Make Do And Mend

I am sick of myself bemoaning the fact that we are on a tight budget.  We are, there is no two ways about that, but that isn't the be-all-and-end-all of life.  As the song words go -

 

So when the pressures on

And there's nowhere left to go

You're gonna have to come to terms

To terms with what you know through

 

The challenge is to look for what I can use, what I can do, to create opportunities, rather than focusing on the negative - what I can't use or can't do or how bad things are.  It's not a new concept by all means, even to me.  It's just the practical application of it.  And finding the positive in any situation.  I've been spurred on a little in this line of thinking by the sheer practical-ness and resourcefulness of people - women - during the Second World War and the Post Year Wars.  Things were scarce or just not available, but they still made do.  It might not have been the most pleasant or endearing thing, but it was done, it was practical, it was creative and it worked.  I am not yet wholly fired up to go out tomorrow morning and seek out new to me fabrics and clothes that can be altered.  It is a thing that knowing me will probably happen quietly and creep up on me.  This sort of thing can take time, but also goes in leaps and bounds.

 

I am already making this philosophy happen within my cooking and baking.  And with my knitting, especially my recent knitting for Mary-Jane.  And most of all, I am enjoying it.  Hurrah for recognising self development.

The song is 'What you know' by The Levellers. 

Sewing Bee

I have watched The Great British Sewing Bee tonight for the first time.  Okay so it was the second part, the first clashed with other things I was recording.  However I am quitely inspired - again - to get out my sewing machine and sew.  I know I have been part way down this road before and got all fired up.  Dressmaking is something I know how to do.  A big fly in the ointment is that I have not properly done dressmaking for more moons than I can remember, so I am very rusty.  I have a philosophy that it will be like riding a bike - you never really forget once you're there.  There are other flies in the ointment along side, lack of space and time - fabric is a major one.  Even if I could source good fabric locally, at the moment, it is not a thing that is within my tighter than A Gnats Cod budget.  I have been told of a pretty smart fabric shop in Ulverston.  I'd like to go and look.

I joked with HK that he better watch the bed linen - the cotton sheets and duvet covers may be re-cycled.  He was not at all impressed.  Must go now, Mary-Jane has woken up and is crying x

Early Nights

I've been having some early nights, this one included.  I do feel a bit better for them.  The nights haven't been all peaceful, and MJ has spent some nights in with us when she hasn't been able to settle.  I have been busier during the days, and have much to tell you about.  Nothing startling or life changing though, so don't get too excited!  However I do need to get back into the swing of blogging again and not feeling guilty about not blogging.

I have been busy knitting (as usual) and have finished Mary-Jane's Sweet Violet Cardi.  I have frogged my Tulip cardi that I started in February and started another last night, very similar to the tulip one.  I have nearly used the same meterage of yarn, so am doing well.  I have been continuing to enjoy baking bread and am showing improvement.  I have done some other dribs and drabs of baking.

We have spent a little time in the garden, spring is arriving at last.  I have found a new place for us to walk, just by Gosforth, at Ponsonby Tarn.  Although I must say that access will be a bit dodgy when it has been raining.

My Tea Bread won second place at our WI competition, yes I was chuffed!

Mary-Jane is doing really well.  She still has her cough.  I've yet to get her a place at Nursery for September.

HK has dug over the veg patch, so we should be planting soon-ish.  He has also started weeding and pruning the soft fruit bed.  He is also turning his attention to a second veg patch, that needs a fair bit of work on before we even think about planting.  The chooks are doing well egg laying what with the arrival of spring.  We have nine chooks now.

I'm off to bed now, I am tired - the last two nights have given HK and I little sleep.  We had MJ in with us from around 3am, and she chattered on and off until morning. Grrrr.  Happy days really!

Unsettled Knitting and Getting Better Garlic Bread

Mary-Jane has been a little poorly.  The night before last she awoke around 10pm, we bought her through to our room.  It soom became quite clear that she ahd every intention of spending the night with us.  Luckily she settled off to sleep very quickly and all in all the three of us didn't have too bad a night.  In the morning however, MJ woke up grizzling and quite cranky, she was out of sorts with herself.  This is unlike her.  And she was quite contrary.  I had about finished getting her dressed, after many many cuddles, she was sat on the edge of the bed, then she was sick, the poor little mite.  She seemed to be running a temp as well.  She did seem to perk as the day went on.  She tried her very best to be good and wanted lots and lots of cuddles.  She slept well that night and today  was pretty much back to her normal self, albeit a slight temp.  HK has felt a little off the boil and I have felt more tired than what I feel I should be.  Lets just hope it's a little bug we've picked up that passes after a day or two.

