Cooking from Scratch

I love to cook from scratch but sometimes it's hard to find time.  On Sunday night I turned the chicken carcass from dinner and some wrinkly veg into lovely stock.  So last night I had the rather gruesome job of picking all the meat off the bones, straining the stock, adding fresh veg and turning it into wonderful, tasty, nutritious soup / stew - probably for about £2.  it will provide about 10 - 12 meals.  A lot of its contents would have probably ended up in compost.  The pain of cooking last night meant that tonight I just had to warm a bowlful up for my tea.  Trouble is I still had to cook the kids something as they won't eat the stew!

I also made this..

Lemon Drizzle cake - a family favourite.

At some Point, I will post the recipe

So, I have been a little poorly - the pressure in my sinuses are making the world seem a little unsteady and a bit fuzzier.  It's a bit like being on a boat!  As I am generally OK when sitting down, I have been looking at some photos and thought I'd post a few favourites here.

Firstly, My "comedy sign of the day" photos.

(from Sweden)

(New York City)

(NYC - obvs)

You have been warned! (Pennsylvania)

Yeah - right (Pennsylvania)

Sounds Painful (Ohiopyle state Park - Penn)

 

 

Another knob (Penn)

 

 



Me with Frank Lloyd Wright's knob (Penn)

Yep - another knob (Penn)

Makes a change from the Knobs (Bedford County - Penn)

Well, with all those knobs! (Intercourse, Pennsylvania)

Erm, no thanks (Philadelphia)

Really? (Philadelphia)

No comment (France)

Testing uploading a photo - but seems appropriate for a day of rememberance.  Great Uncle Charles' Grave, Poperinghe

Yesterday i had delivered four humungous boxes and a large bin liner.  These came from my mother in law's loft where they have been for the past 7 years!  Neither of us can remember why we put stuff there but think we were decorating the playroom to turn it into a lounge as the children were getting older (though thinking about it, Joe was only 7!).

I am pleased to say that we have only kept a few books, some ornamental jugs that I was collecting, a lovely picture of Vicky, me and my mum - especially lovely of mum as it was before she became very ill.  Some stuff will go to a charity shop but much has been binned, which is a shame but it is beyond charity shop condition and we don't need it anymore.  Most of the stuff is old toys with bits missing, or ceased parts or which is so out of date that no-one would want it (Polyjuice potion set, anyone?)

I know where to put all that we are keeping so it shouldn't encroach on our already rather cluttered house.

TEsting, testing.

Here we are again.  Another promise of more frequent posts.  I will fiddle around with the blog and try some settings and insert some pictures.  We will see how it goes.

A Poem

On hearing about a girl from St Petersburg, Russia who was "astounded" to see some girls out on a freezing cold night wearing little clothing

A stylish young lass from St Pete
Was astounded when, out on the street,
She saw girls set to freeze, with skirts above knees
And stupid high heels on their feet

She said, "In Russia we know how to dress.
You couldn't wear anything less.
Don't you know that it's cold? Or am i getting old?
You really do look such a mess".

The girls said, "Whatever, you Minger.
We wanna go out with a singer.
Or a WAG would be cool, cos we ain't been to school,
And we'd get a big rock for our finger.

So, who cares if we get a bit chilly?
To wear any more would be silly.
Cos the blokes pay our way with our goods on display.
And we get to see their big WALLETS!"