Tuesday 29 May 2012

Been SOO Busy!

The weather for Sunday and Monday: GLORIOUS! Too warm infact. Weather today: Started off rainy and grey but as the day has gone on the sun has come out! Although a little breezy and the sky keeps going dull.

Sunday, I was so busy. I was up and down to my sisters 3 times grabbing bags of soil for my planter troughs. We also had to go to my sisters because my sister asked my hubby to install an outside tap, he installed our outside tap a few years ago and it is FANTASTIC! I love it!!
My hubby also tidied our front and back gardens and they are lovely now.
We went for a run in the car in the afternoon because it was lovely, warm and sunny!

Monday, I spent nearly all day in the garden planting plants that my sister gave us, more cherry trees and lots of other plants.  I filled the smallest planter with a little drainage and plenty soil and a tad of compost, all filled and ready for me to get planting.
I still have the largest planter to sort out but I need more soil and a little more drainage.

I have planted a small seed tray with micro green seeds, so I'll wait for those to grow.

I am having lots of lady issues. I have been having issues for a few year and now my monthly has not appeared at all this month. My monthly's have been becoming more irregular for some time now what with 2 in one month some months etc but this time nothing for nearly eight weeks. I get HORRENDOUS night sweats and hot flashes through the day some days so I am going to make an appointment to see my GP and ask for a blood test for menopause. I strongly suspect this is what has been happening for a while now.

I got given a flowering tea from my sister so I am planning on doing a little video to show you it. I had never heard of them before until my sister brought me one.

I should be back later today, maybe with the video.

Saturday 26 May 2012

Suprising!

Weather: Bright, Sunny and warm

I just could NOT sleep last night for two reasons; number 1 it was boiling hot and didn't cool down all night...or not for me it didn't and two the horrible neighbours two gardens down were shouting and drinking in their gardens and their kids were also shouting and running around in the garden and it was 1.00am+

I didn't drink my water melon juice yesterday so I decided to drink it this morning for breakfast...WOW! WOW! WOW! It is DELICIOUS!! It is sweet yet refreshing...YUMCIOUS!! I have another water melon in my kitchen and I know for sure that I am going to juice that one also. I will be buying more of them!

Back later today

Friday 25 May 2012

Juicing!

Weather today is once again glorious! The sun is shining and it is warm...BEAUTIFUL!

I am determined to get healthy, and so to start my day off I ate a banana and then I thought, JUST DO IT!! Get into the kitchen and crank that juicer up...so I did!!

I used half a water melon that I had in the fridge and I made water melon juice but I didn't waste the skin, I juiced some of that and drank it and the remaining skin I juiced into a green juice.


Below is my Energy Drink...you certainly CANNOT buy this in a can!

I made this up of:
Romaine stalks and leaves
Spinach leaves
Water Melon skin
Small bit of Cucumber
Little bit of Tomato
1 Apple
and then I added some Wheatgrass Powder
Spirulina Powder

When I make salads I tear the leaves off the stalks for my hubby....AWW BLESS!...TeeHee and I put them into a lock n lock, I also keep any ends off cucumbers, tomatoes etc and I put those into a lock n lock with the intentions of juicing them, although I don't always juice them....laziness so more often than not they end up in the compost bin, but today I thought, NO! Today I am going to crank the juicer up! which I did. I intend to juice more often!!

I have drank all the green juice and I will drink the water melon juice later today...YUM!

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Sunny

Weather today: Bright, sunny and warm...WOW!
I really need to get out for walks, bike rides or even just sit in the garden whilst we are having this glorious weather, I need the vitamin D.

I have had a migraine since yesterday afternoon which has gradually got worse reaching it's peak last night, like it does, always through the night....Grrr - I still have it but it has been getting better throughout the day...thank goodness, It's not too bad now...PHEW!

Today I have vacuumed twice...humff I cut Adam's hair then vacuumed and then when my hubby came in I cut his hair and vacuumed again. I have had the washing machine going doing 4 loads of laundry and just as the last load was about finished in walks my hubby from work and he asks me to wash his work clothes....ARRGGHH! I don't mind really, I have my family, my kids and hubby are healthy, I have my health (I hope) I'm not in any pain, except the last of this migraine, I have a lovely home so why should I complain!?!

