Happy Homemaker Monday - week commencing 22nd January 2024

Another Monday, it only seems like 5 minutes since last week. January is flying by. I hope things start to slow down otherwise before you know it Christmas will be upon once more. It is my Stepmother-in-laws funeral on Thursday afternoon so it will be a busy day getting everything done in work by lunch time before attending the funeral in the afternoon. It is only a small quiet service which is why I am not taking the whole day off even though I knew I could. Emma will miss it as she is currently in Iceland with her boyfriend, Sam. I am a bit jealous as I would like to go there as well. She is in Reykjavik so safely away from the volcano.

This week we do not have an evening where we can all sit down for a meal together until Sunday so the meals listed might not apply to the rest of the family on different nights.

Menu plan

Monday-  Chicken stir fry

Tuesday- Braised beef with carrot and swede mash

Wednesday- Chicken Korma

Thursday - Chilli loaded wedges

Friday- Slimming World ready meal ( I am the only one home)

Saturday- Spaghetti Carbonara

Sunday- Roast dinner

From the camera

Last week I went on a school trip to Chester Zoo. It was the best visit I have had as I could get to see the animals and they seemed as interested in us as we were with them. I managed to take some photos of the animals so here are just a few.

On my to-do list

My main task for this week is to complete a quilt that I have been working on for a VERY long time. I have only worked on it when I went to quilting group once a month for two hours and it is an English paper pieced quilt and all hand sewn (except the quilting). I just have to sew the binding on which I hope to complete this week then that is my longest outstanding to do completed.

What I am reading / listening to.

The book club choice for this month is 'How to Kill your Family' by Bella Mackie. I am listening to that as I have found that as I have not chosen those books and I have the time constraint that listening to them whilst I am driving to and from work is the most efficient way of completing the book. It has also been the only way I would have completed some of the previous choices. I am however, enjoying this book.' I am reading 'Agatha Raisin, Pushing up Daisies' by M.C Beaton. I have read most of the Agatha Raisin books and just have a few left. It is an easy and enjoyable read for when you don't want something to complicated.

Hope you all have a good week and are managing to find a little time for yourselves.

Deborah

Week commencing 8th January 2024

 

It is hard to believe we are already a week into 2024 and I am back doing menu planning and household planning. This is all in an effort to get organised and stay on top of things. Having a written list of things to do helps me stay motivated as I get great pleasure it ticking them off and seeing how much I have accomplished.

So for this week

To Do

I am out Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings so the list can not be as long as I would normally do if I was staying home in the evening and this is on top of my weekly cleaning.

-Wash all curtains downstairs (as the curtains are so wide and long they can only be done one curtain at a time)

- Declutter bedroom chest of drawers

- Make a note of due dates for insurances, MOT's etc

In my craft basket

I have 3 projects that I am determined to finish this month. The first is an EPP quilt that I have been making in my quilting group for many years. The top is now finished and I just have the quilting and binding to do. 

The second is a jumper I have been knitting. I an definitely a novice when it comes to knitting and reading patterns and I had put this down for a several months after I made a mistake that I could not figure out how. I eventually got to show the pattern and the piece to my Mum who figured out where I had made the mistake so I ended up undoing the piece and starting again.

The final project is a dress that I started last summer then somehow lost interest in (as I did a lot last year). 

I want to get these three completed so that I can concentrate on starting some new projects next month.

On the menu

As the weather has turned colder this week I have decided to make some comfort food recipes whilst sticking to Slimming World (for the majority of the time)

Monday - Beef and black bean chilli

Tuesday - Mac and Cheese Taco Bake

Wednesday- Don-Air Kebab ( a Slimming World recipe for Donner Kebab)

Thursday- Toasties

Friday - Lentil and Bacon Stew

Saturday - Curried Mince beef

Sunday - Cola Chicken

Looking forward to..

The first W.I. and Book Club meetings of the year. There is a speaker from The Christie Hospital at the W.I. meeting and we will be celebrating our 9th birthday. The book I have read for the book club was 'Lessons in Chemistry' by Bonnie Garmuss which I really enjoyed reading even if it wasn't quite as much about cooking as I was expecting. I have also got the TV series with Brie Larson to watch.

