Things looking up/BP coming down

Thank you for comments, saying no to things I don't want to do and only doing those I do want is working out well, I feel lighter somehow.  As for my hair colour....I am getting used to it, which takes some doing as it really is SO much lighter than I've ever had before.  Although I quite like it, it's not the colour I originally wanted (which is a bright silver), so I will hopefully be buying the colour I do want tomorrow.  Catherine, I gave up wearing makeup a few years ago.  Never liked it much anyhow, I've never been a fan of the painted face look and didn't like the feel of makeup on my skin, although I had to wear the full slap when I was working.  As a secretary and greeting clients, it was expected of me.  Thank goodness I don't have to do it now - farmers, cows, sheep and Betty don't care what I look like!  Husband doesn't like heavily made up women either.

I'm having to do another week of BP testing, as I have more blood tests next Monday and another appointment with Nurse Rose the following week.  Last month my blood pressure was sky high, hence my being given the new medication which gave me such horrendous side effects I stopped taking it.  Since then, I've been having a glass of beetroot juice daily (it's good at reducing BP, although doesn't taste very nice - I mix it with orange juice), and my stress levels have gone down a bit.  Well, whatever, something is working as my BP has come down considerably, only just above normal in fact.  Which is fantastic as I really didn't want to have to try yet another BP medication.

Our latest highly stressful situation has eased up a bit, it's still ongoing but I've done the bulk of what I needed to and it's mostly just a waiting game now.  Never easy, I don't do patience very well.  It does mean that I'm feeling a bit more relaxed, and have the time to do some proper cooking and even some card making (newest cards will be put on my card making blog).  

I'd been using my oven a lot, almost every day, and quite often only having one thing in it instead of making sure I filled it.  We've noticed our electricity consumption has gone up quite a bit the last couple of months - ok, so it's winter so we're having the heating on more and I've been using the tumble dryer more too.  We want to reduce our usage though, so looked at other means of cooking things, I was particularly interested in the multicooking pots that seem to be all the rage now.  After a bit of research, we bought one, it's the Drew & Cole CleverChef if anyone's interested, it has 14 functions including stewing, sautéing, baking, roasting, slow cooking etc.

https://drewandcole.com/products/cleverchef-intelligent-digital-multi-cooker/  

I've used it several times now and can honestly say it's brilliant, easy to use, easy to clean, cooks perfectly and in much less time than the oven, doesn't take up a lot of room.  I've made a stew, pulled pork, done chicken pieces (which I sautéed first in the pot before cooking in stock) with vegetables steaming in the basket above at the same time - all cooked perfectly.  Today I'm making a pork and bean hotpot in it.  Very impressed with it.  Saves time and washing up several different pans.  I'll have a go at making a cake in it soon.