A Warning to Fellow Bloggers

 

I'm putting this post out as a warning to my fellow blogging buddies.  

Perhaps you don't need it, or want it or even care about it, but the subject matter has been bothering me more and more over the past few weeks ... and it is really ramping up.

The subject is AI.

Perhaps you have been quietly deleting comments that seemed a little strange for a while, I know I have.  They don't quite ring true, and when you click on the name of the poster it does actually take you to a blog or occasionally a website that could be deemed quite harmless.  But, when my gut tells me something is not right I follow my instincts and I check things out for myself.

The first time I felt that something was off was when I wrote about something to do with Mum's bungalow and a comment came back saying how wonderful it looked ... it did, but I hadn't shared a photo of it at that stage!!

To protect myself and my readers who might click on commenters names, I now have an AI Detector installed on my computer and phone so that I can check them out for myself, and virtually all the comments over the past few weeks that I was doubtful of have come back as 100% chance of being AI generated.  The one I was unsure of came back as 56% chance ... enough for that also to be deleted I'm afraid.

It's easy to check comments out by simply copying and pasting the comment into the checker and you get an immediate reading of the likelihood of it being AI.  I did a check on a couple of my blogging buddies comments as a balance to see how effective this tool was ... and you will be glad to know Sooze that you are most definitely not AI.  😄

Scribbr - Free AI Detector

I hope this helps someone, or that you find it useful going forward.  Has anyone else been quietly deleting unusual comments?  

Sue xx

How Simply We Lived ...

How simply we lived, or was it just surviving?

These days we expect so much, so many think they are entitled to such a lot for minimum effort.  I think advertisers and social media are pushing everyone to expect to be able to have anything they want, when they want it.

It's amazing how things have changed in the last forty or fifty years isn't it, we have moved forward so much as a society and pressures build for each following generation to do better, to have more ... to be more.  Maybe people forty or fifty years ago said exactly the same thing, but of course some changes are good changes.

Going back even further in time the menu plan in my top photo was taken from a 1913 book called How the Labourer Lives which is available to anyone as a fascinating download.  There was definitely a LOT of bread and butter (or lard) consumed.

I guess there's living simply and ekeing out an existence.

I love it when I find a YouTuber or blogger or hear about anyone that is bucking the trend, actually going back to a more simple calm life.  Eschewing modern 'must have' items in favour of something beautifully simple that has lasted for years and will not need to be replaced in a few months time, and maybe even more importantly not trying to sell me something.

And I love books that tell me or teach me all about more simple times and modern people taking a step back to them.  I'm currently reading The Way Home by Mark Boyle, and it really has me hooked.

And it really has me thinking ... as all good books should.

Sue xx

Challenging Times Ahead, with Bunnies and Crackers

 

Although I'm not doing an 'official' challenge this year, this year is probably going to turn out to be my biggest ever Challenge.  

I have retired a year early to join Alan who is officially a pensioner now, with his State Pension going into the bank every four weeks, his bus pass in his wallet and time on his hands.  Well maybe not that much time on his hands up to now, but you know what I mean.  It means that now I no longer have a regular income at the end of each month as my company is in the final stages of being closed down.

I do have a teeny tiny little pension from my years working for the charity Scope, and that will start on the first of May.  It's a grand total of £77.02 each month, and I am very grateful for it while I await the State Pension kicking in next year just after my next birthday.

Between the littlest pension in the world, my son's repayment of a loan to me and the sixty or so pounds of interest on my savings that, as I have previously mentioned, I am moving in the opposite direction this year, I am now living on less than I have ever lived on before.  

It feels like now is the time all my previous challenges were leading up to.

BUT ...

... I do have to stop the splurging on things that I really don't need and get my challenge head on and fully in action.

This Booths shop was hopefully my last splurge, as I wanted to get Alan something for Easter that in his words 'are not to be a chocolate egg'.  So cheese and crackers it was then, cheese from Sainsbury's and crackers from Booths as I forgot them earlier ... along with the tiniest chocolate bunny I could find.  

