Most of us will remember this weekend past as a Royal Weekend. The last time I experienced this type of royal pomp was with Diana and Charles wedding some, many, a lot, a long-time, ago - methinks I was a fledgling 11 year old watching on a colour TV at a public event (we did not have colour TV at home in 1981!). So this weekend, I had to watch the event with a few other royalists...and thoroughly enjoyed it.
My week has been busy, financially mostly. My portfolios have been going well but it was all getting rather tricky and laborious with five portfolios and a mix of currencies so I took the leap and combined them all. My spreadsheeting skills had not rusted up and I quickly recalled my IFSUM functions and VLOOKUPs. I am pleased to report that my overall annual performance for a financially challenging year on the markets has not disappointed me even though that dang USD:NZD exchange rate is not running in my favour (although, I did manage a lucky pounce in March when the NZD dipped). Does anyone remember my conundrum over PFE? If so, so far so good, my dividends are coming in and the share price has appreciated somewhat now just to wait for a drop in the NZD - or more correctly, a recovery in the USD - and I can gain from the exchange!
Knitting, yes it is still fitting in nicely. I posted a few weeks back about a couple of jackets I had either finished or was in progress on; well, I had to take a side-step to prepare a gift for some wonderful holiday hosts we had in Wiltshire. It was a B&B that went well beyond the call of duty in hosting us. Accordingly, and fittingly (as they are avid gatherers of tea-cosies), I have knitted a vintage cosy for them using some NZ wool (pattern link
click here). My problem now is that Ross wants one for our tea pot. I guess, the Findlay jacket will have to wait for its hood for another week!
As for the delectable realm of food. I have managed to keep up the baking, albeit a little sneakily. Whilst I love baking (rather than cooking meals), I find that our household do not "pick". Thus it takes a while to empty a tin (WHAT!!!). To manage this, keep variety and keep it all tasting fresh, I put it into mixed tins. If I have selected my recipes well, and stacked well, an entire tin will freeze and thaw beautifully....mostly, always (oxymoron there), we will have a variety of baked goods in the kitchen.
Now for the dinners. I DO NOT LIKE cooking meals. Unfortunately, I have to. With Ross's current health issues, it has actually become more interesting e.g. I cannot just use stock anymore, I have to make stock. When I buy ingredients, I cruise all listed items - as for a side, I cannot believe the amount of palm oil going into American origin foods! But I have found my saviour recently; Mr Oliver has come my way through his rapid 30 minute meals. I do have to be tad creative as many ingredients are not available but we are none the wiser....the current household favourite is now his lamb and vegetable platter (see the recipe here
click here). Now I have to dive downstairs to see if I have been successful in trying to make my frozen spinach look like it is fresh spinach for another of Mr Oliver's recipes (supposedly a great way of getting children to eat spinach?!!).
Knitting, yes it is still fitting in nicely. I posted a few weeks back about a couple of jackets I had either finished or was in progress on; well, I had to take a side-step to prepare a gift for some wonderful holiday hosts we had in Wiltshire. It was a B&B that went well beyond the call of duty in hosting us. Accordingly, and fittingly (as they are avid gatherers of tea-cosies), I have knitted a vintage cosy for them using some NZ wool (pattern link click here). My problem now is that Ross wants one for our tea pot. I guess, the Findlay jacket will have to wait for its hood for another week!
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