Busy day

 We all slept much better last night, in fact I didn't wake up until 06.50, which is late for me.  I didn't get all the batch cooking done yesterday, the day ran away with me.  I riced a large cauliflower, cooked it then made it into cheesy herby cauli mash, portioned it up and froze that.  I also cooked a small gammon in the slow cooker, for husband's lunches during the week.  I then did a freezer inventory and menu plan for the first week of our van stay.  Husband will be coming home on Friday with Betty, she has a grooming appointment, he'll bring home washing, collect some more clothes and some more home cooked ready meals from out of the freezer - I'll give him a list.  I also did a short cool wash and loaded the machine again with an overnight wash - yesterday's wash went on the airer upstairs as it was raining (for a change....not!) and far too windy, the wash from overnight will go out on the line today (hooray!).

So this morning I'm doing a huge pan of chicken mince, browning it off with red onions, tomatoes, grated carrot, herbs and spices.  Half of it will be used to make lasagnes (as mentioned before, with thinly sliced courgettes instead of pasta sheets), the other half for cottage pies, awaiting a topping of cauli or butternut squash mash.  I've got a large b'nut squash to peel, chop and cook today - half will be boiled and mashed, the other half diced and roasted.  I season both with smoked paprika and sage, which I think go really well with the squash.

I'm making 2 fruit cakes tomorrow, one for our lovely van neighbours C&J, the other (a small one) for husband.  I'm also going to make half a dozen cheese scones - well, we will be going to the van so we need a treat! (I won't be eating any of the cake, but the scones - oh yes!).

The tins, jars and packet food we're taking with us has been gathered on the table for the past few days, ready to pack tomorrow afternoon, when I'll also be packing the clothes.  Some tinned food, all the toiletries, bedding and towels and some clothes are kept at the van anyway, so there's not too much needing to be taken with us.  So Tuesday morning it's just the freezer box to pack and then off we go.

Husband loads the car, that's his job.  I'm very organised with regard to the food and packing and don't need him to 'help' - he only hinders and needs telling what to do every 5 minutes, it's easier for him to just stay out of my way and leave me to get on.  I do ask him to get his clothes out ready for me to pack (and then have to go through them, discarding some and adding others - he always gets out too many tops and not enough bottoms!).

And then it's going to be a fortnight of relaxation.  And oh boy am I ready for it.