Matilda
I took my 15 year old grand daughter to see Matilda at The Cambridge Theatre in London yesterday as her Christmas treat.
My goodness it was good. The child actors are all phenomenally talented. The show is brilliant with some great effects, and LOADS of great songs
We went up by train and came back late the same day, so it was a very late night, but all went smoothly, other than my coughing from the exertion of the walking, and the cold air - more of that later.
Still got another cold
Well that cold I had just started last time was one of the horrible ones. I had 4 days sitting on the sofa staring vacantly into space. Then the cough started.
Ten days in it suddenly went, having had me bent over with a whooping cough like, can't get your breath type one until then. Then suddenly, on Thursday, no coughing, all day. Hooray I thought, it's all over I thought.
Hah! On Friday and Saturday, I could barely speak without coughing. So no choir for me AGAIN this week, the third week running.
There was a woman on the train going up who was sneezing quite a lot - hope that doesn't lead to anything - eek!
Book Group
Went to book group this week - I had checked beforehand that although I had a cough, as far as I can tell, I'm no longer infectious.
We read The Rose Garden this month, by Tracy Rees. Lots of modern themes in it.
The Rose Garden is a richly imagined historical novel full of intrigue and secrets, spanning the luxury and poverty of Victorian England. Perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Rachel Hore.
Every house has its secrets . . .
For twelve-year-old Ottilie Finch, London is an exciting playground to explore. Her family have recently arrived in Hamstead from Durham, under a cloud of scandal that Otty is blissfully unaware of. The only shadow over her days is her mother's mysterious illness, which keeps her to her room.
When young local girl Mabs is offered the chance to become Mrs Finch's companion, it saves her from a desperate life on the canals. Little does she know that all is not as picture-perfect as it seems. Mabs is about to become tangled in the secrets that chased the Finches from their last home, and trapped in an impossible dilemma
We often swap books at book club and I was offered Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler, a writer whose books I always enjoy. It was a quick read, and very enjoyable.
Selected as a Book of the Year in The Times & Guardian *** As read on Radio 4 ***
`You can't get around Kate Battista as easily as all that' Kate Battista is feeling stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she's always in trouble at work - her pre-school charges adore her, but the adults don't always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. Dr Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There's only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr... When Dr Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he's relying - as usual - on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he's really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men's touchingly ludicrous campaign to win her round?
Anne Tyler's retelling of The Taming of the Shrew asks whether a thoroughly modern, independent woman like Kate would ever sacrifice herself for a man. The answer is as individual, off-beat and funny as Kate herself. 'I loved Kate and Pyotr and the way they discover the oversized, tender, irreverent relationship that fits them... It is joyful'
What I've been making in previous Februarys
Savoury Bites
Loads of umami flavour from each little bite!
Individual Lunchtime Pies
Made with beansprouts, lentils and coconut - delicious flavour and not something you'll find anywhere else!
Muffins Made With Mincemeat and Oats
Got any mincemeat left over from Christmas? These easy muffins are a great way to use it up
I published an ebook for meal plan 1 in August 2021 and am delighted that many people have thought it was worth getting. I repriced it again in June 2022 and it was still holding on, even in these scary times. Now we are in September and prices have shifted again and
I've managed to get my head around WooCommerce so I can feature it on the blog and you can find it here.
I was busy recooking, photographing and updating the recipes for Meal Plan 2 and putting them into an ebook as well. The meal plan was first written in 2013 and still prices up, which is fabulous and that is finally complete. The book is done now too, prices seem to be stable enough to do it.
I'm well into creating an e-book from the Stretch A Chicken To Last A Week series, hope it won't be long before it's finished. Got a couple of images to take, which means cooking the recipe, and 1 more recipe to write up.
Do come and say hello on the Fantastically Frugal Food Facebook group, or the Sensational Slimming Sustenance group. I'd love to see you. Lots of useful tips, recipes and ideas. The over 17,000 membership are brilliant, brimming with talent.
And don't forget Thrifty Lesley, where there are 800+ recipes of fantastically frugal food and many weekly meal plans. And Cheap Family Recipes where you can find all kinds of delicious things that don't cost much, with two family monthly meal plans.
I've also got a few YouTube videos up, not many yet, but I'm planning to do more. I've done a couple more, need to edit them now. So much to do, so little time!
With all best wishes, until next time
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