New year's resolutions 2015

Well, here we are again, the end of another year. This year feels as though it's been dominated by back pain and the easy way out,  although I can see by looking back over this blog, that I did achieve something!

There seems to be a lot of things I want to improve next year, and I know I can't do them all at once. I have therefore decided to make one thing better each month, in the hope that it might become a habit and so will build up over the year.

Monthly ideas include....

Eating - we've been eating a lot of ready prepared stuff, time to get back to proper cooking with fresh ingredients.

Shopping - using the supermarket all the time - time for more farm shop and market shopping.

Car - always messy inside and out.  Needs a good wash and valet and then keeping tidy.

Leisure time - far too much time spent on tablet,  phone and watching tv. Less time on those means more time to sew, crochet, scrapbook etc.

Drinking - too much coffee,  diet coke and vimto isn't doing my teeth any good! I need to drink more water and milk.

Sleeping - too many late nights, too many broken nights, too many lazy mornings, too many afternoon naps. Time to go to bed at the same time, and get up at a sensible time every day.

Beauty - no "beauty" regime at all!

Fashion - I wear the same things all the time. When I get things out the night before, I look better and wear a wider variety of clothes.

House - getting overwhelmed by clutter again - time to go back to the lists and get myself back in a routine.

That's nine months. I have a feeling other ideas may come along as the year goes on.

First month. January. Better eating! Hoping this will naturally lead to better shopping and drinking. Watch this space!

Still baking

Inspired by Pim, I am attempting to cook something from every cook book I own. This is going to end up being a very long list as I own quite a lot of cook books!

So far, so good though. 

1. Sticky chicken p.139
The Hairy Dieters Eat For Life
Si King and Dave Myers

Not a massive success, as the sauce was runny rather than sticky, but everyone ate it. I will stick to my usual diet coke chicken though for this sort of chicken.

2. Bacon Boulangere p.265
Eat
Nigel Slater

I risked this in the slow cooker and it was totally worth the risk! Delicious,  and even better the next day with added cheese and peas.

3. Jammy Flapjack p.78
Eat Vegetarian
Sam Stern

A regular favourite in our house, varied by the jam!

4. Blackberry and Apple Loaf Cake p.60
A Passion for Baking
Jo Wheatley

Still in the oven! Very easy to make, and used up blackberries from the garden and an old apple. Looking forward to this one!

Back to baking

Hurrah for lots of things.
1. The great British bake off
2. A tidy ish house
3. Lots of rest and relaxation
4. Fab friends

The combination of which has ended up with gingery plum cake (good food magazine) amd sticky chicken (the hairy dieters eat for life).

Finally brave enough!

I have finally ventured out in my hand sewed skirt and my hand crocheted top! It's taken me long enough! ! Not great selfie photo of the top though!

They are both very comfortable and I now need more fabric and cotton to repeat this. I am planning a trip to the nearest fabric and wool shop asap.

More making

As a gift, I received a sewing pattern for a skirt. Inspired by the British Sewing Bee I decided I'd have a go. I didn't realise what a big job it was!! I had to choose fabric,  find matching cotton, have an emergency dash to hobbycraft for elastic mid make, work out how to lengthen the skirt, and follow the instructions!

I'd never make it on to the sewing bee though - they only give them 3 hours to make a skirt. It took me about twice that! !

Anyway, success. I've learnt loads about my sewing machine and reading patterns. I've learnt to hand baste (or tack in my language) rather than use my machine as it took forever to get the stitches out! I've learnt my real measurements don't match the measurements on the pattern, and it would have been better to go with my usual dress size, and I've learnt I can make clothes for me!

I have not ordered another pattern from ebay. Honestly....

Lots to catch up with!

Well, over the last few weeks of bad back = enforced rest, I've managed to get quite a lot of making done.

I've finally cracked crochet, and have had lots of practice making a blanket for the sofa. There's also one in process for J, team effort with my mother!

I've sewn a denim bag from old jeans, complete with hand sewing,  cross stitch, sequins and seed beads.

