On MOT's and I'm a Celebrity...

My car passed it's MOT with flying colours, thankfully, so it only cost the £29 test fee and I got a complimentary wash and vac and a winter 'Health Check' too.  I decided to wait for it to be done and enjoyed over an hour relaxing on a comfy sofa, reading my kindle and sipping a free hot chocolate.  Simple pleasures ;)
Now my car has been checked and I know it's ready for winter, that's another item ticked off my list....

1* Christmas gifts bought and wrapped...check!

 

2* Car examined and MOT'd....check!

 

I now need to finish making my cards, write them and pop the necessary few in the December post.  I hand deliver as many as possible, partly to save on postage but also because some of my creations are quite thick (being 3D) and are a bit fragile to trust to the post.  Then my attentions will turn to food and stocking up the freezer in earnest in case we get bad weather.  I'm sure we wouldn't actually starve but I like to make sure!

 

Changing the subject completely, is anyone watching I'm a Celebrity...Get me Out of here? I don't know why but I find it strangely fascinating and can't drag myself away.  Last night I watched in fascinated horror as the argument unfolded between Lady C and the rest of the camp.  Is that woman for real? A lady she is definitely not! I know the contestants play to the camera but she spits venom whenever possible.  How horrible....

 

It's dark and dismal this morning but we need to take dear FiL shopping so I must get a wriggle on.

 

Have a good day everyone x

 

 



Thrifty Carrots, Warming Food and a Bargain Cake

When I did the food shopping yesterday I needed some carrots. When the weather turns cold I think about making soup, veggie casseroles and sausages with mash and gravy. Carrots are essential . There were some very pretty ones with lovely bright green fronds on the top but at £1 for 6 small carrots I left them on the shelf and bought these.....

They are certainly not pretty but they come from the UK and will taste delicious once cut up and cooked, one is broken but I will simply use that one first.  At 35p for 1kg...a bargain!

I also wanted to stock up with onions, another essential for hotpots. 1kg for 55p also UK grown...

I had a £5 Morrisons voucher from the loyalty card and used it to buy this lovely Christmas cake which was priced at exactly £5 and so FREE to me :)  I used to make my own cake but they are so rich that we usually eat a slice on Christmas or Boxing day and then have had enough. It's just not worth making one.  This one will be shared... half to my DD, a big slice to FiL and the rest for us two to add yet another inch to our waistbands ;)

Whilst waiting in the queue to pay, I discovered another coupon in my purse for £4 off a £40 shop.  I didn't think I would spend enough to use it but with a bottle of wine to add to the wine rack for Christmas, the cake and some cans of cider for DH (for which he paid me) I reached the target. The total came to £53.83 but I had coupons worth £10.80 making the final total £43.03. OH gave me the £5.80 he owed me bringing the shopping down to £37.23 I was really pleased with that as it included a large box of washing powder as well as some bits and pieces to stock the freezer up with.

A meal plan has been prepared for next week so I shouldn't need to buy much more, perhaps some bread and milk at the weekend.

Now that Mr M has changed the criteria for their loyalty cards I don't think I will be getting so many points, and vouchers will be few and far between.  Does anyone else have a card and do you think the new system will be better or worse?

Anyway, must dash as I need to take my little car for it's MOT.  It will cost £29 to get it done and I really hope it will not need any work.  It was treated to 2 new tyres not so long ago so I live in hope!  It rained heavily all last night so there should be no frost to scrape off the windscreen, thankfully.

Catch up later, have a great day x

A Frosty Morning, A Birthday Cake, and Christmas Preparations

We have our first serious frost this morning, everything looks cold and sparkling and fresh.  It's lovely seeing it through the window from my warm living room but I need to go food shopping later on so I will definitely need to wrap up warmly.  I think I will leave it a while until the streets are aired :)

Since I last posted (crikey.... 3 weeks ago) I have been taking things a bit more slowly but I have bought and wrapped all my Christmas gifts, managing to buy things I know the recipients wanted and even having £3 left of my budget too, which is marvellous. There seems to be quite a lot but everything was bought at a discount from various stores....

On the 1st of November it was my birthday and I was really pleased to be given a voucher from Morrisons, along with my change, for a free bunch of flowers. I didn't spend it right away but waited until 2 weeks later when I felt a bit better.  I could choose something up to the value of £2 so I chose these.  They are still going strong after 9 days. Aren't they a lovely cheerful colour.....

I share my birthday with my son in law so DD invited me to Sunday lunch on the very day and brought out this...

The candle plays 'Happy Birthday' !! Now I have only ever had a birthday cake once before in my whole life so to have one at the age of 66 is wonderful, even if I did have to share it...lol...it was delicious too.....

There are just over 4 weeks left until Christmas so I need to get a wriggle on and finish making my Christmas cards, especially the ones which need to be posted.  They need to be tackled this week, I think.  I have made a start on giving the house an extra tidy too. The fridge/freezer has been turned off, defrosted, cleaned thoroughly and is now back on ready for the winter stores of food in case we get any snow.  My feet seem to go off in different directions the minute I try to walk in snow so I need to be prepared ( and, yes, I was a Girl Guide once!)

I am planning a giveaway in the next few days so watch this space...

Have a lovely day everyone x

Life Getting In The Way

It has been ages since I last posted, for which I apologise to anyone waiting for my input :)  but life just keeps getting in the way.  My eye is still very uncomfortable although I am hoping the issue will eventually resolve itself but with other issues surfacing almost on a daily basis I am finding it too much of a chore to keep my blog going.

Please bear with me. I will continue to read and comment occasionally on other blogs I follow and I hope to be back again soon ...

Take care all of you x