WOYWW
What’s On My Workdesk Wednesday isn’t much, but slight progress on last week! Here are my teabag stains on watercolour now that they are dry. They are ready for doodling on, or otherwise embellishing.
In the meantime I’ve been working on my little eco project, and I’ll blog about that once it’s finished.
Country Show
Last Sunday was the Totnes and District Show. This is a smaller affair than the Devon County Show, but great fun nonetheless. I love going to these shows, and village fetes etc. Such a lovely day out, with lots of people in lighthearted holiday mood, enjoying the sunshine (hopefully!). We were fortunate with good weather for this one. I have done a blog post about it here.
Cooking
I’ve been doing quite a bit of cooking again. Yesterday, after my grocery delivery (mostly veggies!) I decided to do a meal plan, and got several dishes either started, or completed. This was the first time I had used my new Ninja Foodi as a slow cooker – great results! I used the pressure cooker mode four times yesterday! It is fabulous for pulses – no need to soak. You set it and forget it. Perfect results every time. It’s also brilliant for grains, leaving them fluffy with all the liquid absorbed. For quinoa, it’s just 1 minute at high pressure, followed by a natural steam release for 10 minutes, after which you open the valve to release the remaining steam. Forked through, it’s perfect. The pot is nice and big, so you can cook a lot at once so it’s ready for several meals.
This picture shows a selection of ingredients.
The ones that required slicing, dicing or shredding were done in double quick time with my various kitchen gadgets. I did a blog post about some of the ones I got recently. Here are a couple of them.
Work in progress – some completed dishes, and one awaiting the slow cooker.
Finally, a couple of completed dishes.
I’ve still got a bit more to do, but after yesterday’s efforts, I’m a bit tired today so I’m having a restful morning.
Kitties
The other day I came across Ruby languishing in the sink in the flat kitchen. That small room gets full sun in the middle of the day and the stainless steel sink gets really warm! It didn’t take Ruby long to discover this and it makes a lovely warm bed, if a little hard!
They are really enjoying their opportunities to play in the garden. Ruby hasn’t tried to get out again for some time, but we still can’t let them out without supervision, because we’ve had several experiences of delivery men dropping off parcels in the outhouse and totally ignoring the signs on the gate to close it securely – they just leave it swinging. Honestly, I despair… Anyway, here’s a video of my hubby and the kitties playing with the birdie toy.
You can see that Ruby is more energetic than Lily, who continues to be pretty lazy. Also, she does seem to prefer being on her back rolling about, than being on her feet!
My hubby weighed them the other day. Lily is now 3.7 kilos, and Ruby is 3.8 – solid little lump! Yesterday I found her sitting on top of the box I made to hold the mini-album about Mum. She got roundly told off for that – it wasn’t designed to support any weight, let alone 3.8 kilos. Ruby has been very affectionate with me lately, which is lovely, coming up for cuddles and purring and dribbling all over me! It makes a change from her teenagery stand-offish-ness. She is also being a very good girl generally, whereas Lily always seems to be in trouble these days and when you tell her off, she answers back, and goes on doing it.
Health update
At long last I’ve got a date for my CT scan in Exeter. It’s on 8th August in the evening, the same day as my appointment with Mr. Pullan, my colorectal surgeon at Torbay Hospital. I had hoped to have had the scan and its result before seeing him, but it can’t be helped. Everything takes such a long time.
I got onto the GP about my headaches, and he prescribed some co-codamol for me. A few days later I had another headache and while they helped a bit, they really didn’t work properly. I’m going to have to phone for another appointment and see if he can come up with an alternative. I think they really are migraines, and a more specific medication may be required.
Since moving over to a more wholefood, plant-based diet (although we are not vegan, or totally vegetarian) I have lost a further 2 lb! I am hoping that it’s going to break through the log-jam of my hubby’s weight too – he’s got stuck at the moment, despite doing the 5-2 diet. Of course, I have no control over what he eats when he’s out of the house – which is most days. He tends to eat food because it’s there, without thinking, and I try to send him out with a suitable packed lunch. I’ve been toying with the idea of sitting him down to watch the absolutely first-class documentary film “Forks Over Knives” which is on Netflix but it’s quite long, and also he’s rather resistant to being “educated” by me on any subject lol!
Have a happy WOYWW everyone, and a productive and creative week ahead.