I hope you all have a good week.

Deborah

Happy Homemaker Monday / Menu Plan 15th August 2022

 

How quickly the weeks are going by, every year seems to be getting faster. Maybe it is because my life is pretty routine. The weather here in the North West of England has been much too hot for my liking and I am glad things are forecast to get cooler.

Weather

Looking forward to

Going to the Lytham St Anne's and spending time on the beach with Penny and wearing her out playing in the sand and amongst the dunes before eating fish and chips.

Around the house

I have a pile of paperwork that needs to be sorted and filed as well as old papers to be shredded. My knitting is calling out for attention so I will work on one of those projects so that I can get it finished. Matthew's room is also crying out for attention and he will be getting on cleaning that, no doubt under duress.

Menu Plan

I want to continue my good efforts at Slimming World and have lost another 1 1/2lbs. Slimming World is very family friendly when it comes to meals so I don't have to cook a separate meal for myself, I can continue to make only 1 type of meal for everyone.

Monday- Tuna, sweetcorn, noodles and salad

Tuesday - Haddock and pea risotto that I didn't make last week as it was too warm to cook.

Wednesday -Baked sweet potato and preferred fillings

Thursday -Turkey steak filled with garlic quark and wrapped in Parma Ham served with green vegetables

Friday - Chicken stir fry

Saturday -Fish and chips ( I get weighed on Saturdays so I have the rest of the week to be on track)

Sunday - Spaghetti Bolognese

I hope you all have a good week and I am looking forward to finding out what you have planned for this week.

Happy Homemaker Monday / Menu Plan 8th-14th August

 

I have a busy week in work this week preparing for an audit and I am also out three evenings this week with various W.I. activities. I am not looking forward to the heatwave but at least being in work means that I will be cool as the office is always about 10 degrees centigrade lower than it is outside and we do not have air conditioning. It is great in the summer but not so much in the winter.

Weather

Menu Plan

As things are busy I am keeping it quick and simple this week

Monday -Spaghetti Bolognese

Tuesday - Chicken Fajita Bake

Wednesday -Sausage and Mash

Thursday - Homemade Turkey burgers and Salad

Friday - Smoked Haddock and Pea Risotto

Saturday -Curried Mince Beef (we didn't have it last Saturday)

Sunday -Visiting friends and eating with them.

Looking Forward to

• Seeing our friends on Sunday. They live about 30 miles away so we don't see them as often as we would like to.
• Finishing my travel journal for Colorado
• The weekend knowing that the audit is over.

On my To-Do List

• We are still having issues with wasps hanging around so I have finally persuaded Craig to get the professionals in to sort it out so I will have to arrange the visit
• It is my turn to make a cake for the W.I meeting so that will need to be done this evening ready for tomorrow.
• I have ordered my food shop to collect today so I mustn't forget to do that.
• Now I have sorted out the garage and made a laundry area I want a fun sign to put in there along with a lost socks sign pegboard.

Inspiration

I have chosen this not only for helping me with my weight loss but also as a general motivator for helping me get things done when I am feel like I am struggling.

I hope you all have a good week.

Happy Homemaker Monday /Menu Plan 1st August

 

We have had a weekend of trying to sort out why wasps were 'hanging' around the front bedroom and the bathroom window at the back of the house. Craig went up to investigate and used a wasp nest killer spray and sealed the gaps where they were possibly getting into the house so hopefully that will solve the problem.

To Do

• Sort out kitchen cupboard where plates, dishes and drink cups are stored
• Weed front garden
• Re-pot mint and cola plants
• Cut out pattern and fabric for wrap dress

On my reading pile

The Book Club choice this month is The Girls by Lisa Jewell so that is a must read. On my personal list I have another Agatha Raisin book -Pushing up Daisies  and Atomic Habits by James Clear.

On my craft Pile

I recently bought some fabric to make a skirt but have decided to use it for a wrap dress instead so I want to make that this month. I have also got a knitted dishcloth and a Harry Potter hat to finish this month as well.

On the Menu

I have joined Slimming World to try and lose the weight that has crept on over the past couple of years so not only am I planning dinners but also breakfast and lunches but I will not bore you with those. I will just stick to dinners

Monday - Salmon, new potatoes, broccoli, peas and green beans

Tuesday -Stuffed peppers

Wednesday - Steak with sweet potato wedges and roasted tomatoes

Thursday - KFC fakeaway

Friday - Pork steaks with carrot and swede mash, green beans and gravy

Saturday -Curried Mince beef and rice

Sunday -Meal out with Craig's Masonic Lodge

Looking Forward to this week

After being cancelled 4 times due to Covid we are finally going to see 'Six-The Musical' which is based on the wives of Henry VIII presented as a pop concert with the Queens taking it in turns telling their story to see who suffered the most at Henry's hands and should be the group's lead singer. This was one Emma wanted to desperately see and was so frustrated at it being cancelled all the time she ended up going to see it when she was in London last summer. She is still coming with me as she loved it and wants to see it agian.

Happy Homemaker Monday / Menu Plan 25th July 2022

 

It has been such a long time since I posted a menu plan. I hadn’t really been doing a menu plan every week as I had just lost any enthusiasm for cooking and planning. I now realise it was because I needed a holiday more than I thought. I now feel motivated and energized to get back to doing the things that I need and want to, including blogging.

This weekend was the start. Since the start of the year I have been frustrated with how quickly the garage gets messed up and you end up climbing over things to get to what you want. Whilst I was on holiday I decided that I would do a proper declutter, especially after seeing how organized my friends house was in Colorado. I was going to get rid of things that I thought I needed but seeing as though they had been in the garage for years then I obviously did not. I also needed a better storage system so that things did not get piled up on top of each other. And that is exactly what I did. I spent Saturday afternoon going through everything and getting rid of the items I didn’t need or want. On Sunday we went to Costco and bought an industrial strength shelving unit which I then assembled and put the remaining items on. There was also a desk in there that I was reluctant to get rid of so I repurposed it by putting it over the washing machine and tumble dryer so I now have an area to store my washing liquids and fold laundry once it is dry. Clearing the garage also now gives me a space to be able to dry the washing when it is too wet to put on the washing line.

Talking of washing;

 On my to do list

After two weeks away with a house/dog sitter staying and then a week of recovering from jet lag and post holiday blues, I feel that my house needs a good clean. I am not sure how much I am going to be able to get done during the week as I am out three evenings this week so the deep cleaning may have to wait until the weekend.

 In my Craft basket

 The list of projects I want to do increases weekly but I am currently working on a Harry Potter hat for my nephew in Gryfinddor colours and a knitted dishcloth as I actually prefer the ones I have knitted to the ones I have bought.

 On the menu

 Monday – Sausage, egg and chips

Tuesday – fresh Soup and crusty bread

Wednesday -Taco Pasta Bake

Thursday -Thai Buffet (celebrating BIL’s birthday)

Friday – Homemade fish and chips

Saturday – Garlic Pork chops in a creamy mushroom sauce

Sunday – Roast dinner with neighbours

Looking forward to this week

Going out for the Thai buffet as I have never been to a Thai buffet before or really eaten much Thai food. I have Book Club on Friday and I am looking forward to having a good chat with the ladies there. Having dinner with the neighbours will also be fun as we get on really well with them and it is a thank you for helping to look after our dog whilst we were away.

 

It feels good to be back and I hope to be able to catch up with other blogs that I have fallen behind with.

Deborah

Happy Homemaker Monday / Menu Plan 4th April 2022

 

I haven’t really menu planned properly for a few weeks as I had a really bad cold that put me in bed for a few days and then Craig caught Covid. He wasn’t ill but he has been stuck at home and suffered from cabin fever. One of the ways that came out was becoming really fussy about what he wanted to eat, so I left the meal ideas to him because he never wanted what I suggested.

 As Craig couldn’t go out, he missed going to see ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ which we had booked last minute. One of Matthew’s friends came along instead. I enjoyed the show, it was a very different performance than the last time I went to see it. Hat’s off the Alexandra Burke who at 6 or 7 months pregnant was still giving it her all during the dance routines she had to do.  I wasn’t overly impressed with Jason Donovan though.

 Anyway, looking to this week

 The Weather

Not the best, but hopefully will improve next week for the long Easter Weekend.

 

Watching on TV.

Craig and I watched an episode of Death in Paradise at Christmas and over the last few weeks we have been binge watching all of the seasons. We are currently up to Season 4. Loved Ben Millar and was shocked at his exit. I am getting used to Kris Marshal who is obviously playing a very different character. We keep trying to guess who the murderer is each episode. We have about a 60% success rate.

 Looking around the house

It is getting to that time of year again when I want to get everything organised and decluttered. Over the weekend I cleaned out and organised my kitchen drawers, cleaned out my wardrobe and tidied the garage. There are a couple of kitchen cupboards that I want to tackle and a cupboard in the living room for me to do this week. I also want to finally donate my CD’s as I have no way of playing them. Craig has copied the ones I want to keep and put them onto a USB for me so I can listen to them in the car. I am hoping to tackle the garden when the weather improves next week.

 On the Menu

As the weather isn’t brilliant then I feel like eating comfort food.

 Monday- YOYO (You’re on your own)

Tuesday -Lasagne

Wednesday – Meatzza

Thursday – Dirty Fries

Friday- Meatball sub

Saturday- Chicken Fajitas

Sunday- Roast Dinner

 To relax this week.

Normally I would have a craft project or two on the go to help me relax but I seem to have lost my crafting mojo, so this week I am going to watch ‘Death on the Nile’ and re-watch ‘Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald’ to remind myself of what happened before going to see the new one.

Linking up with Karen at Cats, Kids, Chaos and Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to see what everyone else is planning this week.

Have a good week.

Deborah

Happy Homemaker Monday / Menu plan 28th February 2022

 

It is immensely sad what is going on in the Ukraine and I absolutely respect those Ukrainians who are staying to defend their homes. Like the rest of the world it was with sadness and disbelief when I heard that Russia had actually invaded and I am proud of the way the world has reacted and condemned these actions. Even the majority of Russians did not want this to happen. Hoping and praying that it does not escalate and it is over quickly.

 When Covid started I purposely decided to stop listening and reading to the news all the time. I found that I was starting to feel anxious and worried which are not feelings I was used to. I catch headlines so I am aware of what is going on, but I don’t want to dwell on matters that are out of my control. So, I am not going to go write too much about what is going on for my own sanity.

 Weather

We had a glorious weekend weather wise, much needed after the storms of the last few weeks. Today, however it is back to grey and dull. It does look like it is getting brighter towards the end of the week however.

 Menu plan

It is a nice, simple menu plan this week with Pancake Day and Ash Wednesday taking care of two days. Craig and I are at a Masonic Ladies Weekend in Lytham St Anne’s which we are both looking forward to. Emma is going to be cooking for her and Matthew as neither wanted to come along.

Monday – Chicken Caesar Salad

Tuesday – Pancakes

Wednesday – Tatty Ash

Thursday – Ikea meatballs (need to take a trip to Ikea)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday- Away for the weekend

 Craft basket

Starting on the Dumbo element of the Disney Cross Stitch this week once I have purchased a smaller hoop. There are also got some needle felted love birds to finish off and  I have cast on a new dishcloth pattern.

 On the TV.

A couple of months ago Craig and I caught an episode of ‘Death in Paradise’ on TV and we both enjoyed it, so this week we have started watching the programme from the first episode with Ben Millar. 

 On my reading pile

I have about halfway through ‘The Crafternoon Sewcial Club’ by  J Williams which is an easy read. The book club choice this month is ‘If you could see me now’ by Cecilia Aherne. I have also got ‘The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting’ by Evanna Lynch (Luna from Harry Potter) where she retells her life with anorexia when she was a child.

 

Wishing you all a peaceful week.

Linking up with Karen and Sandra as usual.

