What’s On Your Workdesk this Wednesday?
As usual, my studio is a tip and a dumping ground. I have been busy creating elsewhere again.
UFO time
Green mohair cardigan
I have now finished this, and it has been washed and pressed, and the problem with the shape around the armholes has disappeared. I found a set of buttons in my button box which go really well with it.
Here I am modelling it.
I am very pleased with how this has turned out. The sleeves are a bit too long but I can live with that. (I always forget what short arms I’ve got…)
If it wasn’t for our WOYWW hostess Julia with her challenge to finish our UFOs (UnFinished Objects), I doubt if I would ever have got around to finishing this. It’s been languishing in a box for 25 years!! So thank you, Julia!
Black sideways-knit jumper
Modelling this UFO.
I am not convinced that I really like the bottom band on this one, having redone it. It was designed to sit on my waistline, and it’s now too loose for that. Also, I think I should have done what I did before, to knit it all in black, with a couple of narrow stripes in the dark red and green at the bottom to match the cuffs, rather than being worked in narrow stripes throughout, which I think competes with the design of the body of the jumper. I may redo this and take it in a bit at the waist.
Purple circles jumper
I have got this out again and am continuing to work on sleeve #1. It is progressing well, and it’s a delight, having shorter rows than on the band of the green cardigan (there were about 450 stitches!). As I knit down from shoulder to wrist, the number of stitches in decreasing too, so it shouldn’t take me too long.
Clothes
This week I got out my hand-painted silk top which I hadn’t yet worn this year. I bought it years ago, incredibly cheaply, in an ethnic shop in Totnes and I’ve worn it and loved it for years. It is big and baggy, and was great when I was overweight! This year, though, I thought I would try tying a silk scarf around my waist to give a different look, and I really liked it. Nice to be thin enough to do that now! In the picture I am wearing it with my black harem pants which I made several years ago. Very baggy and comfy in hot weather.
The sun on my hair has made it look white! It’s actually quite grey on top lol! I gave up colouring it a while back – too much hassle, and I thought it would be good to give it a rest from chemical interference.
Food
I’ve been very busy in the kitchen this week, mainly to replenish my freezer stocks – a couple of batches of “ready meals” and soup, and some cooked lentils and grains. These are frozen in measured amounts, so if the recipe calls for “1 can of…” I can just whip one out and know it’s the right amount. I also made another batch of seeded oatcakes.
An interesting fruit combo
We eat quite a bit of stewed fruit and custard. We had some rhubarb from the garden, and after making a rhubarb and strawberry crumble from a recipe online, I decided to stew this up with some fresh strawberries since we had quite a lot. This is not a fruit combination I would ever have thought of making, but it is brilliant. The strawberries sweeten the rhubarb and take away that acidic sharpness. It also looks lovely! Out of season, you can use frozen strawberries. This time, after conducting a few experiments, I made the accompanying custard with soya milk, which was a great success. I have tried making it with almond milk in the past but it didn’t taste right. I use Bird’s original custard powder which is vegan-friendly.
Soya milk
I am now making soya milk regularly, with my Soyabella machine. Soya milk behaves a lot more like dairy milk than nut milk does, presumably because it’s got more protein in it. Custard made with it will boil over if left unattended, and it will develop a skin (which we both love!). Soya milk also has a more neutral taste than almond milk. Much as I adore almond milk in tea and coffee, giving it a really creamy taste, it doesn’t always perform well as a dairy substitute. For instance, yoghurt made with it will not set but soya yoghurt will.
