Healthy Hazard

Like most stroke survivors, I take tablets to keep my blood pressure stable. That's why I'm a survivor.

I also like to eat sparingly, but when I eat, I like to eat good quality, healthy food. That means, for instance, I love a steak. That doesn't mean an 8 or 16 ouncer (I wish) It means it 4 oz or less of something nice and expensive I really like. Keeps me happy and keeps the cost down.

The reason I mention something chunky and meaty, is that it isn't the first thing that springs to mind as healthy eating - particularly if you're keeping your cholesterol down. But I'm human, not a rabbit. Don't get wrong, I love veg.

Your body needs cholesterol. It's produced naturally by the body and broken down into oestrogen and testosterone. Both hormones are required by both sexes - the degree depending upon whether you're male or female. The trick is to eat foods in amounts that produce only what you need. So forget the rubbish on the adverts about avoiding it. You need it. It's just by how much. My cholesterol has been a steady 4 to 5 for years, which just goes to show a little of what you fancy does you good.

Salt. The last thing you need if you tend to high blood pressure, right? Wrong.

Even more important if you take blood pressure medication. You should not exclude it from your diet if you eat fresh, home cooked food, as opposed to lots of ready meals or tinned stuff.

I'm used to having a bit of difficulty walking, aches and pains. Almost 'Flu like. But when I started getting dizzy, it was bad news. I wobble enough as it is. Then there was the night cramps. I had used something called 'Lo-Salt', but more often than not, I just didn't use salt.

I mentioned it to an elderly friend, who said he'd had the same thing. He'd found that if he walked any distance, he's have to stop and rest because he was 'cramped' His GP had told him that Lo-Salt (which is 1/3 rd salt) was fine, but no-salt wasn't an option. He was asked to put a pinch of sea salt into his cooking.

I've tried that. And its worked. No more cramps, no more night cramps, no more dizziness.

So I guess my advice would be a little of what you fancy does you good, and a lot of healthy eating advice should be taken with a pinch.

Sad

A week ago today, Squeak the kitty went missing. She's called Squeak, because that's what she does. She can't meow - the vet said that's just the way she's made. Besides, she'd decided she was my cat, and I'm rather unimaginative with names - ask my kids - their names begin with the same letter too......

The reason we know she's mine, is because I was the one she got up a 05:30 to be let out using the unusual but effective habit of sitting on my face. Rather disconcerting waking up with a face full of cat bum. I'm also the one she takes delight in running up one leg and down the other and tripping me up.

Still, she and Smudge adopted us when they were 6 months old. They were inseparable. Slept together, play-fought together, ate together. He spent all night out, she was a most-of-the-night-in. But since since she's gone, both he and the old girl, Sniff (see, no imagination..) are in most of the day and night. He's become really fussy and chatty with The Bear, and even Sniff will sit at my feet. That IS unusual.

I've reassured the family that I'm sure the worst that has happened is that she's gone back to where she came from. Still, we've checked the house top to bottom, the shed, under the shed, hedges, got the neighbours to check theirs, asked the RSPCA, PDSA and Cats rescue, and their web sites, searched nearby fields.

I'D LIKE TO put posters on lamp posts, or a notice in the local pet shop window, but he won't have it (a) because he gets too many, and (b) he thinks I'd be a 'bit of a nutter' putting my phone number on public display. He's probably right. I've had a word with the local PCSO (around here we call them 'Plastic Policemen' ) and she's says that putting posters up would cost an £80 fine per poster for littering from "the wally wardens", and see (b) above. So I'm at a loss.

Done some reasearch, and discovered they are no laws governing the ownership of cats in the uk. Whatsoever. For instance, a cat walks in, it's yours. A dog....oof, complicated. Hit a dog with a car, you have to report it. A cat? Naw.

So I'm a bit upset. Not fooling the family either. Heard Eldest telling his American mate how upset about it, and Bear keeps talking to the other cats about it.

Truth is, we have a local Urban Fox. Whom I, as an early riser, tend to get on with. I fear he may have the solution :(

Darn it.

