Very excited granddaughters

We took Norah out for a meal on Friday as it was her birthday, she couldn't stay the night afterwards as I was babysitting her and her siblings, mummy and daddy were going out.

On Saturday morning I had Norah 9, Eileen 6 and Suzy 2 here whilst their daddy was coaching their big brother's football team.

As usual we made cakes, great fun with a 2yo involved! Eileen asked if I had bought any more sprinkles as last week she'd been a bit disappointed with my supply.

Imagine her excitement and that of her sisters, when I produced 10, yes 10 new tubs of sprinkles, everything from multi-coloured sour sprinkles to rabbit and carrot ones.

I explained that a very kind person called Floss had sent them to me after reading about how disappointed she'd been last week. Eileen immediately wanted to hug Floss for her kindness.

We made 2 dozen sprinkle cakes, iced them and used a few of every different sprinkle that was sent as they couldn't agree on which to use.

Thank you, your kindness made three little girls extremely happy. 

Made a start

This is the start of the colour wheel that is in the centre of the mandala waistcoat.

It has taken me five days to get this far, but I'm getting quicker.

Paid on Thursday, skint already

The bills are paid.

Money has been transferred to the savings account.

DGS has had a growth spurt and needed new polo shirts and jumpers, both items must have the school logo so are extortionately expensive, DD has purchased them so I helped by buying boxers for DGS, 12 and tights for DGD's.

I've shopped at the supermarket and bought bread, veg & milk.

I've shopped at the butchers and bought
12 sausages
2 lamb shanks
2 pieces of pork belly
1 kilo bacon pieces
40 bacon rashers
1lb liver
2 pieces of shin and 2 kidneys.
This has all been divided up and put in the freezer.

We aren't really skint, there is money in the account if we need it, we'd rather save it.

On my hook

My daughter saw a pic of something similar to this and asked me if I could make her one. I bought the pattern from Ravelry, I have most of the colours. It's going to take ages.

How old!!

They say things go in threes don't they.
First the exhaust needed repairing on my car.
I had that done and then the battery needed replacing.
I got a new battery and had it fitted.
Once I had it fitted the car radio needed the code put in to make it work.
Only problem is I don't have the code, there was no handbook with the car and so the information wasn't available.
I had to take the car to a Nissan garage to get the code, it means removing the radio to find a security number that then means the radio code can be retrieved from the Nissan database.
It took about three hours, it should have taken about half an hour.
It seems that my car was built in 1930 and the Nissan database doesn't have codes that far back!
On top of this it made my ears bleed, my beloved is convinced that if he'd taken the car in this wouldn't have happened, it must be all my fault and he moaned and bitched about it for the entire three hours.

Rib sticking soup

I've made two storecupboard dishes today

Lentil Dahl and Rib sticking soup, I had everything to hand so no shopping needed

Lentil Dahl

400g red lentils Cook these in plenty of water.

2 tsps turmeric

Melt a knob of butter in a pan, add 2 tsps cumin,

1 small onion, finely chopped, 2-3 tsp of lazy garlic or puree, 1-2 tsp lazy ginger, 1-2 fresh green chillies, finely sliced, I had these in the freezer from some we grew this summer. 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground coriander. Add half a tin of tomatoes

When the lentils are cooked, they need to be sort of porridge consistency, add the fried mixture and stir thoroughly, serve with rice or naan.

Rib sticking soup.

I made the soup in my pressure cooker, using a handful of cooking bacon chopped small, I fried the bacon, added a sliced onion, carrot and potato, then I added a tin and a half of tomatoes, a squirt of tomato puree, some garlic, mixed herbs. Next add 1 or 2 pints of water, large handful of lentils and a handful of pearl barley, if you add a few strands of spaghetti you can call this minestrone soup.

Bring to the boil, simmer until lentils and barley are cooked.

This soup can be made with any veg you need to use up, I've used cabbage and squash before. You can use just tomato puree and add baked beans, or add dried soup mix instead of lentils and barley.

Car again

I've had to buy a new battery for my car, more money just when we are trying to save, never mind, at least we had the money to pay for the battery.

I'm making another batch of lentil curry for my lunches next week, something warm and spicy stops me buying food from the canteen.

DGD Eileen stayed last night, but because the car needed a new battery we weren't able to collect her from school. When she came out of class and saw her mum she burst into tears and said 'I thought it was my turn to go to Nana's this week'. Mum quickly reassured her and explained that it was her turn and dropped her off at our house with my L&M whilst I was getting a new battery fitted.

This morning  Eileen and I made sprinkle cakes for her to take home, just ordinary fairy cakes with icing and sprinkles on. I need to buy some more sprinkles as all I have left are chocolate ones and she prefers more colourful ones. I will look in B&M next time I'm passing, they are quite cheap in there.

I shall have a rummage in the freezer and make a rough meal plan of what we are eating next week. My plan is never set in stone, it depends a bit on what we fancy when we get in. One evening we will have an omelette as I have loads of eggs in the freezer.

I have potatoes, onions, cabbage and carrots in the fridge, enough to last the week I'm sure.