It was another day out in the city for Darrell and me on Wednesday. We had a lot to talk about, and spending a few hours away, is the only time we get to chat and make plans for the future. I have been hearing from people back home quite a lot over the last few weeks and as lovely as it is, it does make Darrell and I feel homesick at times. Both of us have had numerous video chats with close friends, all saying the same thing - 'Make sure you stay where you are, there is literally nothing to go back to Britain for.' I can see that; every day at 7am, SBS shows the British news from the night before, and it does look particularly dysfunctional in the UK at the moment. I would never return for the country, but the people are a different matter.

Yesterday, my close friend and old boss Zerina messaged me and gave me a bit of a motivational talk. Those I have kept in contact with, understand our struggles, and they have been instrumental in keeping us in Perth. I understand this is a difficult journey, we never thought it would be any different, and the encouragement we have received is beyond anything we could have expected. On Wednesday, as we sat in 'Coffee Club' drinking tea and eating cake, we both reassured one another about the path we were now on. After half an hour, we both started to feel better, as we always do. We are both well aware of where we are better off, but the frustration we feel at the slow progress is palpable.

Walking around the streets of the capital in blazing sunshine, we could be forgiven for thinking we are in paradise, but bubbling under the surface, the remains of the COVID-19 pandemic still festers away. The reason why we feel so stuck right now, is because of the extended closure of Australia and Western Australia in particular. Things are beginning to change, with the first not stop flight from the USA landing in the country only this week, but these are small baby steps, and we have to keep the faith, while Australia reopens for business and normality returns.

After receiving police checks from The UK and Spain, I was able to finalise the paperwork for my Spouse visa this week and everything is now in the hands of our solicitor. Wednesday was about relaxing after a very busy month and according to my Migration Agent the 'superfast' time I was able to gather all my documents and files together for this decidedly expensive $10,000 visa application.

After a short walk around Elizabeth Quay, we headed for lunch at 'Durty Nelly's' Irish pub, just off Hay Street. This traditional Irish bar is tucked away down a side alley, in-between a number of other restaurants and cafés. I stumbled across it last week, vowing to come back. The setting reminded me very much of my time in Thailand, surrounded by lush greenery and picturesque local venues - all rather civilized and cosmopolitan.

It was wonderful, just sat there relaxing and enjoying the heat of the day with a pint and the reassurance that my application to stay was coming to an end. We ordered a steak lunch which, for Australian standards, was very reasonably priced at a bargain $18.00 each. I have never eaten anything so cheap in Perth since I have been here. The food was delicious, full of flavour and perfectly cooked. At that moment, I felt happy to be home and no matter what gets thrown at us over the next few months, we do at least have a place to escape to when things get rough - rather like my hair in the picture above; rough isn't the word!

After lunch, we took a stroll to Forrest Chase, to catch the train to Bassendean. There was a demonstration in the square, over the murder of aboriginal boy Cassius Turvey. Thankfully the perpetrator is in custody, but this was an attack that was carried out in Midland, right on our door step. As I listened to the emotional speeches, by family, officials and friends, I realised that no matter how stunning this country is, it still suffers from the same anti-social problems we do in the UK. Wherever you live in the World, murder, violence, knife and gun crime will always exist, and my eyes were opened to the issues that Australia has, when dealing with the appalling treatment of indigenous people. Darrell and I have our problems, for sure, but they are nothing compared to the injustices suffered by the Aboriginal community.

Darrell's Cousin Tash picked us up from Bassendean, where we spent the evening with her and his Aunty Alice. To be honest, I was feeling particularly tired after being unable to sleep for most of the night. Darrell's Mother, takes steroids once a week as part of her treatment for cancer, and it does keep her and the rest of us awake. Yes I felt exhausted, but once again I am not suffering from cancer, so should thank my lucky stars I am well, and stop bloody complaining so much.

After a delicious dinner and quality time with family, it was time to leave. It is days like this that make me realise how lucky I am to lead the life I do. There aren't many people who have travelled as extensively as Darrell and me and lived in multiple countries. Chatting with family in Australia, I am well aware of the amazing life I have. When things get tough, as they inevitably do, I have the memories I made to keep me grounded and focused on the task at hand. Starting a new life down under, after a worldwide pandemic in the middle of a European war and an economic crash was never going to be easy; I guess I'm not doing too badly really!

