* Lazylol *

Bad Week

image taken from google

I'm having a bad week.  I've been stressed for the couple of months, just the usual work stuff and feeling I have so much to do it so little time etc .  About 4 weeks ago I got really bad indigestion, which I never get and it wouldn't shift.  So I visited my GP this week who is sending me for some blood tests and a barium swallow thingy...just to be sure, although she thinks it is stress related and nothing serious.  Of course the anxiety got the better of me yesterday and I did something I know I shouldn't....I consulted Dr. Google.  Big mistake.  Now I think I have all sorts of fatal illnesses.  Why, oh why did I do it :(  

Days By The Sea June 2011

I have been at the caravan all week, the first couple of days rain, rain, rain but the sun has been peeking through the clouds for the last day or two and today in is beautiful.  

I was planning a trip to the car boot sale this morning and then going into Bridlington for the day but we've decided to stay around the caravan, it is so peaceful on a sunny day.  We are virtually on the seafront so will go for a paddle in a bit.  Aren't sunny days just so lovely?  They lift away all of my little stresses and leave me happy and relaxed. Something I am in great need of lately.

 

Look who joined us for breakfast...

 

Hope you have chance to enjoy some sunshine today x

Pinterest

After reading this post today, i thought it was about time I confessed.

How can a website be this good?  I'm addicted.

(I blame that other Angie, who introduced this to me in the first place).

 

 All I think about day & night is this absolutely fantastic site and all the gorgeous scrummy things I keep finding to pin.

If you, dear reader are pinning too - I'd be so grateful if you'd follow me!

My Pinterest - Angie T

If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, you must go there immediately .  You will become addicted. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Royal Wedding

Oops sorry about that, I disappeared for a while there.  It wasn’t planned.  Just the same old busy life excuse, so bad in fact that I haven’t even read or commented on any of the lovely blogs I read.  I will catch up!

I could get used to all these long weekends we are having lately! And the weather is beautiful, we've had sun for 3 weeks, unbelievable!

image- hoochiemama

I loved watching the Royal Wedding, I got really excited about it the day before.  We didn't have a street party but I did put some bunting up!

Chickpea & Butternut Squash Tagine

 

I've been making hatpins to use in my cardmaking - I am counting this as my make for Felt Fairy's monthly make for February (it's not much but it is a start!)

And in the kitchen........

I made a batch of this Chickpea and Butternut squash Tagine which I saw on Frugal Queens Blog - it is delicious, I need to make another batch for the freezer - it's a very tasty meal to have on standby when you are too busy to cook.  Freeze with couscous in plastic containers and then simply defrost and reheat in microwave, serve with some salad leaves.  I did plan to use it as a work lunch but it is so nice I've been having it for dinner. I have put it in my Sparkpeople food log so I can easily add it to my food for the day.

Breakfast Banana Muffins

 

 

I have made these muffins a few times recently. They are very simple to make, cheap and great for using up over ripe bananas.

I still like to bake treats even though I am watching what I eat.  We all prefer homemade cakes and treats so I can't really punish the family just because I am cutting down.  Just because I have baked them, doesn't mean I have to eat them (all!).  So I just have one with a cuppa and count it in.  I am putting all my recipes on Sparkpeople so I can add them to my day easily.  I use Sparkpeople to log my food daily, it helps keep me in check!

These Muffins are approx 150 calories each. If I have one for breakfast I have a yogurt too or some fruit.

Breakfast Banana Muffins

2 ripe bananas

80g demerara sugar

4 tbsps sunflower oil

2 eggs

130ml milk

150g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

50g porridge oats

 

Method

Preheat oven 170c fan/190c/375F/Gas Mark 5

mash bananas in a bowl and mix in the sugar, oil. eggs and milk.

sift in the flour, baking powder, oats and nutmeg.

place mixture into 12 cases and bake for 20 mins

leave to cool in tray and then tranfer to airtight container.

 

I am going to freeze a couple out of my latest batch and I will update this to let you know how well they freeze. 

Getting Things Done

I have had a very productive day.  I banned myself from the computer until after 4pm, isn't it amazing just how much you can get done without the computer sucking up all your time :)  I think I will adopt this approach more often!

I started the big de-clutter with my eldest son J's wardrobe but carried on and ended up doing the whole room.  I am planning on redecorating his room in the spring, he needs some new furniture and shelving.  So now he had a lovely clean and tidy room, two bags of rubbish for the bin, one for the Charity shop and a huge pile for ebay.  Maybe the money from this can be put towards the new furniture.

For dinner I roasted a chicken and served it with cous cous, roasted butternut squash, peppers, carrots, some beetroot  and a few potatoes. It was lovely.  There is enough chicken left for tomorrow's lunches and I will make some stock for soup.

I've entered my food on Sparkpeople and now I am going for a walk with the dog.  I am planning on walking to work too this week.  It will save on petrol and it means I will get some exercise in without having to find the time for it.  I just need to be organised early in the morning so I can leave earlier.

 

I did my Menu plan for the week too.  I only plan for Monday to Friday because I have to see who will be around to feed at the weekends. Often it's only me if the lads are out and about and J is on shift. 

