Friday 25 June 2010

TGIF

Phew! What a week! The new heating system is now fully installed after a few hiccups....OOps! 2 small floods where one small flood was running down the wall and into one of our light sockets....teehee Well, gotta laugh BUT! Gotta say also that the main thing is it was sorted rather swiftly. Once the new system was completed and the lads were doing their checks they discovered yet another leak albeit smaller but again this one could have been rather major because it was to do with a crushed pipe which would have eventually burst, but once the new system was pressurised this new leak revealed itself which was a small pin hole at first but could suddenly have gone with such force into a larger hole....Oh dear! But the biggy was in the loft....no flood.....THANK GOODNESS! BUT! All I can say is that when the lads started to GENTLY remove the water tank (the lads of course drained it before moving it) in the loft a HUGE lump of rust came away from the side bottom of the tank, now, this is a galvanised steel tank yet it still rusted.....it must have been in for donkey's years.
I do believe we got our new heating system installed JUST IN TIME!!! It is said that things come in three's, well, that was the 3! And thank goodness the lads were still here for all three.....PHEW!!!!! The pipes and the water tank were all on borrowed time!
Our new gas heating system is now fully installed, checked and running, it took 2 days but thank goodness it is all done, now we can get on with stripping walls and laying new flooring.....WoooHooo

I went into my garden this morning to hang some laundry out on my whirly washing line.....well, what a carry on, after I had just about filled the whirly it flew up, down, round etc...yep, bits of the rods bent, the line itself was on the ground along with my laundry still attached, one of the rods pinged out and I ended up wrapped up inside of the whole line and rods.....teehee...what a sight I must have been, thankfully it was early in the morning so my neighbours wouldn't have looked into my garden and seen me, well, I hope they weren't up early and looking out of their upstairs windows....teehee

Right then, over the last couple of days I have received 3 different sized Ice Cream scoops a 3cm, 39cm and a 49cm, I wanted these so I can make perfect bite sized raw maccaroons etc.

I received yet another raw order of delicousness this morning from another FAB web...I LOVE IT! Pic to follow.

This afternoon we popped back to the Asian store for MORE Green Coconuts....well, I can de-do them....teehee and freeze the meat and water and always have Green Coconut insides to hand.

Back soon!

Monday 21 June 2010

Coconuts

Got up at the usual time - 6.00am and then not a lot else really. I started my day off with my Fruit and Brazils and then proceeded to eat naughties throughout the rest of the day. I haven't had my evening meal which I am not having now as it is getting too late to eat.

I done some housework and then at about 5.30pm we went to the Asian store in Newcastle where I stocked up on my Green Coconuts......10 of them, yes I did say 10...teehee
10 Coconuts from this particular store are only £1.45 each, so 10 Green Coconuts cost me £14.50 yes, I did have petrol to put into the car which would have come to about £5-ish worth of petrol used to get there and back, whereas to buy 9 Green Coconuts from a delivery company it would have been P&P free but still would have cost me £39 for 9 so going to Newcastle to buy them is a snip of the cost of sending off for them.

I have been trying to organise the house ready for the new gas system being installed on Wednesday. I'm dreading the mess!
I was supposed to be going to the dentist tomorrow (Tuesday) but I have had to re-schedule my appointment for another 2 weeks approximately because I need to be here tomorrow morning when the gas board drop off the new boiler, radiators etc.

Back soon.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Catch Up

Thursday
I had a visitor today but I am not saying who or why I had a visitor because I don't want anyone I don't want to know, to know.....TeeHee that make sense??

After my visitor left I went into town to pick Michael up because his car was in for MOT and then we needed to go to WHSmiths.

I received a few things through the post that I was waiting for, I will get some pics done, just give me a couple of days.

Friday
Errrm....let me think - Ah Yes, I remember. We had a lady here to check the necessaries round our home for a new central heating system, radiators, boiler etc to be installed, and I have to say that we are amazed because the gas board are dropping the items off on Tuesday morning because they are fitting it all on Wednesday.....WOW! I was expecting to be waiting for months before it would be installed but nope, less than a week after talking to the gas lady it will be completely installed, finished, up and running by Friday (3 days to fully complete)....how quick is that?

