Posts Tagged ‘Food’
Posted by Shirley Anne on May 17, 2012
English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When I was younger I didn’t much consider the consequences of eating the wrong kind of food and as far as watching my weight was concerned that wasn’t a problem. Being in such an active occupation I never gained weight and was always slim. Gradually over the years I gained weight but was never overweight at any time. As I grow older and less active I have to keep check on my eating habits but not only for keeping my weight down. Since my transition I have had to maintain a healthier attitude to what foods I put in my mouth for other reasons. It’s all about cholesterol levels and looking after my liver which now has a greater task to perform daily, the processing, the metabolizing of the hormone tablets I have to take put extra pressure on that organ. Not only that but it has to deal with the alcohol I drink too! That is one of the reasons I limit the frequency of my alcohol intake. Of course eating all the wrong food doesn’t help in keeping both my weight down and my body healthy so I make sure that I have the right kind of food in my meals. In my page above I list many of the foodstuffs I like to eat (see Healthier recipes for you). I am a little more relaxed these days when it comes to food and what I eat, not denying myself the occasional treat. When I was told that I had to only eat certain foods and cut down or eliminate many of the things I’d previously enjoyed, I took it all to heart and was for a few years very strict with my eating habits. I have stopped being so strict with myself and now I enjoy the occasional treat. I still have cut down on many things and some things I will no longer eat at all. Basically foods high in unsaturated fats and sugar I try to avoid completely. I prefer savoury food to the sweeter variety but I do eat plenty of fruit. The government health authorities encourage us all to eat our ‘five a day‘, that is fruit and/or vegetables and I often go far beyond that recommended amount sometimes reaching twice as much. So most of the time I eat good healthy food but occasionally I give myself a treat. I do exercise regularly too.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Health, Drink, Food, Transsexual | Tagged: Health, Food, Transsexual, Weight loss, Eating, Cholesterol, Unsaturated fat, Saturated fat | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 27, 2012
I accompanied Jane to the venue for an evening meal with her archery club friends on Saturday and we arrived a little late, the last to arrive in fact but we settled down and soon found ourselves enjoying each others company. A few of the regulars came over and greeted us personally which was nice. I suppose there were about forty or more guests in our group but in other areas of the restaurant were more groups of people celebrating birthdays. It appeared to be a popular place and I imagine the restaurant to be filled most evenings. I am not sure when Jane and I left but it was getting late when we did. Jane took me back home before returning to Liverpool for the night. She said she would be travelling to Brighton sometime on Sunday as I recall but using the train services rather than her car. I seem to remember her saying she hadn’t as yet received her residents parking permit so was leaving her car in Liverpool for a couple of weeks. I gave her a hug and she was on her way. I didn’t go to bed immediately as I wasn’t that tired but eventually hit the sheets around 4 o’clock having forwarded all the house clocks by an hour so technically speaking I really went to bed around 3 o’clock I suppose. I was dressed and eating my breakfast at 9 o’clock but was still a little tired. Around noon I decided I had to get motivated and mow the grass which was by now getting rather long but I hadn’t taken into account that it was still mostly wet with dew. The sun was shining but only half the lawn was in sunshine. Part of the lawn, that which is closest to the rear of the house, doesn’t receive full sunshine until we are nearer summer and then only in the morning or around sunset. The rear garden is on the north side of the house but most of it is in full sunshine at some point in the day and some parts all day during the summer months. So I set up the extension lead and mower and began to cut the grass. I got about a quarter of it done, that part which was in full sunshine and then began to struggle somewhat because of the dew that had elsewhere remained. I took a break for lunch and returned to complete the job later hoping that the grass had dried enough by then. It hadn’t. I struggled but found I could still cut the grass by pulling the mower backwards rather than forwards as it didn’t clog up the blade as quickly. It still took me a couple of hours where normally I could get it done in forty minutes when it is dry. It may have been easier with the larger petrol-driven mower we have but it was out of fuel and it needs servicing. What I might do is purchase a hover mower for use when the grass is damp as they are not affected in the same way as other mowers but they don’t really cut the grass as short as I’d like. Nevertheless having one would enable the grass to be cut much more quickly and I could always use the other mowers when it is drier weather. By the time I’d done the lawn I was really exhausted but I found the strength to get out the heavy wooden garden furniture that had been stored in the old garage over the winter months and put it into the patio area. I noticed that the floor paint I’d put on the patio concrete floor had peeled away in many places. The concrete had been treated with a sealant to keep out the water and the paint is supposed to be suitable for outdoor use but eveidently it isn’t! I doubt I shall repaint it though. I didn’t rake off the grass cuttings, I was too tired but that can be done during the week. Gardening is hard work especially if it hasn’t been done in months! The garden plants are in full bloom and I took some photographs while the sun was still shining on them…..
