Monday 4 December 2017

Money seems to go just one way in December . . .



We don't go mad at Christmas, but there are still essential things which have to be bought - food for the Christmas period (I try and spread this over several weeks, especially with meat which can be frozen, and nibbly things, which will last anyway).  Keith never over-eats and if it was left to him, would be happy to ignore Christmas entirely, and just have a normal meal.   Obviously we have some extra goodies, make a special dessert - which is nearly ALWAYS fresh fruit salad (for Keith) and chocolate and raspberry roulade for the rest of us.  A cheese board.  A couple of good bottles of wine, and something fizzy for the girls. 

The Christmas present shopping is just about done (just close family) and again, we don't go mad over this.  I need to get some Amazon vouchers for family in East Anglia and then I'm about done.

Monday is the day we most often go into town to get groceries, and we left our trip until this afternoon as I had an appointment at the Cardiology department to get fitted with a portable ECG to wear for 24 hours to monitor my heart, and any irregularities.  I am still getting some arrhythmia at night, though it is better since I have dropped back from 6 puffs to 5 of my Fostair inhaler.  I don't use the strong one now, as that did seem to make me worse.  I only ever get the blips at night, when it is scariest.  Tomorrow I have an echocardiogram so they can see first hand if there is any obvious problem.  I am hoping it is just the medication I am on as both things have arrhythmia as a side-effect.

Anyway, having done the grocery shopping, and the Hospital, we popped back into town as I needed new cords, and hadn't found any decent ones.  M&S was a right-off as they had lovely ones but those in my size and length had already been sold, and I really DIDN'T want any in mustard or stone.  So it was back down the road to check out the Edinburgh Woollen Mill (not my first choice I have to say), but when I got there they were having a sale (again - or is that STILL?) and I found two pairs which fitted well, and were half price, and I topped it off with a lovely Fuschia pink cotton jumper.

I came home to a letter from my Dutch penpal (I owed her a long-overdue one, truth be told).  It is lovely to receive snail-mail and I am about to write back as soon as I have posted this.

Tea was of the bung-it variety (as usual).  I had some mince to use up, so browned off a couple of chopped Shallots (on offer in Lidl this week, 39p a bag I think - I got two).  They are just the right size for a small meal recipe.  Then I browned off the mince (1/3 of a large pack), chopped up 6 fresh Lidl baby plum tomatoes, and a chunk of red pepper, and added about 1/2 cup of white rice (I know, but it cooks much quicker than brown, which I normally use).  Salt and pepper to season, about a tablespoonful of tomato puree and a pint of beef stock.  You can zizz this up with curry powder/paste, chilli powder, or BBQ sauce (or any sauce come to that) or add a tin of spicy mixed beans.  It depends how many you are catering for too.  It can be bulked out with frozen mixed veg.  Anyway, with a big helping of cauliflower and green beans, that stuck to my ribs good and proper.  No photo . . .

Right, this won't do.  I had better write to Jeanette.




10 comments:

  1. Hi BB,

    Is that your tree as it looks beautiful. I have to cater for all sorts; two Diabetics (Geoff and Paul (my stepson), four grandchildren (the eldest hardly eats any veggies - but will eat most of everything else) and three other adults who have likes and dislikes so there always ends up being a right mish mash. I also send supplies to both of the children as well. Something which my mother-in-law used to do with us when the kiddies were home. Something which I have carried on. Glad you found some cords - they are lovely and warm at this time of year. Hope you get your letter to your pen friend sorted. I also hope the quilts are going well (for the girls) presents. Your daughters (and Danny) are lucky to have such a lovely mum. Catch you soon. Tricia (aka Pattypan) xx

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    1. No, we haven't got our tree yet, but hopefully in the next few days we will. I think we will go for a Nordman fir this year as I am fed up with still vacuuming up needles in June!!

      It sounds like you will have a real houseful at Christmas. I love your idea of "supplies to the kids"!! Gives you a real purpose with all your wonderful preserve making etc.

      I've always worn cords and prefer them to denim jeans. I only have one pair of those.

      Gabby's quilt is ready to sandwich now - I bought some more safety pins yesterday to pin the layers together. I need to get back to finishing piecing the top of Tam's - am doing the sashing. I think I will be lucky if I finish them in time!

      As someone who thought she was never going to have children, I think the world of my family, and would lay down on a train track if I thought it would save them from any harm. Mind you, pretty well all mums would say the same.

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    2. Hi BB, I had thought it was your dining room from the appearance of the shuttering. Probably will not get our tree up until the week of 18 December - have a lot to do and a house inspection by the Landlord's Agent to contend with. Fencing has now been done but there are still a lot of other things on the list. Looks as though am going to have my work cut out. Glad you got on ok with the heart monitor thingy. You are not sensitive to plaster are you? I always itch with anything like that and although they say I am not allergic whenever I have anything done I always opt for the Micropore which is the white tape that they use for people with sensitivities as it saves a lot of bother that way on. Once upon a time we used to buy their Christmas Turkey but they now both source their own Christmas dinners and get little extras here and there in the form of Red Cross parcels. All I have to do now is just the fresh stuff and meat. However next year is going to be different again. Christmas will start in January again as I have not quite achieved one or two things due to lack of time and unexpected things happening. So to get it all out of the way with I will start making things for next year on the present front to allow myself more time and also do my own cards. Only got a few made this year. Glad you are getting on with the quilts I bet they look smashing. Take care Pattypanxx

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  2. Beautiful tree, it looks like frost touched it very lightly. Just lovely.

    cheer, parsnip

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    1. It's a fake one parsnip, but a good fake. Do you remember we went to Abbey Cwm Hir last month, and it was all Christmassed-up? This was one of theirs, although tbh, it could be in our Morning Room (now Dining Room) window as we have the same Georgian shutters in there.

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    2. What a lovely idea and great thinking of you.

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  3. Oh, you have relatives over here in the East of the country, north or south of the border ( Norfolk or Suffolk)?
    Hope the ECG thing goes OK and that tree is one that definitely needs a big room in a big house, the clear glass ornaments look good

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    1. Coastal Essex, but that's East Anglia to me! We used to go to Dedham when we stayed each summer/New Year, and I still remember the year they opened the Munnings gallery specially for me, so I could go in and choose/buy one of his prints.

      Echocardiogram went OK - results 7 - 10 days - and I was very glad to get the ECG stickers off as one in particular was itching like a horse fly bite.

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  4. You sound to be getting on nicely with your Christmas arrangements this year. Well done.

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    1. I had a slow start, but have wound up a few gears now (thank heavens!)

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