Heidi learning keyboard skills.

Heidi learning keyboard skills.

cats experimental food sewing vegetarian

Hello. It's goodbye summer and hello autumn here today. Damp and drizzly all day, now chucking it down with rain. Blow that for a game of soldiers, I'm not going out for a walk today, no sireeee. Twas a bit quiet at Crafty Club this morning, just the two of us, made a change because I could actually get a word in edgeways instead of battling against the banter going backwards and forwards across the table. Last night I machined a few pieces of fabric together to make a book cover to take with me. I added some cross stitch to it. 

This afternoon I made some more shopping bags, now I have 14 to sell on the cat stall next month. Owain the Welsh weather man kept me company, he is now a presenter on BBC Radio York, and his lively chat keeps me entertained.

My lunch today was a big fat sandwich. I am really getting into them now, and they are getting fatter and fatter as I stuff more filling into them. For dinner tonight I made a pan of this whatever you like to call it. A chopped onion, three mushrooms, handful of frozen peas, and broad beans, two pieces of frozen spinach, and some Quorn mince. It's sort of mild curryish with turmeric and vegetable granules for seasoning. Instead of water I gave it a slosh of cranberry juice. Served on a bed of tagliatelle. There is enough for two more meals which I will eat tomorrow and the next day. It's very tasty, and filling.  

Now I am being interrupted, Heidi's nose is two inches away from this keyboard, she is demanding my attention. I'm not going to get much more done tonight so I might as well give up. Perhaps I can get her to write the blog posts in future.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

A bimble around the Horseshoe Falls

A bimble around the Horseshoe Falls

holidays/days out vegetarian

Hello, and goodbye to Squirrels Guest House in Llangollen. Lilian Speake is the perfect host and her house is lovely. We chatted for ages, I think I have a new friend, and she has a ginger cat just like Bugsy. If anyone needs accommodation in Llangollen give her a call, number on the web site.

So, after breakfast I checked out and drove the short distance to Horseshoe Falls to have a look around. The river flows pretty rapidly at this point.

I took a short walk down the canal and came to the Chain Bridge Hotel, named after the river crossing just there. 

It looks very posh, probably very expensive to stay there. I was chatting to some people who said it is a favourite wedding venue.

On the other side of the river is the train station, and as luck would have it the train arrived from Llangollen, so another chance to snap this beauty.

I had a little bimble around the area and took a few snaps.

Howzabout that for a venue. It has absolutely no gardens with it, sandwiched between the canal tow path and the river, with the constant noise of the water rushing by.

I like arch bridges.

This is the station taken from the lower bridge.

After a couple of hours here, I went on to Port Meirion, about an hour and a half drive away. I took loads of pictures there, it was a brilliantly amazing place. I'm going to save them till I get home. Something to look forward to, but worth waiting for. Dead lucky with the weather today, sunny, blue skies, and warm. perfect.

It's late now and time for bed. I am in a B & B at Caernarfon, had a quick look round the town,  tomorrow the Menai bridge to Anglessey. Oooh, all excited.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Keeping busy indoors

Keeping busy indoors

crafty stuff food reuse sewing vegetarian

Hello. That got you going. Did you like my colourful words, ha ha. The weather is still unpredictable, I've been in most of the day, apart from when I went to the Post Office, then did my three mile walk. I got caught in a shower of hail and wind, just managed to stop the brolly from blowing inside out. 

A couple of recent lunches, one from yesterday and one today. I don't have much veg left so it's root in the cupboard and the freezer time. Two slices of toast, half a tin of spaghetti hoops, and two Value Tesco veggie grills. A cheap meal. 

Today I made a sandwich with two slices of toast, cheese spread, Danish Blue cheese, and the last of the salad leaves. I plonked the rest of the tin of hoops on top.

This pile of 14 cleaning cloths used to be a toweling bath robe. It was looking a bit grubby, and a lot of threads were pulled due to Mayze cat pummeling me with her paws. She thinks I am her mummy. These will come in handy for dish cloths, floor cloths, polishing cloths, (not that I do much of that), and any other type of cleaning job.

