10th April

It is Friday - well that is what the calendar is telling me but actually it is getting really hard to tell which day is which as they tend to all be the same.  The weather hasn't been brilliant although it is set to improve tomorrow.  We had sunshine early this morning and then it clouded over and we had spits of rain and it was quite cool and the wind had a bit of a nip to it.

I was having a cookathon today in readiness for next week as John had put together a menu before he did our shopping yesterday and also as it was the end of the week I needed to check if anything needed using up as part of my zero waste policy.

I made two batches of soup from the mixed bag of veggies John bought yesterday for a euro and added some of my own which were past their best.  One batch is with the addition of peanut butter and the other is without just to ring the changes!!

I made a smoky dopiaza chicken curry which we are having for tea tomorrow and with the other chicken breast did my take on the honey chicken we get from The Farmyard and which I love.  I spiced mine up by cooking the chicken in some chili oil so it had a nice warming kick to it at the end.

I was a bit low on sugar so didn't make a banana loaf this week - instead I took the blackening bananas and made some little muffins - I have to say they were really successful and were as light as a feather - so nice I cannot see them lasting very long!!!

We have learned today that there are more restrictions with regard to shopping as Supermarkets are now not allowed to sell non-essential items - it doesn't bother me as I am sure there is nothing 'non-essential' that I cannot possibly do without until the restrictions are lifted - unless of course they decided that alcohol and chocolate is to be included.

We did go out today for a brief walk just to get some fresh air and to drop off some liver to Honey and Pup up the road.  We have seen both with Andreas so actually we are not particularly concerned about their health and well-being but had the liver left over from preparing two for the cats yesterday.  It was bright and sunny when we went out but we wore the masks which John has made for us just to be on the safe side.

We had hoped and had everything crossed that today might be the day that David got his long awaited stent operation.  He did get a little step closer as he was sent to the Blue Cross in Paphos and they did some tests but it would appear they don't carry out operations over the weekend so he would have had to stay until Monday - he discharged himself and hopefully will now return on Monday and they will do the operation.

John wanted a sneaky preview of the pictures which have been submitted so far in the Lockdown Art Challenge.  To make it a little fairer I have split it into three categories - Children, Photographs and Art and he flicked through them giving his opinion on which he would vote for if the vote were to be made now (it will be made next week and I am expecting a flurry of entries before the deadline tomorrow night).  He was particularly taken by the painting above of lemons - it is a lovely picture which I like too so I cheekily asked the artist if I might have this one - buy it even!!!  I could do that because I knew that this one was produced by non other than our very great friend and Number 1 Stalker Bill/Andrew Bailey!!

My little extract from The Ration Book...
...Marrows sprouted everywhere on wartime allotments, and they were often included in recipes, but if you think there's not much to be said for them as a vegetable you'll perhaps understand why some men put them to a different use altogether.  The would cut one end, scoop out the pulp, fill it with sugar, bore a hole in the bottom end and hang it up for several weeks, letting the liquid drip into a jar - It made a kind of marrow brandy!