tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67565076683169189872024-03-17T15:33:11.161+00:00Rosie's CottageRosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.comBlogger754125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-5246764804022014962024-02-01T23:39:00.000+00:002024-02-01T23:39:17.268+00:00Time To Talk Day 2024: On Furbaby Loss...<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello Honeys, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sorry I've been missing. I'm not coping honeys, not even a little bit. Today is February 1st, it's Time To Talk Day. This year's Time To Talk Day wants to encourage all of us to talk more, to reach out if we need to and to say what we feel and not to just say "fine" when asked how we are. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As it happens, I'm not fine actually and I know I'm not alone. It would be lovely if the world was always understanding, always empathic and always caring, but unfortunately, even with the best of intentions and the kindest of hearts, finding understanding over the loss of a furbaby can be difficult. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the last ten days or so I've heard of two others who have lost their beloved furbabies and it breaks my heart that others are going through the same pain. At this time of year too, when we're beginning to escape winter, looking towards better days. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The start of a new year is when we're able to look ahead to the sunnier days of spring, planning all of the fun things you'll do when the warmer days arrive. Maybe planning holidays, home projects, time with family outside, barbeques in the garden. It's when you take stock, when you want your family close and Jade was our family.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsygkbvc9w7FJrgIb1UFr5ciMrHcxqOlYNumuuu8bK_w5vFfAMxEOr-NOB-ajpvu3BFLLEsujfPXJtajDnvCLunYIYsm0sCUByfpEZQnhlZxb6fCGCA8Maoou3E4S65QQWYMIi-LwtuJgHzs9lGD7n3Qq9qenI6IQFIuNOFJMJagvaS8urqPBxD6PEmvCv/s905/Jade%20enjoying%20the%20sunshine%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Time To Talk Day: On Furbaby Grief" border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="905" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsygkbvc9w7FJrgIb1UFr5ciMrHcxqOlYNumuuu8bK_w5vFfAMxEOr-NOB-ajpvu3BFLLEsujfPXJtajDnvCLunYIYsm0sCUByfpEZQnhlZxb6fCGCA8Maoou3E4S65QQWYMIi-LwtuJgHzs9lGD7n3Qq9qenI6IQFIuNOFJMJagvaS8urqPBxD6PEmvCv/w640-h438/Jade%20enjoying%20the%20sunshine%20(1).jpg" title="Time To Talk Day: On Furbaby Grief" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jade really was the whole world to us, she was everything and there are no words for how painful it is to not have her here with us. This is the first time in decades, over thirty years, that we haven't had furbaby paws blessing our home and the house feels so incredibly empty. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Promise...</span></h3><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Back when times were so much better, we did something I'm now bitterly regretting dear ones. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We made a promise, we agreed, when we adopted our precious baby Jade that she would be our last ever furbaby. </span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At the time, of course, it seemed like such a sensible decision.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Even back then, I was already battling rheumatoid arthritis and then later osteoarthritis in my spine, and with hubby's knees not being what they were, well, as I said, it seemed a sensible promise to make. </span></div><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So yes, a promise was made back then, in 2010, with our beautiful baby still a puppy and and with her filling our whole world with smiles, but now our home is unbearably empty, unbearably quiet, </span></span><span style="color: #0f0f0f;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">unbearably</span></span><span style="color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"> still, and that decision just doesn't seem so sensible any more.</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Memories Everywhere...</span></h3><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our baby is everywhere in our home, honeys. We were upstairs recently, arranging the guest room for my much loved brother in law's recent visit and while making up his bed for him we found one of Jade's tennis balls by the foot of the bed, tucked away, just underneath. I wasn't expecting it of course and it hit me harder than any physical impact could honeys. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her jackets are still hanging in the hall, on their own tiny "dog tail" hooks, all waiting for her to go walkies with her Dad. Her seagrass baskets, stacked neatly in their little tower in the hall, still have her towelling dressing gowns and bath towels waiting for her, along with her brushes and other little accessories. She's everywhere honeys, everywhere except with her Mummy and Daddy, where she belongs.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When The Obvious Solution Still Feels Wrong...</span></span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the years, so many times, when I've heard that a friend, a co-worker, a neighbour has lost their furbaby, I've always been so quick to recommend they go immediately to their local shelter. So many babies all desperately in need of love and the safety of a home, and a sofa, of their own. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our baby Jade rescued me from the worst depression following the loss of both of our furbabies in a single week. One to cancer and her little brother to the (unintentional) negligence of a veterinary nurse who dropped him during a scan. This lead to a bleed on the brain, left untreated of course because she hadn't told anyone, certainly not us. By the time we later rushed him to the small animal hospital, try as they did, they couldn't save our baby. The pain of the loss we felt that week was blinding. Both our babies gone.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, as if the universe was trying to help, a photo of our baby Jade appeared on Facebook. It was posted by a local rescue and I wasn't even on their page, it just appeared in my home/feed page or whatever it's called. I was talking to a dear friend on direct message who was worried about me (thank you my wee angel, you know who you are x) and there she was. I knew the minute I saw her face and I yelled for Hubby. Hubby looked at Jade's photo and said "let's give them a phone..." What followed was a little over thirteen years of happiness, cuddles and love. Did I still hurt for my lost furbabies? Of course I did, but Jade truly saved me from the depression that was beginning to overwhelm me.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why The Hesitation?</span></span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do I desperately want to run there, now, immediately and find a baby who needs love? Of course I do! </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Something happened though, during lockdown and in the years following it, dear ones. Being immuno-suppressed, I was home, just Jade and I, for almost four years. This has had the effect of not only leaving me battling anxiety attacks whenever I find myself any distance away from our home, but it has also </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">forced me to become far more aware of my own mortality, in a very real way too. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Do I worry about dying every day? No honeys, I don't, but what it has done is changed how I look at the future. There was a very famous slogan here in the UK years ago, used by The Dog's Trust that said "a dog is for life, not just for Christmas." It's a wonderful slogan, reminding potential pet parents of the responsibility they're undertaking when they adopt. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In years gone by, we'd never have doubted our ability to easily devote fifteen or eighteen years to the love and welfare of a little furbaby. The pandemic though has made me question what would happen if Hubby or I got ill, do we even have fifteen years now? What would happen, God forbid, to a furbaby if anything happened to either of us? In short, dear ones, it's made me doubt the certainty of the future.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, here we are. Missing our furbaby so much that it's become a physical pain in my heart, and the one thing I've spent years advising others to do, the one thing that truly does help a pain-filled heart, I'm too scared to do, and that's without even addressing that promise we made all those years ago...</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What's Next...</span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I know that only time will help, and painful as it is right now, that the memories of our baby will be a huge part of healing too. I've been going through photos and I genuinely had no idea how many we had.π So, so many precious photos of our baby and in all of them, all of them, she looks so happy. I know that will be a comfort too, someday. That our baby was loved and that she was happy. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I've battled depression for so many years honeys, and I know that being isolated, alone most of the time, which I am now, isn't helpful. It's already difficult to go outside, thanks to having stayed home for so long, although I spent all of that time with our baby Jade and for that I'll always be grateful. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I always try, when I can, to be positive and when considering adopting again, I can only see positives. Having a furbaby with me when Hubby is at work, really would make the house less lonely. It's a very long day waiting for Hubby to get back home at night and I live in a street where all of my neighbours are out at work too so it's really quiet here all day long. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Having a furbaby might give me a reason to go outside again. Even if it's just to join Hubby for furbaby walks in the evenings. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Could we give a good home to a furbaby? Yes, I know we could honeys. Should we not adopt in case something happens to either of us in the future? If we all lived that way, no one would ever go outside or do anything. I am trying to see this rationally, but still, I have doubts. This is the legacy that the pandemic has left me with. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Listening To Heal....</span></span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A wonderful "Ted Talk" appeared in the "new for you" panel, on Youtube honeys. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I've no idea why it was suggested for me, can Google read minds? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I only know that I'm so grateful it was. I cried while watching some of it but they were good tears, healing tears, and after watching, I felt (just a little bit) lighter.</span></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It's for that reason that I thought I'd share it dear ones. As I said, I've heard of two others recently who have lost their beloved furbabies and I thought if I share this video, even if it helps one more person in the way it helped me, well that would be wonderful.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, here it is then, the Ted Talk by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sarah Hoggan DVM, she is an emergency vet and a wonderful, caring soul and, if like us, you have lost your furbaby, or know someone who has, please do share her video. I'll add the direct link below in case you'd like to forward it to anyone.π </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TkJGhQANjZo" width="320" youtube-src-id="TkJGhQANjZo"></iframe></div><br /><p>Thank you for keeping me company honeys, it means more than I can tell say.π Sending you mountains of hugs always, and if you're lucky enough to have furbabies, sending so many hugs for them too.π₯°π Stay warm and safe dear ones, till next time x</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Links:</h3><h1 class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 2; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0f0f0f; display: -webkit-box; line-height: 2.8rem; margin: 0px; max-height: 5.6rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: break-word;"><yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" force-default-style=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkJGhQANjZo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pet loss grief; the pain explained - Sarah Hoggan DVM</a> </span></yt-formatted-string></h1><div><yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" force-default-style=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUTvEKnBCgAV-nN8kfpvbdjbHvoSczeu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My playlist on furbaby loss and healing at Youtube</a></span></yt-formatted-string></div><div><yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" force-default-style=""><br /></yt-formatted-string></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUTvEKnBCgAV-nN8kfpvbdjbHvoSczeu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" force-default-style="">A happier playlist full of adorable furbaby smiles</yt-formatted-string>π</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.seemescotland.org/seeus/campaigns/time-to-talk/time-to-talk-day-2024" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See Me Scotland: Time To Talk Day 2024 </a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUXZqQaxrCTMuXiXqr1PDptRhFMkyn0zzlGv6S0elWIzAFs3R9DzzKmOL0SyxAe2C7CTby8bZUgpG9j4Ldk5lUOdwZggUFyrNQHBtaY3aiPoulB2lOqrRDu6kIgFX4b6VWRAs-_XBlrSbcAX1ai7r8WpbAfUD-q9VZGuyRCLcjzeJDQctfgepfuCGUonx/s640/Be%20you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Time To Talk Day 2024 - Be you honeys, you matter, you're needed x" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUXZqQaxrCTMuXiXqr1PDptRhFMkyn0zzlGv6S0elWIzAFs3R9DzzKmOL0SyxAe2C7CTby8bZUgpG9j4Ldk5lUOdwZggUFyrNQHBtaY3aiPoulB2lOqrRDu6kIgFX4b6VWRAs-_XBlrSbcAX1ai7r8WpbAfUD-q9VZGuyRCLcjzeJDQctfgepfuCGUonx/w640-h480/Be%20you.jpg" title="Time To Talk Day 2024 - Be you honeys, you matter, you're needed x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-88324274528144126302023-11-30T23:25:00.001+00:002023-11-30T23:28:45.616+00:00Loss And Heartbreakπ<p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Hello Honeys, </span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">You don't have to read this ok? I just need to get some thoughts and feelings out and have no where else to put them. We lost our sweet furbaby Jade, almost five weeks ago, in the early hours of October 28th and I'm not coping at all well dear ones, I'm really not. </span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">She was the best wee dog in the whole world, a gorgeous little Staffy cross with the most beautiful, softest black and tan fur and the sweetest, gentlest nature you could ever hope to meet on life's journey.π</span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8vYfockqJh4mv1RHerjqcxw1IqRmDcqKJ_UjTYiYbIjd0PCQlNPNZdSnPCE2gWxhOikytqVu_WK1gdcbbRvqhUQG25J0uxXwHzJkY9vbJe_EY91pC5259wFqmr5bPYxLvm6g5eoh_EknQH1GnU-JMfCt1s9ALZF_mnQtzJt-MKdjY716GgG0oHsNgghD/s387/Our%20baby%20Jade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="387" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8vYfockqJh4mv1RHerjqcxw1IqRmDcqKJ_UjTYiYbIjd0PCQlNPNZdSnPCE2gWxhOikytqVu_WK1gdcbbRvqhUQG25J0uxXwHzJkY9vbJe_EY91pC5259wFqmr5bPYxLvm6g5eoh_EknQH1GnU-JMfCt1s9ALZF_mnQtzJt-MKdjY716GgG0oHsNgghD/w640-h558/Our%20baby%20Jade.JPG" title="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">We were blessed to have been able to adopt Jade from a local rescue when she was (the rescue told us) "a few months old." and, like all Mums, I wanted my baby to be able to have a birthday every year. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Off we went then, a few weeks later, to her first vet's appointment, where we'd arranged for her to have the first of her puppy inoculations. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">During that first appointment, I asked the vet if there was any way she could tell us Jade's age, even a rough guess would do. She'd asked why and I explained that I wanted her to have a birthday. Our lovely vet, after looking Jade over carefully (and her teeth in particular) told us that as a (very rough) guess, she thought Jade was possibly no younger than five months and no older than seven months old, since she still had all of her baby teeth.</span><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">With this precious nugget of information acquired then honeys, I did the math in order to work out an "official" birthday for our baby. Well, why shouldn't our baby have an official birthday? As I said at the time, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth had one, and I was sure that as a furbaby parent herself, she would understand how precious furry family members could be and certainly wouldn't begrudge our wee one a special day.</span><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">So, since Jade had come to live with Mummy & Daddy on the 17th of October, and if the oldest her vet thought she might be was seven months old, then her official birthday would be... March 17th. Yaaaay! Our baby's birthday would be St Patrick's Day!</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0X3excK_N9IPIvYksEygTKtBxWFmwHTyJ86hCgQWL4gsFQ9KA2dvMjQuJdbGA50ZD-hVBNh2SlAfKhQ_rO6aQLnx_q4kX8fbxMaoSRWGpDVqijh_BPzTsxGkfKoS-yVBpiiko5_NOwY29hbD0epHheh6z8VUhYVNjYy8Qb2twkGH-ZfXX7bgTy84T_9-b/s1190/St%20Patricks%20Baby%20Jade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1190" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0X3excK_N9IPIvYksEygTKtBxWFmwHTyJ86hCgQWL4gsFQ9KA2dvMjQuJdbGA50ZD-hVBNh2SlAfKhQ_rO6aQLnx_q4kX8fbxMaoSRWGpDVqijh_BPzTsxGkfKoS-yVBpiiko5_NOwY29hbD0epHheh6z8VUhYVNjYy8Qb2twkGH-ZfXX7bgTy84T_9-b/w640-h382/St%20Patricks%20Baby%20Jade.jpg" title="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">We were blessed to have our baby as a part of our family for 13 years honeys,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jade would have been 14 this coming March, bless her. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">She was the absolute centre of our world and our home, she was everything to us. There isn't anywhere I can look without seeing some part of her. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #444444;">Her little sofa is still sitting in front of her toy boxes across from where I'm typing this....</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDltODz7xClCE2YDMTZsOS-gC0ZW6kuuUV_uvwx8rbCbHWlpY9InG631lEghJWDFqfG5MxYzRJty6J3dwy1xaFGUMWIqEFFdsg9LmC9_EKoE9lXhXN28SLZYbY_XSlP1gETijNEicUZYg4fBtcar4JU8x4b1-KqSvkbXyLNtyLgeY0hVVUS9VyTDkhiuUi/s1400/Jade%20naps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1400" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDltODz7xClCE2YDMTZsOS-gC0ZW6kuuUV_uvwx8rbCbHWlpY9InG631lEghJWDFqfG5MxYzRJty6J3dwy1xaFGUMWIqEFFdsg9LmC9_EKoE9lXhXN28SLZYbY_XSlP1gETijNEicUZYg4fBtcar4JU8x4b1-KqSvkbXyLNtyLgeY0hVVUS9VyTDkhiuUi/w640-h386/Jade%20naps.jpg" title="Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p>Her jackets are still hanging on her own wee "doggy tail" hooks at the front door. I was making the bed upstairs and found one of her tennis balls just under the bed and I swear it felt like someone hit me the hardest blow. My baby is everywhere but not with me and I can't bear it. </p></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Every year I've always said I wish I could hibernate, like a wee grizzly bear. </span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Jade didn't like winter either, bless her, the cold and damp and the almost constant darkness, so we'd mostly just snuggle on the sofa together, sharing a huge sherpa blanket, till spring. This year I really do want to sleep for the next few months, just till I don't feel like I'm being punched all the time. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As furbaby parents, we always know this day will come honeys, we know right at the beginning, but it always feels so far away. I remember losing my first furbaby, many years ago. I had no idea pain like that existed. My dear Granny told me that losing somebody we love is "only as sore as how much you love them, hen. Time will make it better." </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It doesn't of course. We just get used to the loss. Like all of the bereavements we suffer through life, we get used to having a piece of ourselves missing I suppose. It's going to take a very long time for me to get used to how I'm feeling right now, I think. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I don't want this to read like a warning not to give your hearts to a furbaby honeys, quite the opposite! Is the pain of loss, the pain of heartbreak worth all of those years of cuddles and wet noses and one sided conversations (as if! Of course we learn to understand each other. It doesn't matter that others can't understand those snuffles and barks and tail wags, because pet parents doπ) Of course those years of love are worth the tears and there are so many furbabies waiting for their human to find them. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you've read this, if you've kept me company, thank you so, so much honeys. It means more than I can say. Thank you for being such dear friends. For anyone else missing a piece of their hearts right now, please be kind to yourself. <a href="https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/Poem.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">You're not on your own</a>.π Till next time, dear ones, hugs always x</span></p><p><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtzar9A-vE4UmT1BJxILGlJm77YIDCtWNAkH5pzjk3OIC-f2NgRYwStqaSwJ0SmBFPwpyK489UOikzegHTrp5IgTbO3mtzT7Po4Vxx4zWEnbTGAPr6TPvOl5FdOMJFiYo_KD7FXFvJcz4dq04ZhUBe1kA81GOKLCJa1Xkq76_AmyjJH2tgbc9Z76DhwI6/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtzar9A-vE4UmT1BJxILGlJm77YIDCtWNAkH5pzjk3OIC-f2NgRYwStqaSwJ0SmBFPwpyK489UOikzegHTrp5IgTbO3mtzT7Po4Vxx4zWEnbTGAPr6TPvOl5FdOMJFiYo_KD7FXFvJcz4dq04ZhUBe1kA81GOKLCJa1Xkq76_AmyjJH2tgbc9Z76DhwI6/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-61777722522077140682023-10-23T12:03:00.016+00:002023-10-25T05:25:55.678+00:00National Mother-In-Law Day And A Little Advice For Newlywedsπ<p>Hi Honeys, </p><p>Do you love your Mother in Law? I do. With all of my heart.π She was funny, loved coffee and a Jaffa cake. She loved roses, she could knit absolutely anything, she was so smart, she gave the best advice and she was the best listener too. </p><p>Yesterday, our lovely American cousins celebrated National Mother-in-law day. How wonderful is that? Now I have another holiday I wish we could import and adopt in the UK.π₯° The other holiday being thanksgiving - a whole day devoted to being thankful for the blessings we're lucky enough to have, how fabulous is that?π </p><p>So, even though I'm a day late, I just couldn't let it go by, without paying tribute to, in my humble opinion, the best Mother-in-law there's ever been.π</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN3e2sR8FC5hfKJpWyAQBFYDlaBBA7zmnQuoPhw0IaccXGVkRa3cbBkEuzMsZxR4u6hFMe1KVjelb-v6mYm9_iHqB3_n4bwJmqVJ9tCVO_9SZv0iiZd1_eHpNOPdM1jPEnOLu4_fRx1V7oNXzbIcGyrikA10DPhmvh36YsLZUnp8-iXBxJ6l9Axyr_U8J/s1288/1%20National%20Mother%20in%20law%20day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Happy National Mother-In-Law Day And A Little Advice For Newley-Weds..." border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1288" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN3e2sR8FC5hfKJpWyAQBFYDlaBBA7zmnQuoPhw0IaccXGVkRa3cbBkEuzMsZxR4u6hFMe1KVjelb-v6mYm9_iHqB3_n4bwJmqVJ9tCVO_9SZv0iiZd1_eHpNOPdM1jPEnOLu4_fRx1V7oNXzbIcGyrikA10DPhmvh36YsLZUnp8-iXBxJ6l9Axyr_U8J/w640-h480/1%20National%20Mother%20in%20law%20day.jpg" title="Happy National Mother-In-Law Day And A Little Advice For Newley-Weds..." width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">My Selfish Hubby - The Parent Hoarder!</h3><p>For years I've joked with my sweet hubby about his complete and utter selfishness and the hoarding of his lovely parents. I should probably explain. Hubby and I grew up in the same areas, we lived reasonably close to each other throughout our childhoods. Who knows, we might potentially have passed each other in our prams/strollers several times a week at the park, or at one of the supermarkets...π </p><p>I've always said we could easily have met long before we did, in our late teens, and then I could have shared his parents sooner. But oh no! He had to hoard them all for himself... Is it asking too much for him to have waved a mitten at me from his pram or thrown a rattle?ππ </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Best Mother-In-Law...</h3><p>On the night my beloved Granny, the woman I loved more than life, died, hubby phoned his family and my wonderful Mum-in-law immediately booked a train ticket for early next morning and travelled the 450 odd miles to be with us, staying over the weekend. She was undergoing chemo at the time and had to then travel back on the Monday for her next chemo appointment on the Tuesday morning, only to travel back to us on the Wednesday morning to be with us for the funeral.</p><p>Mum was, like my Granny, such an amazing woman. She was always there when she was needed and always there even when she wasn't and I loved them both for that. I swear honeys that I don't wish any ill or harm on anyone. Not ever, but it's never made sense to me that the world has so many bad people in it. People who hurt others, who do wish others ill, and yet, "the powers that be" in the universe decided that two of the most loving and giving, least selfish women I've ever known, couldn't be in it anymore. I'm sorry, but that's just not fair. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Gift Of An Extra Mum... </h3><p>It's always saddened me to never have met anybody else who truly adored their "second Mum" as much as I did, and still do. Really though, I never have and I can't understand why. How can you not love an extra Mum? What a fabulous gift! Of course, through the years, I have heard stories from co-workers about some less than loving Mothers-in-law too. I can't help thinking though that, like most of life's problems, maybe it comes down to communication? </p><p>Because of this, I thought I'd share a tiny bit of advice, given to me by my beloved Granny. Advice that helped me to understand why my sweet Mum-in-laws attitude towards me had, ever so subtly, changed a wee bit since the wedding. So, for any new brides (or grooms) thinking they'll never get on with their new Mother-in-law...</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Some Genius Advice From A Wee Scottish Granny...</h3><p>I was so sure, in the run up to our wedding that I was on very good terms with my soon to be Mother-in-law, but it seemed to change after the wedding. Nothing specific, she was never unkind to me, it just felt different. A couple of months after our wedding, the phone rang. I'd just made some tea and my Granny was there, hubby wasn't, he was outside. On the phone was Mum (as my dear Mother-in-law had become.) She asked to speak to Hubby and I said "he's outside, Mum. I'll give him a yell for you..."</p><p><b>Mum:</b> "Don't bother, I'll phone back." <click as the phone went dead> </p><p><b>Me:</b> π― <looks at phone> "That's it! I've had it! <paces back and forth in our living room> What is that woman's problem? What have I done? I'm a nice person, I have manners, I really like her, why doesn't she like me?"</p><p><b>Granny:</b> <watches me pace while having a mini rant, sighed, sipped her tea and fed our wee dog a biscuit while waiting for me to run out of steam. I did of course.> "Finished now have we? I can tell you what you did.... if you want to know, and it's a terrible thing as well. The worst, most painful thing any woman can do to another one actually..."</p><p><b>Me:</b> π³ <wind knocked out of sails.... sits down> "What? What'd I do though? Should I phone her back and say sorry? What'd I do? Oh no! What'd I do Granny?"</p><p><b>Granny:</b> "Like I said. You hurt her hen<b>*(see below)</b>, you went and did the worst thing you could possibly do to her. You took her oldest son away." </p><p><b>Me:</b> <confused now> "No I didn't! He's outside, with his head under the bonnet of a car! He's fixing some wot-not or whatever. I haven't taken him anywhere!" <points at window to make the point> </p><p><b>Granny:</b> "Aye, hen, but he's no her wee boy anymore, is he?" </p><p><b>Me:</b> <blinks rapidly> "That's daft though! How can I fix that?"</p><p><b>Granny:</b> (and this right here is why she was, God bless her, the best Granny the good Lord ever put on this earth) "Oh, it's easy enough to fix. She's same as any woman, scared she's lost her son, so all you have to do is show her she's no lost him, and that she won't." </p><p><b>Me: </b>"What?" <never thought about it before, but I might not be the smartest grandchild in the familyπ></p><p><b>Granny:</b> "Both of you, go for a walk over to her house on a Sunday, after dinner. It's a good wee walk for the dog. Take her a box of chocolates or some flowers. Every now and again, send him on his own. Make sure he doesn't miss a Sunday, even if you're no always with him." </p><p><b>Me:</b> "But she works all week, she's got two jobs, what if she gets fed up seeing us every single Sunday?" </p><p><b>Granny:</b> "Nae mother ever gets fed up seeing her weans hen, but she'll no worry about losing him anymore, will she?" </p><p>So, there it is honeys. A tiny piece of genius advice from my wee Scottish Granny. I hope that it might help somebody out there on the internet break the "fear of losing her wean" barrier that might exist between them and their fabulous, absolutely awesome, wonderful, best pal (even if you don't know it yet) Mother-in-law.π</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Last Thoughts And Counting Your Blessings...</i></b></h3><p>To anyone lucky enough, blessed, to still have their Mother-in-law, their Mother or their Granny still with them. Life is so, so short honeys. For all of us who wish, with every fibre of our being that we could see ours again, even one more time. Please give them a call, or even better, if you can, go visit and give them the tightest, squashiest, so full of "love you" hugs, like the ones that we all wish we could give? I guarantee, it'll mean the world to them and you'll be so glad someday you did.</p><p>Wishing you the best week dear ones, till next time, thank you for keeping me company. It means more than I can say, hugs always x</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><p><b>*Note:</b> Just a wee note for anyone who may not know. The word hen in Scotland can indeed refer to a bird who supplies eggs, but in most cases, is a term of endearment and will be used when speaking to a (usually younger) female. </p><p>For example: "Would you like a cuppa hen?" if addressed to an (again, usually younger) man, the same statement might be "would you like a cuppa son?" Used whether you are the mans mother or not, it's just a term of endearment, just slang, hugs x </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRPuNpPZaXZQ5qR7600SKWZaNlTDHe6lsZy4ZoWWMCxwrztBK2zoOjzLCpUPM9ZgsCA-PIQ7zT0948k31cRmRTUhvpiphQdv6ab1wKvntWuIqCRHOp1R_YlDiAompUvyyJ5CLUQHEpdToVbncoO-U27Kwv7i0-daloGjd8AZJzfc_UcGB88mbmAzkrndt/s749/043%20thank%20you%20honeys.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Happy Mother-in-law day, hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="724" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRPuNpPZaXZQ5qR7600SKWZaNlTDHe6lsZy4ZoWWMCxwrztBK2zoOjzLCpUPM9ZgsCA-PIQ7zT0948k31cRmRTUhvpiphQdv6ab1wKvntWuIqCRHOp1R_YlDiAompUvyyJ5CLUQHEpdToVbncoO-U27Kwv7i0-daloGjd8AZJzfc_UcGB88mbmAzkrndt/w618-h640/043%20thank%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Happy Mother-in-law day, hugs always, Rosie x" width="618" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p></p>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-35643481210295668642023-10-05T18:34:00.002+00:002023-10-18T10:44:49.335+00:00Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years...<div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">How are you today? All well I hope? This morning I was in the kitchen, watching two adorable collared doves at the feeders on our little apple tree when it dawned on me how many leaves there are all over the garden. It was pretty windy, and rainy, during last night so, it's officially autumn then I suppose.π</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Poor Hubby. Every year he spends hours in our back garden, cleaning up all of the leaves only to go back inside and in no time at all, you'd swear the trees wait until he closes the back door and give themselves a good shake, because it's just as "leafy" all over again.