What is a good jar ... well in my opinion it is one that releases it's label without a fight or a second thought. 😃
It's also nice and big, with a lovely wide opening and if it has a 'pop-up' button, just in case I want to use it for jam in the future, this is the absolute cherry on the jar lottery.
I do love a good jar. 🫙
I bought a box of the now 2 in a pack Jumbo Sausage Rolls from Aldi last month and I had promised that I would do a food review of them when I got around to cooking them.
I put them on to bake in the Remoska, which for the record, is the way that I always cook sausage rolls, got on with writing a blog post, reading my way around blogland etc etc and only when I got up to go to let Ginger out did I feel the heat of the Remoska and realise that I hadn't set the timer. Just one of the downsides to having absolutely no sense of smell ... there are perks too, but not as many!
I don't know how long I had left them cooking for, but obviously just enough time for a half-cremation.
In a bid to not waste too much I scalped the sausage roll of all it's burnt bits, and had the smallest lunch ever. Luckily I still have the other one in the freezer, so I will try to do the asked for food review on another day. A day in which I put it to cook, set the timer and keep my wits about me.
I didn't put the burnt bits out for the birds as I wasn't sure if birds can actually eat charcoal, so on this very rare occasion I actually put some food in the bin. 😐
In other news, much bigger news in fact, we've done something pretty amazing this week, scary yes but also amazing. Alan won't be wondering what to do with all this spare time in his retirement for the next eighteen months anyway, and I've been coppering up as I cannot afford to dip into any more of my savings in the run up to me eventually getting my state pension next May.
Happily my little money box had a grand total of £13.40, enough to go towards this weeks shopping.
I can't go into too much detail yet, but we bidded for and won a property at auction this week. Homes Under the Hammer eat your heart out, we think we have our future-proof forever home ... well the shell of it anyway. 🏠
Sue xx
Wow! Exciting news! Good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is exciting but we have to admit to having a ... 'What the bloody hell have we just done?' moment. We are starting to come to terms with it now. :-)
DeleteHow exciting! Looking forward to hearing more when you are able to tell us 🙂 Maeve xx
ReplyDeleteIt's a strange buying system when you buy at auction, and something we've never done before, so it's a bit of a learning curve.
DeleteThat all sounds great!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed that it all goes smoothly, we've had so many 'nearlys' this year.
DeleteExciting news!
ReplyDeleteIt is ... now that we've calmed down a bit. :-)
DeleteSue!!!
ReplyDeleteI know!! ;-)
DeleteOooooh can't wait to see and hear all about the property.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I can share anything I will. :-)
DeleteOooh-your next adventure! Catriona
ReplyDeleteHopefully it will be our last house purchase, this one should suit us forever.
DeleteOh, a new property! That's exciting! Congratulations :)
ReplyDeleteIt's really exciting, we've been looking for the perfect place for well over a year now, and hopefully this is it. :-)
DeleteLooking forward to the new project.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm with you on what makes a perfect jar. Aldi's have a brand of yoghurt over here in Germany in 500 ml jars that release their label, have a very wide mouth and a pop-up button. I keep collecting them, but occasionally I have to let some of them go because they seem to breed like rabbits! My fault for keeping them all ...
I have far too many jars again at the moment, but every now and then I do put some in the recycling ... mostly when we move house actually, so some might go then. :-)
DeleteHow very exciting. Is it liveable or a doer-upper?
ReplyDeleteIt's very much a doer-upper, which of course means I can design the interior to our own specifications. Alan is making me some basic floor plans as we speak. But we don't get the keys for a while, so it's all being done from memory after one viewing before the auction.
DeleteCongratulations on your new property acquisition, can’t wait for the new blog detailing the renovation, good luck to you and Alan, I know you love a challenge 😉. Jan in Castle Gresley
ReplyDeleteThank you. This is definitely a challenge, I knew I should have done an architectural course!! But we did used to own a building company, so Alan has some knowledge of the physical works needed.
DeleteWow, how exciting. I can't wait to see this progress.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midst of 'here we go again' thoughts at the moment after poring over floorplans, but this has to be done so we will just have to get stuck in. It will all be worth it in the end. :-)
DeleteBrilliant exciting news Sue! I love your blog and now I'm looking forward to it even more. Good for you and Alan.
ReplyDeleteThank you. We've always got something going on haven't we. :-)
DeleteWonderful news - looking forward to hearing about your renovations. It will keep Alan very occupied and probably you too!
ReplyDeleteIt really is. Yep, we will both be involved in the works in our various ways as usual. :-)
DeleteHow exciting and how lovely, a new project is always an inspiring time, looking forward to hearing more x
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
I'll share as soon as I know more, I promise. :-)
DeleteOh wow. I've bought many things at auction, but never a house 🏠,! Is it in the same county as where you live now? Excited for you and can't wait to hear more about it.