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food, Friendship, Gardening | Tagged: Brighton, Drink, Food, Friendship, Garden, Grass, Lawn, Lawn mower, Liverpool, Mower | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 26, 2012
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Well it’s not Saturday night or Sunday morning but it’s been a nice weekend. It is Monday morning once again and I am wondering what this week has in store for me. After last Friday’s fiasco I am hoping things will go a lot smoother. At the time it was frustrating on Friday but through it all I remained in good spirits and found myself laughing at the ridiculous chain of events in which I found myself immersed. I was rather tired after the days events and all I wanted to do was sit down and relax. I received a call in the evening from the old lady in whose house I’d been in earlier in the day asking if I could remove the wall lights for her (you will have to read last Fridays post to get the whole story). I returned to the old lady’s house on Saturday morning to remove the two wall lights and at the same time fit the new ceiling light she had bought, a much better and much simpler affair. She wasn’t able to get the new wall lights until she had returned the ones I was to take down, the ones I’d fitted on Friday! I offered to take her into town and drop her off with the lights after which I was to return home and she would return home by herself later. I would return today, Monday to fit the wall lights she was to collect from the store. So that’s what I will be doing this morning if all goes well. It’s been a lovely weekend with fine sunshine and on Saturday evening Jane collected me on her way to the archery club social dinner, probably the last one I’ll attend as she is moving down to the south coast. E had been out all day on Saturday having driven to her venue early in the morning with her car stocked full of gifts for her ‘Formidable Friends’ competitors club event out-of-town. At least it gives her something on which to focus in her life as she is unable to work because of her incapacity. Life goes on with all its ups and downs. It’s Monday morning and I feel great.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Life | Tagged: Archery, Drink, Food, Friday, Friendship, Fun, Happiness, Jane, Life, Monday, Saturday, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 27, 2012
Now I’ll wager that title had some of you thinking but I am not referring to romps in the hay! I am referring to what has now become known as your five a day, fruit and/or vegetables. I was listening to some music on my computer through ‘Jango’, an on-line service that allows you to choose the type of music you want to listen to. As each song is played you can add it or not to your personal preferences. This enables the program to play the music that you may like to listen to and add to your ‘station’. I digress. On the main page of the website is advertising space for their sponsors. One of the adverts was promoting the use of two products used together which they claim eradicates the signs of ageing by removing wrinkles and skin blemishes. One of the products uses anti-oxidants to achieve their claims. The other product it seems provides the moisturiser, essential for eliminating dry skin and the effects of daily living. Their claims were backed by photographic evidence. The key point in all of this is the fact that anti-oxidants really do revitalise and rejuvenate the skin. This fact has been proven in scientific studies in the last few years. Since my childhood I have always enjoyed eating fresh fruit and vegetables, many of the things that some people dislike such as cabbage, sprouts and other things. According to a ‘old wife’s tale’ my mother used to tell me was that by all accounts I should not like tomatoes because she ate them whilst carrying me! That did not stop me eating them by the dozens! I still love tomatoes and eat many of them each week. They are full of anti-oxidants as are many other fruits and vegetables, especially those with red or purple-coloured skins like grapes and plums which I also eat. One thing that set me apart from one or two of my siblings was the fact that I ate so much more fruit and vegetables than they did as far as I can recall. Since my teenage days I have always looked far younger than my age and I think that may be due to my eating habits more than anything else. I still get my ‘five a day’ as a minimum but more often it is eight, nine or ten! I write this just after lunch on Saturday and even now I have had six portions of fruit and vegetables already. Whilst at one time I ate my fruit and vegetables simply because I enjoyed them now I eat them because they help to make me stay young-looking too. I mention also that red wine is full of anti-oxidants only because I enjoy a glass or two of it quite regularly! Of course getting enough fruit and/or vegetables each day is only a part of the equation, we have to look after our health in other ways too by eating the right food and getting exercise. There are links on this site pointing to healthy food options. Are you getting enough?