ππ </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uUF_eFhBuT11HXdM2ZeI9x_6XvrWTPmDrcUcyrw2q-s6RVsfWegeYYp27hmASURoT1puKvLFcLagmK6c8tnZuOncBxY8nhD4WFqf-sIlekx-qya22pnnePK8thHSDAp4CjeGeIEPL8GHajEuCMjJJBEwQDXFCt1HAXEx7ZPYTjKIgCEshCTgPyeEBgt4/s1200/1%20Challenges%20of%20outside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1200" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uUF_eFhBuT11HXdM2ZeI9x_6XvrWTPmDrcUcyrw2q-s6RVsfWegeYYp27hmASURoT1puKvLFcLagmK6c8tnZuOncBxY8nhD4WFqf-sIlekx-qya22pnnePK8thHSDAp4CjeGeIEPL8GHajEuCMjJJBEwQDXFCt1HAXEx7ZPYTjKIgCEshCTgPyeEBgt4/w640-h420/1%20Challenges%20of%20outside.jpg" title="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm so sorry I've been missing for so long. Things have been happening. Not world ending things, but they've certainly made life challenging. Yes. Challenging is a good word for it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have no idea how long this post will be, but I get the feeling that this is probably a post to get comfy for honeys. It might be a good idea to go grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two... no, bring the packπͺπ) and I'll meet you here after the break? See you in a few minutes...<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Welcome back dear onesπ€ Do you have your cuppa? (and maybe a cookie?) I do tooβπͺ Sit back, put your feet up then and get comfy and I'll try to explain what's been happening recently. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">A Little Background Information...</h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been trying to write this post for a few weeks now, longer actually, and just haven't been able to get very far. Mostly because, as I've said so often in the past, I don't like "pity parties" and I refuse to be the guest of honour at one. Even if I'm the only guest. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'd rather be mocked (and I absolutely have been over the years lolπ) for being far too positive. I've never minded it a bit, instead it's usually made me smile even more because it meant my "happy mask" was working. I've battled depression for a very, very (really very honeys) long time, so I've always thought that if what the world outside saw was a happy, smiling Rosie, well that was good. Nothing to see here, move along world. Everything's fine...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Generally though, for a good number of years, I really was (mostly) happy. I worked in retail and I loved my wee job. Truly. I had regular customers I looked forward to seeing every week and some genuinely lovely co-workers who brightened even my darkest days. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The retail world has been changing though honeys. Less people, more automation. So jobs were already being cut. Then the pandemic happened. Shopping moved online and the retail world began creating even more apps and concentrating more on the logistics of home delivery than on face-to-face service to customers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In amongst these changes, I was forced to face the fact that my mobility had declined so much that I simply wasn't coping anymore. I had been sent for a scan at the hospital and they'd found osteoarthritis in the base of my spine, in addition to some other issues. It was just another thing to have to cope with. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I knew I wasn't coping so well anymore when I began regularly "losing" a day (sometimes two) following my shifts to pain and exhaustion. Every week I worked two busy shifts, almost back-to-back honeys. I worked 5pm till 10.30pm (regularly 11pm or later) on Friday nights, only to be back in again Saturday lunchtime till 9.30pm or 10pm. It was challenging (there's that word again) but the interactions there, that face-to-face connection was vital to me, to my mental health. I truly loved being there. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During lockdown, I was stuck at home because I'm immuno-suppressed due to a medication I take for my rheumatoid arthritis. I had to make a choice honeys. Whether to continue taking my medication, suppressing my immune system, or to stop taking it. I did call and speak to a Doctor at the hospital, and he told me they didn't know enough about it yet and that I had to make the decision myself. Well, with a worldwide pandemic that no one, even doctors knew enough about to give advise, I decided to stop taking them. Well, that lasted less than six months honeys. I found myself in so much pain, it was truly awful. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I called our own Dr and asked her if I could re-start my medication and explained why. She agreed straight away and reminded me that it would take some time for it to "load" back to the level I had originally had in my system and till then, it wouldn't help much with the pain. I was also told, by a Dr at the hospital, that there was a possibility that stopping my medication as I had, meant I might have "taken my foot off the break" and that the pain I was in might mean my arthritis had "progressed." It had. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After a (very) long talk with Hubby, I made the decision that I <b>really</b> didn't want to make. I simply couldn't carry on any longer. I imagined being back at work and imagined doing what I used to do every week and I cried because I knew the pain I was in wouldn't let me. Then I imagined my lovely regular customers and my wonderful co-workers seeing me struggle, or God forbid, cry the way I had been doing at home, and I knew. The decision was made. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was the hardest decision honeys, but I know (even though it still hurts terribly, even now) that it was the right one because my job was a manual one and it really had been making my RA so much worse, no matter how much I loved it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">On To The Challenge At Hand... </h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't go outside honeys. Well, that's not entirely true. That should really have read I don't <b>willingly</b> go outside. In fact, for years now, long before pandemics or lockdowns, the only time I ever left our home, literally, was to go to work or to attend medical appointments. My life outside our home now, and for these past few years, is made up of trips to our Doctors surgery, every 2-3 months, to have bloods done, blood pressure checked, asthma check etc and visits to the rheumatology (arthritis) clinic at our local hospital every 6 months or so.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of the reasons my job was so important, so vital to me dear ones was because, other than those medical appointments, my much loved little job was my only physical connection to the outside world. It was somewhere I had to be, somewhere others expected me to be, so, no matter how I felt, I knew I had to go outside and go there. It was also a place I could chat to other humans. Face to face. Without my little job, I haven't been coping very well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A Bump In The Road...</h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Something happened recently honeys. It was a daft wee thing really, in the scheme of things. The leg (or is it an arm?) of my glasses broke off. I asked Hubby to look at them, thinking it might just be a tiny screw had come out from the metal frame, that had happened before with other glasses, but no. It had broken. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One phone call to the optician later, where I was reminded that my eye test was very overdue, (it had been almost five years! Yikes!) and I had an appointment arranged for four days later, the first she had available. I thanked her and hung up, only to be hit almost instantly by waves of anxiety. I'm talking full on "fight or flight." I sat down on the sofa and tried to talk some sense into myself, or at least to get my heart to slow down a tiny bit because it was racing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I gave myself the same lecture I do whenever I have any other reason to leave our home. It'll be fine. I'll book a taxi. I'll be there and back in no time.... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">A Catalogue of Calamities...</h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, no sleep the night before my appointment honeys, but again, that's the norm and has been for the longest time. Morning took far too long to arrive (have you ever noticed how slowly the time till morning passes when you're the only one in the house awake?) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually though, there I am sitting on the sofa. I was showered, dressed, had my handbag on (it has a crossbody strap) and was waiting for the taxi to arrive to pick me up. My eye test appointment was booked for 11.50am, the optician is in the local shopping centre (mall) only a few minutes drive from our home and I'd booked a taxi for 11am. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The taxi arrived a few minutes earlier than I was expecting and honked his horn loudly. This actually helped because it meant that I had to hurry out of our front door and didn't have time for the panic to set in properly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finding myself in the taxi, with my little relator, which is a form of wheeled walker, I was off. I rarely use my walker outside our home but since the opticians is quite a walk from the nearest spot a taxi can drop me, being embarrassed by stares (even if they're all in my imagination) is the lesser of two evils when compared to the pain I get in my spine when trying to walk any distance honeys. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Calamity one:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My first omen that I should just give up and go straight home happened as I was getting out of the taxi. The cross-body strap on my bag snapped. It's one of my favourite bags too! I removed the strap and put it into the bag, thinking I can maybe fix it later and pushed one arm through the two handles, then I set off towards the centre. Our local shopping centre is an large, enclosed collection of shop units, on two levels. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It didn't look very busy inside, looking in through the glass doors. I took a deep breath and stepped through the automatic doors that opened when I was close enough. The very second I walked through the doors, the <b>noise</b> hit me, Why was it so loud when I'd seen it far busier in the past? I frantically looked around to see where was least busy and noticed that the glass front of one of the shops showed employees working, filling shelves etc but practically no customers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I headed inside. One there, and finding myself in an empty aisle, I sat down on the chair of my little walker and closed my eyes to try to get my heart to stop pounding. Such a ridiculous reaction! I worked retail for years, the busiest (weekend) shifts. Why was I having to battle "fight or flight" because of the noise inside a shopping mall? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A young woman in a uniform asked me if I was ok, I tried to adopt my "happy Rosie" mask (not sure I managed it) said I was fine and thanked her. She didn't look very convinced but she went back to what she was doing and left me alone. The shop only had one entrance and a different exit. So, I had to walk around and past the checkouts to the exit to leave. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I looked at my watch. It was a gift from hubby, and it can read my blood pressure which according to our Dr is "stubbornly high." It said 11.22am. My appointment at the optician was for 11.50am. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My watch is "synced" to Hubby's phone, <b>this fact will become important soon.</b> Hubby set the phone up for me and while I do have a "smart" phone, it's currently a paperweight because technology really doesn't like me. It really, <b>really</b> doesn't. It's almost bullying me now actually....π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Calamity Two:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I began working my way around to the exit, telling myself not to be ridiculous, it was fine, I'd be back home again soon. Look how quiet this shop was. Not even any music...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the way to the exit, and as I went past things, I picked up a little multipack of custard pots for our furbaby Jade, some fruit snacks for hubby's lunch box and a "scrub daddy" for the kitchen. I keep seeing them in YouTube cleaning videos and on blogs and have wanted one for ages. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Quite near the checkout I saw some little latch hook kits, the design on them was a rainbow. I picked one up, it made me smile and I'd really enjoyed making the last one I completed. Hubby got it for me as a surprise, do you remember it honeys? It was a bumble bee...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNfP2p_31Ys7v8oesBEqBHkvDO6xjcuLplqArxJaH2ynBS7lrANuy3WhpVJ6XzBt7LObqfgniVqennxzihDwZFzShzyOdznknrPNmfr1RJ1MviW-iPApybed0KIFbe6wliKzSZSJUGWWqxCQnOppgDjXTGAj1l3QcAf8-ftjSHBjRr9sNG9r6e3aqx1L8/s1273/3%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1273" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNfP2p_31Ys7v8oesBEqBHkvDO6xjcuLplqArxJaH2ynBS7lrANuy3WhpVJ6XzBt7LObqfgniVqennxzihDwZFzShzyOdznknrPNmfr1RJ1MviW-iPApybed0KIFbe6wliKzSZSJUGWWqxCQnOppgDjXTGAj1l3QcAf8-ftjSHBjRr9sNG9r6e3aqx1L8/w640-h480/3%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" title="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally making it to the checkouts, I put my odd, small collection of items onto the conveyor belt of the checkout and then, as the girl at the checkout scanned them, I placed them into my bag. I tried to pay by "tapping" my card on the pin reading machine and.... you guessed it. </div><div><br /></div><div>My card refused to tap, swipe or whatever it's meant to do. See what I mean dear ones? Technology, it just doesn't like me. Thankfully, the shop was still all but empty. There was only the girl at checkout, myself and, after a minute or so, another very kind, older lady who appeared behind me. They both tried to get the card to "swipe" for me, bless them, but no... </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, the checkout operator asked me if I could just put my card into the reader and manually type in my "pin" number. I was by now, genuinely trying not to cry, my stomach was turning over and I felt so sure that they could both see it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I explained that I hadn't been properly out of the house in nearly 4 years, so I hadn't needn't to use my pin number. The lovely elderly lady said "oh, that happens to me all the time, just have a guess, that's what I do. Mostly it works..." and she smiled at me. So, I had a guess and it
worked!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yaaaaaayyy!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>I thanked both ladies and set off to the opticians. As I got outside the shop, it didn't feel so loud anymore. I glanced at my watch, <b>still synced to Hubby's phone,</b> which he
uses every day. I'm just making that point for what it's worth <span face=""Segoe UI Symbol","sans-serif"" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol";">π</span>
and it said 11.36am so I had 14 mins to get to the opticians.</div><div> </div><div>Funny thing, the
centre has changed so much in 4 years that it wasn't where I remembered or thought it would
be but I still made it into the shop <b>at exactly 11.50am</b> - the time of my
appointment! Another yaaaaayyyyy!!!</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Well, no.... </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">A girl appeared next to me, she looked quite worried, bless her and asked me if I needed any help? Maybe a glass of water? I thanked her and said that I was just in time for my appointment, 11.50am and gave her my name. </p><p class="MsoNormal">She said it was after
12 noon and glanced at the monitor on the desk she was next to. "Yes.." she said "...it's two minutes past twelve." OK, that was it honeys. I think my limit had been reached for things going wrong. "Oh no.... " I said, and held up my watch for her to see. "look..." I said, showing her my watch. It's huge, very bright, digital display was then saying 11.52.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The girl was lovely, she went to talk to
optician, apologise for me, She came back and said he'd told her I had to
make another appointment. Turns out he'd already had three other people not show up
for appointments that morning and he had another appointment at 12.50 (so he
still had almost an hour before then... just saying.) I have a strong feeling honeys that I was being "punished" for his bad morning. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, the girl was so sweet, she kept saying sorry, bless her. She made me another appointment, for a week later, the following Thursday at
1.20pm. I thanked her for her help, apologised again and left. I wheeled my little rollator/walker back to the doors of the Centre, went outside, to the taxi rank and went back home where I had a good cry. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Another week went by with my using glasses with only one leg (or arm?) on them. They kept falling off and it really was very irritating. It's taught me to appreciate my glasses honeys, it really has. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">My New Glasses.... Finally!π</h2><p class="MsoNormal">The following Thursday, again, another sleepless night. No shopping, not even a little bit, I went straight to the opticians, gave my name and took a seat in the waiting area. I was 40 minutes early. </p><p class="MsoNormal">You can imagine my surprise, and joy, when an optician came out and called my name with a huge smile. A different optician was on duty that day, a lovely lady optician. I explained to her what had happened the week before. She said he (the optician) could have easily done my eye test, and that she would have done. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I had my eye test done, finally and one of the assistants even helped me to choose some frames. She was so nice, she even asked me if I'd like a pair of prescription sunglasses (they run a two pairs for one type deal) and I said to her "it's Scotland, when would I wear sunglasses?" without missing a beat she said "on holiday" π </p><p class="MsoNormal">Having chosen my new frames and ordered my glasses, I made an appointment for Hubby to have his eye test done, thanked everyone and went home. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The following weekend, Hubby picked up my new glasses for me and I just love them... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBbVD-S1eFh9taaVudC4bRfz1q7gMrzOssVApyzwN6LfxoZTzKkI8_WrvrGd_67SM1wqANgYUSbKrcpTjf78TEE7LiJwBvrUkhPUr87Rio_edkuOUSbrygPUHt56xFQAzVJNYLDJGNPbLwRrOJQSpu9_0Xy9-Mvu6D0l2YYgfSgbphr5Rh58i5sI69bR/s1256/3%20Challenges%20of%20outside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1256" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBbVD-S1eFh9taaVudC4bRfz1q7gMrzOssVApyzwN6LfxoZTzKkI8_WrvrGd_67SM1wqANgYUSbKrcpTjf78TEE7LiJwBvrUkhPUr87Rio_edkuOUSbrygPUHt56xFQAzVJNYLDJGNPbLwRrOJQSpu9_0Xy9-Mvu6D0l2YYgfSgbphr5Rh58i5sI69bR/w640-h374/3%20Challenges%20of%20outside.jpg" title="Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years..." width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Staying Positive...</h3><p class="MsoNormal">One thing I've learned from the events of these past few weeks, and from the adventures around my glasses breaking, is that it really isn't healthy to stay home for such an extended time. I have to regain my ability to go outside when I want to honeys, without having to deal with the sheet of invisible glass insidiously placed there by invisible gremlins.</p><p class="MsoNormal">For that reason, I decided I might need some help, some advice. So, I asked our practice nurse for help, and she asked our new Dr to give me a call, which she did. I'm so, so grateful to them both because even though the problem is still there, just having them listen to me and want to help, it's given me hope that I can win the battle again. That I can reclaim outside again. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">A Starting Point? </h3><p class="MsoNormal">Hubby suggested that I try going on short walks with him, and our furbaby Jade. This seemed like an amazing idea, so I immediately said yes, but it's proved to be... a challenge. There's that word again. I finally made it last night. I made it outside and on a short walk with the two most important people in my life. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I'm going to (try) to be positive. I did it. I managed a (very) short walk but I still had that sick feeling in my stomach and had to keep the front door of our house in my sight. It will get better honeys. It has to. The more wee walks we have, the easier it will get (hopefully.)</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Final Thoughts...</h3><p class="MsoNormal">It was really hard to ask for help honeys but I'm so glad that I did. I've been hiding away from the world for almost four years and that's just not living. I've been wasting the life I've been blessed to have and that has to stop. Every single day we get is a gift and it's time that I start to appreciate that. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Oddly enough, I've always "counted my blessings" each day. I was taught by my beloved Grammy to take a minute every morning before I jump out of bed to start my day. She told me to look around myself and if I have a safe roof above my head, a bed to sleep in and even a wee bit of food in the house, that I should take a minute and thank my angels, because for sure I was being looked after. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Too many of us stay quiet about issues we face honeys, when there are lovely people, like our practice nurse and our lovely new Dr, who really do want to help. Who are willing to listen. All you have to do is ask. Don't want to go to the Drs? Then talk to a friend, a favourite relative, somebody you feel safe talking to. You deserve to be happy honeys, you really do.π </p><p class="MsoNormal">Good grief! This post has turned into a small book! I'm so sorry honeysπ€I didn't mean to waffle on so, so long. For anyone still here, still reading, thank you so, so much. It means more to me than I can say. Have a wonderful weekend when it gets here, sending you mountains of hugs always dear ones,<span face=""Segoe UI Symbol","sans-serif"" style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">π</span><span face=""Segoe UI","sans-serif"" style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">π₯°</span><span face=""Segoe UI Symbol","sans-serif"" style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">π</span>π</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSnCdvSkNKo6KuLglAQzHzAotCjFrxENKHAtPE4EDU8xRDsoKYF_qanByoEkuNNN4O4wBEs7-yoaOcXF3fQx6GyTRWSANe7arecZybexQXQTzMpHfdbezdDWV3koSAOsnJ4WB3DbqtSP52xImt02yPVnOJVLmnJIkTmcLYqQTsnpTLGcmAsWZ8I5MuprQ/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Be you honeys, hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSnCdvSkNKo6KuLglAQzHzAotCjFrxENKHAtPE4EDU8xRDsoKYF_qanByoEkuNNN4O4wBEs7-yoaOcXF3fQx6GyTRWSANe7arecZybexQXQTzMpHfdbezdDWV3koSAOsnJ4WB3DbqtSP52xImt02yPVnOJVLmnJIkTmcLYqQTsnpTLGcmAsWZ8I5MuprQ/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Be you honeys, hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-86821346941435518512023-08-14T14:30:00.002+00:002023-08-14T14:30:37.778+00:00Test. <p> Ignore this please honeys, blogger won't let me sign in to reply to comments. Sorry x </p>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-39109578796394343122023-05-31T18:05:00.002+00:002023-06-03T15:24:43.212+00:00Coping, Comments And Apologies...<div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">I noticed something this morning and just wanted to post an apology, lots of apologies actually.π </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LuzthBeJyuXtmqXrFsWDQGmES-OUSFiSiHWnakLKXvn4oIYV_FcnpV8bOqHhBL0EFFH-c-a79gEA_Tnn7MS_-TgaZOGYT_jFIOh9VBP20R8KpgWsH6s-BCgYhpHJZlOXvy3iQ6XSV85Lv6g7_J_cRe2Q1Lq6vI4w36yLTwI-xf-qZRqE9vvltxRa_g/s1400/043%20pink%20roses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x" border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1050" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LuzthBeJyuXtmqXrFsWDQGmES-OUSFiSiHWnakLKXvn4oIYV_FcnpV8bOqHhBL0EFFH-c-a79gEA_Tnn7MS_-TgaZOGYT_jFIOh9VBP20R8KpgWsH6s-BCgYhpHJZlOXvy3iQ6XSV85Lv6g7_J_cRe2Q1Lq6vI4w36yLTwI-xf-qZRqE9vvltxRa_g/w480-h640/043%20pink%20roses.jpg" title="Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'd noticed recently that a lovely comment had been left under one of my posts (<a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2023/04/weekend-musings-and-finding-smiles.html" target="_blank">weekend musings and finding smiles</a>) but before I could reply it disappeared. Actually a bunch of comments, under lots of different posts, have been deleted but as far as I know the rest were "spam" comments (not related to anything in the post but including a link to a website, or sometimes just a link itself.) <div><br /></div><div>I have no idea if it's Google who've done a "clear up" of some kind, (although I don't remember them ever having done it before) or if whoever left the lovely comment (it mentioned the rosesπ) came back and deleted it, thinking I couldn't be bothered to reply? I do hope that's not what happened honeys, I really do. I had noticed the comment but just wasn't able to reply at the time. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Scroll past this next bit honeys, life's too short x</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Anyone who has read any of the posts in this blog will know dear ones, that I dislike "pity parties" and try really hard not to let myself wallow in any "woe is me" time. I've battled depression for too many years and know how easily it can take over. Far better to be positive, to see the best in situations and to count my blessings, of which there are many I know and for which I really am very, very grateful. For the last, almost two years though, it's been incredibly difficult to find my inner Pollyanna, my always happy, always "it'll be fine" attitude. I'm still looking for her though x</div><div><br /></div><div>This has had a domino effect on other areas of my life too, making it more difficult to cope with (or put up with) worsening health issues including stubbornly high blood pressure, asthma and arthritis (rheumatoid and osteo) that's trying to take away what little mobility I have left. Apparently the osteoarthritis in my spine may have "progressed" they won't know for sure until I have another MRI scan. I'm due back to the hospital clinic in the autumn so might find out then. I don't sleep honeys, most often I have two to four hours broken sleep every night. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can see why dear ones that I try very hard not to wallow. I'm trying to find my way back to the sunnier me, some days it's just so much harder is all. Now, that's enough complaining, really enough and if you just read all of that, thank you dear ones for caring.π It means more than I can tell youπ₯°ππ€ </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Comments and apologies...</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Back to this post then. I just really wanted to apologise to whoever had written that lovely comment (there wasn't a name, I think it just said unknown) I'm sorry that I wasn't able to reply before it was deleted. If you should ever get to see this post, thank you for taking the time to comment and for being so sweet.ππ€π₯° </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sorry honeys that I haven't been posting so often for such a while, I am trying to do better, but thank you for still keeping me company and making this little corner of the internet less lonely.ππ€ </div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FuZh-1gQBbgsoitCOfCJkWqaN0kx6EKgbnr9qiTLjtPzmNUJ5dACjmt2jblNi8RShyebCWDynsyhtOwInbXmZY3UL8_qMbUGqjJ-P7rIrpVETF2dSthsUD_SYfB89o7UJZKxfGTskmgaZ2c4ehx3mzkJKSFH5KCa8eGWz6UcOJiGg6__n9X29BG2Ow/s1188/044%20pink%20roses%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x" border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1188" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FuZh-1gQBbgsoitCOfCJkWqaN0kx6EKgbnr9qiTLjtPzmNUJ5dACjmt2jblNi8RShyebCWDynsyhtOwInbXmZY3UL8_qMbUGqjJ-P7rIrpVETF2dSthsUD_SYfB89o7UJZKxfGTskmgaZ2c4ehx3mzkJKSFH5KCa8eGWz6UcOJiGg6__n9X29BG2Ow/w640-h480/044%20pink%20roses%202.jpg" title="Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I hope that you're having the best week and looking forward to the weekend, till next time dear ones, sending you mountains of hugs always x</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ziMbsKmuG4LiDenutXZmcAMcuhQzBlVfLLHRkjBETQfD3ImdKNPDc5j-ZeX7ROYRpEe1spzgn-sWO0UKykR7KdjXKKYl9gHXVfCSKqWsF85mxlhnpBTSpykP5jWGjrnz7ufD4c1vhDk5dyeQU9xrDWelP-iYWkxUZ-IijbFhnyFcLYT7BOXtP5mWGw/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always honeys, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ziMbsKmuG4LiDenutXZmcAMcuhQzBlVfLLHRkjBETQfD3ImdKNPDc5j-ZeX7ROYRpEe1spzgn-sWO0UKykR7KdjXKKYl9gHXVfCSKqWsF85mxlhnpBTSpykP5jWGjrnz7ufD4c1vhDk5dyeQU9xrDWelP-iYWkxUZ-IijbFhnyFcLYT7BOXtP5mWGw/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Hugs always honeys, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-55623936454624457952023-05-24T15:31:00.000+00:002023-05-24T15:31:08.377+00:00Easiest Ever Cheese & Onion Pasties...<p>Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops/stores. Just sharing our adventure in meal prepping.π€</p><p>Hi Honeys, </p><p>How are you today? All well I hope and having a fabulous weekπ€ The temperatures are starting to rise a little, it's supposed to reach the dizzying heights of 15C today with no rain forecast at all!π I know, it's a silly thing to get excited about but here I am, happier than anyone has a right to be.π₯°</p><p>We're still finding things we can meal prep, batch cook and freeze ahead of time for dinners later in the month. This is month three now of meal planning for the whole month and it's not just getting easier, it's saving us money on our food budget too. </p><p>Today I thought I'd share one of our latest little experiments in meal prepping for our freezerπ Today's is one of my favourites, although we've also been prepping Hubby's favourites, such as <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2020/02/frozen-sausage-rolls-savoury-pasties.html" target="_blank">sausage rolls</a> and the most awesome (Hubby says soπ) homemade beef & onion burgers. </p><p>Back to todays little savory treat then honeys.π I've never been a huge fan of meat based savories preferring cheese & onion pasties instead. I think every Scot has a favourite from the menu at Greggs, the now famous bakery/take-away chain and their cheese & onion pasty has always been mine. I once waved at Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother while clutching a little paper bag containing my Greggs cheese & onion pasty, I would have shared it with her too if she hadn't been in her car... oh well.π</p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA8mBu65QHoPWl_Ku-t8sO2GSCR3BoH-7pQTlQIFKXdhtyMlKvzEbnzTnEUwk3zJ-gdCOSrvHAqI2G8kGruIOkfvrFQ2vNUqHiusaSLQu5izG-CPejPChVHxFQhCxuRLNt5tlPpeVpsUxxxKB12L69nbOyOHhOrJuncyFABiUWkQEK3cwH9jLODpDoQ/s1372/1%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: So easy to make they (almost) make themselvesπ" border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA8mBu65QHoPWl_Ku-t8sO2GSCR3BoH-7pQTlQIFKXdhtyMlKvzEbnzTnEUwk3zJ-gdCOSrvHAqI2G8kGruIOkfvrFQ2vNUqHiusaSLQu5izG-CPejPChVHxFQhCxuRLNt5tlPpeVpsUxxxKB12L69nbOyOHhOrJuncyFABiUWkQEK3cwH9jLODpDoQ/w431-h640/1%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: So easy to make they (almost) make themselvesπ" width="431" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This post has quite a few images, as usual, so it might be worth fetching a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or twoπ) and making yourself comfortable, dear ones. I'll meet you back here in a few minutes with our cuppas, see you after the page break...<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;">Welcome back honeys, do you have your cuppa? Me tooβπͺ Let's have a look at these so-easy-they-nearly-make-themselves cheese & onion pasties shall we? </p><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Easiest Ever Cheese & Onion Pasties...</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Ingredients:</h3><p>1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry</p><p>2-3 medium potatoes - mashed</p><p>Β½ onion - diced </p><p>80g cream cheese (approx) </p><p>optional - grated cheese to add</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Directions: </h3><p>1. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in a pot of water with a tiny pinch of salt (or skip the salt if you'd rather) for approximately 15-20 minutes - until you can pierce a potato easily with a knife or skewer. When cooked, <b>very carefully</b> drain the potatoes and add to a bowl. Mash them with a little butter/margarine/spread.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIuGlMAlI4yhhKF576XFnltB5akf0dgTsuT9g5uMwApQUS3x-xjhNLWraRXyz0yg7hxGlarnbqCF7y1pXaEpa6UKqkEX1siRn4TOzY1lucoIIXkhjCEAYR6Z8HmhNwWNZiC2fh6EYnNa1OmVrg4uThlpcEae-do9lM-LCD7pELkDeCVl9l4eKvJ6Pg/s1142/2%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: First we start with fluffy, mashed potato..." border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1142" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizIuGlMAlI4yhhKF576XFnltB5akf0dgTsuT9g5uMwApQUS3x-xjhNLWraRXyz0yg7hxGlarnbqCF7y1pXaEpa6UKqkEX1siRn4TOzY1lucoIIXkhjCEAYR6Z8HmhNwWNZiC2fh6EYnNa1OmVrg4uThlpcEae-do9lM-LCD7pELkDeCVl9l4eKvJ6Pg/w640-h564/2%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: First we start with fluffy, mashed potato..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>2. Roughly chop/dice Β½ onion into small-ish pieces and add to the bowl containing the mashed potato. There's no need to mix through, we'll get there in a minute.π<div><br /></div><div>3. Next, add the cream cheese to the bowl, then mix with the mashed potato and diced onion until all combined. I've suggested 80g of cream cheese but you might use less (or a little more.) Use enough to make your cream cheese, mash & onion filling lovely and creamy.π <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dbyyLzZ0M2aKGy9Vo4tfxDICIHH9ofYaRjivBPJsWgNtLNu2JKCpksU3qEWiL6Th1h6_gk2emVi5HZ0plYRxZ83NRKPr_nBiIKjMIqtukybDneo4-Do3VjkPJ1VcNI7RgNY14K1n88OHMivZLkomWNR0QKCyZkrd7TKhQURwmmx-nt6voj-AWJcUA/s1222/3%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: With the cream cheese and diced onion combined with the fluffy mashed potato, we have the filling for our pasties..." border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1222" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dbyyLzZ0M2aKGy9Vo4tfxDICIHH9ofYaRjivBPJsWgNtLNu2JKCpksU3qEWiL6Th1h6_gk2emVi5HZ0plYRxZ83NRKPr_nBiIKjMIqtukybDneo4-Do3VjkPJ1VcNI7RgNY14K1n88OHMivZLkomWNR0QKCyZkrd7TKhQURwmmx-nt6voj-AWJcUA/w640-h498/3%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: With the cream cheese and diced onion combined with the fluffy mashed potato, we have the filling for our pasties..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>4. Sit your bowl to one side for now honeys and we'll cut out the pasty shapes from our roll of pastry. As you can see, I managed to make 6 pasties with my sheet of pastry...</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJhD499LRPCjwF0zqTYiM9mWe5d-t8SvFCN2VEOn2DJ5s1HBoTfV28TAS3ClydQsOkyyym_b65UygI6-r3pULlJ-DfpzYuNYNCHbkvj-5Z9kQe9yJ41TkMmorBY6ZYHP3dk1KiVKp8Flj79x-KF-iBndWqP9Cb7bAV_yv43_r0OQGb7K9LiRr800Rug/s1277/4%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: Circles are cut from the puff pastry to make the pasties..." border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1277" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJhD499LRPCjwF0zqTYiM9mWe5d-t8SvFCN2VEOn2DJ5s1HBoTfV28TAS3ClydQsOkyyym_b65UygI6-r3pULlJ-DfpzYuNYNCHbkvj-5Z9kQe9yJ41TkMmorBY6ZYHP3dk1KiVKp8Flj79x-KF-iBndWqP9Cb7bAV_yv43_r0OQGb7K9LiRr800Rug/w640-h392/4%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: Circles are cut from the puff pastry to make the pasties..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If I'd rolled out the remaining pastry I might have been able to make one or two more but I just folded it up and put it to one side for later as a treat for Hubby. He adores puff pastry and I thought I'd pop it into the oven later that evening and he could have it with dinner (sausages in onion gravy with fluffy mashed potatoes.π)</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Before we get to the fun part of assembling our pasties, let's take a minute to pre-heat the oven to 180C <b>or</b> 350F <b>or</b> gas mark 4.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Back to our pastry then honeys. To make the circles, I used the cutter supplied with our little electric pie maker, but you could just as easily use anything from a mug to a small cereal bowl. It's entirely up to you to decide what size your pasties will be. Maybe smaller pasties for tiny humans (this would be such a fun project for them to help make tooπ) or huge man-sized pasties as a treat for adults deserving or a yummy treat. The pasties will be half the size of the circles, since we'll be filling them and folding them in half... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJAn58iEsFExEZPmz-F2_wwkPVIyhJl2bBKlzhg0a2qaoUFZfdwRAci2qxF6uofqQo6hnpPRUCtkQ3X9tM7-nFLJJYNWoQkK7iYstwMmX0EbolvFvCgzLdkTThLUrD1lfJT91Z845pmL4WVaYsbi35gz2yGG95GuZy8xNxwayJ22soPK1VFtD9pN2MQ/s1278/5%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: Circles are cut from the puff pastry to make the pasties. The circles are topped with the filling, with a little extra grated cheese.." border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1278" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJAn58iEsFExEZPmz-F2_wwkPVIyhJl2bBKlzhg0a2qaoUFZfdwRAci2qxF6uofqQo6hnpPRUCtkQ3X9tM7-nFLJJYNWoQkK7iYstwMmX0EbolvFvCgzLdkTThLUrD1lfJT91Z845pmL4WVaYsbi35gz2yGG95GuZy8xNxwayJ22soPK1VFtD9pN2MQ/w640-h368/5%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: Circles are cut from the puff pastry to make the pasties. The circles are topped with the filling, with a little extra grated cheese.." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>7. As you can see, the cream cheese, mash & onion mixture is placed on one side of the circle, making sure there isn't too much filling or it will be difficult to close and seal them. Next I added a little grated cheddar cheese on top, it's not essential, I just had a little in the fridge and it seemed like a good ideaπ</div><div><br /></div><div>8. Next, we fold each circle of pastry over and seal it closed. I used a fork to press the edges together...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOmTYa7x3JKmbZlodtUoDdinUXi0TPjQ6aW6i4vt0scIWM5GWmiNoqRgPEsZ1rrLvG1HqSUgpvY2QiXlWl3ghsUnjf6-LN9GzBUYY9A4I1AzzMtddchKpOJRL5ClmbH7XqybNW-DvGaQTlzDhMoyrUrU9PFcp0U4OwLrktjdvb9GVOvhG8VPOoDD2vg/s1290/6%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: The filled circles of puff pastry are folded in half and then sealed closed using a fork..." border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1290" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOmTYa7x3JKmbZlodtUoDdinUXi0TPjQ6aW6i4vt0scIWM5GWmiNoqRgPEsZ1rrLvG1HqSUgpvY2QiXlWl3ghsUnjf6-LN9GzBUYY9A4I1AzzMtddchKpOJRL5ClmbH7XqybNW-DvGaQTlzDhMoyrUrU9PFcp0U4OwLrktjdvb9GVOvhG8VPOoDD2vg/w640-h552/6%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: The filled circles of puff pastry are folded in half and then sealed closed using a fork..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>9. (Nearly) the last thing to do before baking (or freezing for later) is to make a little cut across the top. Not enough to allow the filling to escape, of course. It's more decorative than anything really but it does allow the puff pastry to puff up even more.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSW5SdbdWuMfqogijlAyf7EqnqxTEqph1pypLpglmSs-HBTN8QK1rrBJIPQyYKie40J6xYEUMsYZ6sTWQc3osrg_L_LssSD3ZkO4HtvhoWPVKumSDyt_P5ZbMiq-uQN-9e2jn1EwXuITCvOINktFgqF4Wo2oMomHU3oIAZA0CgKm48riVrh20TnKy8Bg/s1288/7%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: The yummy cheese & onion pasties are now ready to oven bake or freeze for later......" border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1288" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSW5SdbdWuMfqogijlAyf7EqnqxTEqph1pypLpglmSs-HBTN8QK1rrBJIPQyYKie40J6xYEUMsYZ6sTWQc3osrg_L_LssSD3ZkO4HtvhoWPVKumSDyt_P5ZbMiq-uQN-9e2jn1EwXuITCvOINktFgqF4Wo2oMomHU3oIAZA0CgKm48riVrh20TnKy8Bg/w640-h486/7%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: The yummy cheese & onion pasties are now ready to oven bake or freeze for later..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>10. Using a pastry brush or just a finger, gently coat the tops with a little milk or beaten egg then <b>very carefully</b> place your pasties into the middle of the pre-heated oven for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown... </div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezsEoK6RBLJD8kJC5o2u8NEtd1Y3sm5KT4CWAXpjk4ZBvO-rwf7GW1PH3A1_uQp3HgiONQTzj9D8WCTbum9db78FwnRmTT25YqVC2SjTAfkXtoDUbwU105ZRHf-3yZM5iqm_sqiT45grtYGVeNZ-1r0sBcCtoO7FWodyOHsgRdbOjvyEXAztE6STmJw/s1372/8%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: So easy to make they (almost) make themselvesπ" border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezsEoK6RBLJD8kJC5o2u8NEtd1Y3sm5KT4CWAXpjk4ZBvO-rwf7GW1PH3A1_uQp3HgiONQTzj9D8WCTbum9db78FwnRmTT25YqVC2SjTAfkXtoDUbwU105ZRHf-3yZM5iqm_sqiT45grtYGVeNZ-1r0sBcCtoO7FWodyOHsgRdbOjvyEXAztE6STmJw/w432-h640/8%20Cheese%20and%20onion%20pasties.jpg" title="Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: So easy to make they (almost) make themselvesπ" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">11. Serve to loved ones as a treat and await hugs and compliments.π€π₯°</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Freezing for later?</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If meal prepping a batch for later, either freeze on a baking tray/cookie sheet until frozen before carefully packing into a freezer container <b>or</b> pack them straight into the container, placing a piece of greaseproof paper/baking parchment between each pasty before freezing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A Little More Fun...</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you had fun making these pasties with a sheet/roll of ready roll puff pastry, why not try using another sheet/roll to make some Cinnamon Rolls? It's so, so easy to do, takes minutes and is another great project that tiny humans will love to help with. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/its-cinnamon-roll-day-how-to-make.html" target="_blank">You can see how here honeys,</a> and as part of that same post I also included the easiest method to make home made puff pastry too. Why not made a few batches of puff pastry and freeze it yourself for later? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A last word...</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having spent over two months now meal prepping, filling the freezer up with "future meals" for during the month ahead, I can honestly say I'm loving the change honeys. I love that I know what we're having for dinner each night, I know what I need to take out of the freezer, if anything, and I love how it's cut the amount of processed or packaged foods we're eating. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p>I'm loving that we can still include some of Hubby's favourites, such as<a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2020/02/frozen-sausage-rolls-savoury-pasties.html" target="_blank"> sausage rolls</a> and burgers, and that by making them at home we can also experiment with ingredients, control what goes into making them and can even make them healthier. When making our sausage rolls, for example, we use sausages that are very low fat to prevent "greasy" pastry when they cook. </p><p>When meal prepping Hubby's burgers, we use good quality mince, really low in fat content, an egg and breadcrumbs and freshly diced onion, all thoroughly mixed together and then formed into patties. Each burger is then placed into a freezer container, with wax paper between each layer to prevent them freezing together, just as we do with the pasties and sausage rolls. </p></div><div>So, there we have it. Do you meal prep honeys? Are you a fan of pasties too? Thank you for keeping me company today, it means more than I can say.π€ Till next time dear ones, hugs always x </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzO-LSxJbyMkweM-mZCbhpZtPBqdjckWEaoth_A-opYUdmcP7wpdEPowM1oqNkLoJsNJ1ZFnYtKOAJc1m3qW21xq9AjwhbWorsZz_YXrOhDBjFasHrINMKtXFo522eGiLD92BV70aKUCESPZgv-DYcAiXsk-SST9tHxY7vd0wp8UDH_VFgcrmOQgwbg/s1007/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1007" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzO-LSxJbyMkweM-mZCbhpZtPBqdjckWEaoth_A-opYUdmcP7wpdEPowM1oqNkLoJsNJ1ZFnYtKOAJc1m3qW21xq9AjwhbWorsZz_YXrOhDBjFasHrINMKtXFo522eGiLD92BV70aKUCESPZgv-DYcAiXsk-SST9tHxY7vd0wp8UDH_VFgcrmOQgwbg/w640-h430/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-79822175322997154052023-04-30T22:16:00.000+00:002023-04-30T22:16:15.291+00:00Weekend Musings and Finding SmilesπππΆπ₯°π<p>Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote or recommend any shops or products, just wanted to share some smiles x </p><p>Hi Honeys</p><p>How are you today? I'm having "a day" of it. A week of it more like really. My arthritis is trying to turn me into a human pretzel, the lovely spring sunshine did appear for a while but left again when the rain clouds appeared and because it's a bank holiday weekend (extra days always throw me off) I got mixed up and forgot to take the chilli out of the freezer for dinner tonight.π It's fine, we took the chilli out when I (eventually) remembered and will have that tomorrow. We raided the freezer for homemade burgers instead. </p><p>You know, I think it's my own fault. I dislike winter so much and I spend so long counting down to spring every year that maybe by the time it gets here I'm expecting too much from it. Do you mind winter dear ones? It's the almost constant darkness that gets me. For months on end, really months, we have between 5-6 hours of not-really-darkness and the rest of the day is midnight. I've always known the stork got it wrong and I should have been delivered somewhere with lots of lovely sunshine.ππ»π₯° </p><p>I need to find a few smiles dear ones. I have our furbaby, Jade, hugging me on the sofa as I write this, she always knows when her Mum needs a cuddle, bless her.π₯°ππΆπ</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tTD6Hm4bc_A5EXRs4nBax9wZ0n6cTHgUg-1Afztah2nujMLiCYRo7-fCIVF60W3dv5aw-oJzGsXyZx_dSWhTdUyp1Fp1T7bMYDjhx1j_eeVY6kzV7y3ENUA3MhtaSgpchlvdUwXUrlCLnt-rRu8TsjnZDRd4lfLq6AlKlQzlCCk5r9kqoi8nWpGbmw/s1302/1%20Finding%20smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1302" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tTD6Hm4bc_A5EXRs4nBax9wZ0n6cTHgUg-1Afztah2nujMLiCYRo7-fCIVF60W3dv5aw-oJzGsXyZx_dSWhTdUyp1Fp1T7bMYDjhx1j_eeVY6kzV7y3ENUA3MhtaSgpchlvdUwXUrlCLnt-rRu8TsjnZDRd4lfLq6AlKlQzlCCk5r9kqoi8nWpGbmw/w640-h308/1%20Finding%20smiles.jpg" title="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of course Hubby, our furbaby Jade and other loved ones are always first on my list when I'm trying to remind myself how lucky I am. Finding smiles (or counting my blessings as it was called when I was youngπ) is something I try to do often honeys. It helps on not-so-great days. <div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Apple Blossom Means Apples Soonπππ</h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt72uKU0E2YlXFMnPKSvAxYyjxDgcCgHraRJyurtLBFMpFFzMvHp2IaLPg4KgzL1myiwuq4T5Utd4wl6seU9sOcI4wvakIFCD4BU66hB7juiKLAvJ1SMSbWeRr6a1DqjYuSBeT95D3dG-DA-5KDd_p6PTU_XQn_3dnyrqzgiQa7JgZfSbw6o5QD9w1g/s1646/2%20Apple%20blossom%20and%20apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1646" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt72uKU0E2YlXFMnPKSvAxYyjxDgcCgHraRJyurtLBFMpFFzMvHp2IaLPg4KgzL1myiwuq4T5Utd4wl6seU9sOcI4wvakIFCD4BU66hB7juiKLAvJ1SMSbWeRr6a1DqjYuSBeT95D3dG-DA-5KDd_p6PTU_XQn_3dnyrqzgiQa7JgZfSbw6o5QD9w1g/w640-h406/2%20Apple%20blossom%20and%20apples.jpg" title="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I love to see the apple blossom appear every spring. It's so pretty as the tree bursts into an abundance of pink tinged white flowers. Through time the flowers wither away and are replaced by the apples that we later harvest and turn into apple crumbles, apple turnovers and other tasty treats.πππ</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Watching the garden burst into life...</h3></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs8neeBWtOo9rwKd6jSC5qX1R-ioFt-d1z-TTlsRFBnU1uEZTYzimL8IXu5FMAl9T_zc-MCNyK5lcGyFxUgEG0jGtP-E6__1mpydT_-L7OlGsQN0pWTbT8DCZeV3qUPsxF2Mn-j_gUhCfDbxopzHBJMYwb8OLdotAt3iNb978cbQsIWZUxDoy4VFT8Q/s1400/3%20finding%20smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1400" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs8neeBWtOo9rwKd6jSC5qX1R-ioFt-d1z-TTlsRFBnU1uEZTYzimL8IXu5FMAl9T_zc-MCNyK5lcGyFxUgEG0jGtP-E6__1mpydT_-L7OlGsQN0pWTbT8DCZeV3qUPsxF2Mn-j_gUhCfDbxopzHBJMYwb8OLdotAt3iNb978cbQsIWZUxDoy4VFT8Q/w640-h500/3%20finding%20smiles.jpg" title="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" width="640" /></a></div><div>Of course the beautiful apple blossom (and yummy Bramley applesπ) aren't the only beauties that appear every year in the garden. There are my much loved roses, lavender and the tiny bees who visit them and sometimes buzz past me. Once, when I was pegging out laundry, a little bee landed on my shoulder and stayed a few minutes. I stayed very still to let him rest, which he did and then flew off again.ππ₯° </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Laundryπ₯°πππ</h3></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMlPAEbZ_LOOQQ5pT0IJMwxwLFQNqXHetAk5fCfBSWkh_D9ACMz8gaZG1GniSr-AwB3VgGJkPl1KPDVNjPFK9D2Xe83KLTs4GBCi9ErZDlv-MPiptVjgT0qRFuu8-hLRwNCZQB7Ky9svyrLrMPY0omQQBpovWJWm5dyiAD94Ytb5CrcWKv7jJalcDxw/s1200/4%20finding%20smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMlPAEbZ_LOOQQ5pT0IJMwxwLFQNqXHetAk5fCfBSWkh_D9ACMz8gaZG1GniSr-AwB3VgGJkPl1KPDVNjPFK9D2Xe83KLTs4GBCi9ErZDlv-MPiptVjgT0qRFuu8-hLRwNCZQB7Ky9svyrLrMPY0omQQBpovWJWm5dyiAD94Ytb5CrcWKv7jJalcDxw/w640-h480/4%20finding%20smiles.jpg" title="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>I've always loved laundry day. Every little bit of it. The washing, drying (outside on the line is always best) folding and even putting it all away. Over the past few years, osteoarthritis in my spine has tried to take it away from me but, bless him, Hubby helps me keep going by helping peg out our laundry and helping me fold sometimes too (thank you sweetheartπ)</p><p>It would be wonderful if I could just hop online and order a new spine, hip and... well, a new body really. This one creaks and makes loud cracking noises when I move and is pretty much worn out I think. Do Amazon sell new Rosie bits do you think honeys?π I joke but I really am so grateful to be able to still do what I can still do. I know it can be (because it has been) so much worse, so for any good days I have, I thank my angelsπΌand am truly grateful.π </p><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Best mugs ever π₯°ππΆπ</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RR_Ech8wBWWSHFuSqfaRwY1v9t6pztRcok4clmpAj_R-oP6JJqbESqOQYyzY8UwheomsvjxVLdXLh37wHNfrAyi70DelXuLdtg2-RDODsLgPxjJRpM4rU0nUpz1KJchJnCS4BMKsWW_vfRnD2ac8Jo6AiY1MU7b-9j8IiEPXFc7DjDdUjEMacfByNQ/s1302/2%20Finding%20smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1302" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RR_Ech8wBWWSHFuSqfaRwY1v9t6pztRcok4clmpAj_R-oP6JJqbESqOQYyzY8UwheomsvjxVLdXLh37wHNfrAyi70DelXuLdtg2-RDODsLgPxjJRpM4rU0nUpz1KJchJnCS4BMKsWW_vfRnD2ac8Jo6AiY1MU7b-9j8IiEPXFc7DjDdUjEMacfByNQ/w640-h308/2%20Finding%20smiles.jpg" title="Weekend musings and lots of smilesπππΆπ₯°π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I can't end a post full of smiles without sharing a beautiful gift from a sweet lovely friend (thank you Sarah, hugs honeyπ) Sarah got me a mug (shown above) which proudly proclaims I'm a dog mum and even has a little paw print on it.πΎ It's wonderful and I love it! </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, we found out there were dog dad mugs available too, so we had to have one for Hubby.π He took it to work with him and it's now his official mug in the office and he's had so many co-workers ask him where he got it. I don't remember seeing mugs like these, but they're just fabulous! They also have cat mum (and dad) available too. If you'd like to find them you can see <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/search/dog%20parent%20mugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the dog ones here</a> and <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/search/cat%20parent%20mugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the cat ones here</a>. I'm not being sponsored to promote them but I love mine and thought I'd share in case they made anyone else smile too.π€π₯°π </div><div><br /></div>I Hope you're having the best weekend honeys.π If you're in the UK, do you have plans for the bank holiday Monday holiday tomorrow? Hubby brought home a huge bag of planting compost yesterday and is going to help me plant some more seeds tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you're not in the UK, I wish you could have a day off as well, but am sending you mountains of hugs.π€π₯°π Have a wonderful new week everyone, hugs always x<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A-KVvfDMGBDLhAbcpFrEzCsVO6rR0j3LCXbP_I_5VP4z-fX7fFTrWzruO_Xk2xSozyaGZ_iYorO3DC8aMUQq778EtuV0u_Scl-3iROOrMGEbD5AMKpq9e2V5FtiO6uJvFK9_mQe8DgUt_7RkYLu9JEmOe1kfP-0OsZYH2dTn4Wa5tyukslocL-FtSA/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A-KVvfDMGBDLhAbcpFrEzCsVO6rR0j3LCXbP_I_5VP4z-fX7fFTrWzruO_Xk2xSozyaGZ_iYorO3DC8aMUQq778EtuV0u_Scl-3iROOrMGEbD5AMKpq9e2V5FtiO6uJvFK9_mQe8DgUt_7RkYLu9JEmOe1kfP-0OsZYH2dTn4Wa5tyukslocL-FtSA/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-31266633723437751062023-04-29T21:20:00.000+00:002023-04-29T21:20:29.043+00:00Easiest Ever Sausage Rolls: Only 3 Ingredients Needed...<p style="text-align: left;">Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote any brand, shop or product. Just sharing one of the ways we've reduced our grocery bill a little by home baking instead of buying pre-prepared items.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Hello Honeys, </p><p style="text-align: left;">How are you today? All well I hope and enjoying the changes happening around us. Lighter mornings (and evenings) and everything bursting into life in the gardens Not so spring like this week but I did enjoy the beautiful sunshine we had the week before and even made a start on planting a few herbs and bulbs in the garden. The bulbs will be beautiful when grown, they were a gift from a very dear friend (thank you Sarah, huggles xx)</p><p style="text-align: left;">Hubby was on holiday from work all of last week so he spent the week pottering about and catching up with some odd jobs needing done around our home. Two posts were replaced in the back garden fence and a new gate was made, then painted with wood paint to match the fence and is now in place at the side of the house, leading through into the back garden. </p><p>For my part, the sun had appeared so, other than planting, on went the washing machine for lots of laundry being done and (helped by Hubby, thank you sweetheart x) it was all pegged outside in the glorious sunshine and fabulous breeze, perfect weather for drying. It's so, so good to see lovely, long sunny days after such a far-too-long, grey and dreary winter.π </p><p>Back to today's post then honeys. It's all to do with sausage rolls... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNzOuDnDsQvwfIdd5tGeMn6Z_cmlAdd_mJozO8X60XSwRycTPX9Wzk_rcfwerG5dYS7oRAFQGnJbglJBZwAuM__uL4kfKslFdIB4YOJ5gjOEKsZnUUyxbUAs99Q93bZLq8coUqdMkrs3EMpAosfyz5P1kWNc6nkeiOMV2XPknbfnDiZAmHohvCCiGXA/s1208/1%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - ready to bake (or even freeze for later)" border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1208" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNzOuDnDsQvwfIdd5tGeMn6Z_cmlAdd_mJozO8X60XSwRycTPX9Wzk_rcfwerG5dYS7oRAFQGnJbglJBZwAuM__uL4kfKslFdIB4YOJ5gjOEKsZnUUyxbUAs99Q93bZLq8coUqdMkrs3EMpAosfyz5P1kWNc6nkeiOMV2XPknbfnDiZAmHohvCCiGXA/w640-h478/1%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - ready to bake (or even freeze for later)" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My dear Hubby is a fan of savory pastries like sausage rolls, steak bakes and pasties. Loves themπ Now he doesn't have them often, they're a very rare treat in fact, and being Scottish there's only ever one place for Hubby (and lots of others) for sausage rolls. Greggs of course. We don't eat "takeaway" meals anymore, haven't for a very long time, but had discovered some time ago a frozen, ready-to-bake version of Greggs sausage rolls on sale at Iceland. </div><div><br /></div><div>Naturally, they became a regular addition to our monthly "big shop" and Hubby was chuffed. Since then though, this same box containing eight sausage rolls, went from costing Β£3 to now costing Β£5.75! How is that even possible? Well, since we're now running our home on one salary (I lost my job during the lockdown) we're having to watch our pennies and where they go, but I didn't want Hubby to lose out on something he likes. He works so hard for us and deserves his wee treat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why not home bake some sausage rolls I thought? Maybe freeze them too? Hubby still gets to have his savoury treat, we get to spend time together in the kitchen having a laugh (as we always do) it's a win-win.π </div><div><br /></div>This is definitely a post to get comfy for honeys, so why not grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or twoπ) and I'll meet you back here after the page break? See you in a minute...<span><br /></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Welcome back dear ones, do you have your cuppa? Me too βπͺ Fab, let's chat then, shall we?π€ </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since they're going to play quite a large part in this post, I thought I'd start by introducing the Scottish sausage. A sausage, Rosie? We all know what a sausage is.... Well, since Scotland's favourite sausage is now being found more widely outside Scotland (my much loved BiL can even buy it in Kent) it's possible you might already have met but just in case, let me introduce you to the square sausage...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxZYGdrNUHx_6soSVrdTue_bD5ELsPOq-hfwXUA0-HYgiIM45nUHLuxxEoI_t_-IC5xzU927JPmgL6ZNmzs0pWDYNhZ4cz74s45FhDSKAWXsa4QcGVXRekFDIalFL5BamyxLgfJE34fHkgYTp-NcV3y_Ian-O_jEFu_5TcUygE8Xx4JmjgiBM73H-EQ/s1206/3%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland... and cutting onions still makes me cryπ§
π" border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1206" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxZYGdrNUHx_6soSVrdTue_bD5ELsPOq-hfwXUA0-HYgiIM45nUHLuxxEoI_t_-IC5xzU927JPmgL6ZNmzs0pWDYNhZ4cz74s45FhDSKAWXsa4QcGVXRekFDIalFL5BamyxLgfJE34fHkgYTp-NcV3y_Ian-O_jEFu_5TcUygE8Xx4JmjgiBM73H-EQ/w640-h446/3%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland... and cutting onions still makes me cryπ§
π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The square Scottish sausage, more commonly known as Lorne - is thought to be named after either a famous Scottish comedian of the 1890s called Tommy Lorne or the place of the same name, now a part of the Argyle & Bute area in Western Scotland. Whichever is right, it's believed that the famous sausage dates back to at least the early to mid 1890s. Advertisements for the savoury sausage have been found dating from that time. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can remember being really surprised to find, on leaving Scotland for the first time and travelling down south to England years ago, that there were no square sausages to be found and that when I asked for them I was met with very sceptical expressions and disbelief. Now though, I'm pleased to say my much adored BiL can wander into his local Farmfoods shop in Kent and buy packs of frozen square Lorne sausage very easily. Maybe it's the number of Scots now living in England that made them start shipping square Lorne "doon the road" but whatever the reason I'm sure Scots living there are "well chuffed."π </div><div><br /></div><div>Back to our sausage roll experiment then, can we make our own sausage rolls at home? Would they be tasty enough to replace Hubby's favourite savoury treat? Also, how much do they cost to make, since would it be worth the extra work involved in making them if it cost roughly the same as buying them? Let's see, shall we?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Easiest Ever Sausage Rolls </h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients: </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One pack of ready rolled puff pastry</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sausages - These should be skinless & with as low a fat content as you can find. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Optional:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Β½ an onion - diced </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mashed potato (left over mash from dinner is perfect)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note: I know, I said three ingredients, because who can eat sausage without onion? However, I know not everybody likes it so I turned it into an option.π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Directions:</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Assemble your ingredients... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuH105y7mj7okHDRiuz9_FMf1u5zfiRVShl23UeEI6bM1WITOG5ftWoryShKB1cceS9ivGbpMkmOaHyfORdz6gFEZvoXLOB7Zyiqx2dFs0EwHYC2WkKJjesNyNQ7SJ8tPRgFrf8h6_IPwZpMHn33_J6oFinuRRDXJxl2-1q4XKIH2nmWxgP-rJ3PKng/s1246/2%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotlandπ" border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1246" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuH105y7mj7okHDRiuz9_FMf1u5zfiRVShl23UeEI6bM1WITOG5ftWoryShKB1cceS9ivGbpMkmOaHyfORdz6gFEZvoXLOB7Zyiqx2dFs0EwHYC2WkKJjesNyNQ7SJ8tPRgFrf8h6_IPwZpMHn33_J6oFinuRRDXJxl2-1q4XKIH2nmWxgP-rJ3PKng/w640-h426/2%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotlandπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As you can see I took one pack of ready made, ready rolled puff pastry from our fridge to make these sausage rolls because I had it on hand but making your own puff pastry is so, so easy. You can find<a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/its-cinnamon-roll-day-how-to-make.html" target="_blank"> the recipe for it here</a> just after a very-quick-to-make recipe for the easiest cinnamon rolls. Enjoy honeys x</div><div> </div><div>Next we need sausages and yes, as I explained above, in Scotland we do like our sausages to be square.π The Lorne I use, after trying quite a few brands over the years (and again I'm not promoting just sharing which one I honestly prefer) is the Malcolm Allan Breakfast Lorne because it doesn't shrink in cooking and there is so little grease/oil released during cooking too. Because of this, I didn't pre-cook the sausage because I knew the pastry wouldn't get soggy from grease and the sausage would keep its size inside the sausage roll too.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, for the sausage rolls I used 4 slices of Lorne, each one halved, making 8 pieces in total. These are your sausage rolls though honeys, so use your own favourite sausage. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Note:</b> If your sausage has a "skin" or casing on it, it might be best to remove it, again though this is your choice. As I briefly mentioned above, the amount of fat released when cooking your sausage matters since you don't want to have oily pastry, as does whether you choose to cook the sausage before encasing it in pastry to bake. Again, a personal choice and I've seen recipes advising both methods. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. Gather any optional extras you'd like in your sausage rolls. I diced one half of an onion...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWx-YL6Biz2-jhaIv1ecwUwiJeo5HZRdp4XB_QplUEVEi1M_JJC8mDyYyb054cnhOk0qF2AHQCmZ-CeP_fWtZVY4KKOpB2WinVsMTiBY-f5LClqs1-1sVoGoUVu23ZN-QlZ0fbzKQnXD0Le-IpdLd4Rlzvv7kfJeCTBSlUukhfVubSRmvjrfgRJNYig/s1206/3%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland... and cutting onions still makes me cryπ§
π" border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1206" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWx-YL6Biz2-jhaIv1ecwUwiJeo5HZRdp4XB_QplUEVEi1M_JJC8mDyYyb054cnhOk0qF2AHQCmZ-CeP_fWtZVY4KKOpB2WinVsMTiBY-f5LClqs1-1sVoGoUVu23ZN-QlZ0fbzKQnXD0Le-IpdLd4Rlzvv7kfJeCTBSlUukhfVubSRmvjrfgRJNYig/w640-h446/3%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland... and cutting onions still makes me cryπ§
