Under the Weather

I'm not just talking about the rain. Although I did get pretty wet when I went into town this morning.

I have a seriously sore throat, so sore it's been bleeding. It's not as if I've been coughing at all, it's just red raw. I'll give it a day or so to improve but will have to make a trip to the doctor if it's no better later this week. I might be fighting off the cold that DS2 had before Xmas as I'm a bit headachy as well.

I'm really hoping it doesn't turn into a fully-fledged cold and I'm actually really thankful that I don't have a cough since I pulled muscles around my ribs before Xmas and the area is still pretty tender. Sneezing, burping etc. all hurt, so coughing and nose-blowing, I think, would be agony. I looked online and it can take up to 6 weeks for rib injuries to heal. No point going to the doctor as they don't even x-ray for fractures unless breathing is seriously affected. Breathing was painful for a week or so but things are a lot better than even this time last week so I'm on the mend. I only leant over the wooden arm of the sofa to pick something up off the floor and I felt a sort of 'popping' sensation and that was it. I have done this before, when I was still very overweight, but haven't had any problems since I lost the weight...up until now.

DH was back at work today and, after spending time wandering around the shops this morning, I've had a lazy afternoon catching up on TV programmes I'd recorded that I didn't get to watch while he was home. I have time to myself while he's at work so he deserves to relax with his fave programmes while he's off. Of course, I also did the usual houseworky things like laundry and vacuuming and making dinner etc. One of the cats has a slightly upset tummy today so I've also been clearing up poo and vomit. Lovely! We're keeping an eye on him in case he's still poorly tomorrow and needs a trip to the vets.

Dinner tonight was chicken-style quorn in mushroom sauce served with rice and salad leaves. I made enough for 6 servings, 4 for today with rice and the remainder of the quorn and sauce put some aside to make a pie later this week. I used:

2 x frozen chicken-style quorn at £1.49 a pack - £2.98
Jar of Homepride Mushroom Sauce (Approved Foods 2 for £1.00) - 50p
1/2 bag frozen sliced mushroom - 50p
Some reduced price spring onions - 10p
dash of olive oil - 5p
glug of white wine - approx 50p
400g easy cook white rice - approx 40p
1/2 bag salad leaves (Aldi 69p) - 35p

Fry quorn and spring onions in oil for a couple of minutes, add mushrooms and fry another 2 minutes, bung everything else in except rice and salad leaves. Simmer for 15 minutes while you boil the rice. Serve over the rice with salad leaves on the side.

Total cost - £5.38/serves at least 6 at approx 90p a portion

Tomorrow is my slimming club. I feel as if I might have lost a pound or two of the Christmas weight; my jeans are definitely a bit looser than last week, so fingers crossed.