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Food, Health | Tagged: Antioxidant, Eating, Food, Food and Related Products, Health, Produce, Vegetable | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 20, 2012
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Well what else? I am not a drinker, honest! On Friday, I took to having a day off, free from all work and left to my own devices! Yeah, sure, who would leave me to my own devices? As it happens, me! I had no work scheduled so I invited E out to lunch. No problem there because E is usually very accommodating as a dining partner, especially if it is free. As is usual I let E decide where we were to go and she has no shortage of places in her preferences. We ended up at a place we had come across some time ago when out looking for somewhere nice to eat and we have been there on a number of occasions since but it has been some six months or more since we were there last I think. I’d had a vodka-laced coffee about a half hour before we left and on the way to this restaurant, which lies about fifteen miles away from home, E dropped me off in the village in order that I could collect my hormone prescription. We call it the village and although it was once a village it has now become a part of Southport as there are no natural boundaries now between them both. The area in which we live comes under the same name as that of the village and our house is just over a half mile from the centre of the village. The main rail link between Southport and Liverpool runs through the village too so it is easy for those commuting. I digress. After I had collected my prescription I had to walk some way to where E had parked her vehicle as there was no available spaces near to the chemist (drug store). We drove out-of-town to our destination. I ordered a bottle of red wine, a Merlot, and when I tasted it I got a pleasant surprise. It was mildly sweet and had a soft fruity bouquet, something I like in a red wine rather than the drier varieties, although I like those too. I like to try new wines so I am not always aware what they will taste like. Sometimes I choose a wine by name. This wine was made in Chile and like so many of the new world wines, it was very palatable. We spent quite some time in the restaurant and soon the wine bottle became empty. Now any sensible person would have stopped at this point but I fancied having a glass or two of cider and had some when E left the restaurant to visit a cash-point about a mile down the road. For some reason the card reading machine wouldn’t work and rather than leave my card details for the restaurant to debit my account later I asked E if she wouldn’t mind getting some cash for me. I gave her my card and off she went. We stopped for a short while then drove back home but on the way E dropped me off at the pub as I was desperate to use the toilet. I met with some friends and had one or two more drinks of cider. I really must stop doing this stopping off at the pub business, seriously, I end up drinking far too much and although it is very infrequent it is still unnecessary. I am going to promise myself not to do that in future which will be easy to do, all I have to say to E is don’t drop me off and I know she won’t! If I want to visit the pub I shall have to walk which is probably not going to happen if I’ve been out dining. One thing is for certain, I am determined to limit my alcohol intake when I dine out!
