Friday Five!

We bought all the food, cooked it, and brought gifts. A thank you would have been nice!  But I drank my fair share of a bottle of Bombay, so HA HA!

You earned it! And that's really strange. We brought wine and part of the dinner today, but they intentionally don't give gifts in their family (everyone knows this so it's not a surprise). Low key gatherings are exactly my style.

I would be 100% fine with a no gift agreement!  100%! 

You didn't even get a card?!?!  That's so wretched.  And doesn't sound very British 

Definitely, start going 'Right, Christmas, next year, how I want!'   In-laws can visit if they want. Or if circumstances allow you go back to Florida if you want that. Or go on a cruise, a trip to Thailand, whatever.  Or sit in your pjs, eat rubbish, drink gin and watch films.  But lay it out now, remind periodically through the year 

My daughter tested positive AGAIN!  So did boyfriend, not surprisingly.   So far she seems OK.  I'm surprised we all hung out togethor for Christmas and boxing day and nobody is positive but her. 

My daughter tested positive AGAIN!  So did boyfriend, not surprisingly.   So far she seems OK.  I'm surprised we all hung out togethor for Christmas and boxing day and nobody is positive but her.

OMG! A good run of bad luck! Hopefully nobody else ends up with it!

Err, I think it's Friday?

1.) Happy New Year! Here's to 2022!

2.) Not terrible weather today, spent the day pottering in the garden

3.) Going to the in-laws tomorrow for food and games, as long as LFs are negative for all 

4.) Playing games tonight with my family over FaceTime, well as long as we can stay awake 

5.) Pizza! 

Err, I think it's Friday?

Hahahahaha!  Oh my gawd, until just now*, I didn't realize it was Friday.  I don't know how that escaped me.  Anyway,...

1.  Happy new year!  I'm a couple of days late, but I'm here for it!

2.  My NYE food was fantastic, and we had a fun night.  The holidays this year have been so much better than last year.

3.  Still no word on how long my husband can stay in his current role (he's on secondment, but wants to stay).  The uncertainty is so annoying.

4.  Since deciding I wanted to lose a bit of weight back in September, I've lost a little over 1 kg.  It might have something to do with all the cheese and potatoes we eat, but I'd hoped to make more progress than that by now.

5.  I used the last of the handsoap in the bathroom, but haven't ordered any new soap because my husband finally let me know, after I've been buying it for 2 years, that he doesn't like the smell of it.  So right now, I'm getting by with an old soap that I stopped using (but didn't throw out because it was perfectly useable) because I didn't like the smell of it.  I need to just look online and pick something before this jasmine stuff drives me mad.  It's on my hands!


*  I started this post after our morning coffee, and am now finishing it about 12 hours later.

Hahahahaha!  Oh my gawd, until just now*, I didn't realize it was Friday.  I don't know how that escaped me.  Anyway,...

1.  Happy new year!  I'm a couple of days late, but I'm here for it!

2.  My NYE food was fantastic, and we had a fun night.  The holidays this year have been so much better than last year.

3.  Still no word on how long my husband can stay in his current role (he's on secondment, but wants to stay).  The uncertainty is so annoying.

4.  Since deciding I wanted to lose a bit of weight back in September, I've lost a little over 1 kg.  It might have something to do with all the cheese and potatoes we eat, but I'd hoped to make more progress than that by now.

5.  I used the last of the handsoap in the bathroom, but haven't ordered any new soap because my husband finally let me know, after I've been buying it for 2 years, that he doesn't like the smell of it.  So right now, I'm getting by with an old soap that I stopped using (but didn't throw out because it was perfectly useable) because I didn't like the smell of it.  I need to just look online and pick something before this jasmine stuff drives me mad.  It's on my hands!


*  I started this post after our morning coffee, and am now finishing it about 12 hours later.

I love the scents of Method foaming soaps (Amazon or at a shop). My favourite so far is sweet coconut and I also like sweet water.  Really really light scent.  I don’t like smelly soaps that linger. 

Happy Friday!!

1.)  This has been the longest 3 day week ever. 

2.) Having BIL/SIL over this weekend for pizza, drinks and games 

3.) Have a really good project at work happening this year that I'm actually excited about! 

4.) I got a pressure canner for Christmas! Had to be imported from the USA as it's just not a thing here.  Mmmm, in the UK they're still okay with putting things in jars and screwing the lid on and leaving it, instead of even a water bath!, let alone low acid things that need pressure canned    So, we're very excited, as we grow so much food now that we want ways to store it longer term.   

5.) I've got the January blues 
 

4.) I got a pressure canner for Christmas! Had to be imported from the USA as it's just not a thing here.  Mmmm, in the UK they're still okay with putting things in jars and screwing the lid on and leaving it, instead of even a water bath!, let alone low acid things that need pressure canned    So, we're very excited, as we grow so much food now that we want ways to store it longer term.   

There's so much more 'grow your own' going on now, hopefully it'll catch on!

PB, if I didn't think you must be a flurry of activity already, I'd ask you to just walk me through a basic seed-to-hob workflow for growing lovely tomatoes (don't ask me how last year's gardening attempt went!), making tomato sauce, and canning the sauce (or just peeled tomatoes, even) for future use... in real time.  Like, each step "your seeds should start sprouting in the next couple of days, and when they do, you'll need to..."  My ADHD brain needs it all broken down into the basic steps.  And I need reminders.  So many reminders!  But I do think, once I've got over the hurdle and had one success, I might be able to extrapolate to other foods on my own.  I just can't get over the initial wall.

Anyway, my five:

1.  I can't believe it's Friday again already.  I admit I was late with last week's five, so the week is shorter, but my husband had both Monday and Tuesday off, so the work week was already half over when it started.  It's been really confusing.  But, yay!

2.  Steaks are dry-brining in the 'fridge for tonight.  My husband is cooking them, so they will be tasty.

3.  I'm going to try some of the bread-making methods from the Chain Baker (YouTube channel) for today's loaf.  I'm still looking at options... no overnight fermentations, though, as I've already missed that boat.

4.  There's a web-based game by a software engineer who works at reddit, called Wordle, that I'm instantly hooked on.  Every day, there is a different five-letter word that you have to guess.  You get six guesses, and after each guess, it tells you if the letters in your guess are in the target word in the right positin, in the target word but the wrong position, or not in the target word.  Thing is, there's only one game per 24-hour day, so I find myself itching to play but unable to.  I've played three days, now.  I did not guess the target word on my first day, but I managed it yesterday and today.  My husband got it both days he's played, and he hasn't played today's word yet.  It chafes that he has 100% showing, and I have 67% showing.  I hope he fails today. 

5.  I need to make something for my sister, and I have an idea for something I want to make for my husband, but I don't want to go outside to the (unheated) workshop.  Ugh.  At least the next gift-giving event isn't until June.  Plenty of time to procrastinate.

PB, if I didn't think you must be a flurry of activity already, I'd ask you to just walk me through a basic seed-to-hob workflow for growing lovely tomatoes (don't ask me how last year's gardening attempt went!), making tomato sauce, and canning the sauce (or just peeled tomatoes, even) for future use... in real time.  Like, each step "your seeds should start sprouting in the next couple of days, and when they do, you'll need to..."  My ADHD brain needs it all broken down into the basic steps.  And I need reminders.  So many reminders!  But I do think, once I've got over the hurdle and had one success, I might be able to extrapolate to other foods on my own.  I just can't get over the initial wall.

I find this website really useful. You can set the whole thing to your location so that it tells you what you should be doing when for each crop for your area specifically.
It's also helpful for choosing varieties, how to's etc. 

https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/tomato-outdoor/grow.php

I find this website really useful. You can set the whole thing to your location so that it tells you what you should be doing when for each crop for your area specifically.
It's also helpful for choosing varieties, how to's etc. 

https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/tomato-outdoor/grow.php

Wow, what a great site!

FRIYAY!!

1.  This week has been manic.  I just can't keep up with anything!  After not knowing what day it was for a few weeks, this has been a harsh reality.   

2.  Not having a kitchen is already annoying!    Only a few more months to go. 

3.  Going to go to the Cook store near us tomorrow.  Supposed to be "home made" ready to heat meals and they have lots that are gluten free.  Could really help us out right now.  It's the not having water nearby that I'm finding the most difficult aspect!

4.  Going to see Monster Trucks at the O2 on Sunday evening.  The kids don't know.  My son is going to be SO EXCITED.

5.  We bought an automatic kitty box and I'm struggling to find the right litter.  A few different litters are arriving from Zooplus today (nearly 2 weeks after I ordered because of holidays).  Hoping one of them works.  Need something SUPER fast clumping.  Otherwise, automatic kitty box is going back!!!  (30 day free trial).  I'd really like one of the litters to work.  I genuinely feel that's our problem.  The concept of the box is really good.

My sister as a robot kitty litter box and she absolutely loves it. She's in the US so I can't recommend a litter, but hopefully you can find something that works!