I used to buy soya milk a few years ago, because soya products are very good for menopausal symptoms. I have heard that the Japanese have no word for “hot flushes” because they don’t have them! Their diet is very rich in soya. The isoflavones present in soya are known as phyto-oestrogens. They mimic the natural oestrogen of the body, but contrary to popular belief, they do NOT cause one’s husband to start singing soprano in the choir! In actual fact, soya has been shown to aid in the prevention of prostate cancer. The soya milk I bought wasn’t very nice; it had a rather powdery flavour and I stopped buying it fairly quickly. As a result, I was a bit reluctant to start making it because I thought I might not like it, but the home-made version is very different – no additives, and a neutral flavour but with a certain richness. The main reason I started was so that I could make yoghurt, but I’ve discovered so many other benefits. The protein in it makes it behave much more like traditional dairy milk than other non-dairy milks, and it is completely fat free, with none of the dangerous saturated fats, antibiotics and hormones present in dairy products. Soya is an extremely versatile whole-food plant-based source of nutrition. Win-win!! However, you need to be careful to buy organic, non-GMO beans. Soya beans are one of the most heavily adulterated crops and have been genetically modified to make them resistant to glyphosate (“Roundup”), a herbicide which is widely used globally, and because it is water-soluble, it has invaded our whole ecosystem, and has been shown to have deleterious health effects. Genetically modifying crops to be herbicide-resistant means that farmers can spray them with impunity and all the weeds will be destroyed but the crop will survive – but it will be covered with herbicide. No thanks. (Roundup is manufactured by Monsanto, a company heavily involved with the genetic modification of crops.)
Tofu
This week I have also made tofu for the first time. My new tofu press has been sitting idle on my kitchen counter for weeks! You can see how I made the tofu here.
I have not yet had a chance to cook with this, and I am keen to try it, never having eaten tofu before.
I have found an excellent use for the pulp left over after making soya milk. I stir it into things to thicken them! We always have a vegetable casserole for Sunday lunch and it works a treat for thickening the gravy. It also adds far more nutritional value than thickening with flour or cornflour, being an unrefined whole-food rich in protein and a low glycaemic index.
Recipes of the week
I suppose the tofu really takes top spot for recipe of the week, but I’ve also made:
Granola
Crunchy Sesame Quinoa Cereal (Granola)
I’ve had this recipe for ages and haven’t made it for several years, so I thought I’d try it again. I think it could probably stand using less (no?) oil, but I would have to experiment. For a truly vegan option, the honey could be substituted with maple syrup. The honey I used was the end of a jar and it has quite a strong, distinctive flavour, so I think if I made this again, I would probably use maple syrup. I didn’t make the rest of the dish in the online recipe but confined myself only to the granola. I managed to singe the first batch somewhat, because I forgot to turn the oven down after making the oatcakes but it turned out OK, if rather dark in colour.
No photo, I’m afraid – I ate it all before I remembered!! This is the granola I made last time, and I think I prefer it to the quinoa one – although that may be because a) I burnt it a bit and b) the flavour of the honey was too strong. For this recipe, if you aren’t making almond milk and have no resulting almond pulp, you can just bash up some almonds in a food processor.
What I am planning to do is amalgamate the two recipes. I like the quinoa in the first one, and all the seeds and cinnamon in the second one. Making granola is just one more way of using up the pulp left over from making almond milk.
Anyway, either of these granolas is a gorgeous crunchy topping for breakfast oatmeal, smoothie bowls, fruit, yoghurt, or whatever is your fancy. I wouldn’t buy granola because most of it is full of refined sugar and other unnecessary additives. Making your own, you can control exactly what goes into it, and add or subtract ingredients according to your personal preference. Crunchy yumminess.
Kitties
The other night I found them sitting one in front of the other in identical positions on the landing. It was near their tea time. My hubby feeds them, and he was out. Suddenly, both their heads went down a bit, and then a bit more, and then they both vanished at top speed through the banisters! They had heard my hubby coming home way before I did.
My hubby was getting his stuff ready to go out the following day. Of course, Ruby had to sit in the bag. She ended up sleeping in it all night.
A vignette of Ruby.
Yesterday morning, lazy lump Lily lying on the bed, with Ruby hard at work washing her.
Health update
Last Thursday I had my telephone appointment with the physiotherapist from Women’s Health, regarding my bladder problems. It was a very interesting and helpful appointment, and you can see full details here if you are interested. Whereas most people seek help because of irritable bladders, my problem is one of retention due to nerve damage caused by my chemo 5 years ago, which is a rare complication. It has become more troublesome lately, probably because I’m getting older, and it drove me to consult my GP, who referred me on to Women’s Health. I didn’t really think they’d be able to help me because I knew what the problem was, and I couldn’t see how anything could be done if the nerve damage was permanent, but she has been extremely helpful at both my one-to-one appointments. It appears that with some training to create new brain pathways, I can be helped – much as people with irritable bladders can be helped with behaviour training, but it is the opposite way around for me. They have to train themselves to go less frequently, and I have been told to go more frequently, even if I can’t feel the urge to go. This week I have kept another bladder diary for four days, going every two hours – a bit of a nuisance having to go so frequently, but in most cases the urgency has been much less as my bladder has not been allowed to get so full. I have to drink a lot because my ileostomy puts me at risk of dehydration so I do produce more than the average.
