Ooops! Slipping ...

... with my posting and I was doing so well - *LOL!*

I've been really busy.  Sunday was spent all day in the kitchen ... cooking!  I decided to cook a 'boeuf bourguignon' properly, from scratch, no jars, nothing!  Took forever to cook.  Around 5 hours but it also took a long time to prep.  The bulk of the prep was done at the start but more had to be done for ingredients that were added about 3 hours into the cooking.  Then I decided to keep to trad French as much as possible and decided to do 'pommes boulangére with rosemary' as a side dish with green beans for the veg.  Let's just say the experiment was an huge success but it's not likely to be repeated any time soon!  It was delicious and actually gave us 2 days dinners but after spending a long time on my feet in the kitchen I knew I'd done it and I ached in places I'd forgotten I had.  The joys of getting older!

Yesterday I was in the kitchen again but this time continuing with the 'spring' clean.  Oh, it's looking so much better!  Can't believe the amount of dirt the steam cleaner is shifting.  Certainly puts all the chemical cleaners to shame so there's gonna be a good few of them confined to the bin!  Hoping to continue there tomorrow and finish everything except the windows and floor, which, if everything goes to plan (oops - there, I said it so it's unlikely to) will be done on Friday and that'll be it ... finished!  

Then it'll be on to the next job but first I've to go shopping for something to wear to a Balinese wedding!  Found 2 long, floaty dresses I've really liked so far but - neither were in my size.  Looks as though I've got to go and foot slog the high street and that will be fun - NOT!  Can't remember the last time I went into the town to the stores but it was certainly 5+ years ago.  Mum was alive and I took her in.  Wasn't even for me or my benefit but she wanted to go 'shopping' so I took her.  All I wanted to do was get home and outa there!  I don't 'do' shopping (unless it's crafty) so the sooner in the sooner out - *lol*

Today it was a Dad visit day.  Had to go earlier than I normally do as his Occupational Therapist rang me yesterday and asked if she could come and talk to him with me there.  She wanted to sort out a 'problem' with a commode chair she'd ordered for him a few weeks back.  There isn't, as far as I'm aware, a problem with the chair at all.  The problem is that Dad doesn't want to use it and is kicking up about it and the carers have refused to force him to use it - which is right.  Don't think he's ever been asked to use it as a commode but more as a  wheelchair (it's wheeled) to get him from the bed to the shower in the morning when he's stiff from laying all night and having problems with mobility.  He would rather walk so walk he does.  He has agreed to use it - under sufferance - a couple of times, as he did today when the OT asked him to sit in it so she could try it and see if it 'worked'.  He really was not happy at all but she agreed it wasn't the best idea and if he wanted to walk then he should.  Outcome?  No idea except the commode is sitting in the hallway where it's been since it was delivered!

We've also now got the funeral details of our friend.  Her body arrived back in the UK on Friday.  The odd thing is, and I'm sure her hubby wouldn't have given this a thought, the funeral is on the day of the next meet that had been arranged and the day we would have seen her again following our last meet and their holiday.  We're all going to the funeral and then going to keep the meet, rather than cancel it, so we will be raising a glass to her in the evening.  I'm pretty sure her hubby won't be joining us but we can have our own 'wake' for her.  It seems right we should.

I'm getting itchy fingers to do something crafty but want to get these jobs done first however, in the evenings ... when I've lost the will to do anything vaguely physical ... I've been sorting photos on my lappy and putting them in order to save to disc.   I'm gonna save all the photos, used in the year book, to disc and make a wallet that I can stick in the back of the book and put the disc in so that's it kept with the book.  As well as doing that I'm trying to make a slideshow of the Spanish trip last year and will do something similar with the photos that I used in that photobook.  I'm considering whether to do the same for the African one.  That's more daunting as there are loads more photos involved.  In all these books there is only really a taster of the photos taken so I really should go through them and see what are worth keeping, what I can get rid of, and then decide what to do with those not used in the books.  Anyway, I guess all this stuff I'm doing with photos is crafting of a sort.  Hoping it'll be worth all the effort when finished :0)

Thanks for dropping by .....