Marmite Watch

...And finally

The last time I lived abroad in Spain, I did everything I could to make sure I had my essential jar of Marmite. I can remember vividly talking to the owner of the British Supermarket in Gran Alacant, pleading with him to stock some bigger jars of Marmite. At the time, six years ago, he only had the small jars in stock and used to charge a whopping 5 Euro a jar.

I have no idea what they cost now, but just before I returned to the UK, he managed to get in the bigger jars. That's got to be the story of my life, really - always just missing out at the last minute!

Anyway, it is far easier to get hold of the black gold in Australia. If you thought Brits were addicted to the stuff, well, Ozzies are absolutely besotted. Of course, they have their own Marmite, Ozemite, Promite, Mightymite, Vegemite, in fact every bloody mite you can imagine... IT REALLY IS A 'MITE' lover's dream here! As I have recently discovered, they also sell the original British stuff, although due to them having their own Marmite and copyright laws, it's called 'Our Mate,' and it is most certainly the real deal.

However, I have got quite used to Ozemite in particular and quite like the taste, but you really can't beat the real stuff, and I am thankful to have found it in the British section of Woolworths supermarket in Midland Gate for a bargain price of $4.80. One happy Brit!

Over the last few months I have been gradually changing my lifestyle for many reasons. As you are all aware, I suffer with chronic IBS and have a number of underlying conditions, that probably make me more susceptible to food sensitivity. These have only been noticeable since I returned to Portsmouth from Spain and probably came to the fore, because of the changes I made to my lifestyle when I returned to the UK.

In Spain, I was an expert at living frugally. It was extremely difficult getting hold of the convenience, processed food readily available here. Of course, you could visit one of the many British supermarkets, stocking such products, but these were expensive and few and far between. It was much easier living in the same way the Spanish do and with money in short supply, I began changing my whole outlook on life.

Rather than buying British food from expensive international food aisles in Dialprix, Consum or Mercadona, I bought seasonal fruit and vegetables from the market in Gran Alacant, or the more affordable grocery stores. I chose to buy meat and other products that were on offer, pairing the ingredients for a nutritious 'cheap' alternative; cooking in bulk and freezing leftovers. This worked well for me, and I was able to live off twenty to thirty euro a week. I had graduated from the wasteful existence I had in Britain, to environmentally friendly sustainability, throwing very little away and learning to live a life more in tune with my Mother and Fathers childhood in the 1950s.

In 2020, I am living my life in similar fashion, but for very different reasons. In Spain, I had very little money to live on, so I had to readjust my lifestyle to take account of a limited income. Today I continue to cook in bulk because of the busy life I lead. Spending one day a week cooking for the next seven days, means I don't have to spend hours in the kitchen each evening, when I should be resting from long shifts at work.

My diet has also changed dramatically, since my Gastro Intestinal issues were diagnosed. I am choosing to follow a predominantly plant based diet; meat can be very difficult to digest, for me for at least, so alternatives have been a Godsend as I have tried to make my diet more IBS friendly and healthy. I have never really looked at this type of food before, let alone actually eat it, so it has been a leap into the unknown, but so far I have been pleasantly surprised by the choice out there.

As well as cooking up large pots of Quorn Stew, I am also trying out the other meat alternatives - this week, sausages, Quorn fillets and meatballs. The sausages are particularly delicious, full of flavour and better than normal sausages; yes you heard that right, I actually prefer eating them. Even the sausage rolls taste better in my humble opinion and most importantly do not have any adverse reactions with my GI issues.

However, there is a downside to all this meat free living and it is the cost. It is still far cheaper to eat animal products; if I am honest I would spend half the money I do on my weekly shop, if I could still happily enjoy it, but the truth is I can't. Eating meat is no longer compatible with my well-being and I have had to make dramatic changes to accommodate conditions that I never really knew I had.

I have discovered many foods that I can still eat - sushi, most fresh vegetables, Brie and Camembert, so at least I can still enjoy some cheese, although I no longer eat any other form of dairy. Also, I can eat most nuts, rice, cereal and my all-time favourite Marmite, which is also great for adding flavour to tofu and Quorn. I have removed all refined sugar, including cakes, chocolate and ice cream from my diet, to my absolute horror. It does seem on the surface at least, that I don't get any enjoyment from food any more and I suppose that is partly true.

