Scanners and Birthdays

Photo of Mobile MRI Scanner from Google Images

Well I finally went for an MRI scan on Sunday evening, a very strange experience I must say and something I hope I don't ever have to repeat.  But isn't technology wonderful, and the thought of this particular scanner being driven all around the UK is amazing.  I have overtaken one on the motorway before but never realised the complexity of the inside.  This is the exact layout of the one I was in.

Photo of Mobile MRI Scanner from Google Images

I should get the results as soon as my GP gets them which according to the radiologist will be in two to four weeks.  I'll carry on with the painkillers in the meantime, and being super careful.  We rounded the evening off with a coffee and a takeaway at my younger sons house in Blackpool, which was where I went to for the scan.  It's good when there's somewhere friendly to go after a very strange experience.

In other news it's my eldest grandson's 22nd birthday today ... gosh don't they conspire to make you feel old!!

 He's a great man and a crazy, happy Dad to his son Mason ... yep, I'm a great granny!!  Shortly to be two times over as one of my other grandsons and his partner are expecting a little girl in March.  Doesn't seem that long since they were all at school, where do the years go?

Sue xx

Weekend Watching 2

 

Sometimes a Saturday morning just has to start with a bacon butty, and these 'No-Pork Streaky Bacon Rashers' from Aldi are a pretty tasty occasional breakfast, and they make the lodge smell gorgeous as they cook ... Alan falls for it every time I cook them and thinks I've gone back to the 'dark-side'.

No little piggies were harmed in the making of this meal ... now why did Spellcheck want to change that to Pygmies?  😄😆

Half of the pack of the rashers and two slices of bread gave me enough for a tasty breakfast with a few little pieces left over for the dogs, who are convinced that Mum has the real deal and want their share of the bacon breakfast.

10 minutes to Ready | Extremely Easy and Healthy | Delicious breakfast - YouTube

And it's nice to eat my breakfast while I'm watching YouTube clips of other breakfast ideas for future days.

EN BASİT YÖNTEMLE ✅ TAVADA MAYASIZ TEL TEL KATMER - YouTube

And ever since doing the Ration Challenge a couple of times I love parathas and I make them at least a couple of times a month.  Watching them being made here by someone more expert than me was really relaxing.  They are just a layered flatbread by any other name ... and they have lots of names depending on which national cuisine you are visiting.

NEVER TOO SMALL Scandi Style Paris Small Apartment - 50sqm/538sqft - YouTube

And it's always nice to have a look at someone else's small living space, in this case over 200sq ft larger than mine.  What is it about small living spaces that intrigues so many of us so much?

Something else I've done this week in-between watching numerous YouTube clips and the second series of Killing Eve on iPlayer, is to sign up for and start playing with this years Jacquie Lawson online Advent Calendar ... possibly the best £3.70 I spend all year.  This years looks as beautiful as last years, and with the room to decorate and all the games to play you can start enjoying it immediately.  I still have last years saved on my computer and I've been playing the games all year when I'm waiting for something to download or just fancy a little play.

I might just go and decorate my virtual Christmas Tree while I wait for the kettle to boil ... it's coffee time.  😀🎄

Sue xx

Hidden ... and Not So Hidden

 

Living in a small space means that some things just cannot be hidden.  When I'm making full use of the sunshine through the French doors even though the rain is pouring down outside, the washing is there for anyone to see ... lucky then that's it's usually just me.  😀

Somethings are not exactly what they seem, and storage is found and used in many ways.  The little green chest holds my collection of Beryl Ware pottery, the red flour-bin is full of packets of desiccated coconut, ground almonds and sweeties.

And hidden in the basket are crisps, ready to bake bread rolls and my potato bag.

You never know what you are going to find hidden away!!

In full line of vision the other day ... just after Alan assembled it ... was Ginger, trying the bottom shelf of the new office shelves for size.  He loves to watch the world go by on Alan's window sills and now it seems he loves to watch Alan work from his brand new vantage point.

Sue xx

Just a Few Books

 

On the last post Heather asked me what the books were under my plant on the sideboard, so I thought it would be easiest just to show a photo.

There are a few more on the shelves to the left of the television, and a few more in the cupboard below, which I forgot to photograph!

There's a handful on top of the bookcase in the bedroom.

Here are two of the shelves below that little pile ...

... and here's the best shot I could get of the bottom shelf.  

There not much of a gap between the bed and the bookcase, and I'm not that good at manoeuvring at the moment!!

Walking back into the living room I spotted these on the little green shelves.

And then of course there are my favourite cookbooks all waiting and ready for action in the kitchen.

And one final book ... one that was recommended by Margie from Toronto one day last week and that spiked my intrigue straight away.  I thought it would be an ideal book to read just before I start on my not buying year next year.  So that is waiting for me on the shelf above the radiator in the living room.

