Here is the News at 9.21pm

Good evening. I've just had a gut busting bowl of home made curried, garlicky spicy stew. Boy was it tasty, it's amazing what you can make out of a few odds and ends. I haven't been shopping because I am running my food down in readiness for next weeks sprint across the country. Or that was the plan, until this morning, when I made the decision to postpone the trip after studying the weather forecast. We've had another rotten day here today, there is just no sense to it. They say that this miserable weather is going to continue all next week, and I don't want to be trudging mile after mile peering through rain spots on my specs. So folks, the big walk is off till next month.

In the meantime I will just have to see what the weather brings on a daily basis, and if it gets off to a good start, grab the opportunity to do a day walk. I shall also have a look at some bus timetables, I might even have a day out bus hopping. At least I will be dry and warm, and if I find some double deckers to ride on I will have a good view from the top deck. Maybe take a picnic.

I've recently had a comment from someone at Oxford Bus Museum. You may not have seen it because I wrote the post about my visit there last August.
Just seen your blog and pleased you enjoyed your visit. Lots of new events and exhibits arriving this year as 2013 is the Centenary for Oxford Motorbuses and for Morris Car manufacture, so please come again. www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk Oxford Bus & Morris Motors Museums.

I've just picked this from their web site, something you might like to see if you fancy a day out in Oxfordshire.
Friday 29 March As one of the events to celebrate the centenary of the establishment of Morris Motors at Cowley, a cavalcade of vintage cars will travel from the Longwall restaurant to the Museum, arriving from shortly after mid-day.
There are free vintage bus rides on the first and third Sunday of each month starting on April 7th.
If you want more information here is their web site. I am happy to pass this on, as it's a smashing museum, all run by volunteers. The kids will love it. Well this big kid did anyway, ha ha.
http://www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk/

Here is a recent comment, I am chuffed to little mint balls.

Frugal in Bucks20 March 2013 11:48
I wanted to thank you so much for something you don't know you have done. I have been a 20 a day smoker for 25 years now. It was the worst thing I ever did! I have tried giving up but only lasting days, sometimes just hours. Recently, you posted about smoking and added some you tubes including one on Alan Carr. I read and re read your post, I watched the videos and I am totally thrilled that I have now been a non smoker for 15 days. If you hadn't posted that, I would still be killing myself at a cost of £50 a week.
So from me and my lungs to you illona
A MASSIVE THANK YOU. Xxxxxxxxx

Wow, great news eh! I am so pleased that my smoking post touched a chord somewhere. Even if one person gives up the horrible weed, it was worth posting it. Frugal in Bucks, I am proud of you, well done. You are now a NON SMOKER. The Alan Carr video is very thought provoking, and he talks such good sense. £50 a week eh! £2,600 a year. You can have a fantastic holiday for that. You could put it towards a new car. In two years you could buy a nice car for £5,200, and live long enough to enjoy it. Has anyone else been inspired to take up the challenge of giving up the fags?

Last week our rescue rehomed two more cats. Luck seems to be with us regarding finding new homes. Some nice people are coming forward, and they are delighted with their new additions to the familly. If we don't have room to take in more cats, we are able to put them on our web page, while the cat needing rehoming is able to stay in it's own home until someone suitable comes along. It is working quite well, and stops people turning their cat out on the streets to fend for itself.

That's all for now. Toodle pip.

A walk from Skidby

Well would you Adam and Eve it, rhyming slang, ha ha. Yesterday the weather was awful, today it was fabulous, best not to waste it so I went for a walk. A drive back over the bridge again, this time my starting point was Skidby, not far from Beverley. If you remember, I was going to visit this village on my way back from  Morecambe to the Humber Bridge, but I chose the shorter route and carried straight on rather than make the diversion. I said I would visit another time, so today was the day.

I was passing the Village Hall in the main street and stopped to chat to two ladies, one of whom had a dog. Well I couldn't walk past without saying hello. I was just about to carry on when I thought I might as well have a cup of coffee and chat a bit longer with Liz, the very nice lady who is in charge. She is standing in this week for Mary who has gone on holiday. Liz is also the Clerk for the Parish Council, and the volunteer litter picker in Skidby, so we had a lot to chat about. The front part of the Village Hall is a drop in centre, it's very cosy.

