Bugger

Last week I went to lunch club and when this week's lunch was arranged I offered to cook the main course.

I spent this morning preparing and cooking for tomorrow lunchtime. Chicken casserole, carrot and swede mash and broccoli. I was going to do roast potatoes with the meal as well.

When I went to the summer house I discovered that tomorrow's lunch club has been cancelled. Unfortunately no one thought to tell me!

I've bagged up the food and put it in the freezer, I'll reheat it next time there is a get together.

Steve is very torn, on the one hand he's delighted that I went to all the trouble of making a meal and no one let me know it has been cancelled. On the other hand he's annoyed that I spent money on food that hasn't been eaten.

Sleep deprived.

I slept badly Wednesday night, no particular reason why, but I was still reading at 3:30. I was awake and dressed by 8 a.m. as Beano needed walking. Consequently I did very little y'day. Steve asked me what was wrong and I explained that I was tired as I'd slept badly. Steve assured me that I'd slept fine, as he'd been awake all night!

He spent most of Thursday questioning me on why I wasn't full of beans. As i'd already said I was short on sleep there was no point in repeating myself.

In the afternoon I decided not to go to the summer house and once Steve has gone over I had a snooze on the sofa for an hour. I slept much  better last night and this morning I'm feeling fine.

Steve is very competitive with regards to illness and I rare!y mention if I feel under the weather. He will get quite stroppy if he thinks I'm unwell as that prerogative is his and his alone.

Tesco delivery this morning with all the accompanying pacing and wittering from Steve. When the shopping arrived There were two surprises. Firstly there was no beer, Steve has accidentally deleted it from the order. Secondly the shopping bill was only £70 instead of the usual £200-£250. I have no idea what's come over Steve but he is obviously trying to save money.  

What a lovely day.

I went for breakfast with my son and daughter, I had a croissant with Brie and Bacon and had a lovely time, Beano came with me and sat under the table quietly. 

I showed my kids the book with my last wishes in and explained a few things. I don't want a funeral, I'm going to arrange my own cremation and I don't want anyone to attend.

We had an interesting discussion and I think everything was agreed upon.

I returned home and then went to the the summer house for lunch, beef casserole with roast potatoes. I've volunteered to cook a chicken cobbler next week and Barbara will make a crumble.

We had a quiz in the summer house and I only got one question wrong, so I was pleased. I came home and watched Frost. I didn't want anything else to eat. I try not to eat after 5 p.m. 

Beano is snoozing on the sofa beside me and I'm watching YouTube.

All in all a lovely day.

Use it up curry.

I recently purchased a new slow cooker, my old one, that I'd bought second hand, had finally given up the ghost.

Steve doesn't like meat cooked in the slow cooker, he likes his meat hard and chewy. I prefer mine edible, I also add a lot of vegetables to anything I cook.

Today I'm making a 'use it up chicken curry' I used some left over cooked cabbage, an onion, parsnip and carrot from a reduced to clear stew pack that Betty gave me. I've used two diced chicken breasts and lots of garam masala along with other spices. I've only added a small amount of water as I don't want it too sloppy.

It's nothing like a traditional curry but it will be full of flavour,and should do me four meals.

Another one gone.

We were told today that our site manager is leaving, another one bites the dust!

He was only covering temporarily as the management company were unable to recruit a site manager for here.

No doubt we will be without a site manager here for months yet again. I'm not concerned about the lack of manager but I'm not happy that we continue to pay for a service that we don't receive.

Exhausted, not me, Steve!

Exhausted by his attempts at hiding in the car park and trying to think of lies to tell me where he's been. Steve has announced that he is now meeting his friend Bob every week instead of just occasionally.

A quick peek at FB shows that Bob is currently away racing!

The up side was that Steve insisted I went to the summer house to join in with a fish supper. There were only five of us there but it was very nice. I didn't stay long as I'd left Beano with Steve and Beano gets shouted at a lot. Beano doesn't seem to take a lot of notice, it scared him when we first got him, but he's used to it now.

I timed my return perfectly as Steve was just getting his coat on, he'd obviously decided I'd had enough fun for one day.

Good deed for the day.

I did my good deed for the day this morning when I took Beano out for his first walk.

A lot of my neighbours tend to shuffle when the they walk as they can't lift their feet. So as I walked along the path that leads of site I picked up the twigs and branches littering the path. There was one branch that was about ten feet long that I couldn't carry out of the way, so I shoved it behind two of the lighting pillars so at least the path is safe to walk on.