I've knitted one teeny owl, the second and third are on their way. I've also knitted a fat grey owl.

Next project, a skirt!

More cowls!

1. I finished the second cowl, and wore it out today and had some nice compliments.

2. I bought pink wool to make a hat, cowl and mittens for my niece.  Having a sizing problem atm. Hat #1 was huge. Hat #2 was big and twisted.  Hat #3 looks too small but my model was asleep and my niece wasn't here! I will test tomorrow on J and maybe on a similar sized model to my niece when we go swimming. I've never made mittens before so there's a challenge!

3. Had a lovely lunch out with the family today, a treat from my godfather. We then successfully bought birthday cards, trainers and the pink wool.

4. Back still driving me bonkers. It aches so much :(

Quick and easy cowl

I had a good day yesterday and managed to knock up this lovely cowl ( which is doing a marvellous job of keeping me warm tonight! )

http://www.pilgrimsattinkercreek.com/2012/12/christmas-gift-cowl.html?m=1

There are a few errors, but it's fine and I am attempting another one in a different wool.

More pinterest

Having done a good sort out of the vague boards, and deleted sone now irrelevant boards, I can safely say the following.

1. I like owls more than I thought I did.
2. The same things that made me laugh 2 years ago still make me laugh now.
3. The board called school is the equivalent of our study. Go there if you dare.
4. I have actually done quite a few of the things I found on pinterest.
5. I find myself wanting to make something again.

Number 5 ties in with my back feeling ever so slightly better. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Pinterest

Oh how I love pinterest!  Lots of all my favourite things in one place.

I don't think I ever thought how many pins I would have though, so another job to do during my enforced rest period is to sort out the boards. It's going to take longer than I thought though,  I'm still sorting the sewing board into about 6 different categories!

I am hoping this will make me want to make things again.

Watch this space!

Prodded and poked

The osteopath prodded, poked, popped my back and said I'd hurt more tomorrow. It does feel a bit better tonight though thank goodness. I've also ordered the new wheat pack as this one just smells of cooked wheat now!

Not a lot else achieved today. But I survived.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Making a start

1. Email inbox cleared. What an epic job. Last done approx 3 years ago judging by the dates. Over 4000 emails deleted or sorted. Necessary emails sent.

2. New wheat pack in amazon basket to order. Got a bit sidetracked so will send that in the morning.

3. Photos - not touched! Emails took far longer than anticipated.

4. Getting moving. Oh boy. 2 very short car journeys have finished me off. Hopefully tomorrow's visit to the osteopath will help.

5. Bonus material. Lots of cub planning done to send for pack night tomorrow.

Plan of action

Tomorrow needs a list of sitting down jobs and some easy get me moving jobs!

1. Emails to send (and clear my inbox!)
2. New wheat pack (mine has been a bit overheated lately and is rather smelly!)
3. Sort out photos into folders (in dropbox and on hard drive)

I will think of the get me moving jobs tomorrow!

Still not back in action

I had no idea how far it was round tesco. My back is still not happy.

On the bright side, we have tudor library books for homework, a new Danielle Steel book for me, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on audio cd, and a variety of other books. I love my library.  Every time I go in I am astonished at the quantity of new books, particularly in the children's section.

There has also been cake today.  Lots of yummy cake at a lovely lady's special birthday,  made by her wonderful daughter.

Poorly cat appears to be getting stronger cat as he tried to fight me off when I gave him his tablets tonight. 

Hoping I sleep better tonight.  *fingers crossed*

Out of action

After a nasty ping in my back when towel drying my hair yesterday morning,  I have been mostly out of action since then.

It is amazing how fast the house has become messy when I am not consciously putting things where they belong.

Hopefully tomorrow I will be more mobile and the resurrection will be quick (and that this nasty cough I have as well will have vanished overnight)

For the first time EVER!

The man has just been to read the electric meter.

For the first time ever I was not embarrassed to let him into my messy house. Because it's not messy.

For the first time ever I haven't had to empty the pantry so he could get to the meter. Because it was tidy.

