Reconnecting

 This week I made one of these, and it was very much enjoyed!  This kind of cake is not made here as often as it used to be, and consequently on his six monthly check up with the cardiologist today, the FH has lost 4kg, and they were pleased with him.  Unfortunately they have given him a pretty potent drug today which has a rather unpleasant side effect, so he will be losing more weight pretty rapidly this week!!  Let's think positively - he only has to take it for a few days.

This is the courgette pickle I made last summer when we had a glut of courgettes, and it was set in the cupboard with a label which indicated that it needed to mature until at least November.  The FH has been eating it with cold meats, cheeses and in sandwiches, and reports that it is even better now for a longer maturing period.  He has asked for more - perhaps I should get round to sowing some courgettes seeds!

Life is getting particularly difficult at the moment in that I am spending long hours in school.  There are some significant developments going on just now, and they are going to lead to further work which will take time to reconcile to get the school back on an even keel for September.  

This means that the house is continually untidy - I managed to clean some bathroom washbasins today and fling some bleach down the loos this morning, but I could have done more if I had had time.  The constant rain is hampering the laundry - why wash something if all the drying spaces are full of damp stuff already?!  And I even went to the length of looking on the internet for a tumble dryer this afternoon - I saw the prices and soon reconsidered, so don't worry, I haven't succumbed.

The YFG has recommenced the piano lessons and is beginning to prepare for her Grade 1 exam.  She will start back at ballet on Saturday.  She needs a ballet leotard so I went to the local shop for one today - I was so relieved to find that they are more reasonably priced than the gymnastics ones, which are nearly £40 each, but then she wears those for far more time each week.  Ballet ones are half the price, but then I had a shock when the chap said that the character skirts are £55.  I soon decided that we will look for a second hand one!  It is ridiculous to pay that much for something she will wear for less than 20 minutes a week!  Getting things into perspective, I wouldn't pay that much for a skirt for everyday wear.

The EFG is working very hard for her upcoming GCSE exams - we have a timetable fixed to her bedroom wall so we can see exactly when they are all to be held.  She starts on Monday with two full days of Art.  She went to help at Guides last night but found that she wasn't really needed and spent the time looking through her folder, so she has decided that she probably ought to be using her time at home with her work.  Guides can go on the back burner for a few weeks.

I am longing for better weather again, as I am sure most people in the UK are.  May is on the horizon already, so I do hope that it will bring us more springlike weather.  I do feel for all those people whose homes are threatened by floodwater at this time, and hope that you are all safe and well.