Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Wednesday Witterings . . .

 

 


I didn't sleep very well last night. Some nights are just like that.  I think I did not fall asleep until after 3 a.m. At least that was the last time I checked the time. Up to that point I had only been sleep surfing, if you know what I mean.  Asleep, but not really asleep. Tossing and turning. Not really clicking over into la la land. I hate nights like that. 

And it is not as if I wasn't particularly tired when I went to bed either. I was exhausted yesterday. I worked really hard and then started cleaning out my fridge. I only got the door done before I had had the biscuit. I will have to continue to work on it until I am finished, maybe one shelf at a time.

When you live on your own like I do, you end up with all kinds of partially used jars and containers of opened stuff in the refrigerator that ends up going out of date before you can use it all up. Periodically I need to go through my refrigerator and have a purge.  Its shameful really. I wish that they made smaller containers of things.


 

I remember thinking that everything was so small when I first moved over to the U.K. Most food stuffs came in really small containers compared to what I was used to, which only made sense to be honest. At that time, most people only had very tiny refrigerators in their homes. I can remember wishing that I could have much larger sizes of things.

Now I wish I could have much smaller sizes of things. Life has done a turn-around.  

At one point when I was purging jars from my refrigerator door yesterday, I thought to myself, "You are turning into your mother." In mom's later years whenever we went home to visit we checked the date on everything in the refrigerator before we used it. She had salad dressing in there that was five years old, lol.  Maybe even longer.  If I had bought a jar of something one time when I had visited and hadn't used it all up, it was sitting there waiting for me the next time I came home. I have sprinkled brown Parmesan on my pasta because I did not want to hurt her feelings.

As I worked yesterday I began to understand why or at least how she ended up with so many things that were out of date. When you live on your own, it is almost impossible to use everything up.  And that is shameful, or at least it makes you feel ashamed.  Especially if you hate waste.

After seeing what got thrown away from just the door, I am dreading seeing what is going to be thrown from the shelves. To be honest this is the first time I have done a full scale purge like this in a while so it is bound to be bad. 😧

Again, I wish they made much smaller sizes of things.


 

Yesterday I cooked myself a "British" sausage for my dinner along with some roasted potatoes, squash and carrots.  I had picked up these sausages on Cindy's and my recent Farm Market haul. I had high expectations of them.  British bangers are something I love and really miss from the U.K. They had some of the most delicious sausages over there that I have ever eaten.  So, yes I had high expectations of these sausages.

Expectations so high that I was bound to be disappointed . . .  and I was.  Not only did the sausage not have much flavor, but it was dry.  Dry as a bone. There was no meaty succulence, no fatty juices . . . it was solid and had no give.  The skin did not snap like it should have done.  I ran to get some mustard, anything  . . .  to dip it in, but alas, almost all of my sauces had been purged from the fridge door and down the drain.  

Alas . . .  something else I could not bring myself to finish.  The sausage, and  . . .  I have the rest of the package and another one still in my freezer.  Woe is me.

Shame on me and my predilection for being a great hunter-gatherer. It is never enough for me to buy just one of some things  . . .  like packages of "British" sausages  . . .  I have to buy two. Why?  Because I might never see them again and regret not having done so.


 

Cindy and I are going to take a trip down to the Cemetery later this morning to check on mom's grave and take a few photos of the changing leaves from that perspective. It is right at the base, the foothills as it were, of the South Mountain and there is a spectacular view.  Afterwards we plan to drive up to the old farm higher up the mountain and take a few photos there.

We have a really long family history in this valley. Both the North and the South mountains that cradle our little valley used to be known as Ruggles Mountain and Beals Mountain, respectively. Named after two of our illustrious ancestors.  Brigadier General Timothy Dwight Ruggles, and Abel Beals.

Now, after several hundred years, they are just the North and the South mountains. There is a plaque in our town park devoted to BG Ruggles, and he is buried at the old cemetery just at the far western edge of town, so we are going to check that out as well. We have been saying we will do so for a long time and I think today we are going to do it.

I am sure that the Mi'kmaq, who were here before any of us, had  very different names for these places, and they were probably a lot more interestingly based on folklore.





I have been watching the Whitney Houston film on Netflix. (I know.  I tend to watch these things in spurts. Half an hour here and there.  I am seldom able to sit down long enough to watch a whole film all the way through, unless its really REALLY good!)  Her life is a bit depressing I think. Or is that just me? 



 

I recently started watching these two Germans on YouTube. Kirsten and Joerg.  Two Germans in Britain.  I find their channel so interesting. They do a lot of decorating/home/cooking/travel videos.  They mostly stay in cozy cottages on their travels. Sometimes they take us shopping with them.  I just find these little glimpses into their lives really fascinating and entertaining.  