And for the first time ever, he caught us in first time as I've been at home with a coughing boy!

#proud

Hmmm...

This house is full of poorly cat, poorly boy but delicious tea.

I put far less liquid in the slow cooker, worried all day about the cat, the boy and the slow cooker,  and came home to a fantastic thick beef and ale casserole (a coughing boy and a bald cat).

Hmmmm....

New gadget

We ate the last piece of flapjack this morning so I have baked a new batch. This one has half granola and half oats. And sultanas. The granola is a cranberry one and it was a bit sweet so I'm hoping it works better in flapjack!

I have also just made a beef and ale casserole in the slow cooker for tomorrow's tea (double quantities so some to freeze too) and while I was chopping the veg I got to use my new over drawer gadget. I have very limited workspace in my kitchen so this was actually really helpful.

Please also notice my lovely stripey Joseph Joseph worktop saver from father Christmas!

Week 3 menu

Sat - salmon, bacon, potatoes,  peas (should have been last night but a trip to the vets made us late and we had a chippy tea instead!)

Sun - M&S dine in meal - bacon joint, potato rosti, raspberry pannacotta (favourite pudding in the world ever)

Mon - beef and ale casserole (slow cooker, double quantity to freeze)

Tues - frozen meal

Weds - sausage, chips, beans

Thurs - frozen meal

Fri - J is on a cub sleep over so we will go out for a grown up tea!

In other news, I cleared the freezer out today. Nothing thrown away except 2 portions of soup that dive bombed out and the containers smashed! We still have a very full freezer but at least I know where everything is and what there is!

Another new recipe

Completely forgot to blog last night I was so tired! There needs to be a way to get blog posts from my head to my blog by just thinking them!

Tonight's tea was salmon. And proof the dining table is still clear! I didn't add mint and vinegar to the recipe,  we just had mint sauce with it instead!  Delicious anyway!!

Doh!

I saw the light this morning.  I hate making packed lunches, it's the bane of my life. J wants the same thing day in, day out. A doesn't want them at all. I want something different every day (and usually whatever we don't have!)

The same goes for breakfasts.

I never have a problem with evening meals. All organised, all planned, all done (although I have just remembered I've not got the salmon out of the freezer for tomorrow night! ).

So why don't I plan breakfasts and packed lunches?  Who knows! 

I will try that this week and see if it changes my view point! But how have I never thought of this before?

Keeping up appearances!

I am astonished at myself this week, but also impressed.

The house is still tidy. There are no piles. Or bags of stuff. Everything has been put away on the same day.

There is one load of laundry to put on in the morning. All the clean clothes have been put away.

My books are all marked and up to date.

I have remembered to get things out of the freezer at the right time, so we've had a proper meal every night (and I'm gradually clearing the freezer! )

I need to keep this up. I feel great!

Favourite book this week

Thoroughly enjoying A Stitch in Time by Amanda James from the kindle sale over Christmas.

Can't make a link work tonight - google it!

Notes from today

1. The mac and cheese was good reheated with the addition of a chopped tomato and a bit of pepper.

2. House still mostly tidy. All jobs done tonight. Now I need to keep this up for the next 29 working days!

3. Too tired to contemplate crafting tonight,  although I have mostly sorted a tudor costume for J for Wednesday.

Week 2 menu

Sat - macaroni cheese with pigs in blankets

Sun - this recipe...
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/62825/honey-glazed-pork-tenderloin
With roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips and peas

Mon - mac and cheese again as I made enough to feed an army! Quick meal to reheat after a staff meeting.

Tues - ready meal from the freezer (usually leftovers)

Weds - easy freezer tea for A to do while I'm at cubs - fish fingers,  wedges,  mushy peas

Thurs - another ready meal night (lots to use up!)

Fri - roast salmon with peas, potatoes and bacon (good food recipe)

Crochet success

With some assistance,  I have made a start on the crochet cushion cover. I think the yarn is called boodles - it's a super thick chunky t shirt type yarn.