Menu plan /Happy Homemaker Monday 21st February

 

Well, the weather has certainly been a feature here in the UK this past week and the worst is not yet over.  We have been fortunate not to suffer any damage and the power remained throughout. I have to admit I did enjoy lying in bed and listening to the wind blowing outside. Emma has gone to Jersey for a few days to visit her friend. Thankfully she has avoided the storms when she has been flying. She has had a good time and I am looking forward to finding out more when she gets back home.

This week looks a lot calmer and drier and the temperature is about average for this time of year.

Menu Plan

Last weeks menu plan did not really go to plan for different reasons. I am not really holding out much hope for this week at the moment. I am going to repeat some of the recipes from last week as we did not have them.

Monday – YOYO (You’re on your own) There is only Matthew and I for dinner and I am going to quilting group

Tuesday- Spaghetti Carbonara with Garlic bread

Wednesday – Quick Asian Beef Ramen noodles

Thursday – Garlic butter steak and potatoes skillet

Friday- Steak pudding, chips, peas and gravy

Saturday – We are out at a birthday party

Sunday- Roast dinner at In-Laws (this should have been last Sunday)

In my craft basket

I am still working on my long term projects in the evenings ( EPP quilt at quiliting club and the Disney Cross stitch). I have also started the needle felted love birds kit that I hope to finish by the end of the month.

 Currently reading.

Daily Readings- Simple Abundance and Romancing the Ordinary by Sarah Ban Breathnach

The Crafternoon Sewcial Club – J Williams

The Vintage Housekeepers Circle (ebook)- Alison May

 Quote of the Week

I found this on Pinterest and considering everything going on currently thought it was rather appropriate.

Linking up with Sandra and Karen to see what everyone else is enjoying.

Have a good week.

Menu plan / Happy Homemaker Monday 14th February

 

I didn’t bother with a menu plan last week as Matthew and I were the only ones at home in the evenings. Matthew is so picky and what he eats is rather limited that I just did his usual rotation of foods.  I am trying to introduce new foods but he eats with his eyes and I can usually tell whether he will like it by the way he looks at it.

I had a productive weekend and made a shopping bag and a pair of pyjama bottoms for Emma as well as catching up with some friends on Saturday evening.

This week Emma is staying at her boyfriends all week as his parents have gone away so the house is going to be quiet. She is still going to come home to walk Penny except the days when she is in work, so Penny will be going to Doggy Day care. Craig is out Tuesday and Thursday and I am out tonight and Thursday at W.I. meetings.

 To Do

• Order a birthday card for my nephew in Australia
• Book my car in for a service
• Filing of paperwork in post rack
• Tidy garage

 Weather

Not bad for the time of year. Average temperatures just wet which is not what you want when going out for a walk with a dog who likes to go on the muddiest paths.

Menu Plan

 Monday- Yoyo

Tuesday- QuickAsian beef ramen noodles

Wednesday- Butter Chicken

Thursday –Dirty Fries

Friday- Chicken Nachos

Saturday –Gammon and Cauliflower cheese

Sunday- Roast dinner (at Mother-in-Laws)

Currently watching

'Go gently' is a Youtube channel with Bonne Wright (Ginny Weasley from Harry Potter). She tells us how she tries to be more sustainable and to do more to help climate change. I like the fact that she is telling us what she does rather than preaching and being judgemental about everything. The channel also gives a small insight into her life now. It is to accompany the book she has written which when it is released here in the UK I will be buying.

 In my craft basket

• The Disney cross stitch which is my long term home project that I will be working on during the week in the evening (when I am at home).
• Needle felted love birds kit
• Flower filled box frames for Mother’s Day gifts.

Linking up with Karen and Sandra to see what other people are enjoying eating this week.

Wishing you all a good week.

Happy Homemaker / Menu planning Monday 31st January

 

I have still been menu planning even if I haven’t been posting it on the blog. The main reason is because I have been using the click and collect service from my local supermarket. I am not a great fan of food shopping so the less time I can spend on it the better 😊. Unfortunately, I have been finding that there have been too many unsuitable substitutions lately so I am thinking of going back to doing my own shopping so I can make my own substitutions to make things work.

