A blast from the past

Yesterday I wanted to make a meat loaf with some pork mince I had in the freezer, so started to look for a recipe. I normally make one with beef so I roughly knew the ingredients but knew I had a recipe somewhere. Well, I was now on a mission to find one and an hour later with nothing found I went to a cupboard out in the garage and there in the deep dark depths of a long forgotten drawer FULL to capacity with old recipe books - I found this one covered in dust and in a very sorry state, dating back to 1980.

does anyone remember these M&S cook books? I used to collect them on a regular basis back in the day.

I served it with mustard mash (as all the tv cooks seem to do it this way) and fresh runner beans and gravy, as opposed to the barbecue sauce.  Mmmm it really was nice but I forgot to take a picture. So today we had the cold leftovers sliced with salad and this was equally as good.

Now my hubster is a serious hoarder, he won't throw anything away - storing stuff in the garage, loft space, boxes, cupboards - you name it, its there (although he hasn't realised yet that I am apt to sneak stuff out of the house in the direction of the local charity shop from time to time) - but that's neither here nor there. So bringing in this cook book was no mean feat I can tell you. I mean it was a case of Pot calling the kettle black! Anyway this book has got so many lovely recipes that I haven't cooked in years that I haven't the heart to put it outside again and it's now going to take pride of place on my kitchen shelf. 

I was going to type the recipe out but I guess if you tap on the picture it should enlarge. Enjoy.

Bye for nowx

A Year in Books: May

Linking up and many thanks to Laura at a Circle of Pine Trees for arranging this monthly read. I'm a tad late in posting this month but 'better late than never'.

Firstly, April's choice - The point of rescue by Sophie Hannah

Last year, a work trip Sally had planned was cancelled at the last minute. Desperate for a break from her busy life juggling her career and young family, Sally didn't tell her husband that the trip was cancelled but instead she booked a week off and treated herself to a secret holiday just wanting a bit of peace and some time to herself - but it didn't work out that way...

I'm not one to read many crime novels but it had been recommended so I gave it a go. The storyline certainly kept you on your toes throughout with a very cunning plot and an unpredictable outcome. A good read and a couldn't-put -it-down kind of book.  Definitely worth a read.

My choice for May is - A week in winter by Maeve Binchy.

The Sheedy sisters had lived in Stone House for as long as anyone could remember . Set high on the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean the house was falling into disrepair - until one woman with a past she needed to forget, breathed new life into the place.......

I've just been introduced to Maeve Binchy by my daughter-in-law who is quite a fan and lent me the book. Looking forward to settling down with this one and I'll be back in June with a short synopsis and another book choice.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you all soon x






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Oh my goodness.....

....where did that time go? I cannot believe it is four weeks since I posted here. If I say my feet haven't touched the ground since the Hubster retired, believe it. I think we've been through a kind of  "honeymoon period" where we were initially making the most of the good weather - days out, picnics, camper-vanning etc - you get the picture don't you. To say I've not had any time to myself is an understatement. However, enough is definitely enough. Love him as I do, I'm really in the need of some "me time" every week. I have so many things I want to do - craft, photography, writing, visits or even simply sitting down to read a book. Don't get me wrong we're really enjoying this time together but I want to get back to my old routine again.

That being so, I'm aware that I've definitely neglected my blogging of late and keeping in touch with you all. In fact I've really got out of the habit of writing altogether - in fact when I do plan to write, I think to myself "I'll do it tomorrow" and of course tomorrow never comes.

So, this is just a short post to say that yes I am still around blogosphere and raring to get going again.

Before I go, I went on a one day photography workshop last week and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I went to a class once before but it didn't really sink in.  This time it was more or less on a one to one basis (just two students) in the morning, learning camera skills and then out on location (his words not mine) in the afternoon to put into practice what we'd learnt.

Our 'location' was at Maldon a pretty town on the Essex coastline

Home of many Thames Sailing Barges

So many shots to take - surprising what a rusty piece of metal can look like through the eyes of the camera !

We then went off to another popular place called Heybridge Basin - where the River Chelmer flows out into the North Sea.

What was going to be a quick short post to say Hi to you all, has now turned out to be a tad longer. Writing for me is either all or nothing -  watch this space.

We're off in our campervan this weekend. Have a good weekend and I'll see you soon.