ReplyDeleteIt was a first for us too. Same county, same town 😀
DeleteWow , Sue, you never fail to surprise us! I'm excited now too 🤗
ReplyDeleteAngie x
I surprise myself at times!! 😄
DeleteI love a good jar, don't like food waste either (it's something I'm working on) and love your little money box, I love a nice wooden box lol.
ReplyDeleteYour news sounds so exciting, hope you share pics and progress with us please. I love seeing your challenges and progress, it's such a good blog ☺️
Ps I don't know how your going to last money wise If you can't dip into your savings and only get ya pension next May. I'd be really interested to see how you manage till May. Your so inspiring with how you manage your money and do your challenges 👍
I do love a nice wooden box, I've had this one for years. Since April of this year I've been managing on my tiny work pension of £77.45 a month, plus the interest off my savings. That will continue until my state pension kicks in, but as we have to use these savings to renovate the house the interest will go down and down. 😬😬
DeleteThat is exciting. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIt really is, scary too though!! Thank you. 😀
DeleteA good jar. A decent box. A sturdy carrier bag. I can appreciate all of them :)
ReplyDeleteExciting news about your new home. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it. Xx
Oh yes, to all of the above. I am currently using a small sized 'bag for life' from Asda that is just the perfect size. 😀
DeleteOh, how exciting, I have loved watching your many moves over the years, looking forward to finding out more about your new home. xx
ReplyDeleteWe do move around a lot don't we! Hopefully, this will be the last time. 😄
DeleteBetter stock up those cupboards now - sounds like your shopping time is about to be cut by quite a bit
ReplyDeleteLuckily we have to pass the supermarket to get to our new place, so we could always fit shopping and a coffee in on the way home. 😄
DeleteI absolutely love Homes Under the Hammer. Am really pleased that you have made a big decision for your futures. It will be so interesting for all of us on here to watch your progress. We have followed all your moves and hope this one will be happy for you both. Very best wishes..
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)
Thank you so much Wendy. ❤️
DeleteI've started watching Homes Under the Hammer again, for building tips and inspiration. RSJs here we come. 😀
A new property! Will you post photos?
ReplyDeleteEventually, hopefully. 😀
DeleteCongratulations on the new property acquisition! I know you'll have fun getting it all done up to your liking. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Bless. 😀 We just have to get all the 'not so fun' stuff out of the way first. I don't like building work, I have lived through too much of it. 🫤
DeleteI agree with you about a 'good jar', I have a small collection which tick all those boxes :-)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new life adventure! Aren't we blessed to be spending our retirements organising new projects, making plans? So much healthier than spending retirement sitting watching telly (shudder, perish the thought).
I sat with my diary and post-it notes this week and planned out a campervan trip for every single month next year, some of which involve ferries! Feeling childishly excited 😆
Thank you. ❤️ Yes, we are lucky to be making plans and doing stuff in retirement, but I have to admit to loving good tv days, and my back pain makes them very necessary sometimes.
DeleteI too love a good jar. Bonne Maman are my favourite. Labels just slip off in hot water.
ReplyDeleteI must say, your fortitude for moving house is immense! I admire you. I have lived on the same road all my life. Firstly at my parents home and then getting married and moving 10 doors away. I love it here. Although they have built all around us it's still home. Looking forward to hearing all about your new adventures. X
Oh yes, I have quite a few Bonne Maman jars, large and tiny. 😀
DeleteIt will be nice to settle down at last and at least we're staying in the same town, so we know where everything is, and there will be less paperwork.
Ooooh, very exciting. I'm really looking forward to hearing more. And, yes, Bonne Maman jars are the best - and easy to fill too with those wide necks.
ReplyDeleteThere's something very satisfying about their jars isn't there, and the lovely checked lids are the icing on the cake. 😀
DeleteWow you've actually bought a house in an auction? How exciting for you, look forward to hearing about it and hope it all turns out for the best!
ReplyDeleteIt was a bit strange, but these days it's all done over the internet which is nowhere as nerve-wracking as being in an auction room seeing who you're bidding against. 😄
DeleteA scary thought and lots of hard work to come. The end result will be your forever home converted to what you both want. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I think we both had a couple of hours thinking 'what have we done?' But then all the online paperwork started and we got stuck into it and relaxed ... a bit. 😄
DeleteI love the phrase "coppering up" and will be using it from now on.
ReplyDeleteI recently found £14.17 under the OH part of the sofa and put it in my purse for the following week - coppering up maybe? x
It's something we've always said, maybe it’s a northern thing. Now that was a good find!! 😀
DeleteCongratulations hope it works out for you both (Sandy mid wales)
ReplyDeleteThank you. ❤️ xx
DeleteHow exciting for you and Alan a new project looking forward to hearing all about it
ReplyDeleteTake care Margaret
It is nice to be working through something again together, and of course now we are retired we can really concentrate on this one without work getting in the way or Alan vanishing. :-)
DeleteWonderful news about the new move! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we've finally found somewhere after a lot of searching. It will be a while until the move though as there are a LOT or renovations that have to be done.
Delete