BIG hole in my food stores

When i say a big hole, i mean a BIG hole!  I had no bread flour left! And no bread in the cupboard and no bread in the freezer - where did it all disappear to?

I swear we have bread theives in the area! I'm gonna have to put the padlock back ob the food store and see who complains!  

So what did i do i ( can't) hear you cry.  I had to go out on this drizzly British afternoon and walk the 3/4 mile to the nearest Aldi! Pushing NJ as she has become clingy over the last few days and won't leave my side.

All i had to getwas bread flour, wholemeal if theyhad it, what did i actually buy?

2 packets bread flour ( yay me for actually getting what i went for, for once) and:

Yeast, icing sugar, crisps, bread rolls

i was forced to buy cupcake cases AND mince pies!

To honestly i was forced, NJ twisted my arm behind my back and threatened to scream if i didn't!!  Ok so she didn't, but she has her ways!! And effective ways they are too.

Upon my return?  Nothing had changed, i go out for an hour and comeback to 3 kids! 2 watching youtube and the 3rd? The OH playing on facebook games.

So i just set to work like a good little homesteading wife, bread loaf and 10 bread rolls proving and lunch on the table in under 30 mins! Thats what i call a good days work!  Whats that ? You want proof that the bread is proving?  Well i live (it seems) to serve 

Cool huh?

Now to see how the finished article tastes.

I got the recipe from delia online, i will try to post a link when i get my laptop back from LJ, ipad blogger app it just a simple writing and publishing one, so no fancy links or picture resizing, or even changing fonts! 

Or am i doing something wrong? Also have you discovered anything in you pantry lacking? Or do you have a favourite recipe for wholemeal bread?

Let me know in the comments!

Shelf stable pasta bolognaise

My version of pasta bolognaise, made with shelf stable items and mince from the freezer.

I buy my mince from the butcher, i like to get there extra lean or steak mince, i watch them grind it, yes it comes at a price but that to me is an acceptable price, especially when he does bulk dicount over 5 lb!!  

So i hear you ask how do i go through that much meat?  Simple answer is i batch cook about a weeks worth of meals and just freeze the rest in lb bags.

When i batch cook i have tried to do 30 meals ideas - i dont have a big enough fridge for that much meat and i would need a dishwasher ( JM goes on strike if he hears the words " i'm going to do some baking" .

So instead i put together some pies, a few lots of mince for cottage pies and then double the amount i cook.  Tonight for tea is bolognaise ! And yes this is one of the meals i double and freeze.

For 1 batch ( serves 2 adults, and 3 kids, with leftovers)

Low fat cooking spray/ 1tbsp oil

454g or 1 lb mince beef

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Approx 2 tbsp tomao purree

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tin chopped tomatos 

1 tin carrots, mushrooms, peas or veg of your choice ( my kids arent great at eating anything that is good for them so i tend to put it in foods they enjoy or i mash the carrots down and it doesn't even notice).

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Over a medium, high heat.  Fry the mince until browned, if necessary strain the fat from the pan with a seive over a bowl ( leave to solidify and scrap into food waste bin- do jot dispose of down sink! You will block the drain).

Add worchestershire and soy sauce. Stir well

Add tomato puree, garlic powder and onion powder.  Mix well and when all meat has a reddish tinge the powders should me dispersed.

Add tomatos, veg and herbs, reduce the heat and simmer while pasta cooks according to the packet instructions.

Serve and i hope you enjoy as much as we do!

Monday 28th March 2016

No blog post yesterday, we went to a friends for lunch and got back late.  We had a brill time as always and the plate was piled HIGH.

The kids had chocolate eggs for breakfast, I had toasted hot cross buns with butter. Mmmmm I got the better deal there !

It was a lovely chilled day, even with my kids screaming at the top of their lungs most of the day and her older two getting very annoyed by it.  Good food and good company was definitely the order of the day!

