Not enough time

I haven't blogged lately, I feel that I don't have enough time to do everything else and blog, so blogging will have to take a backseat for a short while. It is raining here at the moment, I can see that the driveway is wet, I really hope it rains for the rest of the day. I have been busy making a couple of things for Christmas, my mother wanted a pincushion so I've made one, will post a picture later.
Out walking this morning I saw a heap of galahs pecking away on the grass, some of them were lying on their backs and I thought maybe they were dead but no, they were just having a dust bath and they flipped right way up when I got closer, it made me smile.

I haven't blogged for a few days, I have a sore shoulder which is making it difficult to do certain things, typing being one of them. Part of my routine is to keep fit and healthy as I age and one of the ways I do this is by lifting weights and aerobic exercise (in my case walking or using the cross-trainer) during the week, my goal is 4 weight sessions and a minimum of 3 aerobic sessions each week. Generally I manage to do this and have done so for the past couple of months, (I have been doing this for about 5 years with lapses) last week I increased my weights and noticed on Tuesday that I had a sore shoulder, so I am having a week off weights and just going for a walk each day in the hope that next week it will be right and I can resume lifting weights again. I think I have worked out which exercise caused the problem so I will have to work around it and/or use lighter weights.

I did manage to do a few things on the weekend, I covered my folder and now have to start putting things into it. I altered the clothes, I didn't turn the compost or re-organise the spare room, but maybe I will be able to do that this week.

Weekend Planning

Been doing a bit of planning for this weekend and next week. I've found that when I make up a bit of a plan or list of things that need doing then I generally get most of them done. I do a menu so I know what to get when I go to the market, sometimes it changes if things are too dear or something is really cheap. My menu is looking like this:


Saturday - Lunch -Quiche (I already have a prebaked shell in the freezer)
Tea - home-made burgers, salad and chips

Sunday - Lunch - Cheese, Buttermilk and Basil muffins with salad
Tea - Baked Ricotta with roasted tomatoes, and salad

Monday - Not sure yet (maybe leftovers from weekend)

Tuesday - Greek Salad with lamb

Wednesday - Sesame chicken thighs with Asian inspired salad

Thursday - Same as Wednesday (lazy)

Friday - Potsticker dumplings with steamed veges


During the week we work in the evenings so our main meal is at midday, and we just have a sandwich or leftovers, some fruit and cut-up veges part way through the evening.
I also plan to cover an old folder with fabric and use that for putting my menu plans, and other things in, it will be my household management folder, I got this idea from Rhonda at down-to-earth, she has some really great ideas. Other things I'm planning on: are turning the compost (although if it is too hot then it can wait till it is a bit cooler) re-organising a spare room, and altering some clothes. That along with all the usual stuff, like cooking, washing etc will probably keep me busy for the weekend. I've found that if I get too ambitious and plan to do a lot of things, then I get overwhelmed and upset with myself if I don't get everything done, so now I just plan a few things and if they get done well and good, and if they don't well there is always another day.

Lizard

Yesterday when I had gone out into the garden to dump the washing-up water, I left the basin on the wheelie bin while I went to check out the vege patch which is looking rather sad due to the hot weather, I picked up the basin and went back into the veranda and saw what I thought was a leaf in the basin, it wasn't it was this little lizard, there are a few around at the moment generally they stay in the garden. The picture isn't very clear as I only thought to take a photo after I had put him back, and I am not too good with the camera, more a point and click type of photographer.

Pot Sticker Dumplings

I made these on Sunday, the recipe calls them Pot-stickers, and I make up heaps and freeze them so I can use them for quick meals instead of getting takeaway.

They are basically:

500g (about) pork or chicken mince

1 bunch garlic chives (can use bok choy) finely chopped

garlic and ginger minced

1 tsp sesame oil 1 tb soy sauce

salt and pepper (I use Szechuan salt and pepper mix I made myself)

1 big packet of Gowgee wrappers

Mix all together and put teaspoonfuls onto the wrappers, then brush with a wet pastry brush round the edge (just half will do) then fold in half, press together and then pleat the edges up.

