Monday

A good day yesterday, despite the dullness of the weather in the morning.  I had a rare old time in the kitchen once I was feeling better.

First of all, recently I decided that having a reasonably expensive pressure cooker and not really using it was more than a bit daft, so I boiled a ham in it.  Half an hour, it took, the ham didn't shrink much, it cooked moist and tender and there's some really delicious stock left.  It's not too salty either, so I reduced it down and I guess ham and lentil soup is on the cards or ham and pea soup using frozen peas.  What's not to like there?  One to remember, I think.  Not to self - use pressure cooker more.

I made some white bread as planned and then decided I fancied having a go at some spiced bread using a Thermione adapted recipe from an original found on the Good Food site.  It took a while - not one to make if you're short of time - but, oh, so delicious.  I've blogged about it in Teacher's Recipes here.

In a mad moment I went online and (don't laugh) bought a Christmas quilt cover and pillowcases.  The sensible part of me said 'How utterly daft' and the merry festive part of me said 'Whoooooopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!'  I suspect my second childhood took over.

A bit of a damper.  Beth and Al (quite rightly) decided to give this week's lunch a miss as I was so poorly on Friday night.  They're quite right, of course, and it set me a-thinking.  When the children are ill the rule is 'so many hours' since the last incident before returning to school.  As teacher, do we follow that advice?  Do we heck!!!  Dave was coming over to let me 'test drive' his car but he also decided that discretion was the better part of valour and cancelled.
So I have rather a lot of leek and potato soup left over.  Just as well it freezes well.

I'm very glad that I was feeling rotten on Friday night because I can return to school on Monday, integrity intact, without creating any panic about the Christmas show.  Thinking about it, I realised that if I was not to be there on Monday it would be very, very difficult for my colleagues.  Not only have I trained the 'cast' I also play the piano at the beginning and the end of all the dances.  It doesn't sound much, I know, but would take some re-organising.  Must do somethimg about that.  No-one should be irreplacable.

With that thought, I'd better start gathering stuff together and going through my planning.