I read a recipe that required popped amaranth and the recipe explained how to pop the amaranth but could I do it?...pffft..NO! So I gave that up as a bad job...teehee

When I was at Costco last week-ish...lost track of time, anyway, when I was at Costco I bought loads of mango's and I still have a few left so I have peeled and chopped them into cubes and they are now in my freezer. I always freeze things if I have too many.

I am going to get myself organised and get cracking with my rota's, maybe the bright sunny weather is spurring me on.

Back tomorrow

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Fruit

Weather today has been glorious; bright sunshine and much warmer.
I am feeling better and better.
I have been dehydrating fruit over the last day.


Strawberries
Raspberries
Pineapple
Banana
Pear
Mango
Water Melon
I dehydrated them for 24 hours


I also cracked open 5 green coconuts, I didn't get much water or meat from them but what I did get is in the freezer and fridge.

Back tomorrow

Sunday 20 May 2012

Daily Blogging

Weather today has been sunny!

I want to blog daily even though not a lot happens in my life.
Bananas, raw fudge and salad today, I confess to sneaking in a little bit of cheese and 1/4 of a tortilla when I was making a snack for the boys, but certainly more raw food today without a doubt!!

I am feeling a tad earachey in my right ear, don't know why, it will probably settle down. Loo stops are much better and getting better all the time. I still have a rather bad right blood shot eye which has been like this for about 4 - 5 weeks now, does anyone know why this should be?

I didn't make the other recipe's today but I will get on with it tomorrow because I am getting a tad fed up with salads.

Well, I think that is all for today. I want to blog daily even if nothing happens (my diary)
Everything is done that I had to do and now I just want to get comfy and watch a good ole 70's British horror film on TV - I LOVED everything in the 70's!

Back tomorrow! 

Saturday 19 May 2012

Love Being Raw!

Weather today: Overcast...this will be updated later today. Our weather changes so much in one day, we seem to get all the seasons in one day, every day.
Weather later: As the day progressed the sun did come out...AMAZING!

I am going to make a fruit salad for my breakfast and maybe a tad of a raw cereal sprinkled on top.

I am going to make some fudge later so I  can use my new butterscotch flavouring; I am curious to taste the difference.
I am maybe going to make a few other recipes.

After a full raw day yesterday I can already feel a difference with my loo stops....Yes, you really wanted to know that didn't you?! NOT!

*UPDATED*

Here is a pic of my breakfast. I bought a box of Organic puffed buckwheat from the Nutricentre the other day, I know it wont be raw but I decided to sprinkle some of that on my fruit and it was SOO yummy!
My breakfast consisted of:
Pear
Strawberries with the green tops left on
Mango
Raspeberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Cherries
Banana
Figs


I received another parcel today, my salt lamp, I also got a free salt tealight holder with my lamp..HOW FAB!



I f you want to read about salt lamps then click here: SALT LAMPS

It is our eldest grandaughters 7th Birthday today.

I did receive permission from Michael to upload this photo onto my blog.

Here is our eldest, Michael and his daughter, Ebony...7 years old today. Ebony is holding one of her Birthday presents, the doll which she got from her Daddy (Michael) and her Mammy. The doll is one of those pricey little numbers and when you put your hand in it's hand it grips your hand.....they were never like that when I was a child...teehee

*UPDATED*
I made a lovely salad for my evening meal this evening and I struggled to finish it.
I did make the raw Peanut Butter & Butterscotch Fudge this evening which is now in the fridge firming up.

I have been having a look through my new Ani Phyo book and there are a few recipe's that I want to make so tomorrow I am going to make one or two for my lunch and evening meal.
I will do a book review of Ani's book, I know that it is more directed at the raw food newbie and for weightloss which I need, but I bought it for more recipe's.
I still want to make the condensed milk pie/tart recipe especially after ordering the xanthan gum only to find it in my local supermarket....teehee

Back Tomorrow

Friday 18 May 2012

Friday

It has rained every day for a few weeks now.
Todays weather: Overcast and rain.

