New Year, New Start

I love simple weekends and now I'm at work lots more, this weekend was just perfect. My first week in the new job has been full on to say the least but I've really, really enjoyed getting back into the line of work I'm experienced in. There's lots to learn and do (which is pretty daunting) but my new colleagues are lovely and very welcoming.

We're sorting out a different routine at home to make sure we can still spend as much time together sharing and doing the things we love. Woody is manfully taking on more cooking and I've been making up soups, casseroles and sauces for the freezer and some cakes for the tins.

I was worrying about having enough time to keep shopping locally, and really didn't want to go back to doing a big supermarket shop at all, so we've sorted it out. I'm visiting the butcher twice a month and portioning up mince, joints (and cheese!) for the freezer, doing a big weekend cook up or bringing something home from the family butcher in the town where I work that raises its own livestock and makes the most delicious free range sausages ever!

Our greengrocer is a complete star and is delivering us a box of veg a week if I drop him an email with what we'd like. This week's order came on Wednesday with just some watercress missing; unavailable. It was only an extra really for my lunchbox salads and I wouldn't have missed it. But the next day there was our greengrocer on the doorstep, full of apology and a bag of the green stuff.

I'm genuinely agog at this magnificent service. We paid up there and then but he's happy for us to call into the shop or send a cheque in the post. Everything arrived in brown paper bags in a cardboard box, not a single piece of plastic in sight and its all gone straight into our recycling bins.

The fruit and veg is the most fantastic quality and at 60p for an enormous Savoy cabbage, completely affordable. They won't even accept a delivery charge as they don't mind calling in on their way home. They deserve a medal but instead I've nominated them for a Hidden Gem award on here

We're making the most of the milkman too (ooh that sounds rather dodgy doesn't it!) He's delivering butter, fruit juice and our bread as well as the lake of milk we seem to get through each week. So that leaves just   a few bits and pieces to pick up from the bargain supermarket or the village shop.

I swear its cheaper than a big weekly shop. I can get easily distracted in a supermarket by the sweet treats, essential clothes and fancy bits of this and that I think we'd use. This way we support great independent traders, eat fabulous food and still keep a close eye on the pennies too.

So we celebrated with a family lunch today with mum and dad for company. Roast chicken (don't panic not one of our girls, they're strictly pets and egg layers), sweet potato gratin, roast potatoes, cabbage, broccoli and carrots then pear, ginger and chocolate crumble with custard for pudding. I don't think I'm going to eat again for a week!

There's no better way to spend a chilly afternoon that us all huddled around the kitchen table, remembering happy times with  family who've sadly long gone, sharing tales and passing the time. It was such a cosy afternoon and its been a great weekend spent swimming, playing with the boys, visiting the library, lots of drawing and a lovely treat for Woody and me last night. We celebrated my new job and Woody's contract being confirmed here for a cosy meal and time to talk. Can't remember the last time I put on a frock and going out shoes!

 Smashing. Just the way weekends should be in my book. Hope yours has been lovely too. Xxx

Edited to add: For Sally and anyone else in our neck of the woods, please do support Totally Locally Leek and give our fab traders a try. There's a brill £5 offer scheme on currently with great bargains too. The wonderful greengrocers is Harrisons', the shop is open everyday apart from Sunday (I think) and you can find it on the edge of the Butter Market Hall, even when that's closed. The full market stall is open Wednesdays and Saturdays. I'm not sure they do delivery as a regular thing btw. My butcher is Meakins inside the Butter Market Hall but they also have a shop tucked away in the back streets at the top of Queen Street. Don't miss the fabulous fishmonger in the Butter Market (Select Fresh Fish - again top notch quality and great service) too which is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Thanks for the fantastically enhusiastic comments. You'd all laugh if you could see how disorganised I am which goes to show shopping locally isn't that tricky if you have good independent traders close at hand, they can just take a bit of searching out I guess.