Lockdown Birthday

Ready for my birthday 

Weekly shop finds...

I had a Happy Birthday despite being alone . Normally my family would visit and we would have a meal out somewhere. But my three children organised a Zoom chat at 8am when they watched me open the presents they'd sent.  I felt lucky all day. Lucky to have a roof over my head and enough food to eat and a loving family. And lucky to have lots of creative projects on the go so that I am rarely, if ever, bored. 

The children also came back on Zoom later for a family quiz they had organised. Which I lost. However treat of the week was seeing the Rolling Stones live on tv last night. Did anyone else watch ?

What changes are you experiencing since 'lockdown'?

My shopping habits have changed a lot. No longer can we just dash to pick up milk or just one ingredient for a recipe. Now we have to think through what we'll need for the week ahead and then try to find those things in just one shop. I like Tesco Express because it's near my house and they have tape on the floor so customers find it easy to 'social distance' and the staff are lovely.

 I find I am baking and making complicated dishes more often than before. And often ingredients have to be changed or left out because you can't find what you thought you needed. This can lead to some nice surprises. For example I didn't have olives but I did have dried prunes and would you believe the dish tasted even better than usual!!

I haven't been able to find flour for ages. I like wholemeal or spelt flour but all I could find this morning was plain white flour which I would never normally  buy but I want to make a cake and a cheese sauce so plain flour it will have to be.

No pasta but it's surprising how even ancient pasta at the back of the cupboard has proved absolutely fine to use. I'm also using tins of pulses I've had for years. Now nothing can be ignored!

Eggs have also been as rare as 'hens' teeth' so I was pleased to find some in my 7am shop this morning. Even though they cost 3 times as much as the ones I normally buy... Ditto with the cheese pictured. It cost £3.65 - too much normally but no choice if I wanted a strong cheddar... Small compromises really.

Another vital part of my daily routine is Joe Wicks with his utube exercises. I find if i do them first thing in the morning everything goes better in the whole day. I walk at 1pm when I reckon most people will be having their lunch so it's nice and quiet. I hope you have nice places to walk. I have never been so aware of birds' singing and all the little wildflowers and wild life before.

Keep well and keep strong. Lots of love.