Triple delicious, planning ahead and problem solving...

Today started  - for me - at 8.30. I lay in bed waking slowly and then did my stretches and came down about 9.30 to find that Alan was already outside continuing with the job of digging out the rockery in the front garden. This rockery has been one of those areas that I just haven't been able to get right. It got overrun by plants and a couple of years ago we cleared it and started again. It got out of hand again. We are blessed with a very large garden but it requires a great deal of effort to keep on top of all areas . We decided that it was one area that we could do without and it would mean that Alan would not need to maintain and weed it.

Two days of very hard work and he is at the stage where he can build the stone wall back again. 

The space gained means that we should be able to get two cars in the driveway. A way to go yet as when the wall is built back up he will put membrane down and then gravel on top to match in with the driveway as it is now. Then it is on to replacing the trellis fence that has given up the ghost and more changes to do in the side garden. 

The side is going to be rejigged so we can fit the paddling pool in .

It was such a lovely sunny day...

 I wandered round to the back and took a few pictures.

As it was such a fabulous day Alan suggested downing tools at lunchtime and we could all head out for a walk.

There is a long story about why we didn't end up doing just that and how the day ended up following a different pattern. It involved a conversation between the three of us ( when Milly got up ) about how to accommodate each others needs when we all want to do different things. 

We came up with a solution - well clever old Milly did :-) 

I am tired though and can't record it in any kind of coherent way so may just come back to it another day...

After making a cuppa for Alan I sat in the Sun room and checked out some green smoothie blogs ( I have started juicing again but am making green smoothies for the first time ) and found some tasty new recipes. 

I then began making Delia's special Shepherds pie for tea tonight with enough left over to have for tea tomorrow night. 

When I planned my two weeks of menus on Friday night I had set aside today to do some batch cooking as we have a very busy start to the week. I have to be doubly organised when we are busy because I have to allow for my low energy levels and so I tend to batch cook to make those days easier. 

I could have chosen an easier to prepare meal for tonight but I had planned it because Alan loves shepherds pie. For some reason I don't often make it. I found a recipe as I was looking through my books and decided to make it as a treat for him :-) 

The topping has leeks in that have been cooked slowly and also has cinnamon in the meat mixture and was Delicious. Some left over for Alan and I tomorrow but I will be making it again :-)

Amy came round and after Milly had eaten her breakfast ( Amy wasn't hungry ) they hung out for a couple of hours or so.

I then made this ...

and this...

into this...

Juiced the first lot then added the kale to that mixture and blended it all together :-) 

Delicious! 

I drank some and put the rest in a flask in the fridge to have later in the day. Cleaning the juicer takes longer than the juicing :-)

The afternoon then involved me making lunches and more cooking making Mushroom soup ( a new recipe that has brown rice, white beans, and celery in ) taste test done after blending it and it was Delicious! 

Alan watched some TV with Milly and then headed off for a walk with Beauty. He had just been going to go on his normal walk that takes about an hour around the village. It was such a lovely day and I knew he was keen to do a long walk so I suggested he head into town and park up and do a walk along the river that he and Milly have often done and enjoyed. He took a flask of tea and some biscuits and headed off about 3.30 with the intention of being home about 6 to watch fottie on TV...

Milly spent the afternoon watching TV, bouncing on the trampoline and generally chilling after a sleepover on Friday and in preparation of a busy couple of days as Eleanor is coming to stay :-)

We are going to see my Mum and Dad for lunch tomorrow and to pick up two new Monster high dolls that we had bought online from Toys are us. My Mum very kindly picked them up as we were unable to get to the store on the day the order was delivered. Then we meet up at Talkin Tarn for a walk and to bring El back with us. She is here Tuesday and then we meet up  with Liz and the kids again on Wed at Walby play farm with a mix Death slides and cuddly bunnies :-)