I decided as it was so cold out, I would delay gardening till later and go and get the week's shopping as I was very low on fresh veg and salad. I went into the little newsagents by the PO, to see if they had any cookery magazines to tempt me. No, but this lovely magazine is always full of my sort of things, including a selection of baking recipes I know I shall return to again and again. Now I don't have a newspaper each day as we always did when Keith was alive - I only buy one sometimes now - I thought I wasn't being too over-indulgent, especially as I had found some small change in a drawer, forgotten, which pretty well paid for most of the shop at Aldi! The magazine has gone up another 26p in price since the one I bought last year though. Just as well I keep them forever for the recipes etc in them.
The wine is for when Tam is here at the weekend, and the "Tarts" is a gorgeous lemon tart I couldn't resist, as I was tasting Lemon Meringue in my head, so to speak, yesterday and my palate just HAD to have some of this. The Oriental/pepper is a Stir Fry mix for tonight. This shop cost me £7.49 as I found £25 in change. I was abstemious in Tesco too, but think the two ladies in front of me, mum and daughter by the look of it, must shop monthly as they spent £336 on two trolley fulls!
To my surprise, the little cheap charity shop was open, and I went in to look for a Kate Ellis novel. Unlucky there, but I did find some craft things, abandoned WIPs, including this kit of Beauty and the Beast, partly done. Original stitcher had lost all hope once she had finished the all black corner!! I was charged just £3, and there is a lot of useful embroidery floss there which I can share with sewing friends.
I stuck to my shopping list, but after reading the recipes in the magazine, needed apricots (I bought tinned) and some more Ground Almonds. I was shocked at the price for the latter in Tesco - £4.25 for 250g and £6.60 for 500g. I went back to Aldi, and bought two 100g packs at 99p each. Some difference! I shall make the Banana and Strawberry loaf for Tam, Rosie and I at the weekend, and have a friend visiting on Thursday so I shall make the Sticky Apricot Loaf then. I love trying out new cake recipes.
I have been listening to various podcasts on my phone when I drive. On Friday it was several episodes of Three Ravens podcast, which I can recommend (folklore and slightly spooky things). I also listen to various history podcasts. Saves expenditure on Audible anyway, though when they offer me three months at 99p a month, I shall stock up on more long books. I need to finish getting the last couple of Outlander novels. ANyway, I thought I was about to listen to another Three Ravens podcast this morning, but turns out I had touched something which suddenly gave me a Findyourpast podcast, so that is another one to tune in to when I'm going somewhere. This morning's was part 3 about Lucy Worsley's family (gran onwards) so I will have to listen to the first two parts. Right, Badminton Horse Trials now. . . .
Hope that you are all enjoying your weekend.
Aren't magazines expensive now. I have a Country Living subscription that was a present, and I sometimes pick up a magazine when the Mail has some vouchers inside. I've split my mint plant and had 3 spare, so they went on our estate buddy group and have new homes. We have Baby C tomorrow and the school run, it will be sausages for tea as that's easy. Take care. Xx
ReplyDeleteI have one too (many thanks D). It is normally only the Landscape magazine that tempts me, unless Period Living has some mouth-watering houses in. Wise to split up your mint. I put one in my herb garden in the paddock at Ynyswen, and it romped away across the paddock, in great glee! I am babysitting on Friday, so will have to be out the door v. early as it's an hour and a half's drive to Tam's.
DeleteI find it's only worth buying magazines now if they have something that I know I will want to keep for a long time, whether it be recipes, inspiration or just a really good read. It's strange that some magazines are more expensive than books even when both are new. Every time I mention magazines on my blog I get folk telling me to read them online via a library app, but I do like an actual paper copy. Actually I've not bought one for ages, and I've even let my Radio Times subscription run out now.
ReplyDeleteI'm lioke you, I prefer a proper paper copy of a magazine, especially the Landscape one which hassuch splendid photographs of countryside, crafts and food. There have been a couple of Country Living "specials" I've seen but at £15 a hit they have stayed on the shelf!
DeleteThe on offer mini apples in Aldi this week were a good bargain - I thought about the mangos for chutney but the last time I made some I kept forgetting to eat it so didn't bother and anyway I need to do some batch meal making asap next week rather than faffing with chutney.
ReplyDeleteThey were a good buy - I eat a lot of apples. I can't make chutney any more as the fumes upset my asthma. It irks me to have to buy it!
DeleteI have a subscription to Landscape magazine and the recipes are the first things I look at each month. Whoever comes up with them does a fantastic job.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of Three Ravens podcast, but I do enjoy Weird in the Wade on BBC Sounds. That is slightly spooky stuff too and originally centred around Biggleswade, but has now branched out to cover stories from elsewhere. I am also a fan of murder mysteries, particularly the classic 'golden age' stuff and I like Shedunnit (on BBC Sounds again) which concentrates on books from that era. The other one I really like is Real Vikings (same again) narrated by Iain Glenn, which is a very good history podcast with the added bonus of Mr Glen's beautiful voice.
The Landscape recipes are normally my sort of cooking - farmhouse style baking. I'm not into faffing around with hard-to-get ingredients and a recipe name which is simply a list of half the ingredients! Liz O'Keefe is apparently the Home Economist for the magazine. Keep up the good work gal.
DeleteI am sure you will enjoy it. I am still working my way through 4 years' worth and have heard about a dozen now. I especially enjoyed the Netley Abbey one as we used to play there.
Will have to check out Weird in the Wade. Gabby gave me a link to a podcast about Poisoners but the woman's voice in it is really irritating - and they have linked each programme to a cocktail, which they drink, and I get the feeling she is half drunk every time!
Cost of magazines is ridiculous, but then so is everything else now. You might find bundles of the "posher" mags on Vinted {there she goes again, Vinted!} I shopped around, bided my time and took out a 12 month subscription to Simple Things, but have cancelled now.
ReplyDeleteAh, it is just the odd one that calls to me. If I go to Vinted, it will be a BIG mistake!! I have seen the Simple Things mag but put it down because of price.
DeleteDaphne's Diary has priced itself out of my life. I cannot justify $25 for it. In reality $10 is it.
ReplyDeleteI also buy abandoned craft projects when I find them. I've finished a linen tablecloth. The threads came with it. My best find was angora from France. I bought it, have no idea of what I'll use it for, but it's nice to feel it every so often.
Another one which never came my way, based purely on price. I have bought abandoned projects in the past but not now - have too many of my own to finish!!
DeleteYou made me smile at the thought of you stroking that angora . . . I can just imagine what Keith would have said had he ever seen me stroking wool at Wonderwool!!
I stopped purchasing magazines awhile back as they started to be so expensive.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I can remember Rhonda on Down to Earth blog denying herself the pleasure of buying I think it was Country Living magazine each month, but in the end deciding that it was a small pleasure she could afford. One now and again brightens my day.
DeleteI do not know where my comments are going! Our library does a magazine drop off. You can take your favorite magazines for free. Another clever idea I heard was that a group of ladies take a subscription. The four of them get together once a week and pass the magazines between them
ReplyDeleteOh, I haven't seen them. Just gotten rid of the IWANTTODIE one, and someone telling about her amazing return to health due to Dr someoneorother . . .
ReplyDeleteThere are a few magazines in our library but not ones I am particularly keen on. THe group of ladies taking out subs and sharing mags sounds a good one.