Quiet day, love the rain on the roof.

Time flies, even when you're NOT having fun ;) See, this was one of those days I kind of dreaded when I took Joy's challenge. 

The weather was beastly here so I stayed in. Although I have to say it again: love the rain on the roof! There just shouldn't be so much of it sometimes. 

So I did some really mundain household chores today: did the dishes, folded laundry, swept the floor... Oh and I cooked of course! 

I was gonna make pasta with ragù but I didn't have an onion. So I did it a little bit different today: some extra garlic and lots of fresh herbs! Last time I was in the posh supermarket they had PET bottles of Cirio passata (ehm, sieved tomatoes) so I got one and I tried it out today. It was nice but not so special I'm gonna buy it again. I'll just stick with my cheap passata. The Cirio canned cherry tomatoes on the other hand...I gladly pay extra for them!

But I didn't use those today. One of these days I'll make pasta alla Puttanesca again and I really like the cherry tomatoes with that! This was just a run of the mill but delicious plate of spaghetti.

I really hope the weather will be better tomorrow. Have to tank gas and get some groceries, I am almost out of all my fresh stuff! And who knows, I may run into an adventure ;) I always keep on dreaming...

Dream big you all!

Hugz, Anna

 

Haha, what I did yesterday really was different ;)

Yeah. I kinda sorta forgot to write. Not like anything earth shattering happened! 

I got mail again from my 'friends in China'. 3 kinds of nail charms I ordered almost 3 weeks ago and very much to my surprise also the Hello Kitty handbag I ordered less than a week ago!

Yes, I confess: I order really cheap shit from China on one of those websites. No clothing or shoes because that may really go wrong but stuff like phone covers, wallets, nail tools and nail charms, wig stands, hair bands and clips, a flash drive...

That was mostly a way to get over my depression 'mailbox fear'. During my last depression I opened my mailbox once or twice a month. And that's not good! So I needed an incentive to go to the mailbox more often. I had heard about those Chinese websites like lightinthebox and aliexpress and decided to have a look around.

And I found my incentive! They have some really cheap little things (and I am talking about 50 cents to €10) and the fun thing is: you have no idea when they arrive! So I have to check every day. 'Unfortunately' I have found a few favorite stores so if I order from them, I get a few lots together.

See? And then the fun goes on because I have to pick a nice color to go with the new charms and polish my nails and stick the charms on... It's hard work but I love it ;) As I said I had to wait almost 3 weeks for these but it's worth the wait.

 

What I really didn't expect yet was the postman knocking at my door yesterday! I really didn't expect the handbag to arrive yet so that was a super nice surprise. When I opened the package, I was starting to get a little bit disappointed because the bag looked really small. But it has two separate pockets on the front too so when I tried to put in all the stuff I usually have in my bag...it fit! So now I have a very nice black Hello Kitty handbag wìth a shoulder strap, but that can be taken off too (I'm not really a shoulder strap kinda gal).

 

I didn't go out today because the weather was expected to get really ugly. Forecast even predicted supercells in the province where I live. And I am sure we had one coming over: after a lovely warm and sunny day I suddenly didn't hear any more birds and that usually is a sign a (thunder)storm is on the way. And oh my, did we get a thunderstorm! With a wailing wind and lots of hard rain, maybe even hail but I didn't really look. The sound on my roof and windows was really enough. It took quite a while for it to finish.

 

Well, I really hope the weather  was better where you all are!

Hugz, Anna

Today I didn't get to do half of what I planned...

We had a few nice and sunny, although too hot, days, but as ever, nice weather never lasts long here in the Netherlands! Because it already started raining last night and today it rained or drizzled most of the day.

I did have an appointment with my doctor, the GP. Two weeks ago she gave me a home blood pressure monitor and I had to measure my blood pressure twice daily and write it all down. That was fun homework! I told her my blood pressure was always way too high in a doctors office and it came out I was right, those 2 weeks at home it was much lower! 

When I left though, it started drizzling and raining a bit harder on the way, but luckily the real downpour came when I was inside already. Was a real thunderstorm too!

Going home it was dry and so I passed by the supermarket. They had such a wonderful surprise there: 4 croissants or 4 kaiser rolls for €1! And the best thing was: the croissants were fresh out of the oven so nice and warm. So yeah, I had 4 croissants and I chose some nice lunchmeat too: roast beef, roast pork and grilled chicken. I still had some soup left from yesterday: 'Queens soup', that's a cream soup with carrots and peas and I added some smoked chicken breast. So that was dinner today! Soup and rolls, me and the kids used to have that on Saturdays back in the day.