There are loads of books to sit and read. I didn't ask if they are available to borrow, but I think they might be. It's the sort of place where the community spirit is alive and well.

The notice board with details of what's going on.

Home made produce for sale and local free range eggs.

Liz said I should take a look inside the church, it is cute. Luckily the door was unlocked.

She is right, it was cute, and simple, and clean and tidy. Obviously well loved by the parishioners.

The organ in the corner. The pews looked almost new, and they had been polished to a lovely shine. 

Skidby is famous for it's windmill, so I had to have a look. There is a courtyard, and a restaurant, and a museum. As I had spent so long chatting to Liz, I wanted to get on with the walk, so I didn't go in.

The path went round the back of the windmill.

It's very muddy underfoot. This must be a popular path as lots of pairs of boots have been this way before. 

I came across a small cemetery with a bench. Time for a sandwich and a boiled egg.

Ten minutes later I came across another walker sitting on a bench having his lunch. He looked a happy soul so I stopped to chat. I seem to be doing more talking than walking today, don't think I will be doing my usual fourteen miles. I took the path past Risby Park, and arrived in Walkington, very appropriate eh! I walked to Walkington :o) The church is on the edge of the village.

Another door is unlocked, so a quick peek inside. I love to see lots of red in a stained glass window.

I sat on a bench outside the church. There is heavy breathing down the back of my neck, ha ha. Cheeky blighter wants some of my lunch. The notice on the fence says don't feed the sheep, (there are two of them), as they are entire male and get a bit naughty. Oooh errr, I think I'd better move!

Time for a little treat, there is a general store in Walkington so I went in to see what I fancied. Oooh look, out of date reduced in a trolley at the back of the shop. For 50p I got a packet of sponge cakes, and some chocolate Christmas tree decorations. Just the sort of treat I like, cheap treat, ha ha.

I liked the paintings on the walls at this place. They do accommodation and serve food. The gardens at the front were very neat and tidy.

Also a beauty salon and conference facilities.

This is the duck pond in Walkington. Not many ducks in residence, but a nice little waterfall.

Out of Walkington, I headed off towards Beverley. Down lots more boggy paths, and along the edges of some very muddy fields. There is a lot of surface water lying around. I reached the outskirts of Beverley, know as Westwood. There is a vast grassy area which they use as a training course for race hourses. I sort of went a bit wrong on there, and I came out on a road which was not where I wanted to be. Never mind, time was getting on and maybe my first plan was pushing it a bit, so I cut the route short and headed back towards Walkington. Just over the A1079 I took a left turn along a bridleway, another load of mud to paddle through. My new boots look like they are ten years old now. Instead of walking through the mud here, I walked alongside it in the woods.

According to the map I should be walking around the edge of a wood here, but it looks as though most of it has been chopped down. They are planting a lot of new trees to replace the old.

I got back into Skidby at 5.30pm, just about right really. Finish my sandwich and my second boiled egg before I drive home. Only 11 miles walked today, but I've had a smashing time, met some nice people, and the weather has been lovely. Even got to take my jacket off I was so warm.
Toodle pip.

All @rse about face to me :o)

Good morning. This is the sight which greeted me as I opened the curtains at 7am, oh no, not more snow! It's getting a tad annoying now, especially as it's getting quite close to the date when I set off on my long walk. According to the weather reports we should be expecting it to be cold, with rain and snow, untill the end of the month. It's not clear whether it will be gone by the time Easter arrives at the beginning of April. I am going to have to do some serious thinking here, whether to postpone the walk untill the weather picks up, or to say stuff it, just do it anyway. I don't much like the idea of trudging mile after mile getting drenched to the skin. Although my waterproofs are pretty good at keeping the worst off me, if the weather doesn't improve, it's going to be more like an ordeal rather than a happy challenge. I'll make a decision soon.

