Saturday, January 17, 2015

Saturday again!

The days seem to fly by at the moment, perhaps because I've still not managed to get into a routine of what I should be doing - and do it!  When I sit down (which is often) I tend to nod off.  Did that yesterday, and woke to discover I'd overcooked my pizza in the oven by half-an-hour.   Fortunately I'd put a lot on top of the crust so was able to scrape off the burnt cheese and remove the hard base and the bit in between was still edible. 

Never did get to buy new shoes.  The weather changed from bad to worse and after a night of what I thought was snow (turned out to be gravel-like hail) decided it was too cold for me to want to venture out, and Friday was not one of my good days, felt tired from the start.   At least British Gas sent a man to deal with the 'broken' electrics (my water/drains/gas/electrics are all covered in their repair contract), and turned out it was just fuse wire that needed replacing.  So now the lights work.  I've to have new copper bits fitted to earth everything ('lecs to boiler etc), and while I'm at it will have a new fuse box that has no wires to break.  These will be fitted at my convenience  (I have to move the beds etc for the man to fit the new connections along the skirting board behind the beds, so will put that off for a week at least), no urgency.  

Am still losing weight, at least 1lb a day, by tomorrow should have lost 12lb since I started taking the increased meds a week ago yesterday.  Certainly sleep a lot better, and these cold mornings I just don't want to get out of my warm bed.

Snowed a bit yesterday, not enough to settle, more bad weather forecast over this weekend although we may miss most of it - as we usually do.  Am planning to take this next week 'off', by this I mean just pleasing myself what I do (usually not a lot anyway), and eating more protein to help me gain a bit more strength.    One of my new resolutions is if I get one thing out, then I must put at least TWO things away.

I clicked on that link to the Guardian Margie, and found it interesting.  Even though it reads as though some things have disappeared from our baskets, most are still there.  Corned beef for example.  It may be called 'charcuterie' in the listings, but a lot of it is still bought.  Also Chicken Kievs.    Never remember wild rabbit (canned?) being on sale (other than for pet food).

'New foods' (new to me in recent years but seemingly bought regularly now by younger folk - also by me) are things like hummous, dips, sushi, tropical fruits.  Meat now includes ostrich, kangaroo, squirrel...  fish from warmer waters.  Most foods that we think of as 'lost' are still around - even war-time Spam has become popular again.

The other day I had treated myself to Walker's Pork Pie (sharing it with my daughter). That particular pie has been eaten in our family even before I was born, so very pleased to find that Tesco sell it (as 'counter pie') being that it originated in Leicester (family firm).  Still tastes as good.
With the pie I quartered a large tomato.  Don't know where that was grown but it had no flavour whatsoever, so ended up leaving a wedge in a little dish.  Two-three days later decided to throw it away and noticed it looked a bit black where the flesh touched the inner section of seeds.  Also looked as though it had tiny maggots in it.  But no!!!  The visible seeds had all started to sprout, the seeds themselves had darkened, with a white shoot growing up out of each (flat against the tomato that had been next to the container), and at the top a tiny folded-over green leaf about to open up.  With care I was able to remove one or two of these sprouting seeds, and although I didn't use them, am sure - if carefully placed in a pot of soil - they would grow into tomato plants.

So - all you budding gardeners - worth quartering a tomato and leaving it in a warm room, then seeing what happens.  We normally sow tomato seeds in February, so this way would get the toms growing a month ahead of their usual time and give more crops as the months go by.  If we have bought fresh tomatoes that have a good flavour, then worth growing from these instead of relying on packets of seeds.

It was only the other day that I thought I'd got over my miseries and felt a lot stronger, but it does seem I'm still going to get good days and bad days and will never know until the day arrives.  Yesterday was not good, today probably will feel a bit better, hope tomorrow will be smiling again.  Still early days yet, not yet 3 months, so shouldn't expect too much.  Have to take each day as it comes.  At least my heart seems to be improving. think the tiredness is due more to depression, I just can't seem to find something positive to do - beyond the normal call of duty.  A challenge is what I need, and so far haven't found one.  Yet!

It would be interesting to hear from readers what their shopping basket now contains - compared to several decades ago.  What 'new' foods do they prefer, and what older ones do they now not bother to buy/eat?  Myself feel the older we are the more likely we are to get stuck in a rut and not bother much to change - after all, traditional foods always have been tasty, but perhaps take too long to cook in this day and age of fast foods.

As I've got 4 very ripe bananas, think today I'll bake a banana loaf (the recipe needs VERY ripe fruit) and it will freeze..  It will be the first time I've baked (a cake) since late October.  The oven has been on only 3 times since then (twice for pizzas).  I'm getting to be a hob-top cook (with the occasional use of a slow-cooker). Don't suppose I'll ever need to roast a joint again although might cook a whole chicken (not that I need to, but would enjoy the flavour).  If I'm not careful I'll be talking myself into a gloomy mood (again).   Time to toddle off into the kitchen and think about cooking a proper meal for my supper today. 

Not sure if I'll be blogging tomorrow (Sunday), but should be back early next week.  Hope you are able to stick with me for these few months until I get myself back on track.  TTFN.