1. ...and we suddenly realise that Alec is blowing raspberries.
2. Alec is asleep in his basket. Nick is baking a pie. I have 15 minutes to spend with Jane Austen and Emma.
3. It turns out that the pasta bowl I painted during my hen do is pretty much the same size and shape as the dish required for the West Country ham and egg pie that Nick plans to bake tonight -- I'm glad I remembered it before we bought a new one. Then, in the butchers, we spot trays of ham off-cuts -- these are thick and chunky, unlike the sliced ham we'd intended to buy; and they're cheaper, too. The pie is a thing of beauty stuffed with whole eggs, delicious ham and a chive custard. His first attempt at rough puff pastry is very respectable.