On Saturday morning I went out to do some shopping collecting more materials for the new wet room, cable for the shower unit, a wall mounting fan heater suitable for bathrooms, switches and accessories, some mortar and plaster and piping for water supplies and such. I hope to do some more work on the wet room during this week.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food, House and Home | Tagged: Chile, Food, Friday, Liverpool, Restaurant, Southport, Wine, Wine tasting descriptors | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 22, 2012
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On Wednesday, after some morning’s work, E and I decided to dine out at one of our favourite places some 12 miles out-of-town. I had been working outside in that fine drizzle type of rain, not enough to prevent the work being done but enough to make me feel a little irritated. By the time I had returned home the weather hadn’t changed so we were reluctant to chop up any more of the trees we had felled on Monday and Tuesday. There is no urgency to do that as we have two more weeks before the green waste bins are next emptied. When we arrived at our destination we found the car park practically empty and consequently there were plenty of empty tables inside. Of course we usually dine mid-afternoon and therefore expect fewer diners. We were pleasantly surprised to find an empty table next to the fireplace. This fireplace stands in the centre of one of the rooms and is open on two sides. A young couple occupied the table on one side so we took the table on the other side. It was so nice to be able to sit by a log fire for a change although anywhere in the dining rooms is pleasantly warm. I had a bottle of red wine which I didn’t drink completely, in fact I took it home still half full when we left. We both had a cola drink too. I chose sea bass for my main course and E chose a gammon steak. Neither of us had a starter but we chose something from the dessert menu later. When we had finished eating E had a coffee and I finished the glass of wine I had left. I wasn’t feeling well for some reason and I went to the toilet. On my return my brief uneasiness had disappeared. E mentioned that it could have been the heat from the fire which caused me to feel strange but I have my doubts about that because I remained sitting next to it without any further problems. Whilst out I received a couple of calls requesting my services. That work will more than pay for our lunch by the cosy fireside.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Food, Leisure, Lifestyle | Tagged: Dining room, Drink, Fireplace, Food, Leisure, Lifestyle | 5 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 14, 2012
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The end of the week usually brings a release from the working week and a chance to relax, or used to! When I worked for an employer I didn’t have the same freedom as when I started to work for myself but the pressure became stronger. So although I used to look forward to my Fridays and my weekends to myself when I became self-employed those feelings became stronger even though I had the freedom to choose how I spent my time working. There is a greater sense of urgency when working for one’s self I would suggest. That being the case and especially now as I am kind of semi-retired or at least only working part-time I relish taking time out to engage in some self-indulgence. Last Friday afternoon I went dining out with E and yesterday we had a repeat performance but at a different location. Yesterday morning I did an electrical job repairing some lighting and replacing fittings and returned home sometime around noon. We had already planned to dine out so I wasn’t prepared to take on any more work for the day. We tend to eat a little later into the afternoon as many places by then are not crammed full of other diners and the pace is subsequently much slower and more relaxed which makes for a better afternoon I think. I tried a new dish this time. Even though the sea bass looked very tempting I decided together with E, to have pork rump in a plum sauce with steamed vegetables and new potatoes. E had tasted this dish before but it was a first for me and she told me that I would enjoy it. I always thought that pork and apple were good together and I had reservations about pork and plum. I was pleasantly surprised when the dish arrived and I tasted it. The pork was very tender and the sauce was sweet. The two things go well together. However I did find the sweetness of the sauce a little too much by the time I’d finished and I think it would have benefitted from being a little less so. I pushed the boat out with my dessert too trying a lemon based dish I had never ordered before. Its name escapes me but it was basically sponge soaked in a lemon sauce topped with something resembling custard but not custard mixed with white chocolate and meringue chippings. It was too bitter for my liking but I ate it. I probably will not have it again. I am usually open to trying new dishes up to a point but I will draw the line at some things. We left the restaurant about two and a half hours later with the other half of the bottle of red wine because for once I behaved myself by not drinking it all at the table. We stopped by a supermarket on the way home to re-stock on cola and some foodstuffs. A very nice afternoon was had by all.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food, Lifestyle, Rest and relaxation, Work | Tagged: Cooking, Drink, Food, Friday, Meat, Pork, Potato, Rest and relaxation, Sauce, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 8, 2012
