Although not quite the same as at least the the snow and cold have gone; it's nice for a day or two but then feels oppressive. this was the view from the kitchen window.
But in other ways this week has been much like last week and and the last several weeks. It does feel interminable. Out local farm shop manager says people are in despair. I guess he is able to monitor the mood over time as people are regular shoppers. he says he is ok as he has three or four days in the shop.
I’m not quite in despair but it’ increasingly difficult to feel motivated to do anything. Thank goodness that spring is coming. Yesterday I bought a lovely pink rambling rose and two clematis, one red and one white.
That will spur me on to get into the garden as I will have to plant them when they arrive. I’m also thinking about the vegetable patch and what to grow this year. Last year’s lettuce and tomatoes are certain, and the beetroot worked well. We had too many runner beans and not enough borlotti. I’ll spend some time browsing the selections which is a nice forward thinking activity.
Food is so important in terms of loving to cook and having nice fresh food. I have now made a delicious marmalade cake three times (although gave the last one away as a present) I have ordered some more Seville oranges as there are a few left to make some more marmalade this time with fennel seeds which seems an unlikely combination but it apparently works really well and I thought might be specially nice in a cake.
We are lucky enough to be able to get most things up here and if not there is always online where I went to get some Italian sausages. Also got some very more-ish little salamis. I gave M a special French guillotine de saucisson a few years ago so you can get really thin slices. I do not like thick chunks of salami but it’s transformed when it’s thin enough.
M made pancakes on Shrove Tuesday that were fabulous; just the right thick/ thin- ness with frilly slightly crispy edges. With lemon juice and a sprinkle of castor sugar they are perfect. Strange we only eat them once a year.
I’ve been painting away and done a few that I’m happy with. I’ve also just entered these two to an open exhibition- online of course. At least that’s something to get involved with.
It’s a bit dispiriting to think we won’t be able to do our Clay exhibition next month and open studios in May is rather uncertain. I suppose I'll at least have plenty of paintings:
I now have lockdown hair again and who knows when I will be able to sort that? I have two types of outfit that I wear pretty much every day which includes day pyjamas - sweatshirts and joggers, and night pyjamas.
I remember a few years ago there was some furore in the papers about women who went to the shops etc in their pyjamas; apparently to show the world (or England somewhere) that they didn’t have to go to work ie on benefits. Amazing that more people aren’t doing it now; in fact the few times I do go out most people are dressed normally, although everyone seems to be old so that might have something to do with it.
We had a big family zoom yesterday - there were 10 which is bigger than we usually muster- to raise a glass to Mum who died four years ago. Unfortunately we are riven with political differences either left/ right divide or refusing to have anything political enter the conversation at all. Mum would have found it amusing.
As everything that we are affected by at the moment, mainly coronavirus and Brexit it is difficult not to as both are highly politicised.
Found it was Monday again this morning; I’m astonished at how quickly the days drift by and it’s laundry day again. And was always blog day until I took my foot off the pedal a bit. And in terms of lung life all has been well; Papworth have eased off appointments so I don’t know when my next check up will be. They always encourage you to contact them with any concerns so that is ok.
Here is the lovely Ralph asleep with his eyes open ; even he seems tired of it all:
