Midweek miscellany

Wednesday's here again. And it's a short week in a sense as Jay's booked tomorrow and Friday off. Perhaps a long weekend. Actually, both of those things.

Last weekend seems ages ago for some reason. It was a busy one with lots of family activity: canalside walks, steam train adventures, food. Oh, the food. On Saturday we had lunch at a local restaurant and it was wonderful: the panoramic views, the sense of occasion (we rarely eat out) and the pudding. Orange and cardamom bread and butter pudding with vanilla creme anglaise. Heaven on a plate.

In other food news, we have consumed rather a lot of cream. Mushrooms cooked in it. Meatballs in a cream and mustard sauce. Both rich, both delicious. But I'm having a bit of a break now. It seems February's not the best month for dieting either - I'm getting very excited about next week's pancake-based festivities.

Earlier this week Joe and I walked into Ramsbottom. He had a doctor's appointment which resulted in a prescription for antibiotics for an ear infection. These nasty germs do seem to be haunting us at the moment. Still, he's his usual happy self most of the time. He was very pleased that we caught the bus home and even more so that it was a double decker.

While we were out I did that thing where you pick up a few extra provisions: fat sausages from the butcher and a loaf of sourdough from the little supermarket. They had dinky pots of miniature daffodils and very reasonably-priced hydrangea bulbs too so I added some to my basket. Shopping off-list during the week is something I try to avoid but my purchases didn't cost very much so no guilt.

I've been reading in the evenings. I'm currently deep into The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters. But as a little diversion I read The Velveteen Rabbit. I spotted it in the library and had always meant to read it. The illustrations are beautiful. Perhaps a future purchase for Joe.

In other news: I've been asked to be the official photographer at a wedding in August. I've photographed weddings for family before now, just casually-taken snaps. But this is my first 'proper' wedding. It actually sounds like it'll suit me just fine; the bride-to-be is a friend and she wants candid shots rather than posed ones. Better get practising!

The snow has all but gone now. We've been out looking for signs of the coming spring and they're there: buds, shoots. I picked a few snowdrops this afternoon. Ours actually grow in a raised bed behind the garden wall so you don't get to see them unless you're putting the rubbish out. They're fascinating things; they were tightly closed but within minutes of being indoors opened fully. The tiniest jar I could find had lavender harvested from last summer in it, so that's now decanted into a little teacup. It smells gorgeous.

I'd just like to say I really enjoyed reading your comments on my last post. Seems we're all soup-lovers. And Heinz are responsible for a lot of childhood memories!