Playing Catch Up

After my last post I got an emergency appointment with my wonderful podiatrists. I had indeed developed an ulcer on the base of my foot about 10cm across. This was caused by the disintegration of my insoles. Because of the neuropathy, I never felt a thing. Pain is good in this instance, prevents you from damaging yourself too much. A kind visiting orthotist offered to take my insole for a temporary repair while I waited for my new ones to be made and the podiatrist on duty patched me up. I have to go back next week.

Hey ho, back to resting. So why the long pause? Well I've had alot to catch up on and continuing to make a contribution to the household requires more time and effort when I'm also trying to protect my feet from further damage. I did, however, make a quick stop at Mr M's for some new potatoes, (it's okay, I used the wheelchair) and I popped the gammon in the oven for dinner Tuesday evening and sandwiches on Wednesday. DD needed new shoes for school (hers had literally fallen apart at school that day) so they had fast food while we drove to the shops. We did a hit and run with the wheelchair on Nxt and home again via the shoe recycling bin, no time like the present!. DH and I had a good slice of the gammon with new potatoes, peas and (food parcel) grilled pineapple slices. Yum!

On Wednesday, I usually go to my friend's quilting group but I felt so rough. I ummed and ahhed about going deciding at the last minute to go and see how long I lasted. At least I could sit and rest all day and it's a welcome distraction from the cares of everyday life. I also sell my MIL's eggs there too and the ladies rely on my bringing them. I get free eggs for selling them and this helps stretch the pennies that bit further. They are all the rejects but hey, there's actually nothing wrong with them as eggs.

Pay day!!!

DH and the kids had gammon sandwiches for lunch and I had some leftover new potatoes, pineapple and gammon dressed with Hnz salad cream. I had a lovely restful day and was glad I went in the end. For dinner, I did a 'caravan cupboard special'. The first version of this meal was created out of the contents of the caravan cupboard when DH and the kids wanted food fast and didn't want to go shopping first. It's basically pasta, tomato sauce and cold meat. The first version was made with pasta, the home grown tomatoes and cucumber we had harvested before leaving and a tin of spam with dressing, probably mayo. This version was pasta, a hot tomato sauce made with a tin of tomatoes, salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika, and gammon. I'm sure there's version of it in everyone's repertoire but that's ours.

That evening, I watched Super Scrimpers (8.30 Channel Four, 9.30 Channel Four + 1). Although many of the tips I already use, I still pick up little gems. My favourites were the painted nails and the mayo face mask. What a brilliant idea! It makes sense when you think about it; vitamin E from the eggs, (very good for those of us with time ravaged skin), olive oil (what's not to love about olive oil) for moisture, vinegar for it's astringent properties (no one told me I would have spots AND wrinkles!) and mustard to stimulate tired skin. Oh and the one about using vinegar to restore a paintbrush.

On Thursday, I decided to tackle a project for a friend. She had brought some material as she couldn't find a table cloth that she liked and wanted me to make her one. Okay. So I made a start. I cut it out using all the new skills I've learnt though quilting and made and stitched the binding on. Only because the material is curtain material, I didn't make the binding wide enough, aaarrghh! So I decided to quit and tackle it on Friday. I also made a batch of hand wash but I'll share the details in another post.

The gammon made yet another batch of sandwiches for DH and the kids, although it seems alot of money initially, it goes a long way. I had a portion of the leftover caravan cupboard special. I had forgotten to soak the beans for three bean pasta soup on Wednesday for Thursday, so raided the freezer. I defrosted two portions of homemade three bean pasta soup for the kids and two portions of leftover homemade Tumbledown Pork Lasagna for DH and I for dinner. The kids had theirs as soon as they got home from school but DH and I waited until after we'd voted. I put them in the oven before we left and fried the remaining cold new potatoes in a little veg oil when we got back. Curiously enough, the Tumbledown Pork Lasagna tasted really nice for having been frozen, defrosted and reheated!

On Friday, I fiddled with the tablecloth finally concluding that it will have to be hand stitched but that means more sitting with foot up so good for me. I popped out to do the egg run to the Friday Quilt group then back to stitching. DH and the kids had gammon sandwiches AGAIN (good job they like them : ) ) and I had the remaining caravan cupboard special. We often are invited out on Fridays for dinner to DH's parents so no cooking but plenty of washing-up. A small price to pay. I had a call from the podiatrists to say that my repaired insole was ready for collection. The NHS often gets a bashing, sometimes deserved. those who go above and beyond should be lauded IMHO.

Until next time x