Friday 28 June 2013

A Friday Round-up, A Nice Scarf Pattern too!

It's been a very quiet week here, just a pottering, gentle quiet type of week with a burst of activity on Wednesday.

Monday was shopping day, frugal as possible, the only meat I needed was 500gms of minced beef($3) and I bought a 1 kilo chunk of roasting beef to cook in the crockpot. $50 worth of fresh vegetables from the Sppud Shed means I can stick to plant based meals as opposed to meals where meat is the star...these cost so much more and are quiet un-necessary really.

I made Joe a pan-ful of baked mixed beans; sauted onion, garlic and red capsicum, tomato paste, a teaspoon of golden syrup(molasses is nice too) and then a tin of el cheapo baked beans and 1 1/2 cups of mixed beans. He loves these for breakfast with an egg and some toast.
Next to be re-fashioned was the 5 cups of bolognese sauce leftover from Saturday, this was especially nice as I'd added some chopped salami. Lasagne was the plan so while Joe grated some cheddar cheese I made a white sauce. Joe was horrified to learn(after 12 yrs) that I don't add cheese to the sauce but season it well and add some USA mustard. Cheese is welcome to go on the top and it was really, really tasty...6 large serves and 2 went straight into the freezer once it was cold....


I also made this cake to get full use of the oven ...3/4 of this went into the freezer too...


Tuesday was very quiet for me, Joe taught chess and picked up some prescriptions while I made great headway on another scarf...

Cast on 2 sts, (used 4mm needles and some 12 ply wool)
Increase at the beginning of each row until the scarf is the desired width, I stopped when I had 30 sts on my needles.
Now just

Increase at the beginning of each alternate row
Decrease by knitting 2tog through the back of the loops on every other row...

can you see what is happening...I've almost finished it now and if you are making stripes ensure that you start the new colour on the same type of row each time so that all your joins are at the back of the work...


Wednesday came and I put the roasting beef in the slow cooker on a bed of carrots and a whole unpeeled head of garlic and left it on auto for around 9 hours. I made a huge plateful of rustic looking ham and cheese sandwiches and then headed off to meet Mandy and De-Anne at Paul's late parent's home. It's almost ready to go on the market a year after they were both so tragically killed in a car accident nearby but what a heart wrenching job to go through this huge house and pack up their personal effects. Some to the op-shops, some to the tip, some to friends but there is just too much stuff and it is so very personal!
I came away with 2 small jardinieres that reminded me of my auntie Brenda and her lovely houseplants. When I got home I was delighted to find that my bathroom parlour palm fit perfectly into the larger one...it was a warm Down To Earth forums moment as the palm came from Wendy whom I met through the forum and I also met Mandy and De-Anne this way! I can spy a bar of hand-made soap in this photo, I learned to make soap through the forums too...



Yesterday I made a big pan of pearl barley and vegetable soup using the left-over stock from the roast beef so that will do for lunches for several days. We had the beef again last night with baby potatoes(49c a kilo) and there's enough of that for tonight too with another vegetable dish.

We've added an extra night to out stay in Montreal when we first land so that we can meet up with family for lunch on Saturday, Phoebe and the boys are driving up from Ottawa and will stay at our hotel overnight and then we can have a leisurely drive down to Ottawa on the Sunday.
Caleb has been asking "when is Nana having another party" after our lovely tea party in March. I may take him and David to watch  Kwinana United vs Perth Glory on July 6th, 2pm Kelly Park, Kwinana, my Dad is going too.

Well the moral here is to blog more than once a week because even when I think I have nothing to say it appears that I find plenty. Thank you for your patience!
If you have time you might enjoy a look at a Queensland friend's new blog over here , please leave Chel a comment, I know she'll be thrilled.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend,
Love from Sue
xxx

3 comments:

  1. Fabulous week.
    I don't add cheese in the middle of my lasagna either, just a little on top

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  2. It all looks so nice Sue. That scarf is interesting...bet that lasagna was tasty too, look at it, YUM!!

    I have done a stock take of my freezer this morning and will be using up what is in there before buying anymore. Have been looking up frugal recipes too, need to cut back on spending, got a nephews wedding to go to in Alice Springs next weekend :)

    What a job to have to go through personal stuff like that, especially in such tragic circumstances. Makes me think of my family if anything should happen to us...Thinking of Mandy and family at this time, must be heart wrenching :(

    xx

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  3. Loving your blog, I to am a bit confused over the changes that are happening with blogs I have no idea what to do as yet.x

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