After lunch we sat in her bedroom watching trailers for zombie movies on YouTube and choosing which films we would like to see.  

My list is:

Yeah, I know they aren’t all zombie movies, some are horrors and some are alien invasion flicks but hey I have a watchlist for the next few weeks.  Will try and do reviews on them but mostly my reviews will say love it love it love it, cos i am one of those people that just love watching a movie - no matter how bad it is!

We came home about 9.30 but the clocks had changed last night so it was actually only 8.30!

Today, however is just us.  It's been really lazy so far wish no one actually getting dressed yet, although I am trying to convince LJ to go to the shop and get some bread for sandwiches - I have promised her £1 for a monster energy drink but even though it is a tempting offer she is refusing on account of the high winds brought by Storm Katie which washed out our park trip yesterday.

Saturday 26th March 2016

Saturday 26th March 2016

A very cold day today, but we braved the wind and went to the library for the easter egg hunt.  It was pretty good, we (me, TJ and NJ) walked around the library together searching out laminated pictures numbered 1 to 10.  Each picture had an easter item on it, whether it be some Snowdrop flowers, ducklings or some Chocolate eggs.

Do ya know what, this was gonna be another diary entry about what me and the kids have been up to today, a look at how well we are doing … well we aren't!  Louise is demanding that i help her put spyware and other shit on her computer so that she can get something but she wont say what, she has tantrumed cos i asked her to come to me as i had nicola on me and was trying to watch a movie with her on my laptop.  Like i said louise just threw a tantrum! Then when she finally decided to bring it to me the battery ran out and she was shouting at me to get her charger cable from upstairs, i ended up telling her to fuck off and leave me the fuck alone.  Now i feel that no matter how good this morning went its been scarred by her behaviour this afternoon.  It makes me question why i did any of this when i couldve just run away alone and disappeared, cut ties and vanished.  i wouldnt have this stress.  I wouldnt have to entertain 3 kids for 18 days while they had no school.  I wouldnt be trying to let them have fun rather than just sit in their rooms watching youtube and not moving apart from going to the toilet.  So why did i bother planning day trips? Why did i put money aside so they could get out?  I think i will just let them fester for the rest of the holidays.  I will stay in bed and they can fend for themselves.

.

Friday 25th March 2016

Good Friday 25th March 2016

The local library has been a brilliant source of entertainment for the children lately.  Louise takes herself there everyday after school, Me and NJ try to go at least once at the weekend with her friend Tabbi and her mum.  First week we went it was Mothers Day here in the UK and we made paper flowers in a loo roll tube pot :

Last week it was Sun inspired (we had none and we needed it back).  We made the rays of light using hand cut-outs:

This week is the Easter egg hunt, it costs £1 per child and I’m hoping that all 3 of the children will come for the fun.   It will be here soon so we shall find out!

Of course, the library isn't just for making things like this, it's also a good source of  books you know!  

I have always been interested in Terry Pratchett's work on the discworld and even before that The Unadulterated Cat , Johnny and The Dead, Johnny and The Bomb and Only You Can Save Mankind were among my earliest favourites. Now I find that he has teamed up with Stephen Baxter for a series of books

.  I am gripped!!

Book one, The Long Earth, was finished within 2 evening and I've just started on Book 2, The Long War, this is unheard of for me! I'm a slow reader, I digest every single word but these books are singing to me, they are rolling through my mind like a movie with me barely registering that I am reading.

   

It sounds daft but when you are enjoying reading a book so much that you wish you were at the end already, that you knew how the story unfolds and what happens to the characters.  I can’t wait to finish though because I have just found out that there is third book in the series !!!

The Long Utopia!!!

Friday 25th March 2016

Friday 25th March 2016

Yes, I know, this is the second post for today but I had to share the amazing time we had with friends at Felixstowe Beach today.  Its only a small place but we all had loads of fun.