While I'm not officially blogging my challenge this time, I have no doubt whatsoever that it will come up in day to day conversation, whether it works out or not, so you don't have to feel that you are missing out in any way. 😄

Sue xx

Hats ... and Renovations

I can't take that man of mine anywhere!!

Really I can, his humour and our sense of fun is what keeps us relatively sane.  😁

After a tough four months of activity with our business, Mum's ill health, the renovations on her bungalow and our own health issues we are enjoying some well earned days of sunshine, lunches out and well, just taking it easy.

From retirement being something that Alan dreaded he is now relishing every moment of time to himself, time together and a little bit of time to do the things that we choose to do rather than the things that we have to do.

 I have had a few requests to share the renovations to the bungalow, so here are two YouTube videos that show a quick before and a slightly more leisurely after.  I had the kitchen fitter following me round on the before, he was itching to start the rip-out.  😄

https://youtu.be/GjQsSmAzePo?si=7ErP7R25w1g4XRPz

Mum's Bungalow - Before

https://youtu.be/cAxdsIDo0WE?si=zrlLBLa_qkUMVbsf

And then Mum's bungalow after.

(If you visit the links would you click on the 'Thumbs Up' Like button so that I can see how many views they have ... unless you absolutely hate them of course!!)

Although we have enjoyed bringing this lovely little bungalow back to life, it has been tough with us not living close by, and the travel times and the hard work have been a bit more than we realised.  It meant that while we combined each work day with a visit to Mum in her lovely care home, she has not seen the best of us for a while.  We have been exhausted, in our scruffier clothes and not the most scintillating company, but she understands ... or at least I hope she does. Still, a little rest and we should be rearing to go again.

Did I really just say that ... go again!!

Sue xx

New One, Free One, National Trust One

It seems that I am very random when it comes to picking up books.

We are just back from a weekend away in Wales, cutting the grass at our flat ... nope, the sale still hasn't gone through yet ... so we took advantage of the gorgeous weather and turned it into a weekend away. 

 Who doesn't love a sort of free holiday.  😀

The bible was a gift through the letterbox when we arrived at the flat, so I brought it home with me, the Lucy Mangan book was brought brand spanking new from Waterstones, when we called in the Llandudno branch for a coffee and a flapjack.  

Then on Sunday morning, after breakfast at Tesco, we took a drive out to see our old homestead, and then visited Bodnant Gardens before we set off for home.  Of course it would be rude not to partake of a coffee and a scone when you visit a National Trust destination ... and a peruse of the books on the shelves of the second-hand book room is obviously a must.

Freebies from Tesco café.

 

Little gifts ready for our soon to be born third great-grandson, there's something lovely about buying tiny clothes isn't there.

It was a good weekend, lots accomplished and wall to wall sunshine and blue skies.

And a friendly little chap that joined us for some scone crumbs.

Sue xx

Metal Mickey Has Gone Home

 

Early morning light on the River Wyre.

We now have a little bit of time to ourselves to enjoy slowing down.  The glorious weather of the past few days has been lovely, and while this photo was taken a couple of weeks ago and the trees look a bit sparse, they are now starting to green up and the world is really coming to life.

Our company is in the final stages of liquidation now and anything else that needs to be done will be done by the liquidators.  Before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion I will point out that we are in 'solvent liquidation', meaning that we have closed down in a profitable state with no bills, no worries and no debts.  That is why one of the last things to be done, which will be much later this year, is to pay the taxman his cut.  He taxed us when we set up, he taxed us while we operated over the last seventeen years and he will tax us again as  we close.  

I would say I hate tax men, but I can't my brother happens to work for the Inland Revenue!!

The renovations on Mum's bungalow are now complete. 