I've started another project. These small circles of fabric, 2 inches across,  are Suffolk Puffs, ironed flat and decorative stitching added. I need lots of these.

I came to a halt with the wooden garden sculpture because I ran out of small pieces of wood. I found a big box of scrap wood yesterday at the back door of Wicks the DIY store, they said I could take what I wanted. I will be able to get on with that when the weather is a bit warmer.

I need to make a phone call now, so I'll leave you to it. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

A bit of an allsorts day.

A bit of an allsorts day.

food odds-n-sods vegetarian

Hello. I'm a bit late tonight, that's because I was following my own advice and getting up off my bum to walk. I didn't go till 8.30pm. It was lovely, nice and quiet, no one about, and quite mild. 

I trimmed my hair, didn't take as much off as I normally do, couldn't be bothered to get the two mirrors out and hang them on opposite doors. I put a small mirror on the window ledge outside the back door, and hacked away. Looks fine to me. Red is fading and brown roots coming through. 

I had one of my ready meals yesterday, it's like a brick. Eight minutes in the microwave soon brings it back to life.

I like to do a little job before breakfast while I have my morning coffee. Today it was sorting the buttons out.

All bagged up, now it's easy to find what I want.

The new super bespoke garden table was very useful today. I was given a load of pottery, ornaments and mugs etc, to sell on our cat stall. Best wash it outside in the sunshine, then I don't need to dry it. 

Dinner tonight was wholemeal pasta with runner beans, broad beans, and peas. A sprinkle of grated cheese and a dollop of mayo. Simple but filling.

 And then there were three. A pack of tee lights in B & M was £2, I went to Poundland and bought them for ......£1. I bought a jar of coffee from B & M for £4.50, the same jar was in Poundland for £5, as a managers special. It's a chuffin nightmare to keep track of prices. I had a nosy in the small Asda, the prices in there are a lot more than in the big store.

I didn't get to the vets, will have to do that tomorrow. I'm waiting for the plumber to get back to me, he is supposed to be servicing my boiler and checking my gas fire, but he is ever so busy. I've been chasing him up but he is not replying.

I've just been reading on a forum that someone had their car broken into and their handbag stolen. They are a bit peeved about that as you can imagine. Some lowlife was caught on camera using the card to withdraw cash out of a machine. What I want to know is why does anyone leave any valuables in their car anyway. People, please do not leave handbag, phone, keys, camera, satnav, computer, or anything of any value in your car.

I think it's bed time. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Saving money on my food.

Saving money on my food.

cheap food cooking food vegetarian

Hello. I'm having to use the small computer because for some reason I can't access my Blogger Dashboard on the big one. Everything else is fine, but the Dashboard won't load. It could be something to do with the fact I am still on the old XP. I'm not panicking, I can use the little netbook. 

It's been a lovely day, like summer, and I have been pottering about getting a few jobs done. I had some tagliatelle left so I added some borlotti beans, peas, lettuce, and a few pieces of cheese, with a couple of dollops of mayo. It was bloomin lovely, made a filling lunch yesterday. 

Veg is a good price at the moment. I couldn't resist this cauliflower for 45p and carrots 43p from Aldi. A good buy to make cheap meals.

Mind you, Aldi has let me down on the bananas. Look at these two bags, can you spot the difference? The first one I bought yesterday, the next one is from a month or two ago. This one does not have the weight on it.

This one is a 1kg bag. I have been buying these bagged bananas for a long time, they are 72p. I count the bananas because I would rather have 8 or 9 small ones than 6 or 7 large ones. Now they are not selling them by weight, you get 5 bananas in a bag for the same price 72p. What a sneaky way to put the price up. I will have to go to Tesco for them and buy 1kg of small loose ones for 72p.

I got my mower out today for the first cut of the year. I am amazed that this cheap B & Q mower is still going after about ten years or more. I never do anything to it except scrape off the dry grass from underneath it. This cheapo was well worth the money.  

The leaves from the cauliflower came in useful, I made some soup with them.

