Help with Comments

Is anyone else having trouble with commenting on blogs?  This has been going on with me for quite some time.  I don't seem to be even able to comment on my own blog.  Any advice anyone?  I apologise if anyone thinks that I am neglecting their blogs or comments on mine, but I promise you I am still reading and enjoying them all.  I don't like it when I can't chat to friends.  Have a good weekend everyone xxx

Courgette Salad

At the moment Pete is fibre-glassing the roof of Bonnie, so there isn't a great deal of difference to be able to show you in pictures.  It goes like this, weeks on jobs that you can't see and then a weekend painting or something and everyone says " wow, the barge is moving on!"  But it is good when you can see a significant difference.

I continue to work on the allotment and keep Pete well fed and watered (can't have the old boy collapsing when there is so much work to do!).   We are just going in to the courgette/patty pan glut, so here is one delicious way that I have found to deal with them.

Courgette Salad

Courgettes or Patty Pans

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice (or lemon)

1 tbsp clear honey

2 tsp mustard seeds or poppy seeds

1 crushed garlic glove

seasoning

Slice the courgettes or patty pans.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Done! 

I picked this small posy from the allotment, just to brighten up the boat.  I love freesias and they smell so beautiful.  They always remind me of when I was a young child and a bridesmaid at my Aunts' weddings.  Why is it that the freesias that you get in the supermarket do not smell?

Time for a Change

I spent the day yesterday interviewing and assessing potential Physical Training Instructors for the gym at work.  They were doing all their physical assessments and I had to observe them taking a lesson.  Well, by the end of the day I certainly felt middle aged, fat and frumpy and decidely unfit!!!  The gym has state of the art equipment and I can also have a personal trainer, all for the princely sum of £10 per year.  There really is no excuse.  So now I am inspired, I am going to pay my £10 today and start on a really healthy eating programme.  Within three months you will see a new me!  Now to google 'chocolate based diets'!!!!!

Harvest Time

Hi Everyone.  I am sorry for the lack of posts and comments recently, but lack of internet connection, really busy at work and blogger playing up have all got in the way.  I promise to try harder!  I am sitting outside the house in the car, just to get a connection!  Anyway Alfie and I have spent a couple of hours at the allotment this afternoon and look what we harvested.  There are beetroot, cucumbers, patty pans, potatoes, courgettes, turnips, carrots, garlic, borlotti beans and french beans.  Any ideas what I can cook for dinner?  I am mulling over the idea of a risotto or a stew, but do you have any better ideas?  I am so chuffed with this lot,  it really is the beginning of what I hope will be less dependency on 'the system' and more about the simple life.  Be back soon x

Pan - The Floating Farm Shop

I read about the narrowboat Pan recently in Country Living and was fascinated.  Jane and her husband live on the narrowboat and own several acres of canal side farm land in Oxfordshire.  They are about as self-sufficient as you can get.  They grow their own fruit and veg, keep livestock and sell their produce.  Thirsty walkers can get a welcome rest in their tea garden alongside the barge and tuck into homemade cakes and scones.  Jane used to take her son to school in a pony and trap and tie the pony up in the supermarket carpark.   It sounds idyllic and inspirational.  Definitely somewhere that I intend to visit very soon,   There is more about Jane and her barge at Granny Buttons.  Granny Buttons blog is also worth a visit anyway, it is a very informative and interesting blog about life on the canals and other musings.

Outdoor Living

I have always been the sort of person who enjoys her home comforts, such as central heating, two showers a day, wash load every day, tumble drier, all my kitchen 'stuff' around me, etc etc.  I know that Pete was a bit worried that I would not like the reality of living on Carpe Diem and having to adapt to a 'rougher' style of living.  Well, the good news is that, not only was he wrong, but I absolutely love it!  There has been some having to adapt.  We do have hot and cold running water on the boat and a shower, but using that means that the water tank has to be filled more often.  Luckily, I have a shower room almost next to my office at work, so I just go in early and use that.  No one else does, so it is like having my own private bathroom.  There is also a washing machine and tumble drier at work that I can use.  I seem to have gone from clothes washing every day to two loads a week, but I am still wearing clean clothes and smelling sweet so I don't quite know how that has worked out! 
With only two rings and an oven and no freezer, I am cooking more simply and using fresh products.  Living on the boat is very much about 'outside living' and going to bed with the sun and waking up with the sun (with all the fresh air, sleep is definitely not a problem!).  Other exercise comes from walking the dog, it is really motivational when you just have to get off the boat to be on the sea wall.  With all that and working up at the allotment whenever possible, I am a lot more healthy than I was a year ago and definitely more relaxed and contented. Life is also a lot more sociable, so many people pop in for a cup of tea that I am thinking about taking out shares in Yorkshire Tea.   All in all, life is good at the moment and long may it continue.

A bbq on the boat with friends (the eagle-eyed amongst you may realise that is not Tollesbury but Dunkirk, but you get the idea!)

Happy Anniversary Les and Megan

Some lovely friends of ours, Les and Megan, celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary this week. I think it is wonderful that they have been together this long and obviously still love one another.  We have known Les and Megan for quite a number of years now and have been sailing together, got drunk together and generally created havoc together!!!  So, we know what a smashing couple they are and consider them good friends.  Unfortunately we couldn't make the  party, but we understand that everyone had a great night. Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Les and Megan and here's to the next 50 years xxx