No improvement.

Things here are still difficult though I have to admit to some amusement. Some time ago Steve instigated a new rule, anyone going out had to fill in details on the white board.

It's stupid but I don't care, I only go out if one of my family takes me out or if I go out with Betty. Steve on the other hand goes into town to the pub once a week, out with Harry our neighbour once or twice a week, out with his friend Bob once a week. But he's suddenly started to go out one extra day a week and he wants to keep it a secret. He has failed to keep this a secret as we live in a very small flat and I notice if he's not home. He has tried to sneak out when I'm out with Beano but because it takes him so long to organise himself I'm usually in the car park coming home when he's leaving. Heaven knows what the neighbours think when they see him trying to hide between two cars in the car park.

Today is not good.

Steve is nearly delirious with excitement because Trump is back in the White House. I fail to understand why he is so excited. I really don't think Donald is going to be knocking on our door looking for Steve.

I've exerted myself and after making the Sunday roast, I made a casserole with the left over beef, that's my cooking done for this week. I used to actually enjoy cooking but not now, not for Steve as his food issues make catering for him a nightmare.

I went to the summer house this afternoon but Beano couldn't settle so I left after a few minutes.

Sunday

I cooked roast beef today. A few weeks ago I got so fed up of Steve ruining every joint he bought that I started cooking the roast on Sunday's. Steve refused to follow the cooking instructions on the joint so lunch sometimes wasn't ready until 8:30 in the evening. He also ended up in tears most Sunday's.

Today he complained as he wanted a sprout with his meal and I forgot, I also cut the the carrot into the wrong shape.

I don't think I'll bother to cook next week, I'll suggest he heat up some of his party food.

I enjoyed the meal but it's a waste cooking a full roast dinner just for me.

It also means I can't go to the summer house on Sunday's if I'm in the kitchen cooking.

I've also changed my hairstyle, for years I've worn my hair pinned up at the back with a claw clip. My hair is now to long so I'm wearing it in a plait over my shoulder.

Deaf and Grumpy.

That's me and Beano, I'm deaf and I forgot to charge my hearing aids last night. 

Beano is grumpy and I've started to notice how many dog owners cross the road to avoid us!  He is ok with small dogs but not big ones.

Y'day I cooked some mince that was in the freezer, I made Bolognese sauce and some small cottage pies for the freezer. I shall have spaghetti Bolognese tonight. Steve won't eat it as there is onions and tomatoes in it.

Walking the streets.

As I walk Beano three or four times a day I spent a lot of time walking the streets. 

I only walk in daylight, I'm not afraid of walking after dark as I live in a residential area. I am, however afraid of tripping over in the dark and having an accident.

I often see the same people on my walks, I tend to smile and say hello. I see people with dogs, I see people jogging, some are going shopping. I've also noticed lads on bikes, I tend to shorten Beano's lead if a cyclist approaches as Beano can be snappy if bikes get too near. I've always smiled at people regardless of age or gender.

As I said I've noticed lads on bikes and not thought anything of it. Last week I was walking along an alley and there was a couple, similar age to me, walking in the same direction. We all said hello  as we walked along. Suddenly one of the lads appeared on his bike, I smiled and carried on walking. The couple stopped and I assumed they knew the lad. As I turned onto the main road I noticed a bit of furtive fumbling behind me and the couple turned and walked back the way they'd come. I then realised that the lads on bikes are gofers for the local drug dealers. Obviously I was a bit thick not to have realised earlier but it didn't occur to me. I'm a bit naive where drugs are concerned.

So cold.

I haven't been able to get warm all day, the only heating we use in the flat is the very old storage heater in the living room. It's very big but inefficient and ugly.

We neither of us like heat in the bedroom and the only other heater is a huge electric radiator in the bathroom. It is a big radiator in a tiny bathroom so Steve turns it on for an hour or two before he showers. I don't use it as I mainly shower when I get up so I don't want to wait for the radiator to warm up.

My daughter showed me this, I thought it was very funny.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WmAD8Mo5mLc

Lunch club.

As  said before I used to go to lunch club here, I stopped because Steve started shouting at those involved. He had tried to persuade me not to continue but I ignored him. So he started shouting at the other members.

This last couple of weeks he's been trying to persuade me to rejoin. I knew he must be planning something but I'd no idea what. I spoke to Betty who said I'd be very welcome to return and y'day I did. We had liver casserole with mashed potato and a fruit crumble with custard.