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I had the day to myself on Friday as I was released from my jury service until Monday. Not wanting to let the opportunity pass by to enjoy myself for the day I invited E out for an extended lunch, well they are always extended when I dine out. I love the experience of wining and dining out and generally socialising and it is nice to do that with friends and family but it is nicest when in the company with someone very special. In my case that would be my ex partner E whom I love dearly. I take the opportunity to dine out with her as often as I can so that not only do I get to enjoy myself but that she can enjoy life more than she usually does. As is the case I often ask her if she is happy so that I can help her to be happy as much as I can. She is hard to reach sometimes but I persevere for I don’t want her to feel unhappy if I can do something to change that. I wonder sometimes what makes her tick, what it is she wants out of life because I feel she is missing out on things when she should be getting the most out of life. I know she enjoys her outings with me but she is often reluctant to show that. So it was that we both went to one of our favourite haunts in the next town on Friday and had a carvery lunch with dessert and drinks. I polished off a full bottle of red wine and later had a liqueur coffee with a cream topping, similar to the picture on the right. We both had soft drinks too, she was drinking Pepsi-Cola and I was drinking the diet version in-between my sips of wine. I like the taste of the cola following the wine and sometimes I mix the two in the same glass when I am tired of drinking the wine neat, which isn’t often (LOL). We arrived at the restaurant/pub at around 1.30 and we left just before 5.00 stopping off at the supermarket for some rum, whisky and cream. I wanted to enjoy another glass or two of a liqueur coffee! I am off to work on Saturday morning which will be yesterday by the time you read this so I will not be able to have a drink, if I want one, until late in the day. I probably won’t indulge as I value having a healthy liver which needs a break now and then! I might have a drink today, Sunday but then nothing until the end of the week when I have finished my jury service. Mind you, I may get on a case that lasts longer than this coming week but in any event I will enjoy a drink or two at the weekend. I might even surprise the staff at my local pub by paying them the first visit for over six weeks. I love life and I love people who are prepared to enjoy it with me. Life is too short not to enjoy it.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Enjoyment, Food, Happiness, Leisure, Life, Lifestyle, Philosophy, Values, Wisdom | Tagged: Alcoholic beverage, Drink, Food, Friday, Leisure, Life, Lifestyle, Monday, Pepsi, Philosophy, Saturday, Soft drink, Wine | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 1, 2012
E and I went to Preston hospital this afternoon to see our first grandchild. I couldn’t wait to see her and hold her in my arms, in fact I was only there ten minutes when I got the chance. I didn’t want to give her back! So adorable, so tiny, so beautiful. I was reminded of the time my two sons were born and how they looked and how it felt to hold them for the first time. Now my eldest at 29 is a father. How time flies. E got her chance to hold her a minute or so later. We didn’t stay too long, about forty minutes or so but we’ve plenty of time to see them all later. On the way home I asked E if she would like to dine out as we were passing a favourite restaurant of ours. She did and so we dined out for the first time in many months. A pleasant day all round.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Family, Food, Happiness, Life | Tagged: Drink, Family, Food, Preston | 4 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on September 22, 2011
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Some people say that I have some strange eating and drinking tastes. According to them my habits are a bit weird but it’s all down to personal taste. I stumble across things by experimenting. Many years ago now a friend and I were drinking at a bar. I was drinking cider and she diet or normal cola, I can’t remember which. Not watching what she was doing she poured the cola into my drink but rather than throw it away I tasted it and liked it so much I ordered a cola and cider and mixed them 50% equal measures. Later I discovered that the cola would actually sit on top of the cider if poured slowly. The resulting effect is startling and when drunk it starts off tasting sweet and gradually the cider can be tasted until almost all of it is just cider. A bit of a novelty which I still enjoy today, if the bar staff have the time to pour the cola slowly but now I only add diet cola. That original discovery led to two more concoctions, diet cola with Red Bull and cider with Red Bull all in the same proportions as before and all with their own distinctive taste. Now here is a really odd thing. Many people drink ‘spritzers’ which is white wine mixed with soda water or lemonade but there isn’t, or wasn’t a similar drink using red wine. One day a couple of years ago I had a diet cola as an initial drink at the dining table but ordered red wine to accompany my main dish. When the main dish had been eaten and I had almost drunk what was left of the red wine I took a sip of cola. Because I still had the taste of red wine on my palette it mixed with the cola and a new drink was born! I poured a small amount of cola in the remains of the red wine in the glass and tasted it. I was amazed that it tasted so good. Nowadays, when I dine out, or as I did on Monday evening in the pub, I buy both cola and red wine and when I am tired of drinking the wine by itself I mix the two together. People think I am mad but it is all a matter of taste.