π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I then set about slicing my Lorne in half. Additional extras to place inside your sausage rolls are only limited by your imagination dear ones. Are you a ketchup fan? Why not brush your pastry with a layer of ketchup before adding the sausage? Why not caramelise your onions before adding them? Why not use red onion instead? Why not skip the sausage if you want to and create your own favourite filling? </div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favourites is mashed potato, mixed with a spoonful or two of cream cheese and some diced onion all mixed together and placed inside the pastry with a little extra grated cheese on top before sealing the pastry.. yum! (I actually made some of these cheese & onion pasty type treats and they were so yummy x)</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Time to assemble our sausage rolls then dear ones. I rolled out the ready made pastry and cut it into eight roughly equal pieces. Onto each piece was placed a piece of Lorne sausage and then a sprinkling of diced onion was added...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WXGbmYrBmEWmCsrfkKcC8LduWGfNxxa3N-wYS5_DIpCh3ysmx_4cilMwOGPywLPlRpJnBou0wyCZewSTh42QsIRalRYgVcvaLgjMWoafFpHZTY0Qwp0h8aBmAeJ7O2nGWBGP-4qhj2TPK2mF4fhxfpPheIpo1UcBYTI2dET1-OOOgT9eApsvF0a_FA/s1277/4%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The sheet of ready made puff pastry is divided into 8 equal pieces, I added half a slice of Scottish square sausage and then some finely diced onion on top. Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland but other sausages will work tooπ" border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1277" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WXGbmYrBmEWmCsrfkKcC8LduWGfNxxa3N-wYS5_DIpCh3ysmx_4cilMwOGPywLPlRpJnBou0wyCZewSTh42QsIRalRYgVcvaLgjMWoafFpHZTY0Qwp0h8aBmAeJ7O2nGWBGP-4qhj2TPK2mF4fhxfpPheIpo1UcBYTI2dET1-OOOgT9eApsvF0a_FA/w640-h380/4%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The sheet of ready made puff pastry is divided into 8 equal pieces, I added half a slice of Scottish square sausage and then some finely diced onion on top. Yes, we like our sausages square in Scotland but other sausages will work tooπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5. The puff pastry is then folded over, making a little sausage and onion parcel, and I used a fork to seal all of the open sides closed.π</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LE19jVQAeq5XpgtUklsl27Rr0zvWGzUDMuXX9SK890F-HdNKzBwCeaJfYGXmsH4y-FQkP8fAUX57VAPcUkYQjU9ATCpzn22o382kg_YnbxQWpAwMVGF1pFaMoNDFQ2jZsSShCE9ecSZfCJHxg5LpN0xnGyVHI_IWFHij0_6QdIyTnCZvbJNohcrOdQ/s1253/5%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The puff pastry is then folded over, making a little sausage and onion parcel, and I used a fork to seal all of the open sides closed.π" border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1253" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LE19jVQAeq5XpgtUklsl27Rr0zvWGzUDMuXX9SK890F-HdNKzBwCeaJfYGXmsH4y-FQkP8fAUX57VAPcUkYQjU9ATCpzn22o382kg_YnbxQWpAwMVGF1pFaMoNDFQ2jZsSShCE9ecSZfCJHxg5LpN0xnGyVHI_IWFHij0_6QdIyTnCZvbJNohcrOdQ/w640-h340/5%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The puff pastry is then folded over, making a little sausage and onion parcel, and I used a fork to seal all of the open sides closed.π" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The pastry parcels also had little cuts made in the top, before being placed onto a baking tray/sheet and brushed in a little milk (or beaten egg) as a glaze. They were then (very carefully) placed into the middle of the pre-heated oven for 18-20 minutes, until they're lovely and golden brown... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuV05u5fBQ4twMVAgqYcU9UtIQtr13NZSbtST09gqShJJpk5i_rCqyNwcoV405aIWQXFtvUj3BxAX8XN-h2PV1pHia0fOUSkH6coG1K1u0CaEreywxmryraNdeaDaqK5vnjG6XBhPyGYlxI6X96aUfVcwYJQukY9r825Bx80ryjKTzBVQloQ3hzki-w/s1208/6%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Baked until the pastry is a golden brown, these sausage rolls were the yummiest!" border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1208" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuV05u5fBQ4twMVAgqYcU9UtIQtr13NZSbtST09gqShJJpk5i_rCqyNwcoV405aIWQXFtvUj3BxAX8XN-h2PV1pHia0fOUSkH6coG1K1u0CaEreywxmryraNdeaDaqK5vnjG6XBhPyGYlxI6X96aUfVcwYJQukY9r825Bx80ryjKTzBVQloQ3hzki-w/w640-h494/6%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Baked until the pastry is a golden brown, these sausage rolls were the yummiest!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>These sausage rolls were amazing! There were four of them baked, as you can see above, while the other four were wrapped in baking parchment/paper, placed into a container and then frozen for later...<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLibnhNSZvBRWIKU9DD6ayEcBSQ7_2q1W40bUdSQ39vf6Sj7fhmSRsfW5RmNbxNkamioxQsHDZ_SJdvTOoU4MXDRoxGDQDNHuDa6ZNTk2KvymsO3j5T4azcI-I0Q0utoX9uty5IqmIlbVhAh5EOyUvhkY9LdwtA0dTVzDFvsTjEVL-WZqQDGfBzQ9ZHQ/s1239/7%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The unbaked sausage rolls were wrapped in baking parchment/paper and were frozen for future meals/snacks." border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1239" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLibnhNSZvBRWIKU9DD6ayEcBSQ7_2q1W40bUdSQ39vf6Sj7fhmSRsfW5RmNbxNkamioxQsHDZ_SJdvTOoU4MXDRoxGDQDNHuDa6ZNTk2KvymsO3j5T4azcI-I0Q0utoX9uty5IqmIlbVhAh5EOyUvhkY9LdwtA0dTVzDFvsTjEVL-WZqQDGfBzQ9ZHQ/w640-h374/7%20Homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The unbaked sausage rolls were wrapped in baking parchment/paper and were frozen for future meals/snacks." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Were they a success? I'd say so. Hubby loved them, I tried one and it was really, really good. How did they compare price wise though....</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Helping Our Budget...</h3><div><br /></div><div>To make the eight sausage rolls, I used one pack of ready-rolled puff pastry, costing Β£1.25. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>There were four slices of breakfast Lorne used (cut in half so making eight pieces in total.) The cost per pack is Β£4.40 but Since we bulk buy the sausage as part of our monthly "big shop" we buy it in one kilo (2.2 lbs) packs which cost Β£4.40. Each pack has sixteen slices but we bought it as part of a "deal" where you can buy two packs for Β£8, giving us thirty two slices to pack away in the freezer. So, thirty two slices at a cost of Β£8 would mean each slice costs 25p. </div><div><br /></div><div>One pack of ready rolled puff pastry Β£1.25</div><div>Sausage slices<span> (4 x 25p) </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span>Β£1.00</span></span><span> </span></div><div>Β½ onion <span> </span><u>Β£0.15</u> </div><div><br /></div>Total for eight (home made) sausage rolls: Β£2.40 (or 30p each.) This could have been even less if I'd made my own puff pastry, as I normally would, but I had the pack of puff pastry on hand so I decided to use it. </div><div><br /></div><div>In fact it worked so well we've bought packs of ready rolled pastry since for other meal prepping dishes. It's not just pegging out my laundry the arthritis is slowly robbing me off but it's spring, better weather and (hopefully) less pain for all of us "spoonies" (gentle hugs for fellow spooniesπ€) </div><div><br /></div><div>The Greggs sausage rolls we would normally buy cost Β£5.75 per pack of eight. This means that Hubby's favourite sausage rolls would cost 72p each. That's quite a saving and as they say, it all adds up. Really though, even at Β£5.75 (or 72p each) the frozen, cook-them-at-home sausage rolls are still a bargain because I googled the price, in store, for them and it's apparently Β£1.15 each. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is why we've been meal planning and meal prepping so much more these past few months. Just a little extra work can pay off huge dividends in the housekeeping budget as well as make life easier every day. </div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone is interested honeys, I'll write a post on how we meal plan for the month, it really has been amazing in helping us save money on our grocery bill. It's so good to know each day what dinner will be that night and, mostly even having the lasagne or enchiladas or whatever else we're having waiting for me in the freezer. They're there because we plan ahead and on days when we make a lasagne, we'll batch cook to make two extras to freeze for later in the month. So simple.π </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">More Sausage Rolls...</h3><div><br /></div><div>I thought I'd include a last couple of photos for you honeys. These other sausage rolls (shown in the image below) were made by Hubby, he used skinless sausages with an added layer of mashed potato and diced onion... </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUhe5bPPNrac2XNY-pboHY1Q2lUqGb3cqJgNRKjkhJAoW7Et7T9NjEqT08-cpDaiKo3A_bDLNhMId3kTpQwWzt1U9IUwW_c4_oiLThWTePHQYQTSmtugg_RtVbqZK-CQIiMd1GnSA7BmWJBDTZXmORzqllBtIOANa9ww3RX2qAbfICX-5eCU_NQ5hiw/s1268/8%20homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The second attempt was made by Hubby who used skinless sausages with an added layer of mashed potato and onion. Again, while a couple were baked (and enjoyed) the unbaked sausage rolls were wrapped in baking parchment/paper and were frozen for future meals/snacks." border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1268" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUhe5bPPNrac2XNY-pboHY1Q2lUqGb3cqJgNRKjkhJAoW7Et7T9NjEqT08-cpDaiKo3A_bDLNhMId3kTpQwWzt1U9IUwW_c4_oiLThWTePHQYQTSmtugg_RtVbqZK-CQIiMd1GnSA7BmWJBDTZXmORzqllBtIOANa9ww3RX2qAbfICX-5eCU_NQ5hiw/w640-h396/8%20homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - The second attempt was made by Hubby who used skinless sausages with an added layer of mashed potato and onion. Again, while a couple were baked (and enjoyed) the unbaked sausage rolls were wrapped in baking parchment/paper and were frozen for future meals/snacks." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div> Again, a couple were baked (and enjoyed.. yum!) Hubby even added a layer of tomato puree as a base for two of them as a sort of experiment. The unbaked sausage rolls, when they were all assembled, were wrapped in baking parchment/paper, placed into a container and were frozen for future meals/snacks.</div><div><br /></div><div>The two sausage rolls we baked were lovely and made a fabulous snack with a cuppa.β</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6izi0EA8zB6I_AKqUK6E9vYyXhmbNeA9jbfCC-1OKKO0uyCuSlgqEF1P-Jvme7ibwDyX4Q5nqEQjRZUSd-yegEDR38aTsOEnSOlMdXlD052Ybn1VKMAdkbKUY_7xlgATe1RurPa6-zs0vALwCBYMR9jlXIvlUOXgy8mikZVuvAybwk4Q134ghFPttfg/s1226/9%20homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Baked until the pastry is a golden brown, these sausage rolls were so good!" border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1226" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6izi0EA8zB6I_AKqUK6E9vYyXhmbNeA9jbfCC-1OKKO0uyCuSlgqEF1P-Jvme7ibwDyX4Q5nqEQjRZUSd-yegEDR38aTsOEnSOlMdXlD052Ybn1VKMAdkbKUY_7xlgATe1RurPa6-zs0vALwCBYMR9jlXIvlUOXgy8mikZVuvAybwk4Q134ghFPttfg/w640-h446/9%20homemade%20sausage%20rolls.jpg" title="Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - Baked until the pastry is a golden brown, these sausage rolls were so good!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Over to you then honeys. Do you meal plan or prep? Have you found any ways to reduce your grocery or housekeeping bills? Please feel free to share in the comments section below. </div><div><br /></div><div>Till next time dear ones, thank you for keeping me company and see you again soon, hugs always xx</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMVIiQ1cLCTzybU_eigFQXWQZEY8F_Ugprw8zClGTpET8Efl92np7zwZKVxyYIqVyq_RPQd3qRwBJilQEbLlbJvy1QSigq8IDuUp4p25--gsGo3HFGOJYxW3iEsXh3opWUhRIMcMwOiN-uxoZGefTivN2z161-hwAerHr4xaHCMw5co-oFziputwgfA/s1007/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1007" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMVIiQ1cLCTzybU_eigFQXWQZEY8F_Ugprw8zClGTpET8Efl92np7zwZKVxyYIqVyq_RPQd3qRwBJilQEbLlbJvy1QSigq8IDuUp4p25--gsGo3HFGOJYxW3iEsXh3opWUhRIMcMwOiN-uxoZGefTivN2z161-hwAerHr4xaHCMw5co-oFziputwgfA/w640-h430/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-66589256527672049762023-03-31T23:39:00.001+00:002023-04-03T13:46:39.694+00:00Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°<p>Disclaimer: I'm not being paid to promote any products or shops honeys, just wanted to share some adorable, tiny gifts from Hubby that just made my day and thought maybe they'd make you smile tooπ</p><div style="text-align: left;">Hello Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy new yearπ₯³πππ€π₯°ππ Yes, yes, I know dear ones, we're at the end of March really (as I'm writing this, it's 31st March but it might be April 1st by the time I press publish) I've been stuck. Trapped. For quite a long time. I still am, sort of, but I'm working on an escape plan... </div><p>"Escape from what or where Rosie?" I hear you say. Well, from a place that isn't on a map honeys. For me, it can be far too easy to find my way there and far more difficult to find the way out again.π </p><p>I've been working on a post for almost two weeks now, trying to explain what's been happening and I can't get it to say what I want to say. Maybe now isn't the time to talk about it, dear ones. </p><p>Now is the time for positive things, happiness, anything that brings smiles with it because smiles are sorely needed right now it feels like...π₯ππ°</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlbsnKSXGhHU3Ouy4rKm6izi-Oqafcd6gRdb7WnYwdw570u4nhc1PBtYZF7SaiIuiP2hlj6Zmxs9_sX5QNZpRMY7PIQUaKrtSLV2J_F_e5j_QAdBbEQwuKRlRgXSWLj5VMJGpj4K86mxzCLJqb2Zf-gyRTeTia8C0VFsGzGHkFPAw03L-R36N0Nsj7Q/s1200/1%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring" border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1200" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlbsnKSXGhHU3Ouy4rKm6izi-Oqafcd6gRdb7WnYwdw570u4nhc1PBtYZF7SaiIuiP2hlj6Zmxs9_sX5QNZpRMY7PIQUaKrtSLV2J_F_e5j_QAdBbEQwuKRlRgXSWLj5VMJGpj4K86mxzCLJqb2Zf-gyRTeTia8C0VFsGzGHkFPAw03L-R36N0Nsj7Q/w640-h444/1%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Every year I dread the arrival of winter, to be honest I'm not even all that keen on autumn actually, but winter... yuk! Even when I still had my job, winter brought with it a giant, heavy blanket of ick and the beginning of months of cold, grey nothingness that's only filled by me counting down to the arrival of spring. If you've ever experienced a Scottish winter, you'll know what I mean dear ones....</div><div><br /></div><div>Spring though, while it hasn't exactly sprung yet, according to the weatherman it's officially arrived and that's good enough for me.π₯ππ°π</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Spring Cuteness Overload...</h2><div><br /></div>To celebrate (slightly) brighter days outside, baby birds in the garden at the feeders and just an all round need for smilesπ I thought I'd share the latest, smiley additions to our home. Almost all of them have been gifts from Hubby (thank you sweetheart x) and each of them made me smileπ <div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Spring arrives in the kitchen...</h3><div><br /></div><div>New cookie cutters!π Hubby appeared with these a couple of weekends ago and I was so chuffed! How adorable are they honeys? I already have a bunny and an egg cookie cutter in my baking collection already though so I think I'll add the existing ones to my crafting things and these new wee cutters can join my baking collection. I just love them!π </div><div><br /></div><div>What could be better than new cookie cutters? Only a carrot shaped whiskπ₯ </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiot27mnMCEBgUEe8IcfkkMWXh36C19C2IIh4KnUM27pZBn8Nl9ph7sTgC21VBdgUOd3z0a3QDxwZ4zxgk5vh-fxmvOndRn4E8SLwVXcmEXW-7RNASuBk3lssuSJU-mgUKOsep7mvNy2MXmY40mFm3JoHQdQ3mIzk8p_b5oNXm16vYcoHGNjiNPLgjjlA/s1262/2%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1262" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiot27mnMCEBgUEe8IcfkkMWXh36C19C2IIh4KnUM27pZBn8Nl9ph7sTgC21VBdgUOd3z0a3QDxwZ4zxgk5vh-fxmvOndRn4E8SLwVXcmEXW-7RNASuBk3lssuSJU-mgUKOsep7mvNy2MXmY40mFm3JoHQdQ3mIzk8p_b5oNXm16vYcoHGNjiNPLgjjlA/w640-h534/2%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This has to be the best, coolest, carrotiest whisk I've ever seen and I just adore it.π A couple of years ago I spotted something similar in a shopping haul video on Youtube. It was in an American shop called Target I think, but I couldn't find one anywhere (back in the days when I went outside) and I really didn't think we'd ever see them over here. It's definitely a smiley addition to our kitchen. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next is the cutest little salt and pepper set in the shape of a little bunny and, you guessed it, a carrot.π₯ There is definitely a carrot based theme emerging here but it's adorable, it's making me smile so I'm fine with it.π</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRdDBf6KKxF5NHGsDnGVE6fT2LVGSgvoyKG1IL_sge3OVrO8p7tCCHwAXkGeXyu50Nvn77hwAMo7zt_Upm4higVp0Ue5nrQ60gr_XoRhYRur4FhIRmll0NslYTWigEFcEnUUArR2rjnRgYHz1kpv18_NgIbAMhHI7iJJRElm2zZLIn6JwtQq51DpSLA/s1279/3%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1279" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRdDBf6KKxF5NHGsDnGVE6fT2LVGSgvoyKG1IL_sge3OVrO8p7tCCHwAXkGeXyu50Nvn77hwAMo7zt_Upm4higVp0Ue5nrQ60gr_XoRhYRur4FhIRmll0NslYTWigEFcEnUUArR2rjnRgYHz1kpv18_NgIbAMhHI7iJJRElm2zZLIn6JwtQq51DpSLA/w640-h440/3%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next up is the sweetest little ceramic plate and yes, it's a carrotπ₯</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAJSh-AMmtjVMhJWCiVswe_3tWqRj2UZPX6MZ7VqSxa3gYSDOd6HTbWYTa9YAvUhc7Oj8mpF0XQB6FpVhpuJrGH0IMCnS-wy--E0WU2LlUn7GAA5ds51GZ_pQ2jhm_-9xb0B-EJm64nH6STVAD3S7ZPaEuRoMZrXGlITRzEV1ohSUpkzj9ObKdkW9AA/s1279/4%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1279" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAJSh-AMmtjVMhJWCiVswe_3tWqRj2UZPX6MZ7VqSxa3gYSDOd6HTbWYTa9YAvUhc7Oj8mpF0XQB6FpVhpuJrGH0IMCnS-wy--E0WU2LlUn7GAA5ds51GZ_pQ2jhm_-9xb0B-EJm64nH6STVAD3S7ZPaEuRoMZrXGlITRzEV1ohSUpkzj9ObKdkW9AA/w640-h310/4%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's so adorable! Perfect for filling with spring and Easter themed cookies or cupcakes and since I haven't baked in a while it's a great excuse to get back into the kitchen again.π </div><div><br /></div><div>Last of my spring themed gifts from Hubby was this pack of tiny crafting carrotsπ₯ I didn't even know there was any such thing as crafting carrots but here they are, in all their cuteness.π Now I just have to break out my other crafting supplies and see if I can figure out a project in need of tiny, adorable carrots...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwE5IMS4PnZH8nopw43SUiY3Vxr69Kb94-wuYNZwztpRu8Yg-x2Yt11DnFlu3MfFprBgKLwvwRcrbMBheXVwgFAqYLwgMb9oLtxV_KLmIELT5qmUA0kXoBuImd79NVIgczWH-eheHUJH_h5p8RWYvGWROtrk8gQu49w6Zu5hN7I3tMrMiP7DwLIqChQ/s1394/5%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwE5IMS4PnZH8nopw43SUiY3Vxr69Kb94-wuYNZwztpRu8Yg-x2Yt11DnFlu3MfFprBgKLwvwRcrbMBheXVwgFAqYLwgMb9oLtxV_KLmIELT5qmUA0kXoBuImd79NVIgczWH-eheHUJH_h5p8RWYvGWROtrk8gQu49w6Zu5hN7I3tMrMiP7DwLIqChQ/w550-h640/5%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="550" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In case anyone is curious and wants to add any of these wee smiles to their own kitchens, I asked Hubby where he'd found them and he said Home Bargains and Poundland, hope that helps honeys.π€</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Garden Smiles π±π₯ππ
π</h3><div><br /></div><div>Last item is something I spotted on Amazon honeys. Do you remember last year I had asked Hubby to add some rails to our back door so that I could grow some herbs there? If you missed it, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/search?q=herbs" target="_blank">you can see the post here.π€</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Well, this year, in an effort to make myself go outside, even if it's only as far as the garden, I ordered this pack of assorted seeds...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBBEeLLY3MoTQhuuRi9xzYeG4a3zRxbMtK1rcKy1QNI0Flg0Qa5ze_a1b6HImuT_8x_pPyX-plzgm9AIo5zUQ-x3sgR7kTijJxftOHh2Xjm5aeQolrBVJQ6r7zKEkMpCasy2Oo-8OaOItiq-jEgkVGyza5Q7SjLnl3aotRvLkgTnI7wYQlNh4MKiQ8Q/s1189/6%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1189" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBBEeLLY3MoTQhuuRi9xzYeG4a3zRxbMtK1rcKy1QNI0Flg0Qa5ze_a1b6HImuT_8x_pPyX-plzgm9AIo5zUQ-x3sgR7kTijJxftOHh2Xjm5aeQolrBVJQ6r7zKEkMpCasy2Oo-8OaOItiq-jEgkVGyza5Q7SjLnl3aotRvLkgTnI7wYQlNh4MKiQ8Q/w640-h506/6%20Spring%20cuteness%20overload.jpg" title="Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Springπ₯ππ°" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There are ten different things to grow, with their seeds all sorted into tiny individual sachets. There are seeds to grow cabbage, parsnips, aubergines, red onions, leeks, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes and.... carrots.π₯π</div><div><br /></div><div>I've no idea if I'll be able to grow anything, other than my herbs, but Hubby says he'll help and I've been told by a sweet friend that tomatoes are quite easy to grow on the kitchen window ledge. </div><div><br /></div><div>I really do want to get back out into my garden, my poor roses have been totally neglected for the past two years. I need to make an effort. </div><div><br /></div><div>What are you planning for the spring and summer honeys? Are you off on holiday anywhere? What are you doing over the Easter weekend? Till next time dear ones, thank you for keeping me company, hugs always x</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCAQkPdssJP0G0_8bF60sosVpsTNSCbsRvv4DH0foSJfflh_Y5Uh0clG7JLSf2ClJZOXX8b9pCuaS3FkVWXkCLVeEoFaQ1sG58tAABFjOMZCl1FHImeNnK8gPzvbocnxro48wNBYfsEfTYuI8aH0U_LYQZytToVogTAm8Nl2vDubzc4MMQ0v-6lDh4g/s1007/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs Always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1007" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCAQkPdssJP0G0_8bF60sosVpsTNSCbsRvv4DH0foSJfflh_Y5Uh0clG7JLSf2ClJZOXX8b9pCuaS3FkVWXkCLVeEoFaQ1sG58tAABFjOMZCl1FHImeNnK8gPzvbocnxro48wNBYfsEfTYuI8aH0U_LYQZytToVogTAm8Nl2vDubzc4MMQ0v-6lDh4g/w640-h430/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs Always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-20744428262912292102022-12-03T15:22:00.000+00:002022-12-03T15:22:50.799+00:00Harry And His New Broomπ§Ή Sharing A Little Smileπ₯°<p>Disclaimer: I'm not being paid to promote any products or shops honeys but had to share the silliest, tiniest wee thing that just made my day.π</p><div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">Warning!! Moany person alert!!π Not really. I am battling a chronically exhausted body that keeps yelling at me but as any spoonie knows, that just means it's a day with a "y" in it (gentle hugs for fellow spooniesπ€) If you've visited before dear ones, you'll know I don't do pity parties so there is an "up" side. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a good excuse though to mention my yearly countdown to spring (only 107 days now honeysπ₯°) I'm determined to get things done in 2023. Time just seems to be flying past us, where has this past year gone? So, time to sit down, make some plans and get to work on them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">First on the list has to be decluttering our home. Seriously honeys, I need the rooms in our home to be emptier, calmer, and I want to be able to push the vacuum cleaner around without having to move things first.</div><p>Enough of my moaning myrtle impression though dear ones. On to today's postπ₯° It's a silly wee thing really but I wanted to share because it made me smile, and what better to share than a wee smile (silly or otherwiseπ₯°) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4sB3xbVxn3v5u8AW4p8bq6MxmcmRBaekHsBFfTkVmiDcLwPfONm5U_gfhC6nyq9Oq1OG3mqbfaM5yh-Tq0wkmHTXKrOwCkFgs4VdVOlul_cOtnsr0VL4oYO9qrDDAfJTa2Jj5K5v9SeykhsjHNoAlRaZwX4uJTqfK6xxiQ8Ho6rMjpJpJxqk8bvhqg/s1102/1%20Harry%20Meerkat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1102" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4sB3xbVxn3v5u8AW4p8bq6MxmcmRBaekHsBFfTkVmiDcLwPfONm5U_gfhC6nyq9Oq1OG3mqbfaM5yh-Tq0wkmHTXKrOwCkFgs4VdVOlul_cOtnsr0VL4oYO9qrDDAfJTa2Jj5K5v9SeykhsjHNoAlRaZwX4uJTqfK6xxiQ8Ho6rMjpJpJxqk8bvhqg/w640-h634/1%20Harry%20Meerkat.jpg" title="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Do you remember my little smiley shelf with my Potter themed gnomes honeys? <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/11/happy-halloween-everybody.html" target="_blank">You can see them here,</a> in the Halloween post. Well, the tiny "cubbie" of the shelf unit that is home to my little meerkat gnome in his Gryffindor robes is starting to become quite a little dioramaπ <div><br /></div><div>The latest addition is a pen, believe it or not. Hubby brought it home for me and instantly it just had to join Harry (what else could I name him, really honeys?) in his little homeπ₯° <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOE2m51RTJ60tpNb0gQa4jgpg6kvTvKfI77vvNQUFDYev88OoVRrls8DWO0CMRzbLG0M2EJBnqv0b62KUFo5Tq9WFkT5xSvHs9n1aTwza4hNNDTg2h14lAIH7kBGXm0RosLTne1DaSGb2LP_6v2YRVBE2rly9cq0ST0YCdA8igqYU11C9gn2DMLsjqQ/s1011/2%20Harry%20and%20his%20new%20nimbus%20broom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOE2m51RTJ60tpNb0gQa4jgpg6kvTvKfI77vvNQUFDYev88OoVRrls8DWO0CMRzbLG0M2EJBnqv0b62KUFo5Tq9WFkT5xSvHs9n1aTwza4hNNDTg2h14lAIH7kBGXm0RosLTne1DaSGb2LP_6v2YRVBE2rly9cq0ST0YCdA8igqYU11C9gn2DMLsjqQ/w582-h640/2%20Harry%20and%20his%20new%20nimbus%20broom.jpg" title="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" width="582" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yes, it's a pen, shaped to resemble Harry's famous Nimbus 2000 broomstick. This little pen is among the latest Potter themed range at Primark and it's just the right size too...</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuLnX8msA9Nu7IS94QwuXfeE39lAS_yJadRvFVIlXAE_Eu_QvUGP4WL6nzcP3hd2EjoqPkn37U_qujXMvdVx8Vl1-g53xgjwGweR5D5Yjapw2rnY1pyvOl1BriBCaOafg0sVVWIz6VVnfy89oe9tQ7iMapLOc2y-MCtZwORRP6Ib7GWMchywB6XaPDA/s1102/3%20Harry%20and%20Nimbus%20broom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1102" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuLnX8msA9Nu7IS94QwuXfeE39lAS_yJadRvFVIlXAE_Eu_QvUGP4WL6nzcP3hd2EjoqPkn37U_qujXMvdVx8Vl1-g53xgjwGweR5D5Yjapw2rnY1pyvOl1BriBCaOafg0sVVWIz6VVnfy89oe9tQ7iMapLOc2y-MCtZwORRP6Ib7GWMchywB6XaPDA/w640-h634/3%20Harry%20and%20Nimbus%20broom.jpg" title="Sharing a little smile: Harry meerkat has a new Nimbus broomstick (which is also a pen!)" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What do you think honeys? I'm loving how his little shelf is changing. The tiny "books" are made of a sort of heavy pottery or clay (not sure) and Hubby spotted them in either Poundland or One Below, and the tiny cauldron is a candle and came from Poundland last year in the run up to Halloweenπ The adorable wee owl is so old he's practically vintage and has been with me since my mid teens (told you he was oldπ) </div><div><br /></div><div>Now Harry Meerkat has his Nimbus broomstick tooπ§Ήπ₯° What's making you smile today? Are you starting to get excited about the holidays yet? Have you started decorating? Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope you have the best time with the most smiles.π€ Till next time dear ones, stay warm and hugs always x</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBZ5u_F6mmpQHU_rNqLxkQFoLKD4PRfbq-0Ac68f51DKdz4AYJJLp5MOUIck95Sp3mAhUqg6ZIeEdvKxdJK9SZhoPF8snRVPsMFHFytLdRC4IqVQonF9gfEfKBmC3jeK0syzBbsTlzxc_cxSjdSofwSi1bGOMjjrc4ObUDorPdYff9a0u3W_CfSgAlA/s998/Hugs%20always%20rosebuds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="998" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBZ5u_F6mmpQHU_rNqLxkQFoLKD4PRfbq-0Ac68f51DKdz4AYJJLp5MOUIck95Sp3mAhUqg6ZIeEdvKxdJK9SZhoPF8snRVPsMFHFytLdRC4IqVQonF9gfEfKBmC3jeK0syzBbsTlzxc_cxSjdSofwSi1bGOMjjrc4ObUDorPdYff9a0u3W_CfSgAlA/w640-h480/Hugs%20always%20rosebuds.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-48513787124558934742022-11-30T21:30:00.000+00:002022-11-30T21:30:10.981+00:00Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels π<div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy Saint Andrews Day to fellow Scots, and lovers of Scotland, wherever you are on our wee planetπ€ How did we manage to find ourselves at the end of November already? This past year has flown past at a terrible speed. It's enough to leave folk dizzy! </div><p>I'm not holding my breath but I'm optimistically hoping that I might be finding a way back to a happier me.... <touch wood.> Depression can steal time away from us if we let it honeys and I've let it do that for long enough I think. In no time it'll be Hogmanay (new years eve) again and next year has to get better, doesn't it? </p><p>On to todays post then honeys. For quite a while now hubby and I have been trying to eat a little healthier. No to fast food/take aways and yes to home cooked yumminess.π I don't go out anymore (other than being popped into a taxi to go to the Drs or hospital) so hubby does our weekly shop (thank you sweetheart x) We've gotten interested in meal prepping, making double batches of things and (what hubby refers to as "banking meals" for nights when we want something quick to prepare but also healthy too. </p><p>A recent hit has been these super gooey, super yummy pizza wheelsπ</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5YlbWTqc5_pyF8UYW6W5j1yyiXvmsXhNyGyoITCRSaUNV3sK-HK_s-CeONaj9u2Q-UdsxgxNtZVDe_7b2Skc2AuSYppUF4wF-Djs2t_AdGFDtDb8tRB0KeuJF8a51nLyicwNgr1TvYJQamQDoqdksrVv9rjpvSF21qkB-OBdK_KTjYMkXBLi14bjOw/s1083/1%20Delicious%20pizza%20wheels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="1083" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5YlbWTqc5_pyF8UYW6W5j1yyiXvmsXhNyGyoITCRSaUNV3sK-HK_s-CeONaj9u2Q-UdsxgxNtZVDe_7b2Skc2AuSYppUF4wF-Djs2t_AdGFDtDb8tRB0KeuJF8a51nLyicwNgr1TvYJQamQDoqdksrVv9rjpvSF21qkB-OBdK_KTjYMkXBLi14bjOw/w640-h364/1%20Delicious%20pizza%20wheels.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Do you remember the rolls we made recently from the two ingredient dough? If you missed it, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/easiest-ever-yummiest-2-ingredient.html" target="_blank">you can see that post here honeys.</a> Well, that same dough is perfect to use as a base for these pizza wheels and it really does only have two ingredients. That dough really is amazing, it can be used for so many things. Back to todays post then, and those delicious pizza wheels.π <div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Extra Yummy Pizza Wheelsπ</h3><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></h4><div><br /></div><div>2 x two ingredient dough (made with 2 cups Greek yogurt & 2 cups self raising flour.)</div><div><b>or</b></div><div>1 roll of ready made pizza dough (sold in chilled aisles, pre-rolled into a rectangle shape) </div><div><br /></div><div>Tomato puree</div><div><br /></div><div>Toppings of choice <div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Directions: </b></div><div><br /></div><div>1. Pre-heat oven to <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">180C or 350F or gas mark 4.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>2. <b>If using the two ingredient dough,</b> make up a "double batch" honeys. Just double the ingredients, so two cups of self raising flour and two cups of Greek yogurt. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/easiest-ever-yummiest-2-ingredient.html" target="_blank">Full details of the two ingredient dough can be found here.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Cut a rectangle of parchment to the size of a baking/cookie sheet (rectangle shape, slightly larger than a sheet of A4 paper approximately) and roll out dough to this shape and size. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>If using a roll of ready made dough,</b> open the box and roll out the pizza dough (found in most supermarkets in the chilled aisle) <b>leaving the pizza dough on the baking paper/parchment it comes rolled in.</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>3. When the pizza base is rolled out onto it's parchment, we can go ahead and start putting our pizza together. This is the fun part and tiny humans would love to choose their favourite toppings and help to layer the pizza. </div><div><br /></div><div>We began by coating the surface with a layer of tomato puree. This was followed by a layer of grated cheddar and then a good sprinkling of diced onion...</div><div> <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45XB0tABzUIhhdla4BtuRDO1wWq6SATsUDVvH_37BjVoYuielkJdKVU-NKPKRQb4j1Qyzbi7f_NXje3zQviv92qZp_PrULJ3I8Bi7nJ-4bp4fDaQXjS91RkaEuwtmnTphn_lc8fYOfbCYz5392pyQtqZB_mONCwsFZVHO0sJfhxc6jKrz092m_zd1fA/s1221/3%20pizza%20wheels%20prep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="1221" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45XB0tABzUIhhdla4BtuRDO1wWq6SATsUDVvH_37BjVoYuielkJdKVU-NKPKRQb4j1Qyzbi7f_NXje3zQviv92qZp_PrULJ3I8Bi7nJ-4bp4fDaQXjS91RkaEuwtmnTphn_lc8fYOfbCYz5392pyQtqZB_mONCwsFZVHO0sJfhxc6jKrz092m_zd1fA/w640-h260/3%20pizza%20wheels%20prep.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next was a good sprinkling or mozzarella cheese (I cut two balls of mozzarella into small pieces) and then a good shake of Italian herbs from our spice rail...</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtuv80qYBJR6RHSyOM4HjcLtL0C7fT1Ucn4s_gk_oMmtjZQItppBSrt_zuGHc0ZugqKxN4GfuZ48SsvOLpASPPXKnIeseAfzJPRc5uagngU1r238ztuDt62FSgRpUzh5dAjuemVqRwNVUN-rgnx5lpymqD6GfpE0qvVpFScp5AtDvDNdzCgDpuVhXKw/s1180/4%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1180" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtuv80qYBJR6RHSyOM4HjcLtL0C7fT1Ucn4s_gk_oMmtjZQItppBSrt_zuGHc0ZugqKxN4GfuZ48SsvOLpASPPXKnIeseAfzJPRc5uagngU1r238ztuDt62FSgRpUzh5dAjuemVqRwNVUN-rgnx5lpymqD6GfpE0qvVpFScp5AtDvDNdzCgDpuVhXKw/w640-h306/4%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>4. Time for another fun bit honeys! Next we start from one of the shorter edges (one of the sides) of the pizza and gently (being careful not to spill any of the toppings) fold over the edge to form the start of our roll...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ezz-5N6UtIawNFaNF5_pC0u0-EJo0hzrEQNjdu8YpattKVPlzsT3KDXdRi2wr8bDL9TFYxvuHTGCgl2JliTNq7UeK5YKygheFiJeNPjXsLy4D81FWhNu6_S2GdYnwq8TtSbiSOAgc_ROSfSIOtMKJtLaI26Or25jQSevJPcNb_VZevOQECeK_0sP_Q/s1186/5%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1186" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ezz-5N6UtIawNFaNF5_pC0u0-EJo0hzrEQNjdu8YpattKVPlzsT3KDXdRi2wr8bDL9TFYxvuHTGCgl2JliTNq7UeK5YKygheFiJeNPjXsLy4D81FWhNu6_S2GdYnwq8TtSbiSOAgc_ROSfSIOtMKJtLaI26Or25jQSevJPcNb_VZevOQECeK_0sP_Q/w640-h332/5%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Continue to roll up the pizza, as tightly as needed to keep the pizza toppings in place but not tight enough to make it flat. Remember to keep moving the parchment paper back as each roll is made so that the paper isn't inside your roll. We don't want to be eating paper with our pizza wheels!π</div><div><br /></div><div>Imagine you're making a swiss roll honeys. Have you ever made one of those? If not, <a href="You can see a step by step here." target="_blank">You can see a step by step here.</a> Unlike the swiss roll, we're not baking the pizza base before using it, but the rolling technique is very similar.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. When the pizza is rolled, wrap it firmly in the parchment paper to keep its shape and place into the freezer for 20-30 minutes to allow it to partially freeze (just a little.) This makes it easier to cut into slices, these slices become our pizza wheels... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64jLL1huX9eaAGNwAsjmT_n3R1LWfI3wieKg7KAZFsSAyE0FP98JpQRCrZZPwNKJDAzMYVJGdyaN3NrqfuES_5HcQOgtmxvYNOPbeqhrz0lF7QU0UAAEvAh_iLpn8kxlcn0aEl1c7GYjLgc6pQQMXKvfeqKaUsJ0F5AusZuSQC955GmHYo-gtc1dYCA/s1179/6%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="1179" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64jLL1huX9eaAGNwAsjmT_n3R1LWfI3wieKg7KAZFsSAyE0FP98JpQRCrZZPwNKJDAzMYVJGdyaN3NrqfuES_5HcQOgtmxvYNOPbeqhrz0lF7QU0UAAEvAh_iLpn8kxlcn0aEl1c7GYjLgc6pQQMXKvfeqKaUsJ0F5AusZuSQC955GmHYo-gtc1dYCA/w640-h258/6%20Pizza%20wheel%20prep.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the pizza wheels shown in these photos, I used a sheet of ready made pizza dough and this resulted in nine perfect slices (shown above) and this left enough pizza roll to make eight more slices. The left over slices, were placed into a container and frozen for next time we feel like a pizza night.π </div><div><br /></div><div>Before freezing, I placed a small piece of parchment paper between each pizza wheel so that they wouldn't freeze all stuck together..</div><div><br /></div><div>The pizza wheels we wanted to cook were, as you saw above, placed onto a non stick baking/cookie sheet and placed into the pre-heated oven and baked until golden brown and bubbling. This took 18-20 minutes...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6pZdtIjFOiGYpRwJmZwlcAjH8-EVkOX_8RfUiTCTe5xnXn6fOfKLF7BMfsRz75XlVmeMiTKctoeJjllPQy3BQcsTKXYhM-rFwYIZttGojyuY_g_mI3GXR5Ku1pWwQdX0UdLejv7LHixf9oUAFg9hziNptDW7xdPKMSsyxeXJYCV9cKdmLv_0tV_SWw/s1083/7%20Pizza%20wheels%20cooked.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="1083" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6pZdtIjFOiGYpRwJmZwlcAjH8-EVkOX_8RfUiTCTe5xnXn6fOfKLF7BMfsRz75XlVmeMiTKctoeJjllPQy3BQcsTKXYhM-rFwYIZttGojyuY_g_mI3GXR5Ku1pWwQdX0UdLejv7LHixf9oUAFg9hziNptDW7xdPKMSsyxeXJYCV9cKdmLv_0tV_SWw/w640-h364/7%20Pizza%20wheels%20cooked.jpg" title="Making Extra Yummy Pizza Wheels πThese pizza wheels are sure to be a favourite with all the family (especially tiny humans) and they're so easy and quick to make too. Why not make up two batches and freeze some for a mid week snack or movie night?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There are no words for how delicious these pizza wheels were honeys. We had them for dinner with a crunchy green salad, yum!π </div><div><br /></div><div>Do you meal prep? Our freezer usually has assorted dishes of lasagne, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/08/super-easy-super-yummy-cheesy-mashed.html" target="_blank">fluffy mashed potato (or cheesy mash potato</a>) There are<a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/10/blogtober-day-20-meal-prepping.html" target="_blank"> breakfast rolls</a> (or muffins to our American cousins.) Lots of yumminess, all waiting to be taken out and enjoyed. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-tiny-easy-hack-to-make-having-your.html" target="_blank">There is even a zip lock bag of freshly squeezed lemon juice frozen into ice cubes</a>. This makes having my daily lemon and hot water so easy to make, even on days when I'm not feeling at my best. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hoping you're having the best week dear ones, thank you for keeping me company tonight, it means more than I can say.π€π Till next time, mountains of hugs always x</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6fJIizeVUGtzBaKOgE1n45Umg5KIhStfMchrudR7UWoeYrH29W-7ov7XMEI1pzmTDKJnSHSO-iQV9q5Pq4kLGIyDVtHgoOHaeNx8q41RW3YHk_niB6TXTwHxR_QIGxXNdl-J9mDseMDMM_2XaQu2g-bxETrQBScE8w0KJtN2fl5TY1x_VjKj2jLhcA/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6fJIizeVUGtzBaKOgE1n45Umg5KIhStfMchrudR7UWoeYrH29W-7ov7XMEI1pzmTDKJnSHSO-iQV9q5Pq4kLGIyDVtHgoOHaeNx8q41RW3YHk_niB6TXTwHxR_QIGxXNdl-J9mDseMDMM_2XaQu2g-bxETrQBScE8w0KJtN2fl5TY1x_VjKj2jLhcA/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-69936160823096484192022-11-01T00:28:00.000+00:002022-11-01T00:28:27.517+00:00Happy Halloween Everybody π€ππππ<div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys,</div><div style="text-align: left;">How can it be the end of Blogtober already? Every year this happens, time passes so quickly that before you know it, it's done again.π Best thing is that the last day of Blogtober is also one of my favourite days of the year! </div><p>Happy Halloween honeysπ€ππππ I thought I'd get my little gnomes to wish you a happy Halloween too.π </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QM8UJQMNK8XKzXWO6d5vHFBuQ9BCZ0sBXQljgmUprOE3cmCB4I1Rui9QeGljqXLCh04rl_FccTgyOKZr5bDIeKeU2UvZH5wr1jyn_opb01RzsPcnFL5CFakbGIkcJqqDts-SzcPjZCSWqFeQl-ZnENVAx93K8WOObP2t4qPzs51NK9QLKBpFjRNhsQ/s1432/1%20Happy%20Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ" border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1432" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QM8UJQMNK8XKzXWO6d5vHFBuQ9BCZ0sBXQljgmUprOE3cmCB4I1Rui9QeGljqXLCh04rl_FccTgyOKZr5bDIeKeU2UvZH5wr1jyn_opb01RzsPcnFL5CFakbGIkcJqqDts-SzcPjZCSWqFeQl-ZnENVAx93K8WOObP2t4qPzs51NK9QLKBpFjRNhsQ/w640-h278/1%20Happy%20Halloween.jpg" title="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There's Minerva (of course, what else would I call her?π) with her crystal ball and cauldron (and a tiny ghost friend.) Next to Minerva is Harry Meerkat in his Gryffindor uniform and robes and even a tiny owl friend.π¦ Yes, I know, it's not Hedwig but he's been with me for so, so many years and is very precious.π¦π They look cool together, don't you think? </div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly then, there is Albus (oh no, stop! You can't be surprised by now?π) There's a theme here, isn't there honeys? Yes, yes, I'm a Potter fan. At work we always dressed up each year and once <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-halloween-smile.html" target="_blank">I even managed to convince a tiny human that I was in fact a student at Hogwarts.ππ</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>I saw the first movie because one of my favourite actors was in it (the much missed, much loved Mr Rickmanπ) and was hooked. Albus was a gift from a very dear friend (thank you Sarah x) and is one of my treasures.π He has lovely, twinkly, friendly eyes, just like the real Albus.ππ</div><div><br /></div>Whatever you have planned for today/tonight honeys, even if you don't celebrate Halloween at all, whatever you're doing, I hope you're having the best day, that it's the start of the best week and sending so, so many hugs.... <div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFlABD85_s8TixUz3H-Q5owZzSVGRUOxcF0uwUC-REPG8EKSpAttR55Oa15ZG8RnO10oqR7CBRXy62ezkeWMfoZptqQfKokS9B8ufzHJ8C6DWPvahZbQKHhfW98Jxqc-3GAomSh_3vk3zLgrJHy1EYb9iOybRJhYSSo4wb3e0kmf1SqSxw9C0LX3FAQ/s1337/3%20Happy%20Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ" border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1036" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFlABD85_s8TixUz3H-Q5owZzSVGRUOxcF0uwUC-REPG8EKSpAttR55Oa15ZG8RnO10oqR7CBRXy62ezkeWMfoZptqQfKokS9B8ufzHJ8C6DWPvahZbQKHhfW98Jxqc-3GAomSh_3vk3zLgrJHy1EYb9iOybRJhYSSo4wb3e0kmf1SqSxw9C0LX3FAQ/w496-h640/3%20Happy%20Halloween.jpg" title="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ" width="496" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Till next time dear ones, hugs always xx</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnO-ZvBczXX1KantKYiCJQip8CBIiG0YAxFZSYt8VuQVAKhR-nCuK9Cvu_8vUeYGjm91ih4sap9g2Ho-yXtOTU_OSlE28hnP0kKf6Hk5UOHQTIS_2qBdv-3-JtxS9ZghPXixZn7s8F1ganffbE6bdoEeBdqeRRN2DBlU9sckEiG7S2iDEraAlKT0sBg/s640/4%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="640" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnO-ZvBczXX1KantKYiCJQip8CBIiG0YAxFZSYt8VuQVAKhR-nCuK9Cvu_8vUeYGjm91ih4sap9g2Ho-yXtOTU_OSlE28hnP0kKf6Hk5UOHQTIS_2qBdv-3-JtxS9ZghPXixZn7s8F1ganffbE6bdoEeBdqeRRN2DBlU9sckEiG7S2iDEraAlKT0sBg/w640-h584/4%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" title="Happy Halloween Everybodyπ€ππππ Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-32054992515128292082022-11-01T00:23:00.019+00:002022-11-11T10:32:50.981+00:00How 10 Tiny Changes Really Can Make A Big Differenceππ<div>Disclaimer: I have not been paid to recommend any products or stores or items. These are just the tiny ways Hubby and I have been trying to change our home in an effort to live a healthier life and to reduce our impact on the world around us.ππ Do you have any other ideas? Hints? Tips? If so, let me know please in the comments below, hugs x</div><div><br /></div><div>Hi Honeys, </div><div>How are you today? Well, we did it! We've reached the last day of Blogtober for another year and I'm still playing catch up, so today there will be two posts to complete it.π </div><div><br /></div><div>Today's (technically yesterday's but it has so many photos and so much content, well it got to be 1am and I just couldn't finish it, so, here we areπ) Well anyway, for this postπ I thought I'd share ten tiny changes we've made in our home over the past couple of years. Just tiny changes but (hopefully) they all add up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these tiny tweaks have been made to try to live a healthier life, some have been to try to lower our impact on the tiny planet we all share.ππ</div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPa9rEs-SsBgEUiKieg5-QL0EQzHrkKMUwmY2erO698iglLDUSgtruyx2PBRTBr2wmRt4ePk9UBdfXLHVErGd1kCJNCwemuSW6MpA6PjsdtjesPbKUJu49o5y4lBC8aC7L0R4Vo2nH7YCgl7XGnBI5mAT0po532dC4XkI3WkxFjX_xITxcN-kdeQDxQ/s1400/1%20Tiny%20changes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us and save money tooππ" border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1400" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPa9rEs-SsBgEUiKieg5-QL0EQzHrkKMUwmY2erO698iglLDUSgtruyx2PBRTBr2wmRt4ePk9UBdfXLHVErGd1kCJNCwemuSW6MpA6PjsdtjesPbKUJu49o5y4lBC8aC7L0R4Vo2nH7YCgl7XGnBI5mAT0po532dC4XkI3WkxFjX_xITxcN-kdeQDxQ/w640-h470/1%20Tiny%20changes.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us and save money tooππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As I said honeys, there are a lot of photos in this post so it might be a good idea to grab a cuppa and maybe a cookie (or twoπͺ) I'll meet you back here after the page break? See you in a few mins...</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>Welcome back honeys, do you have your cuppa? Me tooβπͺ Put your feet up and get comfy then dear ones and I'll share the ten wee things we've changed.π€π </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">1. Glass replaced our plastic food containers...</h3><div><br /></div><div>A few years ago, I read an article online saying the toxins in plastics can leak into foods, especially when heated in a microwave. This set off panic alarms in my head because both Hubby and I have cancer in our families, we've both lost close family members to that hideous disease, so we try to be as careful as we can. </div><div><br /></div><div>Every day I make sure Hubby has a proper lunch, not a sandwich but a sit down meal. Not a three course, silver service type of lunch (although he's worth it, bless himπ) but enough to keep the munchies at bay till he gets home again. This means that most days he'll have to use the microwave in the office breakroom to warm his lunch. Hubby had a few lunch containers, those ones with the lockable lids? Of course they all had to go! I then spent the afternoon going through our cabinets. All of the assorted plastic was taken out and sorted, what could be recycled (most of it actually) was. </div><div><br /></div><div>This left me with amazingly decluttered cabinets but also with the issue of what to use to pack Hubby's lunches! Not just Hubby's lunches though, what about leftovers, what would I use to store things in the freezer? Then, while browsing online for ideas, I discovered the Ikea 365+ range of glassware. Perfect! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH9dfgfQfJ8qQANAzSmJvloIzqw11P0vSLtHuRiVobmRJGTwpSqjpRK7w38Rce6PjQPT0tKWWZOcSYLL1tXqeldMz2qKYqztv1QxTPsv18Rd_BhEhAy23gSQjF7Ofa3OBOcd7Og1QKEVxd8zL_kBoerL54H7L3Kb26UdIa78Jnu7Qbmi9OT-N2rekzQ/s1197/2%20Glass%20dishes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plasticππ" border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="1197" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH9dfgfQfJ8qQANAzSmJvloIzqw11P0vSLtHuRiVobmRJGTwpSqjpRK7w38Rce6PjQPT0tKWWZOcSYLL1tXqeldMz2qKYqztv1QxTPsv18Rd_BhEhAy23gSQjF7Ofa3OBOcd7Og1QKEVxd8zL_kBoerL54H7L3Kb26UdIa78Jnu7Qbmi9OT-N2rekzQ/w640-h268/2%20Glass%20dishes.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plasticππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ordered I think it was two in each size and shape (square, rectangular and round) with the assorted lids. Over time, we've ordered a few at a time as we were able to and have built our collection Of the lids available, our favourites are the bamboo lids (for storing things in the fridge) and the silicone, lockable lids for Hubby's lunch, and for use in the freezer. The silicone lids help avoid spills in his bag, which also transports his laptop. <div><br /></div><div>In addition to the Ikea glassware, we also bought four sets of preserve jars from Poundland. There are three little jars in each set, giving us a total of twelve, and ours are constantly in use. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbf2RXDdf9KyEGwM6Qle5_3PvRuM9iqF556PTtxDh9-jpBhKsgDlYumElRL9hmADKNskloIyJ-V_NycTAH3xWeDHTFfrhmYXt1wS_MfilKJJkiG16PLUfjIBJKsVH2TdbzsPM9OSM9RFxdeFSFYyog5sBSQme1VEF6Wo4pJFhrMFfy8byXoJZoLQREA/s1059/3%20Preserve%20jars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plastic in our kitchenππ" border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1059" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbf2RXDdf9KyEGwM6Qle5_3PvRuM9iqF556PTtxDh9-jpBhKsgDlYumElRL9hmADKNskloIyJ-V_NycTAH3xWeDHTFfrhmYXt1wS_MfilKJJkiG16PLUfjIBJKsVH2TdbzsPM9OSM9RFxdeFSFYyog5sBSQme1VEF6Wo4pJFhrMFfy8byXoJZoLQREA/w640-h450/3%20Preserve%20jars.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plastic in our kitchenππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Mostly they're to be found in the fridge. Each little jar will have frozen fruit from our freezer placed inside, just enough to fill about a third of the jar. The jar is then topped up with fresh, natural yogurt. </div><div><br /></div><div>These are then placed into the fridge and make a perfect healthy snack when you feel hungry between meals or can be taken to work by Hubby for a mid morning treat. This helps to avoid trips to the vending machine for chocolate.π</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHLEyYaUiWkwSYIOPaF1YSUFcoTWZeU-P1XsUI33aA1Pl-goxbr75wzC5VeemK0_ok0dkeP3_iPn9wdZCRW0UOH2tvxmm4hmdqbGn9SGmExzwPOUFE_gj63oYybjObGlvoMAUuW-NMRQ7m7ZFqKx1V9cc_oiqEmY9aOC71xUY1XI9YwpkE4O2kEquA/s1080/3ba%20Little%20jars%20of%20plain%20yogurt%20with%20fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plastic in our kitchenππ" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHLEyYaUiWkwSYIOPaF1YSUFcoTWZeU-P1XsUI33aA1Pl-goxbr75wzC5VeemK0_ok0dkeP3_iPn9wdZCRW0UOH2tvxmm4hmdqbGn9SGmExzwPOUFE_gj63oYybjObGlvoMAUuW-NMRQ7m7ZFqKx1V9cc_oiqEmY9aOC71xUY1XI9YwpkE4O2kEquA/w622-h640/3ba%20Little%20jars%20of%20plain%20yogurt%20with%20fruit.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plastic in our kitchenππ" width="622" /></a></div><br /><div>It takes just a few minutes to make up lots of little jars of healthy yumminess honeys, the frozen fruit slowly melts in the fridge flavouring the yogurt. The little pots will last around 3-4 days, could be longer I suppose, I've no idea because ours don't last any longer than that.π</div><div><br /></div><div>The tiny preserve jars are also perfect for the steamed vegetable puree I make for our furbaby Jade. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/meal-prepping-pureed-vegetables-for-our.html" target="_blank">You can read about that here honeys.</a> We even use one of the jars to store cinnamon sticks for Hubbys tea too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Having all of these lovely glass dishes gave us the meal prepping bug honeys. We discovered that if, on a Sunday, we made a huge batch of lovely, fresh, crunchy salad and packed it into those glass dishes with the airtight lids, it easily lasts through till the following Friday! This is wonderful!! During the summer months I can make sure Hubby has healthy salads available to take to work with his lunches and all it takes is a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon.π </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWfZRqtJ1Pk8_jFiYdQsjuWvgL-iGaX5UdVT3HIEywfKVdLrfBqxoSDBmhp6qRwcuu78aXPJhrsCfASzMd6Mr2fPshbYdgGGVY9u57bW-BNjfUxKF_Hw0DUewtepAAv4FLpBefeUaUVbETs2tV-cjh6Oqpzlw2S_aagR7eAbOKdVFX3srVtkJ9ul7yQ/s921/4%20Meal%20prepped%20healthy%20salad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plasticππ" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="921" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWfZRqtJ1Pk8_jFiYdQsjuWvgL-iGaX5UdVT3HIEywfKVdLrfBqxoSDBmhp6qRwcuu78aXPJhrsCfASzMd6Mr2fPshbYdgGGVY9u57bW-BNjfUxKF_Hw0DUewtepAAv4FLpBefeUaUVbETs2tV-cjh6Oqpzlw2S_aagR7eAbOKdVFX3srVtkJ9ul7yQ/w640-h520/4%20Meal%20prepped%20healthy%20salad.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Glass replaced plasticππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">2. No more single use plastic...</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course this distrust towards plastic spread through our home honeys. We collected sturdy, re-usable shopping bags obviously, but then, after a late shift and having popped back in to do my own mini shop, I discovered these on sale... <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0O_cKqRGkkv7dwYdGZnxT81bKOQp1xtM7m3CmNN4PtPnJXlA7AW8XorDZXWa_TeP3cM6b8BUzS_YzUhNTlc8rKV35kYCc3n_psFDB5s5ckBW0QrZNr4b-EIihm5Gi715JF302vN75QJg6xrUI6Bpjb1rKtZkzC83PlvFMg72L0uD8DBoTo7ArK9OUw/s1142/5%20Reusable%20produce%20bags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable produce bags, as with shopping bags, replaced all of that single use plastic while shoppingππ" border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1142" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0O_cKqRGkkv7dwYdGZnxT81bKOQp1xtM7m3CmNN4PtPnJXlA7AW8XorDZXWa_TeP3cM6b8BUzS_YzUhNTlc8rKV35kYCc3n_psFDB5s5ckBW0QrZNr4b-EIihm5Gi715JF302vN75QJg6xrUI6Bpjb1rKtZkzC83PlvFMg72L0uD8DBoTo7ArK9OUw/w640-h420/5%20Reusable%20produce%20bags.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable produce bags, as with shopping bags, replaced all of that single use plastic while shoppingππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What a wonderful find! I have a theory. I think an item is worth having when you not only use it all the time but that you wonder what you ever did without it. This is so true of these little produce bags. </div><div><br /></div><div>They have so many uses but obviously chief among them is the ability to take them to the store with you and use to pick your produce. They are made to avoid altering the weight of your produce (the checkout operator will place the end with the thread off the scale so only the part of the bag holding the produce is weighed.) I do adore these little bags honeys and of course it avoids the need to use those single use bags supermarkets supply in the produce aisles. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">3. Sustainable ways to wrap...</h3><div><br /></div>Clingfilm has forever been the bane of my home-making life. Can anyone actually cut a piece from the roll, and manage to cover the bowl or sandwich they want to wrap, without it all sticking together and becoming a great mess that goes into the bin? If you can control clingfilm, I am in awe of you honeys. It hates me.π</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I discovered beeswax wraps... </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzV7cpSSS5IP-L2Xov4uHSPXwJh_DwYJLbKq71KpHQ83Y7mDYFUI_9-YcDo86oROZQI78uBEftjo_KMhBgH4V6Zq1v7GbhRAUW1OKLWvgMFBgxXxwl-w2c67QYfW7hLr3csYjFRU0JjuH0KT9gkywsxSRhgDjMyphuqHf_a8pVAfFyoVMYNw6yemwQA/s1240/6%20Reusable%20beeswax%20wraps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable beeswax wraps are a wonderful way to replace plastic "cling film" in food storage as well as wrapping sandwiches for lunch.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1240" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzV7cpSSS5IP-L2Xov4uHSPXwJh_DwYJLbKq71KpHQ83Y7mDYFUI_9-YcDo86oROZQI78uBEftjo_KMhBgH4V6Zq1v7GbhRAUW1OKLWvgMFBgxXxwl-w2c67QYfW7hLr3csYjFRU0JjuH0KT9gkywsxSRhgDjMyphuqHf_a8pVAfFyoVMYNw6yemwQA/w640-h386/6%20Reusable%20beeswax%20wraps.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable beeswax wraps are a wonderful way to replace plastic "cling film" in food storage as well as wrapping sandwiches for lunch.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Love them! So long as they are treated gently, and washed very carefully (by hand) they last some time and they can be refreshed using a block of beeswax too. Perfect for wrapping cheese, leftover sandwiches or even covering containers without lids in the fridge. </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of covering containers in the fridge, I recently discovered a set of very stretchy, silicone covers in Home Bargains that are perfect for exactly that! There are six covers in the set, ranging (as you can see in the photo below) from small to large. I'm not sure of their sizes honeys but the largest one easily fits our large glass Pyrex mixing bowl and the smallest fits the preserve jars. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hu6va6ReJio1GCWcxZysT_IS8xGH1dRpeLtLyMAiG6iy4N1F8mP6irX_a_TssG7KpE-4X18NO7eT8CbqOu1UwxkCCuqN49wLr3P5SLXwtTtizKLupy_ix4ipnGI7NxEXXWG7kbH5up5NgdN_KfqHuBozHaqHrNMdCKR_UTyyufrBNDLkhLT-zUc1CQ/s1209/6a%20Silicone%20covers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, stretchy silicone covers are a wonderful way to replace plastic "cling film" in food storage in the fridge.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1209" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hu6va6ReJio1GCWcxZysT_IS8xGH1dRpeLtLyMAiG6iy4N1F8mP6irX_a_TssG7KpE-4X18NO7eT8CbqOu1UwxkCCuqN49wLr3P5SLXwtTtizKLupy_ix4ipnGI7NxEXXWG7kbH5up5NgdN_KfqHuBozHaqHrNMdCKR_UTyyufrBNDLkhLT-zUc1CQ/w640-h430/6a%20Silicone%20covers.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, stretchy silicone covers are a wonderful way to replace plastic "cling film" in food storage in the fridge.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Alongside the stretchy, silicone covers are a little set of three, colourful silicone covers I bought from Ikea. They've introduced larger versions now too. The smallest one I used to use to cover leftover halves of lemon in the fridge when I made my lemon water. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now though, since I squeeze and freeze the lemons needed for my lemon water (<a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-tiny-easy-hack-to-make-having-your.html" target="_blank">you can see how here honeys,</a> it's saved me money and time too) I no longer do that. They are great to seal glasses/tumblers in the fridge or even the odd leftover onion when you've used only half and don't want to make everything in the fridge smell of onion.π§
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">4. Replace regularly used products with longer lasting silicone...</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of silicone... </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsGglmmDwbrjM7mneuBVb9-3VLp4DQkZk3Zk3RPW_-M8Jt0fnBp5jL5k1B-zzg4_T8LJbffKqQJiTTKJWwexUvkCJOTVP_Ds3bkblNJbiA66eote1tyk0a8efeegEKTzxLESRoHHhHi-pjeQjBvysjN-NkS2UGZC7cmVDWj14l1h_N7ZpXCgoZe_kCw/s1249/7%20Silicone%20baking%20mats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone baking mats mean that I no longer buy aluminium foil.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1249" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsGglmmDwbrjM7mneuBVb9-3VLp4DQkZk3Zk3RPW_-M8Jt0fnBp5jL5k1B-zzg4_T8LJbffKqQJiTTKJWwexUvkCJOTVP_Ds3bkblNJbiA66eote1tyk0a8efeegEKTzxLESRoHHhHi-pjeQjBvysjN-NkS2UGZC7cmVDWj14l1h_N7ZpXCgoZe_kCw/w640-h368/7%20Silicone%20baking%20mats.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone baking mats mean that I no longer buy aluminium foil.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Reusable, silicone baking mats mean that I no longer buy aluminium foil.ππ</div><div><br /></div><div>We've collected around a dozen or so of these reusable, silicone bags. They're in constant use in our freezer. Chicken and other meats are immediately separated into amounts needed for planned meals, or immediately meal prepped, and then placed into the freezer. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYR5TuiurxrhohKAt7ptgJBO7ORt6KmviCzJNCB_QbYXnObVSfqDaAJru8Ux_fNuTLXkYotHE8fPBOVTSRl2hHIZUc5tOLTpcUAftpY19JfBM8BOVb9QE_B-b5hmDvNr8S-7k1Qpj39XQaGjh0iKXsya5_P39FUhs_AiwkIFwgRvxtoT5Lb2_oYMw8w/s1062/8%20Silicone%20food%20bags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone bags are in constant use in our freezer. Chicken and other meats are immediately separated into amounts needed for planned meals, or immediately meal prepped, and then placed into the freezer. These bags are very thick and sturdy, they're hard wearing so they'll last much longer than the large zip lock type bags I'd normally use.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1062" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYR5TuiurxrhohKAt7ptgJBO7ORt6KmviCzJNCB_QbYXnObVSfqDaAJru8Ux_fNuTLXkYotHE8fPBOVTSRl2hHIZUc5tOLTpcUAftpY19JfBM8BOVb9QE_B-b5hmDvNr8S-7k1Qpj39XQaGjh0iKXsya5_P39FUhs_AiwkIFwgRvxtoT5Lb2_oYMw8w/w640-h450/8%20Silicone%20food%20bags.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone bags are in constant use in our freezer. Chicken and other meats are immediately separated into amounts needed for planned meals, or immediately meal prepped, and then placed into the freezer. These bags are very thick and sturdy, they're hard wearing so they'll last much longer than the large zip lock type bags I'd normally use.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>These bags are very thick and sturdy and they're hard wearing too so they'll last much longer than the large zip lock type bags I used to use.</div><div><br /></div><div>On to something else I use every day honeys, straws. I use straws when I drink because I have an involuntary spasm every now and again that makes my throat contract and closes my airway. It's always a struggle to be able to breath again. It's not fun and I've known since I was very young that if nothing else kills me, that will. Hence, I use straws. Don't judge me please.π€ </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SOhVmQ0pLrZxE02Yjy6uTXo6R63-RzfLAIvUy22v4DIiv5Q-hipA6DWhx4RUSmqkhiYs77G2L2HPnnU4oSdovYmq2g7YF40UGQC0U7Pq39oxTQFQ0_WYHzpRqDo2wj4ya1t6UhOnXYeDFV0Y3sLFfaY_0ihFu45lZ0vxvYwmlM8ApF_ZqJnrfs0IWw/s1060/9%20Silicone%20straw%20and%20brushes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone straws are a perfect replacement for the plastic ones polluting our rivers and seas, causing so much harm. I don't have a choice and have to use a straw so these brightly coloured straws are ideal and far more practical (and long lasting) than the paper ones.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="1060" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SOhVmQ0pLrZxE02Yjy6uTXo6R63-RzfLAIvUy22v4DIiv5Q-hipA6DWhx4RUSmqkhiYs77G2L2HPnnU4oSdovYmq2g7YF40UGQC0U7Pq39oxTQFQ0_WYHzpRqDo2wj4ya1t6UhOnXYeDFV0Y3sLFfaY_0ihFu45lZ0vxvYwmlM8ApF_ZqJnrfs0IWw/w640-h276/9%20Silicone%20straw%20and%20brushes.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Reusable, silicone straws are a perfect replacement for the plastic ones polluting our rivers and seas, causing so much harm. I don't have a choice and have to use a straw so these brightly coloured straws are ideal and far more practical (and long lasting) than the paper ones.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Reusable, silicone straws are a perfect replacement for the plastic ones polluting our rivers and seas, causing so much harm. As I said honeys, I don't have a choice and have to use a straw so these brightly coloured straws are ideal and far more practical (and long lasting) than the paper ones.ππ</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Replace paper kitchen products... </h3><div><br /></div><div>Microfibre clothes. Is there anything they can't do! Well, yes. I mean, obviously they won't turn into a magic carpet or give you the winning lottery numbers (of course I've never asked one of them, to be fair... π) </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCUewnHy3ZmiNxSxwyYqGeGz-epdjTpGHV6UD_aN9il_4-4uqo0HglhWERvJTNckT2vqfWGCSdGr2NcHsy4VQjYthmlqi1w_6XL2_SrIFVCTDoLHQ4Sr3xdJ6Eag2A7DQKoWw0uhs7v6w6YSj0V0bOk1Dn39WAhkE5RInaE0YFxUfGD84btz85tox2A/s907/10%20Microfibre%20cloths.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Microfibre clothes have replaced the paper products in our kitchen and I just adore them.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="907" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCUewnHy3ZmiNxSxwyYqGeGz-epdjTpGHV6UD_aN9il_4-4uqo0HglhWERvJTNckT2vqfWGCSdGr2NcHsy4VQjYthmlqi1w_6XL2_SrIFVCTDoLHQ4Sr3xdJ6Eag2A7DQKoWw0uhs7v6w6YSj0V0bOk1Dn39WAhkE5RInaE0YFxUfGD84btz85tox2A/w640-h528/10%20Microfibre%20cloths.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Microfibre clothes have replaced the paper products in our kitchen and I just adore them.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>OK, so they might not be magical but they have done something fabulous in our kitchen. They've replaced all of our paper products! Microfibre clothes are (mostly, there are exceptions) roughly twelve inches square of lovely, soft microfibre material. </div><div><br /></div><div>As you can see from the above image they're available in lots of different patterns and designs, and in lots of colours too. If you have a spill, reach for a microfibre cloth. Need a napkin? You don't have to use one of your best napkins, why not have a small collection designated as "everyday" napkins? Likewise, why not pop one in with packed lunches? </div><div><br /></div><div>We have designated microfibre clothes for the kitchen and others used for cleaning in the bathroom and can tell them apart by their colours. Plain blue ones belong in the bathroom and are washed, dried and returned there. I'm a fan honeys, love those little squares.π </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">6. Take reusable bamboo cutlery to work and avoid plastic "take away" cutlery</h3><div><br /></div><div>Why use plastic, throwaway cutlery when eating away from home? Bamboo cutlery (either packed with your lunch or kept in your bag or your desk at work?) makes the perfect replacement and it's sustainable too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nIE-Y3uwDjpbJPoh4zhj4LDNMeufVijo777D8PAZ9VMivlcXoavSHMGy9YjAAvxq2SnkGqhZw3g6W1JC2CQiOvOpra-DaYrk4-1vdI7NkGGe61NckdW7odxS61zXq6dqDqbPlB5Bh5kI-O4Pfmx_T_zg0tcWvepHus1oc98JBCVdgR4F1tGvquZ7QA/s1170/11%20Bamboo%20cutlery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Why use plastic, throwaway cutlery when eating away from home? Bamboo cutlery (either packed with your lunch or kept in your bag or your desk at work?) makes the perfect replacement and it's sustainable too.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1170" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nIE-Y3uwDjpbJPoh4zhj4LDNMeufVijo777D8PAZ9VMivlcXoavSHMGy9YjAAvxq2SnkGqhZw3g6W1JC2CQiOvOpra-DaYrk4-1vdI7NkGGe61NckdW7odxS61zXq6dqDqbPlB5Bh5kI-O4Pfmx_T_zg0tcWvepHus1oc98JBCVdgR4F1tGvquZ7QA/w640-h510/11%20Bamboo%20cutlery.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Why use plastic, throwaway cutlery when eating away from home? Bamboo cutlery (either packed with your lunch or kept in your bag or your desk at work?) makes the perfect replacement and it's sustainable too.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Hubby takes a packed lunch with him to work and his bamboo cutlery is the latest "swap" to get away from any chance of having to rely on plastic. They're inexpensive, bamboo is a sustainable product and they can be reused. Hubby has a small cotton cutlery bag that rolls up to keep his in when they're being packed with his lunch.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">7. Tea infusers have replaced tea bags...</h3><div><br /></div><div>Tea infusers are very popular in our home right now honeys.π Hubby is a huge fan of loose leaf tea rather than tea bags, I've become very fond of herbal teas such as chamomile too. I've read online that the quality of tea in tea bags is not as high as that found in loose leaf tea. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ37iUtCyj6r_g6iRS2mfES6YgztOOkUFCp18Xfvx6wYQyaL24cGFzp6kLGCESVQFq-aOgZ6BvBE4nejcSuxJLJdPFqhhVvUhSbkPGP8YEeCocIwYyAo3fCE_8wC47j2xzJ-fCbzKUAoYAL54lJNxSWShvB-uFAEIXy_TlsxwICqCKM1QPURlMOB-C9A/s1200/12%20Tea%20infusers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Tea infusers are just the thing in our home right now and have easily replaced teabags.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ37iUtCyj6r_g6iRS2mfES6YgztOOkUFCp18Xfvx6wYQyaL24cGFzp6kLGCESVQFq-aOgZ6BvBE4nejcSuxJLJdPFqhhVvUhSbkPGP8YEeCocIwYyAo3fCE_8wC47j2xzJ-fCbzKUAoYAL54lJNxSWShvB-uFAEIXy_TlsxwICqCKM1QPURlMOB-C9A/w640-h480/12%20Tea%20infusers.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Tea infusers are just the thing in our home right now and have easily replaced teabags.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Teabags are, of course, used once before being thrown away whereas infusers, if they're looked after, can last quite some time. They're also made in the most amazing variety of shapes and designs. Hubby prefers a practical, stainless steel one from Ikea but the little flower shaped one, with it's own tiny flowerpot stand charmed the socks off me.