I have another telephone appointment on Thursday (tomorrow) when she will review my latest bladder diary. I am hoping she will allow me to go three-hourly rather than two-hourly as it’s pretty inconvenient having to go so often. I think the idea is that in time, my brain will learn to pick up signals as to the fullness of my bladder again, and warn me that I need to go before the need becomes desperate.
I have had a fair bit of experience with physio- and occupational therapists and specialist nurses during the course of my various health problems, and what I have discovered is that doctors often don’t have the specialist knowledge, training or experience of these ancillary professions. A good doctor will be wise enough to refer you on, but all too often they palm you off with “nothing can be done – learn to live with it” when very often, troublesome symptoms can be helped. A lot of people have an irritable bladder and have to go all the time, possibly after childbirth, or just because they have got older and muscles have weakened. They are often told that this is just something they have to learn to live with, but this is NOT necessarily something you have to put up with. If anyone reading this is experiencing this very common problem, I would strongly urge them to make an appointment with their local physio for advice. The purpose of our initial group session was education about the reasons for the problems people experience, and what to do about them – we were sent home with lots of literature – and to weed out those who could be helped very easily with some basic training, freeing up the waiting lists for those of us with more complex problems. An irritable bladder can be cured within six to eight weeks if you follow the plan carefully, and you can get your life back, a life not ruled by constantly having to find out where the nearest loo happens to be, or having your daily routine and sleep disrupted. Also, if you consult the physio, she may be able to identify other issues such as prolapses which you might not be aware of, and which can be treated. You have nothing to lose by going, anyway, and it could be life-changing.
Have a great week, everybody. How are you all getting on with your UFOs?
Wow you have been busy with all your ufo’s Love them especially the long cardigan.
Your kitties are gorgeous mine is so lazy these days all she does is eat and sleep. ANi
I am glad the phone consult has proved useful and I hope after the follow up you can cut down the visits to the loo! (although it will be worth it in the long run!) Well done on the finished knitting – the green mohair looks fabulous! Have a good week, take care. Helen #1
Wow, that was a busy week you had. I love how you make all these things yourself – I would never have thought of making soya milk but as I read your blog I can see why you have embarked upon it and how you have gone about it. Well done Shoshi. I can see I am going to have to follow the link to see how you made Tofu. Not that I eat Tofu but to read about it is always of interest to me.
Love the knitting and you make a super model. You are so slim it is hard to think of you being bigger at any time. I cannot honestly say which I prefer the long jacket or the sweater, they are both lovely and you should be proud to be seen out in them. Love the silk blouse too.
Of course there is always the kitties to look forward to on your blog and today was lovely. They really do act as twin humans do – how strange to see them in identical poses like that. Beautiful kitties, I so enjoy seeing them.
Hugs, Neet 5 xx
Morning Shoshi. Well done. The two sweaters look really good. Fancy modelling!!Any more UFOs in the cupboard after you have finished the yellow one?? My c upboards are still full…
Take care. Stay safe. God bless.
Margaret #4
Really nice to see you modelling the garments, looking good kiddo! I think the green coat is beautiful and the buttons are perfect but I really like the jumper that remind me of Persian tiles. I’m sure you’ll have whizzed through the purple circles by the time next week comes!! So much better being worn than stuck in the cupboard!
Hugs LLJ 6 xxx
Wow!
Very impressed with the tofu!
Your knitting UFO’s are definitely coming on nicely!
Love the kitty pics…
Stay well and safe!
Susan #12
Well persistence and patience has paid off beautifully! That cardigan is just gorgeous and looks great on you. As does the edge to edge jumper. Again I’ll say, I admire your tenacity…having got it to the finished state and eminently wearable, I would SO be leaving it as a job done! That silk top is a gift for the hot days we’ve just had, and of course, the pleasure in being able to ‘belt’ it is unmatchable isn’t it, I love the tie dye effect.
