I'm all lost in the supermarket

Today I shopped. This is an event because usually Hubby takes care of the grocery shopping. I detest the supermarket and all the people contained therein. I also have an awful tendency to dawdle around the aisles comparing the prices on every item, reading the ingredients on all the labels and dithering over which product contains the least salt/fat/E numbers/whatever. Which makes the shopping take a very long time. Which in turn is probably a trigger for me detesting the supermarket. So all in all, Hubby doing the shopping is probably a good arrangement.

But anyway, I did it today. The supermarket was full of imbeciles as usual. It took sodding ages to buy 2 bagfuls of stuff. This is partly because I had to queue for aeons at the cheese counter. I probably didn't need to buy quite so much cheese, but it all looks so nice. Mmmm, cheese. After I'd got all the cheese, I shunned the crappy supermarket veg and grotty looking chicken pieces. Got those from the farm shop. Feel smug and ecomental for this, because my chicken pieces came from a chicken grower 30 miles away and not from the south west of France.

After all this shopping activity, I now have the makings of:

courgette, pine nut and balsamic pasta
chicken curry
asparagus risotto
baked trout with veg & noodle stir fry
duck confit
leek, tuna and flageolet rice
chicken stir fry

But I don't know what to do for lunch. Also am looking for a good (and relatively easy) recipe for panacotta (have some blackberries from the garden in the freezer that will go just nicely with that). Any tips?

Maybe we ain't that young anymore

And maybe I'm wearing out already! I finally got myself to the doc to have my knee prodded. Doc nodded sagely as I answered his questions. I must have answered them all correctly, because he rewarded me with a prescription for x-rays to confirm (or rule out) suspected "patella femoral maltracking". Naturally, I asked Google all about that as soon as I got home. Was quite amused to note that it's a common sports injury. Chuckle chuckle.

Also in the news:
We now have a bank loan for our double glazing, but we haven't chosen the firm we want to fit the windaes yet. I delegate all responsibility to Hubby because as far as I can tell there's no difference between them. We have, however, agreed a quote with the roofer who will replace all the flashing on the upstairs windows once they're done. So that's progress. Plus the chap is from just down the street so I can feel smug about supporting the local economy.

We're away to Scotland soon, hoping to possibly bag us a car while we're there. A week of intensive test-driving awaits. And if we don't find a car we'll still have had a week at home, which is always pleasant.

It's supernephew's birthday next week. I wanted to get him a Scotland rugby jersey, but I can't find any in toddler sizes. Will have to think of something else. Any ideas? His all-time hero is Thomas the Tank Engine...

Maybe I don't really want to know

Well we're certainly not going to be moving our mortgage if the best rate the bank can offer is 5.3%! (wtf??) But it does look like we've decided which double glazing to have. One with two panes of glass.

As for time wasted on the interweb, the permanent answer is, of course, far too much. But if the interweb were not there, I'd find another way to procrastinate and not do the ironing, so...

I don't think toothpaste can go off. But the Sensodyne still tastes foul. I suppose it hasn't become more rank, which is something to be thankful for.

Valentine gifts: cufflinks. Me to him and him to me. Imaginative? Perhaps not, but useful.

Rugby... let's stay away from topics that get my hackles raised quite so much!

Mobile phone operator finally changed contract. Hurrah. Local council still has no gritter. But I did drive past a sort of roady-worky depot thing yesterday, and there was definitely a pile of grit. When I win the lottery, I will buy them a gritter as a benevolent gift.

I was hoping that you'd know better than that

Given that a match in rugby union lasts 80 minutes, it was a great pity that Scotland only began to play in about the 72nd minute against Wales this afternoon. You'll have noticed also that the player who scored 8 out of our (rather pathetic) total of 13, and who nearly scored a try in both halves, was.... Yes that's right, Chris Paterson. Frank Hadden, pay attention: Chris Paterson to be given total ownership of number 10 jersey and to start every game. Got it? And while you're at it, get Thom Evans on the starting list and well.

I think also we were missing Nathan Hines on the second row... didn't see much of Ally Hogg either.

Still, all credit to Wales. Even if Scotland were making silly mistakes all over the place.

And I wonder, yes I wonder

Oh indeed, I wonder.

I wonder, will the bank call tomorrow with news of re-mortgaging? I wonder just how low we can beat the double glazing firms' prices down?

I wonder, how much time will I waste on the interweb this week? On Facebook in particular. Especially now me Mammy's on there.

I wonder, can toothpaste go off? You see, I bought some Sensodyne last year after having my wisdom teeth out, but it tastes so horrid I went back to my Colgate. And why does my sodding toothbrush seem to lose its battery charge so quickly?

I wonder, what should I get Hubby for Valentines' Day? What will he get me?

I wonder, or more I contemplate, that I've had to get my specs out to type this post. Oh, I could manage without, but it's much more comfortable with.

I wonder, will the rugby be good today? Will Scotland be useless or magnificent? How many minutes into the match before Hadden puts Paterson on?

I wonder, why do people think councils should invest in snowploughs costing 100 grand that will only be used once every 20 years. And, if councils did so, how long before the same people would complain about inappropriate spending decisions? I've lived here 8 years and never seen a gritter. But I have seen plenty frozen roads, and a fair bit of snow a couple of winters.

I wonder, will my mobile phone operator finally manage this month to change my contract plan like I instructed them to in December? Grr.

Turn the radio up loud so I don't have to think

Not been much blogging happening in these parts of late. What's my excuse? I don't have one. Too much messing around on Facebook, not enough inspiration. Or not capable of sufficiently coherent thought processes to put a blog post together, because it's not like there's nothing going on in the world for me to give forth about!

Anyway, when Ghosty posted this note on Facebook (I don't know if that link will work, actually), I thought "Bingo, will use that to emerge from blogging hibernation". I do approach this task with some degree of trepidation, because the Shuffle button may reveal some of the truly naff tracks I have on my iPod. Here goes then.

1. Put your iPod or iTunes library, MP3 player, etc. on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the Next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.

- IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY?" YOU SAY...
Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
So far, so good.

- WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Desire - U2

- WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The Promised Land - Bruce Springsteen

- WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Skye (Live) - Runrig

- WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
These Are The Days of Our Lives - Queen
I don't know if it's really my motto, but it fits the question pretty well at least!

- WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Fine Time - New Order

- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Absolute Beginners - David Bowie

- WHAT IS 2+2?
Please Don't Die - Robbie Williams

- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
We Are The Champions - Queen

- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Radio Ga Ga - Queen

- WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Loaded - Primal Scream

- WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Long Walk Home - Bruce Springsteen

- WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Don't Panic - Coldplay

- WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Pretty in Pink - The Psychedelic Furs

- WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Hoppípolla - Sigur Rós

- WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
You Don't Fool Me - Queen

- WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen

- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS TEST?
Darkness On The Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen

OK, my iPod didn't embarrass me too much here. I'm quite surprised at how many Queen and Springsteen tracks it landed on. I wish it would do that all the time.

Feel free to have a go, anyone.