 Menu plan

 Mon- Beef burgers                                         

Tues- Chicken curry                                        

Weds- Veggie Quesadillas                                                           

Thurs- Spaghetti Bolognese                                        

Fri- Cajun Salmon & Salsa                                             

Sat- Indian ( to celebrate my Brother in Law’s 50^th birthday)

Sun- Roast Dinner or Pizza (depending on whether we got out hiking)

The Weather

It is currently bright and sunny. We managed to escape the worst of the storm yesterday unlike other parts of the country. Where we live is pretty sheltered so we don’t seem to get the extremes that other parts of the country experience.

To Do

A pretty quiet week as I am up to date with most things. However I do need to;

• ·     Tidy my bedroom drawers
• ·      Assemble the new lights for Matthew’s room
• ·      Remind Craig about booking the services for the boiler and my car (I don’t have the account log in details to be able to do them myself despite asking Craig for them- he forgets to send them because he has to look them up)

I am linking up with Karen at Cats, Kids, Chaos and Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to see what other people are up to.

Have a good week everyone. 

L

Happy Homemaker Monday & Menu plan 12th November

 

Another busy week where everyone is going in different directions. There is not going to be one evening this week when we can all sit down together. It will continue to be like this now until the Masonic season has ended at the end of May. The W.I is all year round but the other things I have going on will finish before Christmas and unless Emma gets a job where she works during the day it will be rare that she will be with us. I know it is all part of the stage of life we are all at but we were all together on Sunday along with Emma’s boyfriend Sam and my brother in law and it was so nice to be able to sit, eat and chat without rushing anywhere.

 Matthew has started his mocks so I won’t see him much over the next two weeks whilst he is (hopefully) revising in his room. It is a good job I have plenty of things to do to keep me occupied in the evenings that I am on my own.

 How I am feeling.

Now the days are shorter I feel a bit like a mole who never sees sunlight. I start work in the dark and because of the bad weather it is getting dark when I leave. I am sat under artificial lighting all day staring at a computer. I am going to have to make the most of the daylight at the weekend. 

On my breakfast plate.

Now it feels more like Autumn I am having porridge with Golden syrup and chopped apple with my mandatory cup of tea. Porridge will be my staple breakfast during the colder months and I will put different toppings on so I don’t get bored.

Menu plan

Another week based on Matthew’s likes. He is a bit fussy though and limited in what he likes, so I have a feeling that next week I will do some meal prep and batch cooking so that I have meals in the freezer for whenever they are needed.

Monday – haddock fishcakes and broccoli

Tuesday – Ikea meatballs (we did not have these last week)

Wednesday – Slow Cooker Beef stew

Thursday – Pizza

Friday- Liver and Onions (Craig’s request)

Saturday- Chicken Stir Fry

Sunday- Meat and potato pie

What I have been watching

Thanks to Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom I have been watching Korean & Japanese vloggers. I am loving the serene way they do things around the house and when cooking. I have also been watching lots of vlogs and podcasts from knitters or sewers. On Netflix I have started watching ‘Maid’ and on BBC it is ‘Doctor Who’.

Linking up with Sandra and Karen as usual to see what everyone else is up to.

Have a good week.

Happy Homemaker Monday 8th November

 

I have got a very busy week coming up and there is not one evening where we will be able to sit down as a family for a meal. It seems things are well and truly back to pre-Covid busyness. Penny hated the fireworks and spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings hiding behind the sofa. We put a Thunder Shirt on her, gave her some dog version of ‘Kalms’ and played the Pet Classics on Classic FM but none of them helped. In fact she did better when I decided to re watch Downton Abbey. Before we had a dog I did not know just how badly animals can be affected by fireworks and I feel ashamed of the firework parties we used to have when the kids were younger.

Menu plan 

So the menu this week consists of things that Matthew prefers as he is the only one that I will really have to cook for this week. Leftovers will be used for my lunch or for Emma to eat before she goes to work in the evenings she is there.