As for food, I tend to experiment at home with what I have in the refrigerator or larder. I try different things to see if they go well together before including them in a dish together, just as I would with drinks. Many things can be put in an omelette and I often have more than one of these, peas, sweetcorn, mushrooms, onion, tomato, potato, almost anything that tastes well with eggs. Then I lay the omelette on a bed of cold lettuce and it tastes delicious. I mix fried chopped onions with baked beans, put black pepper and herbs in with cabbage when cooking it (the water is a nice savoury drink). Stews can have lots of strange things in them when I cook them here’s one I cooked a few days ago containing, fried onion, garlic, capsicum, minced beef (could be any meat), water, peas, sweetcorn, carrots, mixed herbs, beef stock cube, vegetable stock cube, paprika, ground black pepper, salt, sage and onion stuffing mix, gravy browning, sunflower oil (cooking the onion and meat). A dash of malt vinegar was put on the dish when served in a bowl. It all sounds a bit too much but the taste is worth the effort and it really isn’t an effort, taking only twenty minutes from start to finish. I get bored eating the same old dishes all the time and that is why I experiment. Variety is the spice of life they say.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food | Tagged: Cider, Cola, Drink, Food, Home, Red Bull, Vinegar, Wine | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on September 10, 2011
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So I spent Wednesday afternoon/early evening down at my local pub. After visiting the place about two weeks ago after a long absence and promising that I would go more often I have returned there twice since. My workload is very low just now and I was feeling so bored sitting home alone I decided to do two things. One, was to go for a walk and two, was to go to the pub. I did both. The weather at home has been rather a wet and windy affair so walking too far was out of the question, especially as I was wearing (small) heels and wasn’t dressed for taking on the elements. Fortunately the streets afforded quite a bit of shelter from the wind until I walked westward but even then it wasn’t too bad. At least the rain held off until I was back indoors, that is inside the pub! On arrival I found but a few patrons inside so I grabbed the local newspaper and sat down with my drink on a lovely leather sofa near to a window (I need daylight or bright artificial lighting to read comfortably) so that I wasn’t straining to see the script. My eyesight is quite excellent and I don’t need glasses as an aid, just good lighting. After an hour I began to feel hungry so I looked at the menu. For a small establishment they have quite an extensive choice of meals and snacks. I chose a smoked salmon sandwich with a salad as I wasn’t hungry enough to eat a large meal. It was delicious and enough to satisfy me for a few hours. By the time I had finished eating many more folk started to arrive and all but a few (those I don’t know) greeted me. I don’t know about you but I love ‘people watching‘ and I was quite contented to just sit there across the room watching them come and go. Finally though some wanted a little more contact with me and came over for a chat. By early evening I was up and about chatting with people myself. I am a very gregarious and sociable person and I find chatting with people so easy. Of course I had to watch my alcohol intake as I can get carried away sometimes by overdoing things. It was getting late and I decided that I must return home so I said my farewells and off I went for the ten minute walk to my house. I got home just after eight-thirty and found I had mail and a parcel containing the new shoes I had ordered a few days ago. I tried the shoes and they are a perfect fit but I doubt I shall be walking to the pub in them as the heels are just over four inches! I shall take a cab if I wear them out.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Enjoyment, Exercise, Food, Friendship, Leisure, Lifestyle, People, Rest and relaxation | Tagged: Bar (establishment), Drink, Entertainment, Food, Friendship, Leisure, Lighting, Newspaper, People, Rest and relaxation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on September 5, 2011
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Over the last few months I have made myself a chilli-con-carne almost once every week. Now I do like chilli but after this weeks serving I am finding that the novelty is wearing off, so much so that I don’t think I’ll be making it for a while. Also I think once every week is too frequent so if and when I resume making it I shall only make it occasionally. It isn’t just chilli either, I find I am getting bored eating many of the meals I prepare. It could be that my tastes are changing or it could be that I am simply tired of eating from the same menu week after week. Last week I made myself a spaghetti Bolognese for the first time in a couple of years and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have resisted the urge to make another one too soon. I love fish but don’t cook it often enough at home. It is sometimes my choice when dining out though but still I don’t eat it too often. I like to vary my diet as much as I can but find myself just eating whatever is available. I like to concoct dishes where possible and end up finding unlikely combinations on my plate. For example as a snack I like chopped fried onion mixed into baked beans (it is tasty, try it), boiled rice mixed in with peas and sweetcorn, omelette filled with the same and served on a bed of lettuce – less the rice of course (maybe I’ll give that a try), anything is possible if my taste buds allow. It does no harm to try things but usually I serve separately before mixing them in the cooking process so that I have the choice of mixing them or not. It is surprising what unlikely dishes I come up with sometimes and it puts a bit of fun into the process. I do get bored with food though so I like to have a non repetetive and varied diet where possible. This is one reason I like to dine out, there is often quite a varied menu on offer. Another reason is I don’t have to wash up afterwards!
