This topic contains 7,125 replies, has 64 voices, and was last updated by Barata 9 months ago.
Wi 🤣 The smell of bacon doesn’t make me want to eat bacon, I think it’s just a pungent cooking smell that turns my thoughts to food! My morning break fast rarely consists of anything other than seeds, nuts, fruit, yoghurt, oats… Whereas the x prefers to eat bread and dead animals…
Amazon, you have to spend a certain amount of time outside doing very little and just looking, else how will you get to know the garden properly? 😁
Wi, bacon is an essential food! Amazon, I tried to convince OH that bbqs should be relegated to the daylight saving era, but have failed, so steak and salad this evening 🙂 Yum!
We had a lovely rain yesterday, but apparently not enough to end the drought or enable us to reduce our water restrictions (no hoses or sprinklers).
Next Monday we will be dropping to 3 Covid level, so will be able to get self-pickup takeaways and pre-ordered shopping. Hopefully will be able to buy some veggie seedlings. Most of our deaths relate to one rest-home made up of dementia patients (with Do Not Resuscitate instructions), so hopeful we have flattened our curve sufficiently to move on. As usual, there are strident opinions on both sides of the issues saying we Should Stay in Lockdown Longer / Should Have Relaxed to level 3 after four weeks! If you can’t keep people on both sides happy you are probably doing the right thing.
There are still plenty of those exotic wasps about, Happy. If I can identify the current nest…
Apparently when asked the thing most vegetarians miss is a bacon sarnie!
Considering it’s barely more than the size of a parking space if I don’t know my garden well enough after 35 years I’m in deep trouble although I am still dithering over where to plant the chard.
I’ve already had an hour sitting in the morning sun on the back stairs drinking coffee and reading and I’m now inside getting my daily fix of cookery show 😃
I am considering dusting off my BBQ as I have plenty of charcoal but I’ll need a trip to the butcher first.
We bbq most of the year. It is easy, prep everything, clean up the kitchen, pour a wine and then cook outside. The clean up is a quick scrape and wipe. No food smells in the house, more chance to be outside. We cook on a gas bbq with a plate, not a grate. You can control the cooking process better and never end up with burnt food! At our last house we even plumbed the bbq in to mains gas. P
BTW, I hope you are aware JJ is having trouble with an overactive Spam on this site. Contact him if you are having a problem.
Today marks 8 years since we started 5:2 fasting. We are still skilled fasters, but the hiccups of life often get in the way. The last year has been a bumpy ride, healthwise for Mr P, with an enforced total change in foods he can tolerate. He has to eat food that will raise his blood sugars, but 16:8 seems the effective way through. In the meantime, my weight has crept up a bit, but still a healthy level. Carbs have been reintroduced into our diet, by necessity, but are my worst enemy. I get sick of cooking 2 different meals, so end up eating carbs. But we are both here and fit and healthy.
I hope the same applies to you. P
Another milestone of success, P. Well done both of you. And yes, both fit and healthy here too. 🙂
Our next door neighbour has just been over to mow our lawn again – it looks so much better, so kind of him. With any luck we can get a contractor for the next mow at level 3, as we are unlikely to have been able to purchase our own machine in the short term.
Today has been beautiful after yesterday’s rain. 2cm in one hour, the water just fell down! So I have been in the garden again, just pottering, weeding and tidying, but am amazed at how exhausted I get. 🙁
Morning/evening all,
The fine weather continues here and I’m making the most of the garden.I’m certainly getting enough vitamin D!
Third FD of the week underway and I have leftover veggie lasagne so no cooking required. As much as I love to cook sometimes it’s good not to have to do too much to get some hot tasty food onto a plate.
Stay safe everyone and enjoy the weekend 😜
P,
Eight years! Time flies doesn’t it?
Hard to believe, it’s my 6 year anniversary of reaching my goal weight. Although I have put on a few kgs over the last year, I had settled at 3-4kg below my initial goal weight, so I’m still within my original goal… 🤣
I am fasting today too, Amazon, and tonight’s meal will be something out of the freezer. Like you, I enjoy cooking, but particularly on a Friday night I like a lazy evening with limited food prep!
