Prepping...

When we go away camping, we menu plan and I try and pack pantry items we'll need instead of buying while we are away.  Why buy sweet chiil sauce when you can pack the 1/4 cup you'll need? Vegetable stock, rice, palm sugar, sesame oil, fish sauce, peanuts, all packaged ready to go.

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I've made up spice and herb mixes for roast lamb, bbq steak, pork skewers, lamb kebabs and thai green curry. I've already packed pasta and sauce for bow-tie bolognese, we just need to buy meat and fresh veggies.  

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Cheers - Joolz xx

Score!

I needed to get another tube of foundation.  Priceline have ceased stocking Max Factor products (apart from some mascaras) so I went next door to Big W and scored a bargain.  

(Not sure if the Ageless Elixir is doing much for me! 😉)

 

Normally $33.95 each, it was out for $16.97 - saving $50.94,  so I scooped up the 3 in my shade, pity there weren't more.  I would say they're going out of MF products also so I'm going to have to find another stockist or change foundations which I don't want to do!

Another groovy gadget I got was this micro-plane/grater.  Great for grating garlic, ginger, lemon rind...

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Have you had any wins today?

Cheers - Joolz xx

I don't want to jinx it...

...but I think I'm feeling better!  My ribs are finally not grabbing every time I move and my cough has lessened...

Could I be so lucky?  Now I just need some sun on my back and I'm sure I'll be good.  There has been influenza A going around our town (I did not have influenza, more a virus) and it is nasty.  I have heard that someone contracted it in their brain! OMG!

Anyway, it's a nice sunshiny day here, although it's only going to be 17C, I'll take any sun I can get!

Cheers - Joolz xx

Follow Ruby and Pearl's adventures...

I'll be blogging over at Camping adventures in Ruby & Pearl when we head away to the Flinders Ranges next week...

We've been menu planning today so we will be cooking up some yummy things while we're away...

Cheer - Joolz xx

Pea and ham soup...

I bought this ham hock last weekend and with the weather the way it is today, pea and ham soup was needed.  It's blowing a gale out there, in between showers of sideways rain, making it impossible to do anything outside.

Dice an onion, carrot, small potato and stick of celery and fry off with a big knob of butter...

Add in 1 cup of green split peas and 1/2 a cup of yellow.

I put the ham hock in and added 8 cups of water...

...then I decided to cut the hock down so it was covered...

Let it simmer away for 1-2 hours, season to taste with pepper and a bit of salt if needed.  Remove the pieces of hock and dice the ham into small pieces and return to the pot.

I like to give the soup just a quick wizz with the Bamix, this also thickens it.

Serve with crusty bread rolls or toast soldiers.

We had this for lunch then I froze 4 more portions to have another day. 

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We're packing up Ruby and Pearl, ready to head to the Flinders Ranges next weekend.  Gus has been on line and secured some camp sites ahead of getting there. It's school holidays so it might be a bit busy.   I cannot wait to get into some warmer weather as it's still only about 14C here today.

I checked Weatherzone and Parachilna is 25C today - that will do me fine!

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I'm still sore and coughing but feel a bit better.  I do not know where all this snot is coming from!

Potted vintage 'gazunder'...

One of my sisters gave me this old chamber pot quite a few years ago.   It looks like it's a blue and white piece but it's actually blackish grey transferware (Johnson Bros, Cornwall)...

It's been sitting out in the garage and I see it everytime I pull in.   Hmm, I thought...succulents would look nice planted in that.  Otherwise, what the hell am I going to do with it? 😳

A quick trip to the plant nursery to buy a few succulents, and et voila!   How good does it look?

I wish all gardening was as easy as watching succulents do...basically nothing!

 

I also repotted some basil, thyme and chives in a little planter you see amongst the succs, these were the left overs so I popped them in this pot that another sister made for me!

I decided to try drying a bit of mint, just to see how it goes.   If I keep picking this mint it should keep sprouting out thicker...

I've just laid it on this tray and I'll put it in the spare bedroom to see how it dries.

I've got thyme too, so I set some of that drying too...I'll crumble it and stick it in a jar when it's dried.

It's been a funny old day here...this morning it was quite warm, almost t-shirt weather...then it came in all over-cast and thundery.  Now it is raining quite heavy and the temp has certainly dropped.

Another day indoors for me...

Cheers - Joolz xx

A bit of baking...

I came home from work at 12 noon.  Sitting in my chair made my side hurt again so I came home to rest.

But first, a quick batch of biscuits...

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This recipe makes heaps of biscuits 🍪 so I baked 2 dozen and have frozen the rest in logs.  I should get another 10 biscuits out of each...

When needed, take from the freezer, slice off rounds, place on a tray and bake in moderate oven for 15 minutes or until golden.  They are delicious! 

I also knocked up a date, apricot and prune loaf.   I'd just got it into the oven....

...when I noticed the egg sitting beside the stove!  Buggerit! 😩

Oh, well - too late now! 

Anyhoo, it turned out just as good without the egg so that was pleasing! 

Here is the recipe that my sister texted to me.   I use a cup of dates and half cup each of dried apricots and prunes and chop the fruit in half.  I use a large saucepan and mix the loaf up in that.  Less dishes!

Cheers - Joolz xx

Hooray, it's Friday!

I decided to be kind to myself and have taken time off work, a half day on Wednesday and yesterday, I didn't go in at all.  Our internet was playing up so that means I can't do much anyway. 

So I sat in my recliner most of the day, watching YouTube videos (I'm into American homesteading at the moment), keeping warm, snoozing.

I had an horrific night on Wednesday. I couldn't get comfortable with my ribs, muscles pulling and grabbing - I was up and down for hours.

Last night I slept more comfortably, with the hot wheat bag on the sore spot.  I woke at 12.42am then slept until 5.46am. Yay! I'm feeling better, less sore this morning but I need to still take it easy and not do too much just because I feel better. 

I can feel a nice slow weekend coming!

It always amazes me how these two silver birches get their leaves a few weeks apart.  The one on the right has sprouted and the other is yet to green up.

Same with these two, even though we planted them a year later...

Lovely fresh growth on my standards...

I am loving the succulents that I got for my birthday from my sisters!

They're doing well out under the pergola, so far!

I'm not sure what to do with this disaster.  I have't pruned the roses, there are weeds galore, oh dear! And I have no idea when I'll get to it!

Yikes! 

My lemon thyme is flourishing...

Volunteer mint, it's popping up everywhere.  Any ideas how to harvest and store it!   If I freeze it, it isn't great when thawed.  Could I hang it upside down and dry it? Then chop and store in a jar?

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Well, I'd better go do a bit then pop into work...but not for long.   Rest, Joolz!

Cheers!

Wedding Anniversary...

...our 31st to be exact!

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Gus is away interstate but he still spoiled me rotten! 

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I've discovered the benefits of a wheat bag, I've never really used one before...

I'm trying to take it easy with half days at work then resting in the afternoon. I've just heard from my cardiologist and  my procedure has been bumped from the 9th October to the 23rd.  At least that gives me more time to recuperate.

Cheers - Joolz xx