Whether it’s trying to keep the teens motivated to revise for non existent A levels and GCSEs in “bitesize chunks”, or trying to make time for me to get back to my writing in “bitesize chunks”, or keeping on top of the mêlée of housework in “bitesize chunks”, I am, like you I am sure, trying to pull myself back up from being down in the Groundhog Day Dumps.
I used to be an avid list writer to sort my life out – and they had their benefits – but not in Lockdown3 when you go day to day without crossing anything off! So I’ve scrapped them for now! That’s not entirely true. I have made myself plan a week’s menus in one sitting and if you follow my Instagram Stories, you’ll have seen I’ve been sharing some of the recipes, which haven’t all received rave reviews from the teen critics but it’s been quite therapeutic trying some new things.
Honey soy glazed salmon with noodles was quite the success amidst a tense game of Scrabble! Recipe linked here
HPH (Horse Phobic Hubby) had a great routine in Lockdown 1 and 2. At about 4pm each day he made a random call of the day. He’d flick through his phone and call an old mate he’d lost touch with or hadn’t spoken to for an age, and there were often great hoots from the garden as he paced around laughing as he caught up with news from far afield and then regaled me with the stories as I ironed and bleached loos!
This time round, we all seem a bit less enthusiastic to partake in, lets be honest, anything! Of course we blame the weather, but January is always depressing! So, if you’re in the same boat, I’m hoping these new discoveries I’ve made bring a little cheer to your day…or someone else’s.
First up is this wonderful find from Tangerine Dream – an Insta account I stumbled across during a bitesize chunk of scrolling!! It’s a great place to find teenage gifts but I absolutely love ‘My Family Cook Book‘ – a wonderful place to archive your favourite recipes and secret ingredients and create your own cook book.
I have bought 3 ! One for me but I’m sending two to friends who I know are a bit low at the moment and were chatting about needing a lockdown project. It’s a great gift for a mum or Granny who can share and hand down all the family faves in one special keepsake. I’m looking forward to getting started on mine with the optimistic notion of getting the kids involved to choose their preferred dishes, help cook them, write them up and take a pic. That’s the plan anyway! It costs £19.99 but Gaitpost readers can enjoy a 10% discount with code FAMCOOK10 at checkout. ORDER YOURS HERE
For the princely sum of £4, yes £4, you can make a friend’s day by sending them a Hug in a Mug. Whilst no actual mug is included in the parcel, you do get a delicious fresh fruit infusion and a healthy cookie with your message with all profits going to the Trussell Trust, a food bank charity focused on stopping hunger, which has never been more needed than now. As Andrew the founder said when we spoke, “We can’t come in contact, but we can keep in contact.” Never a truer word spoken and with it comes a hug. Tea-Rex are currently undergoing a sustainability revamp and we look forward to seeing their new look in early Spring.