I do love the look of your new purple UFO and that turquoise cardigan is absolutely super! The silk shirt and harem pants combo do look really comfy too. Tofu has to be heavily disguised for me to enjoy it I’m afraid! Sounds the physio is working out well and I do recognise some of the symptoms of irritable bladder there. Have a lovely week, Lisa-Jane #15
Always nice to get lots of yummy recipes that have been tried and tested. I have aways been a big user of tofu in the kitchen, its mild flavour allows it to go with so many sauces and flavourings. You have done a great job completing the cardigan. Have a creative and safe week as you play with the kitties.
Sandra de @10
Hi Shoshi!
Well done on finishing your UFOs – the cardigen and the jumper are stunning! Also the hand painted silk top is lovely! Your cats are sooo cute! Really nice to have a pair of them!
Have a lovely week!
Love and hugs
Cardarian
Oh my goodness, What a marvellous piece of work you have done to both the long jacket? and the sweater. WOW!! I am really impressed. I love the silk shirt too!!
I read about your health too. That is a great story itself. I hope you are going to be better down the road. Your nutrition sounds great. You might check out Anthony William (Medicalmedium) both Instagram and Facebook, he has great ideas of recipé and such that might help you with your blather? I have all his books and I can tell that he has some ideas of how to heal that I find very interesting. First time I heard of him was late 2018 and since then I followed what he suggested, well not 100% but if I did I would have more results than I have now. – Thank you for your sweet comments at my blog for last week ??? Hugs from Denmark.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Happy WOYWW
Mariane #20
http://art.cordes.re
Love the cardi, and the silk top. You look all set to go to Glastonbury. Rock on!
Hello friend! Well I am so in awe of those beautiful sweaters. They are so gorgeous. I can’t imagine how much time it took but they are so worth it! Gorgeous! I am glad to hear you are able to address the bladder problems. Isn’t it impressive how much we can accomplish with doctors over the phone? My doctor wants me to come in for my annual physical but I am not doing it. It’s too dangerous right now in my opinion and I wish she would do a virtual or telephone exam. The cases are rising here again and I don’t want to risk exposure for a physical. So I hold out. The sun is trying to come out after 3 days of rain. I hope so. I need a little sunshine but am grateful for the rain for the plants and trees.
See you next week!
Belinda #31
Hello Shoshi!
Your gren cardi looks magnificent and I really like the black jumper, too! I ‘d love to see it worn with one of those Indian cotton crinkly maxi skirt (if you’ve got one!) The hand painted top is lovely, great colours and your hair is fabulous!
Your kitties sitting like that did make me giggle and the bag photo is hilarious. Aren’t they funny creatures?
Your tofu looks really professional. I haven’t eaten it in years but used to enjoy it in stir-fries and curries. Very interesting reading your adventures in non-dairy milk. I’d hoped that soya milk had moved one since I’d tried it in the 1980s but a coeliac friend has it and when I have a cup of tea at his house I have to have it black as it’s still too chalky for me.