My drinking habits often follow along the same lines inasmuch as I like to vary what I drink and I like experimenting with drinks to find something that I like. For instance I like cider with cola (50/50), cider with red bull (50/50), cola with red bull (50/50), red wine with cola (50/50) and many more. I never mix spirits with other spirits, not that I drink much of them anyway and never mix wines with other wines. I get bored drinking the same old drinks each time I go out so you will find me often selecting the unusual. Whatever I choose to drink on any particular occasion I will stick with it save for any soft drinks that I may have at the time.
Perhaps it is just me but I hate sticking to the same thing, whether it be food or drink or anything else for that matter. What about you? Do you like to experiment?
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food | Tagged: Beverages, Cola, Cooking, Drink, EAT, Food, Home, Soft drink, Wine | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on August 18, 2011
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I was sitting quietly in the lounge when my son informed me that he had arranged to have some sausages made for me by his friend, a butcher. The thing is I only eat beef sausages and he knew it. E has been finding it difficult to find beef sausages in the shops she uses so it was nice of my son to order some specially for me. I don’t often eat sausages I have to say but they are a nice treat occasionally. Sausages have been around for over two thousand years and even now new types are being developed. The first record of sausages was found in an ancient Greek play called “The Orya,” or “The Sausage,” written about 500 B.C. Early sausages were often salted to preserve the meat. The origin of the name ‘sausage’ comes from the Latin word ~salsus~, meaning salted. In some countries it was a normal practice to ‘smoke’ the meat in order to preserve it during warm weather. The sausage was a popular food throughout many countries which produced and still do, many different varieties, especially spiced varieties. In England the sausage has been associated with certain counties such as Berkshire, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire and Cumberland etc. .It was considered a special meat, a delicacy, by many of the country’s aristocracy and the common man could not afford such things. More recently it became commonplace and it lost its high status as a special food. Sausages made from the offal or poorer cuts of meat and fat became mass-produced and as a food became a rather unhealthy alternative. However it has made great strides in making a come-back and is often found as a main course in many good restaurants having improved its credibility and of course its ingredients. There are so many different ingredients which find themselves inside a sausage these days and vegetarian sausages are also popular. I still prefer the simple beef sausage however, nice with mashed potatoes and peas.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Food | Tagged: Berkshire, Cumberland sausage, England, Food, Lincolnshire, Meat, Sausage, Wiltshire | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on August 12, 2011
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The dictionary description of Rhubarb :-
noun
2.
the rhizome of any medicinal species of this plant, forming a combined cathartic and astringent.
3.
the edible, fleshy leaf stalks of R. rhabarbarum, used in making pies, preserves, etc.
4.
Slang . a quarrel or squabble.
