him to do 11 GCSE's from home plus the tutoring as my knowledge has many limits. He loves school and now cannot wait to be in 6th form. He wants to study maths, physics, geography and history. Quite telling that he said that now the GCSE's are over he can get on with learning.
Many of his friends are going to do apprenticeships. I have lost track which government initiated this scheme. The one size fits all schooling system loses many by the wayside and hopefully these apprenticeships will find them again. I do hope they are genuine and not just an excuse for cheap labour.
I also hope the A levels get left alone. Gove managed to nearly send the teachers to an early grave with his instant changes with GCSEs. I believe this is the last year that AS levels will occur. The school do seem quite good at keeping on top of these changes and are quite pro active rather than reactive. The only change poor son howled with rage at missing was the banishment of 'Of Mice and Men' from the curriculum. He hated it with a passion. Luckily it came too late or we might have had to thank Gove we can sit happy in our contempt of him.
x
My son got his GCSE results. Results that would have left me on my knees crying in complete gratitude at 16. But he was not so impressed. A couple of A* and loads of A's and a C. He did impress me when he said he would just have to work even harder for his A levels. Ever since he discovered universities it was all he wanted to do from that moment on. He accepted that school would be his best option as there was no way I could afford for him to do 11 GCSE's from home plus the tutoring as my knowledge has many limits. He loves school and now cannot wait to be in 6th form. He wants to study maths, physics, geography and history. Quite telling that he said that now the GCSE's are over he can get on with learning.
Many of his friends are going to do apprenticeships. I have lost track which government initiated this scheme. The one size fits all schooling system loses many by the wayside and hopefully these apprenticeships will find them again. I do hope they are genuine and not just an excuse for cheap labour.
I also hope the A levels get left alone. Gove managed to nearly send the teachers to an early grave with his instant changes with GCSEs. I believe this is the last year that AS levels will occur. The school do seem quite good at keeping on top of these changes and are quite pro active rather than reactive. The only change poor son howled with rage at missing was the banishment of 'Of Mice and Men' from the curriculum. He hated it with a passion. Luckily it came too late or we might have had to thank Gove we can sit happy in our contempt of him.
x
Monday, 18 August 2014
UB40
Hello all.
MOT today. It passed...just. Going to need a new clutch, front tyre, something to do with the handbrake and something to do with the exhaust. Like with directions I only hear the first two things. Could be worse, I could be scouring the ads for a new old car.
I also signed on today. I arrived at 8.57 for a 9.15 apt and was promptly told I could only arrive 10 minutes early. After waiting outside for 7 minutes I was seated and then finally got seen at 9.35. The man was obviously trying to give a hard man impression and be a right ball-breaker. He spouted some absolute rubbish. The worse bit as the false empathy when he told me he had been unemployed for a year. Then one booklet I had been told I must use he said not to bother with and the forms I liked using he said not to and to do it online. Even though I said how helpful I found the forms. I guessed the interview was over as he walked away while I was still talking to him. I know he went lightly as I'm a newbie.
And I've not even had a penny yet.
If I could find a way of making £70 most weeks then I would happily jack it in. The only bright side has been not waking up in a panic because there is no money coming in. I guess their plan is to make you feel like a piece of dirt then you won't bother.
My sis emailed me a link to some companies that pay you for your opinions on tv progs and other stuff - just in time for me to cancel Sky ha. Have registered for that and to be a mystery shopper. If that works and you really can make the money they say we could live of that while I look for work.
I do not mean to sound ungrateful it's just all new to me. I appreciate the safety net that this country's tax payers provide I just wish we were not treated like an underclass when we need to use it.
Good things are:
still have a functioning car and a mechanic I can trust.
we are well.
2nd footie match on the way.
Anyone with teenagers...results on Thurs. Got any fingernails left?
x
MOT today. It passed...just. Going to need a new clutch, front tyre, something to do with the handbrake and something to do with the exhaust. Like with directions I only hear the first two things. Could be worse, I could be scouring the ads for a new old car.
I also signed on today. I arrived at 8.57 for a 9.15 apt and was promptly told I could only arrive 10 minutes early. After waiting outside for 7 minutes I was seated and then finally got seen at 9.35. The man was obviously trying to give a hard man impression and be a right ball-breaker. He spouted some absolute rubbish. The worse bit as the false empathy when he told me he had been unemployed for a year. Then one booklet I had been told I must use he said not to bother with and the forms I liked using he said not to and to do it online. Even though I said how helpful I found the forms. I guessed the interview was over as he walked away while I was still talking to him. I know he went lightly as I'm a newbie.
And I've not even had a penny yet.
If I could find a way of making £70 most weeks then I would happily jack it in. The only bright side has been not waking up in a panic because there is no money coming in. I guess their plan is to make you feel like a piece of dirt then you won't bother.
My sis emailed me a link to some companies that pay you for your opinions on tv progs and other stuff - just in time for me to cancel Sky ha. Have registered for that and to be a mystery shopper. If that works and you really can make the money they say we could live of that while I look for work.
I do not mean to sound ungrateful it's just all new to me. I appreciate the safety net that this country's tax payers provide I just wish we were not treated like an underclass when we need to use it.
Good things are:
still have a functioning car and a mechanic I can trust.
we are well.
2nd footie match on the way.
Anyone with teenagers...results on Thurs. Got any fingernails left?
x
Sunday, 17 August 2014
Autumn in August?
Hello. Thanks for all the comments.
The weather has been almost autumnal at times here. Which if it was Sept/Oct I would accept and enjoy
Apart from tomatoes and some late planted spinach my gyo experiment is over. The tomatoes are showing signs of ripening and the ones that dropped off (football miss hit) are now on a sunny windowsill in the hope they may ripen. I am trying to keep some of the compost I used, as all my growing was done in containers and the compost was the greatest expense. I am wondering whether to buy a decent compost bin to put it all in. The one I have is a material one and the foxes ransacked it. I have used some of the used compost to pot up my Christmas pine into a larger pot as it was in a tiny.
The whole growing thing started because I wanted some tasty tomatoes and they cost too much in the shops. So far the few I have eaten are delicious.
The main things I have learnt are:
I have my tomato books on order from the library and I have my eye on getting some decent seeds next year. Has anyone used the real seed company before? It looks interesting.
Cannot wait to do it all again.
x
The weather has been almost autumnal at times here. Which if it was Sept/Oct I would accept and enjoy
Apart from tomatoes and some late planted spinach my gyo experiment is over. The tomatoes are showing signs of ripening and the ones that dropped off (football miss hit) are now on a sunny windowsill in the hope they may ripen. I am trying to keep some of the compost I used, as all my growing was done in containers and the compost was the greatest expense. I am wondering whether to buy a decent compost bin to put it all in. The one I have is a material one and the foxes ransacked it. I have used some of the used compost to pot up my Christmas pine into a larger pot as it was in a tiny.
The whole growing thing started because I wanted some tasty tomatoes and they cost too much in the shops. So far the few I have eaten are delicious.
The main things I have learnt are:
- I need to learn to stake the beans a lot better
- I do not need 10 courgette plants
- I know nothing about growing tomatoes
I have my tomato books on order from the library and I have my eye on getting some decent seeds next year. Has anyone used the real seed company before? It looks interesting.
Cannot wait to do it all again.
x
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