 There is a complete new kitchen with all new white goods, it's newly decorated throughout and with new electric heaters, carpets, blinds and curtains.  Alan has worked so hard throughout the whole process, aided and abetted by kitchen fitters, a plumber and an electrician.

And 'Metal Mickey' as I christened the rented dehumidifier has been returned to his rightful owners, after clanking all the way back from Manchester in the back of our car wearing his seatbelt.

We both have a real sense of phew!!

Sue xx

Two Leeks, One Carrot, One Onion, One Apple and One Pack of Pastry

 

Last week in Aldi leeks were in their Super Six, so I decided to buy myself a pack as I hadn't had any leeks for ages.  

 I've been on a mission to use up the large stock of onions that I seemed to have.  They have really lasted me well, perhaps mostly due to me buying the odd single onion here and there to take advantage of extra Sainsbury's Nectar points for onions ... one onion, or banana or any fruit or vegetable is enough to qualify you for between 20 and 50 points when they are listed amongst your specials for the week, an offer not to be sneezed at.

So this week while they were still nice and fresh I decided to use them up over the course of two days.

Day one was soup.  A nice simple leek, carrot, onion and odds and sods concoction, making use of the last of a lettuce, a couple of dessertspoons of bouillon powder and some onion and garlic powder.

Five good portions, one for immediately after it was made, one for the fridge and three for the freezer.  It's a good job there was a bit of space in there after me eating from it at least once a day over the last week.

Day two was Potato and Leek Slice from Miguel Barclays 'Meat-free' cookbook.

This is a firm favourite and I've made it a few times now, this time I made it rather large as both my potato and leek were very generously sized.  So when it came out of the oven looking super-sized, I shared it with Alan as he hadn't started prepping his tea.  I had the two end pieces as I love pastry and he had the middle section as he prefers the filling to the wrapping. 😄

Here's the recipe.

https://youtu.be/0hT4A3BGerQ?si=o1yWxW-_sRaVbf7B

And here's the man himself making it, very speedily!!

Of course from the pack of ready rolled puff pastry ... one of the packs of pastry that I rescued from Mum's freezer ... there was some left over.  So here's where the 'one apple' comes in.

Just one apple thinly sliced and laid out in the centre scored section of two rectangles of puff pastry, sprinkled with the contents of one of the rescued brown sugar sachets from my stash, and baked alongside the main course.

It was supposed to be for dessert, but Alan had his for supper and I saved mine until this morning as the potato and leek slice was just so filling.

Apple, pastry and squirty cream for breakfast ... I don't mind if I do.  😁

Sue xx

Easy Peelers

 

Is there anyone else out there that loves it when a sticker comes off a jar in one fell swoop?

I hate stickers of any sort with a vengeance, and I'm frequently found peeling them off things that Alan has bought, as well as anything that I buy.  I have had to fight for years not to peel all the information stickers off my laptop ... but Alan says that is a huge no-go.  The day it dies it's final death, not long to go now I fear, I will peel away with relish.

But jars, now that is a thing.  If the sticker peels off in one go, or soaks off easily in a bowl of soapy water, I am loath to let go of what might be a very useful jar.  

It seems I have a cupboard full of very useful jars.

Sue xx

And no, I don't have Pittakionophobia ... I just dislike stickers and the residue they leave on things.

The Books That I Read in March

 

Eat. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer

This is the book that carried over from February's reading and that I promised to report back on.

I enjoyed reading this book, especially all the nutritional and food information that takes up about the first three quarters of the book, but the recipes in it were really not my sort of thing at all.  It is also quite a few years out of date as it was published in 2015.  Would I recommend it, yes if you can borrow it from the library or get yourself a second-hand copy, but I don't think it's worth splashing out the full cover price for.

The index, and one of the pages that resonated with me, just to give you an idea of the contents.

Now it has been donated back to the book table at Booths.