I added some borlotti beans and spices, and blue cheese and zapped it with the stick blender. It tasted deeeelishus. 

Remember the mayo I bought from the Cash and Carry? Well it is a lovely creamy taste so I bought some more yesterday on my way to town. At 20p a jar it's bargain, even though it is six weeks out of date.

Found some nuts and fruit as well, at 50p a bag. This will be added to my breakfast cereal.

I've had a letter from the TV Licensing people, it's two years since they last wrote. They ask if anything has changed, do I need a licence. The answer is still the same, no I don't. I haven't been onto the BBC iplayer site since they brought in the new rule in September. I get most of my entertainment from Yooootoooob, forums, blogs, and online newspapers.

That's me done for tonight. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Save money on your alcohol.

Save money on your alcohol.

budgeting shopping food imagination money saving vegetarian

Hello. I buy a four pack of cider from Aldi for about £2, probably every four to six weeks. The pear cider is very nice. I drink very little alcohol and regard it as a treat. The cider can sit in my cupboard for ages, I only drink it when I fancy it, not because it's there. So, this post is about how you can save money on your alcohol. 

This secret I will share with you in the form of a short video, so take a look if you are spending too much on your booze. You will also find there are health benefits if you adopt my method.

My dinner yesterday was a bit of this and a bit of that. A mixed bag. I don't care if these foods are not normally served on the same plate, my meals are whatever I have in, mix and match. I bought a lettuce on a yellow sticker for 14p. The last of the cottage cheese which was ten days out of date. The last of the pasta salad also ten days out of date. A few mushrooms from a normal price punnet. One spud in the microwave, from a big bag. Two Lincolnshire style veggie sausages. Plus a dollop of mayo. It was bloomin lovely. 

Thank you very much for your comments on Sam's post yesterday. I haven't had an email from him yet, so maybe he doesn't get online every day.

Crafty Club this morning was good, another new lady started. It's cold out but I have done my three mile walk. I managed to get one in last night after it finally stopped raining.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Globe Trekker by Lee Morton. Book review

Globe Trekker by Lee Morton. Book review

book review healthy eating vegetarian

Hello. I've got a book review for you today. I'm not sure I'm actually going to read the whole of the book, because I'm sort of bored with it now and I'm only two thirds through it. I was looking forward to it as it covers a lot of countries, which should make it interesting, but I am disappointed with the writing style. The character descriptions are almost non existent, and there is a lot of inane and uninteresting details in it. It's as if a school boy wrote it. I was appalled at how many spelling mistakes are in it, on almost every page, was it ever spell checked, it can't have been proof read before it went to print. 

In a nutshell, Lee Morton drank his way around the world, went in this bar, went to that party, chatted women up, plenty of hangovers, stayed in this hostel and that hostel, and had long bus journeys on uncomfortable old buses. The blurb on the back cover is heavily embroidered and does not give an accurate description of what is inside the book.

He didn't have anything nice to say about the Australian people, some of his remarks were rude and condescending, and at times he comes across as arrogant and full of his own self importance. He reminded me a bit of a loudmouthed football fan, getting blathered after the match. 

Amazingly there are more positive reviews than negative on Amazon. I don't know how that happened, but as most of them are from a three month period in 2006, when the book came out, I can only assume they are from friends and family. Now I have talked myself out of finishing the book, I won't waste any more time on it. I can't recommend this book.

My dinner tonight. Yes, I have salad, bought before all the hoohaa about shortages and price rises. I like these Tesco vegetable grills, at £1 for a packet of six. Handy to have in the freezer to add to salad, or steamed vegetables. 

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Controlling my blood pressure

Controlling my blood pressure

cheap food experimental food vegetarian

Hello. The weather has turned cold today. I took a dog for a walk this morning, I haven't walked Jade for a long time because she has a regular walker, Ken, but he has gone on holiday, so I said I would help out. I told the owner that I don't want to commit to a daily walk, but would help at odd times, and let her know. I said I would do it on Thursday and Saturday, and let her know after that. I don't want to be tied to a routine. Jade is lovely, a rescue dog that walks nicely on the lead and is happy to meet other dogs and people. 