All the things I used to enjoy, I can no longer eat; I can't remember the last time I had a piece of extra mature cheddar cheese, a chocolate finger, bottle of wine or tub of Ben and Jerry's, but I have found some friendly substitutes that have helped to ease the cravings. Dairy free desserts and chocolate can be quite appetising and causes me no harm whatsoever. It feels as though my body has started to heal after a lifetime of abuse and eating food that was no good for me at all.

Because of the changes I have made, I have been able to reintroduce some food that I couldn't eat just a few weeks ago. Until recently I have only been able to eat sourdough bread, but today I have reintroduced the normal, bog standard sliced loaf, which is about a third of the price and in my opinion tastes far better. I can also eat some pies and pastries, but not too much, so today I was able to buy a couple of home made pies from Zerina at Cancer Research and have had no adverse reaction; I am starting to live life again.

IBS is evolving all the time; one day I can eat one thing and on other days not, so I have to work my way around the complexities these ailments cause. I have taken my eating habits back to basics and gradually reintroduced a few items that I can now stomach once again, but it really has been hard work getting here. As someone who has always been able to eat what I want, I have found this process very difficult to deal with, but it has taught me much about myself and the nature of my body. It has shown me a way of living I have never experienced before, consequently making me feel far healthier and looking a lot trimmer than I was.

Over the last six months I have lost a stone in weight, I am walking a lot more and I have finally started to get to grips with my health, which does continue to cause me problems every day. I do feel fitter in many respects, but unravelling the pain that has been a constant in my life has been difficult. I have had to scream from the rooftops to see Doctors and Consultants, especially during this pandemic, but finally the results are beginning to show through. Exercise every morning and night is helping to ease the back pain I suffer with every day, and I am finally feeling positive and relieved, that I understand problems that have plagued my life for too long. If I have learned anything from this period, it's simply, I can change, adapt and make my life better. When I put my mind to something I can achieve all I want to. So far I'm half way there and thank God the light in finally at the end of the tunnel, helping to point the way to a more productive, satisfying and fulfilling life, without the mistakes of the past!

After another GI diagnosis last Thursday and ongoing pain, I have decided to radically change my diet. I have been feeling so sick in recent times, that this is the only course of action I feel I can take now, to try and ease my symptoms. I have so many Gastric issues, that I really am not sure what to do for the best, but I have started by removing most meat from my diet and have begun the process of transferring to a predominantly plant based diet. This sounds great on the surface and not too difficult to achieve, but when one factors in all my problems it is actually a nightmare.

Keeping meat to a minimum should help to reduce my digestive predicament. Meat is probably the hardest food to consume, for me at least, so anything that reduces this ongoing hurdle is welcome. I have also discovered I can no longer eat dairy and am possibly lactose intolerant, but will have to undergo further tests to find out for sure. Gluten is another area of concern, which seems to be eased by only eating sourdough bread. Then there is IBS, and that is the most demanding condition of all. There is so much I can't eat any more - spicy food to onions, garlic, chocolate and fatty foods, processed and sugary comestibles, curry, chilli and heavy sauces. The difficulty breaking down fat, probably has more to do with my recent diagnosis of gall stones than anything, but it is an extra element to this GI dilemma.

The hiatus hernia, also has its fair share of demands and I have had to give up alcohol, except for a very occasional drink and large portions of food, which are hard to metabolise. The hernia has caused some swallowing difficulties, so I have to chew my food longer and more thoroughly, drinking water after every mouthful; life is becoming such a chore right now. Finally, Diverticular Disease; This has its own unique set of challenges - beans, certain fruit and vegetables and any food that is fermented is detrimental to my constitution. Added together, I am living through a torment, that never seems to end.

Tonight I cooked a soya bolognaise, used celery instead of onions, peppers, mushrooms and plenty of spinach and it tasted OK, just OK. There wasn't a lot of flavour to it, so I need to find an IBS friendly spice to give it a bit of oomph in the future. I did put a few teaspoons of Marmite in, which did help, but it just had something missing. Cooking for all the conditions I have is going to be difficult, but I am determined not to give up. I'm not able to have the necessary procedures to solve my gastric contentions presently, so will continue very much in the same vein as I am now.

The COVID pandemic has only made my life harder, unable to access many of the services that would help me right now, but I hope, in time, as we move towards the post Coronavirus World, I will finally be able to get to grips with my gastric symptoms. None of these conditions are deadly, but my quality of life has been severely hampered and a determination to get back to normal is the motivation that spurs me ever onwards, every day, hoping to beat the demons that currently plague my thoughts!

