Changing Pace...

A short blog today as Steve will be bringing another computer to try in the hope it works faster than this one. So he will have to transfer all the info stored on this onto the other. Am hoping it cures a lot of the problems I've been having, but those with blogger may still be with blogger and can only hope Steve van show me how to get it back to how it was (separate paragraphs etc). If Ok I should be back tomorrow, but don't hold your breath! In any case, am finding that blogging every other day is much better for my life-style (giving me more time to work out - and make - money-saving recipes) that this should benefit all of us in the long run. ****Today am just reply to comments sent in, then we'll have to wait and see what the future holds re the blog. ****Interesting to hear that you've seen more and more veggies growing in pots in your neighbourhood gardens Louise. Think this is the way things are going, perhaps thanks to the gardening programmes that show us the way. Regarding the Blue Badge (for the disabled), I was able to get one (thanks to the doc's recommendation), and do find it very useful as B can park the car close to where I wish to go. Many supermarkets now have their own mobility scooters, so I only have to walk a short distance from the car (with the help of my stick) then the rest of the time can scoot round. I'd never be able to cope with pushing a trolley around as the stores are now so enormous. I could probably cope in a small one as the trolley is something to lean on. A welcome to Margaret (now living in the US and originally from Barrow UK). I don't know if the rock is still made with Morecambe printed through it, but would expect so as there is a 'Rock Shop' on the sea-front, it looks as though it has been there for generations, perhaps where you once bought the rock. I also like winter Angela, except the cold - which I never felt when younger. Now I seem to always have to cuddle a hot-water bottle under a double layer of quilts when sitting in my chair watching TV. The room certainly warms up once the curtains are drawn (the only room with no double-glazing due it having a very large bay window with some very attractive original leaded and patterned glass, some in colour. Suppose we might be able to have secondary d.g. fitted, but so far B is not keen on paying for it (he doesn't feel the cold like I do). ****Was wondering the other day why I suddenlyt felt we were close to autumn (that instinctive feeling I mentioned). Perhaps something to do with the sun now not quite so high in the sky, but although I is still very warm when sitting outdoors, this week tried to tune into Nature, and distinctly felt a 'closing down' of all the 'herbage' around me. When things are growing they seem to give off a sort of what I call 'power', that has now gone, and it as if something has been switched off and the plants are now beginning to close down (or begin to hibernate - if long lasting) for the winter. Has anyone felt this? ****Congratulations are in order Taaleedee, for not just making a meal that cost only 56p a portion, but spending time to work out this cost. Just telling us about it is ispiring to us all as is so easy to spend those few pennies more than we need, and we all know how these soon add up. Have to say that I don't now cost out the meals I make because I don't really need to cut down that much, and perhaps know by years and years (and years and years...)of experience that the meals I make are as cheap as I can get away with, but always do exact costing when I'm working out a recipe for this blog or any other time needed. Almost any printed recipe should be able to be made cheaper than suggested (sometimes even mine), just by slightly altering the weights of the ingredients (use less of the expensive and more of the cheaper), or using different (but similar). Your mention of Approved Foods jane has made me wonder if it might be worth while sending in an order. I'll have to take a look at their site. Trouble is, with only the two of us in the family, and B being the only one who eats a full size meal, would I need to buy in bulk? At the moment, my larder is fairly well stocked, and I'm using up what has been there longer than it should (although with all having only the b.b.dates - not the 'use-by', a year older doesn't really make that much difference. Only the other day I made up a batch of EasiYo Lemon yogurt and I daren't tell you the date that had on the pack. Suffice to say it was several years past its best. But it still worked. ****As this is said to be a good year for berry fruits (all fruits in fact), it's worth finding space in our freezers to store any 'freebie fruits' that we might find when out in the countryside. The darker berries (the blue ones) are said to be extremely good for our health, so worth freezing blackberries etc. Our apple tree keeps dropping fruit, but all are small and full of maggots or some such creatures. Hardly any flesh on these worth saving. A pity as there was - this year - a good crop. A few leavez falling from the tree, a bit early, so does that mean an early winter? ****Regarding the £10 a week challenge. So far have covered only the first two weeks, and as it is difficult for me to print out readable recipes on the blog at the moment, have stopped in mid-stream, but will pick up where I left off once Steve has sorted this blog (and comp problems) out for me - which hopefully will be today. ****A welcome also to Barbara who remembers me from the TV days. Good to know that there are still people out there who have such a good memory! Think it was in the 70's when I first got involved with the media (on 'Indoors, Outdoors), and - thinking out it - that was just about the time that we - as a nation - was about to move on from the 'meat and two veg' meals that had been cooked (and eaten) for generations and a whole new world of ethnic foods/recipes/meals was about to hit the supermarkets. Not only that, in 1971 we changed from pounds, shillings, and pence to using the decimal currency. Later we then also had to change from using lbs and ounces, to the metric equivalent (which isn't equal anyway). ****It would be interesting to know whether readers prefer me to use both weights (imperial and metric) when writing recipes or whether I should now just stick to the metric? Asking this as am sure there are some older readers (not as old as me - is anyone older than me????) who still prefers to use the old weights. Have to say thought, that now everything is packed in grams (usually 500g or 1 kg), it is much easier to work out the cost of small portions (say 5g - as this is one tenth of the price of the pack). ****Anyway this is (hopefully) the last blog written on this comp. Can only hope the replacement (second-hand) will be an improvement. A lot depends - so keep watching this space for it may be tomorrow or a day or two later before I return). Slowness I can still deal with, but this blog MUST be sorted out so that it will publish as I have written it (still in paragraphs, but blogger change it to one single para when published). A thanks to readers who suggested I put astericks to show whereo one para ends and the next begins. Do hope this has helped. ****We are due for some wet weather today, and it began like that but seems to be clearing. Drier weather to come followed by more rain and then some strong winds over the weekend. I've still been able to grab an hour or two sitting in the garden most days, so am thankful for that. Reminds me of my youth when summers always seemed to be dry and sunny (but not excessively hot), or is it that I only remember the good times? ****By the way, I'll probably have to do some trial and error testing before publishing my next blog, just to make sure I've got it right (or blog has got it right), so if you see something written that doesn't make sense, then ignore it. I'll eventually delete it. Enjoy your day and hope to be back again as soon as possible. TTFN.