I have been allowing a few processed things into my diet these last 2 days and I have to say that my tummy has been a tad iffy and loo stops have not been right but when I stick my raw everything is as it should be, but I keep doing this to myself, I keep allowing processed junk into my day and spoiling any good benefits from eating living foods.

I have decided that I am not allowing processed into my days and so this morning I had a strawberry and banana smoothie and 2 bananas. I am feeling a tad hungry again so I will have to go into the kitchen and see what I feel like having for lunch.

*UPDATE*
I received a couple of parcels today.

Ani Phyo's new book and Frontier Butterscotch flavouring.

The Frontier butterscotch flavouring is for the Peanut butter and Butterscotch fudge that I make, Tina Jo recommended the Frontier brand. I had been using a different brand which was nice but I prefer to use what the chef recommends.

I had a couple more banana's for lunch and then I followed this with a 2 hour nap...some nap...2 hours, that was a good sleep.
When I woke up I vacuumed the floors and then made the evening meals. I made a salad which I really enjoyed. I have watched folk make salads and put strawberries into their salads so I decided to do the same myself...Yum

My salad consisted of:
Sweetcorn
Grated carrot
Avocado
Mango, I have loads of them
Strawberries, I have loads of these too.
Cucumber

 

Take no notice of the bowl, this salad was just for me and I just ate it from the bowl. I should have added some hemp seeds, pumkin seeds etc. This salad was a fruit and veg salad. I LOVED it!!

Well, that is all for today so I will say night night and I will be back tomorrow.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Embarrassing Our Eldest

When my hubby got home from work yesterday we went to Costco. On our way to Costco we had to drop some old cassette's off at our eldest son, Michael's home but I came across one cassette that Michael had used to make a recording of himself singing, I had to keep that one. He recorded himself Mc-ing, don't ask me, all I know is that it is Michael doing a rapping sort of singing, he was GREAT! But me being me I had to put that cassette into the car player and turn it up so he couldn't NOT hear it whilst I sat there in the car head banging...HAHA - I don't care if I make a ninny of myself sometimes, it gives folk a laugh although Michael wasn't impressed that I blasted his singing out of the car...teehee - he liked my head banging though. What are kids for if not for embarrassing them....occasionally!...*SNIGGER* I have to say, I wouldn't normally have music blasting out of the car!
Michael came around today to drop some Birthday cards and pressies in for my hubby/his Dad, it is his Birthday today. When Michael came in I asked him if he had forgiven me for embarrassing him yesterday?

Michael replied....reluctantly: "well sort of, well how would you like it Mam if I recorded you singing in the bath and I blasted it out of my car in the avenue?"
Me: "Son, the older we become the less bothered and more daft we become so I have to say in all honesty, I would probably laugh with everyone else, I wouldn't mind at all, but baby duck, do you forgive me?"
Michael: "Yes, sort of" He is smiling whilst he is saying all this! He must be remembering my head banging dance...teehee
Me: I done a good head banging dance though didn't I? It made you laugh, and anyway, no-one knew it was you singing/rapping, afterall, you were only 15 when you done this"

Then I grabbed him and gave him a cuddle...all well! We don't fall out anymore, we get on really good! He is a lot easier to get on with now.
We ALWAYS let him and our other 2 sons know how much we love them and it is unconditional love for all of them.

Whilst we were at Michael's yesterday...'embarrassing' him...teehee we decided to take 2 of our grandchildren, Michael and Ebony along with us to Costco etc.

I bought my usual, and some at Costco, I also bought Ebony's Birthday present, it is hers, my hubby and our eldest son, Michael's Birthday's all this month....arrgghh!
£192.05 later we were on our way to Tesco's. I am going to have to do something about the amount I am spending at Costco, it is getting more each month (see last Costco visit post) There are always lots of Police Officers that go into Costco to buy their snacks and meals and this Costco visit was no exception, the policeman made little Michael's day when he waved and said hello to little Michael and Michael spoke back and waved, I thought he would have been a tad frightened but he wasn't.
I spotted a little something nice at Costco that I had to buy.

