Sunday

I think one of the greatest of the many simple pleasures I am fortunate enough to enjoy in my life is waking up to the aroma of freshly baking bread.  Having a loaf in the oven while you are showing potential house purchasers around your home is old hat nowadays, but the truth remains that it is one of the most heart-warming, evocative smells in my world.  I'm breathing deeply and enjoying . . .
I love my Panasonic!

Today the loaf came out of the pan easily.  The other day (Friday) it was more trouble and, as I bagged the loaf and took it out to the freezer, I failed to notice that the paddle was still in the bottom of the loaf.  As a result, on Saturday morning I had to get said loaf out of the freezer again and thaw it so that I could dig out the paddle.  Fortunately, Beth came round and took it home with her together with three others for her rationing week ahead (loaf, not paddle).  I was a bit cheesed off by the paddle sticking so went onto Amazon (where else) to look up replacement parts and saw that Panasonic now do a non-stick paddle that has very good reviews, especially as regards to not sticking in the loaf .  So, with a couple of clicks, they were ordered and I got an email from the company supplying them yesterday evening to tell me they are on their way and should be with me tomorrow.  Now that's good service!

This rationing eating thing is obviously good for my grandson.  A month ago he was a couple of centimetres taller than Beth and I; now he towers over us both.  I remember that my son had a sudden growth spurt at more or less this age too.  Both Beth and I did our growing (growing up, anyway) good and early and by the time we started secondary school we were more or less the same height as we are now and have been all our adult lives.  For Alex, the growing up has been accompanied by a slimming down in that he's finally lost his little boy podge and he looks really good!  Fortunately, he's still nice and huggly, bless him!

Today is a school day.  I have to prepare for consultation evenings next week and have brought home all the necessary paperwork.  It's not hard, it won't take for ever, but it's got to be done.  In between that I will be popping to Sainsbury's.  Morrison's is very convenient but there are things it doesn't have.  It doesn't do the 'value' crumpets I like to buy (because they are smaller and thinner and therefore lower calorie) and it didn't have any maple syrup last time I looked which was a pain because I need some more.  Today I want to make the Hairy Dieters meatballs in a rich tomato sauce recipe and Sainsbury's has a much better selection of beef and pork minces.  The fact that Sainsbury's has good clothes and homeware departments has nothing to do with it, dear me no, who would ever think of such a thing, goodness me . . . etc.  Thinking about it, their new magazine should be out by now . . .

I have four bananas, very ripe with skins that are browning.  They're not going to last much longer so I'm going to have a go at doing what the Frugal Girl does and bunging them into the freezer whole, to use at a later date.  I have a good recipe for banana muffins but, as I made a batch of muffins yesterday, I don't need any more for now.  I don't want to waste the bananas though!  

Well, better get on with the reports.  Or maybe I will have breakfast first!  Secisions, decisions . . .

Don't spiders have wonderful markings?  I never realised before.  They may be the stuff of nightmares but they are 'fearfully and wonderfully made'
And my spider seems to have got his knitting in a tangle!