ππ </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">8. A helping hand on laundry day...</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>As a child in the early 1970s, all of my friends homes had a pulley, just as my childhood home did. It wasn't unusual back then because lots of homes didn't even have a washing machine and still relied on hand washing over the bath or, if you were lucky, between the two sinks in your kitchen. </div><div><br /></div><div>One would be a shallow sink and the other much deeper. In between the sinks would usually be a huge "wringer" to feed towels and other items too difficult to "wring" the water out of by hand. Drying your laundry in the summer meant carrying heavy laundry baskets down stairs, out into the communal back courts and pegging it out to dry. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course in winter you couldn't do that so, onto the pulley the clothes went and then they were pulled up out of the way to dry. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60uPJCYGM6TXz2_BMZICiSNFfMcDCgNgRu3HL1pL-7XkyaYqwxhvRjwrNfjsqZOAgNLzW2tcRExyVO1Sab_HfhpivFKa5uOjpxZ5OKuxrnu21U4jAiSEvBcoIEKdQJpkBNjv6FM0lMBAVbaRjj6uRzkMrVpnqh7ycMtKIzebWU_JUf_NK3Tts8wy6BA/s751/13%20Kitchen%20pulley%20for%20laundry.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - With energy bills soaring, who can afford to carelessly burn their tumble dryer right now? The solution lies on the roof and the use of a "pulley." Things dry in a day or so and this greatly reduces the energy use of the tumble dryer. ππ" border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="609" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60uPJCYGM6TXz2_BMZICiSNFfMcDCgNgRu3HL1pL-7XkyaYqwxhvRjwrNfjsqZOAgNLzW2tcRExyVO1Sab_HfhpivFKa5uOjpxZ5OKuxrnu21U4jAiSEvBcoIEKdQJpkBNjv6FM0lMBAVbaRjj6uRzkMrVpnqh7ycMtKIzebWU_JUf_NK3Tts8wy6BA/w518-h640/13%20Kitchen%20pulley%20for%20laundry.JPG" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - With energy bills soaring, who can afford to carelessly burn their tumble dryer right now? The solution lies on the roof and the use of a "pulley." Things dry in a day or so and this greatly reduces the energy use of the tumble dryer. ππ" width="518" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I can remember a large fireguard being moved a short distance away from the fire and larger items like towels being draped across it and placed in front of the coal fire to dry. Bedding might be taken to a launderette. It was a world away from the automatic washers and dryers we all take for granted now honeys. </div><div><br /></div><div>In early 2015, I spotted a pulley listed on Amazon and couldn't believe my eyes. I quickly ordered one, Hubby fitted it and it's been in constant use since. Over the last few years it's saved us from using our tumble dryer so often. Now, with the soaring price of utility bills, it's even more important to reserve the use of our dryer for large, difficult to dry items like bedding.<br /> </div><div>Another great way to help cut laundry costs is to use these wool dryer balls...</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkIGdJKczzEFNP1ahufEjaDms8TLnrR3V7TcmJPhKWCQ8_x430PUg2RKq_sVl-8IOZopPXccJd4ESQp9dxXZ4edF5RVw6MnMwQgDmU1vjsYMNHqunp4pHhU77zkJzPLYvuFmUCmjDvqZj8By6UTBYdSpe6qtdhRGvKn1Gy4a8hJYQBRuxnY-79-gADA/s1231/13%20Wool%20dryer%20balls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Wool dryer balls help to dry laundry faster and so reduce the energy use of tumble dryersππ" border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1231" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkIGdJKczzEFNP1ahufEjaDms8TLnrR3V7TcmJPhKWCQ8_x430PUg2RKq_sVl-8IOZopPXccJd4ESQp9dxXZ4edF5RVw6MnMwQgDmU1vjsYMNHqunp4pHhU77zkJzPLYvuFmUCmjDvqZj8By6UTBYdSpe6qtdhRGvKn1Gy4a8hJYQBRuxnY-79-gADA/w640-h530/13%20Wool%20dryer%20balls.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Wool dryer balls help to dry laundry faster and so reduce the energy use of tumble dryersππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>They are supposed to help to dry laundry faster by separating the items in the dryer and moving them around, allowing the warm air to flow through them. This would then reduce the energy use of the dryer. The wool balls are very soft and light, this is to prevent any damage to the inside of the dryer. </div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">9. Managing food waste in the kitchen...</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>The most responsible way to manage our food waste in the kitchen is of course to try to create as little waste as possible. We do that by meal planning each weekend for the week ahead. Our meal plans are always adaptable so that if we end up with leftovers we can incorporate those extra veggies or left over broth into something else. </div><div><br /></div><div>All of the local Councils in the UK have given homes a small comporting bin. Ours is a small brown bin, not too dissimilar from this one....</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsVkBtbRpRVodRdJCI9gl-bNBJbWuAVSJSbf60w4GN5TmqKOf6MBn2jolzESRr-5A2Zbzx_kuHJfhV4rwqkT_Ey_YFfwGqR7YkHturrrGjvDRs6BHdvgNgTlkMSi_TKV2l1qvxlc0m9Abz-wWvg6G56hYjmew0E1tqAnz9fosxV_pjVYqLkKH9RS4Zw/s890/14%20Managing%20food%20waste.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Manage your kitchen waste by keeping a small composting bin to hand.ππ" border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="890" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsVkBtbRpRVodRdJCI9gl-bNBJbWuAVSJSbf60w4GN5TmqKOf6MBn2jolzESRr-5A2Zbzx_kuHJfhV4rwqkT_Ey_YFfwGqR7YkHturrrGjvDRs6BHdvgNgTlkMSi_TKV2l1qvxlc0m9Abz-wWvg6G56hYjmew0E1tqAnz9fosxV_pjVYqLkKH9RS4Zw/w640-h540/14%20Managing%20food%20waste.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Manage your kitchen waste by keeping a small composting bin to hand.ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We do still have the little brown bin (it's being used to store our furbaby Jade's tennis ball collection in it right nowππΆπ) but we saw this green bin and, since it seemed better quality, we bought that instead. </div><div><br /></div><div>Any food waste, such as potato peels or egg shells, go into this bin, with its biodegradable liner, and when full it's taken to the huge, brown wheely bin that is emptied every two weeks by the local Council. Truly honeys, the best way to recycle anything, whether its food waste being placed into the compost bin or anything else, is to make it easier to do it than not to. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-secret-to-effortless-recycling.html" target="_blank">You can see what I mean here.</a> π€</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">10. Meal prep replaced take-away food...</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not saying to never eat another take-away or fast food meal ever again honeys, but meal prepping really has changed our lives for the better. I'm fairly certain the last time we had take-out food was over four years ago and neither of us miss it at all. I know it's not just me because, while writing this I asked Hubby and he agreed.π </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMYvlTwunWe6GtTwdYTG5UDZ_CeJQMEHKdHmt_Ta-bxCKJs-WzcHjLVEkoIUtzrlalM7iTKJzLDS-LyeA12S5j1UNaxMZ9YUtYlxHpv2O6V3eYmxw1rOPX3Pr94Fn6JYK95b65Yt12wlhZIXUbthHVx_xkWlfAxZTmdHjwCE36gebExCpdgeb-TkpGQ/s640/15%20trolleys%20set%20up%20to%20food%20prep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Meal prepping and cooking ahead can mean you have a fridge and/or freezer full of your favourite meals and the temptation to order fast food will disappear and you'll save money too!ππ" border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="640" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMYvlTwunWe6GtTwdYTG5UDZ_CeJQMEHKdHmt_Ta-bxCKJs-WzcHjLVEkoIUtzrlalM7iTKJzLDS-LyeA12S5j1UNaxMZ9YUtYlxHpv2O6V3eYmxw1rOPX3Pr94Fn6JYK95b65Yt12wlhZIXUbthHVx_xkWlfAxZTmdHjwCE36gebExCpdgeb-TkpGQ/w640-h510/15%20trolleys%20set%20up%20to%20food%20prep.jpg" title="How tiny changes really can make a big difference to how we impact the world around us - Meal prepping and cooking ahead can mean you have a fridge and/or freezer full of your favourite meals and the temptation to order fast food will disappear and you'll save money too!ππ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We have two trolleys in our kitchen honeys, they act as meal prepping central because they are home to our glass dishes collection, and those tiny jars we use for yogurt and other treats. There are also lots of items stored in their home under the worktop on one of the trolleys. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/09/how-little-kitchen-trolley-became.html" target="_blank">You can see details here honeys.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Meal prepping and cooking ahead, even for a couple of hours once a week, can mean you have a fridge and/or freezer full of your favourite meals, so the temptation to order fast food will disappear and you'll save money too!<br /><div><br /></div><div>So, there we have it honeys. Our ten tiny changes. Do you do any of these things too? Can you suggest any new tips or tricks to save on utilities or generally make life a little easier while being mindful of the world around us too? </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you so much for keeping me company, it means more than I can say.π Till next time dear ones, have a wonderful week, hugs always x</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeX_P1X5U30ox_KaVDnVUHIbY4_ZJKm8M1UK1HS_-v6_KyyZm3iYU_beM2whCJe8ZFsu8cLhhGcdxfXVB51DASH7k8cbKit2anmyNSHm87k1OcCYwd3TR3Xk5-c5RNWG3moqA1aouRe1VPeJ-_yAlmN9BaHO9Z3vxmjvNYpBb1DPb3QT3LRD-NFGBrA/s999/Thank%20you%20honeys%20blossom.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="999" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeX_P1X5U30ox_KaVDnVUHIbY4_ZJKm8M1UK1HS_-v6_KyyZm3iYU_beM2whCJe8ZFsu8cLhhGcdxfXVB51DASH7k8cbKit2anmyNSHm87k1OcCYwd3TR3Xk5-c5RNWG3moqA1aouRe1VPeJ-_yAlmN9BaHO9Z3vxmjvNYpBb1DPb3QT3LRD-NFGBrA/w640-h480/Thank%20you%20honeys%20blossom.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-61827507273717420692022-10-30T23:14:00.001+00:002022-10-31T13:00:38.355+00:00Time To Start Crafting Again...<p>Hi Honeys,</p><p>Well, that's it. A whole evening spent making up little treat bags for tiny humans to collect tomorrow. It was a lot of fun, as it always is. I love Halloween.π </p><p>Now though, it's time to start thinking about <a href="https://days.to/until/christmas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the next holiday period</a>, and to that end it's time to get out my air dry clay, my cookie cutters and get crafting again.π</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNom6dabWcsgugN-e1u1v7w5-d-CsG0S2LkzTzHH-dAg08x7xLjo-WatrsbxG_Z5aqa-AUhVOwmurA0L1cRreybLWpj75yoxMGIJy1ZINffdlE7VkpR0hBHpupSnJaWyiMA5QWsUjBk6xnk4xGJ0tZGzjn_CJa01xX3FnbTfiAQCR59UloGUiJBXXqew/s987/1%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="987" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNom6dabWcsgugN-e1u1v7w5-d-CsG0S2LkzTzHH-dAg08x7xLjo-WatrsbxG_Z5aqa-AUhVOwmurA0L1cRreybLWpj75yoxMGIJy1ZINffdlE7VkpR0hBHpupSnJaWyiMA5QWsUjBk6xnk4xGJ0tZGzjn_CJa01xX3FnbTfiAQCR59UloGUiJBXXqew/w640-h486/1%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.jpg" title="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A couple of years ago, I used some air dry clay, cookie cutters and some acrylic paints and had the most fun making little tree ornaments to put inside Christmas cards. <div><br /></div><div>Well, now that all of the work for Halloween is over, it's time to start crafting again for the holidays. So, now it's time to take out those cookie cutters againπ
π</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9HKnF3UkI21HkZFkS3mbITC-fzAHFjPxd48lu6-4a3jJXNcxN1WHsqVZt4FYru2AjGKooA13LIMTez7X_iSW1uJo_uiExLY3gLKDtSIbK2sngFCcgiuE1M5QiCjCZvyDOZBmFpYx0L7oLG4ZW2O5nWWk-mng1aQX15YyzxnG8w7PsGpo_IOqWGZ0tw/s640/2%20Christmas%20cookie%20cutters.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="640" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9HKnF3UkI21HkZFkS3mbITC-fzAHFjPxd48lu6-4a3jJXNcxN1WHsqVZt4FYru2AjGKooA13LIMTez7X_iSW1uJo_uiExLY3gLKDtSIbK2sngFCcgiuE1M5QiCjCZvyDOZBmFpYx0L7oLG4ZW2O5nWWk-mng1aQX15YyzxnG8w7PsGpo_IOqWGZ0tw/w640-h490/2%20Christmas%20cookie%20cutters.JPG" title="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Making these little tree ornaments is a perfect, fun craft for tiny humans. The air dry clay is rolled out, the cookie cutters are used to make the shapes needed, and then a pencil is used to make a little hole for the ribbon to be threaded through.</div><div><br /></div><div>They are then left overnight (it might take a little longer, depending on how thickly/thinly the clay shapes have been cut) then even more fun! The tree ornaments can then be decorated. They can be painted, or left as they are, and lastly, pretty ribbons can be chosen to thread them with.π </div><div><br /></div><div> As you can see honeys, my favourites are the little angelsπΌ I collect angels, they're all around our home, sitting on shelves, on bookcases, and they always make me smile.π</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzItqt_VGdSQawZDPlN8m5hm8JRkMs-avQJ6Ndze3-iD6byLvJ4vYEbdDYItX_yvBSnnwDHoIshSeL721ZrH8nEQsV4lnhfB4kyNhHhYwiNt-fk13QeFEiVzcNO5tpre3jLsbF86xaZHCGnBzh-bbM_Uh8ggX9FHqZEUIW0ZADZszIEIk0MG3KnW_oFA/s987/3%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="987" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzItqt_VGdSQawZDPlN8m5hm8JRkMs-avQJ6Ndze3-iD6byLvJ4vYEbdDYItX_yvBSnnwDHoIshSeL721ZrH8nEQsV4lnhfB4kyNhHhYwiNt-fk13QeFEiVzcNO5tpre3jLsbF86xaZHCGnBzh-bbM_Uh8ggX9FHqZEUIW0ZADZszIEIk0MG3KnW_oFA/w640-h486/3%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.JPG" title="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The little bells are painted silver, just like the angels wings, while the Christmas trees and the buttons on the cute little gingerbread men are painted using a sparkly, glittery paint. </div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7jbHZgjdqVvwjwH7OY9iJJEefB8CiFYXdvV0DilbYLSq-jr-kGalucDgWEUu8H3AVVeeWZL-5Bza3I3gHYlObUNES1Ejo2HOw5uFjQKCIzHPzCqGplVIPCkKwgS9RHPwV3KMhyr89Jv6u0SwctSQXh8bldVDXeELfWL6esc6Toi0aaVeiCVoCI0O5Q/s1256/5%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1256" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7jbHZgjdqVvwjwH7OY9iJJEefB8CiFYXdvV0DilbYLSq-jr-kGalucDgWEUu8H3AVVeeWZL-5Bza3I3gHYlObUNES1Ejo2HOw5uFjQKCIzHPzCqGplVIPCkKwgS9RHPwV3KMhyr89Jv6u0SwctSQXh8bldVDXeELfWL6esc6Toi0aaVeiCVoCI0O5Q/w640-h382/5%20DIY%20tree%20ornaments.JPG" title="The holidays are coming honeys, time to start crafting..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course there are other preparations for the holidays too. Getting my much loved brother-in-law's room ready for his visit and of course planning and meal prepping his favourite dinners for him tooπ We only get to see him once every year because he lives so far away so his visits mean such a lot to us. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also have a lot of holiday baking to do too, of course, which I adore doing, but it's spending an hour or two making tiny tree decorations to hide inside Christmas cards that I so look forward to.π</div><div><br /></div><div>Are you making a start on your holiday preparations honeys? What's your favourite part of holiday prep? So many hugs dear ones and thank you for keeping me company. Till next time, hugs always xx </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU9M6P-NipKuIt2ONbigcpLOYYd6hbgAqYvK5rEiksV4o_Oh5rsyy79HWx_rq4n1MssR_YUIWH6H5hlN8ukKr1Z9WObZFQ7VEHkFPGGDFICcXPLIdlePksqVZRHURmTTvEmb1A8DFcCcO2OFaJXKYZwnUfPOTT5qdbpFSRbvhR1j9CJeDFaxSFdXEWQ/s1000/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU9M6P-NipKuIt2ONbigcpLOYYd6hbgAqYvK5rEiksV4o_Oh5rsyy79HWx_rq4n1MssR_YUIWH6H5hlN8ukKr1Z9WObZFQ7VEHkFPGGDFICcXPLIdlePksqVZRHURmTTvEmb1A8DFcCcO2OFaJXKYZwnUfPOTT5qdbpFSRbvhR1j9CJeDFaxSFdXEWQ/w640-h480/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-85049914114506548932022-10-28T22:03:00.001+00:002022-10-29T16:52:24.944+00:00Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ<p>Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote or recommend any products of stores. I'm just sharing the latest little organising project in our kitchen. I'm absolutely loving itπ </p><p>Hi Honeys,</p><p>I'm back againπ Yes, this is the second Blogtober post today. I'm playing catch up due to arthritis and the cold, damp weather both tag teaming against me.π³ It hasn't beat me yet honeys, sending so many gentle hugs to fellow spoonies who are also battling the elements this weekπ€π </p><p>On to today's (second) post thenπ Today's post is probably a silly one really. It's such a daft wee thing to be so excited about, but I just can't help itπ </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1uJIf2urbxW7xLac0clPUR1KcEzgoMAh7CzU2E3WEBScnAzTuEPaBgwr1xYAPh9BkGgq085XO_auOqoePaelD24IN056f00i90jbqLqeMMoUyhxsW_-_aKBSSR8BnH2CUy43zgn1qXPo3h4mIfbYnanu1T4-gm0W5iaUbgRqQ7-asu-th62lWEbl3A/s1217/1%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1217" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1uJIf2urbxW7xLac0clPUR1KcEzgoMAh7CzU2E3WEBScnAzTuEPaBgwr1xYAPh9BkGgq085XO_auOqoePaelD24IN056f00i90jbqLqeMMoUyhxsW_-_aKBSSR8BnH2CUy43zgn1qXPo3h4mIfbYnanu1T4-gm0W5iaUbgRqQ7-asu-th62lWEbl3A/w640-h506/1%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p>There! Now I'm grinning again honeysπ I spotted on the Home Bargains website that they have clear, acrylic "lazy Susans" and I had an idea. The little project has worked so well and now things that I use all the time all have a home, right by the cooker by the cooker.... </p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtIMhS-J3_3rQVflNxjNvl1iBW3ErkD6PQcT3xjDDROrp-eIBwn5GtoQ-dTYGWU7b5P4SRY0HE-TyFLqMKHlCTNH6nMJwBeK9oW5w4EtbHvnTc_hrLFn9RwLGtzNaHTRtAGfInm3PeezFNYBqlElpRuFcI4wn0MXlXuaey6-pDpKqO3Tl6IvcRD8kUA/s1217/2%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1217" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtIMhS-J3_3rQVflNxjNvl1iBW3ErkD6PQcT3xjDDROrp-eIBwn5GtoQ-dTYGWU7b5P4SRY0HE-TyFLqMKHlCTNH6nMJwBeK9oW5w4EtbHvnTc_hrLFn9RwLGtzNaHTRtAGfInm3PeezFNYBqlElpRuFcI4wn0MXlXuaey6-pDpKqO3Tl6IvcRD8kUA/w640-h506/2%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p>OK, I'll share what has found a home on the lazy Susan. In fact, I'll turn it around for you (in photos) and you'll see why I'm loving it.π From the left then honeys (in the above photo) </p><p><b>*</b> The cutest silicone tea infuserπΉ The little red plant pot is a holder or stand, while the infuser is a little bulb shape at the end of the flower. It lives there because it's to hand if needed but also because it makes me smile.π</p><p><b>*</b> The pretty little glass jar is from Ikea and as soon as I spotted it I knew what it would be perfect for honeys. It's where we keep sea salt for cooking. The basket above the lazy Susan (you can just see the bottom of it on the photos) is one of two matching hanging baskets from Ikea which attach to a matching rail on the wall. </p><p>The basket above the lazy Susan has two containers full of utensils (such as spatulas, wooden spoons etc) as well as other condiments such as Himalayan salt, pepper, olive oil etc. </p><p><b>*</b> Sitting in front of the little salt dish is a tiny digital timer. Much needed these days to prevent me from burning the house down by burning dinner.π </p><p></p><p> <b>*</b> Lastly, on this side of the lazy Susan is a pretty glass tea cup, also from Ikea, which I use to keep oxo (stock) cubes to hand at the cooker. </p><p>Next (if we turn the lazy Susan just a little, we still see the cup of stock cubes but can now see... </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPXmumSkIZis1Z51tmn7uQ-Vou4THi9I9JGDzaRmTIYOd0-RNPZxSEFdJ-t1jYpUUWJ0-iRCp0EtETPTiRP4NX28zNeDz7NNNs_tsi2oAgMftnw4diAEslJRFG8w215p0Hr5riiivfeDusC-pGrbJUWKpbi9kdFcjP3TbjPKTz9gps8QBO9TsuI9Eyw/s1119/3%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1119" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPXmumSkIZis1Z51tmn7uQ-Vou4THi9I9JGDzaRmTIYOd0-RNPZxSEFdJ-t1jYpUUWJ0-iRCp0EtETPTiRP4NX28zNeDz7NNNs_tsi2oAgMftnw4diAEslJRFG8w215p0Hr5riiivfeDusC-pGrbJUWKpbi9kdFcjP3TbjPKTz9gps8QBO9TsuI9Eyw/w640-h514/3%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>* </b>The beautiful pale green mug, which has my bamboo coaster stored, sitting on top, is one of a pair. You'll see the other one, in a lovely pastel blue shade, further around the lazy Susan. They are Royal Doulton and they were a birthday gift from a very dear friend (thank you Miriam honey, love you x) they have roses on them and I absolutely love them.π </p><p>Let's turn the lazy Susan again... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBOfyKyH-su8U_2voTDfhUe7QHfkTleBjW1ZduC_vCUp2IIwmfUoFMPz0mZnmCyzSW9QKGC73D4eGLMNXPNJGI6fIA9inp2M9RAl1OrA2rDg95z1e9ox-ay5oipsjnSWjGjWoLew3WcJqvHqs8F392Ek-zpnOOLVXLmGofBFQolCxLyhHqSNEznOpLQ/s1200/4%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBOfyKyH-su8U_2voTDfhUe7QHfkTleBjW1ZduC_vCUp2IIwmfUoFMPz0mZnmCyzSW9QKGC73D4eGLMNXPNJGI6fIA9inp2M9RAl1OrA2rDg95z1e9ox-ay5oipsjnSWjGjWoLew3WcJqvHqs8F392Ek-zpnOOLVXLmGofBFQolCxLyhHqSNEznOpLQ/w640-h480/4%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p>This is why I'm loving this little lazy Susan honeys.π As you can see, at the rear of the lazy Susan there are the two beautiful mugs from Miriam and in the middle is my little glass tea pot. It has a built in tea infuser, which is removable, and I use it to make my hot lemon water in the mornings. </p><p>I got this pretty little teapot from Ikea and they have a larger one available too. This smaller teapot is perfect for just me though because it holds exactly enough for two cups, letting me sip on my lemon water through the morning. </p><p>I used to use the teapots infuser, filling it with lots of lemon slices and letting it sit until I had the loveliest lemon water but now I make lemon cubes. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-tiny-easy-hack-to-make-having-your.html" target="_blank">You can see how I make them here honeys.</a>π€ </p><p>Having a safe home on this little lazy Susan means my little glass teapot is safe from being dropped, nudged off worktops or any other disaster that's all-too-likely-to-happen if it had a less safe home to be returned to after use. Same goes (times infinity!) for those beautiful mugs from Miriam.π</p><p>Almost back to the beginning of the little lazy Susan then, sitting in front of the pretty pastel blue mug with the beautiful roses (I really, really love these Miriam, thank you sweetheart x) is the little flower shaped tea infuser... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CBY1-rx4N9alEhwUZi0QNspjZCSgPzcEbrRsmZAtHQZt3ZwQ4Ib2hYW7d71LE-_bGFAwkdAvRAFSX53GWjkcANnwhBglf1H3hopfUtel2ZsRG6G1Ami6kYUp5c5uUpg7lgEzeL8pwn3GRQmViM1jSaG9G9fZZ2DHm-bLtp14N959tCRLCAIWjAqrtw/s1228/5%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1228" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CBY1-rx4N9alEhwUZi0QNspjZCSgPzcEbrRsmZAtHQZt3ZwQ4Ib2hYW7d71LE-_bGFAwkdAvRAFSX53GWjkcANnwhBglf1H3hopfUtel2ZsRG6G1Ami6kYUp5c5uUpg7lgEzeL8pwn3GRQmViM1jSaG9G9fZZ2DHm-bLtp14N959tCRLCAIWjAqrtw/w640-h496/5%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p>And as we turn the lazy Susan again...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5wGVWwAkNyoa3EuRL6amNKSVoKCzKgnAv88OfsiERUU2NpPacTp9Xh7kAzCPgSl_qIEwLnFRWVJP-k9oOBlYzvAIWA29lJY6ZKvVYd5_R_m0gpQYAnWVMjxnQuzgVSTzBvEIkcPT3KZlUfsr29ACVLZkp7Jz9ZwYYMLJ0yD_np7i1wq166FcrbvXww/s1202/6%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1202" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5wGVWwAkNyoa3EuRL6amNKSVoKCzKgnAv88OfsiERUU2NpPacTp9Xh7kAzCPgSl_qIEwLnFRWVJP-k9oOBlYzvAIWA29lJY6ZKvVYd5_R_m0gpQYAnWVMjxnQuzgVSTzBvEIkcPT3KZlUfsr29ACVLZkp7Jz9ZwYYMLJ0yD_np7i1wq166FcrbvXww/w640-h410/6%20Lazy%20Susan%20organising.jpg" title="Loving Our Latest Organising Projectπ We've discovered lazy Susans and they're so cool!!" width="640" /></a></div><p>We're back to the beginning again.π</p><p>Such a silly thing to be so happy about I know but it's worked so well and I find when something has a home it's more likely to be put away straight away too. </p><p>Over to you honeys. Do you use lazy Susans to help stay organised? Do you have any organising tips to share? Till next time dear ones, stay warm and safe, hugs always x</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgUB_yQoUy8nWkuhRv9vSxWPSNwLVeEuddcNQrrB8rBMbdPPkxF5c1VKpLFzRJcIthHNJGodvQmHhdtjvoJj6P4d9WnMo6SnVszyJW_IQmE_ubqminpkeFyKWQLRFn5h2qoySjU8EjBvdTGCrS6lRMgfxUCSzt9Mz3ksvqCp6mxPNL0pc_HObv68Sfg/s1007/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1007" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgUB_yQoUy8nWkuhRv9vSxWPSNwLVeEuddcNQrrB8rBMbdPPkxF5c1VKpLFzRJcIthHNJGodvQmHhdtjvoJj6P4d9WnMo6SnVszyJW_IQmE_ubqminpkeFyKWQLRFn5h2qoySjU8EjBvdTGCrS6lRMgfxUCSzt9Mz3ksvqCp6mxPNL0pc_HObv68Sfg/w640-h430/Huggles%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-14184615515204767702022-10-28T15:31:00.000+00:002022-10-28T15:31:58.346+00:00How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ<p>Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to recommend any products of stores, just sharing a fun little DIY project that could help keep tiny humans safe, by making sure they are visible to cars etc while they're out trick or treating.π</p><div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys,</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm playing catch up with Blogtober again.π I'm sorry honeys, the weather is playing havoc with meπ Enough moans though, there's catching up to do.π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I thought since Halloween is only a few days away, I'd share a little DIY project I first posted a few years ago. It's such an easy, takes-no-time-at-all project and just helps keep tiny humans visible while they're out trick or treating. Important, now that the dark nights are with us again, but also fun to have a little treat bag that doubles as a lantern too.. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DHR-_cBtrluhokP9aI9iJKVBE0Cvcg1YHMiIMCAGBfUC3zXjccNr4Zjv9Fz5iWaJ-tCG6oidUv03Y7cuMx9j94RR-wvTvthJyvxNWLBNAF0pAsiO76F5bIZz9KdGEjvMJGGlKcXMF2d7pVvnFwUAxSXpG72dfuDgVVPI8R4KqjS2IorC0qzzACKg_Q/s1099/1%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1099" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DHR-_cBtrluhokP9aI9iJKVBE0Cvcg1YHMiIMCAGBfUC3zXjccNr4Zjv9Fz5iWaJ-tCG6oidUv03Y7cuMx9j94RR-wvTvthJyvxNWLBNAF0pAsiO76F5bIZz9KdGEjvMJGGlKcXMF2d7pVvnFwUAxSXpG72dfuDgVVPI8R4KqjS2IorC0qzzACKg_Q/w640-h550/1%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Are you missing the daylight honeys? The worst part of winter for me is the almost constant (it feels that way to me anyway) darkness. During winter, here on the west coast of Scotland it can be completely dark until after 9am and then, with the snap of fingers, be midnight dark again before 4pm. <div><br /></div><div>It's beyond draining. Is it any wonder that every year I have a countdown to spring?ππΊ There are one hundred and forty three days to go honeys, just in case you wonderedππ»<div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What we need for our project...</h3><div><br /></div><div>On to our project then. All you'll need is a set of the battery powered led lights you'll find in places like supermarkets or pound (or Dollar) stores like Poundland or Dollar Tree. They're usually anywhere between Β£1 - Β£3 a set. You'll then need batteries for the lights too, of course. This will usually be two AA batteries. Then you'll need a treat bag you can attach the lights to. I used a plastic cauldron from Asda (Walmart) that cost around Β£1, but again these are available everywhere, as well as other types of treat bags you can use too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly, you'll need a roll of any strong tape, like gaffer or duct tape. I used very thick, black electrical tape. This tape is very strong, so it would hold the lights firmly in place, but it also meant that an additional piece of tape can be run around the inside edge (once the project is done) to make the wire "disappear" so that tiny humans can happily collect treats in their bag without treats, or tiny hands, getting tangled. </div><div><br /></div><div>The led lights are available in so, so many designs. For this project in the past I've used a set of Harry Potter Hedwig lights, as well as a set of adorable little ghost lights I found in Poundland.π»π Choose a set you, or the tiny human who will use the bag, like honeys...<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wxQeV1FajfFk9Wolh4Bb-pelm7iYAiybTIgsh8TIeMMlPv85iEqxk8A4IvIPzXwHJhG5pfphYCVM1sLhZdcSVoMb-syNOHdNVoEn60TWJcUla8MbqqWxmPyoVpg2m__hjKcUms1k1YD210ctZfrGecYIkZGiGgFhl6isQtrqghm7yQycyJmd7OuGGA/s1099/2%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1099" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wxQeV1FajfFk9Wolh4Bb-pelm7iYAiybTIgsh8TIeMMlPv85iEqxk8A4IvIPzXwHJhG5pfphYCVM1sLhZdcSVoMb-syNOHdNVoEn60TWJcUla8MbqqWxmPyoVpg2m__hjKcUms1k1YD210ctZfrGecYIkZGiGgFhl6isQtrqghm7yQycyJmd7OuGGA/w640-h550/2%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>First we unpack the lights and fit the batteries, to check that they work. How irritating would it be to securely attach the lights, only to then find out they're faulty? Yep, been there, done that.π </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCD7-4F9BS6Fvh66KfBJbhXHF4YNtEqz7PaNKYyM12UjMn83PidvsU8jPDBSqgjNNJypHrEN8KfhKMBJB7sVOd4tg_rHtyz1VFn3r6nKE2PkqWRc2F1AATQ8Nv33jS5Q0PHqaJ2_l1OCzEeKzPJhiui4Gb1JSBapfuskMz7_0EKrrgKJ6dvnvjU1Gsg/s1288/3%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1288" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCD7-4F9BS6Fvh66KfBJbhXHF4YNtEqz7PaNKYyM12UjMn83PidvsU8jPDBSqgjNNJypHrEN8KfhKMBJB7sVOd4tg_rHtyz1VFn3r6nKE2PkqWRc2F1AATQ8Nv33jS5Q0PHqaJ2_l1OCzEeKzPJhiui4Gb1JSBapfuskMz7_0EKrrgKJ6dvnvjU1Gsg/w640-h544/3%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next we begin to attach the lights. I snipped off around a dozen or so pieces of the tape and lightly attached them to edge of our coffee table - thinking back on it, I should have used a craft board or a chopping board from the kitchen. Oh well, next time maybe.π </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Attach the first light so that the light sits outside the treat bag but the wires are on the inside...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA4Tng59LpQKZJ3LJ-b1yJuwzZvHdW2tf1netVNmjLywnGKN675iw98CYoAndmb497B8m3cI_iPCTrkQiLqeH9bu6NdYsTYtuXSgMbftcp7FtWunmHDpLYR-SfrFhvEFNIAwvLWizXfixrAiXJp7aPIDIswJsyEPzIEejHO3vEWN3xKEgTDvYQ-5vgQ/s1244/4%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1244" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIA4Tng59LpQKZJ3LJ-b1yJuwzZvHdW2tf1netVNmjLywnGKN675iw98CYoAndmb497B8m3cI_iPCTrkQiLqeH9bu6NdYsTYtuXSgMbftcp7FtWunmHDpLYR-SfrFhvEFNIAwvLWizXfixrAiXJp7aPIDIswJsyEPzIEejHO3vEWN3xKEgTDvYQ-5vgQ/w640-h458/4%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Fasten securely with a piece of your previously cut tape. Carry on attaching the rest of the lights, spacing the lights out so that they go all around the treat bag. With a much larger piece of tape, secure the battery pack/compartment of the lights to the inside of the bag. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, try switching on the lights. This is to make sure you can still easily reach the on/off switch of the lights and that the tape isn't covering it... </div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUeCtIGML0NZPSvth_tKpvuEUclJpmDC41035kSxKLOOC5BhikkYdQ4CpCzBDsqj6gPxo7BUZC0kUKdynhs9iJmjWyf646LvUN2zmwLwG3Zk_bGLSOBHQeTLyHRKo5cvpPJoQjW_t6DcKc1oF1ErYYHJAunLqMhEmg0kLQeIgeN2ynofzG84bWFIJEA/s1238/5%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1238" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUeCtIGML0NZPSvth_tKpvuEUclJpmDC41035kSxKLOOC5BhikkYdQ4CpCzBDsqj6gPxo7BUZC0kUKdynhs9iJmjWyf646LvUN2zmwLwG3Zk_bGLSOBHQeTLyHRKo5cvpPJoQjW_t6DcKc1oF1ErYYHJAunLqMhEmg0kLQeIgeN2ynofzG84bWFIJEA/w640-h486/5%20Halloween%20DIY.jpg" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Not all lights will sit as well as the Potter themed ones did. They have a sort of copper wire that bends to shape and allows the little owls to almost perch on the top of the cauldron. The ghosts have a more flexible wire, so I just ran a little bit of tape over the edge of the cauldron to hold the wire from moving... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LJjPpbdQpYB2jmSwTnysDxLu1gs9OBQmgARD3IK4CQVDxkom_sXXOD0OJJAkNsp-JxOiFwcS2TFqyodQZ6VvdfjMysacTM9PqaXeIEYF1nRXIKUzxEndvV6Gg3Wd6l-l0zbYjSuu9JkGcYndEpuuPv0MJ6jTriM9iu8KVMxSkt_GoRgMqBjBsWwriA/s1276/6%20DIY%20light%20up%20caudron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1276" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LJjPpbdQpYB2jmSwTnysDxLu1gs9OBQmgARD3IK4CQVDxkom_sXXOD0OJJAkNsp-JxOiFwcS2TFqyodQZ6VvdfjMysacTM9PqaXeIEYF1nRXIKUzxEndvV6Gg3Wd6l-l0zbYjSuu9JkGcYndEpuuPv0MJ6jTriM9iu8KVMxSkt_GoRgMqBjBsWwriA/w640-h352/6%20DIY%20light%20up%20caudron.JPG" title="How A Tiny Set Of LED Lights Can Help Keep Little Ones Safe When Trick Or Treatingπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Last thing to do is to run a length of the tape around the inner edge of the treat bag to completely cover the wires. This not only makes the wires (sort of) disappear from sight but, as I said, prevents tiny humans fingers/hands getting tangled or caught by any wires. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's taken much longer to explain this tiny project than it takes to complete it honeys, it's so easy you'll be able to make a few in no time at all (depending on how many tiny humans would like one of them.) I'm sure lots of little ones would love to have their own little lantern/treat bag to light their way and might even want to use it as a night light for Halloween too. </div><div><br /></div><div>How are your Halloween preparations going? We still have some baking to do and the treat bags to make up.