Monday – Swedish meatballs, mash potato and green beans

Tuesday –  Beef stew

Wednesday – KFC fakeaway

Thursday – Croque Monsieur

Friday - Steak, Jacket potato and salad

Saturday – Enchiladas

Sunday – Pulled Pork

 Looking around the house

I need to catch up with the ironing as I was too tired to finish it on Sunday as we had been out all day. I also need to give my craft room a good clean. The rest of the house is looking okay.

 Crafting

Although I do have my own projects to work on at home this week I am out three evenings do some sort of crafting. Tonight is working on my EPP quilt, Wednesday is the first session that is being run by a local organization for Christmas crafts and on Thursday I will be leading a craft session at my 2^nd W.I to make a Christmas wreath. I am also hoping to finish a knitted dishcloth and the first of my mini Christmas cross stitch.

Quotes

In honour of all the crafting I am currently doing.

Linking up with Sandra and Karen at CatsKidsChaos

Menu Planning Monday 1st November

 

Last week was the last half term that Matthew will have in school and Craig and I had a few days off. We went to Blackpool to see the fireworks and find out who had won the competition. Normally the fireworks were set up on the North Pier but this display was on the beach. Craig and Matthew had a day on various steam trains and a trip to the cinema and we went to RHS Bridgewater. Matthew was most pleased that a visit to Pizza Hut also occurred.

I didn’t do a menu plan as we were not together as a family once during the week so things were a bit ‘off the cuff’ and decided in the morning once the day’s activities were confirmed.

Menu plan

I am glad that things are a bit more normal this week but the weekend is going to be busy and we will be eating out both days.

 So linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom and Katy here is this week’s plan

 Monday –  Heavenly Hummus wrap

Tuesday – Coke chicken

Wednesday- Pea and Ham Soup

Thursday- Sausage and Mash potato

Friday- Mushroom risotto

Looking out of the window.

It is raining quite heavily at the moment and the garden is full of leaves that need clearing up. This will probably have to wait until Saturday morning when we have a bit of time to be able to do it.

 Weather

 

How I am feeling

My digestive system doesn’t feel quite right and I am a little tired but apart from that I am feeling motivated to get things done and looking forward to a day out on Sunday.

On my reading pile

I have the new book club choice which is ‘Restless’ by William Boyd. I have also started reading the third of the Bridgerton series ‘An Offer From a Gentleman’ by Julia Quinn which is reminding of Cinderella. It is an easy read and hopefully one to get me back into my reading groove again.

 To do this week.

Menu plan, shopping list and order shopping for delivery on Sunday evening.

Post quilted advent calendar to friends in America.

Get rid of leaves in garden

Clean inside of cars.

Finish 1^st mini Christmas cross stitch.

 

Wishing you all a good week.

Menu Planning Monday 11th October 2021

 

Things are getting busier at the moment as groups start to re-open. We have 2 college open events this week with Matthew, Craig is out at various masonic Lodges three evenings this week, I am at the W.I twice this week, one monthly meeting and one craft club and Emma goes to London with her boyfriend Sam to the premiere of the short film he made in August as part of the the National Youth Film Academy. I am also on a course on Saturday to learn how to make a pair of capri trousers. It is good that things are going back to how they used to be but I do miss the time we had to spend together. It is inevitable that this was going to happen and needed to happen after the last 18 months.

This means that we are not really going to sit down and eat as a family at all this week which is something that I have always tried to do as often as possible. I am still doing a menu plan as it helps with me staying on track with trying to lose weight but it just means that I won't be cooking for as many so there will be leftovers that I can use for lunch or freeze for future weeks.

Menu Plan

Monday - Marigold Soup  (Mary Berry recipe)

Tuesday - Burgers, Fries and Salad

Wednesday - Sausage and mash

Thursday - Subway

Friday - Haddock Casserole

Saturday - Lentil bolognese

Sunday - Cottage pie with Cauliflower mash

Weather

A pretty good week temperature wise considering the time of year. I am looking forward though to single digit temperatures.

