The Things I Get Up To . . .

 

We are just having gorgeous weather here in the UK at the moment. Well, I don't think the people down in the South East are enjoying it all that much. It's a rather bit too warm for them, but here in the North West, at the moment . . . whilst quite warm . . .  it is also quite nice.  Unfortunately there have been quite a few deaths attributed to the weather . . . mostly due to people taking unnecessary chances and being stupid about things.  The fire people are also fighting some grass fires in the South.

It's the elderly I feel sorry for.  Living on limited incomes and stuck in their homes.   If you are elderly and stuck in your home, do open some windows and make sure you drink lots of water.  Stay in shaded areas.  Don't over-exert yourself and if you find yourself feeling poorly, call the emergency health people.    Todd is one to want to get out and working in the sunny weather, but thankfully he has me here to rein him in.  They say that next week will be even warmer.  There are level three warnings in the South East and West Midlands, spreading over into the South West.  The elderly, infirm and very young are at risk.   Do not take any chances and by all means don't leave your children or your pets in the car!  (The sight of that makes me oh so angry.  How about you??)



Something else which makes me angry is people that try to take advantage of vulnerable people . . . like those horrible people who called my mother yesterday (in Canada) and tried to scam her out of thousands of dollars by telling her that her grandson had been in a car accident and needed money to get out of jail and to pay off the people he had hit with his car.  According to them, he had been talking on his cell phone and bumped into the car in front of him.  These people were tourists from Mexico and were willing to not press charges as long as he paid some money,  yada yada yada.   Doug was incarcerated in jail and this was his lawyer apparently and he said the Judge would let him out for a couple thousand dollars and the insurance people wanted a couple thousand dollars etc.  It goes on and on.

Thank goodness my sister was there and saw all the red flags being raised.   She called the so-called insurance agency.   They did not have an office in the office which these people on the telephone said.   They had wanted my mother to go and get the money out of the bank and wait for them to call back.   We are assuming they had plans then to come and pick it up at my mother's house . . . who knows what could have happened then.   Thankfully they had the insight to call me, and I got my son on the i-pad right away and asked him if he had been in a car accident.  He said no, why, and then I told him the story.  I was able to tell them to call the police, and that it was a scam.   They gave her a reference number.   When the people called back for the reference number they had asked for she gave them this number and the guy said . . . that's too long a number.  My sister said to them . . . yes, it is, but I think you should call that number because I think the people at the other end would be really interested in speaking to you.  Click.  They hung up.

Hopefully that will be the end to it.   I think this is so despicable, and not just because it is my mother.  Elderly people are so vulnerable and so very trusting.  They should lock people who do this type of thing up and throw away the keys.



But it is not all bad news here today . . . no!   I am a runner up in the Kikkoman Blogger Challenge!   They contacted me yesterday commending me on my creative use of their soy sauce.  I have won £50 worth of grocery vouchers!  Yay me!  These meatballs are meatballs I have been making for years.  Those meatballs with the chili sauce and grape jelly have been popular for a long time and are quite easy to make.  I needed to make some meatball appetizers one time and didn't have the ingredients in the house to make the jelly ones and so I improvised and came up with this recipe.  They were really good and I've been making them ever since.  You can find that recipe HERE.  Actually I was quite surprised that they had done so well in this contest . . . as I thought the other recipe I submitted was better.  Just goes to show you never know do you?



They've been enjoying some nice weather in Canada too.  My daughter posted some lovely pictures of my grand daughter out and about yesterday and I took one of them and made this collage with it.  I think it turned out quite nice.   I quite like it.   Maryn looks very reflective in this photo and quite calm, not her usual bouncing about!  I know I am biased because I am her nan . . . but then . . .  I'm allowed to be!

 

I finished Cameron's baby quilt yesterday.   It's been yarn tufted and the bias binding has been hand sewn all around.  I embroidered a little name place and I sewed that on the back of it, so he will always know who made it for him.  I hope that he comes to love it.  The backing is made of flannel and the top organic cotton.  I loved the bright colours.  Now I just have to finish the gift for Maryn that I am going to include for her.  So she doesn't feel left out.



This was a big bowl of strawberries.  Actually two big bowls.  I sliced them and then dehydrated them in our food dehydrator overnight.   That container is about 3 inches wide, 4 inches long and about an inch tall.   The smell when you lift the lid off is incredible!   WOW!   Todd said to me what was I going to do with them now.  I envision muffins and biscuits this winter stogged full of lovely little bits of dried berries, cookies too.  There is no end to what I could do with these!  I have high hopes!



You knew there would be some artwork involved somewhere I wager!  Yes . . . I started this wee one day before yesterday.   I was quite happy with how it turned out, pretty much.  Oh . . . the road is a bit wonky, but I am just being a bit pedantic I think . . .



Then there was this one I did on the spur of the moment yesterday.   She's reading to the bunnies.  It must be a good story because they are thoroughly engaged at what she is saying!

Todd says I should write my own children's stories and illustrate them . . . I spose I could.   But getting them published is something else altogether!  I wish . . .

And so that is the things I get up to for this week.  OH, there was lots more.  These are just the highlights!   (I know, I lead SUCH an interesting life!

A thought to carry with you through the day . . .

 One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been.
~Sophocles  


 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Little Goat's Cheese Souffle's with a Tomato and Cucumber Salad.   Oh boy, easy and delicious . . . no fail really. 


Have a super Friday!  (Hasn't the week gone fast!   We are off to the chapel tonight where there is a Youth Promises Auction being held to help raise money for their EFY event this summer.)