Keeping fit and trying to lose weight, has always been an activity, I have had difficulty with. I have spent my whole life dieting in one way or another, so it is natural I have reached another crossroads in my life, where I need to do something to get healthy once again. To be honest, I did consider another strict calorie controlled diet, but soon realised it wouldn't work. Why wont it work? Well I have tried that approach many times before and I have always failed somewhere down the line, usually just a few days into it!

This time I wanted to do something different and really start to eat healthier, without restricting myself too much. As an all or nothing person, I have never chosen the middle ground; extremes are my forte. During the times when I did rigorously eat an uncompromising diet, it felt like a prison sentence and I soon got fed up with the austere nature of what I was doing. All I did was crave the things I liked and eat the things I didn't. This was a sure fire way to fail and it wasn't long before I got fed up with the whole palaver and just continued down a self destructive path of binge eating, even in secret.

So today I am cutting down, choosing healthier alternatives and most importantly reducing the size of the meals I eat. On top of this sensible eating plan, I have also decided to reduce the carbohydrates in my diet dramatically, but not altogether. If I stop eating carbs completely, I will crave them all the more and surely fail at the first hurdle. Buying food that is lower in carbohydrates is a good start for me; low carb bread as well as fresh fruit and vegetables and more salads should help me lose weight. Yesterday I also made some Cauliflower Rice, by blending the vegetable up into grain size pieces and quickly frying it in olive oil; served with Chili, it tasted delicious. It worked surprisingly well, despite my initial apprehension and didn't taste of cauliflower at all.

So it's back to healthy eating for me, not a bad thing when one considers the amount of walking I do a day and the cigarettes I no longer smoke. It is about time I took charge of my own destiny, and as I drift towards my fiftieth year, I am fully aware of what I need to do in order to live a longer, healthier life. My body no longer feels and acts like the twenty year old, who used to drink, smoke  and party hard; today it is in need of an MOT and an overhaul, accepting what it can and can't do. Realising ones age and changing ones lifestyle is an important part of maintaining the perfect balance between body and mind. My mind is as healthy as it has ever been, my body, well, just needs work...Could do better as they say. Hopefully this time, I will succeed where I have failed in the past!

This is the first bank holiday weekend I have had off in a long time and today I am nursing a rather niggly hangover. I say niggly, because it isn't bad, just rather annoying. All I want to do is sleep, but I have too much to do and it is getting in the way of what was going to be a productive day.  The weather isn't too bad today, so I've managed to get some washing done, pop into town and am cooking a lasagne for dinner this evening; I am doing my best to be positive today...I could make the same old statement - 'I'm never drinking again,' but that wouldn't be true, so I wont!

Yesterday I met a mate, Deb's from work, she was going to take me on a tour of her local haunts, the places she likes to go to - pubs, clubs and a restaurant on the coast . The weather was pretty much spot on for a day out, despite the odd few drops of rain and we enjoyed an afternoon drink followed by a good old traditional roast in the Thatched House pub, at Milton Locks, Southsea. I have been here once before, when I returned to the UK about a year ago, but not since.

The Thatched House, is a traditional public house serving British food at fantastic prices. I chose to have a carvery at a cost of 7.99 and it was huge. Three meats, roast potatoes and all the trimmings, I couldn't fault it and had absolutely no complaints, which is unusual for me. Suitably full, we went outside for a chat and beer, two things I love more than anything!

After the Thatched House, Deb's took me to The Duke of Devonshire in Albert Road. This traditional back street bar, is similar to the Newcome, where I work and was welcoming and friendly. We continued talking about life, the universe and everything, rather like being on a first date, but we weren't if you understand what I mean. Debbie and I were born a few hours a part at the same hospital in Portsmouth in 1971, so we kind of have a connection and we get on well, having a very similar sense of humour. Friendship is an important part of all our lives, but for me it is even more crucial in order for me to cope with living away from my husband. I have a lot of family and acquaintances around me on a daily basis and Debbie is another welcome addition to my close circle of friends.

After picking up two of Debbie's mates, we headed to Palmerston Road for more beers and a trip to the infamous Kingsley's, a nightclub that I can only describe as enlightening. To be honest I haven't been to a club in years, not since I lived in Spain and I rarely set foot in a straight venue, but the music was great, for an oldie like me and I enjoyed it for what it was. The average age must have been 60 years old and I did feel like the youngest one there...Another first for me. After getting propositioned by a lady old enough to be my Grandmother, I realised all the rumours about this place were true. It was like a cattle market for pensioners; I kid you not. Despite the obvious downsides I had a great day with Debs and felt more relaxed than I have done in a while; I look forward to our next 'Debbie Brown Tour,' there's nothing like letting your hair down to relieve stress, kick back and have a little bit of me time!