Also in crochet news... my set of different sized crochet hooks that should have been a Christmas present have finally turned up!

Sausage and mash pie

Yum yum yum! Made this plain for J and he ate it all, but added a layer of spicy baked beans between the sausage and mash for A and myself.  We'll be having this again! 

January 2014 part 3

I seem to have gone completely off crafting in the last couple of years.  Partly I think because I've wanted to be in the lounge, so haven't done anything that has been noisy or messy, and partly because the internet keeps sucking me in!

I learnt to crochet earlier this year, and have some nice yarn and a hook (with a packet of hooks somewhere out there awaiting delivery from amazon from before Christmas! ) and a book of granny square patterns so I really must have a go at that this year. I'm aiming to make a cushion cover in autumn colours, so hopefully it will be done for autumn!

I would also like to get my sewing machine out again and go on a course to give me some more confidence to use it.

If I can ever get my paper craft stuff sorted I will have another go at that, but I think that's a way off yet!

January 2014 part 2

2. Food! Always a popular topic in our house :)

I've finally decided we can not exist on completely homemade and farm shop only food. Neither are we all well and happy on a diet of ready made stuff. But there are things out there that make life easier for me when I'm working so I just need to find a happy balance.

Last year I menu planned through almost the whole year. Only when I was really busy did this fall apart, and this showed in what was in my pantry at the end of the year! A pile of jars and tins left over from when I'd bought things without actually planning to eat them.  So this year we are definitely sticking to menu planning and a shopping list. I'm also going to carry on trying new recipes from good food magazine. We found some great ones last year which I kept and laminated. (That's just reminded me to renew my good food subscription via Tesco points!)

Now the dining room is tidy and the table is accessable we are going to try and eat at the table more often. We are far too good at eating in front of the Tv!

I had great intentions of photographing and blogging tea each night but have already failed at the first hurdle. Tea eaten and not photographed! Anyway, here's the menu for the rest of this week.

Wed Bacon and cheese pasta bake
Thurs tuna and sweetcorn lasagne (due to the discovery of 6 tins of tuna in the pantry!)
Fri sausage and mash pie (good food)

I am attempting to use things up from the pantry and freezer for the next couple of weeks.

I am sure the baking will continue in 2014 . We are starting the year with Christmas leftovers- Christmas cake tray bake and mincemeat buns (both Mary Berry)
so no baking just yet.

January 2014

A reflective start to this year, looking back rather than ahead at the moment.  Need a bit of self belief!

1. Despite a lot of work tidying up the house last year, I felt by the end of 2013 that we were no further on. However, a couple of days spent tidying and sorting things out proved that the house is in a far better state than ever before.

J's room - totally blitzed in Oct half term. Now everything has a place and everything is in its place. There was even room to put away all the Christmas toys. 

Our room - all my clothes sorted, too small things packed away, still need to do the top of the dresser and the top of my wardrobe (some of which will go into the loft)

Landing - now has a bookcase which actually isn't full! Blanket chest emptied, sorted. Have an up and down basket system to stop the never ending clutter on the side.

Loft - completely sorted through and everything boxed and labelled. It is only tiny as it's a dormer bungalow. Now contains Christmas stuff, suitcases, memorabilia.

Bathroom - stayed tidy all year, even the cupboard.  Now awaiting a fresh coat of paint and a couple of things hanging on the walls.

Study. Let's not go there!!

Hall and stairs - all coats sorted, stairs clear, awaiting some things hanging on the wall.

Lounge - superficially tidy, although I am intending to go through all the drawers and cupboards this year.

Dining room - furniture moved to make better use of the room. Table clear and usable.  All drawers and cupboards sorted, as well as the display cabinet.

Kitchen - all cupboards relatively tidy still, I have one junk drawer and one breakfast bar to sort out properly and find homes for things.

Utility room - work in progress.  Awaiting garage sort out to get some stuff up the loft, but I have sorted out the shoe rack!

Downstairs loo - tidy

Garage - aaaarrrrgggghhhhh.

After that epic, I'd better make any further numbers into new posts!