Now I was gonna go to the gas station where my friend and neighbor Monique works part time but every time I wanted to go it started raining again. So, no.

Nerys is starting to become a real outside cat. Guess she has that from her mom, that's a real little slutty cat and she had at least 2 litters a year! Nerys is from the 4th litter I believe. But I had her castrated when I came back from Chicago (that's when they remove all the reproductive organs) so at least she's safe. Now with the rain she runs inside some more when I open the door. I get a soaking wet rag inside every time! I hear you say: why don't you keep her inside? Well, because she doesn't want to! She keeps meowing by the door until I open it!

I have put a nice blanket on my bed for her, the red one with the white polkadots I bought for Evan's cats Ezri and Jadzia. But at the moment the doormat seems to be good enough for her! She's waiting for it to get dry again...but I hear the rain on the roof and the windows. I love that!

Well, stay dry you all and have a nice day!

Hugz, Anna

Every now and then...

...you have one of those really uneventful days, the ones 'you don't write home about'. But I was challenged to write my blog every day so here I am, just ehm...winging it :p 

Yesterday I almost had a bit of a mishap: I was talking with Dan on Skype and all of a sudden my blog disappeared! And I know I save it every few minutes but had no idea where to look for it. So of course I blamed Dan...(no I didn't, I blamed myself :p). But luckily I found it again and immediately published it! Should I have to do the same again today, I would panick just as much as I did yesterday because I don't exactly remember how I did it, LOL.

Anyway, after I published it, I suddenly remembered I hadn't told how happy I am with my fly swatter! I already murdered 8 flies ànd a daddy longlegs spider! Yay me! It's just one of those things you know...when you think about the fact that you could really use one you're just going to shops that don't have 'em and when you are at the right shop you forget you need one. Oh well I have one now, bright pink with a telescopic handle so I can also get those pesky far away flies (or spiders).

Here's a random cat picture because cats are cute ;) Nah, it's my kitty Kira Nerys 2 weeks old, 2 months old and 1 year old. I posted this pic on Facebook on her birthday, August 12. Just wanna share it with you again because she is so cute!

Ok I guess this is it for today! I hope tomorrow will be more interesting but the weather is gonna be worse -it is raining now already- but I have to go to the doctor.

Have a great day you all!

Hugz, Anna

It was a sweltering hot day...

...and that is why I am writing now, with the fan still on high.

What I dislike most about days like this, is that my house (1 story, flat roof) warms up inside so much. I was sitting outside earlier, smoking a cigarette, and it was really nice. But when I came back in....blegh. Oh well, there won't be much days like this left this year so I better enjoy the sun and the warmth, right?

The yearly fair has started here. There are attractions everywhere in the city centre, one street is even closed off for traffic! I watched that bit yesterday from the other side of the canal and although there were many gambling tents and scary stuff, I also saw a merry-go-round. I wish I could go sit on a horse once again :) 

Today I went to the supermarket and in front of that is a nice size square. Usually. Now there is some sort of scary roller coaster and a kind of vomit-comet that turns 360 degrees in a few directions. The noise is horrible, not just from the attractions but also from the people yelling. I swear, I can hear the screaming here at home!

It was too hot to do much and I wasn't hungry at dinner time even. So I have to admit, I didn't really do much today. I went shopping as I said and I read a lot (reading the Sookie Stackhouse series at the moment, you know, the books TrueBlood was based on) and watched some series on the laptop.

And I started cooking really late, hahaha. I already made the meat yesterday: Ajam Pedis or spicy chicken. But I had to accompany it with some veg and some carbs! I was gonna do stirfried white cabbage and rice but I found a pack of stirfry noodles!

So I chopped an onion and 3 cloves of garlic (sorry but I love garlic!) and put that in my wok with some oil, and when it was getting soft I added the shredded cabbage and stirred it for a while on a high flame. Added some kecap (indonesian soy sauce) and sambal brandal (spicy shit) and the precooked noodles. Ready in about 5 minutes! Finished it off with some sesame seeds.

Have to say: it was deeeeelicious! And of course I have some left so I cut up the Ajam Pedis and mixed it through the noodles and cabbage so it's easier to warm up tomorrow. And I'll add some scrambled egg: whole new meal! I might even pickle some cucumber like the other day when I had my sushi bowl: that was yummy too!

Dan must be coming back from his walk with Loki and I don't have anymore to tell so, have a nice day you all!

Hugz, Anna

Some shopping....and some cooking!

