From my walk yesterday - I hate the thought of Aberedw hill being covered in a gigantic wind farm and huge metal pylons marching through Wales, and the destruction of the landscape and wildlife and everything that goes with it. . . However, since not only have the Welsh assembly got their pension pot invested in this debacle, but apparently a serving Welsh politician is now on the board of Bute Energy. No vested interests there then . . .
I went to Llandod today and after walking round the charity shops (only two now as the 3rd - Red Cross was it? - has now shut), I looked at my shopping list and there was nothing I needed to go to Aldi for. I got fuel at Tesco and then ventured into the Tesco store. Cat food was high on my priorities - I needed to try and ring the changes again but didn't want to buy a 40 pack of Whiskas and find they were still "off" it. They had boxes of 12 pouches at buy 4 get one free. I got two different brands. The same applied to the Purina cat biscuits, so I stocked up on those as well - over a month's supply there. At least they all eat those. A big chunk spent there but several weeks' cat food is now in the Utility.
Their jam sugar, at £2.80, was much cheaper than Co-op which is the only place I've been able to source it recently. I bought two. Their Activia gut health yoghurt also on a special offer, so bought 2 x 4. The Shampoo I use was also half price - £4 instead of £8, so that went in the trolley too. The chocolate bars I was going to buy were also reduced by 35p each pack. Two of those. Jaffa easy peelers also reduced from £2.00 to £1.29 and I had oranges on my list, as I want to see how my gut reacts to those as I haven't been able to eat oranges this past year.
Some turkey mince was reduced and in the clearance chiller, as were some nice strawberries. I also spotted a Chicken Chow Mein which I have just eaten as my "treat" meal. It was always a Madras curry in the past, but need to side step strong chilli flavours now. I've had several cheap weeks, and with a £29.60 reduction on my shop, it wasn't so painful. I have plenty of main meal components in the freezer, so back to v. frugal next week.
I have taken the plaster off my cut finger now and it is healing nicely, so hopefully it won't need a plaster on, although I have my quilting class tomorrow, so may put one on because of all the driving and having to cut the binding fabric.
So, not a lot happening. I need to have a sort out in the greenhouse and get the dead cucumber plants out and on the compost heap. They did me well this year. I shan't grow cherry tomatoes next year - they were overly sweet and I prefer the Alicante type of tomato for salads or Black Russian when I can get them. I hope I can rekindle my enthusiasm for the garden next year, as it went into hibernation this summer, with the heat week on week.
I am reading (well, re-reading) an old book of Phil Rickman's, writing under his pseudonum of Will Kingdom. This is The Cold Calling, and there is another of his, both featuring Shaman Cindy Mars-Lewis, a cross-dressing Shaman, which I have on my Kindle. Spooky but good reads and set along the Marches with Mean Spirit starting in the New Forest. Both areas I know well. Upstairs reading (a smaller book for a poorly finger- is S J Parris's Prophecy. All her books are unputdownable/amazing listening (have several on Audible).
If you are ever in Blackwood at tomato plant time they have a brilliant selection in the family run garden centre down by the river. I got my Russian Black there as a £1 cheapie when they were selling the last of them off. Most vigorous and fruitful!
ReplyDeleteI've found some at car boot sales in the past, but if I ever go to Blackwood at the right time . . .
DeleteI have a question regarding "jam sugar". How is that different than regular sugar? Here in the USA we have two standard sugars available to us. Cane sugar comes from sugar cane plants in the southern states, and sugar beet sugar from sugar beets grown right here in Michigan and probably other northern states as well. Then there is maple sugar from maple tree sap, boiled down, but that is primarily used for candies and treats. Powdered sugar or confectionary sugar is finely ground sugar mixed with a wee big of cornstarch to prevent caking. We just use either cane or beet sugar for making jams.
ReplyDeleteIt has pectin in it, to ensure a good set and minimal scum on top of jam when cooking. For baking, we have granulated sugar and finer castor sugar (can be from cane or sugar beet), demerara sugar (brown), and they now do a very fine light brown sugar too, and then the fine sticky Muscavado sugar. Oh, and icing sugar too. That's your powdered or confectionary sugar.
DeleteThe strange barge that plants the windmills in the ocean spent a month here! On the horizon but very visible, the turbines are much bigger. Right outside my window. Why is that necessary...and I thought it had been blocked. The power created does not come to my area but to other parts of NY state! Horrible. This is very sneaky, no one seems aware. And I am imagining this dystopian rusted eyesore in 50, 75 years, as it becomes neglected and unused. Like a terrible apocalypse film.
ReplyDeleteGroceries here seem about 25% increased, check my math---what used t cost $150 for two weeks delivery, now is over 200.oo. I go thru my list, crossing off luxuries like fancy ice cream and bakery bread. Generics subbed for many things.
When I cut my hand a few weeks ago, it almost healed but then got injured by a plastic cover/ packaging. Maybe put a band-aid to quilt and garden, etc.
love
lizzy
The power that would be generated here does not go to Welsh cities and towns, but to the National Grid, and the money goes abroad to the companies that will buy the wind farm plans once they are passed in the planning stage . . .
DeleteYup, groceries going up here, seemingly week on week too. I bought a small white loaf today but back to baking after this. No ice cream now summer's gone (I did have a berry lolly with ice cream middle on my way back from Malvern - I thought I'd earned it). I usually do the bulk of my shopping in the cheapest store, which is Aldi, but not much that they had that I needed on my list today. I will be putting a plaster on to keep the wound clean as it finishes healing, but it's dried just since having the other plaster off. Don't want to make it bleed mightily again.