I shall be in bed before midnight so here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Waste not, want not.

I'm very careful about using up all the food I buy, Steve isn't, he buys mainly junk and party food. Fortunately it is mostly frozen but he will cook a tray full of stuff and then not eat it all. He tries to persuade me to eat his leftovers but I'm not a dustbin, so I refuse.

Today I've cleared out the fridge, collected all the ends of the assorted cheeses and grated them all along with the leftover bread. I've grated them all together and frozen a big bagful that will now be used to top an assortment of dishes.

Next on my list is prepping any veg left in the fridge drawer, some of the veg will be turned into soup, some will be served with other meals.

And breathe.

Despite Steve's numerous melt-downs the visit from my oldest son and girlfriend went well. 

I think Steve finds any change to his daily routine difficult but as he can't accept this he resorts to shouting and yelling. I keep hoping he'll decide to go into town for a few hours as he hasn't left the flat for a few days now.

I managed to provide a lactose free buffet as son's girlfriend is lactose intolerant and it seemed to go down well with every one apart from Steve. Our neighbour Harry claims to be lactose intolerant but drinking black coffee seems to be his only concession, he happily eats cheese, rice pudding, butter and many similar items.

I purchased a new bed for Beano, Steve bought him one when we first got him but it was far too small so I gave it to my daughter as her dog was a Jack Russell/Chihuahua cross and quite tiny. Beano is twice her size, I bought him a flat bed that is furry on one side and shiny on the other, so far Beano has diligently ignored the bed! Still it's given Steve something different to shout about.

Aargh

Bloody hell!

My oldest son and his girlfriend are visiting tomorrow.

I didn't realise until after I offered to do a buffet for them that she is lactose intolerant.

Eeek, I checked out what I'd ordered and mostly it was ok but I did need some butter type spread.  I messaged my daughter that lives nearby as one of her children is lactose intolerant. She dropped me round a carrier bag containing all manner of lactose free food, including fake milk, cheese and butter. What a lifesaver.

When I took the carrier bag indoors Steve immediately started ranting on. I had no idea what his problem was, I told him to shut up and started unpacking the bag.

He carried on wittering on, claiming that he could have ordered all this stuff if only I'd asked him too. As I'm not used to buying lactose free food I'd be worried that I'd buy the wrong thing and cause an upset stomach.

At least this way I know the items my daughter has given me will be correct.

Robin

Yesterday as I set of with Beano for his morning walk there was a robin.

It was on the pillar light by the huge hedge. I was delighted to see it on Christmas day. There are often sparrows flitting in and out of the hedge but this is the first time I've seen a robin.

Later on when I walked Beano again I found a sprig of mistletoe beside the path. I love mistletoe but didn't find any to buy this year. I like to have holly, ivy and mistletoe in my window for Yule so I was delighted to find this small sprig.

It's today!

 Merry Christmas everyone

Christmas.

 I met my son for lunch, he was falling asleep.

He'd spent the last few hours of his shift with a suicide attempt.

The person was talked down to safety eventually.

Not everyone's Christmas is merry and bright!

It's not a secret.

Y'day while Steve was out with his friend Bob, Betty phoned and asked if I'd like to go and get the cheap vegetables from the nearby supermarket.

I jumped at the chance, it's not far to the supermarket but lugging a load of heavy stuff home, even with the trolley is hard work.

It meant leaving Beano alone but I wasn't going to be long.

When Steve returned home he was full of all he'd done whilst out with Bob.

I tried a few times to tell him I'd been shopping and spent a whole £5.56 but I couldn't get a word in edgeways. Then he announced that his ears were sore and he was taking his deaf aids out. At that point I gave up.

This morning our supermarket delivery arrived, Steve puts it all on our bed, he puts away his food and beer, I put away the fruit and veg I've bought along with things like tea, coffee butter and cheese.

I got out all the veg I bought y'day  and wiped out the fridge, I re-lined the fridge drawer and  then I sorted the veg from y'day and today and put it all away. Steve wandered in and out the kitchen but didn't seem to notice there was more veg than he ordered.

He only eats potatoes and mushrooms so I don't think the green stuff registered with him

Food pantry

I've joined the local food pantry and today I visited for the first time. My daughter took me as it was my first visit and I was worried about managing as it was dark when we got there. Now I've been once I'll be ok.

I paid £5 for £20 of food, I got an assortment of tins, some tea, cheese, butter, stock cubes, mince pies and a slab of fruit cake, best of all I got a cauliflower and two sprigs of rosemary.  I shall cheat with the rosemary and use it as a Christmas decoration.

On 19th Aldi have their veg at 15p I shall buy a selection, this, with the tinned kidney beans, black beans and tomatoes will make some lovely casseroles.

It's a water day.

Bleurgh, I'm feeling sorry for myself, I spent most of the night lurching from my bedroom to the bathroom.

It's not that unusual an occurrence, I think a lot of it is stress, dealing with Steve can be hard work at times.

He really hates me making friends or going out so he is aggrieved that I manage to do both occasionally. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to the Food Pantry despite Steve and some other residents telling me I shouldn't go.

I've managed to walk Beano twice, though the first walk was more of a stagger. I'm now on the sofa, under a warm throw and I'll probably have a snooze it two.