FLAVOURED TEA'S

They have come in a wooden presentation box with little gold hinges and clasps...GORGEOUS!

Here you can see all the flavours; 6 of each 12 flavours.

Whilst in Tesco Ebony wanted a magazine with puppet making things on the front, so we got her that and then I asked Michael if he wanted a magazine or sweeties, his reply was, "Banana's Grandma". That boy LOVES banana's and chooses banana's over sweets every time we ask him, I am so pleased!
Ebony chose our 3rd grandchild, Ellie a packet of sweeties, we didn't buy anything for our 4th grandchild as he is only 4 months old.
When I had finished in Tesco I popped into Nutricentre where I bought Lecithin, Organic Peanut butter, Aloe Vera, Linseeds. Nutritional Yeast etc.

On our way back we passed a car transporter and of course little Michael thought this was great, the driver gave a thumbs up to little Michael just as we passed, Michael was all smiles waving and thumbs up back at the driver...CUTE!

We dropped our grandchildren off and then nipped back to Asda for a few things that I forgot in the morning. That was our day yesterday.

When I got up this morning it felt great just knowing we are all stocked up again.

I ordered some erythritol for the condensed milk recipe yesterday which arrived today so I can now get on and try the recipe, which I will post about.

Well, I am going to go up the wooden hill, up the ladders, upstairs...whatever you want to call it where I am going to clean my teeth and then maybe watch some TV in bed, so I will say night night and I will be back tomorrow.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Xanthan Gum

I found a recipe for a tart, the recipe is made in a few parts and one of the parts is a raw condensed milk. I read the ingredients and found that I needed Xanthan gum....ummmm. I went to the local health food shop, Holland & Barretts, they didn't stock it, I couldn't think of anywhere else and my hubby even telephoned around for me but nowhere stocked it so I had to order it online - 200g bag of Xanthan gum costing £6.20 inc p+p. I ordered it on Saturday and it has arrived already...good going!
I was in my local Asda store this morning doing a large grocery shop and would you believe it! in the gluten free section, there it was...XANTHAN GUM! A 100g jar costing £2.62. I did buy a jar despite ordering some, just incase the order took a while to arrive. When I got home the postie delivered the ordered Xanthan gum....teehee....I think I can safely say that I have a good stock of Xanthan gum, luckily it has a great shelf life....PHEW!

I am going to go to Costco later today to get my produce supplies.

Monday 14 May 2012

Simply Amazing!!

Check this link out:  http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/6699

These ladies are both 73 years old.


And this lady, Donna Gates is actually 64 years old.


If this is what eating raw vegan does for our bodies on the outside just imagine what it is doing for our insides.

I have been rather good with my raw food meals lately and after I had been eating various salads and other raw foods for 2 days I was already finding things so much more normal at the loo...I know TMI but it just goes to show how quickly eating a raw vegan diet can affect our bodies in a positive way.

I am going to get the house cleaned and sorted today and then I think I will make another coleslaw for my evening meal tonight but this time I am going to add fruits to it also...YUM!

Housework done and it feels great! I am off into the shower now.
Night, night until tomorrow.

Sunday 13 May 2012

Getting Good!

Well, I am feeling SOOO much better now ANNND my raw has been getting SOOO much better too! EASY infact, I have been naturally going for raw meals, I have been more craving raw foods and I have been making more raw things i.e. mock egg mayo, cheese savoury salads, peanut butter & butterscotch fudge etc...all raw of course, I should have put them on here but I have been lazy.

Tonight I have prepared some Kombucha which when it is done I am going to flavour it.....ummm -  maybe strawberry or raspberry.

I bought some green coconuts on Saturday so hopefully they will have meat inside to make some yogurts and bread (Russell James' bread recipe) Sometimes the coconuts are just water inside, good but I want the meat also.
I am going for a big grocery shop sometime this week.

Nothing has happened lately so I shall say night, night and I will be back tomorrow. PROMISE!!

Monday 7 May 2012

May Day Bank Holiday

Another Bank holiday today. The avenue is quiet for a change there are just a few people out washing the cars.