It’s another lovely day here, although there is a suggestion of rain for us next week. Obvs I’d rather sunny days, but my garden and our private water supply are badly in need of water… if we get a good top up I’ll stop doing my rain dance for a few weeks…
I just took part in a very different, but moving, ANZAC Day service, standing at my front gate at 6am, with other neighbours at theirs. I could hear the bugle in the distance play the Last Post, a minute silence, then Revielle. I listened as a nearby portable radio played the 2 National Anthems and watched the sun rise. Kiwis and Aussies were together at Anzac Cove, and are again still in 2020.
Lest we forget.
P
It’s the last day of level 4 lockdown today. Many businesses are going to be able to get back to work, and retail can re-open, but without allowing customers into the shops, so ordering online and either collecting or having goods delivered. Although I have been hearing something about garden centres, so must find out more. Schools are re-opening, but just to the children of essential workers, so students will be thin on the classroom floor, and will be doing the same online lessons as their stay-at-home fellows.
I heard the clock chime six on Saturday morning, but as it was during another horrible night, and I had just woken up again, I decided not to drag myself out of bed. Gave thoughts to my two great-uncles who perished in WWI before getting back to the land of nod.
Well lockdown continues in the UK. What more can I say?!
Fasting has been a failure so far this week, and I greedily grazed my way through yesterday, so I’m determined to fast today.
The weather has turned cooler but sadly no rain! There is a suggestion of dampness in the air but it would be stretching it to call it precipitation.
Apart from that, every day is the same as the last!
Hope everyone is well and keeping their spirits up.
Morning/evening all,
Fasting has been eluding me too! I’m going to try today and have the thought of lovely English asparagus with a poached egg for my FD dinner to hopefully keep me on the straight and narrow.
I’ve had a very sore back for 2 days which I put down to 7 consecutive days in my garden recliner. It’s very comfortable but not designed for dodgy ageing backs! As a consequence I’ve been moping about like a bear with a sore head so it’s no surprise eating was at the top of the agenda ☹ Thankfully it’s OK this morning and I can reach my feet without wanting to cry.
Happy,
Sorry the heavy rain missed you and hopefully you’ll get some soon. It rained here on and off for 24 hours with promise of more later and the garden has had a good soaking.
My veg seedlings are doing well although only one of the 4 courgette seeds my friend sent me has germinated. I managed to get hold of some on line and they arrived yesterday so I’m confident of having two plants which will be more than enough for me and if it provides too many there is always courgette chutney and cake 😆
I went to Waitrose on Monday morning forthe first time in 6 weeks and I went early during Golden Oldies hour. After I was let in the woman at the door belatedly decided to check if I was old enough so I showed her my ID and in order to check it she came forwards until she was barely a foot away and touched my hand! When I said something to her she loudly denied it and was so rude I spoke to the manager as after all these weeks of lockdown the staff mamber should not be making such potentially dangerous errors.
It really upset me and it was at that point I realised how frightened I am of catching this terrible virus.
Once I had calmed myself I was pleased to see the shelves were well stocked apart from the baking section, no flour, no yeast, no baking powder etc. The compensation was asparagus, PSB, spring greens and some early English strawberries which are very good 😁
I went to the newsagent this morning which is in fact more like a mini supermarket and while waiting 2m from the customer at the till I was idly gazing at the shelves and noticed tins of baking powder which are rarer than hens teeth so I bought some as I had run out.
Who would have thought a tin of baking powder could make a girl so happy 😆
Take care everyone 😜
We have now moved to level 3, which means that retail can open as long as they can arrange contactless transactions. I will put my order for veggie seedlings in with the local garden centre tomorrow, was feeling a bit seedy myself today with the mild sore throat that has been bothering me for the last week or so being joined by a hint of a headache and queasiness. Will decide tomorrow if I should line up for testing, but suspect it might just be a hint of a cold. I have imbibed with mandarins (great to pick them off our own tree), honey and lemon (ditto), and the old favourite, brandy. Will see what the results are.
OH has been most restrained – has put in an order to go to the local fish and chip shop on Friday, hopefully after the mad crush has subsided.
I have noticed a lack of 2m distancing from some of the supermarket employees when I have visited, Amazon. Although if someone is stacking shelves on one side there is very little room to scoot through – just keep my head down and hold my breath! Glad you had happiness restored! 🙂
Poor you, Amazon. It’s SO frustrating when we try our hardest to avoid contact and then some brainless person invades our space!
The other day, a runner approached from behind Mr P when we were out walking and actually ran into him! Mr P is normally a very polite, reserved person, but he totally lost it, verbally, with the runner, who, I later pointed out to him, had earphones on, so wouldn’t have heard a word!