My apologies for not posting last night. My broadband connection sometimes throws a wobbly and simply disappears off the face of the earth. I tried closing the computer and router down and then starting up again, which worked for a while, but half an hour later it was lost again. I decided that the best options was to say stuff it and make a start on another car body panel art project. I was thinking I want to make small holes in the panel and tried drilling, but that didn't work too well. Then I thought, aha, it's plastic so I can melt it. Yep, heat a nail up on a gas flame, held with pliers, and it quickly cuts through it. Good, now I can get on with an idea I have. 

I think you might have noticed by now that I've enabled word verification. To be honest, the spammers were doing my head in, all automatic of course. Masses of them, every two minutes, were coming in. It has been such a relief these last 24 hours to see that now they are blocked, I have no spam comments at all. I am sorry that I have had to inconvenience you in this way, I hate word verification myself, and know how difficult it is to see the gobboldygook we are supposed to copy into the little box. Don't be confused if I suddenly change the settings back, I want to see if intermittent on/off makes any difference to the spam bots, how long does it take them to recognise changes in status. It's woman against a machine, and I suspect machine will win. It's quite worrying really, the way computers can rule our world. 

Anyway, what shall I talk about now? A couple of things I have seen on a forum, which are linked in a way. Have you noticed when people want to make changes in their life, they seem to go about it arse about face. I'm talking about money saving here, tightening the belt, and cutting back, though the same thing also happens when they want to lose weight, start growing veg, stop smoking, or get fit. 

The will is there to start making these changes, but then they feel they need to spend money to achieve their goal. As I have demonstrated in my fitness video, you don't actually need to spend money to get fit. Yes, I bought a cross trainer, because I find that fun to use, and I saved up for it. I deliberately put it in my living room so I can do a few laps at anytime. I didn't actually need it, but I do actually use it. How many people have exercise equipment out of sight in their spare bedroom, shed, or garage, bought in a flurry of well meaning enthusiasm. And how many people actually make time to use it, or is it a case of out of sight out of mind. So, what's arse about face where buying exercise equipment is concerned? Just looking at the rowing machine or exercise bike does not make you fit. Nope. Putting some music on and dancing around the living room, is cheap and good for you. A bit of skipping, stepping, and stretching is good for you, and it's free, no equipment needed. 

Have you noticed how many people are hung up about following a particular weight loss diet. They read about a new idea in a magazine, and think, oh, I'll try that. Weighing portions, counting calories, buying shakes, the this and that diet. They end up constantly thinking about food and spending more money at the health food store. They buy more gadgets for their already full to bursting kitchen cupboards, which eventually get donated to a charity shop because they have lost interest. Being on a diet is pants, it makes you spend money, don't do it. So how can I talk about dieting, because I have no need to lose weight? Well I do know a bit about it, I crept up to almost 11 stone while I was driving, stuffing my fat face with all mannner of crap. My diet was mainly heart attack material. Why do you think I don't need to diet now?  Because I eat healthy food, end of. The ocassional chocolate bar, or biscuit, or ice cream, does pass my lips, but as a treat. So, what's arse about face where weight loss diets are concerned? It makes you focus on food which gives you a feel good boost if you are down, rather than food which you need to keep your body alive. There is a difference. On a diet you feel deprived of all the nice things that you can't eat, you feel sorry for yourself, and have a treat, and another, and another. I have trained myself to love steamed vegetables. Simple food can be just as nutritious if you vary it, and costs less, so a bonus there. 

I'm on a roll now, what's the next arse about face example. Growing veg. There are two reasons why people start growing their own veg, (1) to save money, and (2) home grown veg tastes nicer. Good reasons. If you are in it to save money, like I am, it's a bit arse about face to go to a garden centre and buy a spade, a fork, and loads of tools you think you might need. Then buy a greenhouse with all the paraphenalia that goes with it, flower pots, staging, the list is endless, one thing leads to another. The gravel to put on the floor of the greenhouse, the slabs to lay around the outside of it, so it looks neat and tidy. OMG, it's got to look neat and tidy. You're growing vegetables to eat, they grow in muck, nothing neat and tidy about that. You can get loads of free stuff for your veg garden out of skips, from neighbours who want to get rid of something, from freecycle and freegle. All I bought was a few bags of compost to get my seeds started and get my raised beds going. I scrounged loads of hoss muck from horse owning friends, and turned my own kitchen and garden waste into compost. Spending money to save money is arse about face.

