Should Auld Acquaintance......

Today has been a brilliant day.

This morning I went to the near by small town for my physiotherapy exercise class, and managed to increase my work in spite of missing last week due to ice. Had a chat with S. about the phone call I had had from A. to tell me that a new set of courses was due to start in January. However, I hadn't realised that this would be an 8 week course and then an end, whereas the maintenance classes I am going to are ongoing. This would be much the better bet, as without someone pushing you a bit it is so easy to let it all lapse and become more severely disabled again.

After that, came home to find my vegetable box had arrived, a large delivery of potatoes, carrots, onions, 4 leeks a cauliflower, 2 cabbages and 2 good broccoli heads. The fruit was 2 oranges, 3 apples and 3 pears.

So, I cleaned out the veg basket in the fridge and placed the delivery away.

Later, My very good friend from a town across the river came over and I took her to lunch at Dobbies where we both had a salad plate and a small bottle of wine.

We then had a really good walk round and I bought one or two things from the food hall and could not resist a couple of small buys. C. was almost as good as TBSITW at tearing me away from unnecessary purchases!

Home again and ready to relax for the evening.

The Goody Bag

On Monday I went to the bridge club in the afternoon where I was delighted to see my partner back from her holiday. There were only eight of us and so we played as two teams. Our team lost!

I returned to find my vegetable “box” had arrived with potatoes and onions, about 15 beautiful carrots, 3 beetroot, 3 leeks, a celeriac and a lovely purple Savoy.

Additionally was the first of a new initiative, a goody bag. This is a sturdy Hessian bag containing some treats. The treats are notified a fortnight in advance and delivered only if you ask for them. This one contained a large sweet potato, a bag of chestnut mushrooms, 2 sweet peppers – 1 green and 1 yellow, an unwaxed lemon and an avocado.

Unfortunately I was not able to go to the bridge club as I had something of an upset gut (I promise no more details will be forthcoming.)

So today, now I have recovered, is the first cook-in of mushroom soup. (see recipe blog.)

What on earth does she look like ?

Yesterday was another blustery day with intermittent showers. The temperature was 9.5 Celsius which is really not too bad.

Off I headed to the Bridge Club. Last week W and I came 4th (out of 6), not bad as we were not accustomed to playing together.

This week there were two people from the beginners’ class, which is not being held this week. S., our leader took one and allocated me to the other. Fair enough and a bit of a compliment. Her play is really quite good but her bidding is hopeless. Still I enjoyed the play. I think I have bitched a bit about my usual partner, but I am desperately looking forward to her return.

Better the devil you know….

Back to the ranch in time for a cup of tea and to a recommendation of a lovely Robert Louis Stevenson book. I have ordered it as it is only 1p (plus postage of £2.75 of course).

Back to an easy meal of farmers market mince with onions and mushrooms served with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower, followed by strawberries and (the end of the ) ice cream.

This morning I wakened up to find my face feeling a bit “odd”, I looked in the mirror and it was all swollen down one side, but not painful or red at all. I made an appointment to see the doctor at 11.10 this morning and she was somewhat puzzled as it looked like an allergic reaction. Had I eaten/used anything new? No, I have washed my face with the same cream for over 2 years and the only food I have eaten is my own cooking.

She has given me some antihistamine tablets to take twice a day and given me an appointment to see one of the other partners on Friday. I am just to cancel it if it is all better by then. That is much easier for me than being asked to ring on Friday if no improvement as, by the time you get through to the switchboard all the appointments have gone, particularly on a Friday.

It is, once again a lovely sunny day, although a bit blustery.

My vegetable delivery was potatoes, lovely carrots with their green frond tops, 2 swede turnips, a bunch of beetroot, onions, leeks and a Savoy cabbage. The fruit was 2 apples, 2 oranges, 2 bananas, a pear and 2 bananas.

I really have to do some work with this lot.

Later:

The lightbulb moment.

Could I possibly have developed an allergy to strawberries? If so, a pity, but not a problem.

Mind you, these were supermarket strawberries, not organic ones.............

Exercise and Shopping

This morning I was once more at my exercise class. They are really putting me through it, requiring an increase in everything each week. This morning I could not find my purse to pay (the vast sum of £1), so I nipped out to the car to see if it had fallen out of my handbag, but no. The real bore was that I had planned to do a couple of things on my way home. I have been addressing Christmas cards for the nice tradespeople who get a monetary gift and I always give it in a Christmas card as I feel that it is a nicer way of doing things than just handing over money.

I have no doubt the recipients just want the money!

So I came straight home and found my purse hiding beside my chair. I then set off to the big garden centre (all right, it is called Dobbies - as I say only nice things about them, I don't see why they should remain nameless.) I found some cards quickly and had an idle look round (this is always a BIG MISTAKE) and bought one or two little things.

Last year I did not have a Christmas tree as I had really gone off my old fibre optic one - it showed its effect only in the dark and around here there is no dark with the lights on in the car park overnight; I also had trouble erecting and dismantling it and it was looking rather tatty. Instead I bought a basket of lights which I thought was an excellent substitute, but everyone hit out at me with cries of "bah, humbug". I have paid heed but been very modest in my purchase - it is a pre-lit 60cm high Christmas tree. I also bought a few small decorations for it.

Then we came to finding a table cover - I found a paper one which did not cost an arm and a leg (there were some nice linen ones, which did - I might have a look at them in the January sale.......

I then lugged them all home with a quick stop off at the Bank to withdraw some cash. I don't know where it all disappears to (and the shopping went on plastic).

I came home to find my vegetable box which included a pumpkin, two leeks, a celery, some Swiss chard, beautiful carrots with the bright green fronds still on and of course the usual potatoes and onions. The fruit consisted of 3 apples, 2 oranges, 2 bananas and a kiwi fruit.

Included with the bag was a rather nice sounding pumpkin recipe. I shall try it and report back.