π Thank you for keeping me company, are you taking part in Blogtober this year? If so, please leave a link to your blog/Vlog and I'll pop over and say hello.ππ€</div><div><br /></div><div>Till next time dear ones, hugs always x</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDEkbGtp1KL9fg0XTmWkJ9K0QjhUNW2oOgILZuHgdN2FMjbfS74utTprziaMt7rvhHKgNBXB1D-gsWC2rV4oLXCdSI4tUNWl45F8Ecfue5evqlwjxe299raJHRVYp2cMnpNHAGFr0tOeqC-ix2VNSwwwYID7fc3qZ9oOy1cMY4XJXc1R2fUYdllIM9Q/s1002/Hugs%20always%20roses.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1002" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDEkbGtp1KL9fg0XTmWkJ9K0QjhUNW2oOgILZuHgdN2FMjbfS74utTprziaMt7rvhHKgNBXB1D-gsWC2rV4oLXCdSI4tUNWl45F8Ecfue5evqlwjxe299raJHRVYp2cMnpNHAGFr0tOeqC-ix2VNSwwwYID7fc3qZ9oOy1cMY4XJXc1R2fUYdllIM9Q/w640-h480/Hugs%20always%20roses.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-83780097260001962862022-10-26T19:10:00.000+00:002022-10-26T19:10:01.935+00:00What To Do With A Completed Latch Hook Kit?π<p>Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote any products or stores, just sharing my latest crafting project and looking for ideas on how to complete it by turning it into.... well something. Any suggestions honeys? π€ </p><p>Hi Honeys, </p><p>How are you today? I'm looking for suggestions on what to do with a recently completed latch hook kit, a gift from Hubby (thank you sweetheart x) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSufO1LViM_F8jp7mGALYZXKPMDBFV8k3XATOOiECPIRJ5ujVn9IBRLGK-jjXYq_eDU4rDKLS7Mj7YX1LlCGhw8tuZs5rRolzqiS0u0v24l2QkGjstRI9ds7WCYf_jeAWo9bb7gDe8biPrrFrP6JMeO7eXIrzmJulIBnwlVjnu81Gsgv1izwvyioP8SA/s1273/1%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1273" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSufO1LViM_F8jp7mGALYZXKPMDBFV8k3XATOOiECPIRJ5ujVn9IBRLGK-jjXYq_eDU4rDKLS7Mj7YX1LlCGhw8tuZs5rRolzqiS0u0v24l2QkGjstRI9ds7WCYf_jeAWo9bb7gDe8biPrrFrP6JMeO7eXIrzmJulIBnwlVjnu81Gsgv1izwvyioP8SA/w640-h480/1%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" title="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever tried a latch hook kit? Before this adorable kit Hubby brought me home, with the bee motif, it had been years since I'd done one. I'd forgotten how much fun they are.π </div><div><br /></div><div>The kit comes all contained in a cardboard box. Inside there is everything you need to complete the design shown on the box. Firstly, there is a piece of canvas aida, this is the fabric that the yarns are attached to and has the pattern the kit is to make, printed on it...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj389vcfEJc_ELbBaldX8T_TsjYdJ9KPxOYWIXHUSF7AaUNmDcRsTkJblxyutmaPESeBfA4FkTyRXR4HRSDTByVuM0oO6I1VrFBUpr_aMgR7BJnsKP-ybjmM4QJeNE5XFTE8ScBQyPT1_MIpg6fkfROz2tfGi5YDyP5LEq9NOqtO86O5wpdVJANp8WIxw/s1261/2%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1261" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj389vcfEJc_ELbBaldX8T_TsjYdJ9KPxOYWIXHUSF7AaUNmDcRsTkJblxyutmaPESeBfA4FkTyRXR4HRSDTByVuM0oO6I1VrFBUpr_aMgR7BJnsKP-ybjmM4QJeNE5XFTE8ScBQyPT1_MIpg6fkfROz2tfGi5YDyP5LEq9NOqtO86O5wpdVJANp8WIxw/w640-h480/2%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" title="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In addition there is a latch hook tool, seen above, and all of the yarn needed to complete the kit in pre-cut lengths. <div><br /></div><div>It took me almost six days, working on it in the evenings, to complete this little kit and I just love itπ Now though, the question is, what to do with it? </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9H9f8e76iGhz6I0cAG4Ja2XW5U6fwHYB7WJ3CI3kp6HRplW1q4aU9-2ihWqceewIv03GoypL05-SJmHbnwBCBPijYI2A8ZT2to1QrTZD9WOYzt2Oq3mYFc6k1Vnq-Z1Gt4ggUNGnhLX0Sn0f4Vam1RJxYEVE3c3MqnAwm5GOUQOGNMYcBND0eebv3g/s1273/3%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1273" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9H9f8e76iGhz6I0cAG4Ja2XW5U6fwHYB7WJ3CI3kp6HRplW1q4aU9-2ihWqceewIv03GoypL05-SJmHbnwBCBPijYI2A8ZT2to1QrTZD9WOYzt2Oq3mYFc6k1Vnq-Z1Gt4ggUNGnhLX0Sn0f4Vam1RJxYEVE3c3MqnAwm5GOUQOGNMYcBND0eebv3g/w640-h480/3%20Bee%20latch%20hook%20kit.jpg" title="Fun with latch hook kits - What to do with a completed kit and adorable buzzy bee decor..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On the box the kit is packaged in, it suggests turning it into a wall hanging, a cushion or a rug. Now, since it measures 30cm x 30cm (that's only just short of 12 inches x 12 inches) so it's much too small to be a rugπ I do think it might make a lovely wall hanging, if I finished off the edges with a binding or edging. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have to admit I'm leaning towards adding a backing to the canvas aida and then sewing it up into a cushion cover using something lovely from my tiny fabric collection upstairs. It would be so nice as a cushion cover and I'm sure Buzz would like a new friend to keep him company upstairsπ</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjoc-K1aOLVsHpKugkxo_bL12clRoVfED8zqXYgRNyEXZxGfFH-ZBGHDL52gEfQp7WEzBTDTte7xDhfO4Lo5x9Bxvj1ZLfiVGEBjn6r-wujLxTP09H5rmwLefufaPZzcchykz2RN2t3UnCghMVcP84yUuSAC7hk7QXRxjfwJRSTjmb3MREaXic7t-eQ/s1361/4%20Bee%20shaped%20smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Buzz the friendly bee and his cushionsπ" border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1361" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjoc-K1aOLVsHpKugkxo_bL12clRoVfED8zqXYgRNyEXZxGfFH-ZBGHDL52gEfQp7WEzBTDTte7xDhfO4Lo5x9Bxvj1ZLfiVGEBjn6r-wujLxTP09H5rmwLefufaPZzcchykz2RN2t3UnCghMVcP84yUuSAC7hk7QXRxjfwJRSTjmb3MREaXic7t-eQ/w640-h480/4%20Bee%20shaped%20smiles.jpg" title="Buzz the friendly bee and his cushionsπ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Do you remember Buzz? If not, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2021/08/buzzy-bee-shaped-smiles-in-bedroom.html" target="_blank">you can read about him here</a>ππ </div><div><br /></div><div>What do you think honeys? Any other ideas on how to transform the little bee latch hook kit into decor? Have you tried making a latch hook kit? Hubby got this one for me from Home Bargains, and I think I'll see if there are any other designs on their website. I enjoyed working on it, it's good physio for my arthritic hands too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you for keeping me company dear ones. Till next time, stay warm and safe, the weather is definitely changing. Hugs always x</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppTZXVScI6JwFNiWQ8Bvrdz1zmVwcVGT80TTnMdYXfmWhZ_7QqfttEk5zS1bOqPo6kU5om9KF2JBcNTE2ajDq4r4Rr4f2L4_07DzgALkKsBtXiA8wy2_4fIpR7Mu8-gXloAjXmDDYXHcdL7Er1GH1ySOFxwa7snIVwlVF-lrUxbfr4Q1Y_q_-AqLfTw/s1080/5%20Stay%20safe%20honeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Buzz the friendly bee says stay safe and warm xx" border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1080" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppTZXVScI6JwFNiWQ8Bvrdz1zmVwcVGT80TTnMdYXfmWhZ_7QqfttEk5zS1bOqPo6kU5om9KF2JBcNTE2ajDq4r4Rr4f2L4_07DzgALkKsBtXiA8wy2_4fIpR7Mu8-gXloAjXmDDYXHcdL7Er1GH1ySOFxwa7snIVwlVF-lrUxbfr4Q1Y_q_-AqLfTw/w640-h452/5%20Stay%20safe%20honeys.jpg" title="Buzz the friendly bee says stay safe and warm xx" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-27442691768977926782022-10-26T13:36:00.002+00:002022-10-26T14:24:29.056+00:00For World Pasta Day!π 5 Of Our Favourite Super Easy, Super Yummy, Pasta Dishes..π<p>Hi Honeys, </p><p>How are you today? All well I hope? I'm still playing catch up with Blogtober, being a post behind after being set upon by my arthritis this week. It's the UK weather changing is all. Of all the things I ever dreamt of achieving over the years, turning into some kind of a human barometer really wasn't one of them.π </p><p>So, here's yesterday's post dear ones. I actually managed to mostly set it up, that is to say choosing which recipes to include and organising photos etc, but by then it was almost midnight and I was so drained after <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-best-cops-for-halloween-week-belong.html" target="_blank">having posted already yesterday,</a> I had to give up and go sleep. So, to celebrate world pasta dayπ (yesterday) here it is.π€ </p><p>Do you adore pasta honeys? Hubby and I do. We'd be lost without our favourite pasta dishes in our meal rotation.ππ So, for today's catch-up Blogtober post, I thought I'd share five of our favourite pasta treats...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEfoxmQGxiZe_M1XSh6Gg_EzMu8papNwFnsDmYPyw_dis-PUjAZqykNahpxLH3-Eqxwtwd_3VzJhfwIdng2ZYWRDjpOnhTyPO0djdib8gv4NKL_SoKHcGAKTE_bMHBKMKf5dZBjUJW4HMVqXwc3Hwt5239cPmuEhFu1ld4vx6dYRqF9h8T74_JzwmCw/s1400/1%20World%20Pasta%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta Day!π 5 Of Our Favourite Super Easy, Super Yummy, Pasta Dishes..ππ" border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1400" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEfoxmQGxiZe_M1XSh6Gg_EzMu8papNwFnsDmYPyw_dis-PUjAZqykNahpxLH3-Eqxwtwd_3VzJhfwIdng2ZYWRDjpOnhTyPO0djdib8gv4NKL_SoKHcGAKTE_bMHBKMKf5dZBjUJW4HMVqXwc3Hwt5239cPmuEhFu1ld4vx6dYRqF9h8T74_JzwmCw/w640-h418/1%20World%20Pasta%20Day.jpg" title="It's World Pasta Day!π 5 Of Our Favourite Super Easy, Super Yummy, Pasta Dishes..ππ" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Can you imagine a world without pasta? It's an odd thought really. How often do we, even if we think we're not making a pasta dish that day, reach for a form of it? </p><p>We're heading into November and here in Scotland that means making pots of lovely, warming soup to keep out the winter chills. That means lots of yummy veggies and... noodles. I like to reach for the spaghetti to break up and put through our soup. When Hubby has had to commute home through our horrible British winter weather, what could be better to be waiting for him when he gets here than a huge mug of chicken noodle soup to chase the chills away?</p><p>So, since there are lots of photos in this post honeys, why not go grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two) and meet me back here after the page break where I'll share five of our favourite pasta treats. See you in a mo...<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">πππππ </div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Welcome back honeys, do you have your cuppa? Me tooβ Why not put your feet up and get comfy then dear ones and we'll have a look at some yummy, pasta treats to be found in our regular meal rotation...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Easiest, Yummiest Pasta In The Creamiest, Cheesiest Sauce... Made Two Ways - Both Super Fast And Super Easy!</span></b></h3><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8nhigzhgFjWPDT9VeVIIOT6a6OzrWR808IVHjAIjoKpZMVzocMo9PhREnPkg-VbVgGPVUsU6To_yumGi0XQmJer9vXGfekLKYZafcZ3Qvrnex72N9JkfVTmYCKZj-ybq0NX-e8CBAQnIfUxLSulqYR9LndxFsfhvU8V05qAG23vH1szI0fTzRz-qUQ/s1055/2%20Easiest%20Yummiest%20pasta%20in%20the%20creamiest%20cheesiest%20sauce.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta Day! - Easiest, Yummiest Pasta In The Creamiest Cheesiest Sauce... Made Two Ways - Both Super Fast And Super Easy!" border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1055" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8nhigzhgFjWPDT9VeVIIOT6a6OzrWR808IVHjAIjoKpZMVzocMo9PhREnPkg-VbVgGPVUsU6To_yumGi0XQmJer9vXGfekLKYZafcZ3Qvrnex72N9JkfVTmYCKZj-ybq0NX-e8CBAQnIfUxLSulqYR9LndxFsfhvU8V05qAG23vH1szI0fTzRz-qUQ/w640-h446/2%20Easiest%20Yummiest%20pasta%20in%20the%20creamiest%20cheesiest%20sauce.JPG" title="It's World Pasta Day! - Easiest, Yummiest Pasta In The Creamiest Cheesiest Sauce... Made Two Ways - Both Super Fast And Super Easy!" width="640" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Starting off with our absolute favourite! We've tweaked this ever-so-cheesy recipe until it's beyond perfect and now make it almost every week. If there isn't a plan for dinner that night, then this will be our go-to dinner.π <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Apart from being irresistibly delicious, it's so easy to make that it practically makes itself too. It's so good that sometimes Hubby will take some to work with him next day for lunch too.π Looking for a dinner (or lunch) idea? Why not give it a try? </span><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2021/08/easiest-yummiest-pasta-in-creamiest.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">You'll find a step by step with photos here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> honeys.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">πππππ</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><h3 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Super Yummy, Vegetarian Rigatoni Bolognese...</span></h3><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mDElKiSlDUaz7_XXup3UYkccGVN3BDwI8Ab6L0BFTfcGSSG6AtT5Y1y9XdOZcnP9pfWQXbEVP8ax8-StYdQOVJi62HCsKw7KPxHAUV4GtffbHSWCG3Bj5rROJiaM4XH1ZWlMzOwdkE-Aw3-EO614myGSRAsQlqqwaQ7hGzXzExeHSXEKCYZdREjh5A/s1033/4%20Serve%20yummy%20bolognese%20onto%20a%20bed%20of%20your%20cooked%20rigatoni.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta day! - Super Yummy, Vegetarian Rigatoni Bolognese!" border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1033" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mDElKiSlDUaz7_XXup3UYkccGVN3BDwI8Ab6L0BFTfcGSSG6AtT5Y1y9XdOZcnP9pfWQXbEVP8ax8-StYdQOVJi62HCsKw7KPxHAUV4GtffbHSWCG3Bj5rROJiaM4XH1ZWlMzOwdkE-Aw3-EO614myGSRAsQlqqwaQ7hGzXzExeHSXEKCYZdREjh5A/w640-h462/4%20Serve%20yummy%20bolognese%20onto%20a%20bed%20of%20your%20cooked%20rigatoni.JPG" title="It's World Pasta day! - Super Yummy, Vegetarian Rigatoni Bolognese!" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">You won't believe this delicious pasta dish is vegetarian honeys, honestly. There are really so few ingredients needed too that you probably have then already in your pantry. You'll need a couple of sweet potatoes, a handful of mushrooms, an onion and a can/carton of passata (or a can of chopped tomatoes) with a sprinkle of Italian herbs and your favourite pasta to pour it over (or mix it through) and dinner is ready.π </div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">This delicious treat is soooo yummy, you'll want to make it again and again. <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2018/01/super-easy-super-yummy-vegetarian.html" target="_blank">You can find the recipe here.</a> Enjoy.π</div></div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">πππππ</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Delicious 3 ingredient Tomato & Salmon Fusilli..</span></h3><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8yQIg6AMOh2pRFY2JnCjhJpfhMD43tSlpIvi0Lh9EBOFWDAnt5R8cB5HJMxY5d0oMPNUBoOcH2XXxAy0NyxYFCv_pzuUnXPLYUei7gU_Ay_9IUOpldev-Jvlos4Ck8mYfWB96vIneAZ2HG1Hn4XAJT_DwlByaCmCcjCR0ePgI9wBrSVRHw4ltRooJg/s1160/6a%20Tomato%20&%20Salmon%20pasta%20Spirals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta Day! - Yummy 3 ingredient Tomato & Salmon Fusilli!" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1160" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8yQIg6AMOh2pRFY2JnCjhJpfhMD43tSlpIvi0Lh9EBOFWDAnt5R8cB5HJMxY5d0oMPNUBoOcH2XXxAy0NyxYFCv_pzuUnXPLYUei7gU_Ay_9IUOpldev-Jvlos4Ck8mYfWB96vIneAZ2HG1Hn4XAJT_DwlByaCmCcjCR0ePgI9wBrSVRHw4ltRooJg/w640-h442/6a%20Tomato%20&%20Salmon%20pasta%20Spirals.jpg" title="It's World Pasta Day! - Yummy 3 ingredient Tomato & Salmon Fusilli!" width="640" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><br /></div>My first thought on deciding to include this dish honeys was "ooo I wonder if we've got a can of salmon in the cupboard?" I actually looked and we do, so guess what we're having for dinner?π <br /><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal;">It's another delicious dish that almost makes itself, and only needs what you probably already have sitting in your pantry to make it too. It's basically a can of chopped tomatoes, a can of salmon (or try using canned tuna, it's fab too) and your favourite pasta. </div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal;">You can make it extra yummy by adding some dried basil (or Italian herbs) from your spice rack and wait for compliments from loved ones.π <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2014/10/yummy-tomato-salmon-pasta.html" target="_blank">You can see how easy this yummy dish is to make here honeys.</a> Enjoy!π€</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">πππππ</div><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Bake..</h3><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzFx5yj2F5l8jBybC2q9sWp0mY2XLWXDBnVfze0kSxW-NBy9IVKEhat6cwQ0xTs995s7vS4Fn7MPOfbn2gxn3qafXABkXL5EIAkBv7f_of7aPTTL7bVr9l9IXX6bBToS5UwL6k-pZ9aqa66ZNRgirYnwelGaFrJtSI5R8scVZB_TtS6-SSs46v4G2nw/s1071/5%20Spinach%20and%20Ricotta%20canelloni.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta Day! - Yummy Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Bake.." border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1071" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzFx5yj2F5l8jBybC2q9sWp0mY2XLWXDBnVfze0kSxW-NBy9IVKEhat6cwQ0xTs995s7vS4Fn7MPOfbn2gxn3qafXABkXL5EIAkBv7f_of7aPTTL7bVr9l9IXX6bBToS5UwL6k-pZ9aqa66ZNRgirYnwelGaFrJtSI5R8scVZB_TtS6-SSs46v4G2nw/w640-h374/5%20Spinach%20and%20Ricotta%20canelloni.jpg" title="It's World Pasta Day! - Yummy Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Bake.." width="640" /></a></div><br />This was super easy to make honeys and it tastes heavenly too! The cannelloni tubes are filled with creamy spinach and ricotta with a touch of garlic and even though it's so simple to make, it really feels like a special treat. Why not serve with a lovely, crunchy salad or with the fluffiest mashed potato with grated cheese and a little finely diced onion mixed through? Yummmmm!π <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2015/07/spinach-ricotta-cannelloni-made-easy.html" target="_blank">You'll find the post here honeys.</a>π€</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">πππππ</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><h3 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Pasta Bolognese Bake - A Whole New Take On Lasagne!</span></h3><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPBXZ7tdWuRPwh3OaC6Fj57k6X_NpG_7oHTQWZE5YvnG1rrP7ymJkT7OMrzGr1214TxSqzRaHOsH8mcoeDX_3UvLhKQNolVZ284EVr2xuJoC2utzUegR6s3HLc16YQOHH87GsrTIrmZWWXLxRHTSD1ZgxNsvCrj6ujZzX7JHWnXFWDTzkp9fu_G6fnw/s831/3%20Pasta%20Bolognese%20Bake.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It's World Pasta Day! - Pasta Bolognese Bake - A Whole New Take On Lasagne!" border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="751" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPBXZ7tdWuRPwh3OaC6Fj57k6X_NpG_7oHTQWZE5YvnG1rrP7ymJkT7OMrzGr1214TxSqzRaHOsH8mcoeDX_3UvLhKQNolVZ284EVr2xuJoC2utzUegR6s3HLc16YQOHH87GsrTIrmZWWXLxRHTSD1ZgxNsvCrj6ujZzX7JHWnXFWDTzkp9fu_G6fnw/w578-h640/3%20Pasta%20Bolognese%20Bake.JPG" title="It's World Pasta Day! - Pasta Bolognese Bake - A Whole New Take On Lasagne!" width="578" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We love this! Hubby once described it as a lasagne pie and I have to admit, the name sort of fits.π We originally tried making this after seeing it on Pinterest and however you look at it, it's certainly a whole new take on lasagne. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know it seems odd, standing the pasta tubes upright in the spring form tin before filling them with the beef mince/bolognaise sauce, but it works and it's delicious and definitely a treat.π </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">You can find the recipe for this "lasagne pie" </span><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2017/07/pasta-bolognese-bake-whole-new-take-on.html" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;" target="_blank">here honeys.</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So, there we have it, five of our favourite pasta treats.π What are your favourite pasta dishes? Have you tried any of these recipes? Are you joining in with Blogtober? If so, why not leave a link in the comments so I can visit and say hello? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Thank you so much for keeping me company honeys, it means more than I can say. Till next time dear ones, stay warm, hugs always x</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFW2NKJJM-J1U0qfd2y9iXYNZtWm9IkR44Erc4P17eqXhBND-GJ5HO0ff58mVq2WJLnB9oQCWLCpwx-5kQ1EIQAjQzPaCJ0kAqHyYUZOpoaYrZmXscL2FJZ4CJeIjkE7pqUrZ-r-o9RDWFNTjHej5sthrUrPcL3eB53-FeP0ftigqzU24X_dZ9PsfjcA/s1000/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFW2NKJJM-J1U0qfd2y9iXYNZtWm9IkR44Erc4P17eqXhBND-GJ5HO0ff58mVq2WJLnB9oQCWLCpwx-5kQ1EIQAjQzPaCJ0kAqHyYUZOpoaYrZmXscL2FJZ4CJeIjkE7pqUrZ-r-o9RDWFNTjHej5sthrUrPcL3eB53-FeP0ftigqzU24X_dZ9PsfjcA/w640-h480/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div></div></span></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-5664404720937006812022-10-25T17:38:00.003+00:002022-10-25T22:18:50.082+00:00The Best Cops For Halloween Week! Have You Met The Wellington Paranormal Unit?ππ <p>Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to recommend these dvds, just sharing in the hope that this wonderful, funny series might be discovered and loved by anybody who might not have seen it yet x</p><p>Hi Honeys, </p><p>I'm playing catch up with Blogtober. I'm sorry I didn't manage to post yesterday, I've been battling a flare of pesky arthritis and yesterday I was just exhausted from it. It might have won a wee victory yesterday honeys, but I'm determined to catch up and get back on track. Only another week of Blogtober to go.π </p><p>Since we're now in the week leading to Halloween, I thought I'd share one of our favourite TV cop shows. If you've already enjoyed this fabulous series, set in gorgeous Wellington, in New Zealand, I won't need to tell you how perfectly it fits into any fun Halloween countdown week.πππ</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoBe8b9ow8t0-EefMQimHTGnOOZUokS1Ocbu30N5LW1PBQpVH0P8YwTSSJoZJ8XdOH-paQPdIVik2eXI0uFr_xDfkPVRSiaApTwKxi-4WZTun4nPBRM6AzVUoPD4FnAq38IP44s9z08erhbaZwlhl503Vko8TiipSYbixBBXH-mhH5rK1VZ7ZQIFiBQ/s1118/1%20Halloween%20cops.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Have you met the Officers of the Wellington Paranormal Unit yet?" border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1118" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoBe8b9ow8t0-EefMQimHTGnOOZUokS1Ocbu30N5LW1PBQpVH0P8YwTSSJoZJ8XdOH-paQPdIVik2eXI0uFr_xDfkPVRSiaApTwKxi-4WZTun4nPBRM6AzVUoPD4FnAq38IP44s9z08erhbaZwlhl503Vko8TiipSYbixBBXH-mhH5rK1VZ7ZQIFiBQ/w640-h616/1%20Halloween%20cops.jpg" title="Have you met the Officers of the Wellington Paranormal Unit yet?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p>An average shift for Officers Minogue and O'Leary might include dealing with anything from haunted houses (and cars) to zombies, vampires, werewolves and even an alien invasion.π½πΈ </p><p>In fact, during a busy Christmas period they even had to deal with an office photocopier becoming a portal to a hot tub in another realm, not to mention Satan himself arriving to act as a shopping Mall's Santa for their Santa's Grotto!π
π Who knew it could end up being the fault of a typo in the fax requesting a Santa (think about it honeys.... so silly and made me giggleπ)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP04OekREPC8UURaaWMXf7X5O27001frxAinnVmLuWJkWlrju7xj_NkHaw8FD97lLo9bU5dXWk-8xx0v1Kv5pVTKimrvnWK3H8ieEMUocvdEr42kLvP_mzxqtaW0z7NapvUSp5XL9nXucoeg5DHXyFabLSxo32JkyKDi85a_bf9YSH3m8ox-Dw02CbA/s1288/2%20Halloween%20cops.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Have you met the Officers of the Wellington Paranormal Unit yet?" border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="1288" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP04OekREPC8UURaaWMXf7X5O27001frxAinnVmLuWJkWlrju7xj_NkHaw8FD97lLo9bU5dXWk-8xx0v1Kv5pVTKimrvnWK3H8ieEMUocvdEr42kLvP_mzxqtaW0z7NapvUSp5XL9nXucoeg5DHXyFabLSxo32JkyKDi85a_bf9YSH3m8ox-Dw02CbA/w640-h262/2%20Halloween%20cops.jpg" title="Have you met the Officers of the Wellington Paranormal Unit yet?" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">O'Leary and Minogue are joined in their adventures by Sergeant Maaka, also known as Sarge, the head of the WPU (as Minogue tells O'Leary he'd like them to be known, with huge letters on the backs of their jackets of course.π) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sarge runs the Wellington Paranormal Unit from a tiny, hidden room (that everyone knows about) in Police Headquarters that Mulder would feel perfectly at home in. Sarge is very much a believer in the paranormal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our trio are accompanied on adventures occasionally by Parker. A fellow police officer, Parker originally turned down a place in the WPU (as did everyone else at the stationπ) but changes his mind and wants to join when he sees the cases, and adventures, that Minogue and O'Leary face every shift.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The series is a spin off from an appearance by Minogue and O'Leary in the movie version of What we do in the shadows, which itself has it's own very funny spin off series (although I would say that series is more adult in nature.) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf05tlmCqLY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">You can see their cameo here.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you'd like to see a little teaser for this amazing series, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPXNF19GfqI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can watch a trailer for series one to three on YouTube here.</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An important public service announcement from Officer O'Leary! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM8q9VOIiS4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">You can see it here.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyARebAlSYg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This is a character guide</a> from last year when the series was launched in USA.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honestly honeys, if you haven't seen this fantastic, better-than-anything-made-for-tv-in-forever series, I can't recommend it enough. Unfortunately they've cancelled it!π After four fab series, what will we do for chuckles and giggles without Minogue, O'Leary, Sarge and Parker keeping order on the streets of Wellington? Hubby and I are going to be binge watching all four series over the next week, leading to Halloween.πππ </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over to you then, are you a fellow fan of the WPU? Will you be doing anything over the next week for Halloween? Hubby and I still have the treat bags to make up for visiting tiny humans, so no doubt we'll do that while watching and giggling away at the adventures of the WPU.π </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till next time dear ones, thank you for keeping me company, stay warm and have fun, hugs always x </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqujlYZA4UGZxfuVoezctpZe9jItpH9JyUymX3WGHqUoeXaZjXBFOz6wicnqsbNULV97oRbnMo-tVdRy_XPKpRQHuSEBxsgeozsKAUl4vufebBFuU1Uo7xsE7ba5tcc6G2DHuHlOYMpD4tFwNJrWB9OnaUqHHXQVOwyMlkqqfGLUJpBLtEYpcmRQgoA/s822/2%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="822" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqujlYZA4UGZxfuVoezctpZe9jItpH9JyUymX3WGHqUoeXaZjXBFOz6wicnqsbNULV97oRbnMo-tVdRy_XPKpRQHuSEBxsgeozsKAUl4vufebBFuU1Uo7xsE7ba5tcc6G2DHuHlOYMpD4tFwNJrWB9OnaUqHHXQVOwyMlkqqfGLUJpBLtEYpcmRQgoA/w640-h584/2%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-16682068492980484782022-10-23T22:59:00.000+00:002022-10-23T22:59:40.000+00:00What Would Be At The End Of Your Rainbow?π<div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">How are you today? We've reached day twenty three of Blogtober, can you believe that? We've had a lovely quiet day today. It's still raining outside, it's been raining for days, so hubby hasn't been able to cut the grass or clear up the leaves as he'd planned. I'm actually glad, it's chilly outside and I'd rather he was inside where it's warm with our furbaby Jade and me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm just not an autumn/winter person honeys. If I ruled the world... (Love that song, such beautiful lyrics and heavenly voice of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSiednkXCzM&t=35s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Harry Secombe singing them.</a>π₯°) Beautiful songs aside though, if I did rule the world, among other changes, I'd have spring and summer in a constant loop.π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodbye to awful arthritis flares all through winter that try to turn me into a human pretzel. Goodbye to losing all of the leaves for months from the gorgeous sycamore trees that line the back of our garden. Goodbye to the almost constant smirry rain, the kind that seeps through your clothes and chills you right through to your bones. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mostly though honeys, goodbye to the more than eighteen hours of complete darker-than-midnight darkness we have in the deepest part of winter. The darkness pulls the life out of me, it really does. Happiness can be so much harder to find in those dark, winter months. Is it any wonder that every year I long to hibernate until spring arrives and countdown the days? It's one hundred and forty seven days actually, in case you're curious.π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxB3VIPkbeIZLFDeIDngz9RXFRqYPeRHFhtBuWCDFd6lgkCVH16EXmPo5W-tirckrxX9OwSi7J_QOhPGIjf_1K55CECCZMgh8hqwe3frX0WR6185C9NbwOQmqOnwa-c1T0kYBjMumYCwCaMfhsgfC-3m8SqPgdGGiSYjZUvrwfqOeky_tg9gbJAwVNQ/s1198/1%20Beautiful%20rainbow%20in%20a%20cloudy%20sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wishes & Rainbows, what would be at the end of your rainbow honeys?" border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1198" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxB3VIPkbeIZLFDeIDngz9RXFRqYPeRHFhtBuWCDFd6lgkCVH16EXmPo5W-tirckrxX9OwSi7J_QOhPGIjf_1K55CECCZMgh8hqwe3frX0WR6185C9NbwOQmqOnwa-c1T0kYBjMumYCwCaMfhsgfC-3m8SqPgdGGiSYjZUvrwfqOeky_tg9gbJAwVNQ/w640-h482/1%20Beautiful%20rainbow%20in%20a%20cloudy%20sky.jpg" title="Wishes & Rainbows, what would be at the end of your rainbow honeys?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Have you ever wished you could find the end of a rainbow? I have. As a child I'm sure I read, or maybe I was told, that at the end of a rainbow would be a little magical being who would grant wishes if found. <div><br /></div><div>As I got older I read the magical being was a leprechaun, that he would have a crock of gold and if you caught him he'd either give you his crock of gold or would grant you a wish. Well, even as a child this completely appalled me! </div><div><br /></div><div>Setting out to find the end of a rainbow would be an adventure, exactly the sort of thing that would appeal to my younger, Famous Five & Secret Seven novel loving self.π To find it and to then demand personal property with menaces from the little person you find there, be it his gold (what if it's his pension!) or the granting of wishes, well, that's just not right! I know, even as a child I over-thought everything. I used to worry about the relative lack of supervisory adults in the Charlie Brown stories too, you know...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rainbows & wishes..</b></div><div><br /></div><div>What if instead, when we see a rainbow, especially a double rainbow like the one above, what if we just close our eyes and make a wish. Not just any wish though, what if we give ourselves permission to wish for whatever we want more than anything else? </div><div><br /></div><div>Making wishes doesn't work Rosie! I hear you say. OK then, suppose you're right? What if wishing for the thing you want most doesn't make it magically appear? Well, then at least you got to see a beautiful rainbow and now you're left with a clearer understanding of what you really want in life. Now all you need is a plan... </div><div><br /></div><div>As beautiful Ms Mia Angelou said "your dreams won't work unless you do..." Maybe by suspending disbelief, just for a moment, by allowing yourself to wish for what you want most, you would give yourself a destination, a goal. Maybe that's the real gift? </div><div><br /></div><div>Personally though, I'm not willing to give up on making wishes and hoping they'll come true. It's been my experience, just sometimes, they do. Just not always exactly how you expect them to. Maybe sometimes we're sent what we need instead of what we want? </div><div><br /></div><div>Wishing all of your dreams come true honeys.π Till next time, thank you for keeping me company. It means more than I can say, hugs always x</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YEBB92qYoq_TfOa4_OHtqoBRrBVvSis6YQQ48oiWqMSH9hb7MJGc2jLE0NFT7kKeX2R41ltNQ2ZokZYSBufnPkJPFvu620Q78wtpGhUoj0LmwYogDMr0tI76uGBqLG-6dXopk_YpQMvVcAFn3lgenMDMNo5QRw6iyi2f091h2SS74D8T-z8soCFs4A/s640/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YEBB92qYoq_TfOa4_OHtqoBRrBVvSis6YQQ48oiWqMSH9hb7MJGc2jLE0NFT7kKeX2R41ltNQ2ZokZYSBufnPkJPFvu620Q78wtpGhUoj0LmwYogDMr0tI76uGBqLG-6dXopk_YpQMvVcAFn3lgenMDMNo5QRw6iyi2f091h2SS74D8T-z8soCFs4A/w640-h492/4%20Be%20you%20honeys.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-51721817025403366592022-10-22T22:39:00.002+00:002022-10-23T15:45:16.814+00:00Anyone Else Adore Gnomes? <div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys,</div><div style="text-align: left;">It's all getting to be a little gnomie around here.