Ok, so I admit it, the next example is something which I know very little about. How to give up smoking. I have never smoked so I haven't experienced how hard it is to give up. I can only write about how I see it, from my common sense approach. I think we all recognise that tobacco is a poweful drug, once hooked it's very difficult to go back. In my mind, arse about face comes into this when you substitute one method of getting a nicotine fix, with another. So you stop the fags, and start on the patches. Or you get the electronic version because you feel lost without something in your hand. So, by delaying the outcome of stopping smoking you merely put it on hold for a while. You want to let yourself down gently, you feel lousy and you need a crutch to prop yourself up while you experience withdrawal symptoms. A bit arse about face if you want to ditch the dreaded weed permanently. I don't want to turn this into a lecture because addiction of any kind can be crippling. If you try and give up, and fail, keep trying. If cutting down is not working, try cold turkey.

One more example of arse about face. A woman does an online shop and spends £155, she is chuffed that she has chosen some special offers that have given her a reduction of £27, money that she feels has been given to her. Erm, no, it was hers in the first place. She thinks she is in profit, and this idea could be taken up by others to help them pay off their debts. I agree that buying multiples of the same item if it is on offer is a good thing, but only if you actually need them, and can be sure of using them. Having a mini version of Tesco in your pantry is not good housekeeping, it can get out of control, and becomes hoarding. She doesn't say if she did an inventory of her cupboards and freezer before she placed this large order, whether she had worked out how long it would last her, and whether the stuff was actually needed. I have never done an online shop, but I suspect that you could easily get carried away ticking the boxes, a bit like being let loose in a sweet factory. Tick a box, oh, we'll have this, and we'll have that while we're at it. Might as well chuck that in the trolley as well. I can't see that curbing your spending is any easier when shopping on line. If your instinct is to buy whatever you like, then justify it by focussing on how much you have saved on special offers, your spending is out of control. Seems a bit arse about face to me. 

I think I'd better stop now. It's going to take you a few days to trawl through this lot. You've got double rations this morning, two posts in one. My fingers have set the keyboard on fire, ha ha.  

Lunch time. Toodle pip.

Join me in keeping fit

Good evening. A little bit late tonight as I've been waiting for my new fitness video to upload onto the toob. If Jane Fonda can make a video on how to keep fit, then so can I. This has taken a while to do as I first filmed it in Portrait mode, made sense to me as I am standing up in it, but then I found it is quite difficult to rotate it to Landscape. It can be done apparently, but I found it a lot easier to start again and shoot it in Landscape. I shall remember that in future, ha ha.

My exercises are very simple to follow, the only equipment you will need are two tins of rice pudding, a small step ladder, and a piece of wire or rope. I don't expect you to go out and buy a Cross Trainer though, so you will have to miss that bit out. Instead you can just run on the spot. Everyone can join in with the last part of the exercise, you just have to get up out of your chair and throw all inhibitions to the wind. Don't worry about what you look like, you will feel a bit silly at first, but as you start throwing your arms and legs about you will start to enjoy it.

If you follow my programme for six months, I can guarantee that you will become as fit as a fiddle, and if you follow my healthy eating diet you will undoubtedly lose a few stones, or kilo's whichever you prefer.

So, let's get started then. This is the day you start a whole new life, feel free to join in.



Here is another one of my mouth watering healthy meals. For my lunch today I chopped a couple of onions and cooked them in a little oil. Then I added some chopped mushrooms and half a tin of black eyed beans. Simmer gently for a few minutes, adding a splash of fruit juice and a spoon of garlic out of a jar. Serve on a bed of spinach. Fabulous. More pics above in the Food Gallery page.

