Wildlife ... and Renovations

 

Heron and Greenhalgh Castle Ruins by Dermot Cummins

Isn't this a lovely photograph of a beautiful spot in our town.  I asked the photographer if I could share it and he said I could.  The river is the River Wyre which snakes its way all through our small town.  We are very lucky as well as supporting lots of wildlife, such as the herons and kingfishers, we also have quite a few otters that have returned to the river.

And now, ladies and gentle for your delight and delectation ... yes I am old enough to remember 'The Good Old Days'.  I don't know why I loved it so much as a small child, but it taught me the words of a lot of the wartime era songs, which on occasion I baffle Alan with, here's this months walk through of the bungalow.  

Alan asked me to do another one at the weekend before he fills in all the interior walls with the insulation.  I'll have to have a go at editing all the clips together at the end and make a movie won't I.  😄

https://youtu.be/haO5B4hHrRA?si=o3K-MlEizo7qCopB

I don't know why I talk so softly on these, it must be not wanting to bombard you all with my Mancunian tones in such an echoey environment.

Sue xx

Pies ... and Dates

 

One minute I was looking in the fridge for an egg to make myself a fried egg on toast for my lunch, and the next I was making pies.

I do that sort of thing a lot, it's as though I have a brain that tells me to do something else other than what I actually have planned.  Hey, brain just who do you think you are, who's in charge here ... and where is my fried egg? 😐

Instead I stood looking at all the little tubs of leftovers in the fridge and the roll of ready made pastry that was well out of date, and decided to add them all together and make pies.

The potatoes were actually boiled and in lovely big pieces, but I warmed them up for a few seconds in the microwave, mashed them up with a fork and added in some of the onion chopped into small pieces, and all of the cheese in that tub ... plus a little bit more for good measure.

As I was cutting out the pastry circles I realised that there wasn't going to be the usual perfect fit for my four bases and lids, then I remembered Angela mentioning quite a while ago that the pastry pack sizes were now smaller ... shrinkflation at it's invisible best.  

  Happily though I just about managed to roll out all the scraps to make a circle that just about covered the fourth pie.  No little pastry 'chef's perk' of a couple of jam tarts for me then from now on.  Unless I make my own pastry, which of course I should do.

They are very tasty.

 I had one for my lunch straight out of the oven, I gave one to Alan when he got back from the bungalow after a days work, and the other two are temporarily living in the fridge.  I don't think they are going to make it to the freezer though, they are far too delicious.

Someone asked me the other day if I was still writing the dates on any long term foods that I buy for the cupboard.  The answer, as you can see from this weeks photo is yes.  😊

Sue xx

Always Space for Just One More

 

As you will have noticed Alan had a busy week at the bungalow last week, so when 2pm on Friday afternoon came around and he phoned me to ask if I fancied meeting him at Booths for a coffee and a spot of lunch of course I said yes ... I don't need asking twice.  😄

After some sandwiches for Alan and a shared bowl of chunky chips alongside our coffees, we went downstairs and picked up a few bits and pieces that we both needed, and lots of Ginger's favourite cat food.

I spent £8.40 on the three items of food and I may have spent another £3.99 on a Dahlia.  It was a beauty I couldn't resist.

The next day on our way home from a breakfast at the garden centre, picking up our monthly free coffees while we were there, we stopped off at Aldi because Alan wanted to do his 'proper shop'.  I bought this lovely trolley full.

As well as these flatbreads which I use as pizza bases, and which went into the trolley after I had taken the photo.  

In Aldi I spent £20.95, and as you might have spotted in the trolley photo I was pressured by it's beauty into buying another Dahlia.

Alan said ... 'Will you have space for it in the garden?'

What a silly question to ask a gardener, there is always space for just one more. 💚

Sue xx

One Day It Will Be a Bedroom

 

One day I may just have a bedroom like this.

I do have a bit of hope, as up until Thursday of this week the windows of my bedroom were boarded up.

And now I have windows.

I didn't think I would be so excited about a bedroom window.  😁

Or a bathroom one.

It's made the world of difference to the bungalow,  instead of dark gloomy rooms and builders lamps, there's light so that everyone can actually see what they are doing.  

Alan's first job at the start of next week is to start to move the stack of plasterboards that were left in the exact place where he has to start building the wall for the bathroom ... that was really handy wasn't it.  😐

Yesterday was a really good day in the bungalow, the windows went in, the solar installation was finished, the gas board came to cap off the gas pipe in the pavement off our property, and the plumber called to discuss the first round of work he needs to do, including putting in a stopcock under where the kitchen sink will be.

Yes, one day soon I will also have a kitchen.  😀

Sue xx

A Much, Much Cheaper Option.

 

I went way past my dinnertime yesterday and only really thought about food in the late afternoon, so I fancied something small and tasty to tide me over to my tea.  I opened the freezer for a rummage and  spied a box with one vegan battered sausage in it. 

Now I bought these a while ago when I was making us a home cooked 'chippy tea'.  Our usual chippy order is 'one medium fish and chip meal, one medium fish portion, a battered sausage and a pot of curry sauce'.  From this Alan has the fish portion, the sausage, the curry sauce and half the chips, I have the rest of the chips and the fish.  It suits us both and makes it affordable as an occasional treat.

When I replicate it I buy these battered sausages as Alan really likes them, I also used to have some of the instant curry sauce granules from Aldi, but I think that I threw them out when I was having a bit of a UPF blitz and there was only a bit left in the tub. 

 Oops, I had forgotten about doing the homemade chippy teas. 😐

One sausage cut in half on a little bun with two sachets of tomato ketchup from my freebie stash and I had the perfect little late afternoon snack ... and do you know what I absolutely loved it.  

Now I might just have to buy another pack and a tub of the curry sauce granules to appease Alan next time he says 'Should I go to the chippy?'.  It's a much, much cheaper option.

For those not in the know I am originally from Manchester in the north of England, and there dinner is at lunchtime and tea is our evening meal.  Having also lived down in the south it used to get queried a bit as there it was lunch and then dinner.  But ask yourself this ... if you live in the UK what were your school DINNER ladies called.  

I rest my case.  😄

Sue xx