Time for an update, haven’t done one for a while

Horrible Jobs

We’ve been painting in the new loft conversion for a couple of weeks. There is much to do still, what with wardrobes, multiple shelving and architraves. I loath painting with a passion! I would much rather get someone else to do it, but my husband didn’t want anyone in the house, understandable. But we have moved on a little since we started and he would now, but too late! Arrgh! I feel like we have made considerable progress now, but boy, I’ll be glad when we’re done.

The wardrobe drawers are cavernous and will swallow masses of stuff. We’ve still got two small containers in storage just down the road. I need to do a mahoosive de-clutter when that all comes back.

I’ve also done our tax returns which is another job I hate. They’re a little complicated and they take me forever to compile everything and gather the mountain of paperwork needed. I emailed the accountant that everything is ready, but haven’t heard back yet. No matter, it’s all ready when they want it

Now workmen are able to enter houses to work, we can book the chap to lay the flooring downstairs. It means more utter chaos as everything is moved around so he can get at the floors. I’m not looking forward to that part, but it will make a big difference once its done. I feel like I’ve been living in a shed forever now!

All these horrible jobs mean that I haven’t been able to keep on top of the garden, but then a garden is never finished is it, there is always lots of things you want to do. This year I want to move the 2 blackcurrant bushes to a big water tank that came out of the loft. It means I’ll be able to net them. At the moment they are in a mixed bed where they look lovely, but the blasted pigeons have been raiding them and taken far too many

The loganberries are producing apace and we have had lots of those and the apples are swelling, ready for Autumn. The rhubarb is in dry shade, so I think I might try and find a better place for that. Although we have a south facing garden, we are terribly shaded by neighbours trees and plants

The Blog Update

I’m ploughing my way through 800+ posts updating things as I go for the lovely fresh new look. An inexperienced person did a lot of work helping me, but I have to check everything as mistakes were made due to said inexperience plus I’m improving posts when they are especially bad, and the early ones often are embarrassingly bad! It means I’ve had to put to one side writing many new posts, a meal plan I’m developing and the last recipes from Cheap Family Recipes. The end is in sight for that, but I need to finish the update first. There is always blogmin to do, a bit of a Forth Bridge job!

I am thinking of posting a weekly meal plan each Monday. Nothing fancy, just what we are having the following week. I’m sure new recipes will come out of  it too, which I love developing

Lockdown

I’ve been enjoying our enforced isolation and am in no hurry to go out into society again. I am in a privileged position as I don’t have to worry about our income, I don’t have children at home and I live with my husband, so I’m not on my own. But it’s been nice, just him and me, nowhere to go, all the usual busyness falling away, just pootling around doing this and that. I don’t seem to have any more time mind! I hope you’ve been surviving it all ok and that it hasn’t been too stressful. If it’s been a horrible time for you, UK Money Bloggers are a talented crew and will be able to answer many things

This Weeks Meal Plan

Monday – I made some beef burgers recently, so I’m using up the remaining beef mince today in a cottage pie

Tuesday sounds complex but really isn’t. The tandoori chicken is just a chicken breast or two chopped up, tossed in tandoori spice and and fried. The rice is oven cooked and couldn’t be easier

Wednesday is a load of veg, a big dollop of sweet white miso, topped with cooked potato slices and blasted in the oven until crisp

Thursday I’m undecided. I am leaning towards the lasagna at the moment, some kind of veg one

Friday is stuffed pancakes. I thought I’d stuff them with cauliflower roasted in spices, toasted almond flakes and some kind of sauce

Saturday is a sweet potato chowder and I’ll do some kind of crusty bread to go with it

Sunday is a recipe from a book, layered mushroom and olive bake. It looks good and there are lots of possible variations, and you know how much I like a good variation!

What do you think, do you like to see what I’m cooking?