All the best with your fast. I MUST fast tomorrow as 16:8 is just not cutting it. 🙄
Well today I fasted successfully, yeay! Why was it easy today when some days it’s impossible?! I just need to NOT bounce back tomorrow by overcompensating.
Not being in a very populated area, I don’t encounter runners. And there are no pavements… But in the supermarket it’s generally older people who invade my personal space. Mostly I think they don’t realise, but there’s a couple who I see most weekends who had a sense of entitlement before lockdown and I think they just expect everyone to get out of their way now. And breathe and relax….
Well done Happy,
Small victories.
I’ve done the overcompensating today and am going to try to fast tomorrow 😬
I think some people just don’t get personal space, others as you say have a sense of entitlement and expect everyone else to recognise how important they are.
I have to say some supermarkets seem better organised. I know Tesco have made theiraisles one way and put arrows on the floor to assist customers. Waitrose haven’t done so and I wish they would as it would make it much easier for customers to keep out of each others way.
I am busy perfecting what I think of as my pillar of salt stare for when anyone gets too close 😆
I have been warding people off by turning my trolley! But what to do about people standing in the middle of the aisle perusing a shelf and thereby blocking the whole aisle… people stood blocking a 12 foot stretch of shelves while they talk on the phone to someone about which cheese they should buy… never mind, it will all soon be over…oh no, wait, it won’t! Waah.
I am thinking about trying to fast again tomorrow, maybe a few days of OMAD would help get me back on track…
Morning/evening all,
Happy,
I once saw a man on the phone to someone and he was almost in tears because the supermarket hadn’t something they wanted for a dinner party, cue melodramatic “what are we going to do?”
I hate people who manage to block 2m of shelves with themselves and their trolley because they won’t let go of it and that’s before anyone had uttered the term social distancing.
Maybe we should write a supermarket etiquette book 😆
I am going to try to fast today and find out if it’s sailing or seefood.
Every time I think I’m doing well I have a spectacular fall from the wagon, it’s like a recurring nightmare where I’m on a giant snakes and ladders board and I keep losing………..
As Sam used to say I’ll keep on keepin’on.
Have a good day everyone 😜
Good, Happy, on your fast.
I haven’t seen a real human for a few days, as the 10 in this village don’t seem to be venturing out.
I am not in a good space at present. I have no veges here, and I am not eating that well. Probably it’s a vicious circle between food and feeling down.
It’s day 54 of isolation today, and I can now see it stretching through to day 180+.
I am going to walk around the village to see if that helps, even though any humans I meet will tell me how awful others are, just as they will tell others how awful I am. This French village isn’t what you call a successful human experiment.
I am not that philosophical at present.
Sorry for the moan.
xxx
Wi, so sorry to hear that things are getting to you. Know that we are all supporting you, and when you get back to NZ there is a welcome for you and your OH in our new home, just so looking forward to sharing our new space. You may moan all you need to, can fully understand your feelings of isolation 🙁 No doubt you are talking to MFaT about possible repatriation.
OH still insists on barbequing. There is rain forecast for the weekend (yay!) so I am planning indoor-cooked meals for a few days.
Don’t get me started about supermarket etiquette! I frequently push trolleys aside that are blocking my passage (pre CV19), and get so angry at people who park in front of the meat cabinets! I am sure your trolley doesn’t need to be checking out the protein! My habit is to park in out-of-the way spots and walk to where I want to go – does mean that I get told off for going the wrong way down a one-way aisle sometimes – tough!! Just want one item…
Morning/evening all,
Wi,
So sorry to hear you are feeling the strain, virtual hugs from across the Channel.
So yesterday turned out to be a plain sailing day 😀 which has made me feel so much better I’m going to try again today.
We’ve had 2 days of rain and it’s been much cooler. The forecast for the next few days is fine so hopefully it’s back to wearing shorts and sitting outside.
Take care everyone especially you Wiwi 😜
Thank you, dear people. I got all your beautiful vibes, from across the Channel and across the world.
I got myself into a downward spiral, and it was partly food related.
I need vegetables, and ate plenty yesterday. I have rocket and broccoli in the garden from last year and that is good even though they are a bit rugged, having survived winter.
I spent some time weeding yesterday as the wet ground make things easy. My peonies are small buds now.It’s the first year they have flowered. All the summer perenniels are starting to reappear. I feel a bit the same with my energy returning.