Toodle pip.

Good buys for me and the cats.

Evening all. Looks like I'm setting up shop here at Tightwad Towers, ha ha. A nice pile of tinned fruit was purchased today. We have three Poundstretecher stores here, they didn't have any more of this the other day when I got three tins, so today I went to the town centre store and found they have a stack of it, so I bought another twelve tins. That's my fruit juice sorted for a while then. £2.28 for this little lot. I grab it while I can, to save some money.  

If I was to buy 12 cartons of  Tesco Value orange juice at 65p per carton, it would cost £7.80, so a tidy sum saved there, all for the inconvenience of opening a tin and zapping the fruit with a blender. It tastes fabulous as well, with bits of real fruit in it. 

I have discovered that my cats like this Feline Fayre food. It's not always a good idea to try cats with new food, but if you do, it's best not to bulk buy it untill you can be sure they like it. B & M have been selling this for 25p a sachet, but today I found some for 19p at Home Bargains, which is a good price, so I bought a few of them.  

This Whiskas is what I saw the other day when I didn't have the means of carrying it, so today I took my car and stocked up. Mind you, I didn't get these from Pets at Home, I actually found them cheaper in The Range. Just goes to show, you've got to know your prices. These were £10 for 48, which works out far cheaper than buying a single box of twelve. Heidi likes this one so that's her sorted for a while.

I wrote about this cat litter a long time ago, as I was dead chuffed that I had found it because it was cheaper than the supernarkets own brand. First of all this was £1.29 in Home Bargains. Then I found it in Poundland, now Poundstretcher have it in for 99p. Again, it's all about knowing your prices.

Now this is worth a try. I found some big jars of peanut butter at two for £1 in B & M. As you can see my normal Value peanut butter is 62p for a smaller jar. So, I don't know what this is like yet as I haven't tasted it, but I will often try a different brand if it appears to be better value than what I usually buy. I am always flexible to new ideas. No harm in trying if it could save you a few pennies.

I remembered that it's time to get the seed potatoes chitting in readiness for the forthcoming growing season. I chose three varieties for my three beds. There are eight in a packet for 99p each. Hopefully the crops won't be as poor as they were last year, and I should get enough spuds for the Summer and Autumn.

My lunch today was wholemeal pasta, and scrambled egg with spinach. Twas very filling.

More new boot wearing today, they are starting to feel quite comfy now, so hopefully they will be fine on the long walk.

Another Wolds walk, from South Cave

Good morning. It's a fab sunny morning here in North Lincolnshire, I've put the washer on, a good day to dry clothes outside methinks. I had a fab day yesterday, back over the river for some more ambling around the Yorkshire Wolds. I will get my money's worth out of this map, plenty of places to explore, and not too far to travel to get to the start. I went a little way up the main A63 and came off at the junction with the A1034, to go into the village of South Cave. Here I found a free parking place in a quiet residential street.  

This is the view from the road, of the Cave Castle Hotel, doesn't it look rather grand. There is a large pond, almost a lake, in the extensive grounds.

Here is a bit of blurb from their web site.

As you approach through the stone arch and up the tree lined drive you cannot fail to be impressed by the grandeur of Cave Castle with its original turrets, stone features and historic charm. Nestling at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds this is the idyllic country retreat for a relaxing and tranquil stay.

Cave Castle boasts an excellent 18 hole golf course set in the 150 acres of meadow and parkland which surround the hotel.

For the more energetic the Health Club has a well equipped gym, 19m pool and aerobic suite with a Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room for those wishing to take things easier. 

This is the entrance. The building to the left of the arch seems to be unoccupied, it would make a lovely little residence. Reminds me of the sitcom, To the Manor Born. Penelope Keith living in the Gatehouse within the grounds of The Manor.  

I walked up the driveway to get this photo. Looks rather splendid. Think I might treat myself one day :o)

Next door to the hotel is the church. I walked out of the village along the road past the church where it turned into a track, and past the golf club.

