June 11th 2015 - BBQ

June 11th 2015 - BBQ

Today has been another absolutely lovely day, the sun has shined and was really hot.  We decided to do a BBQ for tea.  It was nice and the first one we've had this year.  Even though there has been nice days, they have either been too windy, we've had no food, no charcoal etc.

The above is just some of the lovely food hubby cooked.

 burgers, chinese chicken drumsticks, chicken satays, chorizo n chicken kebabs, sausages, bread n butter and garlic pasta sauce, with smirnoff ice.

 Followed by roasting marshmallows over the burnt out coals.

I liked the way the flames looked!

June 10th 2015 - Things that make me smile

June 10th 2015 - things that make me smile

As you are probably aware from previous posts I am currently having problems with depression, this isn't something new I have had problems for over 10years (since my mum died), but I have coped.  The last 2years have been really bad since I injured my knee and can't do much despite having surgery on it.

Anyway, I decided at the begining of the year I was going to keep a log of all the things that make me smile on facebook.  It is anything from something my kids have said or done to things that I have read etc, nothing in particular but anything that makes me smile.

The reason I have made this todays pin is because I ordered my son a shirt for a fancy dress day at school, its age 10-11years and I can fit in it!  This may not sound such a big thing to most people but as I am a size 16-18ladies (depending on where I buy from) this is a big achievement.  I am at the biggest I have ever been (even when pregnant) as I am unable to do much in the way of exercise due to my knee problem, and this doesn't help with the depression.  All I can say is the top is going to drown my son! lol!

June 9th 2015 - Small steps

June 9th 2015 - Small steps

Today I saw the counsellor again, not seen her for a few weeks because of various things an having to cancel appointments.  She is really pleased that I seem to be happier than when she first saw me and believes that she can discharge me in a couple of weeks.

She believes that her small steps to bigger things, like the pin says, has helped me.  I think its because the weather has turned nice and is sunny!

I'm still not 100% ok and i'm still getting snappy for no reason, I still feel down and i'm still not sleeping.  BUT most of this I think is linked to lack of sleep which is due to pain in my knee.  I also think most of feeling down is linked to my knee as I can't do as much as used to, my kids cant do as much as we used to because I can't walk for long or very far and i'm always in pain.  But if this is how things are going to be may have to just get on with it!

June 8th 2015 - New Shed

June 8th 2015 - New Shed

With 3 growing kids and 2 adults with bikes and a a garden shed that is becoming full of toys and tools we have had to buy a new shed.

We have bought another 1 the same as the one we have.  The plan is to leave the bikes and lawn mower etc in 1 and get some shelf units/baskets for the kids toys to go in at one end and store the gazebo and stuff at the other. 

Today is being spent sat waiting for the delivery of it.  All Wilkinsons could say was it was 8am-8pm delivery, and the driver would ring when half hour away.  When we bought the other one it came from Northampton  over 6hrs away, so unless they have changed supplier etc this 1 will be the same.  The only snag is that just over an hour from us there is loads of horse drawn vehicles on the roads as it was a big Gypsie event at the weekend, so it could be stuck in traffic.

June 7th 2015 - Apple & Raspberry Vodka

June 7th 2015 - Apple & Raspberry Vodka

I have spent most of today outside either sitting in the sun or doing some more on the decking as we have been able to buy more supplies.  YAY!!!

Well this deserves a nice treat in the way of a drink.  I'm partial to Vodka and will drink it mixed with most things (not coke or orange juice though!)  I also like the pre-mixed vodka drinks.

About 8or so years ago I came across a pre-mixed bottle of Raspberry Vodka in a supermarket, it was bright pink in colour and tasted like Raspberry squash - it also went down in this way, but after 3 bottles (1 liter) it hits that it has vodka in it!  This was lovely to drink on hot days.  Sadly to say that just over a year ago the supermarket stopped selling it. :(  I was gutted, I may have been in the few that bought it but they shouldn't have stopped it!

Since then I have been on a hunt for a replacement, that isn't very expensive and tastes nice.  Well i've not had much luck until recently that is.  When I discovered 2 things.  1 was Apple & raspberry juice from the chiller section in Aldi for 59p a carton-

This drink is actually very refreshing on its own and I drink quite a lot of it.  THEN when I was in B&M the other week I saw a bottle of Raspberry & Vanilla Vodka for £4.99 a bottle, so I got 1.  I thought I would taste it straight out the bottle and my god its strong, I spat it down the sink.  And I don't waste alcohol.

Anyway, I decided to mix the Apple & Raspberry juice with the Raspberry & Vanilla Vodka and it is absolutely lush!  The 2 blend together really well and complement each other and it tastes great.  I'm not quite back where I was with the old pink supermarket stuff but its very close.  Try it.

June 6th 2015 - Tidy vs mess

june 6th 2015 - Tidy vs mess

Today's pin made me laugh and fits me and my house - it is a house not a show home, if your coming to view my house make an appointment, if your coming to see me or my family you can just turn up and tae us as you find us (if you don't like it do something about it!!! lol).  I will hold my hands up and admit i'm not the tidiest of people.  However, I have gone on a mission today as I was fed up of 1 of 2 of the printers being on the floor.

So I set about moving furniture, so that I could move the printer table over so the 2nd printer could go on it as well.  Had to move everything as the 2nd printer is on a cable not wifi and therefore needs to be near the laptop.

But whilst I was on a moving mission I have had my "spring clean" (bit late but hey ho.)  I have emptied drawers, bagged stuff for charity shop and chucked other stuff in the bin!  Still have quite alot to do but I will get there.

June 5th 2015 - Hasselback potato

June 5th 2015 - Haselback potato

I have had a couple of these haselback/sliced potatoes pinned to my food section for ages, but never done anything with them.  Until today that is.  The link says oven cook for 45mins add toppings and cook for a further 15mins.  too long to wait when hungry so I nuked it in microwave for 12mins, sliced it, added my cheese n ham and then put in over for 5mins.

Although it was cooked and the skin was slightly crispy I didn't enjoy it as much as I do my normal jacket potatoes done in microwave and then a cross cut in the tops and fillings pilled in.

Here is todays as I had just put in oven and then as I was ready to eat it.