 

Monday  ~  Stew & Yorkshire Puds (just veggie stew for me, no puds )

Tuesday  ~ Home made Leek & Potato Soup (a light meal tonight, everyone is busy)

Wednesday ~ Chicken salad with home made chips (no chips for me, i'll have cous cous instead and some spicy low fat dressing)

Thursday~- Baked potatoes with  garlic chicken and roast veg

Friday ~ We are all going out to a 21st birthday party so will eat out

 

I found a lovely new (to me) blog to read today.  The Felt Fairy.  She is having a giveaway but be quick because it ends tonight!

2011

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas, I certainly did.  Ours was a mostly a quiet and relaxing one, with days of visiting, lots of indulgent food and drink, a few cosy pyjama days and lots of family time.  We had our Christmas lunch at my parents which was lovely.

 

                (relaxing on the settee, watching David Copperfield and playing Scrabble = bliss)

 

I am now back at work and looking forward to 2011 and all it's possibilities!  

 

My Goals for 2011

• HEALTH - I want to lose some more weight this year and take regular exercise.  I am always yo-yoing with my weight and I do lots of walking and swimming in the summer but the rest of the year, no so much.  I want to be more consistent.  I have committed myself to logging my food and exercise everyday on Sparkpeople which I really do find a great help.  I did really well with this in 2009 and I really should have kept it up because when I'm left to my own devices, I'm hopeless.

 

• MONEY - I want to be more thrifty.  Honestly, I have no idea where half the money we earn goes. I will stop buying things I don't need and hopefully  build on our savings and pay my credit card balance in full.  My little car finally gave up during the bad weather. I had so I had to buy another, in the same week the ground rent for caravan was due and a week before Christmas!!  So our savings are looking a bit sad.  We have been working for years to get our mortgage paid off early, paying extra here and there and hopefully we will achieve this in 2013.  What with that, running the caravan and supporting my son at Uni, I need to be more thrifty with my cash. 

 

• DECLUTTER - honestly my house is overflowing with 'stuff', every cupboard and drawer is full to the brim.   I need to either sell the unwanted items on ebay (this will help with the savings etc) or send them to the charity shop.

 

• CRAFT - I want to get back into garment sewing.  I used to make lots of my own clothing years ago and I would like to get back into this again and build on my skills.  I have a huge stash of fabric so I will be decluttering when I use it and also saving money! The same goes for card making, I have all the kit but haven't made any for ages so this will also be my aim in 2011.

 

• FOOD - I want to learn to make a great Lemon Meringue Pie.  (I know this is a bit of a conflict with my plan to lose weight but I don't have to eat it!) My family love it but whenever I make it myself, the merginue is a flop.  I tried one again over Christmas and this time even managed to burn it! I also want to continue to cook most of our meals from scratch.  I did really well last year and have lots of new recipes and meal ideas.  I will make a weekly meal plan and shopping list to cut down on wasted food and money.  I will try to use up leftovers and use the freezer more.

 

• BULBS - Remember to plant some bulbs this autumn!! I always leave it too late and then regret it when I see the snowdrops and daffodils poking through!

 

• EMAIL - Keep my email 'in box' sorted.  It gets so full up with unwanted emails that I sometimes miss the important ones.  I need to trim down my email subscriptions. Life would be so much easier if I did this :)

 

• BOOKS - read more. I have kept a list of books I've read as long as I can remember.  But each year the number of books has been decreasing, in 2010 I have read the embarrassing total of five books! So I have set myself a minimum of 24 books for 2011.  That is still only 2 books a month, surely even I can manage that!

 

• PHOTOS - organise!  My files are all over the place.  Not sure where to start with this so any suggestions gratefully accepted!

 

Looks like it is going to be a busy year :)  Let's hope so!

 

Snowed in

I ventured out of the house today for the first time in almost a week.  The snow made it impossible to get out of our street in the car.  I walked to work last Tuesday and then we were given the rest of the week off so we've been all snug indoors ever since.   The snow really helped to get me in the mood for Christmas. I've been cleaning and painting like a mad woman.  Now the tree is up and I feel pretty organised.  Back to work tomorrow and this week I am going to write cards and wrap prezzies in the evenings.  While watching Christmas movies of course, it makes all the Christmas tasks more enjoyable, don't you think? Tonight I am ironing and watching Fred Claus :)

Vince Vaughan always makes me laugh :)

 

 

 

Snuggle

I splurged on a new winter duvet and following advice seen on the Money Saving Expert Forum, turned my old summer duvet into a fluffy mattress topper.  Now my bed is toasty warm and as snuggly as a giant marshmallow.  I now spend 24/7 daydreaming about being in it.  This morning I therefore decided to ditch my usual get up at 6:10 am,  seven days a week routine, instead opting to sneak back to bed once Mr Fuzz was safely deposited at work.

It was still dark outside so I didn't feel too guilty.  I spent an hour reading and then dozed off for a while.  I got up at 9:30 am!!! I cannot remember the last time I had a lie in.  Loved it and am planning to do it again very soon.  Just don't tell MrFuzz :)

The book I am reading is Room by Emma Donoghue, a very unusual and touching read. I haven't been able to put it down.