Tuesday 30 November 2021

Just Flu In.....

Well...the little spanner I mentioned yesterday...has definitely hit the works..... I think I have the flu. Cough, runny nose,  sore throat, fever..chills..aching all over.. plus.. Im so tired. And..I have no voice. Is  that MrD I can hear cheering??
Its supposed to be hot chocolate by the fire...not a theraflu.

What a way to welcome December!!

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Monday 29 November 2021

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday


Oh..how I love this time of year.. The Hustle..The Bustle..The Prepping... even The Stressing.. although stress is way down the list.My lists are out... my schedule is loosely set... and it should go well even if a small spanner is thrown in the works. My house looks like a bombs hit it as I swap out the "normal" decor and try to decide where to put all the Christmas stuff. For the past couple of years its been easy as I just place in the same way as the year before. But this year its a new house...and a bigger area. But Im enjoying every second. 

MrD is only working four days this week as he has a doctors appointment Friday. I wasnt going to mention it til we had some idea what was going on.. but he says its ok. He has been in discomfort  for a couple of months with neck and shoulder pain and headaches. Recently he has become forgetful and his multi tasking skills have become difficult. The doctor thought he may have had a mini stroke...but a scan revealed no stroke or tumour. The next step is another scan...and I hope the doctor will have some answers for us.. as his pain is getting worse... and if MrD complains then you know something is wrong.  

Foodwise this week... its still a bit of leftovers. Ham tonight...and Im freezing the rest... and I have made a Turkey Pot Pie with the last of the turkey with one for the freezer. We had a smaller turkey this year... and it was a perfect size, And Friday we are for going the pizza.. Shock right.. and having fish for a change.

Oh and Saturday... I have a Ladies Christmas Breakfast at the church...which Im told involves a lot of food.... so MrD has offered to make dinner... Hes taking it out of the freezer....

Have a great week


Weekly Plan - 29th November 2021
 
Monday              Baked Ham, Fries, Egg and Peas


Tuesday              Chicken Tacos


Wednesday         Turkey Pot Pie, Mashed Potaotes


Thursday            Pasta Alfredo, Garlic Bread

Friday                 
Baked 'Fish and Chips', Tartre Sauce


Saturday             Leftover Chili from the freezer and a Jacket Potato

Sunday                Homemade Celery Soup, Home made Bread

Saturday 27 November 2021

Let The Fun Begin....

Well all the Fall decorations are put away...and the house looks a little bare...

But that wont be for long..
MrD has brought in all the boxes from the garage..
The tree is put together.. but still has to be fluffed out and decorated.
We bought some Christmas lights for outside
and a few wreaths that were ever so cheap.

Tomorrow we will start putting it all together.. 

and giving our new home a festive feel....

Love and Hugs
Pheobe x

Friday 26 November 2021

Dinner and Done...

We had a lovely Thanksgiving day...gave thanks for our many Blessings... and ate so much I thought I would pop. Dinner was a great success.. with only one mishap... I over baked the sausages wrapped in bacon.. and they were a bit...shall we say... crunchy. With so much food left over I won’t have to cook until Monday...and beyond!
But now Thanksgiving is behind us… I can now channel my inner child and slip into my favorite season of the year..
Guess what I’m doing today…

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Thursday 25 November 2021

Happy Thanksgiving...

From our house to yours...

Wishng you all a Happy and Bleassed Thanksgiving 

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Wednesday 24 November 2021

In the Kitchen ~ White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies....

After a busy day ... the turkey is stuffed, the veg is prepped, 
the apple pie is baked, 
Jalapeno Poppers, Devilled Eggs and Pigs in Blankets are in the fridge. 
We are all ready for tomorrow... so time to put my feet up with a pumpkin spice latte whilst Mr D helped himself to a home baked Brownie and a White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie..which is yummy with or without the chocolate.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow...and I will see you on the other side.

White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies


1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (168g) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (104g) sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (131g) uncooked quick cook oats
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted, optional
12 oz vanilla candiquick (or similar baking white chocolate)

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in amedium sized bowl
  • Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix just until well combined and the dough comes together.
  • Add the oats, cranberries and pecan pieces and stir until everything is evenly distributed.
  • Place large tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
  • Bake 9-10 minutes.
  • Cookies may look a little undercooked in the center, but will continue to cook and firm as they cool.
  • Do not over bake.
  • Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes
  • Remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
  • Once the cookies are cool, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl.
  • Dip cookies, one at a time, into the chocolate and gently shake to remove excess chocolate.
  • Set on parchment paper to dry and sprinkle with crushed pecans, if desired.
  • Store cookies in an air tight container at room temperature. 
Love and Hugs
Phoebe x



Tuesday 23 November 2021

Happy Birthday Little H...

A Very Happy 8th Birthday to my the first of my Greatest Blessings...the cool dude that made me a nana.
Little H....the day you were born there was a massive thunderstorm and the bridges leading off our island were closed due to gale force winds. I paced the floor for hours waiting for the phone call to say you had arrived..... then I cried... When they put you in my arms I felt that I had been waiting for you all my life. My heart was full to bursting and I was totally smitten
You are soooo wickedly funny .. have the biggest smile and the kindest heart. You are clever... talented... and so eager to learn.It's been too long since I saw you in person.. but I love our weekly Facetime chats.and you teach me so much. You used to educate me in all things dinosaur....and how to bake a cake. Now its the latest computer game which you patiently expain to this old bird

Little H .. 
I am so very very proud of the amazing young man you are turning into. 
Dont ever change. 

Love you very much xx

Monday 22 November 2021

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday...


Happy Thanksgiving week... and the push towards Turkey Day. Seeing as theres only two of us.. Im determined not to cook too much food.. but I cant promise. 