Saturday
We popped to Michaels today. Whilst speaking to Michael on the phone I could hear he was upset....awwww so we went over. He is fed up with things going wrong for him lately and one of our neighbours (the rapist and his wife across the road, not opposite, thank goodness, across but one) tried to cause trouble for him by telling the police that he was driving his car with no tax, isn't that just the nastiest thing to do? Because we don't like them they have tried to get to us through our 24 year old son....EVIL, NASTY PEOPLE AND TROUBLE MAKERS!!! And just to let you know, these neighbours are older folk, she is in her mid fifties and he has just turned 60, the 60 year old banners were on their window the other week. All we want to do is keep ourselves to ourselves, it is these neighbours that are making our lives miserable which we now totally ignore...I have told you about them in a previous post, anyway, it didn't do them any good because my Michael is fully legal...HA one to Michael. Those horrible neighbours are fiddling the DSS and she is driving her car without a driving licence but we are not trouble makers so we haven't gone to the police or DSS, all we want is to be left alone to live our lives hence ignoring them TOTALLY!!

We popped along to my Dad's home to drop his Father's Day card and presents off to him. My youngest sister and brother in law were there too which was nice! We haven't seen them for a while because my sister is always busy with her horses and our brother in law is working and playing golf.

I went to bed last night feeling very unwell but I felt a lot better this morning....thank goodness.

Today
We have removed our conservatory because we are hoping to have a new one fitted very soon, after the gas, loft conversion, flooring etc that is currently being done at the moment of course! There is a LOT happening around here at the moment!!

Michael and his family visited today to bring lots of lovely presents for my OH for Fathers Day from them all and a few best Grandad presents for Fathers Day.....SO SWEET!

Raw is going but still could be better, hard with everything going on but I wont give in!!! It will come better again soon!!!!

Here you go, I decided to post some pics now.
















This order consists of Nori Nacho's...YUM! Really tasty! Macaroons and a raw Meusli.
















Here is a pic of the raw goodies I have been buying lately, dental products, sweeteners, snacks, Braggs, raw honey etc.





















And here is my GORGEOUS Kombucha pot/jar. I just placed the tap and cork into the hole to give you an idea. The tap is a true cider tap and the pot is a collectors, individually handmade and painted, signed and came with a certificate, of course the pot is to be used, not just to be looked at. It cost quite a lot of money for this so I am waiting for the work being done in the house before I get some Kombucha tea brewing in it.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

New Page....PRETTY!

How do you like my new page??

I'm back! Well infact, because it has been 12 days ago since I was last here I can't think back over those days to update BUT! Probably because not a lot has happened.

Errrm let me think..... The loft now has lights, sockets and a new ladder. We have a lady coming on Friday to discuss having a new gas system installed which will then mean we can get those ridiculous water tanks removed from the loft, (part of having a new gas system) we have also had a quote to have the chimney stack removed and if we decide to get this extra work done we will then have a full loft convertion....FAB!!
We have so much going on with the house at the moment what with the loft, gas, living room, flooring the whole downstairs area, tiling in the kitchen, spare bedroom for Adam, the shed and the garden i.e. fence to repspray etc. I want everything done well before Christmas.

We went out yesterday to Costco and stocked up on all the GORGEOUS fruit and veg, we also went to Tesco for sweet onions and celeriac and Asda for our groceries.

I finally received my sideboard for when my living room has been revamped....exciting! I also finally received my new Kombucha pot, it is beautiful, hand crafted and with a certificate because these are collectables, it has taken 4 weeks to get this pot because it had to be made for me. I haven't got my Kombucha pot up and running yet but I will. These Kombucha pots are made so they don't contain lead...BRILL! I will upload pics tomorrow of my new buys except the sideboard because that will remain in the box for a couple of weeks yet.
I succeeded in buying a bottle of Braggs Liquid Amino's here in the UK which I am very pleased about! Also Artisana Coconut Butter....GREAT!

Raw, still a bit up and down and the house being upside down isn't making things easy but that is part of working on a raw life also.