I shall stick to water today and hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

Remembering a past Christmas

A young lad, year 5, cast in the school play as rocking chair. He was supposed to remain quiet and just rock occasionally, instead rocked throughout the entire play  squeaking repeatedly. His poor mother, sat beside me tying herself in knots, glaring at him, praying he would stop squeaking.

Blogger is playing silly boggers

For the last few mornings when I go to blogger to catch up with new posts I get pages of old posts.

Sometimes these are up to seven years old, it's very confusing.

Chicken casserole.

Yesterday's lamb was very nice and went down well. Even Steve was forced to admit I cooked a good roast that was better than his attempts.

Today I'm making chicken casserole in my slow cooker, like most of my meals it will be heavy on veg and light on meat. I also added some pre - soaked soup mix, split peas and pearl barley etc.

I've not added potatoes as I'm making mash as a side dish along with cabbage.

Steve's gone into town to meet his brother and hopefully to get his phone sorted. He only upgraded because a neighbour has upgraded his phone. Steve will eat at a pub but I have made a few sausage rolls for him to pick at when he gets home.

I've applied to the local food pantry and been accepted, I can go next week. They are only open from 4 - 5:30 so I'll wander along one day in daylight to check where I'm going.

Stormy weather

I cleared the path of twigs and branches when Beano went out first thing.

I cleared it again when we went out for his second walk.

I'm still clearing it three times a day to make it easier for my neighbours to negotiate.

Steve is watching the the Grand Prix and shouting, I'm watching the Star Wars trilogy with subtitles and in silence!

I have a piece of lamb cooking, I'll do the potatoes and other veg later. The lamb is a boned breast and will take three hours to cook, according to the instructions on the label. I'll do carrots and cabbage with it

I've told Steve it will be ready at 5 o'clock, that way he won't keep asking me every ten minutes "it it ready yet?"

 if Steve complains again today I shan't cook again!

Steve's bought a new phone

This is a crisis!

Steve's bought a new phone!

So far Steve's managed to lock us out of Amazon and Tesco because he couldn't remember the passwords and so he changed them and then forgot what he changed them to!

As he doesn't access either website from his phone I have no idea what he was trying to do.

I went to the summer house as soon as he started fiddling with his new phone. His friend Bob came home with him to try and help but he eventually gave up and went home. 

I have a standard response to any tech question Steve might ask me. It's " I don't know"!

I used to be quite good at managing phones and computers but that was when I could still see.I

Steve will ask me questions and tell me I'm wrong even when I'm correct.

Another Christmas treat.

I ordered and received a box of violet creams, yummy. Another treat to add to my Christmas stash. I've also ordered a cheese selection and some crackers.

I then met my son and had breakfast at a local cafe and he's arranged to see me again in a couple of weeks. 

 The following day  I was out with Betty, shopping at Asda. I bought mainly vegetables as I'm not keen on buying them online. I prefer to choose what I'm getting.

Today Steve is going out and meeting Bob so I will watch a seasonal film on tv, there is a Grand Prix on again this weekend so Steve will watch that.

I'll take my hearing aids out for the duration of the qually's and the race as I find the noise of the cars going round the track irritating. It also means I don't have to listen to Steve shouting and swearing with excitement.

Wax melts.

I ordered some wax melts, by mistake I had them sent to my daughter's address. I warned her what I'd done and suggested she keep them.

I then ordered a second set, to my correct address, they arrived this morning. They are very nice but I've also received someone else's order along with mine.

I contacted the company and offered to pay for what I'd received, I can't send them back as I can't get to a Post Office or similar. They said I can keep them!

I shall give some of them to both my daughter's as there is far too much for me to use. I'm hoping my daughter's can use them as gifts for teachers or friends.

Amongst other things there was some stuff to sprinkle on the carpets, this can't be used by me or my daughter's as we all have pets that walk on our carpets. I've sent it over to the summer house to see if there is a resident that can use it. I hate waste.I

There is a craft sale in the summer house, I was going to go over but Steve wanted to go and sit with his current crush, so I stayed home!

Morning walk.

I'm out of cash and there is a craft sale in the summer house today.

So instead of one of Beano's usual walks, we walked to the petrol station on the A4.

I had asked Steve if I could leave Beano with him but he refused, I was only concerned that if the cash machine wasn't working I'd have to walk to Lidl and get cash back. Beano isn't allowed in Lidl and I won't leave him outside.

Fortunately the cash machine was working so I can pay Steve £30 towards the food shop and I have money for the craft fair. I usually buy lavender bags,  if there are none I will just make a donation.

Beano was a bit discombobulated by the change in routine but he was happy with all the new smells. The walk to the petrol station means I'm already over half way to my usual step count.

Steve is up already and in the shower, he's off into town to buy Christmas cards and eat breakfast in McDonald's and to visit the pub for his second breakfast!

My Christmas treats.

The Christmas treats that I've ordered for myself have started to arrive.

Yesterday there was a small box delivered, it contained a very small Panettone, a bar of pistachio chocolate and a small box of Ameretti biscuits. Steve won't eat any of these so I shall pig out on them.

I've also ordered some wax melts, I'm hoping they will drown out the constant smell of BBQ sauce flavoured everything that Steve eats.

We've put up a very small tree that has its own lights and we've strung some lights around and the window. I have some more decorations that I will hang today. I don't think I'll be able to get any mistletoe which is a shame, I like to hang it on my window.

Also arrived y'day the very first Christmas card it's from one of the residents. I now need to dig ours out ready to give out.