Baking day ...

... today!  Don't know how long this Domestic Goddess phase will last but I'm enjoying the 'stuff' I don't have to do ... like baking!  The other domestic stuff can go chase whatever as far as I'm concerned but guess, if we don't want to live in a poo pile and/or starve, then it has to be done.  Hubby did cook dinner tonight but it was only fish from the freezer with potato wedges - also from the freezer - *LOL*  At least I didn't have to do it but steak came out 'cos we're having steak with all the trimmings tomorrow and guess who'll be cooking that one?  He's not up to doing that type of cooking yet but he may be getting itchy fingers :0)  I'm sooooo hoping!  Anyway, today I baked a couple of cakes ...

Banana (& sultana) cake

Looks good but not sure on what it'll be like until cut.  I'm having problems with my banana baking's being a bit doughy at the bottom of the finished product.  Hoping this one is better.  Every banana baking I've done has taken a lot longer to cook than recipes say :0(

Dorset Apple Tray Cake

I added some cinnamon to the dry ingredients and also I didn't use totally Bramley apples.  I used ¾ Bramleys and ¼ dessert apple (I used Jazz apples that I had in fruit bowl).  We had some warm, with cream, for our pudding today .... delish!

Tomorrow, apart from steak and all trimmings, I'm hoping to go clear my crafty corner up again.  Amazing how messy/untidy it gets when it's not being used!  I admit I've trawled through it looking for bits so guess I've turned it upside down without realising.  I've got photos from Wednesday at Deb's to deal with and I've a card to finish from the Glitterpot yesterday.  We only got to finish one card completely but were given everything to finish making the elements and to finish the second completely.  Need the space to play though - *LOL*

Paul thinks the screw in his thumb is working it's way out.  Not sure if it'll still be there in 3 months to be removed but then again, he could be imagining it.  He is complaining quite heavily about it being a nuisance and painful though and it's actually restricting his use of his hand, or seems to be, which is a bit daft when he's been told to use it as fully as possible but with care ... unless the 'with care' bit is to protect the screw.  Who knows?

I ordered my 2010 Year Book yesterday from another company.  It's been tweeked a bit and I decided on having a smaller format.  It's not brilliant and there could be vast improvements made but hopefully I can do the next one better.  I just hope this one will be better than the last,when I receive it.  I've used this company before and like what I got so keeping fingers crossed.  Got to say that the preview looked a lot more hopeful.  This time the company I've used have given an option to share the book online.  It's not an option offered last time I used them but, if the book prints up well I will post a link on blog *grin*

Thanks for dropping by .....

The last day ...

... of January! No, not today, the day of writing, but the day after my birthday, Monday. The first month gone ... the year is flying by already!  

Paul had hossie in the morning to have his plaster changed. He's now got a lovely neat and tidy blue one! I finally got to have my eye test that was due in September. I'd made a conscious decision to wait a further 3 months and have them tested after my birthday. There has to be some advantage to reaching 60 and free prescriptions and eye tests, as well as 25% off new specs for over 60s at the opticians I use, are just a couple *grin* Test showed I didn't need to change specs if I didn't want to but bored with ones I've got so ordered new. Dropped prescription into chemist on way home .... no fee to pay - yay!  

While I was out I shopped a little ... a very little! I found a half price jewellery making kit and a couple of tops for £5 each. Can't complain at that but I've not tried them on yet so no idea if they fit or not. I also bought some wild rabbit from the butcher in the market place so will be cooking that at some point soon. Not had rabbit in years and can't say as it's ever been a meat I've particularly liked but rabbit stew can be boring (sorry Mum). I've Googled and found some more adventurous recipes so will be giving one of them a go. In buying the rabbit I may also have found a butcher I can get marrowbone from ;0)

Tuesday - the 1st day of February and ... a Dad day. Had a visit with an Occupational Therapist. Carers feel that there's more equipment he could use to help him - mainly to help him if he's having an exceptionally bad mobility day. Not sure he'll go along with it but seems they think that a wheeled commode/shower chair could help. Shower chair bit ... not a problem as it will just replace the one he uses already but the commode bit? Well, that's where I think there could be a problem. Anyway, one is going to be supplied so will see how he gets on with it. Not sure he understands exactly what it is but he'll work it out eventually.