π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLcwhVjURJIsTEgYwWVnOTvNavujpHkjKWrs4xa3IWo6xGDx-AjFM1uIQseHrICZC4ql8eWNHQJkIgsSU-gqlcYUQzgBHbTvYk8MI5LAx3dKfs5agpuP03jnfkNSF1fAVlzX66CJAl9SEUti-ETmwu2rqQGt4TW1P4qYlNnJartlMLfiR84Jiyp_3-A/s1198/1%20Gnomies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anybody else adore gnomes?" border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1198" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLcwhVjURJIsTEgYwWVnOTvNavujpHkjKWrs4xa3IWo6xGDx-AjFM1uIQseHrICZC4ql8eWNHQJkIgsSU-gqlcYUQzgBHbTvYk8MI5LAx3dKfs5agpuP03jnfkNSF1fAVlzX66CJAl9SEUti-ETmwu2rqQGt4TW1P4qYlNnJartlMLfiR84Jiyp_3-A/w640-h480/1%20Gnomies.jpg" title="Anybody else adore gnomes?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't ever really a gnome person.... Now they seem to be taking over our home. π Today, when hubby picked up our grocery shop, he brought home these two adorable little gnomies to join our growing collection... (thank you sweetheart x)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZbJcUBHl9o2MFXSaGE-ZDzkKYZiJhYkDTzsZ4oCXqO9Sxnna_RcoAp9Y6y8a7wTKhWmlz8yOi69cGvr7hfWey_asfa7f3mcWKCmx9ozhSns7hS3KRUPH0oXItBkyRTZNycRH3Wr4M6tJ1eiPZMKhyIuaslXo0O067IM9i3QoRW8XsTjDMB7JMIPvtQ/s1198/2%20Gnomies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anybody else adore gnomes?" border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1198" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZbJcUBHl9o2MFXSaGE-ZDzkKYZiJhYkDTzsZ4oCXqO9Sxnna_RcoAp9Y6y8a7wTKhWmlz8yOi69cGvr7hfWey_asfa7f3mcWKCmx9ozhSns7hS3KRUPH0oXItBkyRTZNycRH3Wr4M6tJ1eiPZMKhyIuaslXo0O067IM9i3QoRW8XsTjDMB7JMIPvtQ/w640-h480/2%20Gnomies.jpg" title="Anybody else adore gnomes?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>They appear to be popping up all over our home, peeping out from bookcases and shelves, and I don't mind at all, not even a wee bit.π</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of them even remind me of Hubby and I....</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7CYE6NseLZCgKOyVlgAO7acO4UB0fkVQqTO7IitIfVubSK0W3TiwL8zmXVLRL43OIN2kAzY2yHldmyUlep1lqRYOMkUqI1v3pfcqMD8vmcfwvHrQAgiehB6m45IHvxTpcjOllkyzDGUeexXLnDlLC71N5vNvf1DEMu9RAFb6wB0xl4GCLZ4YNkWnSQ/s752/3%20Hubby%20and%20me%20gnomies.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anybody else adore gnomes?" border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="751" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7CYE6NseLZCgKOyVlgAO7acO4UB0fkVQqTO7IitIfVubSK0W3TiwL8zmXVLRL43OIN2kAzY2yHldmyUlep1lqRYOMkUqI1v3pfcqMD8vmcfwvHrQAgiehB6m45IHvxTpcjOllkyzDGUeexXLnDlLC71N5vNvf1DEMu9RAFb6wB0xl4GCLZ4YNkWnSQ/w640-h640/3%20Hubby%20and%20me%20gnomies.JPG" title="Anybody else adore gnomes?" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>If Hubby & I were gnomes, we'd look exactly like this adorable little gnomie couple.π </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2021/10/blogtober-day-three-do-you-have-holiday.html" target="_blank">We have gnomies with a Harry Potter theme</a> (one of whom is a meerkat and just too adorable!) and we even have a tribute to Her Majesty, our beloved Queen Elizabeth, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/09/thinking-of-goodbyes-and-unexpected.html" target="_blank">from the Jubilee this year</a> too, which even has a little corgi gnomie.π </div><div><br /></div><div>There's no use fighting it honeys, I think the gnomies are taking over our home and I really don't mind at all.π₯° Do you like gnomes? Are you collecting gnomes too?π</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope these little gnomies made you smile too honeys.π Till next time, stay warm and hugs always x </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZy4XUXSJQuyH6MATP0jGH8OlVRvzXvK59QC9qoE3pARuyzwjZ57cIblgBhPgjAke87WBilujVVdLY9EENliFkNxn_sdLrvrgc8CJ-6Wk6zXGgxboavwAYsL5dmEOGtzYQ4x7UVbIaU6Y8jSxYpBjwRzbroV9KUXghT-9tytB3cyokjUlY4DnEZ-goA/s1297/4%20Cute%20gnome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anybody else adore gnomes?" border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1297" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZy4XUXSJQuyH6MATP0jGH8OlVRvzXvK59QC9qoE3pARuyzwjZ57cIblgBhPgjAke87WBilujVVdLY9EENliFkNxn_sdLrvrgc8CJ-6Wk6zXGgxboavwAYsL5dmEOGtzYQ4x7UVbIaU6Y8jSxYpBjwRzbroV9KUXghT-9tytB3cyokjUlY4DnEZ-goA/w640-h444/4%20Cute%20gnome.jpg" title="Anybody else adore gnomes?" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-60366766017844471422022-10-21T22:41:00.000+00:002022-10-21T22:41:15.756+00:00Why Halloween is my favourite holidayπ <div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm getting the winter mehs already, I think. As the saying goes, my get up and go has got up and gone. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's October, I'm working <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/search/label/Blogtober%202022" target="_blank">happily, trying to complete Blogtober.</a> October is also, of course, the month of my favourite "holiday" (is Halloween a holiday?) so I should be happier than happy right now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GXS04i3T7ELhONFtisupDhLf0277Xfeye0Mv30OUlIraCvk_VJZqQn6gFEiv-yCssahXfuZqYX0wzD4pHdVq4s-nZoBXuMEhGIgNxF_cNBdiEwQkobQeSV_ZP5uvudbY707qN0HIo6WsM4h7kww-CFFEflSWGvdIL8_hb29BAaDKFs0Ur1qSRpqXug/s1186/1%20Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why Halloween is my favourite holiday - Happy Halloween Everybodyπ" border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1186" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GXS04i3T7ELhONFtisupDhLf0277Xfeye0Mv30OUlIraCvk_VJZqQn6gFEiv-yCssahXfuZqYX0wzD4pHdVq4s-nZoBXuMEhGIgNxF_cNBdiEwQkobQeSV_ZP5uvudbY707qN0HIo6WsM4h7kww-CFFEflSWGvdIL8_hb29BAaDKFs0Ur1qSRpqXug/w640-h324/1%20Halloween.jpg" title="Why Halloween is my favourite holiday - Happy Halloween Everybodyπ" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I so look forward to Halloween every year. At work we used to all dress up. One of my favourite memories is <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-halloween-smile.html" target="_blank">the year I managed to convince a tiny human that I was actually a student at Hogwarts.π</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What's not to love about Halloween?</span> ππ </h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/11/best-halloween-ever-catching-up.html" target="_blank">A couple of years ago we started to decorate our tiny entryway by the front door</a> and that's fun. We make up bags of treats for our little visitors, that's always fun. Every year we spend weeks buying different sweets as well as tiny things like bottles of bubbles, balloons and plastic spiders.π· </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once the trick or treaters have collected their treat bags, hubby and I will usually watch a couple of favourite spooky movies (original Ghostbusters anybody?) or maybe <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/10/blogtober-day-28-ghostly-smiles-for.html" target="_blank">we'll binge watch some favourite ghostly tv series</a> with snacks. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Halloween preparation begins... ππ </h3><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, we took out the big box of decorations to decorate our tiny entryway at the front door and even that didn't cheer me up honeys. Still, this weekend we're going to make a start on <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/10/blogtober-day-29-halloween-preparations.html" target="_blank">making up the little treat bags</a> and that always makes me smile, so, maybe that will help to chase away the mehs? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course there's also some baking to do too, that always cheers me up.π There are gingerbread cookies to make, they're one of hubby's favourites. If you'd like to make them too, you can find the recipe (and a free spooky printable to download) <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/10/blogtober-day-9-easiest-ever.html" target="_blank">here honeys.</a> Enjoy.π <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/all-set-for-holiday-baking-and-sharing.html" target="_blank">Now that I have lots of lovely stevia products,</a> I think there will be extra baking this year. Something hubby and I will do together as always. We have such fun together cooking. I was truly blessed honeys, to marry my best friend.π</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2021/10/blogtober-day-three-do-you-have-holiday.html" target="_blank">Do you have any holiday traditions?</a> What's your favourite holiday? Have you started on your holiday prep? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Till next time dear ones, stay warm and hugs always x</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiCD1K4ZlzbKzeUuX_FJJNBmRxDcIarQUR_A9Zcvbnv7OaclUtHeI_nheupEHEpJFx7wrRtxVxtVCx2P-LQtuYVV9UXB_BRkZK7iv-n9WAyh6S3-Iy_P5DAtHpKUEjGhvUuJu3PHm8AhGI92ntnCbhmk_Ms3hHcMFLSdmMlY5KPA_qjAkdBX8ezqCUg/s822/2%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie x" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="822" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiCD1K4ZlzbKzeUuX_FJJNBmRxDcIarQUR_A9Zcvbnv7OaclUtHeI_nheupEHEpJFx7wrRtxVxtVCx2P-LQtuYVV9UXB_BRkZK7iv-n9WAyh6S3-Iy_P5DAtHpKUEjGhvUuJu3PHm8AhGI92ntnCbhmk_Ms3hHcMFLSdmMlY5KPA_qjAkdBX8ezqCUg/w640-h584/2%20Theodore%20Arbuthnot%20frog.jpg" title="Hugs always, Rosie x" width="640" /></a></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-41122955399856685772022-10-20T22:43:00.001+00:002022-10-20T22:43:49.936+00:00All Set For Holiday Baking And Sharing A (Very Healthy) Baked Doughnut Recipeπ©πͺπ°<p>Disclaimer: <b>I haven't been paid to promote any products,</b> I'm just really, really (really!) excited to be able to start making plans for some proper holiday baking this year yaaaaayyyπ©πͺπ°</p><div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys, </div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm happy!! No, I'm more than happy... I'm excited, thrilled, exhilarated.... As a Scot, I feel I can quite properly say, honeys, that I'm a wee chuffed thing (that's a small happy personπ)</div><p>What's made me happy, you ask? Well, this happened...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwBw9vSRtz0pRL7nTqn00tUoeUqo4ouWEosA14IYsVcIW64YG8hRPATGuCbcSlhvrX6wIqVUB1spyHiaDCiHzD_2e9mF7lKI-LMjgE0b1uRJAf-X4E3v99BdxxkaqSoDq4qJBbeYQWpandD2f1urdFoTbFAR9x2M8F6y0wa5b1ZV6Qi4RGD7GOisioA/s1259/1%20Holiday%20baking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="New Truvia products mean I'm all set for my holiday baking yaaaaay!!" border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1259" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwBw9vSRtz0pRL7nTqn00tUoeUqo4ouWEosA14IYsVcIW64YG8hRPATGuCbcSlhvrX6wIqVUB1spyHiaDCiHzD_2e9mF7lKI-LMjgE0b1uRJAf-X4E3v99BdxxkaqSoDq4qJBbeYQWpandD2f1urdFoTbFAR9x2M8F6y0wa5b1ZV6Qi4RGD7GOisioA/w640-h348/1%20Holiday%20baking.jpg" title="New Truvia products mean I'm all set for my holiday baking yaaaaay!!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For a while now, since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I've been making little changes in how I live and particularly, in how I cook. <div><br /></div><div>I wasn't ever a sugary person, never adding it to my tea, only using it when I baked really. So I was thrilled (and chuffedπ) to find there were healthier ways to bake, such as products made using the stevia leaf.π </div><div><br /></div><div>This led to my discovering Truvia. Truvia certainly wasn't the cheapest stevia product on the shelf but, having tried a few of them, it was the one we preferred. So, for the past couple of years those tiny, square, green containers have appeared regularly in our shopping basket. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The discovery...</h3><div><br /></div><div>Then, while aimlessly clicking on Pinterest one evening, I spotted a link showing some yummy looking baked goods and the truvia logo! "Recipes!" I thought. Now, by this time of course, I'd been experimenting and had discovered my own preferred ratio of truvia to (replace) sugar in a few favourite recipes. The idea of new recipes to try was quite exciting to me.π </div><div><br /></div><div>So, I clicked the link. Only to discover there were in fact some lovely recipes but they were made using products unavailable in the UK!π² Oh no!! </div><div><br /></div><div>To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I couldn't buy these new (to me) Truvia products unless I flew to USA to buy them. The range included a caster sugar, a brown sugar (I could make cookies!!) and even an icing sugar product!!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Then this happened...</h3><div> </div><div>They're here!! In the UK!! I can bake for the holidays!! I am officially " a wee chuffed thingπ"</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAr6e3csungqLGbN7MjMB8XO6zC6uPaMypK9rHL-gNsrvkev8I6RjSyNpbOgVc5fmnLTU4gZ1shCVzXFREqtFovQgXC8K-fyqoNIO4Fz8DyoI2BG8sHBQ6lreKlm8b43jajyHzG_tlidVXCxhTGRnNkA8N-AfzqNr69NCl-7Vn9ivYbleQF4L5v--1g/s1259/2%20Holiday%20baking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="New Truvia products mean I'm all set for my holiday baking yaaaaay!!" border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1259" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAr6e3csungqLGbN7MjMB8XO6zC6uPaMypK9rHL-gNsrvkev8I6RjSyNpbOgVc5fmnLTU4gZ1shCVzXFREqtFovQgXC8K-fyqoNIO4Fz8DyoI2BG8sHBQ6lreKlm8b43jajyHzG_tlidVXCxhTGRnNkA8N-AfzqNr69NCl-7Vn9ivYbleQF4L5v--1g/w640-h348/2%20Holiday%20baking.jpg" title="New Truvia products mean I'm all set for my holiday baking yaaaaay!!" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of the larger supermarkets seem to have them (online) it seems but the best thing is the price. We bought these packs for Β£2 each and given that we pay around Β£5 for each little (270g) container of the original truvia, that's surprising to me (in a good way.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the photo above, there are icing sugar (pink label) which contains 280g, caster sugar (with the orange label) which has 360g and finally there is the brown sugar (with the brown label and did I mention I can make cookies? yaaaaayπ) which has 320g. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I can make my (healthier) doughnuts and even make guilt-free-icing to coat them with.π </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcCI5y1ZW4S3sQc6-mZWw4X0w9kDY4icThyYiR2g3d4TzrzKJS0Oc-1k1HOlQwI-y9zayu7ZE8AL8ISRngYX7AGJoVHRxEJwpmsav3WEC4KKdOqPHIdKA7E9Pyx2YnYDC6RDBQ1eBqgyYYHoDgBWIpUmy4HUKoYe1wRcNfNddZGu4QC-2xLSS6FI9Ng/s1020/3%20Light%20fluffy%20baked%20doughnuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I love making my (healthier) doughnuts and now I can ice them too!" border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1020" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcCI5y1ZW4S3sQc6-mZWw4X0w9kDY4icThyYiR2g3d4TzrzKJS0Oc-1k1HOlQwI-y9zayu7ZE8AL8ISRngYX7AGJoVHRxEJwpmsav3WEC4KKdOqPHIdKA7E9Pyx2YnYDC6RDBQ1eBqgyYYHoDgBWIpUmy4HUKoYe1wRcNfNddZGu4QC-2xLSS6FI9Ng/w640-h470/3%20Light%20fluffy%20baked%20doughnuts.JPG" title="I love making my (healthier) doughnuts and now I can ice them too!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I know it must seem like a really silly thing to be happy about but I really do love to bake. I don't get to do much of anything these days (because of the osteo in my spine) but it does mean that when I do cook I usually have hubby with me and we do have a laugh while cooking.π </div><div><br /></div><div>So, yes honeys, I'm looking forward to making some (healthier) doughnuts and making some Christmasπ
π (and Halloweenπ) cookies. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FZv-aPF_z0zrB3vXoyzutBAr0r5gFXgKGMM2a8IrHdMiCFUctHf8Yo97NshBVxGrDTOnItoLNrZZGb0EpIpyCP-xtpR5i7u39yMkrFC6joWmynNUbwGS56KGeYlbpwBH7yPDksknmL0lz4u0l57P4h1rnyLCVFyCe9vt-76XBoDo1MJqFy9BLUS4pQ/s921/4%20Light%20fluffy%20baked%20doughnuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I love making my (healthier) doughnuts and now I can ice them too!" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="921" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FZv-aPF_z0zrB3vXoyzutBAr0r5gFXgKGMM2a8IrHdMiCFUctHf8Yo97NshBVxGrDTOnItoLNrZZGb0EpIpyCP-xtpR5i7u39yMkrFC6joWmynNUbwGS56KGeYlbpwBH7yPDksknmL0lz4u0l57P4h1rnyLCVFyCe9vt-76XBoDo1MJqFy9BLUS4pQ/w640-h520/4%20Light%20fluffy%20baked%20doughnuts.JPG" title="I love making my (healthier) doughnuts and now I can ice them too!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In case you haven't seen it, <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2019/10/blogtober-day-10-in-search-of-healthier.html" target="_blank">you can find my healthier doughnuts recipe here honeys.</a> Enjoy.π Oh, and before I forget, and I know it might be different for everyone because we all have different tastes, but after lots of attempts, I discovered the best ratio of (ordinary granulated type version) truvia when I made the doughnuts was to take the recipe (I used a sponge type recipe so technically they're actually cake-nuts?) and divide the sugar measurement by three. </div><div><br /></div><div>I used 75g of truvia/stevia instead of the 225g of caster sugar the recipe called for. That's quite a saving on calories, so another bonus. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over to you honeys, have you ever baked with healthier alternatives? What are your favourite holiday recipes? Have you posted any of them? If so, why not share your link? </div><div><br /></div><div>Till next time, dear ones, stay warm, hugs always x </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5to1qIUR2GMIizz2oGbDhUsUWHyp4fq0hHO6XSvjnL3EFYjoTphhB0T9ABC8vT9GM8BBU4lH7W858Vey0CbbFx_GNrymcn05QlXZuclx9fDQY1NxxM5P6qVTGdYDO_l-R4N_vUqEH69wABOKyR5-Wm7ZEnz75XqJqch58tjuLetJKV7R00SkvYOGRng/s1000/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5to1qIUR2GMIizz2oGbDhUsUWHyp4fq0hHO6XSvjnL3EFYjoTphhB0T9ABC8vT9GM8BBU4lH7W858Vey0CbbFx_GNrymcn05QlXZuclx9fDQY1NxxM5P6qVTGdYDO_l-R4N_vUqEH69wABOKyR5-Wm7ZEnz75XqJqch58tjuLetJKV7R00SkvYOGRng/w640-h480/Hugs%20always%20Rosie.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="640" /></a></div></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756507668316918987.post-33552575585980302112022-10-20T00:16:00.015+00:002023-10-07T13:57:02.601+00:00Meal Prepping Pureed Vegetables For Our Furbaby ππΆπ<p>Disclaimer: <b>This is not nutrition advice</b> for anyone (or their furbabies.) Please do your own research about your furbabies needs and consult your vet if you have queries about their diet or nutritional needs, hugs ππΆπ±π </p><div style="text-align: left;">Hi Honeys,</div><div style="text-align: left;">How are you today? All staying warm I hope? Only 152 days till spring arrives again and yes, I'm still counting down as I do every year.π </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In yesterdays post, where <a href="https://rosieshappymusings.blogspot.com/2022/10/super-scrumptious-cauliflower-cheese.html" target="_blank">I shared one of our new favourites, cauliflower cheese and spinach,</a> I promised I'd share my latest little kitchen experiment. This one though was made for our much loved furbaby Jade. ππΆπ</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7adtV2ZCiJclD9QCx1tQCVNmChjoeYeGfL_w5MZWC7bV9Cd7_n6oJAU4eBZC8PH7iUguJTsG9z5ETdV4xERwdzH2Qh2CUsYIiiNdEqrVebEE6Eygl_SUEa0okVn4ChxKoZphx_s_ku_xTKkaUllQDiS841ZLWi50VP0disfKTKYzc5ShL7vKryNRtA/s1249/1%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An Adventure In Meal Prepping For Our Furbaby..." border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1249" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7adtV2ZCiJclD9QCx1tQCVNmChjoeYeGfL_w5MZWC7bV9Cd7_n6oJAU4eBZC8PH7iUguJTsG9z5ETdV4xERwdzH2Qh2CUsYIiiNdEqrVebEE6Eygl_SUEa0okVn4ChxKoZphx_s_ku_xTKkaUllQDiS841ZLWi50VP0disfKTKYzc5ShL7vKryNRtA/w640-h446/1%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" title="An Adventure In Meal Prepping For Our Furbaby..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As I started to explain yesterday honeys, one of my favourite Youtubers, Silvia, inspired me with one of her videos where she shared her latest grocery haul. Included in her grocery shop were lots of tiny pouches of pureed fruit and vegetables for babies. The little organic ones? </div><div><br /></div><div>Sylvia so clearly adores her beautiful furbabies, as much as we do our baby Jade.π So, I showed Hubby the video and we added half a dozen of these little pouches to our grocery shop, all in different varieties, just to see if Jade likes them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well. long story short honeys, they were a huge hit! That got me thinking... I wondered if I could make these pureed veggies at home because then I could control what's in them and they wouldn't have any preservatives in them. They are organic, so you wouldn't think there were any preservatives in there? There won't be I'm sure, but having already had that thought run through my head, it made me very uneasy. We don't take any chances with our baby. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A meal prepping adventureππΆπ </h3><div><br /></div><div>For this first time making Jade's pureed veggies I cooked broccoli, garden peas, carrots and sweet potato (I cut the sweet potato into small cubes to cook through faster.) I added water (no salt!!) and brought them to the boil and then I simmered them, on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. I tested them by gently piercing them with a knife, everything was all soft. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another bonus was the gorgeous scent of simmering vegetables coming from the kitchen. I used a slotted spoon to lift all of the vegetables into a glass mixing bowl, then used a hand/stick blender to blend them all together into this vegetable puree... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cEQ02kRlxzhj_rHkkAkDaCFHW0RhtvCaDdhe8soh2BO6mrl5Af-ly6sxsEw0oiG_e3zR6xQYndC_AmXJvbtguJBB9S9eI_oJao6OYQiv1qxWNCbC8C6Y9IO9Xy4-q2PsTmPTxbaMR9vROM93hSdo3_wYFuIdOevgaML1U6u3MkOQ1qARyknehGA_uQ/s1249/2%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby..." border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1249" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cEQ02kRlxzhj_rHkkAkDaCFHW0RhtvCaDdhe8soh2BO6mrl5Af-ly6sxsEw0oiG_e3zR6xQYndC_AmXJvbtguJBB9S9eI_oJao6OYQiv1qxWNCbC8C6Y9IO9Xy4-q2PsTmPTxbaMR9vROM93hSdo3_wYFuIdOevgaML1U6u3MkOQ1qARyknehGA_uQ/w640-h446/2%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" title="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby..." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I also poured the liquid left over from cooking the vegetables (shown above) into a smaller bowl. This vegetable stock will make a fabulous base for a lovely pot of soup for Hubby. He adores soup.π </div><div><br /></div><div>Till the weekend though, I've put the stock into this bowl (which has a secure, lockable lid) and popped it into the freezer. On the weekend, Hubby will be out in the garden clearing the mountains of leaves that have been falling from the trees, and he's hoping to give the lawn it's last cut of the year too. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a lot of work honeys and while he's doing that, I'll use this yummy stock as a base and make him a lovely, warming potato and leek soup.π </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Back to Jade's yummy dinnerππΆπ</h3><div><br /></div><div>So, now that I had Jade's veggie puree all blended, I left it to cool for her and popped some boneless, skinless, chicken thighs into the air fryer... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KTOAE5IPiCOGCg8wqxgq8rvTi5-DNAj3FZIBnPFEoKvRDTbBh84ZD0D_rb-vtgUI58D6IgL4itvrdOLBcmpcBa-Yc1Xw4IG9eZb-sU_LGmB8jkW6x6HztGQUAmGMxbc5xuBb3cAGzuIf8silWu8edAVP_dbBF0Ibz3FUMaJRdUdEL_44g9k0T69Z1A/s1271/3%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer." border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1271" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KTOAE5IPiCOGCg8wqxgq8rvTi5-DNAj3FZIBnPFEoKvRDTbBh84ZD0D_rb-vtgUI58D6IgL4itvrdOLBcmpcBa-Yc1Xw4IG9eZb-sU_LGmB8jkW6x6HztGQUAmGMxbc5xuBb3cAGzuIf8silWu8edAVP_dbBF0Ibz3FUMaJRdUdEL_44g9k0T69Z1A/w640-h492/3%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" title="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once cooked, I then cut the chicken thighs up into smaller pieces... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFVaEe1fZL1R9AR_P8LRDnww_1xhaK7OACeuHrinREO8309LcnWWwgeCfsZa2N2_F59BhRcYycYk_UeX_4IyEgvCbcG9tZQr9QpMkTQgK8rzuzPwG1NfoJjHnof_iDsG3nCmJffS1v1ytc8i24iRYcYeSkMhsOMAjTD9GjcatJKBZlu3Rl4uk8mCy_w/s1257/4%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer and then cut into tiny pieces." border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1257" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFVaEe1fZL1R9AR_P8LRDnww_1xhaK7OACeuHrinREO8309LcnWWwgeCfsZa2N2_F59BhRcYycYk_UeX_4IyEgvCbcG9tZQr9QpMkTQgK8rzuzPwG1NfoJjHnof_iDsG3nCmJffS1v1ytc8i24iRYcYeSkMhsOMAjTD9GjcatJKBZlu3Rl4uk8mCy_w/w640-h462/4%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" title="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer and then cut into tiny pieces." width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I then added around half of the chicken pieces to a small dish and mixed through a few tablespoons of the veggie puree...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrpsUczsLVuFVvLnKa72OqiLfcsq06ktROkyNr5og6tDM3-uu9p5OLjLT-FPLwQ2YjqRxkXjPtZdPG_oCOKlrnjFj1FKFyhylixlbXRhz0BAEl5JgOJfNVBBeMHKkesbxCbt1dw6ER661nS5ZLfZxal3VGzpFUxKZEfHyUrW-vtN991ptJhXXPyTL9Q/s1255/5%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer and then cut into tiny pieces. Around half of the chicken was then coated in some of the pureed vegetables. Jade loved it!" border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1255" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrpsUczsLVuFVvLnKa72OqiLfcsq06ktROkyNr5og6tDM3-uu9p5OLjLT-FPLwQ2YjqRxkXjPtZdPG_oCOKlrnjFj1FKFyhylixlbXRhz0BAEl5JgOJfNVBBeMHKkesbxCbt1dw6ER661nS5ZLfZxal3VGzpFUxKZEfHyUrW-vtN991ptJhXXPyTL9Q/w640-h420/5%20Mealprepping%20for%20furbaby.jpg" title="Meal prepping pureed vegetables for our furbaby. Chicken thighs were cooked in the air fryer and then cut into tiny pieces. Around half of the chicken was then coated in some of the pureed vegetables. Jade loved it!" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The results...</h3><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't sure she'd like the homemade version of veggie puree as much as she was enjoying the little organic pouches we'd bought for her in our grocery shop but she loved her dinner and ate it all up! </div><div><br /></div><div>I should add that Jade rarely finishes a meal in one sitting. She picks at her food when she feels hungry. She's always known that her bowl of kibble is always there for her. I'm sure that's why she feels safe to only eat when she's hungry and not feel compelled to empty her bowl because she's scared her human will take it away. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've read in so many dog care books, and online, over the years that dogs should have regular feeding times and it should be a window. After this window the bowl is removed whether your furbaby has finished their meal or not.π Excuse my language honeys but hell no!! I'll never, <b>never</b> take our baby's food away from her! If she hasn't eaten a meal, I'll replace it next meal time (we'd never let her eat spoiled food either.)</div><div><br /></div><div>During the last almost forty years honeys, we've been blessed to be furbaby parents to eight wonderful furbabies. Not a single one of our babies has ever eaten too fast, fought over their food (we were owned by multiple babies at a time over the years, once we had a family of four furbabiesπ) neither have they been overweight. </div><div><br /></div><div>From puppyhood they've all known their food supply was certain. Between meals, they've always had a large treat tin, always accessible to them, with dog biscuits in it (bonio, mini gravy bones, milk bones and wee markies are Jades faves.πΆπ) </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">(Almost) the final word...</h3><div><br /></div><div>I'm so happy to have another way to care for our baby honeys. The remaining puree from last night was divided into two of the smaller (0.3 L/10 fl oz) ISTAD clip seal type bags from Ikea and they were placed into the freezer. She still had four of the small pouches Hubby bought her left (she had one of those tonight with dinner) so I thought she can finish those before moving on to the puree made last night. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll definitely be making batches of pureed vegetables from now on. I can mix it through her usual foods. For dinners this could be beef mince or chicken breast/thighs or canned Mackerel, tuna (not albacore) or salmon, so a little added pureed vegetables will give her dinner an added nutritional boost. For anyone thinking this is too much bother for a wee dog we were blessed to adopt from rescue... I have a memory for you. It's one I treasure and if it makes your heart smile too then I'll be very happy.π </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Furbabies are family...</h3><div><br /></div><div>Many years ago, a dear uncle got home from work. As he opened the front door with his key he was hit by the amazing scent of steak cooking. He shouted hello to my Auntie and she told him to go wash up, that his dinner would be ready soon. Off my uncle went to wash and change out of his overalls, eagerly looking forward to his lovely steak dinner. He went into the living room and sat down and my sweet auntie came through with a huge plate of chips, sausage and fried egg. </div><div><br /></div><div>There, on the rug by the fire, was their wee dog... munching happily on the steak, cut up into tiny pieces for him, in his bowl. The steak my auntie had gone to the butchers specially to buy for him because he'd "...looked a wee bit depressed on his walk." To his credit, my fabulous uncle just sighed and ate his dinner. They both adored their wee dog, as much as we adore our baby Jade.ππΆπ </div><div><br /></div><div>We're blessed with so little time with them really, and the time passes so fast. I read a quote on Pinterest recently, and maybe because our baby will be thirteen next spring, but it hit me really hard and actually made me cry. It was a drawing of a girl holding a dog lead, crying and it said "you were my best hello and my most painful goodbye." Now I'm fighting tears again, nobody wants to think about the goodbyes but as Her Majesty, our beautiful Queen, said "Grief is the price we pay for love." </div><div><br /></div><div>Till next time dear ones, I hope you're having the best week and thank you for keeping me company.π€ Hugs always x</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Links:</b></h3><div><br /></div><div><b>Silvia's YouTube channel</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SILVIATHEGIRLS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">can be found here.</a> She's such a lovely lady and a wonderful pet parent, honeys. If you visit, do say hello to her? Thank you.π€π</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>11 Benefits Of Vegetables For Dogs</b><span style="font-weight: var(--e-global-typography-primary-font-weight);"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This is a really interesting article, <a href="https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/10-reasons-to-feed-vegetables-for-dogs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can find it here.</a></span> </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #4d4d4d; letter-spacing: -0.273104px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Are Veggies Good for My Dog? </b>Another great article honeys, <a href="https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/do-dogs-need-veggies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can read it here.</a></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #4d4d4d; letter-spacing: -0.273104px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #4d4d4d; letter-spacing: -0.273104px;"><b>Adding Fish To Your Dogs Diet: What You Should Know</b> <a href="https://k9basics.com/adding-fish-to-your-dogs-diet-what-to-know/#:~:text=Whitefish%20such%20as%20flounder%20and,definitely%20make%20your%20puppy%20happy." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lots to read here</a> honeys but worth mulling over while enjoying a cuppa.β π€π</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Edit Oct 2023:</b> For some months now, we've been using a steamer basket to steam Jade's veggies for her. She's still loving her veggies and I read somewhere that steaming retains more of the goodness in the veggies. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O7T7-p2y6yzJdMGInFxQ0c1w_-SopE8LrV8hRSdzyZVAXDWG5KDHlHV2NK_SmMRiA8OIbQfXt2uBQfG0Sg3EkXgra8a7gzdTgj4FRRGCfeEAKW589mAxhELxJxJVS3CDVFOhanEI9bUZII0Ub2HucPW9uI9J6JNuNgIYe7lhMqXMrwEVOi_HB81S3g/s749/Thank%20you%20honeys%20AB.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hugs always, Rosie xx" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="684" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O7T7-p2y6yzJdMGInFxQ0c1w_-SopE8LrV8hRSdzyZVAXDWG5KDHlHV2NK_SmMRiA8OIbQfXt2uBQfG0Sg3EkXgra8a7gzdTgj4FRRGCfeEAKW589mAxhELxJxJVS3CDVFOhanEI9bUZII0Ub2HucPW9uI9J6JNuNgIYe7lhMqXMrwEVOi_HB81S3g/w584-h640/Thank%20you%20honeys%20AB.JPG" title="Hugs always, Rosie xx" width="584" /></a></div><br /></div>Rosie's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607490839144049343noreply@blogger.com0