This week is going to go fast. I always do a big clean at the beginning of the week.. so I can concentrate on the cooking prep. Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment for all my test results... but I know everything will be fine. Then Wednesday MrD is go into work extra early..so he can beat the traffic home. That evening we will be going to a Service of Thanksgiving at our church.. which Im really looking forward to.

Foodwise.. well the star of the show...the turkey.. is defrosting nicely. Tomorrow is my baking day.. bread... an apple pie, some fudgy brownies and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are on the list. I will make the stuffing and prep the rest of the food on Wednesday and keep in the fridge. If everything goes to plan.. Thankgiving day will be stress free.. and I can enjoy the day with MrD

But is it bad of me to be excited for Friday to come...so I can start changing out all the Fall decor...and begin putting up the Christmas tree. I love this time of year!

Here's this weeks..very simple..menu

Weekly Plan - 22nd November 2021

Monday              Chicken Biscuit Bake, Mixed Veg

Tuesday              Sausage, Mashed Potatoes, Peas and Onion Gravy

Wednesday         Spaghetti Bolognese and Garlic Bread

Thursday           
Thanksgiving

Friday                 Leftovers

Saturday            Turkey curry, Rice and Naan Bread

Sunday               Ham, Eggs. Fries and Peas

Saturday 20 November 2021

Saturday Snippets...

Ladies and Gentlemen.... We have a roof!. It appears that Mr D's hints of phoning Home Advisor and  bad reviews worked. In one day.. they redid the bad workmanship and shingled the whole roof. The estimated eight day job only took 24... but its finished now. It can rain as much as it likes...and we will have no worries.
 
We can now get outside and start the clean up. MrD wants to paint the house trim this week ready to put the Christmas lghts up after Thanksgiving. He's also going to spray down the exterior while I need to wash all the windows. The roofers were pretty good cleanng up after themselves but everywhere is extremely dusty.
The garden work has slowed down..although my veggie beds will contnue to be prepped through the winter...and Im still buying the occasional tub to do my container produce. I cut all the rose bushes back this week... except one. It was still in full bloom...and I couldnt bring myself to prune it...yet.
And although Im trying not to prep for Christmas yet... on a trip to a local garden centre.. Ponsettias were on sale for $1.98 so I picked up a couple for our window border...  I tried to resist...I really did.
The Cranberry and Apple Jam is ready for Thanksgiving. Just look at that beautiful colour. I only canned a couple of jars as we dont use much.. but its lovely with turkey... lamb (which we dont often buy) or in cookies and pies. 
Another heart is done. Lots of beading on this one. I love my afternoon stitching..either in my sewing room...or hand sewing in front of the television watching an old movie or a good murder mystery.

Next week the push to Thanksgiving starts... then my fvourite time of year..Christmas!

And I can hardly wait!

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x


Friday 19 November 2021

In Loving Memory...

15 years today I lost the most kind, gentle, funny and best dad a girl could ask for ...and I admit today I shed a few tears. But he brought so much laughter into the world...it was hard not to smile. He loved everyone... and Im sure everyone loved him. I would love to think I inherited my personality from him.
Love you and miss you always Dad. It is a complete privilege to be your little girl.

Until we meet again. xx

Thursday 18 November 2021

Rant Time...

 Rant time... Isnt it funny how fast things can happen when you tell a roofing company that you are not happy with the standard of their work and you are going to make a few phone calls.

Im a very calm, easy going person.. and the majority of the time I let things go.. and nothing much bothers me. But... sometimes..Mama Bear has her fur ruffled!! The roof shingles were delivered on Nov 8th.. and the package unit was put back on the 11th... but no one has been here since. No actual roofers since since the beginnng of the month. Unacceptable!. MrD has called a few times and they said they were waiting for and inspector to come out and check the work so far before they can continue. But last night he had had enough.. theres just one week to Thanksgiving and the completion date they gave us..so after dinner he phoned their rep. 

He told them that he wasnt happy (to say the least) that no work had been done in nearly three weeks. He had photos of their workmanship..including the blue melted plastic that he had to scrub off the back patio.. The rep was full of excuses. He said the completion date was just approximate...although they had assured me that the job would only take 8 days when I had stated I wanted it started and finished as quickly as possible as the Holidays were coming fast.  He said they were still waiting on an inspector.. but MrD told him he knew that some work on the side of the house didnt warrent that and if they wernt coming to do it.. he would take the $800 (an extra cost they added when they removed the roof and found another problem) and get someone else to do it...Or heck... he would do it himself. He told him enough was enough and he would be making a few calls..including Homeadvisor from where we found the company.

It seemed to work. The rep said to leave it to him... and I swear no more than five minutes after putting the phone down. MrD got text to say the inspector would be here in the morning! Man...he must have had that inspector on speed dial to get hold of him and organse a visit at 7.30 at night

Its now Thursday morning so lets see how things go... but What a Bunch of Cowboys!!

And just as I finished writing this.... a whole workcrew has turned up... minus the inspector!

Rant over....for now.

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Tuesday 16 November 2021

Sunset Drive...

 Late yesterday MrD had an appointment about an hours drive away... so I went with him for a ride. 
The drive took us through the mountains and barren land giving some lovely scenery..especially as there was a large full moon looming in the afternoon sky.. Ive been told its called a Beaver Moon.
By the time his appointment was over the sun was setting
providing a beautiful sky
and a colourful..and interesting journey home 

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Saturday 13 November 2021

Sew Clever....

 So.. MrD had to have another look at my sewing machine as it still wasnt working properly.
With the help of Google and Youtube.. we sussed it was a timing issue.
So my clever hubby fixed it and its running beautifully.
Time to finish thatChristmas apron...
and share a few hearts Ive finished this week

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x