The New Whole 30 by Melissa Urban

I was really interested in reading the new version of The Whole 30.  I had the original book, and indeed did the Whole 30 for myself many years ago.  So I decided to treat myself to this new version.  It was a really good read and whilst I am not going to actually do the whole process again, it was good to refresh my mind and read about the new learnings since the original one was written.

This book has been kept on my shelves.

Food for Thought, Keeping Well in Wartime published by The Imperial War Museum

This is a cute little box set of two books.

One is all about wartime eating and the other about keeping healthy.  While some of the advice seems very dated, if you are interested in this era of UK history, as you all know I am, they are both good little reads.  Click on the link under the photo to find out more about them.

Donated.

Nancy's Green and Easy Kitchen by Nancy Birtwistle

I pre-ordered this book last year as soon as I heard that Nancy was writing it and it came right at the end of February.  Nancy is the down to earth lady that won the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off, and is famous for calling Paul Hollywood 'the male judge', something that has really stuck with her fans. 

All her books are really good, full of environmentally sound advice for both cooking and household matters.  She has a huge following on Instagram these days, and I believe regular slots on BBC - Morning Live.

This is a really good book with a mixture of tips and lots of recipes, and one that I am definitely keeping on my shelf.

Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift

I spotted this book on the charity book table in Booths last month and thought 'that would be good to read just before Mother's Day'.  I just could not get into it at all, the style of writing just didn't gel with me and I was eager to get on to something else.

Donated ... back to the book table. (In time for Mothering Sunday. 😊)

The Garden Cottage Diaries by Fiona J Houston

This is the book that I have just started reading and that will start off the April books.

Artist - Jess Mason

Sue xx

I would like to point out, that although I provide links to Amazon for all the books that I read each month, not all my books are bought from Amazon.  If they are, some of them were bought from the Used section rather than at full price.  You do not need to spend a fortune to read good books. 💖

I share the links so that you can learn more about the books that I write about for yourself, or read reviews from others that have read them.  Of course most of the books I talk about would also be available from your local library, and if you are very lucky you might even find them in charity or thrift shops. 

There are so many ways to bring books into your home if you love reading. 📚

The Spice of Life

 

Alan bought me this lovely Indian Spice Tin for Christmas last year.  We were shopping in Booths and had nipped upstairs for a bacon butty for his Lordship and a coffee for both of us, and then we had a look at their beautiful gift department, that in our store is situated just at the bottom of the stairs to the café.  It must have been having a full tummy and a happy heart that made him drop the spice tin into our trolley as soon as I had said the words ... 'ooh I have always wanted one of those'.  

No sooner said than bought.  I did have to wait until Christmas morning to play with my lovely new toy though.  😄 

It came wrapped in a beautiful sari fabric, similar to this one and it's almost a shame not to keep it in that but now it's naked in my cupboard, always ready for action.  I would love to have it out on the side of the cooker as it is in regular use, but spices like to be out of the light ... so I am being good.

It is slowly taking the place of my spice drawer, but I am finding it hard to downscale to just seven herbs and spices.

I think with the larger bags that I bought the other day I might decant them into larger jars and add them to the other things in the main food cupboard that keep me on the spicier side of life.  I think I need a spice edit.

My favourite spice is cumin, and is the one that I always chose for the Ration Challenge ... what is your favourite and most used spice?

Sue xx

What was it I said about NOT doing a Challenge?

 

I'm obviously missing the opportunity to visit Sainsbury's, as while our little store is closed for renovation we have been to two different Sainsbury's for a look around.  The shopping above came from the branch in Morecambe, we have driven past it so many times on our way to the sea front, but this time we decided to stop on our way home as we needed to buy a microwave for the bungalow ... the renovations are almost complete now!!

I don't actually know what this little lot cost me, as the total was £29.80 but with some things for Alan that he has already used up and I can't remember what they were. 

