Sunday

. . . and brrrrr, it's certainly cold this morning, very shiversome but lovely and bright.  I dislike the very hot weather so no complaints, especially as it warms up during the day anyway.

After thinking that I would have a lazy day yesterday, it ended up quite the opposite.  I didn't have that planned cooked breakfast because by the time I had sorted out the day-before's mess in the kitchen I wasn't hungry any more.

I set to and started to make the apple and tomato chutney which was very easy (as is most chutney, to be honest) and came out very well.  The thing with chutney is that it's a real act of culinary faith: it is never at its best when you make it and you have to wait three or four months for a fair test of its qualities.  This one seems OK though.

Then I remembered the rest of the cranberries from when I made the cranberry sauce earlier in the week so off I went to the freezer and out they came with the last of the strawberries from last year and some rhubarb from Beth's garden this year.  I love my strawberry, rhubarb and cranberry jam recipe and now have six normal sized pots and two and a half little pots.  I'm not sure if these will be 'formal' presents, although I know Beth will be after one at least!  There are still some strawberries in the shops so if Morrisons have them on special I might get some to make another batch.  It really is a very delicious jam, just the ticket on hot buttered toast on a chilly morning.

In the afternoon I went into school yet again and managed to get my desk area sorted out so that's all the 'deconstructing' finished now.  It won't take nearly so long to get the classroom built up again.  I know where I want everything to go, it is just a case of moving furniture and putting up lettering, labels, posters, etc.  It's a huge relief to know that everything behind the closed doors is in good order and I only have myself to blame for the time it has taken.  After all, it was my rubbish and no-one elses!

Beth emailed me to ask if Al could come and stay overnight: of course I said yes straight away.  He's here now, of course, and will be going home at some point in the afternoon or early evening.  He loves his Sunday dinners so I thought I would roast a chicken but discovered that I didn't have any in the freezer and was not inclined to go shopping again so I will wrap two chicken breasts in bacon and roast them with a couple of sausages to keep it all moist.  A few roasties and some runners from the garden should do us a treat and I might knock up an apple and plum crumble for dessert, seeing as I have all the fruit to hand.  Tea will likely be tomatoes (home grown, of course) on toast - I just slice them and fry them in a little butter, sprinkling over a bit of sea salt before serving.  It's gorgeous.

The kitchen plan today, apart from the dinner, is apple and plum chutney, possibly plum and apple jam too and I need to make a couple of loaves of bread too.  I ought to start investigating other kinds of bread in Thermione apart from just white or wholemeal.  Maybe rye, seeing as the extra kneading wouldn't be a problem?  I shall think and research a bit.

Anyway, that's the plan for today - only time will tell if it all happens!  Now for coffee . . .