Then I freeze them on trays lined with freezer wrap, (which can be washed and reused many times) then put them in containers.

To cook: heat a frying pan (non stick preferred) over medium heat, put a drizzle of peanut oil in and then drop the pot-stickers in and brown on each side, they only take a couple of minutes, then add 1/2 c of water and put the lid on. Let cook for 4-5 minutes and then enjoy.

I usually serve with steamed vegs and a dipping sauce (ketjap manis or sweet chilli sauce) or another sauce which I make when I have more time.

You can cook them from fresh made or from frozen, they take a little longer from frozen but are still way quicker and cheaper than going to get takeaway.

They can also be steamed in a bamboo steamer or cooked in boiling water or stock.

This recipe came from a cookbook called - chow down & chill out, fast Asian recipes for busy people by Jennifer Yee

I made these yesterday, a really easy recipe called Boiled Fruit Loaf, you just put water, sugar, spices, and dried fruit in a saucepan and then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then you let it cool, then add your dry ingredients, mix and bake for 45 minutes. It is better to leave it to cool before slicing, but sometimes you can't wait.

Had a busy day today, weather has been fine and warm, walked to the library this morning and picked up some books that I had on reserve. Walking back with a full pack wasn't quite so enjoyable. I've made bread today, and some quiche for my DH to take to work for his lunch tomorrow.

Yesterday I moved some bush bean plants and zucchini, I think I had planted them too close together, they are still quite small, and this morning they are standing up and not drooping at all. Our garden is a bit of trial and error at the moment, it is only quite small (so far) and it is a learning experience. I have planted silver beet, lazy housewife climbing beans, bush beans, zucchini, basil and chives, and there are some sprouting broccoli that I have cut back. I pulled all the lettuce out yesterday as it has all bolted with the warm weather. I kept some for salad sandwiches this week. We did all right out of the lettuce as they were all self sown from last year.

I seem to spend a lot of time reading other blogs. I have gained a lot of useful information from them, sometimes I think I am addicted to reading blogs. This is the third blog I have started, but the only one which I have posted more than once. I guess it is a bit like a journal only there is no paper involved. Somedays my mind is buzzing with things that I could blog about but when it comes to putting it down nothing comes to mind, so nothing gets posted.

No wonder people are getting fatter, I was in a shopping centre during the week and of course the only way of getting up to the next floor is by the travelator or escalator, everyone just stands there and waits to be carried up to the next floor, if you do actually want to walk up it you can't, why, because no-one will keep to the left side which would leave the right side free to allow people to walk up it, and if you dare to say: excuse me, can I get past, you get incredulous looks before they do move.

Today I was out walking and I saw a woman get into her car and drive all of 200m to the shop, get something and then drive home again, how lazy is that.

Or in the supermarket all the fat people load their trolleys up with chips, ice-cream, soft-drink, etc,

Vent

One of my dislikes: people not changing the toilet roll when they have used the last piece of paper.

I mean you are just sitting there, doing whatever, so why on earth wouldn't you put another toilet roll (if there is one there) on the holder.

Worse is when they put the new one on the floor or rest it on the holder and leave the empty roll on the holder, I mean if you can be bothered to put the new toilet roll out, why on earth wouldn't you put it on the holder!!

And here's another one, the toilet roll is empty so just throw it on the floor, no need to put it in the bin, oh and while you're at it, just throw all your empty tampon wrappers on the floor as well, or just sit there and tear little bits of toilet paper up and throw them on the floor.

Then there are skid marks in the toilet, but that's the cleaners' job you say, well I say have some respect for the next person coming into that toilet after you, and have some respect for the cleaner as well, they seldom get any thanks and they are the ones cleaning up after you.

boondoggle

n : work of little or no value done merely to look busy

v : do useless, wasteful, or trivial work