It’s still raining here and I am in a sea of cloud, but it’s bright too and the sun will come out soon.
I am going back to neaten up my vege and flower beds, and pull out some more nettles and make fertilizer with the nettles.
Have a great day.
xx
Wi,
You don’t have to apologise for moaning during a pandemic lockdown! I think most, if not all, of us will be on the emotional rollercoaster too. I find it’s best if I don’t think about how long it might carry on for/ til I can see family again etc. But it will be harder for you, stuck in France when you want to be in NZ…
Amazon,
I am joining you fasting today. The fasts are not shifting the excess, but without them I know I would be putting weight on ☹️🐖
We had a bit of light rain yesterday, sadly not enough to make much difference, and it was pretty chilly. Can’t say I’m sorry that it’s drier and warmer today!
Wiwi,
Make some nettle soup, both tasty and nutritious.
Happy,
I’ve decided I have to stop self sabotaging my efforts and have given myself a good talking to. No baking for the time being, no alcohol during the week and do more exercise.
Shame you’ve not had any decent rain yet.
I went out for a walk this morning and had a long socially distanced chat to one of my neighbours when I got back. The fresh air, the water, the birds, flowers, trees in blossom and/or bud, waterfowl on the canal and River Brent have all lifted my spirits and the face to face chat with someone was also beneficial.
I have a socially distanced wine date with other neighbours at the weekend which should be fun and I am really looking forward to it.
The weather is improving as the day goes on and from my sofa I can only see blue sky.
Snow has fallen on the alps and a strong southerly is blowing the cold directly at us. My Saturday morning ritual is to listen to the providors discussing the best fresh foods available, then a chef uses some of the products. Always mouthwatering! I usually end up going to the farmers’ market, then cooking up soup on a cold Saturday, but there are no markets. They say my favourite will be reopening next week!! I’ll be able to get fresh produce and veg seedlings.
We are allowed to have 2 visitors in our homes now, but we are all being very cautious, so no need to clean and tidy yet. 😉😉
Have a happy weekend folk. P
Morning/evening all,
It’s a beautiful morning here, back to sunshine and blue skies.
I think it’s going to be another few weeks before any restrictions are lifted in the UK but things do appear to be moving in the right direction.
Some retail outlets are going to be allowed to open soon and I’m hoping garden centres are on the list. Most of them are large enough to implement social distancing and it would be wonderful for those of us who have a garden to be able to buy flower and veg seedlings, pots, compost etc.
There are various politicians, business people etc pushing for lifting lockdown but the government seems to be taking a cautious line and I hope they stick to it.
I bought some cheese mail order, there’s a campaign going on to help small artisan cheesemakers stay in business. It’s now my go to protein and I’ve been researching cheese recipes in order to make the most of it.
I bought from a cheese company who were offering packs of 3 different cheeses. They were sold out in a few days and one of the cheesemakers involved was able to take his employees off furlough to make more as they had sold 1,500 cheeses in less than a week so it has been very successful.
The cheese in question is an unpasteurised Brie style and is delicious. I used some of it yesterday in lieu of mozzarella in a Melanzane Parmiggiana and it worked really well. I have leftovers for tonight.
The idea has been so successful the company will be selling a different combination next week in their save British cheese pack in order to help 3 other struggling cheesemakers.
Having read what it is going to contain I want to but it but a girl can only eat so much cheese no matter how much she likes it 😆
I’ve managed B2B fasts and am planning a more relaxed day today without overdoing it.
Take care everyone 😜
Amazon that’s the trouble with the combination of isolation AND trying to save small producers…there is only so much we can eat! I’m still working my way through the artisan breads I bought a week ago. Brunch today was smoked ocean trout and cheese (a really good cheddar) on a croissant. Heated in the oven, we had half each. Yummy on a freezing day like this.🙂 There is another company that is offering charcuterie packs, but I can’t eat it alone! 😏 P
Hmm, yes, eating in lockdown to save small producers! Very worthy 🤣
Amazon, I’d like to think these new markets/ ways of selling that have opened up would continue after lockdown and that people don’t simply revert to supermarket monopolies for convenience.
On the subject of cheese, if the choice was meat or cheese for the rest of my life, I’d choose cheese… although I’d definitely stop by P’s house for smoked trout first…!