 

I haven't really been able to settle to much knitting either.  I finished MJ's purple ruffled top on Monday night.  At Kniterati on Tuesday I started a new project, a stripey one piece cardi, knitted from the top down.  I had found a bag of six yarns that were free with a magazine some time ago.  The colours were lovely, spring pastels.  I thought it would make a pretty cardi for Mary-Jane.  Once I started knitting, it was obvious that the yarn wasn't of the best quality.  I continued with it in the evening.  Then it dawned on me that I had not added extras stitches for a buttone band, so I frogged it.  I picked some different yarn - two pale purples left over from my EZ ASJ and one from the ruffled top.  I cast on a EZ TSJ.  Eight ridges in I made the decision that I didn't like the colour combination.  That got frogged.  I then picked out the white with purple fleck that I'd used for the Tango Top, and cast on another EZ TSJ.  I did one row before I was tired and went to bed.

 

Then this morning I had the bright idea of frogging that and using the pattern that I had originally started with.  It made sense.  I thought the yarn would look better in a smoother stocking stitch than a garter stitch.  I am thinking of doing the body in a light lace.  I've not even thought about what stitch yet until I know how many stitches I have to work with.  With all this unsettledness in my knitting, perhaps I was a little more off the boil than what I previously thought!

I have found a pattern, a Lion Brand one, for a big cabled aran blanket.  It has caught my eye.  I have printed it off an will have a more serious look at it, with needles in hand, when I'm more in the mood to do something like that.

I have also been busy in the kitchen (and I wonder why I feel a bit tired come evening).  I have made another key lime pie.  This time I used ginger nuts for the base and a better quality lime, giving a much tastier pie all round. And I was able to christen one of my new pie dishes.  I have also made two loaves of garlic bread, on different days.  The first one was quite a winner, but the second one was even better.  Initially I used one garlic bulb, roasted with a sprinkle of sugar, salt and oil.  the second time I used two bulbs of garlic.  Very scrummy.  We had the second one for tea tonight with home made macaroni cheese and breaded garlic mushrooms.  Delicious.

The weather continues to try and break into spring.  We have had a couple of not too bad days.  I have even pegged a load of washing out in the garden and it dried within a few hours.  Mary-Jane and I took advantage of this nice weather and went for a walk down Nursery Road.  It was lovely to walk and feel the sun on us.

I have contacted a local (ish) place of work for me, I think I have mentioned this.  They have requested my CV to review.  I have duly sent it off and am now waiting to see if I hear anything of them.

Out in the garden

I think Spring is trying it's best to put in an appearance.  The weather was mild enough for us to sit outside for a good half an hour.  HK gave the grass it's first cut of the year.  MJ enoyed running around outside and playing on her slide.  I  loved watching her.  I found it quite spiritually envigourating and very relaxing to sit out and look around the garden.  I could feel my muscles deep in my shoulders and back relaxing down.  At times like this it makes me realise how tense I actually am all the time.

 

The garden needs much work on it.  Although we are willing to look after it and have great plans for it, our hands are tied as it is not our garden to do as we please. 

Mary-Jane is in mid flight.  She has out grown her swing already!

The veg patch is in a sorry state.  HK dug it over a few times last year.  We didn't plant anything.

The soft fruit bed, in even a more sorry state than the veg bed! We were told that didn't need any pruning or cutting back, so probably no soft fruit again this year.  Such a shame.

My rhubarb patch.  I have asked HK if I can take over looking after it, as it has been threatened with digging up and the plants re-planting in the different places where they were originally, as they didn't yeild much rhubarb last year.  Perhaps they just need time to settle and to be looked after.

The view from by the front wall looking onto Cold Fell.  There is still snow on the tops of the fells.

View turning around and looking up the garden.  We are down to nine chooks now.  We would like to build a better, more practical, safer run for the chooks.  Can you see the lesser spotted HK?!

HK and MJ by the veg patch.  This is the table and chairs we bought with us when we moved.

Earlier in the day, Mary-Jane and I planted some seeds in easy grow pots.  Another introduction for MJ to learn about gardening.  We planted basil, chives and tomatoes.  Granma has bought some cress seeds.  It will be fun to find unusual containers and plant the cress.  I have also thought about growing some mustard seeds - I need to keep my eye out for some!

To follow on with these herbs, I am hoping to grow more herbs outside.  There is a small herb bed, although this has been taken over by ?bay leaf.  I shall see what magic I can work.  I don't want to grow too many different herbs, just the ones that I primarily use.  Mint is a must!  I still cant have boiled tatties without mint.  I would also like to try and make my own mint sauce.  I don't have big ideas for a herb garden, just to start small and manageable.  Let's see what the year brings us - hopefully a good and bountiful harvest.

