Using Up and Making Do

We were out quite early this morning to take our 2 cats to the vet for their annual check up and booster vaccinations. I pay into a monthly scheme that includes all check ups, innoculations and flea and worm treatments. It spreads the cost and I don't have fork out £60 or £70 twice a year for the check ups and over £40 every 3 months for flea treatments. We could also have their claws clipped as part of the package but they need doing every 10 days since they are indoor cats so we do it ourselves rather than traumatising them by taking them to the vet. They both moaned like mad in their carry cases in the car, but they were as good as gold when being examined and injected. Both were pronounced fit and well, thank goodness, and I think they've now forgiven us.

Here's Shadow in one of his favourite spots. Any old cardboard box will do. Whenever I have a parcel delivered he checks it out by first sitting on it, and then in it once it's unpacked.

And here's Halo in his favourite place on the landing, enjoying the peace and quiet.

They are pedigree British Shorthairs and brothers from the same litter but completely different in appearance, with Shadow being a 'blue' with the typical orange eyes, and Halo is a colourpoint with pale fur tipped with grey and fascinating blue eyes.

It bucketed down with rain as we left the vet, so we drove the cats back home and I pre-prepared lunch and dinner while we waited for the weather to clear. I made a tomato, courgette and pepper soup in my soup maker for lunch using a recipe from a book especially for soup makers that I bought for 99p in the Barnardos shop earlier this week. The courgettes and peppers were both 69p from Aldi. Unfortunately our Aldi is now closed for a week while they finish off their extension. What ever will I do without their fruit and veg offers? LOL!!!!

For dinner I've made lamb and lentils in the slow cooker...except I didn't have lentils. And that's where the make do and using up part comes in. Not having lentils I made do by substituting a 16p can of mushy peas, and I used up some manky celery from the bottom of the fridge, some wrinkly potatoes left from the last sack I bought, and some carrots that were going a bit soft at the ends. All was still perfectly edible; it was just on its last legs and needed using up rather than chucking out. 

Although it's now really sunny and hot I'm making a dumpling crust that will be added on top about 45 minutes before we need to eat. Who says you can't eat stew  and casseroles in the summer, especially when it's cooked in the slow cooker creating very little heat?

This afternoon I've been looking online for a charity gift to give as a pressie to DD1 for her 30th birthday next weekend. She says there's nothing she really wants and, as she and her wife both have good jobs and can buy most of what they need, she asked for a charity donation of some sort. So, I've bought her a 'build a bog' gift from Oxfam. The bog in question, if you haven't already guessed, is a toilet and the gift will provide toilet facilties in a refugee camp, school or similar location in a third world country. It's the kind of humerous gift I think she'll appreciate whilst also helping someone in need. I'll also get her flowers and chocs and we're treating her out to lunch when she visits next Saturday.

I think that's all I have from my neck of the woods today. I hope the weather's nice where you are and you're having a good weekend. Love, Helen x