Then yesterday between working on the bungalow in the morning, and visiting Mum in the afternoon we stopped in Sale town centre for a quick lunch and a coffee, parking in Sainsbury's car park.  Alan mentioned that he needed milk, so while he went for a snooze in the car ... he was really tired ... I took the £1 coupon part of the parking ticket and went into the store for a ten minute wander around.  Now in this huge branch, unlike ours, there is a World Food aisle, so I decided to stock up on a couple of spices that I use a lot of.

I spent the grand total of £7.65 on my spices and the milk. 

400g Turmeric - £2

400g Cumin - £2.90

100g Garlic Powder - £1.30

Milk £1.45

What a bargain. 😀

Then this morning, while I'm on my own as Alan is back at the bungalow for a day of electrical work,  I went for a mooch around Booths and bought some really treaty kind of shopping.  A couple of things that I needed, and some that I just wanted.  

Another £44.81 spent.

Oh, and a final temptation while I was dropping off a couple of books onto the charity book table in Booths, this Jamie Oliver book made me buy it.  I used to have the hardback version of this and sold it at a car boot sale a few years back.  I instantly regretted it, and here it was in paperback form, in perfect condition for just £1. 

 It just had to be mine.

And now I have to rein in my frivolous spending, as there are no wages going into my bank account at the end of this month.  My Scope pension starts on the 1st May and that is the grand total of £77.02 each month.  It's actually going to be quite interesting having such a small amount to play with.

At the moment I have an extra £25 a week going into my bank account as my son is midway through paying a loan back, so I have an extra hundred a month for the next ten weeks.  To top me up even further I have decided to reverse my current 'keep the savings account figure nice and even' thing and instead of adding to the savings to top up the random figure left by the interest going into my savings account, I will be moving the interest amount out of savings into my current account.

Every little helps when your pension for the next year is going to be so low.  😀

What was it I said about not doing a Challenge!!

Sue xx

So ... What COULD You Buy?

 

It was a lovely morning on Saturday, so after an early coffee on the patio we decided to go to Booths for a couple of things that I needed and while we were there have another coffee.  It's always a lovely atmosphere in our Booths café, and especially at the weekend if you are there early enough to avoid the crowds ... and we were.

It was going to be just a coffee each as we had already eaten, me porridge with peanut butter and Alan a couple of slices of toast, but while he was waiting his turn in the queue (yes, that is him waving at you in the photo), Alan spotted a sign that said the  Victoria Sponge slices were half-price.  Well he said, it would have been rude not to partake ... so he did.

We spent -

Black Americano  £3.10

Latte  £3.50

half price Cake -  £1.88

Total = £ 8.48

Now you just know what's coming next don't you!!

For just £6.40 we could have bought a whole Victoria sponge cake and a whole jar of coffee.

OR

Enough food to make three meals a day for two people for two days ... with leftovers.

On the menu:

Breakfast - both days

2 slices of toast and marmalade plus a banana per person

Lunch

Day 1 - Cheese and onion sandwich

Day 2. - Cheese and tomato sandwich

(Using 3 slices of bread per person, per day)

Tea - on both days

Spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, served with broccoli and a side of garlic bread, made from the crusts of the bread.

Leftovers

Approximately 6 slices of bread

Two thirds of a jar of marmalade

Two thirds of a jar of mayonnaise

Six cloves of garlic

Half tube of tomato puree

Half a bag of frozen broccoli.

Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe

1 tin of tomatoes

most of an onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

half a tube of tomato puree

grated carrots

You pays your money and you takes your choice. 😀

Oh, and of course I brought home our unused things.  😁

Sue xx

Castles ... and Funerals

 

Yesterday was all about castles and funerals.

First I booked us a midweek break to the Warner Leisure Hotels Studley Castle in Warwickshire.  These holidays are a real treat, brilliant surroundings, a spa and pool for Alan to use, and peace and quiet for me as there are no children in the hotels.  I always go all out with the booking to make it extra special, getting us a VIP pass, a bottle of wine with every evening meal and a late check-out on the last day, so that breakfast can be leisurely before we set off for home.