I've had a welcome day off today after working for sixteen hours on Wednesday. I actually slept right the way through until 7am this morning, which is amazing for me, especially after waking up at 3am everyday since I have returned from Asia. I guess the jet lag is well and truly over now and my sleeping pattern is back to normal!

I had a few things to catch up on first thing today, but essentially I have spent Thursday cooking up some meals for the rest of the week - not something I have done in a long while!

In Spain money was tight and I embarked on a cost cutting exercise, cooking in bulk and freezing meals, the most economical way to live. It was particularly difficult to buy ready refection and snacks, especially in the urbanization where I lived. So by making healthy nutritious lunches and dinners myself, I was able to create my own convenience meals, eating a balanced sensible diet, without the need of high calorie and high sodium prepackaged food from supermarkets.

Money is no longer tight, but my busy lifestyle prevents me cooking for myself on a daily basis, so today I went back to basics and began doing what I did best in Spain, cooking hearty meals, to eat quickly in between the two jobs I currently have. Today I made a 'Spicy Spanish Chicken Stew with Pinto beans and Quinoa' and it tasted great and reminded me of my time living in Gran Alacant.

I have to admit, since returning from Spain, my eating habits have somewhat slipped. I have been consuming the most convenient pies, pasties and sandwiches, rather than spending a little time out of my week pre-preparing something a little more salutary. Annoyingly I have put on a few pounds to say the least and was not feeling happy about the direction I was heading in. Today I hope to begin to change that and organise my week more effectively, being able to eat well, without the need to buy high fat food; fingers crossed I keep it up!

First I wanted to talk about the 'Goulash' I made yesterday; details of which were included in my blog. I had a comment from Eduardo, who posted on 'The Real Truth Blogger,' facebook page, asking me to include a recipe for the dish. In all honesty Eduardo, I never really follow recipes, but will do my best to include it for you. Usually I cook in bulk, so I will reduce the quantities accordingly....

1. I usually buy the joins of pork from Lidl, in the GA Centre and chop equal quantities of pork and beef into a bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the top and add the two tablespoons of paprika,  Using clean hands, evenly coat the meat in the olive oil and paprika. Leave the mixture to marinade for a few hours, before cooking.

2. Add four table spoons of flour to a shallow bowl, take each marinaded piece of meat and gently roll it in the flour. The flour will help thicken the goulash, whilst cooking.

3. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan; when hot enough add the pork and beef; cook until brown.

4. Chop the onions and garlic, add to the browned meat, continue to fry until the onions turn golden.

5. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire Sauce, salt and pepper; next sprinkle one beef OXO cube over the stew.

6. Chop the green pepper and stir in well; add more paprika if so desired. I like a lot of paprika, so always go overboard.

7. Finally cook for three to four hours or until meat is tender!

It's 1pm and I've been up since early this morning cooking. I like to cook in bulk, making my own meals for the freezer. Since I've had three days off, I've been shopping and restocking. I was at Consum first thing, buying ingredients; beginning by cooking up a batch of liver and onions.

I've always been a fan of liver, ever since I was a kid; I'm a bit strange like that and will eat most things. Liver is of course cheap; you get a lot for your money. Darrell isn't the biggest fan of it, but will eat it at a push!

Next, I prepared some braised kidney, yes more cheap offal. Once again, I love kidney in all its forms, especially steak and kidney pudding. No one else, especially Darrell will eat this 'acquired taste in food,' so this is for me alone. Four meals ready for the freezer. Not enough people eat this kind of food, mainly because of their own phobias. Meat is meat is meat, so get over your prejudged thoughts and eat the stuff; if you are a carnivore like me of course!

....and finally. I am cooking Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner this evening, using three quarters of a bottle of red wine; well it is cheaper to buy here, so why not. As a matter of interest, I wanted to ask readers of 'Spanish Views,' a question about the minced beef you buy in Spain. It doesn't actually brown in the same way as it does in the UK and looks a lot lighter in colour. All I can assume, is the cattle are fed on grain rather than grass, but I can't be sure; is this the case? Grain fed Cows produce lighter coloured meat; the taste is also different. Personally I prefer British beef, but what do I know!