Muddling Through Motherhood

This week we’ve enjoyed our no-meat challenge, with 2 days left to go. I, of course, cheated and had a steak when I went out for dinner with friends on Wednesday but I’m not counting that as I still cooked bean chilli for David and Rowan. It was such a success that we’ve decided to limit our meat meals to 2 main meals a week (we’d struggle without spagbol and chilli and the odd roast dinner) and go for veggie options (preferably bean rather than cheese) the rest of the week. There will be the odd bit of meat in our lunches every now and again too, but on the whole I think we can eat a lot more veggie food, and if this week is anything to go by, enjoy it and feel better for it.

I’ve currently too excited about all these changes to stick to just one challenge every week – there are lots of things I am working on and thinking of, but am already getting started on. I’ll probably still do some weekly challenges but also with some long term things added in.

This week I have taught myself to knit again (thankyou internet) and have started work on an xmas present. I may add a photo of it so far as the person who it is for is unlikely to read this! I have ideas for presents for everyone (except Rowan, he’s getting carefully selected and limited new toys!) that are hand made, and potentially partially recycled, so I shall not be buying any tat this year, and will be asking other people not to buy me anything if its not something I really need (or to donate some money to favourite charities that I shall no doubt blog about later). I do, however, have a long wish list for the kitchen now I’ve started doing much more stuff for myself so perhaps people will pick from there if I haven’t spent all my pocket money on them before xmas!

My next challenge is going to take some work, and its a long term one. During the course of September I am going to aim to shop in supermarkets as little as possible. Shopping will be done from our local fruit farm, butchers, little health food shop and various other (probably online) places that I will be scouting out to fill all my needs. It will probably take all month to get sources for all the little things we take for granted from the supermarket, and we may not succeed with some things, but the less money those big bastards get from us, the better. I’m going to have to learn to cook more seasonally and inventively, and plan better and waste less to cover the fact that these places will cost more, but we’ll see if I can do it and stay in budget.

I really wanted to go away this weekend but I can’t face the thought of camping at the moment – its a lot of hassle – so we’ve got some fun things planned instead. Some cycling, swimming at a big place in Stoke (hopefully) and a bit of stuff around the house.