He's broken one of his new hearing aids (not a year old yet) and the replacement, while that is being repaired ... one of his old ones ... seems to have had the same treatment 'cos that's not working after a week of him using it as a temporary measure. Wearing them to bed and putting them in the wrong ears might have something to do with it - oooops!

A few more errands, shopping delivery and dinner prep - please Paul, get your hand back 'cos I don't like cooking :0( - and I was worn out. 2 days of busy, busy so Wednesday was going to be a relaxing day. Well, that was the plan and I guess it was except the doorbell kept ringing! Normally there's nothing but it was one of those days when you just sat down and got comfie and it rang ... and it's how the day went on from early morning to mid afternoon. OK, so it was my fault - *lol* I'd been on a spending spree but most of the purchases I'd made should have gone through letterbox - or so I thought. Wrong! Some were just that wee bit big and wouldn't go. So, a few packets later and I thought it was done. All expected had arrived and then?  The doorbell rang again. Hubby saying "well, if you didn't order stuff it couldn't be delivered" but this time it wasn't anything I'd ordered.

It was a beautiful surprise from a lovely friend who has a lot going on in her life - more than anyone should have - but still managed to find the time to order ..... a bouquet of flowers and a box of strawberry creams for my birthday! Thank you Trace - you're one amazing lady!

and that brings me to Thursday and a story to tell ...

Thanks for dropping by .....

Well ...

... that didn't last long! Did my morning post on the forum then promptly forgot the blog! Anyways, here's what I put this morning on the forum ...

"Good morning from a dull and dismal south coast. Had a good day yesterday. Visit from eldest and partner then trashed the kitchen making banana loaf. Think I know why I haven't baked for so long ... the mess to clear up afterwards. Loaf took twice as long to cook as recipe said but house smelt lovely while it was cooking. Just hope it's nicer than the muffins were but it smells good (as did they) and looks good (as did they) so I'm hoping. Not tried it 'cos thought I'd surprise Paul when he gets home today. Proper cooking duty starts today so I'm making a Moroccan lamb shepherds pie later."

As I'm late posting I can update this a bit.  It's still dull and dismal and hubby still not home.  Moraccan shepherd's pie hasn't been made as he's lunched at the hossie.  Decided to make some yellow split pea soup instead.  We love it and I've loved it ever since I was a tiddler.  Mum used to make it regularly, boiling up marrowbones for the stock, which used to set into a thick jelly.  Soaking the peas and then cooking them in the stock pushing it all through a sieve when cooked.  It was so thick and full of goodness and really tasty without having to add a thing.  Served with thick crusty bread and it made a meal on it's own.  Unfortunately, today, marrow bones are difficult to get hold of.  The nearest I can get to the taste of Mum's is by using the water that ham is boiled in however, boiled ham doesn't happen often *LOL*.  Luckily Knorr do ham stock cubes so they're not a bad alternative although still not the lovely marrowbone jelly *sad face*

Banana loaf, well it's actually a banana and pecan loaf ... looks OK, will report on taste at a later date *grin*

Ready for the oven

Nearly ready to come out of oven ...

... and finished with vanilla butter icing (but not sprinkled with chopped pecans)!

I got the recipe from the BBC Good Food site ... here  I'll let you know if it's worth baking *grin*  I have to say I love this site.  I cooked a stunningly tasty soup from here the other day.  Leek and potato ... you got to try it!  So simple to make but it's so more-ish!

 
Thanks for dropping by .....