UK Hello Fresh review April 2021

 My Hello Fresh box has arrived and first impressions are really good.  There is a very well insulated bag complete with ice packs for the chilled foods and then the ingredients for each meal are in separate bags.  I will do a meal review each morning for the next five days and let you know what I think of them.  This isn't a sponsored post  (but more than happy to do a sponsored one provided you expect a completely honest review).  I found a voucher online which gives me 50% off the first box and then 35% off the next three.  This box of five meals for two has cost me £20 and at first glance it looks very good value for money. The next three boxes are going to cost me £28.99 which I still think is very reasonable. Please don't tell me that I could buy the ingredients far cheaper.  I have no need of jars and bottles of spices and chutneys that might never get used again.  Hello Fresh have provided everything I need to cook each meal so there is no waste. It felt like Christmas opening each packet to see what was inside. I can cancel at any point if I don't want to receive any more boxes but intend to try it for the full month so long as the ingredients are as nice and fresh as this box full.. 

The insulated bag.. I'll find a use for the insulation.

Chilled food perfectly portioned

Recipe cards

Tea tonight is going to be Prawn and Chorizo spaghetti. I thought it best to use the prawns up straight away as I am not keen on keeping seafood for too long. I'll let you know what Tony and I think tomorrow morning

My clever son

 Alexander has just sent me this link to a piece of music he has produced during the lockdown. He spent many years working as lighting/sound engineer at local nightclubs and music events before switching to a career in IT.  It's given him a project and he is planning on releasing one a month if he has time

(9) Mechanica - YouTube

I have a very eclectic taste in music and do like a bit of techno rave..

Our crazy weather

 Well I guess we won't be gardening today. I have woken up to find THIS..........

The little bird box that Tony put up yesterday looks really sweet with it's snowy roof.

I think today might just be a Jimjams day after all. 

Thank you Amanda

Last week Amanda out in Spain...   Crafty in the Med ...     happened to ask whether I would like her to send me some peppermint teabags. So to cut a long story short we agreed a little swap.  My parcel from Amanda arrived this morning and just look at what I found when I opened it. It's bigger than my photo implies and will look lovely on my craft room wall.

 

I was only expecting a few teabags and Amanda sent me absolutely loads of two different types. There are some Tilia (linden blossom) ones and some absolutely delicious peppermint ones. I haven't tried the Tilia ones yet but they smell gorgeous.There's also some cross stitch fabric which I intend to put to very good use when the urge to cross stitch comes over me again

The weather forecast got it completely wrong.  We were expecting it to be really cold but it's been a properly warm gardening day. Tony and I rehashed one of the front garden borders and then I spent the afternoon pottering around the garden while Tony painted a large crate and put up the little bird house.. I moved my 'Fatsia Japonica from a large planter in the vegetable plot and put it into a large pot near the table and chairs.  It's lovely to see the garden starting to show colour and it won't be long before it's ablaze with spring bulbs. It surprises me every year as I always forget what we have added to the garden each summer. It happens when the displays in the garden centre call me like a Siren to the rocks.

The garden pond 

It's the first time I have ever managed to grow Aubretia

Apple tree against the fence.

My beautiful Camellia. Bought for me by my friend Marian

This hyacinth has popped up in my garlic planter...
 I must have pushed it in there last year when I emptied some pots

Beautifully fragrant Tulip

This lovely blog makes me smile

 Every time I read Lulu's blog I smile.  She has such a fun style of writing and I am sure that sunshine oozes out of every pour in her body, The following is a link if you need a bit of sunshine

Long Mizzle Garden

Today Tony and I had planned a 'jimjams day' in front of the TV but it's been put on hold as he has to work this morning.  The forecast says it's going to be cold and there is a cold hard frost on the garden and shed roof.  At least the sun is shining and the crystals that I have hanging in my window are casting rainbows on the ceiling.  I love this time of year when the sun's angle is just right for crystal rainbows.  The whole ceiling is covered in them and it looks stunning

Crystal rainbows

Our deepest condolences

 I've just heard the sad news that Prince Philip has died today. Our heartfelt condolences go out to our royal family at this sad time.

Polishing my halo

 You Tube Exercises  done and now I am off out for my early walk.  Last night I had a tin of pear cider and thoroughly enjoyed it until I saw how many calories there were in it.  226..... Eeeek, I won't be having many of them in the foreseeable future. I have a wedding to go to and a stone to lose. I'm really focussed now and determined to lose the lumpy bits.  The veggie garden is really helpful here as I can pick a fresh salad for lunch very day and pile it up on the plate.  Thank goodness I like salad.  Speaking of veggie garden,  I have a few different varieties of Brassica seeds to sow outdoors just as soon as the cold snap has calmed itself down. It's forecast to be bitterly cold tonight and the weekend isn't looking too promising either. Roll on sunny warm days. 

This is pretty

 Well it's been a windy old day so far and I've managed to get two loads of washing line dried and ready to put away. It's a lot warmer today than of late so I gave the veggie plot a good watering. It seems ages since we had actual rain of any note and it was looking a bit parched out the.  Had to pop over to my neighbours and put some drops in her eye as she has a thing about eyes and can't bring herself to do it.  I've just been reading Briony's blog and love how she has coloured the fabric with pens before embroidering it.  I definitely need to be a bit braver with my embroidery. Click on the link below this if you fancy having a peep.

http://craftyinthemed.blogspot.com/

Parcel going off to Amanda out in Sunny Spain.in the next day or two.  Amanda... I challenge you to use the things in a project.

Back on track

My friend Marian isn't walking this morning as she is feeling a bit icky. When I checked up on her last night we agreed that we would have a day off and stay in bed. Needless to say I was wide awake at six with Tony so I have got up and restarted my quick exercise regime.  It's still a Leslie Sansome video but with a different teacher.  I found it to be good fun and it was nice to see 'normal people' doing the exercises and looking a bit self conscious.  It makes a change from the slick choreographed routines where no one puts a step out of place.  Certainly got the blood pumping and I may well do this one two or three times a day, as and when time and the mood allows me. 

1 Mile Walk with Dr. Natalie | Walk at Home - YouTube

I am just heading for a shower then I will take myself off out for a walk.  It looks a tiny bit warmer out and it will be a nice way to start the day.  Hope you are all keeping fit and safe.

Busy morning so far

I had my early walk then came home and washed everything in the laundry tub.  Three loads in total, of which two are pegged out on the line and the other has just finished. While the machine was doing its thing I set to and made a spicy vegetarian Bolognese sauce to add to some pasta at lunch time.  My friend Tripta is coming over and we will need something to warm us through in the garden as it's not very warm at all. It's  not too bad out of the wind and thankfully the garden table is in a very sheltered spot. It's just nice to be able to have friends over again even though it's not ideal to sit in the garden. I suppose it is what it is and we just have to get on with it. Hopefully things will slowly start to return to the new normal and we will be able to make the best of this awful situation. 

Yesterday after washing all my pretty china  I moved all the plants around in the sitting room and gave the bookcase a thorough dust and polish. I'm pleased to see that the conkers on the windowsill have stopped Mr Spider.  The mucky things was eating flies and leaving a right old mess in the corners on the windowsill.  It's all stopped now so we will be having a look for some fresh conkers every year and putting them in corners all around the house.