Well that is all for now so I will be back tomorrow.

Friday 4 June 2010

Never In

It feels like I have hardly been in the house lately.

Thursday
We went to Asda in the morning for a few bits and pieces, I also had to go to the bank for some money to pay the electrician who was coming in the afternoon to fix our shower switch. The switch is now fixed and I am SOOOO pleased!! I was having to switch it on via the mains shower switch which was such a nuisance!

I have been pondering on buying another Gartopf crock pot for some time now despite already having a fermenting crock pot, I wanted a smaller one but after watching You Tubes regarding fermenting foods I decided not to buy another fermenting pot but to buy some Kilner Jars instead which are a bit like Ball Jars with the two part sealing screw lids, so I searched online and I found that Lakeland stock them, so at 6.00pm we went to Newcastle and into Lakeland and bought a box of 12 x 0.5ltr jars and a box of 12 x 1ltr jars all with lids...BRILLIANT!

















These Kilner jars will save a lot of time because after preparing the veg all I will need to do is let it ferment in the jars instead of having to decant from the fermenting crock pot....BRILLIANT!!

Whilst in Lakeland I also bought a few other things....I couldn't help it.....TUT, TUT but such FUN!!
















8" Loose bottom flan pan
6" Loose bottom cake pan
Flexicado
9" Tapered angled spatula
Citrus juicer
12 Heart silicone moulds
LOVE IT!!

I received an order I have been waiting for.
















The culture starter is exactly what I need to help with the veg fermenting, although, I don't HAVE to use a culture starter, I wanted to use it for that extra help and benefits.

On the way back from Newcastle we popped into my sisters for a visit and to give her a GORGEOUS bunch of pink roses, she has been wonderful since we broke the ice and I appreciate being closer to my sister again.

Today
Got up at 6.10am, showered, hair and makeup. I got the boys up, fed, washed and watered and then we headed into town, I needed to go to the Post Office. We then went to Holland & Barrett to buy some of their Q10 which was reduced by £15+ for their mega weekend WOW!! Is all I can say, I also bought some green coconut water which is 100% pure, I often buy this and especially at the moment because the store where I buy my green coconuts haven't been able to get them in stock lately, maybe there is a season for them, I will keep checking though.
Must say, I did NOT go to the market and to the sweetie stall....TICK VG to me.

When we got home I fathed around the house and then lay on the settee and promptly fell asleep....I hate doing that but we haven't been getting to bed until quite late recently what with shopping and visiting.

The electrician is coming on Monday to put electrics in the loft; two lights and a double socket then my OH can get on and lay the loft flooring, we still have the livingroom walls to strip, coving and lay the laminate flooring. I decided to throw out the display cabinet in my livingroom and I have bought a sideboard/cupboard which will be much more useful, I bought it about 2 weeks ago but I am still waiting to hear form the company to let me know a delivery date, they said I should hear later this month.

Well I think that is all my news for now.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

The Last Few Days...

Have been busy, although having said that, Sunday was a very lazy day.....nice though! My sister and nephew, Stephen visited on Sunday afternoon and we made some raw Chocolate. Stephen is suddenly a grown up, I say this because the last time I saw him was 4 years ago and he was still at school but he is 20 years old this year....how time flies!! He is doing very well in his career.

Bank Holiday Monday was a lovely hot sunny day. We started off by clearing rubbish out from the shed and my OH took it up to the amenities. After we done some clearing out work we went to my sisters home where we collected a GORGEOUS pine desk which I think will look better in my living room when we have the laminate flooring down, my desk at the moment is lovely but it is quite a dark wood. We sat in my sisters garden for a while and then I got some plant clippings for my garden, my sister is very green fingered, everything grows for her.

Tuesday I popped to Asda for a few bits and pieces and then I went into town with Michael and bought him his car tax as an extra little Birthday gift. Michael is now one happy chappy!! Money well spent when it puts a smile on our kids faces, no matter how old they get!!

Today I popped into town again and then back home. It is another lovely warm sunny day. I am onto my third load of washing which I should get hung out in the garden.
I have been good with my raw today and I am hoping to stay that way.