This time we also have a day trip out to Stratford upon Avon to look forward to, so we won't be in the hotel for the full four days.  Last time Alan had archery lessons, but he's been there and done that so no need to do it again. 🏹

Then I sat down at the computer to 'book' something completely different. 😄

Mum has had a Pure Cremation funeral plan in place for a number of years now.  When she paid it was below £1,500 in price and it's locked in at that price until it's needed.  When she got a letter last week with three vouchers to give to family or friends, which gave her and them a £100 gift card for signing up, her for the recommendation and them for the booking of a plan, we decided it was a bit of a no-brainer.  She stands to get £300 worth of gift cards and us £100 each.  Plus for signing up before the 1st April we all got an additional £100 off the cost of the plans.  A frugalista's dream.

  So me, my brother and Alan have all made use of the vouchers this week.  Locking our future funerals in at £1,895 ... which hopefully by the time we need to have them will be an even bigger saving than it works out at the moment.  Seemingly the average price of a basic UK funeral is just over £4k for a cremation and just over £5k for a burial at todays prices.  

It seems a strange thing to some folk to talk about funerals and future wishes for after you're gone, but it's something that I have absolutely no qualms in talking about, and neither has my Mum.  We have a good dark humour thing going on in our family, that only my oldest son thinks is strange.  

My only bone of contention is that Alan wanted my ashes back to scatter himself.  I have a weird dislike of urns in the house, so I have told him that he needs to dispose of me in one little hole in the ground ... so plopped in not scattered to the wind ... and then top me with a bush or tree, and as soon as is possible.  

He, however, wants his ashes taken to Scotland to be scattered on the grave of his Mum and Dad, that's fine I can do that, but his urn will have to live in the shed until the day I set off.  😐

I do hope the urns are recyclable, in one bin or another!!

So all in one day I spent a good amount on a great holiday for us to look forward to,  and saved us money on our funerals, a very good use of my time. 

Sue xx 

The Greenest of Green Pasta ... and Handcream

 

I had a bag of mixed salad leaves in the fridge at the end of last week, they were really out of date but looked in reasonable condition, so I decided that they would volunteer to become a nice portion of pesto.  I simply whizzed them up in the Nutribullet with some extra virgin olive oil, some garlic, some cashews, a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast and a handful of finely grated cheese.

Oh, it was delicious.

Then I cooked some pasta ... which as it happens was also green ... and once cooked and drained poured over the pesto, stirred through some chopped spring onions and halved cherry tomatoes and warmed everything together for a few minutes.  Then I served a portion each for me and Alan.  It was so tasty I completely forgot to take a photo of the dishes side by side!!

But here for your delight and delectation* are the leftovers which I had for lunch the following day.  😀

My handcream/moisturiser started refusing to come out of the pump dispenser last week.  I could tell by the weight of it that there was some in there,  but no amount of tapping it down to the bottom would make any appear.  So I took it apart and left the bottle stood upside down in one of my Gu ramekins.  Even I was surprised at how much I got out after twenty four hours of it standing on it's head.

I popped a lid on the little jar and used what was left around the neck of the bottle for a day of hand cream action and then I peeled off the label and gave the container a really good wash out.  

I am going to be using it in the shower for the dispensing of some tea-tree and mint scented shower gel that I am using at the moment.  I don't normally use any sort of shower gel as I prefer bar soap, but I am still trying desperately to get some sense of smell back and it's advised to use a lot of scents that you can picture in your head and that your brain should have some memory of.  

It's not actually working yet, but the essential oils in the shower gel are definitely giving me a few minutes reprieve from my hayfever which seems to have rushed in on me much earlier than usual this year.

Thank goodness for little pots and their lids.

Sue xx

*  A little nod to The Good Old Days, which I used to love watching as a child.