So my two fasts this week have just seen me maintaining, again. I need a good kick up the…. to sort out non-fast days. I find it hard to believe I am not losing any weight, particularly when I think about how much more active I have been on a daily basis since lockdown began. Lots of gardening and daily walk/runs of at least 4 miles. I’m just knackered and flabby 😩😂
The weather is fine and reasonably mild this weekend, so it’s gardening and walking again both days…
Hope all is as well as can be with everyone. Take care.
Hi everyone,
Happy,
I often buy cheese from somewhere other than the supermarket and the knowledge so many small producers might go under has prompted me into resolving to buy from independent outlets much more often. I’m not short of time and will make an effort to go to one of the local Saturday farmers markets which has a good selection of stalls.
I hope people do continue to buy from independent outlets as it would enable the small producers to grow their businesses.
I am pleased to have managed 2 fasts but it’s merely damage limitation and I need to get back into my previously successful routine in order to convert it into weight loss.
In my experience of joining the gym and going 3 mornings per week, it made absolutely no difference whatsoever to my rate of weight loss but I really enjoyed it and the post exercise pheromones and eventual muscle toning made it worthwhile.
Sunday’s dinner will be a blue cheese, squash and potato bake with asparagus 🍷
Stay safe everyone 😜
Yes Amazon. That’s what research shows about exercise. It is not a weight loss mechanism, per se, unless it helps to occupy away from the kitchen, but it tones the body, is excellent for overall wellbeing and can guard against falls as we get older. I personally find this last benefit completely wrong. I experience most of my injuries when exercising. 😏 Still, I get out there every day, pounding the footpaths, working through the injuries. 🙄
Fast day here for me. We’ve had a real taste of winter this week, but apparently it will be back up to 28 on Friday! It’s hard to know which clothes to have out.
So my smoked trout, vegetables and cheese hot pot, last night, would have appealed Happy? Yummo. P
Morning/evening all,
A sunny morning here in London.
Purple,
The weather here has been crazy, 25 with sunshine one day followed by 13 with rain the next and down to single figures at night so I went from vest and shorts to winter clothing and heating on. No wonder I caught a chill!
Apparently we are going to have several days of fine weather followed by another 10 degree drop for a few days.
The bake was delicious and I have leftovers for tonight’s FD dinner.
Stay safe everyone 😜
Purple, why not just wear the bathers under the ski jacket.
I love knitwear like yours, Amazon. Usually I love it till it’s worn out.
The rain is over for a while here, and it is over 20°, and bright sunshine.
I think I will give up reading about all the nasty Covid effects on the body and then maybe start enjoying the spring again.
I am still not treating my body as I should. Just buckle down, Wiwi.
Back to the garden.
xx
The cardigan ws a real labour of love and it has become my comfort blanket.
Wiwi,
None of us can say honestly we’re treating our bodies as we should right now. Don’t beat yourself up over it but keep trying and it’ll happen when your mind is ready 😊
I feel much better and more positive for not watching the news, government briefings etc and only reading a decent newspaper at the weekend.
Amazon,
I have a long cardigan, knitted with British wool over perhaps 3 winters (knitting being a long dark winter night pursuit only here!). It is a warm hug! I also have an expensive Italian long cardigan, bought in the sales, a striped technicolour dreamcoat that makes me feel fab.
So, today I am fasting. I am physically quite fit at the moment, but too well padded around the middle. Wish me luck! And somebody please tape my mouth up on non-fast days 🤣
Hi everyone,
Fasting didn’t happen yesterday. The fifth anniversary of my little brother’s death was a bad day to choose so I’m trying again today.
I’ve been out for some milk and a couple of other items. The local supermarket was very quiet so I had a good look at what they’ve got in stock and found some strong flour which was a timely find as I was running low.
I’m now tempted to make bread but I must wait until the weekend or this week will be a write-off 😆
I’ve also succumbed to take anti hay fever medication as I cannot bear the itchy and watering eyes, tickly cough, itchy throat sneezing runny nose any longer.
Stay safe everyone 😜
Amazon,
It’s not surprising that you didn’t fast yesterday, on such a personally sad day in the midst of weeks of sad days. Like P, I can’t believe it’s been 5 years.
I have fasted successfully today. I wish the non-fast days could be so easy!
We are forecast a frost tonight, so I’ve been busy this evening tucking tender seedlings up in horticultural fleece and now keeping my fingers crossed!
Omelette for tea and that will be me done for another day.
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