My ceilings are higher than in a normal house and my bathroom is tiled from floor to ceiling. I don't have a stepladder but I do have ventilation finally. And so my bathroom walls are rather...dirty. I washed them often as high as I could reach of course but the difference started showing :p

So, what to do? I tried with my mop but to no avail. I needed something to wash and it had to have a telescopic handle so I could reach all the way to the top. Something for windows, or floors.

Only one solution: I had to go to the Action! Here in the Netherlands Action is a cheap...warehouse. I go there when I am in dire need of retail therapy because I know whatever I do , I get out of there with loads of stuff for hardly any money!

And oh, oh, oh...did I have fun there today ;) I found  a cleaning tool that might do the trick and otherwise I can use it for my floors. It's bright pink. I also found a pink soup bowl with polkadots and a matching plate. (Oh did I ever tell ya I collect bowls? :p ). And a sewing necessaire. And a pink flyswatter. And pink wash cloths. And...Well to make a long story short: I left with 3 bags and €17 lighter.

Now I also had a lot of chicken to cook today. One recipe I found online a few days ago was Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken. It looked amazing on the photo and I love lemon, and garlic ànd I found a cheap chicken the other day at the supermarket. And the other thing was Ajam Pedis, Indonesian spicy chicken, was gonna do that to put in the fridge because that'll taste better after a day or 2.

Of course I should have put the chicken in the crockpot before I left for the Action, it needed 4 hours on high after all. But I'm stubborn! So I did it after I came home (at 5 o'clock). Cut the garlic bulbs in two and 2 lemons and put them on the bottom, stuffed the chicken after seasoning it inside and out with another garlic  bulb and half a lemon, and the rest of that lemon got on top, sliced. Lid on, crockpot on high, timer on 4 hours.

In the meantime I made the Ajam Pedis and since I had one chicken breast left and was a little hungry, I breaded and panfried it. And four hours are LONG so I got to hang my laundry, decide if I wanted to do some more today (nah) do all the dishes, re-arrange my kitchen drawer and watch some episodes of Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. (really nice series!)

When I went to check the chicken after 4 hours it wasn't done yet so I put it on low while I took my daily nap (so I can chat with Dan all night). When I took it out, it broke, LOL. But it was deliciously moist and tasty so I might give it another try. Unless I find an oven first!

So have a nice day and cook and clean safely,
Hugz, Anna

Appointment in hospital...EARLY!

You all know I'm diabetic right? Flexible regime, 4 injections of insuline a day. And it's been like that for almost 20 years now. 

Unlucky for me, diabetes usually comes with all kinds of complications. And so I am having my blood tested several times a year, have pills to lower my cholesterol, pills to manage my blood pressure (3 different ones!!!) and I get all kinds of exams...feet, eyes, the works.

So today I had to come back at the eyedoctor in our hospital. They have been looking at my eyes for a while now but thought they saw what they didn't wanna see so I got an appointment for a fluorescence angiography. That's when they make pics of your eyes while you're injected with contrast fluid.

I was a little bit ticked off because I had to be in hospital half an hour before the appointment for eyedrops. And the appointments could only be in the morning. So that meant I had to get up 2 hours before that, because I simply hàd to have breakfast, nausea was predicted. 08:30 in the friggin' morning!

Well, eyedrops went ok, test went ok too and the doctor said that I could go home if I felt allright. Man, you shoulda seen me RUN! Yes I felt nauseaus but you think I was gonna tell them? No way José!

Luckily I had my sunglasses on because the bright light was ehm, bright. Of course we had a lovely sunny day today! I went home for my daily standing appointment with Dan...and my house is a little bit darker and cool.

But damn! I couldn't see right! But I looked damned sexy with my big black pupils, pity no one could see it ;) After Dan went to work I had to go do some shopping. Went ok but oh the light! Really! Did it absolutely HAVE to be so sunny today?

When I got home I went for a nap...the early hour rise and the not working eyes took their toll. And so I didn't get to cook what I wanted to but I had some delicious medium rare steak burgers (home made on cheese onion buns) and Tom Kha Kai soup. Cant say that was totally home made but my fave supermarket puts noodles and fresh veggies and chicken in a container with a little packet of flavoring and all you have to do at home is add some boiling water. Usually I think that's too expensive but today with the eye exam I could do with some extra pampering ;)  ( Oh and it was 35% off LOL). For extra vitamins I had some Innocent Tropical Fruit Juice, that was on offer also: buy one get one free.

So that means tomorrow I will have to do some serious cooking because I have a pack of chicken breast and a whole chicken and they both expire tomorrow! Already picked the recipes though so that's gonna be ok :D 

Take good care of yourselves all!

Hugz, Anna