On my way to North Cave, I passed through the small hamlet of Everthorpe.

There is a general stores in North Cave, couldn't resist treating myself to a Magnum ice cream. As I was ambling through the village I thought, wow, look at that tree up the side of the house. Got to have a photo of that, how unusual.

The church in North Cave stands magnificently on a little hill. The sun is shining on me today, and I'm feeling great. Feet are holding up ok in the new boots, though they are getting caked with mud.

Leaving North Cave, there is a tarmac path through a country park which leads to Hotham. As I came into the village I caught sight of Hotham Hall. This is a Grade 11 listed building, which opens it's gardens to the public as part of the National Open Gardens Scheme for Charity. This is the closest I could get to it. I like the bird sculptures in the pond.

Around the side is the vehicle entrance to the hall.

This little cottage in Hotham has an amazing roof. As you can see it has been extended two feet beyond the wall of the house, and is supported by eight wooden pillars.

According to the reviews on the Hotham Arms website, it is a very popular eatery, favoured by tourists and locals alike. I like the little tables at the front with the gingham tablecloths. A posh smoking area I think. The pub was closed when I passed, but not to worry, I am too mean to stop and spend money, ha ha.

Hey, what's happening here?!?!? Snow, yikes!. I was in South Newbald and had stopped to chat to a local gentleman who was tidying his garden. He was telling me about him and his son going for bike rides, he knew the area like the back of his hand. Always good to get some local knowledge. As I was walking towards North Newbald I could see the skies ahead of me turning white, with visibility diminishing by the second. I quickened my pace as I walked through the playing field, thinking I urgently needed to find shelter. The path came out in the village centre so I headed for the porch of the church.

My goodness, it's turning into a flash blizzard, ha ha.

As quick as it came, the snow went. Now look at it, brilliant sunshine and blue skies. I left the village by road, and came to the turn off to pick up the Yorkshire Wolds Way. I like the way the signs have been maintained in these parts, no guessing which way to go next. Makes finding your way a doddle.

And this is the way I am heading, Into Swindale, round Whin Hill, then cross over a couple of roads. These are the Wolds, wide open spaces of gentle rolling hills. As I walk through I am totally alone, time to drink in the serenity and peacefull beauty. I feel like I want to hop, skip, and jump, and sing. It's like being in a huge outdoor church. Indeed I do sing to myself as I stroll along.

I am out of the open dale now and heading into a wooded dale. This is East Dale, which leads onto Hunsley Dale. Not such easy walking as it's a steep downhill slope over a muddy and eroded path.  

The path eventually runs alongside a disused railway line, which is out of bounds as it's private land, though it looks as if people do walk it. I came out of the wood and turned right up a steep bank called Comber Dale. When I was almost to the top, this is the view I had as I turned round and looked back. Fabulous. I have hardly seen anyone on this walk, virtually had the place to myself :o)

A bit further along I joined a path I had walked on the previous walk, and came across the twisty wooden benches, remember them? Time to finish my sandwich and give my feet a rest for ten minutes. There was a few dog walkers about, luckily I had remembered to put a few dog treats in my pocket. I love making new doggie friends. Time to make my way back down to South Cave. I had a bit of a panicky moment when my car wasn't where I thought it was, then I remembered, I was looking in the wrong street, ha ha, phew. Once back I was ready for getting my boots off, and changing them for an old soft pair I took with me. Oh, bliss to put my slippers on, ha ha.

Half an hour later I was home. My feet have held out pretty well, it brought back memories of my first long walk, Blackpool to the Humber Bridge. There were times then when I thought I couldn't go on, when the pain was too much to bear, but when you are far from home you don't have a choice, what alternative is there? Sit down and cry, or keep on walking?

Toodle pip.

Off to beddybyes

Hi. I've loaded the pics from todays walk, but my brain has stopped working, so I'll add the words tomorrow. It was a cracking walk, a bit of allsorts really. Smashing photo's. I've done 14 miles in the new boots, and only one blister. I'm off to beddybyes now. Catch you tomorrow. Goodnight.