Monday 14 January 2013

Allsorts

Well hello there!
As you know life has been a bit up and down here recently and in order to try and restore some kind of calm and order I have been keeping the laptop switched off, except for a quick daily check on emails and a lovely hour on Saturday evening where I managed to catch up with quite a few blog posts, I hope to be properly caught up with everyone by the end of the week.

This will be an odd little post to share a few things from the past couple of weeks and I'm hoping some kind of normality will return by the weekend.
So we start with a baking tray full of veggies all looking very healthy and colourful.
I cooked this casserole last week and it was generally well received, will cut down the cooking time slightly next time though as possibly the veg was a bit too mushy in texture, but it was (nearly) all eaten.



I am in love with one of the new items of clothing my sister gave me for Christmas. Black jumper with white hearts, I did actually hug it when I unwrapped it! Worn with a scarf a bought on our last trip to Norwich. Too many hearts? Don't care, just love it!



One thing I wanted to try and make an effort with this year was bulk buying when something we use is on offer and the space is available to store it.
For years now I have been using the Co-op's toiletries and home products as much as possible as they aren't tested on animals. With S's hair type we get through a lot of conditioner and we have found the coconut and honey variety is excellent. They currently have one third off the price and we now have 20 bottles of it stashed away and this has saved me £7.40. I have also bought 4 huge boxes of washing powder which has saved me another £8.00 and should see us through most of the year. Ok we won't be going on a holiday on the these savings, but surely every little helps.



I haven't been out and about much but when I did briefly escape whilst S had chicken pox I couldn't resist this cute lantern reduced to something silly in Sainsbury's as part of the post Christmas decoration sale and it can stay out all year round.


S out in the back garden playing with one of her Christmas presents, an elephant bubble blower, one thing she never tires of is blowing bubbles, long may that continue, small simple pleasures and all that.


This was last month's book club read. Opinion was mixed, one person couldn't read it, a couple more read it and weren't really that fussed and two more loved it. I was one of the loved it variety. I would definitely recommend it and have added her other books to my newly created wishlist on Amazon.



Speaking of books I received in the post last week this interesting book from Louise, I haven't started it yet but am really looking forward to it. Thank you again Louise for remembering and sending it to me, another example of blogging friendliness and generosity which is one of the things I love about this community.



Finally this odd little bundle is a photo of the items I bought for my sister for Christmas. You know the drill, £10 spent on items from charity shops/jumbles/car boots. In this little lot are one book, one china plate, one snowflake patterned glass dish, one flower pot, one polka dot patterned jam pot, one fabric boot Christmas decoration, one cupcake coat hook, three skirts, four tops, one cardi and not shown was one gingham covered noticeboard in the shape of a teapot.



14 comments:

  1. Normality is a very under rated state! I hope it returns for you soon. Too many hearts? Can you ever have too many? Love all the things in your post xxxxxxxx

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  2. Oh I make something like your casserole. Sausages with butternut squash, onions, potatoes all roasted in the oven. I love butternut squash but it's a devil to peel. Aaah, blowing bubbles - that's something I never tire of. Hope life for you is settling down again now. Have a lovely week. xx

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  3. It's nice to hear from you, I'm glad normality is returning for you. I might try that conditioner, we haven't used it before but Dave had very dry, curly hair so it might be good for him.

    That book sounds very interesting, I might add it to my wish list - as a book lover, my wish list is a bit out of control with around 200 books in it!!

    I'm glad the birdy book arrived safely :)

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  4. I loved Instruments of Darkness when I read it years ago... a CSI High Wickham,I called it.
    Glad to see you back in action!

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  5. Hi Lisa, it's lovely to have you back with one of your "bits & bobs" posts!
    Never mind for wearing too many hearts, it's nearly Valentine's Day, lol!
    x

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  6. a difficult time lisa but gifts and bubbles help!

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  7. I love roasted veggies and you can never have too many hearts, just like you can never have too many clashing patterns - or at least that's my argument!
    Claire

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  8. A lovely post I really enjoyed reading it all; Little Miss had a bubble machine for her birthday & loves it - so simple but so much fun. Glad to have you back, hope all is getting back to normal. x

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  9. Hey glad to have you back.
    Hope things are cheering up for you.
    At least we have sun today.

    The stock piling is all good in my book. N is fussy and will only use certain products, so when they are on offer we buy in bulk.... the other day I came home with 6 shower gels for £5 only to discover another 6 in the cupboard. Nothing like having your own shop to shop in!!

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  10. Hope things are back to normal for you soon. The casserole looks yummy, I make lots of things like that, using up whatever veggies I've got in, makes for an easy tea. Love the jumper and scarf, you can never have too many hearts, and I love to see all the goodies you buy for your sister, you're a fabulous bargain hunter.

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  11. lovely to see you pop in here. wonderful bubble blower !

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  12. I also hug things I love including accessories. Like your love of the heart motif my current obsession is stars, I have two scarves one of which I would gladly wear every day.

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  13. Hey Lisa
    Thanks for popping by and your lovely comment :-)
    I do like this kind of post, catching up on bits and bobs. And in my opinion you can never have too many hearts, can you? Your outfit looks lovely!
    I'm impressed with your book reading. I haven't read a novel in years, and tend to just read non-fiction in recent years. I would like to get back into reading fiction though.
    I hope you have a restful weekend and that the snow is kind to you!
    xx

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  14. Oh wow that Flights of Fancy book is just the perfect Mother's Day fripperie for the Magpie, thank you...I am going to look for it right away! As for blowing bubbles I am a fully signed up member of that club! Happy New Year lovely, to you and yours, here's to swift recovery and snowball fights....

    Sarah -x-

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