I don’t know about you but I love rhubarb whichever way one spells it. It is one of those plants that I suppose isn’t classed as a vegetable and certainly not a fruit, in a class of its own really. The unfortunate ‘delicacy’ is however rather acidic and far from being sweet. It has to have a sweetener added if it is to be eaten, well we all know that but there are different sweeteners that can be used, the main ones being sugar, brown, white or honey which gives it a smoother taste. I like my rhubarb with a crumble pastry topping although other pastries taste good too. With the rhubarb crumble I usually have custard but ice-cream or whipped cream is nice too. Yesterday I had the chance to go into the garden for the first time in days. The rain has kept me from the garden and as I didn’t need to go out except to work, I remained indoors. Almost the first thing we see when we enter the garden from a door in the cellar, our usual method of exit into the garden, is the small rhubarb patch. Over the last few weeks it has grown considerably because of the fertilisers we put into the soil which means lots of lovely rhubarb! I picked a few stalks and made myself a rhubarb crumble. I say myself because I am the only person presently living in our house who likes rhubarb. E doesn’t like it and neither does our youngest son. Only our eldest son likes it but he doesn’t live here. I went to a restaurant quite some time ago now and one of the cold deserts on offer was a rhubarb and strawberry mixture served with ice-cream or cream as desired. I had reservations about that combination but I tried the dish anyway. I was very surprised just how well these two unlikely foods compliment each other and taste so good on the palette. Try it for yourself and see, cold of course.
Earlier in the day I prepared for myself a chilli-con-carne and left it to stand all day. It tastes much better if it is allowed to stand for several hours before eating it. With chilli-con-carne as a main course with rhubarb crumble to follow I might possibly be everyones favourite person today!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Food | Tagged: Baking and Confections, Cooking, Crumble, Food, Fruits and Vegetables, Home, Ice cream, Medieval Latin, Polygonaceae, Rhubarb | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on July 16, 2011
On Thursday I was rearing to go. I got up very early, had my breakfast and was ready for work at 08.00! Problem was, I wanted to go shopping with E for some more materials for the garage but she wasn’t up yet! I went on my computer and checked my Emails and blogs. Soon enough E came downstairs and I explained what I wished to do. She agreed, had her breakfast and was ready within a half-hour! Off we went in my van to the timber supplier with list in hand. When we arrived the guys there were a bit surprised we had returned after only being there last week and having bought quite a lot of materials from them. ‘We’re back’, we announced as we walked into the reception to their amusement. We bought even more stuff than we had previously bought from them so I guess they were pleased to see us! I am building a studded partition wall inside the garage and wanted timber and plywood, a door and furniture, some more wood preserver and a few sundry items including wood drill-bits. whilst I was there I received a request to change a light fitting. The house was en-route to home so I told the client I would be there within twenty minutes. I arrived there and did the job whilst E sat in the van listening to the radio. I was only in the house for fifteen minutes, received payment and was back on my way home. It all helped to pay for my materials! When we arrived home it was too close to lunchtime to start work so I again waited until I had eaten. It was about 2.00 when I eventually started work in the garage. Again I spent four hours out there erecting the framework for the studded wall and inserting a door frame. E came back from her Thursday shopping spree and took me by surprise. ‘Let’s have a barbecue ‘, she said. I did a minor repair on the barbecue and then spent a few minutes clearing up in the garage. E began to light the barbecue whilst I went indoors to wash and change. Soon we were having another impromptu meal from the barbecue in our new patio and were joined by our youngest son. I had opened a bottle of red wine a day or so before (I vacuum seal my wine if I don’t drink it all on the same day so that it remains fresh) and had taken but one glass full from it. I finished the rest with my barbecue! Today, Friday, I hope to receive delivery of the bulk of my purchases from the timber suppliers so that I can continue with the job in hand…….unless I get an electrical job in the meantime! There is never an excuse to have nothing to do in my house! All that is needed is the inclination, which I have to confess is not always there sometimes. I think I do too much work at times so I treat myself to a break now and then and let the work wait. My youngest son mad a remark earlier asking when the wet room would be finished! I told him that it would take me until six weeks hence before it would be done (it will probably take longer than that as I am tied with completing the garage). He doesn’t realise that it is only myself doing the work and I am getting little or no help from anyone else. Children…..who’d have children? LOL.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food, House and Home, Lifestyle, Rest and relaxation | Tagged: Barbecue, Door, Food, Garage, Lumber, Shopping, Wall, Youngest son | Leave a Comment »