Lunch today was a salad, under the grated cheese is a microwaved spud. I had some houmous with it, which was reduced to 25p. 

Not a very good picture of dinner tonight. I fancied some pasta, haven't had any for ages. I am using up yellow stickers, so in the topping is onions, butternut squash, mangetout peas, broccoli, and mushrooms. And the secret ingredient, Danish Blue cheese. I've made enough for lunch tomorrow, and there is enough pasta for dinner as well. Looks a bit yucky, but it tastes fantastic.

I've been doing a bit of sewing today, have changed the white bits on the picture and coloured them blue. It's looking good. I checked in with Stan on the library this afternoon, returned one book and took two out. He won't be coming for the next two weeks, that's ok, I have plenty of reading matter.

I wasn't going to mention this, but I feel terribly sad for the people of  Germany. What is this world coming to. I try not to write about politics because it won't make one bit of difference to what is going on. It only raises blood pressure, and I don't want lots of people piling in with their views and turning my comments into a punch up. I would rather it stay neutral.. However there is one thought in my head which I will share. 'That bloody woman'. That's it, nothing more to add. Anyone wanting to air their political opinions, do it elsewhere. Thank you.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

PS. Bugsy has been scoffing tuna fish.

1000 miles - finished.

1000 miles - finished.

cheap food experimental food vegetarian walking

Hello, This is me on my last three mile walk which takes me to the magical number of 1000 miles. Yes, I've done it, and boy does it feel good. 

I was a year younger when I started, and felt pretty much ok then, and now I feel even better. It's right what they say, exercise is good for the body and the brain. 67 is just a number, I don't feel any different to when I was forty something. I want to continue feeling good so I will be carrying this on and starting again on Jan 1st 2017. I can feel the benefits, and I want to stay mobile. It would be such a shame to stop now, I will keep going. 

This was my lunch yesterday, potatoes, watercress, and mushrooms. All yellow stickers. 

I cooked a pan of veggie stew yesterday, ate one portion for my dinner and froze three and a small portion. It was bloomin lovely, my secret ingredient is Danish Blue Cheese.

Tonight I have cooked another pan, eaten one, and there is some to freeze.

 Bugsy update. A week ago I thought he was ready to keel over and die. He was scrawny and didn't have any interest in anything. He refused all the food I offered him. He had three injections from two vet visits, they didn't seem to make any difference. A day before I was due to take him back for blood tests he suddenly became interested in food. I had removed most of it as it became dry having been out for 24 hours, and replaced it with fresh out of the pouch. He was in it like a shot scoffing like he was starving, he almost was starving. Since then he has been eating small amounts regularly. When I come down in the morning he is sitting up asking for food. It seems his appetite has returned. Sometime he is picky and refuses what I am offering, but if I poke it around the bowl with a knife, tell him how lovely it is, and hold it under his nose he usually decides he will eat it. I'm completely baffled. So it seems we have a reprieve, how long for I don't know.

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

No need to go mad just because it's Christmas

No need to go mad just because it's Christmas

budgeting shopping cheap food food personal finance vegetarian

Hello and Good Morning. I've just had a good laugh. There is an article about me and how to save money at Christmas, in iNews, a budget daily newspaper. The journalist Katie Grant rang me yesterday for a chat. I usually get requests at this time of year asking for my money saving Christmas tips, but when I reply, I don't do Christmas, they usually give up and look elsewhere for their story. Katie stuck with it.

Click on this link and see the story yourself.  Britains stingiest woman offers her advice.

Anyway, let's press on. I did my Christmas shopping last night at Tesco. The yellow stickers cost me £6.21, and it's all good food. The total shop was £40.78, and with a voucher for £8 off this brought it down to £32.78.

There were only two of us waiting for the final reductions so we got the pick of the crop. Tons of veg as usual, broccoli and spinach my favourite. I will be cooking some of this up later today and putting portions of stew in the freezer. I might not have to go shopping again until after Christmas. In fact I could stretch what I have in my freezer and cupboards until the New Year.

