Wednesday 11^th July

Last Thursday I rang Pete to see if he wanted me to bring food – sometimes I go out foraging at lunchtime and arrive at his house to find he has already prepared a delicious meal.  Waste of resources!  This time, I could hear exhausted groans over the mobile phone lines, from Pete, and shouts of enthusiasm and laughter, from James.  “Dad’s having a great time!” said James.  “No I’m not!” said Pete, “My hand is hurting!  And I have been working on the farm ALL DAY.”  He started to list all of his activities but then said, “Well yes I suppose if you don’t bring food, there won’t be any dinner…” 

I was quite happy; I had a brand new Donna Hay recipe to try out (pasta with cauliflower, prosciutto and Brussels sprouts.)  I suppose I now have to admit I am totally addicted to the new series of Masterchef… I am finding it very entertaining, but also quite inspiring.  I was in the lift at work yesterday with two very efficiently dressed women (grey suits, high heels, white shirts,) and we just happened to glance at each other’s shopping bags… We had all been…foraging!  I muttered something about the pasta & pizza episode on Masterchef and they both said, “Oh goodness, isn’t Masterchef INSPIRING??” and we had a lovely cosy chat about who our favourite chefs were (Jamie Oliver) and weren’t (Heston Blumenthal.)  My Kafka-reading TV-eschewing seventeen year old self would NOT have been impressed!!

When Pete staggered in the door, close to 7.30, he was very happy to find my weird combination of ingredients pleasantly combining away on the stove top.  He had, I think, had a lovely day with James, but was totally whacked, and his hand was hurting very badly after lots of heaving of gates out of the scrub and digging of ditches and … ummm maybe I didn’t listen all that carefully but it was a whole list of heavy duty work, all very difficult for a man with a totally ruined hand.  The totally ruined hand responded very well to sympathy, food, beer, and a liberal application of Nurofen cream, so now…all is well!  (We had both been just a bit worried that the totally ruined hand would make it impossible to sail off on 2XS next year.)