After we'd had lunch and chatted for a while then we all returned to our flats at about 2 o'clock. I took Beano out and when I returned I sat on the sofa and started to read my kindle, very shortly I fell asleep. I woke up some time later as Steve was putting Beano's lead on and slamming the door.

Somewhat confused I wondered where Steve had gone as he never takes Beano out. Within minutes he was back and started shouting. It was by now about 4:30 and it seems he'd not noticed me asleep on the sofa and thought I'd gone to lunch club without Beano. 

He'd stormed into the summer house with Beano only to discover wasn't there, Betty and Harry hadn't returned to the summer house after lunch, they too had fallen asleep so no one knew where I was.

Steve rushed back to the flat with a very confused Beano to find me sitting on the sofa! Steve returned yet again to the summer house and Beano wanted to go too. I went to the summer house by which time Bill and Barbara were also the there. A couple of people asked me where I'd been, I explained I'd been asleep on the sofa and that Steve hadn't noticed me.

Catch up.

I didn't go to the Drs about my gout, I have done before. I was given the diagnosis, told it was self limiting and the pain shouldn't last longer than six weeks and told to get on with it.

When Steve went with gout he was given tablets to help with the symptoms and co-codamol for the pain. We both saw the same  Dr though two years apart so I don't bother to go now.  Our surgery is now only open on three half days a fortnight so there is little chance of an appointment. There is also no longer a direct bus route, so it means traveling into town and back out again.

My smellies were both gifts I don't buy myself things like that, I do however spend money on books for my kindle. I don't really watch tv so books and Beano are my main pleasures in life. 

I'm going to lunch club tomorrow, I stopped going because Steve was kicking off and started to shout at the people involved. I shall go back as long as he doesn't also return. He doesn't like the food, the only reason he goes is to check up on me.

Tuesday's.

Tuesday is the day Steve marks on the white board that he is going out.  He goes to a pub in town and has an "all day breakfast" . This gives me a day free of ear bashings when I do whatever I like. This is usually housework and crochet I do like to live dangerously!

Steve's also due to go out on Friday, if he goes out both days it will be lovely but I'm not going to get my hopes up.

I'm going back to lunch club tomorrow, I'm not sure how long for, it will depend on Steve's reaction and behaviour. The meal tomorrow is liver and veg with mashed potatoes.

I'm firing up my slow cooker today to make a chicken and vegetable curry as I have a lot of root vegetables to use up.

Beano's new bed.

 

Beano love his new bed, one side is fluffy and warm, the other side is shiny and cool. Beano is currently enjoying the warm fluffy side.

Christmas dinner repeated.

Last time Steve went into town to the pub he also went to Iceland and came home with a boned turkey breast. So today I'm doing a repeat of Christmas dinner. 

We are having turkey, ham, pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Brussels, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower cheese.

The veg are all for me, Steve will eat one sprout and some roast potatoes.

I'm not doing pudding, Steve doesn't like them and I will be too full of veggies to care.

I will turn any leftover veggies into bubble and squeak for tomorrow.

Achievement

For the first time ever I have hand wash and hand cream that both smell the same, two sets.

One is  crushed lime and basil the other is lavender. For me this is a great achievement!

If i was a man!

Thank you for all the good wishes, I'm very touched.

My big toe is causing me problems,  it's hot, red, swollen and stiff. If I was a man I'd tuck it into my underpants so the ladies would think I was pleased to see them! 

The problem is gout, which is so funny as I don't drink. But gout is just a type of arthritis and not dependent on alcohol intake.

My toe has been painful to a few days now but when Betty offered to take me out I jumped at the chance. Betty can't walk fast so I knew I wouldn't be slowing her down. We went to Waitrose to get Betty's favourite eggs, the extra large double yolkers, then we went to Asda to get the rest of the shopping. I bought a seeded sourdough loaf, it's delicious, I also bought some pickled herring and some anchovies. Betty also wanted to go to Iceland. But most of their freezers were very low on stock so she didn't buy anything. We stopped in the Asda cafe and had a baked potato with cheese and beans. It was very noisy in the cafe, lots of children. So when the girl on the till asked what I wanted I just said "the same" as Betty has just ordered. This meant I didn't know what I was having until it was put in front of me.

It was cheap, hot and tasty and the staff are friendly and helpful.