1. A bowl of hot porridge. (I have loathed porridge (sticky, slimy, glutinous oats and hot milk, ugh) my entire life -- and suddenly I can't get enough of it. I think it's something to do with all the pulpy foods we're spooning into Alec.)
2. Our greengrocer now sells bread -- and the occasional cake. Today there is a tight-packed tray of soft, fresh terracotta-coloured doughnuts. The world is full of disappointing doughnuts (stale, chilled from the freezer, damp, dusted with icing sugar -- I'm still resentful, Grey College Durham, 1995-1998; rancid oil taint -- Greggs, I'm looking at you) so I make a point of buying and devouring any good ones that I come across. This one is excellent -- crisp and soft and new bread chewy with garnet red jam.
3. Sucking the chocolate off a Malteaser, and letting the centre fizzle away on my tongue.
Haircut, revision and changing sky.
1. At this salon, with the sinks set up so I'm looking at a view of the woods while the hairdresser shampoos and rinses, I suddenly unde...
- 
1. Stirring the brewing coffee to break the floating crust and bring up the crema. 2. We have donuts to give the children at teatime. 3. Th...
- 
1. The shortest night and the longest day. I was up at Wellington Rocks with Anna, Paul and Jason. We couldn't see the sun through the m...
- 
1. We are sheltered under the garden centre's great barn roof. There is a rush of sound and air as the rain comes down. 2. A mushroom, c...
 