Ruby and Lily definitely have different personalities Shoshi. Those kitchen gadgets are certainly useful and the meals look delicious. Congratulations on the extra 2lb loss. Hope the appointments go well and that you manage to sort out appropriate medication for your recurring headaches. Happy WOYWW and meow to lily and Ruby (loved the sink video). Sarah #9
Can’t wait to see what you do with those tea stains – I think I remember seeing your zentangles on some previous ones quite some time ago. The kitchen gadget looks useful and I wish I had your drive for healthy eating and cooking. Most of the time I can’t be bothered to mess about with food and just eat what’s readily available. I know it’s not good, I’m booing at myself! Ruby looks so fluffy in the sink and they’re so funny chasing that toy. I expect the the cat toy’s not gonna last long – Oreo had a fish toy filled with cat nip and he mangled it in two minutes! Good luck with your appointments. Co-comadol usually works for me, but I can only take it at bedtime because it zonks me out. I have taken it a couple of times just for that purpose!
Those cats of yours are hilarious, they’re always up to something! The teabag staining is interesting too – I wonder who it was who first thought of using them as crafting essentials, they’re not what springs to mind initially!
Hugs LLJ 6 xx
Busy as ever and the kitties too. I think you two are enjoying the games just as much as they are. Interesting collection of gadgets too. Whatever you do today have a great woyww, Angela x13x
Well, from here, those teabags have left a strange colour behind them on the watercolour. Do you drink ‘normal’ tea? maybe it’s a trick of the light, but erm, ugh!!
Ugh too…I really can’t get my head around quinoa. All of your other dishes look delicious, especially the cashew laden lunch boxes!
totally different kitties! hoping the scan goes ok… at least it’s not too (much longer) long to wait… Have a good week Helen #3
Great work desk xx Jan (21)
Loved reading your post and seeing your cats play… and all the food looks so yummie!! Congrats on the weight loss, I try to loose some lb’s myself but it’s hard to break the ‘daily routines’ – and I’m over 50 some of the gaining had to do with age/hormones and won’t come off that easy… oh well, I’m happy and healthy and that’s most important isn’t it? Hope you can find the right medicine for your headaches! Happy – belated – woyww, enjoy your week. Hug from Holland, Marit #15
HI Shoshi, great kitchen gadgets, look very helpful. Kitties have grown so much. Really late this week, spent most of yesterday afternoon in A&E, as the breathlessness wasn’t easing off. They gave me IV Antibiotics & steroids, and some nebulisers, which has helped, but it’s still not what it should be. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #4X
WOW to the amount of cooking you have been doing. Gosh, that is a feast for the eyes you have cooked up. Everything looks really yummy. Love cashews so those dishes are particularly pleasing although to be honest I love anything spicy too – well, I just like food!
Sounds as if you enjoyed the show – love those country fairs.
Interested to see what you do with those tea-stained papers.
Of course I love seeing anything to do with the cats and today I got two videos and a photo – thank you very interesting and such good fun.
Glad you have your scan date now, even if you cannot discuss it with the surgeon. I had a blood test yesterday and just had a phone call saying I needed to repeat it before I see my GP on the 14th – no idea why???
Fed up of waiting for the spinal physios – it is now three weeks since I was assessed and I waited seven weeks for that appointment. Seven and a half months now and no nearer so I am taking matters into my own hands and going to see a chiropractor. Daily pain for so long has me really down and tears are forever flowing.
Hugs, Neet 1 XX
Looks like Ruby found a cool spot during the high heat.. the best of both worlds hee hee!! Bless her she looks so pleased with herself.
You food ingredients always makes me hungry, good job i’m calling in around lunchtime today virtually that is.. don’t want you wondering if i’m about to ring the door bell :))
I too hope the appointments go well, that’s a hospital date for my Hubby too.
I have to say I can not take Co-codamol it makes me dizzy & sick. Being a sufferer of migraines I can only sympathise with you but sadly I have not been given anything that helps 100% Eye rest is the best thing for me but that’s not always possible when there’s the need of others to tend too..
Take care of yourself Shoshi & Happy belated WoywW Tracey xx
P.S I’m looking forward to seeing those Teabag print doodles 😉
I am really intrigued about what you will be doing with those teabag stains you’ve been working on. Ruby looks so cozy in your sink – LOL. Happy belated WOYWW! #24
Interesting teabag stains…. look forward to seeing the end result.
All that food!! wow! what a day you’ve had…..
Pleased you managed to get your dates for the Hosp at last.
Christine #23
Hello Shoshi – I’ve only just found your new blog!! I love the tea stains and looking forward to seeing what you do with them…