"Our YouTube channel offers escapism and hopefully also gives you some ideas which places to visit here in beautiful Britain. We love staying at romantic places that offer the whole package: A gorgeous setting combined with the wonderful classic English interior. We love sharing the odd recipe as well, shopping trips & our house that we are still renovating! Never stop dreaming!"


I love watching videos about how other people live. I have always been a people watcher.  That is why I have never minded waiting around for people to finish what they are doing. I have always been quite content to just sit and watch people walking about, going about their business, moving to and froe.

I find myself wondering about them. Everybody has a story and I am sure that some of them are very interesting.  And watching people on YouTube is a bit like that.  Watching people and listening to their stories, learning of their interests, etc.



 



I can't help myself, I just fall down the rabbit hole, but quite happily so.  I don't really have anyone here in my house to talk to and so I watch YouTube, or listen to music, etc.  I don't mind not having someone to talk to or have conversations with actually.  I quite like living on my own for the most part. I don't get lonely. I can always find something to fill my time with and I do talk to my cats.  And sometimes they even talk back.

Sometimes they talk back too much.  But I cannot complain. They are good company.


 


And somehow we are finding ourselves at the end of September. Only five more days and we will be in to October.  Hasn't this year just flown by?  I cannot believe how quickly it is slipping off the calendar.  Is it just me, or is the same for all of you as well?   Somehow I wish that time would slow down. All I can do really is to try to get the best and the most out of every day.

I had a message from Douglas last night. He has had his first appointment at the hospital. The Doctor is saying/hinting that the stent he got  several years ago might not have been large enough, so today he is going for the cardiac catheterization assessment.  I am praying for good news, and I know you are as well. I will keep you posted as he keeps me posted.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *.˛.If you spend your whole life
waiting for the storm,
you will never enjoy the sunshine.
~Morris West  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •


Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole



In the kitchen today, Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole. I made the casserole that my sister had made on Sunday, but in a small batch recipe. It turned out delicious.  I highly recommend!


I hope that you have a beautiful day filled with good things and the people that you love.  May your day be filled to overflowing with tender mercies and blessings.  Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!    

   

10 comments:

  1. You have been busy cleaning out the fridge. Best before dates are different to expiry dates (which I'm sure you know) so I will keep items even if they are beyond the best before date to use them up. It is so hard not being able to have a good sleep, hopefully tonight will be better. I made your corn chowder last week, hubby liked it. Hoping things go well for Douglas today. Rain overnight, a bit of a clearing now, but it will start again in a few hours. Fall weather is here and so are the sweaters and socks. Keep busy and sleep well tonight.

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    1. Thanks Linda! I am so pleased that your husband enjoyed the corn chowder! Fall weather is here now too! But I love it! xoxo

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  2. I be the cats would like the sausages, instead of wasting them just chop them up for the fur balls. My cats like leftovers, any new brand of lunchmeat, sausage, hot dogs that aren't deemed acceptable get divided into little cat baggies and frozen for treats later.

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    1. Oddly enough my two do not like people food. My dog would have gladly lapped them up! xoxo

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  3. Ah, yes...guilty too of having to throw out things. And as we age, sometimes things we ate in the past just do not go down so well. Sigh...well, life has plenty of learning at all stages eh? We have so appreciated Youtube as we had the isolation of covid and now the isolation of where we live now (yes, see kin some...but majority of days not). And it feels like some of these folk are indeed our kin as much as anyone...they share so much more of their lives than we know of most of our kin. Praying Doug does well...and hoping that the stint size is all...seems that would be enough to heal from.
    HUGS, Elizabeth xoxo

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    1. I guess it is just one of those things as people who live in a small family we have to put up with Elizabeth. I do hate waste. Thank you so much for your prayers. Hugs, xoxo

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  4. Hi Marie, praying all goes well for Doug. I'm sure that worry is making it hard for you to relax and sleep well. This was a very relatable post today. I too use you tube as a way to feel more connected, such a blessing for older people living alone. I also have the issue with condiments and such going bad. I often think I just want to create a simple, repetitive menu plan that would help me lose weight and waste less food. But then I get tempted by lovely recipes (many of them YOURS!) and feel like I want to enjoy as many lovely tastes as possible. 😊

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    1. Thank you so much for your prayers as well Becky! Much appreciated! I hate repetitive food! lol (no surprise there!) You could always tell what day of the week it was by what my mother was cooking. I am so far at the opposite side of the spectrum, its almost funny! xoxo

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  5. Hope you hear good news from Doug. Praying for a good outcome for him. Sleep better tonight, Marie. I’m going to make your Corn Casserole but first I need to buy some corn. It sounds delicious. Love and hugs Elaine (in Toronto).

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    1. Thanks so much Elaine! I appreciate very much. You are sure to love the corn casserole (I hope!) Its fabulous! Love and hugs, xoxo

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