Ker-ching!

This is rapidly going to turn into a grumpy old man blog, if I'm not careful....

Now I've had to buy a new combi microwave. Had the last one eight years. First the turntable stopped going round. Ok, thought I, look up some spares on the net. Hmm, £17 for a new motor, and perhaps an hour or two's work - like heck am I pay £80 + £50 'parts' for someone in a shop to do it for me. I'd paid £250 for the thing in the first place. It should be ok to use without the turntable going round, right?

No.... two weeks of use later, (hey, this is 17 quid we're talking about here!) "Wheelie" - yes, she sometimes calls me that when she gets annoyed. "Yes miss?" "Belt up, I can't warm up my tinned chicken curry" (Blargh! Yuk!)

Sigh. Still, as my lass says, "It didn't owe us nowt"

Why a combi-microwave? A combi is a combination of a micro, a grill, and fan assisted electric oven. I eat when I feel like it, which isn't that often. But when I do, it's handy when my mob, fiends, and relatives are doing their thing with the normal gas oven and hob, to use the combi. Secondly, I'm a bit more careful of what I eat. To be fair electricity in the uk is more expensive - but it works for me.

We have a household principle (well, I have) that when we buy something expensive, Micro, TV, Cooker, Dishwasher ect, a couple of quid (£2) goes into a separate jar every week until they expire. In this case, £430 was in the kitty for a new micro. Interestingly, over time, the technology gets better, and prices drop.

So I was able to pick up a bigger, better, replacement - different brand, different make, for for £175. By my reckoning, that's £255 profit that can go back in the pot for something else.

So no 'extended warranties' needed, no bank interest charges, no overdraft charges, no credit card charges, no worries.

Good, eh?

I am going to treat myself.

I don't get out much, which is ok, mostly, because I have lovely views of fields and pastures, and living on the side of a hill, our little home overlooks the seven hills that characterise our city. I fully admit I'm a snow person, and that I'm going to have to wait for that. Meanwhile, I'm looking at rolling green and golden hills.

But I have a hankering for a train journey. I'd like to do it alone, but that's not going to happen. I'd like to do steam trains - but, nah, not much of that around here. But when the time is right, I can wangle myself onto a diesel train, and go to some where nearby. Perhaps Grindleford, and hopefully HERE

:)

Loafing

Forgive me for going on about bread again. There's a problem with uncut bread. Cutting it into slices.

To put that into perspective. I'm aware there are all sorts of devices out there to do it, but we prefer a good, old fashioned bread knife. I CAN cut it - it's a kinda leaning on it on one side to hold it, and then using yon knife. My Bear can do it, but they're very thick, and kinda wedge shaped.

Great for a good old fashioned Bacon Butties but a little too filling for me. Any tips?

By the way, one of my sisters said that a breadmaker is one of those things that ends up at the back of a cupboard - after a-month-and-a-bit ? Nope. In fact, neighbours and friends love 'em.

Note though, we are using the flour/water/yeast/sea salt/sugar mix, rather than a supermarket readymix, and it's TOO popular! :)

Fishy?

Apparently, my two older kids are 'Kippers', despite one being in their own place.

"Kids In Parents Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings".

Oh, yes. Bear and I knew we'd reached THAT age when the away-from-home one phoned up asking, "How do you make cheeses sauce?". I'm glad Bear answered it. I probably would have said "By a bloody packet, add milk".

Thinking of smelly, it's that time of year when I have to do my pickles for Christmas. Truth is, stuff like Piccalilli and Sweet Chutneys are so so easy to make, for the same reason Great Granny did. To use up bits and bobs left at the end of the week, or to use up garden produce that needs sorting before it goes off. I'm still eating home made pickled onions now - 8 months later!

My Granny's were useless. I used to cook for one in my dinner time at school. Heh:)

It really is so easy nowadays. You get the pickling vinegar AND a jar. Simples. Problem is, it pongs awful while it's cooking. All door and windows open :) But Chutneys and Pickles taste gorgeous after a month in storage.