I was raw yesterday and intend to be the same today. I can feel a difference in my clothes
already, still not feeling 100% well though.
I have had a red veiny (no such word....teehee)  eye for about 3 weeks now and it doesn't seem to want to go away, anyone know why my eye is still red and veiny?

I will be back later today.

Friday 4 May 2012

More Of The Same

Yesterday was very much the same as the day before food wise, bananas and salad, although instead of mango on my salad I had grapes....whoopee....what a change....teehee

Today I walked into town, I could have driven but I knew I needed the exercise. We went to the sweetie stall and I confess to giving into temptation. We had a walk around the shops but when I went into one shop that I go into often I suddenly felt lost and confused...not sure what was going on with me then, maybe all the medication I have been having lately. I know that aswell as having pain I have also felt generally unwell, maybe I shouldn't have gone out. The pain is easing quite a bit now which I am so pleased about! I'm still not sleeping very well and last night was no exception, which was another night of cat naps...ummmm I have reduced the medication I am taking so maybe I will sleep better tonight.

My sweetie hubby went out for some groceries today to save me from having to go out again. We are now stocked up with more romaine, mango, pineapple, bananas, soap powder, ktichen rolls etc and other things for him and the boys.

I want to get on with things around the house and in the kitchen but because of the way I have been feeling not a lot has been getting done but I did get some laundry done today.

Well, there isn't much to report so I will say, "nighty night and I will be back tomorrow".

Wednesday 2 May 2012

A Raw Day

Today has been a good raw day. I have had 3 banana's and this:


I didn't know what I wanted to eat but I knew that I had mango and avocado that needed eating so I just grated some carrots using my new Tefal Express machine...GREAT! I then threw in some sweetcorn, mango, avocado and diced apple, I enjoyed it! Must say, I do have nice bowls for my food...teehee but I just grated the carrot straight into the above bowl and added everything else and because the salad was just for me I just ate it from this bowl.

Although I haven't eaten much today I do feel satisfied and it can be a tad uncomfortable eating at the moment; my mouth is still paining.

I have had rather a lazy day today because I didn't get the best of sleeps last night...ummm - for some reason I just seemed to cat nap all night.

I have just noticed that I have a fine cut on my thumb which will be from my ceramic knife, I tell you, if you have ceramic knives or are thinking of buying them then do be very careful because they are exceptionally sharp, I think much sharper than steel knives and they stay sharp for much longer than the steel knives...just my opinion, all good though.


I don't have anything more to say at the moment for today so I will say, "Night, Night."

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Medication & Pearl

May 1st and here I am.
My 66 Day challenge has finished today which wasn't the best of challenges, I only lost a few lb in weight and over the last week and a half I haven't been feeling good. As I said in a previous post I have been suffering with really bad sinuses and then I managed to get an abcess on a lower molar...boohoo it had to be removed so all sorted now. My hospital visit to the dentist last week revealed no abcess but that was on the top but then lo and behold I go and get an abcess on the bottom. I have to say that I do look after my teeth and mouth, clean and floss and I do have my checkups but I suppose these things happen somtimes, when it is going to happen, it is going to happen.
I would say that my sinuses are slowly on the mend, this has been a really bad flare up this time.
My medication, well, I am already taking Anti-depressants and prescribed stomach reflux medication which I have been taking for a few years now but because of sinuses etc over these last so many days I have also been taking Cocodamol, Ibuprofen, Sudafed and an antibiotic so I am well pumped at the moment. I have also been steaming to help with my sinuses also, it is helping along with everything else

On the 28th April we celebrated our 30th Pearl Wedding Anniversary...WOW! Amazing! But unfortunately I spent it at the dentist. 30 years ago myself and my hubby were at a little cafe called the 'Copper Kettle' where we were discussing our Wedding plans and from there everything happened. We wanted to go back to the little cafe on our Anniversary to have a cup of tea but of course because of things it didn't happen.
 I suppose after my dentist visit I could say that my Anniversary was about as good as having teeth pulled..HOHOHO.

So, that is the latest and I really want to increase my raw to help with all these health problems, albeit small problems compared to some folk but problems nonetheless.

I have a few very ripe bananas so I am going to make some fruit leather which I will do now.

Back tomorrow.