The day started slowly ... Its the first day of the Easter Holidays and it happens to be Good Friday too so there were no plans on an early start.  Drifting through the first hour, I showered and NJ bathed at my feet, we grabbed junk for breakfast and then concentrated on getting the older 2 ready to go out,  A quick trip to Asda for picnic supplies and we were ready to go.

Its not far from here to there - about 25 mins if I am a good girl with the speed. We parked in a side street and strolled down to the beach front.  I, of course, had to carry the bags, the heavy, heavy bags, of food.

But they had fun ...

 NJ posing on the rocks, looking a bit like she is from the pages of a catalogue.

TJ showing how hard he is to climb the big rocks

 LJ was adventurous.

 TJ and NJ munching their lunches in the sun and sand,

There is actually a beach there, all be it shingle and stones but this was the dangerous place and of course they couldn't get enough of it.

We spent our time here and had some of our lunch before me, NJ and TJ wandered down the promenade to a what we thought was going to be a small park.  How wrong could we be it was MASSSIIIIVVVVEEEE!

LJ wanted to stay with friends and climb some more.

Two to three hours later I finally convinced LJ to come off the park, I was freezing as the sun had gone in and I had forgotten my coat in the car.  When we got home both TJ and NJ had fallen asleep in the car and didn't want to wake up.  TJ took himself straight off to bed without a word and NJ managed to stay awake long enough for me to put a nappy on her before she was away to the land of nod again.

I so want my bed right now, the lovely comfy warmth of it and slip away to the clouds along with the kids.

Thursday 24th March 2016

Thursday 24th March 2016

Today is the last day of the school spring term … NJ went to bed early last night, I had to wake her up to get her changed for bed she was so tired!

I convinced TJ to go to bed early as it was his last early night for 2 weeks and I said he could have his laptop back in his room if he did.

LJ went to her room after the library and didn't come back down for the rest of the evening, I wonder how much I will see of her over the holidays.

I have had to go back into town today and buy new Easter baskets the ones I bought a few weeks ago have vanished in the tidying for the Safety Inspection yesterday (which didn't go ahead in the end).  I hope to fill them with the gifts I got the kids and chocolate eggs, but I just had a horrible thought that the gifts are in the old baskets which I can’t find… erm uh oh.

I digress, today is the last day of the school term, ARRRGHHH!!!! What can I do with the kids for 18 days?

TJ and LJ were awarded iCards from the local council for 100% attendance at school since Christmas.  This allows them to do sporting activities for free, so swimming is definitely on the menu, but what else?

These are some ideas I have had:

Friday 25th March- Good Friday -Tricky one, first day that no one has to get up early, should we just indulge in not having any plans? Otherwise, we could go to Felixstowe for the day and spend loads on the funfair. Details Here

Saturday 26th March-Well today's activity is a no brainer - Easter Egg Hunt at the local library, apparently the prize is a goody bag and it's a good one according to the library staff.

Tonight is also the start of British Summer Time, clocks go forward one hour - so glad I have 2 weeks to get used to it.

Sunday 27th March- Easter Day - Easter Eggs and Toy Baskets, that should keep them quiet for an hour, after that it will be a trip to a park to work off the energy.

Monday 28th March- Easter Monday - Another nothing day really, it's the second bank holiday of the break (friday was the first).

Tuesday 29th March- SWIMMING?

Wednesday 30th March- Today is a boring day for the kids, the shopping has to be done, food has to be placed in the cupboards and bills have to be paid as usual.  This is gonna super annoy the kids as I can leave them home, they will have to come with me and BE GOOD!

Thursday 31st March- JIMMY’S FARM (if i can find the place)

Friday 01st April - April Fools Day- Can we hide and pretend that today doesn't exist? I hate April fools day! My mum went into labour with me this day 36 years ago but I refused to be born a fool.

Saturday 02nd April-

Sunday 03rd April-

Monday 04th April- My birthday- I'm gonna try and sneak off to work today (how sad is that, I'm excited to go to work on my birthday as it gives me a break!)