The start of the Easter Holiday Weekend

I have come a little closer to achieving my Holiday Weekend Goals.  I have made a quiche and some cheese and mustard pinwheels from the left over pastry - they didn't last long at all, I must say.  I shall try again tomorrow in the kitchen, if I'm feeling up to it and if the kitchen is free.  We also need to go to the library in the morning.  Mary-Jane, Mum and I went to Tesco this morning to do my weekly shop.  I got MJ a denim jacket.  She point blank refused to try it on in the shop.  It was a size 5/6 years, I thought it would fit her, but if I'd noticed the label it said in small print 23" chest.  I would have known to get a bigger size (and roll the sleeves up!).  When we got back, the only way I could get her to try it on was on a promise to go outside and see the daffodils.  Fair trade off really.  Except the jacket was too small for her, so a walk outside to see the daffs turned into yet another trip to Tesco to change it.  We ended up with a size 8/9 as it was a 25" chest.  She is only two and a half.  She is roughly 39" tall.  Definitely a Jackson Gal!

 

So MJ, HK and I went back to Tesco in the afternoon.  We also got some more plinky plonk for Grandad as it had 25% off, plus the wine that I chose was about half price.  Bargain.  Grandma also got some fresh yeast a big lump for the princely sum of 1p, as it 'had to go through the till, sorry'.  If the yeast is not used, it gets thrown out, so it is not minded that customers ask for it.  Something I shall remember.  That's if I prefer it to dry yeast.  I have a feeling it will be a while before I start thinking about that decision, unless I have a specific disaster!

 

I am about 3/4's through the Summer Ruffled Top for Mary-Jane.  I do like the way the yarn knits up - I wouldn't mind a cardi out of it myself!

 

A few days ago HK, MJ and I went to the Tat Shop in Egremont.  Lady Luck was smiling on me.  I found some non-interchangeable circulars, five pairs size 2mm through to 3mm, different lengths, a ball of variagated orange yarn, wound up in a ball and to me, looking rather a lot like malabrigo.  I was smirking by this point, as you can imagine.  But the piece d'resistance was yet to come.  Two earthenware 9" pie dishes, looking as near to new as possible.  And a pound each.  Happy, Happy, Happy in the words of the philosophical Phil Robertson.  A Key Lime Pie and a Pumpkin Pie have re-entered the 'Must Bake Soon' list.  I was very chuffed to say the least.  HK had luck as well - two camera lenses at a good price, and a fraction of what he found them on ebay for.

 

I have started the ball rolling to re-register as a nurse.  The only place I particularly would chose to work is the prison.  It is becoming apparant that between HK and I this may be the most likely way of one of us working.  It is not a decision I have taken lightly.  There is no vacancies at the moment, apart from in IDTS - Integrated Drug Treatment Service, I don't overly fancy doing that, but won't say never.  So I may hang out an application for a while till a regular prison nurse job comes up.  Or another job I fancy.  The lure of being on the same or similar wage is more than enticing.  Time away from Mary-Jane does not enthuse me.  I have an amount of blind faith in that the path will be illuminated for me.

Jackson's Baked Beans and Fruit Scones

Jackson's Baked Beans

Dedicated to Auntie Annie

• 3 onions, chopped and diced
• 2 tbsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 500g dried haricot beans
• 250ml veg stock
• 500g passata
• good squidge of tomato paste/ketchup
• few tbsp buffalo wing sauce (to your taste)
• oil for frying

1. Soak haricot beans in plenty of cold water, 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.  Drain and rinse well.  Put in a pan with fresh water, boil for 10 minutes then simmer for an hour.  Or follow instructions on your pack
2. Set oven to 140c/ gm 1
3. Fry the onions, add mustard powder, paprika, sugar, salt, garlic. 
4. Mix the veg stock and roughly half of the passata together, then add to pan.  This just helps the two liquids combine.  Add the rest of the passata, tomato paste and buffalo wings sauce
5. Give it a good stir and let bubble gently for ten minutes or so.
6. Transfer to a casserole dish and cook in oven for about 2 hours.  Stir a couple of time and taste - add seasoning or any bits and bobs to your own taste

These beans can be frozen

Fruit Scones

• 1lb (16oz) self raising flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 oz butter
• 2oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, mixed with buttermilk to make up to 10fl oz

1. Heato oven to 220c/gm 7.  Flour baking sheets
2. sift the flour with the salt, rub in the butter until resembles fine bread crumbs.  This can be done in a processor. 
3. Stir in the sugar and fruit
4. Make a well in the centre and add the fluid, retaining a very small amount.  Mix to a spongy dough
5. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, knead gently then roll to 1" thick and cut with cutter
6. Brush tops with remaining fluid
7. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on your oven, until the scones are golden brown.