Naturally, I get the odd wally telling me they could get it from a supermarket. Fine. Ahuh. They get a good pinch of Chilli flakes in theirs (evil grin!)

I used to get my recipes from the net or recipe books - but over time I've adapted them to the way I like. If anyone wants me to post a few, no problem. But beware the pong :)

Christmas cake recipe being posted soon, - that needs doing in the next month....

Mmmm..Brandy.....

String and Sellotape.

Thinking of toast (like you do) , after of about a week-and-a-bit of using the bread maker, we are well chuffed.

We've used the recipes in the booklet that came with it - variations of strong flours, dried yeast, butter (1 oz/25g), and water or semi-skimmed milk. When my twelve year old girl said the 50/50 wholemeal and white, used toasted on one side as a bacon butty, was "The best bread she has ever tasted", we knew we'd cracked it. She hates wholemeal bread :)

My only complaint would be the length of time it takes. It can vary from 2-5 hours depending on the recipe. The up-side is that it has a timer, and for most stuff you can put the ingredients in and (on the bread maker we have) calculate what time you want it ready by, and have the lovely smell of cooked bread wafting through the house when you get up......

Oh, by virtue of the way the bread pan is, bigger loaves aren't longer, as you'd find if you made your own or bought them in a shop. They're taller. The downside of taller is that you have to lay it on it's side to cut it, and you might have to halve a slice to fit it in the toaster :)

There's a 45 minute Pizza base thingy (amongst other things) on ours. In that mode it acts as a mini mixer and riser. Then you have to let it rise again in the oven at 40 C. If you're like me and the lowest setting is 'slow cook', that's about 120 C. We warmed up the oven for 15 mins on slow, then turned it off. That worked. The family were well impressed. I was. With the cost.....

Can't comment on those bread maker ready mixes you can pick up from the supermarket. Bear says they cost about 70 pence (about a dollar?). Well, that's about the price of a half-decent 800g white loaf. We calculated we can make two loaves for that.

*Update* Aged parent turned up with a 500g Morrisons bread readymix containing about 10% each of sunflower seeds and oats. I didn't ask how much it cost (and oddly, Morissons doesn't seem to have a search function on their page.)

Anyway. Add 500g mix to bread pan. Add 300 ml water. Bread pan in maker, set, according to the destructions in the book to 'Bake Rapid Large'. Timer Shows 1 hour 55 mins. Wait. Voilà. Simples :)

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Funny what odd little skills you pick up. I've had a plastic skull knocking around for yonks. Being a bit of a 'MacGyver' and a fan of stuff like Forensic Detectives, I thought I'd borrow some of Tot's plasticine, and do a facial reconstruction. I was well impressed with the outcome. In fact, for someone who's drawing skills are very cartoony, I was amazed how realistic it looked.

I would have loved to have posted a photo, but Tots nicked the plasticine back. I mean sheesh... :(

Thinking of MacGyver, I'm going to have think of a way to stop kittens nicking bacon butties the moment I turn my back. That and me chicken. They pinched me chicken drumsticks !!!.

Little monkeys.

Catch Me.

Got the house to myself. Oooh, it's nice. Have a young niece staying with us, unexpectedly - at least to me - and all the ladies have nipped out swimming. I'd forgotten what it's like having a couple of twelve year old's around the place........

Had a Ronan Keating Keating song stuck in my head since I woke up. Ok if you hear it once, but....

So while I was sat in the kitchen chopping some veg, I thought I'd belt it out. That'd fix it, I thought. If you can imagine Barry White singing Westlife....

(1) Good thing. Love the guitar riff, and looking forward to the day I can pick up a guitar again. Mate on the Stroke Association taught me a work around where you retune the guitar so it's at least an octave lower, or more if you use a capo. So the strings are slacker, and you don't have to fight to press as hard. One has to think harder tho' because you're forever having to translate the notes on the fret up a bit. Guess it'll become second-nature with practice.

2) Bad thing. Everyone started singing it. Mr. Keating. If you read this, you say it best, if you say nothing at all. Please?

:)