What I am watching

This is the time of year that I probably watch the most TV. There is 'The Great British Bake Off', 'All Creatures Great and Small' and last night 'The Larkins'. I am trying not to compare this to 'The Darling Buds of May' which I love. Some of the characters personalities are very different from the original and there are new characters introduced. I think I will still enjoy it if I see it as totally different from the original.

Currently crafting

After finishing the shawl and the knitted tee shirt it is back to the Courthouse steps blanket. I would like to get this finished before winter kicks in so I can snuggle under it in the evenings. I am also starting to make my Christmas cards this year using sets from various places. I have craft club on Thursday where we will be making poppies and on Saturday I will be on a workshop to make a pair of capri trousers. Although I have made dresses before I have never made trousers before and I wanted to learn how to fit them properly.

From the camera

Craig and I took Penny for a walk to Rivington near Bolton. A lot of restoration work has been undertaken in the past few years to the area as it used to belong to the Lever family who had a house there. I hope to go back in a few weeks once the leaves have started to change colour.

Linking up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom and Katy

Hope you all have a good week.

Deborah

Menu Planning Monday 6th September 2021

 

It’s back to school this week and Matthew is going into Year 11. How quickly these high school years as passed. It does not seem 2 minutes ago that he was going into his last year at primary school.  I always feel a ‘back to school’ excitement with regards to my life and that it is a fresh start and the beginning of new routines to improve my life.

 As part of that life improvement I am starting a diet. Since the beginning of lockdown last year and with the job change where I am not moving around as much as I used to, the weight has crept up to the point where I am now almost as heavy as I was when I was pregnant with Emma. I am not looking to rapidly lose weight but I am determined that this time next year I will be 21lbs lighter. I have signed up with Second Nature which is purely online as I need the accountability of a group. I was doing Slimming World last year but I found that I wasn’t losing any weight, in fact I had started gaining.

Menu Plan.

With the diet in mind.....

Monday – Fish and Chips ( I know not a great start, but it is a W.I. meeting and I had forgotten I had ordered it)

Tuesday- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Wednesday – Cajun Salmon and Salsa

Thursday – Spicy Lamb Patty and Greek Salad

Friday – Chicken Fajita Bake

Saturday – Mexican Pork Bowl

Sunday – Steak and Vegetables

 

What I am looking forward to

Seeing how Matthew got on with his first day in Year 11.

Finishing the memory book I have been doing with my WI craft group.

Making an Autumn themed wreath for my door.

Getting back into a regular blogging routine.

 

The Weather

 Not quite autumnal yet :(

Looking around the house

 Trying to get back into a regular cleaning routine. After cleaning downstairs yesterday I need to clean my bedroom and the bathroom. Matthew also needs to do his room. At the weekend I want to start decorating Matthew’s room to make it a bit more grown up. We are also getting a double bed for him.

Hope you all have a great week and good luck to all of those with children going back to school.

Menu Planning Monday 9th August 2021

 

After a rather memorable week away it is back to the normal routine. I, for the most part enjoyed the week, but it will be a while before I go camping again for more than 2 nights.

 The Weather

After a rather mixed week this week is looking a bit more settled

 

Looking around the House /Garden

Because of all the rain and sun last week the weeds have sprouted in the cracks in the patio and in the front garden so they will have to be dealt with this week. The house just needs dusting but the garage needs a good tidy and sort. Hopefully now restrictions have lifted I can take stuff the charity shop that has been in there waiting to be donated.

Menu plan

I fancy a pretty simple week cooking wise with nothing to complicated

Monday- Homemade Chicken fried rice

Tuesday – Eat out as going to cinema

Wednesday – Salmon, potatoes and peas

Thursday –  Singapore Noodles

Friday – Chicken Fajitas

Saturday- Fish and chips in Whitby

Sunday- Cola chicken

 Looking forward to

Going to see Suicide Squad at the cinema and a day out in Whitby to celebrate my nieces’ birthday. Also, the first WI craft club meeting in person since February 2020. We are starting to make a memory book which will take 2 sessions to complete.

From the camera

Some of the beautiful and unusual flowers I saw in the Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Katy and Sandra always have interesting menus in their link ups.

Hope you have a good week.