6623/19543
For some reason I was full of energy today and managed to do loads of tidying and rearranging and cooking, often whilst looking after the kids at the same time. Cooking wise I was on a mission to use up the hoard of unusual vegetables we've had in our vegetable delivery over the last couple of weeks (me being away for five days meant we hadn't used up loads of them). So there was beetroot and parsnip to go with lunch and then celeriac and potato mash for dinner. The latter was particularly impressive and I felt a sense of achievement, even though I had just followed a recipe online. But it included vegetable stock, parmesan and fresh rosemary from the garden and though it was a bit lumpy because I am crap at mashing, it was pretty special. I guess celeriac is healthier than potato (maybe not with parmesan in it) but this was just like posh potato so it's a victory for mash trickery.
I made two loaves of bread too (though the breadmaker really makes that minimum effort), but the second one has been timed to be ready for tomorrow's breakfast, which feels like an extra level of magic.
I also tidied up the small pinboard in the kitchen, which was packed with out of date vouchers and included a bit of card with Phoebe's line from her school's 2019 nativity play on it. So yes, a lot of this was overdue, but 2020 doesn't count as a year. It's like we were all frozen in an iceberg and have just been defrosted. And then frozen again with a sign saying "Do Not Unfreeze Until 2022. And then be ready to refreeze."
I was a cleaning and tidying and cooking and baking machine and as usual felt like I wouldn't mind this being my entire life.
I am hoping that this time I can overcome the tendency towards lethargy that lockdown seems to bring. I have so far managed to keep January dry (it will be the third year running I have completed it, though of course two of those came in a 13 month period of abstinence) and am considering pushing on beyond these first 31 days. If I can get through a cold week in Wales without booze, maybe 2021 isn't too much to ask.
Cut to...