I had it in mind to write something here about Christmas spending, or not spending, but Katie beat me to it, so I will add a few more thoughts on what she has already written.

Utility bills go up in winter, heating and cooking cost more, to budget for that savings have to be made elsewhere. Budgeting is an all the year round activity, there will be peaks and troughs throughout the seasons. Think about what you NEED, what you WANT, and what you will NEVER spend your money on. Compile your own lists on what is important to you, and what you can do without.

I can do without Christmas, not important, but I like a nice car, need to pay for my pets, and I like to go away on holidays and day trips. What I don't need is to shop at Sainsbury's Waitrose, and Marks and Sparks. I don't need a television set, don't need a licence. Don't need to eat out, don't need takeaways. I could list whole rafts of things I don't need, and my do need list will be very short.

If you have a partner, you should sit down together and do this exercise, you need to be singing from the same song sheet. No point in one person frugally saving pennies everywhere, when the other is squandering  it all away. That will only cause conflict.

If Christmas is important to you all well and good, go ahead, but do not go into DEBT for it. It is an annual event and there will be another one on the same date next year. It won't hurt to cut back on the spending for one year, or if you are like me, you might decide you can do away with it altogether.

I find it very liberating that I have chosen not to join in. My brain is not cluttered with the worry of getting the right presents, buying the right food, sending cards, and generally running around like a headless chicken trying to keep up. I can sit back and relax and watch everyone else getting their knickers in a twist. You will not see a furrowed brow on my face, you will see a wide grin from cheek to cheek.

No more lectures, do what you like, but don't come crying to me when the credit card bill lands on the door mat. I will just say, I told you so.

I had a lovely email from Amy of Hard up and Happy. She had difficulty commenting on my blog, so I will copy and paste it here.

 Hi Ilona,

I just want to say a huge thank you for your support and kind words on your blog - which is ace by the way. 

It means a lot when people are nice, as it's my philosophy to be as kind to others as I can, unfortunately this isn't always returned.

I won't concentrate on the negative Nellies though, as the positive comments are amazing. If I can help a few families be happy with what they have then that makes it worthwhile. I would have loved to have responded to each comment on your blog and my website, I'm afraid for some reason I can't? The comments plug in on mine is playing up. Anyway enough rambling I wanted to seek you out and say a great big thank you. You have made me very happy. From one thrfiter to another Merry Christmas!

Kind regards 

Amy 

Thank you Amy, lovely to hear from you. 

I'm beginning ramble now, it's lunch time, and I have things to do. An idea for another textile picture is creeping into my head, want to have a play with some fabric. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. 

Toodle pip. 

Making a bespoke notebook cover

Making a bespoke notebook cover

cats crafty stuff experimental food sewing vegetarian

Hello. Bugsy cat is looking like one happy and contented cat tonight. He's just eaten one and a half sardines. The vet said to give him smelly food to tempt him so I called in at the shop after I had finished making Santa's Grotto at the Village Hall. We decided to keep the Grotto simple this year, so I covered the two walls in the corner of the entrance hall with white paper and hung tinsel and coloured balls on it. 

I've started a little project to use up some small pieces of cotton fabric. I'm making a cover for a notebook. The red fabric is a piece of bed sheet. Lay the book on the top to mark out the size of the fabric. 

Now I'm covering it with patchwork.  I started it off at Crafty Club on Monday,  hand sewing up to now, but I've started to sew the strips on with the machine. When it is covered I shall add lots of hand stitching over the top of it.

I made extra steamed vegetables last night, and incorporated them into my lunch today. Started off with mushrooms in a pan, almost two weeks out of date, add a chopped onion, a handful of spinach, and some baked beans. Then add the steamed veg.  It was bloomin lovely, filled me up a treat. 

That's another month gone by. If the Walking Group members send in their mileage, I will update the page. I only did two miles today, pacing myself for the final month. I will be doing extra in December, so no need to stick rigidly to my routine.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip