My Bargain Oven and Miracle Seedlings

DD has had her kitchen remodelled and was getting rid of her old built in oven.  It is 6 years old but a much better oven than mine so when she offered it to me I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.  Son in Law, P, even offered to fit it for me for free. What could I say but "pretty please!" It has a working oven light (mine didn't), heats up in no time (mine took ages), is fan assisted (mine wasn't) and it arrived clean (a bonus!) It would have gone to the scrapyard so it's been recycled. I love it.....

As a small thank you I have bought them a bottle of port which is one of their favourite tipples, so my oven has cost me just £10......

It's been a strange muggy kind of day, very overcast and as OH was at work I didn't really know what to make for my lunch.  A scrabble about in the freezer unearthed a solitary spicy vegetable burger so I cooked that to have with some salad.  I am trying to cut down on calories a bit with the warmer weather looming and also increase my fruit and veg intake.  I guess this to be at least 2 portions and with a small glass of orange juice, that makes 3.  The meal comes to 9 WW pro points with a bit of low fat salad cream to moisten the carrot. It tasted lovely too....

There was just £11.84 left in the housekeeping purse so I have used some of it to stock up on milk, butter for cakes, baked beans, orange juice and a big pot of thick Greek style yogurt for low calorie desserts.  Somehow a pack of 6 fruit split ice lollies found their way into my basket too, but at just 2 pro points each and costing £1 for six, I don't feel too guilty :)  The remainder of the cash has been put aside for emergencies.  Our food shopping week begins on a Monday as it's usually the quieter day although we might do it on Tuesday this week as Monday is Bank Holiday.

 

About 6 weeks ago I bought a parsley growing kit from the pound shop.  I thought I had messed it all up as nothing appeared for about 4 weeks then tiny sprouting things appeared.  Just look at it now!

 



I intended planting some seedlings in the little patch of garden at the back but now it has been forbidden to grow food I might have to just thin them out and grow them on in the pot :( 

Bye for now, have a lovely weekend x

Illicit Produce

Most of you will have realised by now that we live in a park home in a country setting.  The home belongs to us but it sits on rented land and we have lived here for 6 years after downsizing from our 3 bed detached in town.  Last year I blogged about our meagre food harvest and my awful gardening skills but wanted to carry on growing  something again this year, anything that we can grow to eat will help the budget.  Well b*gg*r me, we have recently been told that we are simply not allowed to grow food because it will attract rats!  The question was asked " are these PEAS?"

"No...they are sweetpeas....."

(whisper...)
But these are! They are at the back out of sight!

And we have POTATOES too!

And STRAWBERRIES!

We haven't had rats in 6 years so why should they decide to pay us a visit now? Anyway, they do say that you are never more than 6 feet from a rat wherever you live.  My veg will be staying for this year at least. Slugs are more of a problem, in reality.  They beat me to the best strawberries :/

How is your veg growing doing?



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Back to the Real World (almost) And Junk Mail

The last eight weeks have been incredibly stressful with my dear Father-in-Law in hospital for more than 5 weeks before he passed away on Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May.  We were unable to arrange the funeral until last Wednesday, the 18th May, and have been working our little socks off emptying his rented flat in the allotted time.  It seemed so sad having to clear his home even before the funeral but we had absolutely no choice.  As OH was an only child it fell to the two of us to do everything required and when you are in mourning too it is doubly hard.  DD helped us on two days with the cupboard clearing but it was back breaking work even then.

We were determined to get as much stuff as possible re-used or recycled so the bulk of his furniture went to the British Heart Foundation and the stuff they wouldn't take (no fire label or too shabby etc) went to a local chap who recycles, upcycles or refurbishes such unwanted stuff. The carpets had to be removed too (oh my gawd) so we cut them up as best we could and they went in a skip ....more landfill :(

 

During the time V was in hospital we were collecting his mail and paying his bills and the amount of junk mail he was receiving was both eye opening and heart stopping.  We know he had responded to some, the evidence was clear and he had become a target. It was horrendous. I have discovered a way to register that he is no longer with us via the DPS Deceased Preference Service and have done just that.  It was easy on the website www.deceasedpreferenceservice.co.uk  Lets hope it helps the new residents of the flat by putting a stop on the avalanche.

All that remains to do now is await the final bills and pay them.....

BREATHE.....

My next post will be a bit more upbeat, I hope.  Thanks for letting me get it all off my chest.....

Thanks for popping in x

An Explanation

It has been almost 6 weeks since my last post and I need to explain.....

Two days after I wrote it my dear Father in Law was taken into hospital during the night.  He remained there for more than 5 weeks despite the efforts of the social care system to send him home to an empty flat, mainly because he was so weak and picked up 2 infections whilst in there.  He spent his 94th birthday there too.

It is with great sadness (but a little relief) that I have to tell you he passed away a few days ago at 1.10 am.  We couldn't get there in time.  It has been incredibly stressful and worrying for him and the family. OH and I have been walking in a daze for weeks and now there is so much to arrange and the rented flat to clear out.

I dip in and out of reading my favourite blogs just for a bit of normality but don't have the strength to post replies, I'm afraid.

I hope to come back soon, my bloggy friends, do please bear with me......