I’m glad your bladder issues are being attended to and that you get some answers soon. xxx
Hi Shoshi, what a lovely start to your post – a few modelling shots. I love how the green mohair has turned out. I didn’t actually realise it was so long. I love the kitties shots – my daughter has two cats that are brothers, they are thick as thieves. I once took one of my grandsons out for a short walk to some nearby fields, he was only two, and one of the cats stayed close to him for the entire walk, stopping to let us catch up, and never being more than a few feet away from George. Never realised he was a guard-cat! I’m pleased your phone consultation proved to be worthwhile, and I will bear your comments in mind if my GP ever tells me there is nothing that can be done. Although in fairness to her, she always refers me on if I ever visit her, and she is unsure or wants to rule something out. Have a lovely week, Heather xx #16
Busy as ever Shoshi and loving the knitwear and the kittie pics too. Wishing you a very happy and creative woyww, Angela x20x
The latest FO (can’t say UFO any more) looks fab Shoshi. I see what you mean about the other one and the waist band though. I do enjoy reading through your fabulous recipes and food ideas. Ican’t say that i have ever tried Tofu. Meow to the kitties and glad to hear that your telephone consultation was so productive. Stay safe and Happy WOYWW. Sarah #2
Happy Belated WOYWW. Firstly, well done for getting the knitting UFOs finished. They both look fabulous. Secondly, another well done for all the cooking etc you are doing. Most of my meal preparation now involves very simple preparation, and often something from the freezer or a jar etc. By the evening I am always very tired and in more pain, and during the day I am busy with blogging/crafting/housework/gardening. I even managed to get out on my bike for a shortish ride in the rain this week (my new rain coat worked well). Glad your physio telephone appointments are being so useful. I have an irritable bladder – always have done, but it does get worse when my Fibro flares. Usually have to get up in the night, and one reason I haven’t gone out much yet is that a lot of the toilets I normally use are not available. I have been trying to train it to be a bit stronger, whilst still keeping up my water intake. Milky the Cat is always very insistent when it is morning and she wants her wet food (she has half sachet in the mornings) or her dry food dish is empty. She also loves bags/boxes. We are getting a vet to come out here to do her annual booster and check her over (she has lost some weight and her ears are sore/itchy). She hates travelling and I had been dreading taking her to the vets again. She is fine there, but it is just the car bit that distresses her. Although it will cost a fair bit for a home visit, it will be easier for us all. Ali x #18
The long greeny cardigan looks stunning now. I actually like the waist band of the one you are not sure about. The pictures and stories of the kitties are so adorable. Thanks for sharing. Happy belated WOYWW. Take care and stay safe. With love & God Bless, Caro xxx (#17)
Hello Shoshi, that cardigan looks wonderful on you, love the colours. Another UFO done! I didn’t like almond milk in tea, I use goats milk. I think the genetic altering of food is dangerous, whatever “they” say. Animals’ hearing is way superior to ours. My dogs bark when someone walks by the house with a dog, no matter how quietly they walk:). I am having an off few days, I think Dolly’s operation affected me more this time, feel quite worn out! I was having a lie down upstairs, she was wearing a harness and I had the lead wrapped around my arm, I suddenly woke up and she had jumped off the bed and gone downstairs, the lead still wound round my arm attached to the harness. I Took her upstairs because she barks if left in the cage and she can’t see me, I felt really awful, she seems to have suffering harm. X Angela #38
Hi Shoshi, don’t you wear those finished UFO’s very well. Good job on getting them finished, i’m really looking forward to seeing the purple circle one completed as I remember you starting it.
Your kitchen must be a well loved area in your home with all those homemade foods, don’t they taste so much nicer than shop brought.
Animals sure are clever, their body clocks are always well tuned, Hubby barely gets to have a sip of his morning Coffee before Freya is telling him it’s time for walkies hee hee..
Take care & happy crafting, i’ve still got plenty of UFO’s to keep me occupied for a lifetime..
Hugs Tracey #8 xx
You are amazingly busy missus and make me feel a right lazy bones. Which I am just now. Lying on the sofa after lunch out with mum for the first time , at our favourite hotel Tearoom.
Time for 40 winks I think. The heating is on and I’m getting drowsy. Take care dear Shoshi
See you Wednesday xxx
Lynn
HI Shoshi! I love your sweaters! I didn’t realize the blue-green one was so long, I love long sweaters like that, almost a coat. Anyway, it looks awesome on you, as does the black one, you are so talented! It was nice seeing Lily and Ruby. Cat’s hearing is so incredibly good, they always hear hubby at the door before I do and go racing down the stairs! Lily and Ruby are so cute side by side like that! The vignette of Ruby is beautiful. You have become so creative in your cooking – I thought I was doing well making bread in my breadmaker every other day and making my own granola! You have the added challenge of making everything vegan. Amazing! You look wonderful, I love the silk top, and your braids! Thanks for your visit, Inky and Mittsy give Ruby and Lily love-licks from Canada! Lindart #34
Your knitting is so beautiful – and that first colourway, the turquoisey blues – heaven!
Thank you, Juliet! So glad you liked it. I’ve just hopped over to your blog but unfortunately I’m unable to leave a comment there because I’m not on Typepad or other social media required to sign in… Such a shame. I really enjoyed reading your 30th May (my birthday!) Lockdown post – hilarious, the conversation between you and “real you” lol lol!! Hope you hop back here to read this.