Sunday, March 23, 2014

Spiced apple juice, winter purslane and removal.

1. A polystyrene cup of hot spiced apple juice to warm my hands on a rather wintery March day.

The leaves and flowers of winter purslane
Winter Purslane: photo by Curtis Clark via Wikimedia Commons
2. The salad man has winter purslane. I have a weakness for soft leaves, such as this and lamb's lettuce. Winter purslane's bizarre appearance -- the leaves grow around the flowers like a dog's surgical ruff -- appeals to me because it looks somehow unfoodlike and it makes me think it might have fallen from another planet.

3. After lunch I announce that I will be removing myself to the sitting room with a Cadbury's Creme Egg and the new Interzone. I manage to read the editor's letter and one (very short) story before I am interrupted.

3b. We are watching Green Balloon Club on Cbeebies -- its a nature programme with child presenters. Alec tugs my arm. "You know the girl, the girl in the yellow jacket? She a big girl."
I clarify which of the presenters he means -- it's the youngest, blondest girl.
"Her! I LOVE HER," he shouts and then runs behind the sofa.
at

The real end of Christmas, multitasking and life before.

1. We eat the last of the Christmas treats with our coffee -- a few stray stollen bites from Lidl. 2. While listening to a work webinar, I f...

  • Bee, green beans and movie night.
    1. An enormous fat bumble bee at work. She is so bulky that she can knock dead blossoms out of the way as she gets right in to the new jasmi...
  • Midsummer, feeding and cakes.
    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...
  • As needed, forgotten cake and syrup.
    1. I promised myself I wouldn't moan and grumble about it -- but I do. And as if by magic, a very kind friend produces the required blaz...