The older I get the more annoyed I get with noise. People chewing, people tapping pens or fingernails on desks, people who read their emails or code out loud. People who bang the spoon against the sides of the cup when they stir their tea as stridently as Quasi-bloody-modo ringing that bell.

 

I’m like that grumpy neighbour lady shouting at the neighbour kids. Even if it’s all only reverberating in my head.

There’s a lot of stuff banging round in there.

Also, people annoy me. 

It was the longest week ever considering it was a four day week with Monday being a public holiday. Sunday Norm seemed to have mild food poisoning and was not a happy camper. I cooked for us but he ate like a mouse.

I roasted a fat woollies chicken, rubbing tons of olive oil into the skin and packing mushrooms round the chicken to cook in the drippings from the chicken, turning sticky from the chicken fat. After half an hour I slathered the skin with butter and put a bit of butter inside the bird. The skin went so light and crispy. I made puréed sweet potato and I stir fried spinach to go with it.  I put the chicken on the cutting board and dished up the mushrooms and then I made the most amazing gravy in the roasting pan on the stove. I melted a bit more butter sprinkled almond flour over the pan and made a roux then added a container of double thick cream and blended. It was like Christmas gravy. 

You know that turkey dripping gravy?

Oh, lawd.

  

You would think all that fat would make me fat but I keep slowly losing. Some day I might look like this.

 

  

The weather turned suddenly and has been cold and rainy. 

Like, suddenly winter. Flip flops to boots in one week.

Tuesday Norm collected me and we went to Home Affairs to try and apply yet again for his residency. The visa office is near my current client so we walked across. 

  
Despite having an appointment we waited an hour only to be told Norm had applied for the wrong visa. We were told what to fill in and left. What a waste of time. He managed to get an appointment later that day and went to a cafe and started over. Luckily I didn’t have to go back.

We were both tired and stressed. We had luckily bought ‘carb clever’ ready made pizzas at Woolies.

  
We fried onions, peppers and chorizo and added that. The base was ok, but it didn’t taste like the cauliflower ones we had previously. Maybe they had added another ingredient, they were rather cardboard like. 

I got home late on Wednesday as I went to David King for a Body Reactivation session at the V&A Waterfront. I wasn’t feeling too bad this time, I think he is getting to the bottom of my angst. Usually by the time I see him I’m twisted like a pretzel. When I left work it was pouring and I trotted to the car but still got rather drenched.

As I was late home Norm went to drop Cordelia and then picked up dinner from Spiro’s in Hout Bay. 

The pups went to the groomer on Thursday. They look and smell gorgeous for about half a day, then they are sticky and smelly again.

  
Thursday was my usual creative dinner night. AKA what’s in the fridge? Let’s eat it. This time I ended up with giant mushrooms which I fried in butter and garlic then stuffed with crispy bacon, onions, yellow pepper, garlic, Parmesan and topped with cheddar. I had a few zucchini left which I sliced, covered in fresh grated Parmesan and baked. I roasted pumpkin in coconut oil and fried some thick slabs of halloumi. It went well together luckily! 

 

Also on Thursday, we had some bad news. Norman received his redundancy notice along with many of his colleagues across the world.

There was a termination of a major contract which has left his employers with no choice but to file for insolvency and close down. 

Fortunately, he has some consultancy work lined up as well as some other opportunities so we are not panicking. His role came with excellent medical aid however. Medical aid for two oldies like us will cost a fair chunk. 

But we will be fine I’m sure.

Friday finally arrived and Lily and Norm headed out to Stellenbosch to view a couch and were still out when I got home as I left work at 3. We just had a quiet night in and we were all snoozing on the sofas by 10!

I had a long lie in bed then Lily and I made brunch.

  
I did a cheese and tomato omelette with avocado and crispy bacon. For Norm and I there were fried onion and pepper, I didn’t add to the omelette as Lily is not a fan. 

We have been lazy all day and I will do my best to spend as much time in my pajamas as possible. 

I hope you enjoy yours.