Tuesday 05th April- SWIMMING?

Wednesday 06th April- Is it Wednesday again already? Shopping day, supermarket is calling and I must obey!  So must the kids like it or not!

Thursday 07th April- Landguard Fort? Bit educational but they have an Easter Egg Trail and the audio tour is free, which is something LJ would be into.

Friday 08th April-

Saturday 09th April-

Sunday 10th April-

Monday 11th April- NJ is back at school today!! Normality will return, soon.  TJ and LJ have an extra day off for teacher training :(

Tuesday 12th April-  Normality has returned!! School runs, early mornings, clean uniforms and bath nights all restarted!  And the best bit is I get to go back to work next week YAY!

As you can see I have a few gaps in the schedule, I hope to fill these, but knowing me and mine we will be sat at home watching TV or YouTube on those days.

Wednesday 23rd March 2016

Well the safety inspection didn’t go ahead.  I was violently sick last night and i ache all over and just have no energy for anything.  That said, i am writing this at the library.  LJ wanted to take NJ with her alone but i thought it would be best if she was supervised.  So here I am sitting at a computer and looking out of the window, LJ is on the computer station next to me and NJ is on the touch screen computer watching mermaids on YouTube with no volume.  Hmm should have stayed home me thinks.  But hey, a beautiful view across the park and hopefully I will be able to convince the girls to go home soon … maybe if I promise them something special for tea, kebab meat and chips? We haven't had that in a long time.  Well the Kebab Shop opens about half four (time now : 15.58).  

LJ has chosen the book to exchange her World Book Day token for.  Daisy and the trouble with Jack by Kes Gray.

I need to find books for NJ and TJ as they both have World Book Day vouchers too.

Monday 21st March 2016

On Wednesday we will be having our 4th Safety Inspection from the Health Visitor.

 I thought we had finally passed the inspections last time when all they mentioned was that the older two had left their laptop cables on the bedroom floor.  Easy fix just ask them to make sure they are picked up … well now we are having another inspection because that wasn't apparently the only thing (its the only thing they told me about!) but my room is up for investigation AGAIN.

So this is the order of the week, my to do list.  

Bedrooms cleared - ALL

If time put up curtain pole in girls room and hang purple curtains

Louises side needs the most work, extra quilts etc will have to go in my room , cables and xbox on desk properly

Nicolas side needs a quick going around, clear and throw and put away

Hoover all rooms

Clean bedding on beds and dirty bedding washed

Stairs empty

Bottom of stairs

Lounge tidy

Kitchen de-cluttered

Sweep, hoover and mop all round

Wipe down surfaces

Washing up

Bathroom clean, sweep, mop and bleach loo

Clean and de-clutter all round

Clothes washing and drying and putting away

Clothes washing

Empty cats tray

This is why blogging and prepping have had to take a back seat.

Hopefully this will be enough to satisfy the Health Visitor and the Social Worker and to get us off the Child In Need process!

PLEASE!

Have you ever been inspected by the Social Services or Health Visiting Team? Have you had the misfortune to be placed Child In Need or Team Around the Child proceedure? Leave a comment and let others know your experience ...

Tuesday 15th March 2016

Amazing!

I can't believe it !  I really did it! All by myself!

I CHANGED MY LAPTOP SCREEN !!!! YAY

Here is the damage I did to it ( I will say that I had dropped it numerous times before this happened and never got a flicker ).

Well, I couldn't see a thing, It was completely wrecked.

I then did something I was nervous of doing - I ordered a replacement on eBay (£41 later with free postage and get this it was sent from just down the road, I could have nipped down and collected it if I had known) and it arrived earlier today.

How did the refit go? Well, I'm typing this now lol and I am so proud of myself for doing it!

8 screws and the hinges were released, 4 holding the screen on then just unclipped the cable and attached it to the new screen, replaced the screws and it done! How simple is that?? I can't believe how proud I feel!