I do like to have my friends all around me ... have you got your books dotted all around the house or are yours neatly on shelves in a specific space?

Either way I do hope you love books as much as I do ... Sue I know you do  😃

Sue xx

Weekend Watching

 

Ginger is turning into an avid television watcher, usually it's from the sofa but yesterday he took things to a whole new level and got up close and personal with Cottage Fairy.

The Downsides of Life in a Rural Cottage - and why I need a change - YouTube

I think it will be another sofa day today, just hopping up every now and then to keep things moving but it's grey and very cold outside so me and the animals are going to keep cosy with YouTube, coffee and sweets.

DUMPSTER DIVING FOR FRESH BAKERY PODOCTS - YouTube#

Amy has just posted a new video so that will be my first stop once the kettle has boiled.  Does anyone else find someone they like watching and then have a good old binge-watch.  I've been subscribed to Freakin Frugal for a long time now and it's quite addictive watching the amount of food they manage to stop going to landfill.  Feeding your family for free, now there's a good incentive to climb into a dumpster/skip.  Unfortunately it's illegal in the UK as all supermarket dumpsters are on private property and usually behind locked gates ... drat!!

Yesterday I watched half of the first series of Killing Eve on BBC iPlayer,  I meant to just watch the first one and then got a bit carried away ... oops  😄

Low Cost Meals - Falafels and my Potato, Cheddar & Leek Tart - Delicious Vegetarian Classics - YouTube

Of course there's someone lots of us bloggers know that has got a very popular YouTube channel now ... Frugal Queen.   Called Frugal Queen in France she gives lots of her hints and tips for continued frugal living now that she and Mike have both retired to the countryside.  There are some brilliant recipes shown including this latest one, and with over 10.5 thousand subscribers she's doing really well.

So while I get stuck in with some watching I thought I would share some of what I'm seeing with you, just in case your weekend is looking to be as grey and chilly as mine.

My son is out delivering heavy machinery, so the only thing he'll be watching is the road.😀

Have a great weekend. 

Sue xx

Flat Packed Christmas Trees and Mashed Potatoes

 

My first Advent calendar arrived one day last week.

I ordered mine from The Vegan Kind an online supermarket, you can check out the website here if you are interested  -  if you go over using this link you will get £10 off your first order  https://prz.io/y4AdPJUp

It's one of two brilliant vegan sweet companies that I frequent a little bit more than perhaps I should😎  ... but this one does do a wonderful range of proper food too with delivery straight to your door.  

I decided to avoid getting a chocolate one this year as I have quite a lot of chocolate in the fridge at the moment which should last me to Christmas and beyond.  Instead I went for this one. but I didn't realise for some reason ... I should have seeing the shape of the finished article ... that it would be a self assembly affair.

Oh well, that's a little cardboard Christmas Tree that I have to build, and lots of little boxes!!

Oh and the added thing of actually knowing what is in each little box ... I'm definitely missing the surprise element with this one then  😄😆

The Shepherdess Pie that I started making on the last post went down a treat, and I made myself enough mashed potato to fill a delicious Potato Pasty that I had for my lunch yesterday.

Does anyone else love mashed potatoes (and sweets) as much as I do?

Sue xx

When Wheelie Bins Come Knocking

 

The 'plastics and glass' wheelie bin came knocking on the front door at five o'clock this morning.  He had his lid entangled with the blue lidded paper recycling bin and he had somehow managed to mount the door mat and get right up to the front door.  I sorted them out and pushed him back into place then grabbed a glass of water and went back to bed for an hour.

When I got up he was back at the door again, although this time waiting quietly.

I know the weather has been atrocious over the last few days, but you know it's bad when even the wheelie bins want to come inside.  😄😁

My first job today was to turn the pack of Meatless Farms Mince that I bought the other week into shepherdess pie bases.  I call them that in my head although I use this mince/carrot/celery mix for lots of other purposes too.

The shape and portion size that I freeze makes for a good pasty filling, or once thawed out and with peas added a good topping for some pasta, and it's nice to have a little stash in the freezer.

I freeze them like this as if I am making a shepherdess pie I like to have A LOT of mashed potatoes and if I added the potatoes before freezing I just wouldn't be able to get the lid on.  I could quite happily live on mashed potatoes with lots of salt and pepper and slightly too much butter melted in so I pile the buttery mash on and then just cook for 25 or so minutes at 180 degrees.

I'm having an easy day today as we went to visit my son and his girlfriend yesterday and a whole day of sitting in the car and then in their house has really seized me up and made me sore.  But it was well worth it, it was so lovely to see them and their doggies again.

I hope you are all safe from this awful weather.  We have lots of lying water in and around town and while some of the roads need care to travel on and the river and canal have both risen dramatically, we have gotten off relatively unscathed considering the sheer amount of rainfall we have had.  Much better than some people near where my son lives who have been flooded out of their homes and businesses yet again.

Sue xx