HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE

I have been a blur today,up at the crack of dawn and off to see my G.P.,I met my son coming in as I was leaving, he was rather late. I gave him a hug and left him muttering darkly about disorganised individuals giving his team a hard time,he looked seriously displeased about something.
For the first time ever I saw my doctor on time, not that I mind waiting she is the best I have ever had and I know how lucky I am believe me. The first two blood pressure readings were pretty grim but third time lucky and at last the reading was acceptable, to our mutual relief. I have some new tablets for pain relief and I am hopeful of at last getting more than a couple of hours sleep each night,fingers crossed.
Out of the surgery and away to the supermarket for some fruit and cheese the home in a hurry as Pa have not had any breakfast, if it comes to that neither had I. I had been gone for two hours and when I left Pa was up and about so I had hopes that he had perhaps made his bed of washed up my sons breakfast dishes. Faint hope as it turned out, Pa was still in his dressing gown, his bed unmade and the kitchen looked like a bomb site, It is my belief that the old rogue had gone back to bed the moment I left and had only got up when he heard the rattle of the buggy coming down the path......MEN!
I cleared up the mess waited for Snoozy to dress and then pan fried some kippers, the grill is still not working. Once we had eaten and I had washed up again I decided to pop out again and finish buying the Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews, my neighbour had offered to keep an eye on Pa and as I felt too tired to do housework off I went. Two lovely soft bodied ballerina dolls caught my eye and I purchased them for my little nieces, a lovely birthday card for mam was my next purchase and some pretty gift tags,all I needed to finish the job
On impulse I went to the shoe department and treated myself to a pair of black fur lined suede boots. I have been dithering about them for weeks and today I finally succumbed to temptation. I know that my son has a lovely black coat for me this Christmas and the boots will be perfect with this gift.
It seems odd to be buying clothes again and putting on a little make up, it has been a long time since I cared what I looked like and when the only places I went to were hospitals and the doctors surgery it did not seem worth the effort. Since we got the buggy I go out somewhere most days and I have purchased more clothes in the last six months that in the previous six years. I have never been a dressy sort of person, casual is my style,I feel much better knowing that at least I look tidy and neat.
Pork and bean casserole with leeks and crusty dumplings was today's evening meal. I invented this dish over twenty years ago to tempt my sons appetite after an illness and he has loved it ever since
BEANY PORK CASSEROLE
1Ib diced pork steak
2 large leeks
1 large onion
2 tins baked beans
1 tablespoon of tomato purree
1teaspoom of paprika
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1oz butter for frying
Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the leeks and onions adding a pinch of salt will stop the onions from browning. Put the onions and leeks in a two pint casserole dish then brown the pork in the same frying pan,as it begins to brown add the tomato ketchup and paprika, stir until all the meat is coated, then add the meat to the casserole dish.
De-glaze the pan with a little water. Add the beans to the casserole with the water from the pan plus about half a pint of water and two chicken stock cubes. The meat and vegetables should be just covered. Cook for one and a half hours at 185oC.
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
1lb self raising flour
8oz vegetable suet
pinch of salt
enough water to mix to a sticky dough, start with a quarter of a pint and add more if you need to.
Roll out the dough and cut in to rounds with a 2” pastry cutter and place on a greased baking sheet
and cook at 200oC until golden brown, about twenty minutes.
This amount will serve four large portions .

GOT TO GO PA JUST DROPPED A MUG OF COFFEE ALL OVER MY SONS SUEDE SHOES