Have you ever changed a laptop screen?  How did it feel for you?  What have you done that has made you feel proud ? Comment below xxx

Thursday 10th March 2016

Its late in the afternoon, the children are all waiting for food, the sun has been shining all day and I have been unable to enjoy it.

I had an incident with a friends kid a few days ago and instantly hated myself for confronting him. He's eleven years old and its coming up to the anniversary of his family fleeing Domestic Violence, but I was receiving messages from his mum saying that he was punching and kicking her and trying to kick his way through her bedroom door.

A screenshot of the conversation:

I will admit I overreacted - it isn't the first time she has mentioned to me that he has hurt her.

I went over and asked to see the bruises and she said that he didn't hit her that hard but I still got in his face and asked him (quite loudly)"is this what a big man does?,... hurting a woman?"  and even his mum said she was scared that I was going over the top - I will state now that I didn't touch him, I just got in his space and his face.

Well, lets just say that my interference has landed me in a pickle.  I am unable to talk to my friend for fear that she will judge me as a bad person.   I know that the next night she called the Police on him, I don't know what for or what occurred as I am frightened to contact her.  

I know that I was wrong to intrude that night but faced with the messages and the history of the family, I just wanted to protect my friend.

I guess I will sit with my hood over my head and my earphones on loud and hope that the holidays come quickly so that I don't keep bumping into memories twice a day at the school run.

The Effort of Trying to write a story

there was a shot
He looked towards the darkness of the woods and then down to his left arm.  The thick warm liquid, oozed between his fingers as they clutched tightly at the wound.  A searing pain the only thing that could register in his confused mind.

Voices in the darkness of his mind echoed like in a huge cavern, noises began to wash over him.  BEEP BEEP BEEP, high pitched and regular,  the first real noise that was familiar.  Clattering and chattering came into focus as he struggled to regain conciousness.  He tried to open his eyes but they felt like lead so he realised did his body.  In the dark gloom of his mind he remembered the burning pain that he had felt moments earlier but now this sensation had gone.  And so was everything else.  The darkness returned.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Again the familiar almost melodic sound of the heart rate monitor seeped into his cloudy brain.  He attempted to open his eyes.  A small slit of light penetrated the darkness and grew until it felt he would be blinded. "Mr Doe"  a woman's voice broke through his thoughts.  "Mr Doe, Can you hear me?"

"Doctor i think he is coming round again, im sure i saw his eyelids flicker".  A cold pressure on his chest and tingling on his palm brought the world blaring back to him.

"where am i?" He gasped as he attempted to move his hand to his face to remove whatever it was that was tickling his nostrils.  His arm disobeyed and stayed firmly by his side.

"Mr Doe, please don't attempt to move you were injured and lost a lot of blood."

"Injured?" his mind was starting to clear of the fog and he remembered the burning pain from his arm, but it wasn't there any more, nor did any of his other wounds register.  His twisted ankle, his bruised ribs, the black eye that had rattled his skull on application.  He attempted to open his lids again and this time the bright light subsided into a hazy mass of light, white and off blueish grey.  A head came into his eye line but the featured couldn't be recognised through blur.

"Mr Doe" A man's voice this time, " Mr Doe, how many fingers am I holding up?" A fuzzy hand waved across his view "four"

The young doctor hastily took out his pen, reached for the chart at the end of the bed and wrote down a note.  "Nurse, please can you inform Doctor Blake that his patient has awakened."  Returning the chart to the holder, he looked at the boy in front of him.  "Mr Doe, Jake, you had us worried.  You are at Chantry Hospital"

Jakes mind whirled.  "What happened to me?"
"I was about to ask you the same question"  The young doctor stepped aside as the owner of the voice, a large balding man in a white coat and mint scrubs bustled towards the bed.  " You were found unconscious near the A14 with multiple injuries"